AMSSO-Chapter 92: They Were Exposed

Fortunately, Zhou Wanyao had only fainted from excitement.

After a bit of fuss, she soon woke up.

Once awake, she gripped Chu Jingzhuo’s hand tightly, “You’ve already reached Golden Core Stage?!”

“Yes.” Chu Jingzhuo’s hand hurt from her grip, but he didn’t pull away, he simply nodded with a smile.

At the same time, he released his cultivation to show her.

Confirming that he truly was Golden Core, Zhou Wanyao instantly burst into tears of joy, “That’s wonderful! Wonderful!”

She had always worried about Chu Jingzhuo’s spiritual root, worried he wouldn’t be able to continue cultivating, and worried he would face further dangers later.

Now, Chu Jingzhuo’s spiritual root had been repaired, and he had even broken through to Golden Core!

If word of this got back to the Chu Family, those people’s expressions would be something to see!

Back then, Chu Tianling had reached Golden Core before thirty, drawing widespread attention.

A Golden Core under thirty, that’s a genius!

And now, Chu Jingzhuo, only twenty, was already Golden Core, this wasn’t just a genius anymore!

Laughing and crying, Zhou Wanyao was beside herself with joy.

She’d thought Chu Jingzhuo’s cultivation would gradually regress. Forget advancing, even not becoming a cripple would have been considered good!

But now, he achieved Golden Core!

Chu Jingzhuo understood his mother’s excitement and her long-held knots in the heart. He said nothing, just holding her lightly and patting her shoulder in comfort.

After crying for a while, Zhou Wanyao wiped her tears in embarrassment, “Your mother’s made a fool of herself.”

“What are you saying?” Chu Jingzhuo chided, displeased. “You’re my mom! Besides, you’re happy for me!”

Not wanting her to continue with this, Chu Jingzhuo returned to the previous topic, “The letter I wrote you before, you didn’t receive it? Where were you then?”

“I was at the Zhou Family, of course,” Zhou Wanyao frowned.

Ever since Chu Jingzhuo left the Chu Family, she had stayed with the Zhou Family. After all, with her husband gone, that’s her home.

“You’re sure the letter actually went to the Zhou Family?”

Qin Yiwei joined the discussion.

“I’m sure,” Chu Jingzhuo nodded. “I couldn’t very well send it to the Chu Family.”

“But Madam Zhou didn’t receive it. Could someone have taken it?” Qin Yiwei said.

“…That’s possible!” Chu Jingzhuo nodded.

Qin Yiwei looked towards Zhou Wanyao, “Madam Zhou, you said you went to the Chu Family because they claimed they’d found a treasure that could repair spiritual roots?”

“Yes.”

Qin Yiwei narrowed her eyes, “Since when is the Chu Family so kindhearted?”

From what she knew of the Chu Family, they had never been so benevolent.

If they truly cared so much about Chu Jingzhuo, he wouldn’t have had to come here.

Moreover, in the previous life, Chu Jingzhuo’s end was tragic as well.

—He was tortured to death by certain people in the Chu Family!

Thinking of that, Qin Yiwei couldn’t help but coldly laugh in her heart.

They as fellow disciples were truly birds of a feather, ties of blood meant little.

They had families, but it might as well be none.

Recalling the past life, Qin Yiwei’s smile sharpened, “Fourth Junior Brother, the Chu Family never intended to repair your spiritual root before. But now that it’s already healed, they suddenly want to? Don’t you find that strange?”

“Strange, that’s very strange.”

Chu Jingzhuo wasn’t stupid. With Second Senior Sister spelling it out, how could he not understand?

His gaze turned cold and dangerous, “Mother, the letter I sent you was probably intercepted by them.”

He quickly connected the dots, “They learned that my spiritual root was repaired and panicked. They wanted to act against me but didn’t know my exact whereabouts, so they chose to start with you!”

Zhou Wanyao’s eyes widened bit by bit, “So they lured me there on purpose! If I heard there was a treasure to repair spiritual roots, of course I’d want to contact you right away. They wanted to find you through me!”

She sucked in a breath, horror on her face, “No wonder those three Golden Core cultivators didn’t kill me, they did it on purpose!”

Zhou Wanyao had a clear understanding of her own strength.

Although she’s at Golden Core, she only just broke through in the past few years, with talent and strength no more than average.

Those three men were also Golden Core, with strength stronger than hers.

If they had truly wanted to kill her, she couldn’t have escaped.

Yet she had reached this place safely!

Thinking it through was terrifying. Zhou Wanyao’s face darkened, “Their target is you!”

All this time Jiang Yunnuan, who had been listening quietly, was angry too, though she had a question.

“Why didn’t they wait until you lured Fourth Junior Brother out before making their move?”

Why chase Zhou Wanyao early and expose themselves? That’s too soon.

At this, Zhou Wanyao shook her head, her expression complicated, “Because they were suddenly exposed halfway.”

“Huh?”

Remembering what happened, Zhou Wanyao looked a bit dazed.

“Earlier, when I was almost here, I suddenly heard someone cry out in alarm. I turned and saw them sneaking behind me! I was frightened and ran this way, and they chased after me.”

If they hadn’t suddenly exposed themselves, she might’ve reached here, then asked Chu Jingzhuo to go out to talk.

Then, while mother and son were off guard, they would’ve suddenly struck, and Chu Jingzhuo might’ve died.

So, they had to thank them for exposing themselves.

Her answer puzzled the others as well.

They’re Golden Core cultivators, how could they suddenly expose themselves?

Very soon, Qin Yiwei found the reason.

“They were probably bitten by a poisonous insect,” Qin Yiwei said, expression complicated, as she looked at the wound on one man’s hand. “Judging by this, a poisonous centipede.”

The wound was quite large, clearly from a big centipede.

If a poisonous insect suddenly bit you, it’s normal to cry out.

“We have poisonous centipedes around here?!” Jiang Yunnuan was startled.

It wasn’t that she feared them, she’s afraid a centipede might get in here.

If you suddenly got bitten, that would be awful!

Although they’re cultivators, they don’t maintain a full-body spiritual defense at every moment.

That Golden Core cultivator was definitely stronger than them as brand-new Golden Cores.

If he hadn’t been bitten out of nowhere, he probably wouldn’t have exposed himself so quickly.

Whether exposed or not, they couldn’t have hurt Chu Jingzhuo. But getting bitten by a poisonous centipede was truly terrifying!

“There’re definitely centipedes nearby,” Qin Yiwei nodded. “We’ve got so many trees here!”

“Then we need to guard against these poisonous insects, don’t let them get in!” Jiang Yunnuan shivered.

She didn’t want a close encounter with such things!

“Cluck, cluck, cluck…”

“Cluck-cluck-da! Cluck-cluck-da!”

No sooner had she finished, several chickens ran past the gate.

At a glance, it looked like the chickens were just running wildly.

But their eyes were sharp. They could see clearly that, ahead of the flock of chickens, several chopstick-thick, long centipedes were racing along!

The chickens chased behind, and the centipedes fled madly in front.

Everyone: “…”