Chapter 4

Shen Qingli turned her head toward the courtyard gate and casually tossed the little white snake in her hand.

She only wanted to test her newly acquired demonic medical skill; after testing it, the snake was no longer useful.

But Gu Cihe did not come alone; he had someone with him—Bai Li Chongtong, her second martial junior.

As Bai Li Chongtong just walked up to Shen Qingli, the huge sword on his back rose into the air and stabbed straight at her.

"Chacha is so frail and kind, yet you destroyed her phoenix bone! Go die!"

Bai Li Chongtong's sword intent bristled with killing intent! The ridiculous part is, this sword was specially forged for him by the Xuanti Continent's top swordsmith at Shen Qingli's request.

Now, a flash of purple light appeared in Shen Qingli's eyes, a wisp of purple aura subtly attaching to the blade's edge; the sharp sword instantly shattered, turning into fragments that scattered over her.

The overbearing sword qi still blasted Shen Qingli's white robes to shreds, with strands of blood seeping out from beneath the torn fabric.

If she hadn't already been recovering for three months in the demonic medical space, this sword could have taken her life.

But Bai Li Chongtong was no better off—he spat blood, glaring at Shen Qingli with burning rage, "What did you do to my sword?!"

"Your sword?" Shen Qingli sneered, "I gave it to you, and now I don't want to give it back."

Bai Li Chongtong's face turned extremely ugly; Gu Cihe had already stepped between them, warily staring at Shen Qingli, "First you shattered Chacha's foundation bones, now you've heavily injured my second senior brother!"

Shen Qingli! You truly refuse to repent! The master and sect leader are waiting for you in the Saint Maiden Hall—come with us now!

What was bound to come has finally arrived.

Shen Qingli gazed toward the Saint Maiden Peak's main hall, her eyes flickering with a moment of dazedness.

Gu Cihe, fearing she might resist, immediately threatened, "Don't even think of defying us, or the master won't spare you!"

"If I don't defy, will she spare me?" Shen Qingli gave a half-smile, withdrew her gaze, and walked forward.

"Where are you going!" Gu Cihe drew his sword to block her, his face grim, "Don't blame me for not warning you—go over now to admit your fault, and you might still get a lighter punishment; if you dare cause trouble again, death is certain!"

Shen Qingli glanced coolly at his sword, "Aren't we supposed to go to Saint Maiden Peak? If I don't go out, can't I just fly up?"

Gu Cihe and Bai Li Chongtong's expressions froze as they realized she had lost her phoenix bone, her phoenix soul had shattered, and she now possessed no cultivation at all.

Bai Li Chongtong's face grew even uglier, "So you left a hand and foot on my sword, so you can control me anytime, right? Shen Qingli, I truly misjudged you! You are indeed vicious!"

He had actually felt genuine gratitude and been moved when he received the sword.

Shen Qingli couldn't be bothered to explain, she sidestepped Gu Cihe's sword and walked outward.

As soon as she stepped out the door, the junior brothers and sisters of Saint Maiden Peak immediately turned their gazes toward her.

"Eldest senior sister? How can she stand up again!"

"Her physique is really good, and she's truly selfish—with such strong self-healing ability, she still refuses to give the phoenix bone to the junior sister!"

"Exactly! And she still acts as the eldest senior sister—what bearing does she have to deserve that!"

"Don't worry, the sect leader is here today—he'll surely strip her of her title, possibly even expel her from the sect!"

It was still those same people from three days ago; their attitude toward her hadn't changed, and had even grown more fearful and hateful, because Shenli looked fine, not as miserable as they imagined.

It was as if the blood staining Shen Qingli's white robes didn't exist at all.

Shen Qingli didn't care whether they saw it or not, and she cared even less for their white-eyed wolf remarks.

But before entering the Saint Maiden Hall, she was chilled to the heart by Zhao Yue's words coming from inside.

"The wicked girl's nature is base; she is truly unworthy of cultivation. Everyone, no need to keep my feelings in mind—beat or kill her as you see fit." Zhao Yue said with anguish, "Again and again she harms her fellow disciples; keeping her will only bring disaster!"

"Exactly! Disciples implore the master and sect leader to punish Shen Qingli by casting her into the Heavenly Lightning Pool; such a vicious person can only be purified by heavenly lightning's power to clear her heart and soul!" Gu Cihe's voice rose, righteous and resolute.

He and Bai Li Chongtong flew ahead on their swords precisely to file a complaint!

Bai Li Chongtong said painfully, "That natal sword of mine—I've nurtured it for a long time, almost giving birth to a sword soul, but she forcibly destroyed it; I fear I may never be able to cultivate a sword soul again."

"What a calamity!" the elders of various peaks exclaimed in discussion.

Other peak masters also shook their heads, "Repeatedly harming fellow disciples—indeed we can no longer be lenient."

Suddenly, Pei Jianshu's voice rang out clear and loud, "Shen Qingli, why don't you quickly kneel and admit your fault!"

Only then did everyone notice that Shen Qingli had appeared at the hall's doorway at some point.

Gu Cihe and Bai Li Chongtong immediately turned, their eyes noticeably drifting, as if guilty.

Shen Qingli entered the hall, head held high, scanning each person inside.

"Wicked girl! Still not kneeling!"

Zhao Yue took the lead in attacking, her gentle warm spiritual power rolling toward Shen Qingli like a tsunami.

Shen Qingli gripped the pillar, bracing herself tightly, temporarily not revealing her restored foundation bones, and sneered in rebuttal, "I've done nothing wrong! What right do you have to make me kneel?"

"Wicked calamity! Wicked calamity!" the peak masters and elders each cried out anguished, "She refuses to repent even to death—there's nothing more to say. Sect leader, cast her into the Heavenly Lightning Pool!"

"Wait, uncles and aunts," Su Chacha's weak, anxious voice came out, "the eldest senior sister knows her fault. Moreover, in this matter, the eldest senior sister is indeed blameless—the phoenix bone originally belonged to her."

"Chacha, how did you come out?" Zhao Yue frowned, looking distressed, "Your injuries have just stabilized; you still need to rest."

A flash of purple light flickered and vanished in Shen Qingli's eyes; she instantly saw that Su Chacha was fine, and even her cultivation had stabilized.

It seems Zhao Yue truly dotes on this closed-door disciple of hers.

However, the phoenix marrow has already drained away; Su Chacha can no longer hope to step on Shen Qingli's blood to become an unparalleled heavenly prodigy.

"Master, I'm fine," Su Chacha said softly, walking weakly to the hall's center and bowing to the elders, "Please, sect leader and uncles/aunts, do not blame the eldest senior sister."

Zhao Yue looked relieved, then her gaze turned sharp toward Shen Qingli, "Wicked girl! Your junior sister treats you with such kindness! Time and again she sets aside past grievances to plead for you, yet you still dare to inflict such poison upon her!

You really are... just like your father! Despite outstanding talent, your character is corrupt, your nature utterly wicked! Sect leader, as Cihe said, cast her into the Heavenly Lightning Pool to purify her heart and soul!"

"Master," Su Chacha still wanted to plead.

Pei Jianshu immediately stopped her, "Junior sister, no need to say more—this is all her own doing."

He had already reminded Shen Qingli to kneel and admit fault, but she was stubbornly obtuse; fine, let her suffer the punishment in the Heavenly Lightning Pool, so she'll remember the pain and remember her mistake.

On the main seat, the white-haired, white-bearded sect leader of the Bijade Sect, Bai Ren Shan, also wore a pained expression, "Very well. Shen Qingli, you have twice harmed fellow disciples, unforgivable; thus I sentence you to enter the Heavenly Lightning Pool to endure one hundred and eight lightning strikes. Do you have anything to say?"

"Of course." Shen Qingli wore a calm expression, "White Sect Master, I am fundamentally not a disciple of your Bijade Sect—what right do you, you all, have to punish me?"