That night, the Disciple Acceptance Ceremony had already come to an end, and the geniuses who had arrived from various places returned to their respective abodes.
As a personal disciple of a peak master, Su Mu naturally resided high atop the mountain, with a private courtyard reserved just for him.
Inner disciples of a slightly lower status lived along the mountainside or at the foot of the mountain. Based on the cultivation techniques and paths they practiced, they would choose one of the Nine Peak Masters’ mountains. Alternatively, they could also find a secluded place to cultivate on their own.
As for those who failed to shine during the Disciple Acceptance Ceremony, they would either be sent back or remain as outer disciples.
However, since the establishment of the Heavenly Ascension Holy Land, it was rare for disciples to be sent away. Everyone who could come here was a true genius. Even among the outer disciples, this remained true. In fact, because the outer sect had the largest number of people, there were often hidden talents among them.
At this moment, within the outer disciple territory, inside a cave near Ice Soul Peak, Chen Shu’s expression was dark as he gritted his teeth and applied medicine to his wounds.
Because his movements were too forceful, he tore open his injuries again, causing blood to flow freely. Yet he did not utter a single word.
What did physical pain matter. Chen Shu’s heart was filled with overwhelming rage and humiliation. Whenever he thought of what had happened during the day, a brutal killing intent surged within him.
“Kill them. Kill everyone.”
Chen Shu clenched his teeth and looked up toward Ice Soul Peak, a strange and gloomy light flashing in his eyes.
“Su Mu, Qing Jingrou, Mo Shuangxing, I will remember you. Everyone who offends me, Chen Shu, will not come to a good end. Kill Su Mu. As for those other two women…”
A trace of twisted desire flickered in Chen Shu’s eyes.
“When the time comes, I’ll cripple their cultivation, play with them as I please, then kill them and refine them into puppets. Hah…”
Chen Shu forcibly took a deep breath, calming his emotions as he circulated his cultivation to heal himself, yuan energy surging within him.
At that moment, he suddenly sensed a jade token vibrating inside his Storage Ring.
Chen Shu was instantly overjoyed.
“This is?”
He quickly took out the jade token and communicated with the other party. Upon learning that the person had also arrived at the Heavenly Ascension Holy Land and was even an inner disciple, his joy knew no bounds. He immediately arranged to meet.
Not long after, at a cliff within the outer disciple area, the moon hung high as bamboo shadows crisscrossed, bathing the surroundings in a scene like an ink painting.
The moment Chen Shu arrived, he saw a familiar graceful figure. His heart instantly burned with passion as he stepped forward to greet her. When he saw her face clearly, his excitement grew even stronger.
“Miss Meng.”
“Young Master Chen.”
Meng Xiaoxiao smiled sweetly, looking lively and playful, her twin ponytails swaying behind her.
The young girl looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, with red lips, white teeth, and delicate features. She carried a pure and innocent beauty untouched by the world.
She wore a light green gauze dress, and her fair legs could be faintly seen beneath the hem. A red cord with a small bell was tied around her right ankle, chiming crisply as she walked.
“I didn’t expect Miss Meng to truly come to the Holy Land as well.”
“I arrived long ago. Didn’t Young Master Chen come too?” The girl’s voice was clear, like a mountain spring.
“Sigh.” Chen Shu let out a sigh. “I’m just a lowly outer disciple, unlike you, an inner disciple. By the way, which peak did you join?”
“I joined Mistveil Peak. My master is a Heavenly Immortal expert.”
Chen Shu was immediately filled with envy. After offering several congratulations, his expression quickly dimmed.
“What’s wrong?” Meng Xiaoxiao asked curiously.
Chen Shu then recounted what had happened during the day. As his emotions rose, his eyes turned red and his fists clenched tightly.
“Those three humiliated me today. It was truly hateful.”
Chen Shu looked furious, yet his eyes remained clear, carrying a hint of expectation as he glanced at Meng Xiaoxiao.
The reason he spoke this way was to hint at her, hoping the girl would take the initiative to help him.
In truth, their meeting had been purely coincidental. When Chen Shu was young and had just stepped out of the forbidden land where he grew up, he encountered Meng Xiaoxiao.
Seeing her trapped in a snare at the edge of the forbidden land, Chen Shu casually rescued her. As for why he could disable the trap, it was naturally because it had been set by his father, and Chen Shu was extremely familiar with it.
In the years that followed, the two encountered each other from time to time during their cultivation journeys. Their relationship gradually warmed, and they even became close confidants.
Sure enough, Meng Xiaoxiao spoke up, “So you mean you want to take revenge on Su Mu?”
“As cultivators, when we encounter such injustice, we cannot just let it go.”
Chen Shu looked up at the moon, his bearing lofty and imposing.
He did not notice the gradually chilling look in Meng Xiaoxiao’s eyes behind him. Under the moonlight, her gaze flickered between light and dark, with a faint killing intent emerging. Beneath her sleeve, a cold glint was faintly visible, restless and ready to move.
Chen Shu continued speaking passionately for a while before finally turning around.
“Miss Meng, would you be willing to lend me a hand?”
“Of course. Young Master Chen is my closest friend. I will definitely help you.”
Meng Xiaoxiao’s voice was crisp, her smile sweet, as if everything just now had been an illusion.
“Miss Meng.”
Chen Shu was visibly excited. Taking advantage of the moment, he reached out, intending to grasp Meng Xiaoxiao’s soft, jade-like hand.
From his experience, the atmosphere was already right, and the other party should not resist. Moreover, in his view, the two already shared mutual affection. Being together would only be a matter of course.
Unexpectedly, Meng Xiaoxiao seemed not to notice at all. Without a sound, she withdrew her hand and pointed toward the sky.
“Look over there.”
“Wha… what?” This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Chen Shu grabbed at empty air and hurriedly pulled his hand back, awkwardly scratching his nose as he turned to look.
“Tonight’s moon is so big, so round.”
“Ah… yes, yes.”
After that, the two discussed the follow-up details.
Chen Shu asked Meng Xiaoxiao to use her status as an inner disciple to get close to Su Mu. Inner disciples could move freely among the various peaks, while outer disciples could not.
She was to gather information from Su Mu’s side, especially regarding the markings on the back of his neck.
When Meng Xiaoxiao asked what those markings were, Chen Shu brushed it off casually, only saying that they were very important to him.
The night grew deep, and the dew turned cold.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Meng Xiaoxiao politely declined Chen Shu’s suggestion to visit his cave dwelling and left directly.
Her twin ponytails swayed beneath the night sky. It took Chen Shu a long time before he withdrew his gaze.
Even after returning to his cave, he continued savoring the moment.
He had to admit that Meng Xiaoxiao’s appearance suited his tastes perfectly, pure yet alluring, and her background was not bad either.
Although he did not know exactly where she came from, he had never seen her lacking cultivation resources.
Chen Shu’s thoughts wandered endlessly until deep into the night.
Unknowingly, a surge of illicit heat rose in his lower abdomen, even deforming his clothes.
His expression changed drastically as he hurriedly looked around.
After confirming no one was nearby, Chen Shu hesitated briefly, then extinguished the night lamp and turned toward his bedding. Faint rustling sounds could be heard.
…
On the other side, Meng Xiaoxiao stood alone under the moonlight, still at the same cliff. It turned out she had not left at all.
At this moment, she no longer looked playful or cute. Her eyes were icy cold, colder even than the moonlight.
“You actually want to make a move against Brother Mu.”
“I will never allow it. Never.”
A flash of cold light passed, and large areas bamboo split cleanly in two, toppling over together.
Amid the fluttering bamboo leaves, the girl’s figure had already vanished without a trace.