Chapter 34

This standoff was soundless and breathless; only as the master of the phoenix bone—Shen Qingli—could she feel this subtle shift in qi, unbearable!

Then everyone heard Gu Cihe's loud cry: "Everyone, I, Gu Cihe, will expose a matter, for I simply cannot stand by any longer!"

At first, no one was particularly interested, until Gu Cihe, following Shen Qingli's request, spoke those words.

Only then did the whole crowd erupt in astonishment: "How did this guy defect?"

But if he hadn't spoken, most people really wouldn't have seen Su Chacha's true colors.

So the seemingly pure-hearted Junior Sister Su is actually a scheming poisonous woman who sows discord between mother and daughter?

Impossible, she doesn't look like someone with such ill intentions.

It must be true; otherwise, how could a birth mother do such vicious things to her daughter?

For a moment, everyone's gaze toward Su Chacha gained scrutiny and contempt.

Even Pei Jianshu, who originally protected her, gave her a deep, solemn look!

Su Chacha's face turned as white as a pure white flower, tears streaming as she pleaded, "I didn't, senior brother, believe me, I really didn't..."

"How could you not have?" Gu Cihe, adept at fabricating out of nothing, said, "You told the master that Senior Sister was dissatisfied with her own phoenix bone and intended to abandon and recultivate."

"And in front of Senior Sister you said she was the master's biological daughter, yet the master treated her harshly in various ways, not at all like a parent—so many accusations, must I list them all?"

Su Chacha was dazed, not understanding why her favorite junior brother suddenly spoke up for Shen Qingli—no! There's a reason: the Phoenix inheritance!

"Junior brother, you're saying all this for the Phoenix inheritance, right?" Su Chacha said with understanding, "I don't blame you. Whether or not these are your true words, I don't blame you."

Gu Cihe was startled; for a moment he felt reluctant, yet he firmly declared, "My words are every bit true!"

He didn't want the Phoenix inheritance about to be in his grasp to just vanish.

But Su Chacha's words still made people doubtful of Shen Qingli.

Shen Qingli didn't explain, only sending a mental message to Gu Cihe that she would give him the inheritance tonight.

Gu Cihe immediately launched an even more impressive performance, a look of anguish: "Junior sister, if you were merely stirring up trouble, that would be fine."

But I truly cannot bear to see the master and Senior Sister mother‑daughter torn apart by your meddling; after much thought, I decided to reveal the truth.

"What he says is true." Zhao Yue suddenly spoke, though she was unwilling to admit it, but over these days her reputation has worsened; fellow cultivators who once fawned over her now avoid her, and if this continues...

"No way!" Zhao Yue couldn't bear this sudden change, so she readily admitted, "I personally pulled out the bones only because Chacha told me Shen Qingli was dissatisfied with her own phoenix bone."

"Otherwise, how could I have personally pulled out the 206 bones of my own birth daughter? I thought I was merely helping her recultivate. Moreover, if the bones were already waste, why couldn't they be used to save fellow disciples? That's also how these misunderstandings arose."

If she hadn't experienced her past life, Shen Qingli would almost have believed Zhao Yue's righteous-sounding nonsense!

Su Chacha's face grew even paler, with a hint of ashen gray.

Shen Qingli saw it and felt delighted in her heart!

"A Li, isn't it not so?" Zhao Yue looked at Shen Qingli with eyes full of heartache.

Shen Qingli gazed at those eyes stained with kindness and tenderness, yet her heart was icy cold, unmoved.

If in her past life Zhao Yue had shown even a hint of hesitation while purifying her, or had intervened to stop Bai Ren Shan and others from exterminating her, she would have believed her birth mother actually loved her, merely hiding it.

Soul and spirit scattered to death!

She was still waiting.

But she got nothing she hoped for.

At the moment her soul and spirit dissipated completely, she finally realized the fact: Zhao Yue had no maternal love for her.

But at this moment Shen Qingli, tears in her eyes, nodded firmly: "No, that is already my perfect phoenix bone after nine Nirvanas. If pulled out, I will die. If not for my father's intervention, I couldn't even stand alive here."

Such an obvious truth—how could Zhao Yue, as a Xuan Zun, not know? Wan Sect Master, unwilling to see Shen Qingli such a talent deceived back to the Bi Yu Sect, immediately interjected: "Little Daoist Shen, don't be fooled by the Saint Maiden Zhao."

Even if she truly believed outsiders' lies, with her experience she would certainly conclude that no matter what constitution you have, you cannot survive after having all your bones pulled out.

"Nonsense!" Zhao Yue flared, "My daughter is a peerless prodigy—how can she be compared to ordinary folk? Just a few bones, I mean I truly believed pulling bones would harm her not at all, merely aiding her rebirth through another Nirvana."

"Oh, come on!" Wan Sect Master sneered, "You see your daughter useful again and want her to return to your Saint Maiden Peak so your whole sect can keep sucking her dry."

"I didn't!" Zhao Yue's face turned ashen.

Zhao Daoist's reaction is just anger from embarrassment," Zhou Qichang pointed out.

The three major powers have always been at odds; because of this matter involving Shen Qingli, the Great Zhou Royal Clan now despises the Bi Yu Sect even more.

The Wan Sword Sect are merely crude brutes, while the Bi Yu Sect are sneaky hypocrites, making them even more contemptible.

"A Li, don't listen to their nonsense," Zhao Yue looked at Shen Qingli, expecting a steadfast reply.

But Shen Qingli showed hesitation and doubt: "Are you really saying these things just because I can refine pills and tame beasts, to coax me?"

"Of course!" Wan Sect Master said firmly, "You're only how old and already a third‑rank alchemist; your future achievements will surpass the Medicine Valley Master, and you might even concoct the legendary Ascension Pill—who wouldn't coax you?"

"If you're willing to be coaxed for a lifetime, that's fine," Zhou Qichang said, "Given your future potential, as long as your cultivation doesn't go awry, if she's smart she'll coax you for life."

Those words are nothing short of heart‑stabbing!

They made Zhao Yue nearly smoke from her seven orifices!

But this is simply the fact; she opened her mouth to refute, yet found no way to do so.

It falls to Bai Ren Shan, who sighed, "Two fellow Daoists need not undermine each other; my sect originally had no face to invite A Li back. But if there truly is a misunderstanding between mother and daughter, it ought to be resolved."

As for other matters, I have nothing to say, but I must point out: the Saint Maiden Zhao possesses outstanding talent; from childhood my sect appointed her as Saint Maiden, she rarely left the sect for training, and many things that seem common sense to you she does not understand.

He said that...

Zhou Chuanfeng was about to vomit!

But she immediately realized, there really are people who believe it!

"So that's how it is; I was saying the Saint Maiden Zhao is pure and flawless, utterly benevolent and loving—how could she be so vicious?"

Those male cultivators who originally didn't want to believe Zhao Yue was a wicked mother now admire her even more, feeling ashamed of their earlier doubts.

Zhou Chuanfeng was speechless, forehead in hand, while Zhou Chuanqi chuckled lightly: "Zhao Yue's mindset is indeed simple; at her age she still can't see through those with honeyed words and cruel hearts—they won't end well."

"Certainly. Being coaxed into loathing her own birth daughter to the point of not realizing her mistake even now is sheer foolishness—refreshingly uncouth. Hey, Royal Brother, from this angle, doesn't she actually deserve the title 'Saint Maiden'?"

Zhou Chuanqi nodded, his gaze fixed on Shen Qingli, wondering whether her intellect had made as much progress as her cultivation and ability.

But he saw Shen Qingli's moved expression, and Bai Ren Shan immediately seized the moment, saying, "Come back, A Li."

"What about her?" Shen Qingli pointed at the wobbling Su Chacha.

Bai Ren Shan said firmly, "Of course we must punish them severely!"

"Sorry, I won't be in the same sect as her anymore." Shen Qingli said resolutely, adding, "The finals have begun, please, Mysterious Envoy Sir,"

"Wait." Bai Ren Shan promised, "Then my Azure Jade Sect will abolish the cultivation of the one who harmed you and expel them from the sect."