Chapter 10

Shen Qingli froze instantly.

She remembered!

In her previous life, just before she died, there was another battlefield nearby!

That was the siege of a fallen demon venerable by the eight major sects of the Xuanti Continent, including the Azure Jade Sect!

Zhao Yue, Bai Ren Shan, and those others who came to besiege her were not worthy to join that battlefield.

So, was Shen Kuo also besieging that rumored soon-to-be demon god powerhouse at the side then?

If that's the case……

Could he not have noticed that she was right beside him?

Even though she had no phoenix bone then, her phoenix soul remained—could he not sense it?

Never mind.

Shen Qingli suppressed that faint fluctuation.

What does knowing matter? She has already fallen into demonry, and he is a righteous-path powerhouse—knowing would only lead him to besiege her.

"Shen Kuo!"

The white-haired Grand Elder Su Zhengzong descended from the heavens.

Shen Qingli's thoughts snapped back, and she saw Zhao Yue shielding Su Chacha behind her like a hen protecting her chicks, her eyes filled with extra venom as she glared at Shen Qingli, "Wicked girl! Do you still have the face to ask for your phoenix bone?"

Shen Qingli's lips curled, about to sneer.

Pei Jianshu spoke first, criticizing, "You previously kept saying you'd return the bone to your mother, and now you want it back again. Shen Qingli, you're such a fickle villain."

"Why must she return the bone to her mother?" Shen Kuo still stood before Shen Qingli, his icy gaze sweeping over Pei Jianshu, "My daughter owes no one anything! Zhao Yue never gave her any nurturing or teaching—she has no right to be called a mother!"

"Isn't ten months of pregnancy nurturing?" Su Zhengzong sighed, "Shen Kuo, you and Ah Yue couldn't stay together—I don't blame you, but now you're making things difficult for my granddaughter—isn't this repaying kindness with enmity?"

"There's no need for Master to waste words on this ungrateful, treacherous wretch—if he had any shame, he wouldn't barge into our Saint Maiden Peak and seize the daughter I painstakingly bore!"

After Zhao Yue finished cursing contemptuously, she sneered, "We agreed the daughter would be mine—you stay away—but you secretly stirred up our mother‑daughter relationship, causing her to defy me! You're truly despicable!"

"I don't know whether he's despicable or not," Shen Qingli's voice came from behind Shen Kuo, and she herself stepped past him to stand before the crowd.

Shen Kuo wanted to pull her back behind him, but she avoided his hand again, stood before him, and stared straight at Zhao Yue, Su Zhengzong, Bai Ren Shan, and the others.

It turned out that Su Chacha was the daughter of Zhao Yue's master.

How ironic.

Facing her own biological daughter, Zhao Yue said she could not show favoritism.

Facing her master's daughter, however, Zhao Yue was all too practiced at showing favoritism and covering up faults.

All that talk of boundless love, benevolence toward all, not loving just one daughter—surely just hollow excuses.

Shen Qingli, seeing things more clearly, said word by word, "But Zhao Yue, you are truly unworthy to be a mother! Saying you want the bone returned is just an expedient excuse—do you think you deserve my phoenix bone?

You don't deserve it! All these years, as your born‑into‑slavery, I have gained how many benefits and resources for your Saint Maiden Peak and the entire Azure Jade Sect?

Do you have the right to demand my phoenix bone? You don't. What face does the Azure Jade Sect, top to bottom, have to ask for my phoenix bone? You have absolutely no right!

"You……" Zhao Yue's face turned ashen as she wanted to curse.

In the sky, the snow phoenix let out a fierce phoenix cry.

Everyone present, except the Shen Qingli siblings, felt as if their heads were being pricked by needles!

Even Su Zhengzong, his expression grim, stared at Shen Kuo, "Are you really going to repay kindness with enmity?"

"I, Shen Kuo, have been repaying what I owe you, but my daughter owes you nothing, nor the Azure Jade Sect, nor Zhao Yue!" Each word rang out powerfully—yet he also admitted he had indeed received favors from Su Zhengzong.

Shen Qingli understood in her heart—no wonder someone like him would stay in the Azure Jade Sect; his words were true, so Su Zhengzong's face darkened further, "But the matter is settled—if Chacha has her bone removed, she will surely die!"

"You know that having the bone removed means certain death—what about me? When they tore my bone out alive, did you forget I would die?" Shen Qingli retorted sharply.

"Shut up! It's not your turn to speak!" Zhao Yue immediately spat, "Wretched spawn, I'll say it again—get over here! Otherwise I will never forgive you for the rest of my life!"

"Is that so rare?" Shen Qingli snorted, "Have you forgotten I told you we have no relationship left? Do you think I'd cherish a mother who only enslaves me and squeezes out my worth?"

"You……"

"I don't cherish it at all!"

"If I wasn't clear before, let me say it again!"

Shen Qingli gazed at the Azure Jade Sect crowd, "I, Shen Qingli, and Zhao Yue—since she reached out and ripped the two hundred and six phoenix bones from my body, our familial ties have been severed!

In this life, I, Shen Qingli, will never acknowledge her as my mother! Even if heavenly thunder strikes, even if heaven and earth condemn me, even if the Great Dao obliterates me—I will still not recognize her as mother! This oath, the heavens bear witness!

As soon as she spoke, heavenly thunder exploded instantly!

It seemed her defiant words would provoke the Heavenly Dao's annihilation!

Yet even so, Shen Qingli, just as she said, felt no fear and did not retract her words.

She stood there, letting the heavenly thunder roar and lightning flash, dark clouds pressing down!

"Wretched creature! I won't kill you—let heaven take you!"

Zhao Yue's face lit up with glee, the look of a great vengeance fulfilled.

Shen Kuo's eyes grew ever deeper with disappointment…

But his aura grew stronger!

He said nothing more, yet his actions showed that even if the Heavenly Dao sent punishment, he would never abandon his daughter—he would share the burden with her.

However, the lightning never struck down.

But the thunderclouds kept gathering, and in a moment the entire sky above the Azure Jade Sect was covered in dark clouds.

The sect's disciples all felt the oppression; some with low cultivation dared not even step outside.

Outside the Azure Jade Sect, other sects were also startled by this terrifying mass of dark clouds.

Sects relatively close to the Azure Jade Sect had even sent people rushing over to investigate.

On Bing Xue Feng, Su Chacha was already sobbing uncontrollably, "Don't do this, Senior Sister—don't make things hard for yourself or for Peak Master Shen; such a heavenly thunderbolt, no one can bear it.

Moreover, even Heaven thinks you shouldn't sever ties with your master; why must you be so stubborn? Step back, a family living in harmony— isn't that good?

Don't bother with her! She's seeking death herself! Then let her have her way!" Zhao Yue coldly stared at Shen Qingli, "Such a wicked creature, I'll pretend I never gave birth to her!"

As you wish." Shen Qingli showed no sign of relenting, yet she turned her head to look at Shen Kuo, "You don't need to be like this; it's my own choice, I can bear it."

She's someone who once survived in the Heavenly Thunder Pool!

At that time, she didn't even have bones!

Now she has reforged her bones; what is there to fear?

She only needs everyone in the Azure Jade Sect to remember——

After this thunderbolt passes, if I don't die! I will have you, the entire Azure Jade Sect, return what you once gave me! I also want Su Chacha to return my phoenix bone! I also want to avenge the grudge of having my bones pulled out, the humiliation and trampling!

Shen Qingli, who spoke these words, looked over Su Chacha, Zhao Yue, Gu Cihe, Pei Jianshu, Bai Li Chongtong, Bai Ren Shan, and others who had wronged her!