Chapter 054
Chapter 54: Killing a Gold Eating Ant with One Punch
Shi Zi Chu’s simple and elegant attire softened her usual brilliance, making her appear like a clear spring, cool and pure.
Noticing Yao Ruo Ruo’s openly stunned gaze, Shi Zi Chu couldn’t help but curve her eyes into a gentle smile. Seeing this, Yao Ruo Ruo’s cheeks flushed bright red, her eyes drifting dreamily.
So, the saying “a smile can topple cities” was indeed true!
When Meng Xi Yu and Yan Zhou Bai drew closer, Shi Zi Chu greeted them warmly, saying, “Young Sect Master Meng, Young Sect Master Yan.”
Compared to Yao Ruo Ruo, who was nearly entranced, Meng Xi Yu and Yan Zhou Bai seemed far calmer and more composed.
After brief greetings, the four headed toward the city gates.
The Evernight Forest was located some distance away from Supreme Virtue City, so they planned to fly there by sword flight.
“…” Shi Zi Chu suddenly remembered she hadn’t learned sword flight yet!
[A miscalculation!]
Noticing Shi Zi Chu’s hesitation, Yao Ruo Ruo eagerly jumped in, saying, “Zi Chu is only in the late stage of Foundation Establishment and probably doesn’t know sword flight. I’ll take you!”
Shi Zi Chu gave her a grateful smile.
—
Evernight Forest.
The three who used sword flight landed in a clearing about three to five miles from the Evernight Forest.
As soon as Shi Zi Chu landed, she saw several groups of cultivators heading toward the forest.
“We’ll start by training around the outskirts,” Yan Zhou Bai said calmly, handing over a map. “Take a look and see where you’d like to go.”
Yao Ruo Ruo took the map and unfolded it in front of Shi Zi Chu. After a careful look, Shi Zi Chu pointed at a spot and said, “This place is close to the middle zone; there probably won’t be as many cultivators there.”
“I have no objections,” came Meng Xi Yu’s icy reply.
Naturally, Yao Ruo Ruo and Yan Zhou Bai had none either, and the four immediately headed that way.
The moment they stepped into Evernight Forest, the light dimmed dramatically.
Ancient, towering trees blocked the sky, and a chilling wind blew out from deeper within.
Evernight Forest truly lived up to its name.
As they walked, Yao Ruo Ruo shared some information she had gathered, saying, “The forest is so lively because an eighth-rank spirit plant is about to appear.”
An eighth-rank spirit plant?
Could the spirit plant Chu Zhi Sheng wanted to obtain with the Ye Clan be connected to this?
Yan Zhou Bai added, “The Chu Clan discovered it first. They’ve joined hands with the Ye Clan, and elders from both clans are already stationed in the inner zone.”
Shi Zi Chu nodded, silently confirming, [Just as I expected.]
Meng Xi Yu’s chilly voice suddenly broke the silence. “There’s a late-stage Foundation Establishment gold eating ant approaching from the front-left.”
After his words, Yan Zhou Bai and Yao Ruo Ruo also sensed it, though both siblings cast Meng Xi Yu an admiring glance.
[Young Sect Master Meng’s spiritual sense is quite impressive!]
Shi Zi Chu volunteered herself, prompting the other three to step back.
Soon, a gold eating ant measuring five meters long and three meters tall burst from beneath the earth, sharp saw-like teeth charging toward Shi Zi Chu.
“Water shield!” she commanded.
A thin, water-blue barrier appeared, easily blocking the sharp teeth. The gold eating ant gnawed furiously several times, but the water shield remained undamaged.
Yao Ruo Ruo’s brows rose in surprise.
The gold eating ant’s greatest strength was its powerful jaws, which normally could break through a barrier set by a cultivator of the same level within three bites.
Zi Chu was much stronger than she had expected!
Meng Xi Yu spoke up again coldly, “Gold eating ants usually move in groups.”
Right after his words, another gold eating ant burst from underground, its sharp jaws aiming for Shi Zi Chu’s back.
Yan Zhou Bai raised a hand, stopping Yao Ruo Ruo, who was ready to intervene.
As though she had eyes in the back of her head, Shi Zi Chu delivered a fierce backward kick directly onto the ant’s jaws.
“Crack!” A clear snapping sound rang out—the sharp, sturdy jaws broke off cleanly!
Yao Ruo Ruo’s eyes widened in shock.
“Wait, this…” Yao Ruo Ruo stared at the fallen jaws on the ground, waving her hands in confusion.
[How could this be?!]
Seeing his junior sister stunned, Yan Zhou Bai slowly explained, “Didn’t you know she has trained her body tempering?”
“Huh???” Yao Ruo Ruo was completely dumbfounded.
Yan Zhou Bai’s lips curled slightly upward as he watched Shi Zi Chu intently.
The gold eating ant whose jaws were broken flew into a wild rage.
Shi Zi Chu withdrew her water shield, flipped gracefully over the first ant’s jaws to dodge an attack, and struck out a punch, smashing the second ant’s head until it caved inward.
The massive body crashed heavily onto the ground, blood and brains spilling everywhere.
Yao Ruo Ruo felt faint.
[Zi Chu, gentle as water, killed a gold eating ant with just one punch!]
[My perfect image is shattered!]
[Completely shattered!]
Shi Zi Chu glanced at the fallen ant, then at her uninjured fist, eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
After quickly finishing off the other gold eating ant, Shi Zi Chu was about to take a breath when the ground began to shake.
Dust rose, revealing more gold eating ants appearing one by one.
Shi Zi Chu raised her water shield with one hand to block the dust while water-blue silk threads danced in her other.
“Splatter—”
Suddenly, the gold eating ants exploded, their flesh and blood flying everywhere.
As the dust settled, the ground was covered in carnage.
Shi Zi Chu casually wiped away the blood splashed onto her face, her normally gentle appearance now carrying a hint of deadly allure.
Yao Ruo Ruo stared in shock at the bloody fragments everywhere.
The swarm of ants had been blown apart beyond recognition!
What terrifying fighting power!
Meng Xi Yu’s voice, cold as shattered ice, said quietly, “No wonder your technique was accused of being a demonic art.”
Indeed, this arcane technique seemed nothing like a righteous sect’s methods.
Though calling it demonic might also be a stretch.
Shi Zi Chu smiled sweetly at him.
Meng Xi Yu averted his gaze, his expression remaining icy and indifferent.
“Zi Chu, you’re incredible!” Yao Ruo Ruo exclaimed, giving her a thumbs-up.
Shi Zi Chu’s smile turned bashful and shy, though confidence and grace sparkled clearly in her eyes.
Yan Zhou Bai carefully extracted two intact sets of ant jaws and handed them to Shi Zi Chu.
After thanking him, Shi Zi Chu tucked them away in her storage ring.
As for the spatial storage ring—if she placed such junk inside, Xue Gu would endlessly nag her.
Shi Zi Chu playfully hopped around the many craters left by the ants.
When Shi Zi Chu approached, Yao Ruo Ruo happily linked arms with her, asking sweetly, “Where shall we go next?”
“To continue training~” Shi Zi Chu replied, mimicking Yao Ruo Ruo’s playful tone.
Yao Ruo Ruo gave a gentle, adorable huff.
After a few steps, Yao Ruo Ruo couldn’t help praising again, “Zi Chu, you’re truly amazing! You took out a whole swarm of gold eating ants instantly!”
Shi Zi Chu tilted her head playfully and whispered, “I’ll let you in on a little secret~”
Yao Ruo Ruo’s eyes lit up with curiosity.
Shi Zi Chu leaned closer as if sharing a great secret and whispered, “I’ve reached Golden Core stage.”
Meng Xi Yu and Yan Zhou Bai, trailing close behind, naturally overheard.
But the news didn’t surprise them. Ever since Shi Zi Chu had struck Xu Zhou Ye in the City Lord’s manor, they’d already guessed her true strength.
Xu Zhou Ye’s character might be lacking, but his strength was undeniable.
Shi Zi Chu’s ability to slap him so easily proved her cultivation couldn’t merely be late-stage Foundation Establishment. Plus, the artifact she used to hide her cultivation only confirmed their suspicions.
Yao Ruo Ruo blinked, then quietly replied in imitation, “I guessed it already.”
“I didn’t mean to keep it from you,” Shi Zi Chu explained softly, smiling back at the two behind her.
In training, honesty was vital to avoid misunderstandings and suspicion.
Their guesses were their own, but her decision to be open was hers alone.
A certain amount of honesty was always necessary.