Chapter 100: Surely the Divine Consort of the Empress

That also couldn't be her; such a divine pupil must be some divine realm being who suddenly had a whimsical idea and suddenly manifested holiness.

Regardless of whether it comes from the divine realm or not, it's definitely her," Yuan Chang said while slamming the board.

The Primordial Sect lost its sect leader; someone must pay with their life, unless……

Of course, if she is willing to fulfill the marriage engagement, she could also persuade the Heavenly Star Lineage, leaving an opening.

Can.

Sure.

All the old men had no objections.

Ten days later.

Outside the Primordial Sect's mountain gate.

Guests from all directions gathered in clouds; the Primordial Sect was busy yet orderly inside and out, a scene unprecedented.

The Cave Heaven Mansion's once-in-a-decade Sheng Long Tian Youth Alchemist Competition—does it really attract this much attention?

Shen Qingli didn't quite understand; even if alchemists hold higher status than other professions, it shouldn't be this exaggerated, right?

A month ago, their Shen Clan's Ten Directions Forest Trial had the manifestation of the Supreme Unity Divine Venerable to back it up, yet it didn't draw crowds like this.

Shen Kuo and Shen Qinghuang also felt doubtful.

Let's go in and take a look.

Shen Qinghuang produced the Shen clan emblem.

A five-colored phoenix flew out, hovering above the Primordial Sect.

Those gathered at the Primordial Sect's mountain gate from various factions all stopped and looked up.

Longwater Shen Clan!

Is that a fire sparrow? Hasn't the Young Master Shen come? Wasn't she supposed to fight?

In Sheng Long Tian, any cultivator with a bit of common sense knows that the Shen Clan Young Master's mount is a fire phoenix.

Not seeing the fire phoenix, everyone thought the person who arrived wasn't Shen Qingli.

Amidst the cultivators' heated discussion, Liu Yuanhong had already flown out from the sect gate.

"Uncle Seventh Shen, Young Master Shen, Eldest Young Master Shen have arrived; our sect is deeply honored, please." Liu Yuanhong's greeting also implicitly told the cultivators that Shen Qingli had arrived.

"Why isn't it a fire phoenix? I still wanted to see the legendary divine bird." The cultivators felt regret; the pureblood phoenix had long vanished from Sheng Long Tian, and when they first heard that Shen Qingli's mount was a fire phoenix, many still didn't believe it.

But that's the fact—especially as more and more people witnessed the fire phoenix! Those who doubted gradually came to believe, all wanting to see the legendary divine bird.

Of course, there are still some who don't believe: "Surely the rumors are all lies! If there really were a fire phoenix, how could it not be shown off?"

"Do you think everyone's like you, you show‑off? The Young Master Shen of the Longwater Shen Clan has no need to deliberately show off."

"Heh! Do you know her? You're just kissing her ass! Wait—wait for Yaoyuan Ying to step on her!"

"You're such an interesting speaker; I just spoke the truth—how did that become kissing ass?"

Those who admired Shen Qingli and those who envied her started fighting right at the Primordial Sect's mountain gate.

No one knew who started it, but someone had already set up a betting pool, wagering on who would win this match between the Cave Heaven Mansion's Alchemy Heavenly Pride and the Shen Clan Young Master.

Although Shen Qingli's combat prowess is beyond doubt, her skill as an alchemist has never been seen by anyone in Sheng Long Tian.

Even those who know some inside details think Shen Qingli must have focused all her effort on cultivation combat techniques, making it impossible for her to also excel in alchemy.

Thus, the odds between them turned out to be a staggering one to one hundred.

"Little sis, give me the lowdown—can you win?"

Shen Qinghuang was a bit itchy to act, mainly because the odds were too tempting.

"Take it."

Shen Kuo directly threw out his own storage ring.

"?"

The receiving Shen Qinghuang still didn't understand.

"Everyone bet on A Li to win."

"Everyone bet?"

Shen Qinghuang glanced and saw there were many treasures—could it not be all of Young Uncle's possessions?

"Buy."

"Done."

Shen Qinghuang, without a word, turned and went to buy it himself!

Young Uncle was so confident that he also had to put all of his marriage‑related possessions on the line.

"Dad, you believe me this much?" Shen Qingli herself had little confidence.

Indeed, on the way here she had been clutching at Buddha's feet, beginning to quietly cultivate alchemy.

"No one's betting on you."

Shen Kuo had just seen that the number of people betting on his daughter to win was zero.

How could that be acceptable? Shen Kuo wouldn't allow no one to support his daughter.

Shen Qingli: ……

She just asked an unnecessary question.

"Then why not tell your older brother? I see he seems to want to follow your lead and buy."

"Yeah, I've already followed."

The returning Shen Qinghuang, all fired up, also produced a sealed message.

After opening it, they finally understood why so many people had come to this alchemist competition.

The divine realm actually sent an imperial envoy.

"Aren't they the elders of the Hunyuan Sect?"

Shen Kuo also paid considerable attention to this news.

"Obviously not. As far as I know, the Hunyuan Sect has no elders who have ascended to the Vermilion Bird Palace. On the contrary, our Changshui Shen Clan actually has an ancestor who ascended there."

"Why didn't they come to our Shen Clan instead of going to the Hunyuan Sect?" Shen Qingli asked doubtfully.

"I don't know." Shen Qinghuang also didn't understand. "Moreover, they've kept it tightly sealed; it's not just aimed at us."

Probably only the Changshui Shen Clan received the news; other forces obviously got it earlier, and even those insignificant minor forces received notifications.

"Little sister, those who come bear ill intent." Shen Qinghuang began to worry.

Before this, he thought that, after all, the match was taking place under everyone's eyes; no matter what the Hunyuan Sect said, as the number one sect of Sheng Long Tian, they couldn't possibly do something shameless in public.

But now, they openly target the Changshui Shen Clan, and the problem is more serious than he imagined.

"It's fine." Shen Qingli didn't mind, "but I want to know the current situation of the Tianxing lineage; can you help me find out?"

"Of course, I've already arranged for someone to inquire; news will come soon, you can rest assured."

"All right." Shen Qingli looked toward the direction of Hunyuan Peak.

Before coming, she had already sent a message to Liu Meng and the others.

But even after she was ushered into the Hunyuan Sect guest quarters, she received no reply.

Just now I asked Liu Yuanhong, but he said they would be coming right away?

Wait a bit longer.

If they don't come.

She'll find them herself!

"A Li."

Jiu Li suddenly called her.

"Huh?"

Shen Qingli looked at the lazy Li Li in her arms.

This little guy only gets excited when he sees Xi Xi; otherwise, he's almost always sleeping.

Shen Qingli thought it was a side effect of its battle form, but upon examination she found nothing wrong; when she asked it, it said it was fine, it just wanted to sleep.

"There."

Jiu Li pointed toward the direction of Hunyuan Peak.

"Is there danger?"

Shen Qingli focused her gaze on Hunyuan Peak.

But she could see nothing.

Especially when she concentrated, the outline of Hunyuan Peak became even less clear?

Shen Qingli's eye color shifted slightly, her purple pupils appearing.

Inside Hunyuan Peak——

Amidst the golden light, that vermilion scroll suddenly trembled.

The noble young man sitting cross-legged before it suddenly opened his eyes.

"Hum."

The vermilion scroll emitted resonant divine tones.

The Vermilion Bird's divine shadow flickered vividly.

At the same moment——

"Hum!"

A phantom of a Vermilion Bird divine statue appeared above Hunyuan Peak.

Shen Qingli didn't have time to withdraw her gaze, and she locked eyes with that Vermilion Bird phantom.

In that instant, it seemed as if some power within her was awakened, especially at her dantian, which actually gave rise to a burning sensation!