Chapter 085
Chapter 85: She’s Ruthless Enough to Herself
Shi Zi Chu lowered her eyes to look down upon the defeated man at her feet, her brows curved in prideful mockery.
Hua Ting Li gasped harshly, each ragged breath sounding like a broken wind box.
Facing Shi Zi Chu, who regarded him with undisguised scorn and amusement, he finally realized what had happened, stuttering, “You… You…”
Shi Zi Chu was absolutely not merely at the late stage of Foundation Establishment!
Seeing the shock spreading across Hua Ting Li’s face, Shi Zi Chu deliberately twisted his meaning, asking with feigned innocence, “You refuse to admit defeat?”
As she spoke, a gentle yet mocking smile touched her lips.
The next moment, the embroidered shoe that pressed upon Hua Ting Li’s chest slowly lifted away.
Gathering a bit of strength, Hua Ting Li tried to rise, but suddenly a sharp pain pierced his abdomen.
Shi Zi Chu had kicked him fiercely, sending Hua Ting Li flying.
“Fourth senior brother!”
“Fourth junior brother!”
Chu Zhi Rou and Xu Zhou Ye shouted in alarm.
The disciples watching scattered back quickly as Hua Ting Li was thrown heavily off the platform, hitting the ground with a loud bang.
Blood immediately poured from Hua Ting Li’s mouth.
“Fourth senior brother!” Chu Zhi Rou cried, rushing to him. She knelt down, swiftly pulling the half-dead Hua Ting Li into her lap.
Blood continued to spill from Hua Ting Li’s mouth, and the turmoil in his internal organs made it impossible for him to utter even a single word.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Chu Zhi Rou couldn’t openly feed Hua Ting Li a valuable spirit pill. Besides…
Chu Zhi Rou’s eyes flickered as she turned tearful, beautiful eyes towards Shi Zi Chu.
Just as she was about to loudly question and shift public opinion, Shi Zi Chu raised her hand. Her embroidered sleeve slipped back, revealing a slender, porcelain-white wrist.
As Shi Zi Chu removed the white jade bracelet artifact that had concealed her cultivation, the power hidden beneath a misty veil suddenly became clear to everyone.
Peak Golden Core!
Xu Zhou Ye and Chu Zhi Rou were unable to see through Shi Zi Chu’s cultivation, but there were disciples present at the Nascent Soul stage who could.
“Peak Golden Core?!”
“When did Shi Zi Chu form her Golden Core?”
“Only months ago, she was merely at the late Foundation Establishment stage!”
“She reached Peak Golden Core in just a few months. Worthy indeed of being Venerable Xing Lan’s personal disciple!”
Expressions of astonishment, admiration, and awe filled Chu Zhi Rou’s ears.
She stared blankly at Shi Zi Chu, who stood atop the platform.
Shi Zi Chu remained on the stage, gently playing with the jade bracelet, a soft smile curving her eyes, pure and innocent, yet hiding subtle cunning.
Seeing Shi Zi Chu’s glory, Chu Zhi Rou’s mind was drowned entirely by jealousy.
[It shouldn’t be like this!]
[This isn’t right!]
A voice echoed deep within Chu Zhi Rou, insisting Shi Zi Chu should never shine so brightly or stand so proudly.
She ought to be like a dog, toyed with by Chu Zhi Rou’s own hands!
Unknowingly, Chu Zhi Rou tightened her grip, causing Hua Ting Li to groan in pain.
His cry woke her from her trance, and she quickly loosened her grip.
The female villain system, abandoned and furious, screeched uncontrollably:?Why is the heroine’s protagonist halo fading?! Die already!!!?
The system barked impotently from its miserable corner.
Shi Zi Chu’s eyes flickered slightly.
“How can you possibly be at Peak Golden Core?!” Xu Zhou Ye sharply questioned.
Ming Xi Su suddenly remembered something, his eyes turning cold and deadly as they fixed fiercely upon Shi Zi Chu, “You must have cultivated demonic arts! You’re definitely practicing demonic techniques!”
Reaching Peak Golden Core in merely three months—impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Shi Zi Chu didn’t bother putting the bracelet back on her wrist. She gracefully leaped down from the stage, calmly asking, “Can’t admit defeat?”
A powerful, suppressive aura surged forth, forcing Xu Zhou Ye and the others to instantly kneel in submission.
Shi Zi Chu looked down at them, raising her brows slightly, breathing out comfortably.
[This is strength—absolute authority! How delightful!]
With a wave of his sleeve, Xing Lan threw Chu Zhi Rou and her companions directly off the main peak.
The rest would naturally be handled by the Discipline Hall.
The Discipline Hall Master, hidden among the crowd, sighed inwardly at her misfortune. Bowing briefly to Sect Master Meng, she swiftly departed.
Shi Zi Chu stepped forward and proactively addressed Xing Lan, “Then disciple will take Miss Nan Rong to settle in.”
Xing Lan gave a slight nod.
Moments later, the crowd dispersed.
“So, Venerable Xing Lan now has only Shi Zi Chu as his personal disciple?”
“Such remarkable methods!”
“Doesn’t that make her the senior sister of Rising Succession Peak?”
“As Venerable Xing Lan’s sole personal disciple, she’s truly fortunate.”
…
At the guest quarters on the front mountain.
Standing by the door, Shi Zi Chu gracefully lifted her hand in invitation, “Miss Nan Rong, please.”
With Xing Lan absent, Nan Rong Wen Jin instantly showed her true colors. Her gaze, full of disdain, swept over Shi Zi Chu as she sneered, “Little hussy, hurry inside and serve me.”
Shi Zi Chu glanced carefully around, ensuring no one was present, before approaching Nan Rong Wen Jin with a gentle smile.
Seeing Shi Zi Chu’s obedient appearance, Nan Rong Wen Jin raised her chin arrogantly, eyes growing more vicious and contemptuous, “With just your—”
A crisp slap echoed sharply in the guest room.
Caught entirely off guard, Nan Rong Wen Jin stumbled back, hitting the door frame. Pain jolted up her spine.
Seeing Nan Rong Wen Jin’s shocked, disbelieving face, Shi Zi Chu’s lips curled in a delighted smile.
“You wretched Shi Zi Chu! You dare strike me!” Nan Rong Wen Jin yelled, swinging her arm fiercely towards Shi Zi Chu.
But Shi Zi Chu had already anticipated this, gracefully stepping back to dodge. She smiled brightly, “Miss Nan Rong, surely you don’t want to leave Jade Void Sect so quickly?”
Her slender fingers gently caressed her flawless porcelain cheek, and Shi Zi Chu smiled sweetly and innocently, “Honorable Miss Nan Rong, if my face happens to bear a palm mark…”
Nan Rong Wen Jin’s expression froze, anger twisting her features into a stiff mask.
Shi Zi Chu’s smile deepened.
Nan Rong Wen Jin could hardly endure such provocation. Furiously, she hissed, “You struck first! I refuse to believe big brother won’t see reason!”
Saying this, she swung once more towards Shi Zi Chu’s face.
“Is that so?”
Those casual words froze Nan Rong Wen Jin’s arm mid-air again.
Shi Zi Chu lightly brushed her fingers over her neck, speaking softly with a gentle smile, “Miss Nan Rong, do you truly want to wager against me?”
Back then, when Nan Rong Wen Jin kidnapped her to the Nan Rong Clan, she had employed sly methods, cleverly choosing punishments that left no visible wounds.
Yet, moments before Xing Lan arrived, Shi Zi Chu deliberately flung herself against Nan Rong Wen Jin’s dagger.
That cut was extremely deep, severing an artery. Blood had sprayed instantly onto Nan Rong Wen Jin’s face.
Before losing consciousness, Shi Zi Chu saw Nan Rong Wen Jin thrown violently backward, while she herself fell into a cool yet steady embrace.
She’d been ruthless enough to nearly die from blood loss in the Nan Rong Clan.
Because of this incident, the Nan Rong Clan was largely rebuilt, and Xing Lan’s already poor relationship with Nan Rong Wen Jin worsened even further.
The dreadful memory made Nan Rong Wen Jin’s eyes red with fury. Unwillingly, she lowered her hand.
[Big brother has truly been bewitched by this shameless vixen!]
Shi Zi Chu stepped closer, suddenly gripping Nan Rong Wen Jin’s hair and dragging her inside, saying sweetly, “Miss Nan Rong, do take care. Should there be even the slightest scratch on my hand or face, Master would become terribly upset!”
Nan Rong Wen Jin halted her struggle, screaming in pain. Her bloodshot eyes were filled with hateful viciousness.
[Shi Zi Chu!]
[You two-faced little wretch!]
[You’d best pray you never fall into my hands!]