Chapter 34: Qualification Promotion (Please add to favorites! Please keep reading!)

There are many ways to seek revenge.

Verbal insults, physical pain, social humiliation... to Shao Heng, these were all too superficial. She was even less likely to engage in that hollow performance of "letting one's enemies spend their lives in frustration, forever overshadowed by one's own brilliance."

Especially when it came to Lu Shaojia and Lu Shaojing.

Shao Heng knew she shouldn't waste time on meaningless people or matters, but she could not deny it—she hated them.

Because Shao Heng had truly invested familial affection, she had ghostwritten for Lu Shaojia, studied martial classics for Lu Shaojing, and even when her intuition told her something was wrong, she had endured that family in the Marquis of Pingnan's manor for over a decade, suppressing her true nature to play the role of the "obedient daughter."

Natural blood ties were an indelible bond between them, and those ten-plus years of invested affection were the very root of her hatred.

Shao Heng knew they were under the influence of the [Heart-Confusing Pupil], but not a single shred of forgiveness had ever blossomed in her heart.

Back when she saw the Great Thousand Divine Ability Rankings and guessed the truth, her first thought was not: "They were actually deceived by an outsider; after all, we are of the same blood, we shared over a decade of family ties..."

Instead, Shao Heng thought: "We are of the same blood; they clearly should have been good to me by nature! Even if influenced by external forces, they should have overcome that influence! Otherwise, what does that prove? It proves their kindness toward me wasn't thorough enough! Their love wasn't sincere enough!"

Was she extreme?

To be more precise, was she a hypocrite?

After all, once they betrayed that familial bond, Shao Heng made no effort to maintain vigilance, understanding, or empathy.

But so what?

She never denied it, and she never hid it.

Shao Heng didn't even bother to discern whether their actions were entirely the manipulation of the [Heart-Confusing Pupil], or if they were simply using it as an excuse to vent the long-simmering jealousy and malice they held toward her talent.

She only wanted revenge.

She hungrily wanted to maim their bodies, crush their spines, trample their dignity, negate their achievements, strip them of their lives, and utterly sever any and all slivers of hope for their future.

Yet humans are truly wondrous; alongside this extremism, rational thoughts constantly pulled and admonished her, allowing her to lie low and wait for her moment.

As one of the strongest immortal sects of the human race, the Zhenyi Sect was the best ladder for Shao Heng to climb. Unless she were in a desperate situation, she would not abandon it.

And she had already found that opportunity: the annual Disciple Competition, which all new disciples were required to attend.

She would strike with a single blow, leaving nothing behind!

...

By the time Shao Heng had submitted the required tasks, the number on her disciple token had reached 411.

Casting her previous stray thoughts aside, Shao Heng looked at her contribution points, feeling an even greater sense of urgency.

Nineteen days had passed since Zhao Tang gave her the Moon-Inquiry Token.

Her speed in accumulating contribution points was considered fast, but it wasn't enough.

At this rate, if she wanted to amass 2,100 points within three months, the calculation resulted in a number that was just barely sufficient. Any unforeseen variable would likely lead to her failure.

"Most first-class tasks require cultivators at the late stage of the First Realm; my current strength is insufficient to take them."

For instance, if she were asked to hunt down a First Realm late-stage demonic cultivator or a beast of that realm right now, she might as well just hand her life over to them.

With this thought, Shao Heng turned toward the circular exhibition hall. Her gaze swept over the suspended task wooden plaques as she began to diligently check their contents.

After reviewing the newly posted tasks, Shao Heng selected four plaques, tucked them into her palm, and after having a disciple from the Law Enforcement Pavilion record them, she headed back.

As she walked toward the disciple quarters, she found someone already waiting for her in front of her residence.

The woman was strikingly beautiful, like a red lotus emerging from water, radiant as a divine consort or a celestial fairy. When her phoenix eyes caught sight of Shao Heng approaching, a smile bloomed on her face, and she walked toward her in a few strides.

"Is this Junior Sister Shao Heng?"

Shao Heng stopped and sized up the woman. She appeared to be fifteen or sixteen years old, possessing just over a hundred cauldrons of magical power.

Given her exceptional beauty, if Shao Heng had seen her before, it would have been impossible to forget.

"And you are?"

The woman was also wearing the yellow robes of an outer disciple. She smiled brightly and replied, "My name is Li Chaoge. In terms of age, I am a bit older, so I will shamelessly call you Junior Sister Shao Heng. We both entered the sect this year. I have sought you out several times, and I have finally managed to wait for you."

Hearing this, Shao Heng crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, saying with interest, "I don't know you. Why are you looking for me?"

Li Chaoge replied candidly, "Junior Sister Shao Heng may not have heard of me, but I have certainly heard of you."

She raised her hand and cast a sound-insulation spell.

"I heard that you achieved Qi Condensation within ten days; from that, it seems you are a standout among those with low-grade aptitude. Furthermore, you are proficient in basic spells, reaching a level where you can cast them without chanting or forming hand seals. To my shame, even though I was taught by cultivator elders in my family since childhood, I only reached such a level recently."

"And?"

Shao Heng's expression remained unchanged, but her fingers tapped her forearm rhythmically—a small habit she displayed when she was losing patience.

Sensing her impatience, Li Chaoge cut straight to the point: "I want to invite you, Junior Sister Shao Heng."

"To seek an opportunity that might grant us mid-grade aptitude!"

Shao Heng was already certain that her cultivation speed would far surpass most those with high-grade aptitude, but she still showed a hint of curiosity.

A promotion in aptitude?

To understand that phenomenon, she had read no fewer than eight hundred, if not a thousand, ancient texts regarding human aptitude.

Consequently, she now understood that while human aptitude was influenced by meridians and bone structure, it had its most direct connection to the soul and true spirit; attempting to compensate for it later in life was extremely difficult.

To date, Shao Heng had only seen two recorded instances of a cultivator's aptitude being promoted in the texts.

First, a cultivator who accidentally fell to the bottom of a cliff and consumed the fifth-grade spiritual medicine, the 'Bodhi Golden Chalice Lotus,' undergoing a complete transformation. Second, a cultivator who, while ascending to the Fourth Realm, utilized the innate divine ability 'Metamorphosis' granted by the Great Dao, and through immense effort, ascended to high-grade aptitude.

These conditions were undoubtedly harsh, yet Li Chaoge claimed to know of a similar opportunity and was inviting Shao Heng to pursue it together?

"Tell me more."

Having received an affirmative response, Li Chaoge felt a sense of relief.

"It is inconvenient to discuss matters here. Why don't we..."

"Go inside."

After answering, Shao Heng used her disciple token to deactivate the restriction on her door.

Once Li Chaoge entered the room, she scanned the surroundings and said with slight hesitation, "Junior Sister Shao Heng, you are quite concise and clear; you haven't changed a thing."

The entire room was almost exactly as it had been; it looked essentially the same as when she first moved in.

Shao Heng rolled her eyes at her and said, "Who says so? I've replaced my prayer mat with the largest, softest, and most comfortable one."

However, compared to her previous excessive luxury, she now only pursued the best within her means for things she actually used.

Shao Heng reactivated the isolation formation on the door and faced Li Chaoge. "Enough small talk. What is this opportunity?"

Li Chaoge straightened her expression and replied, "It is a first-class task within the Law Enforcement Pavilion."