Chapter 57:Red fruit

The bamboo grove’s serenity lingered as the sun dipped below Jinghong Peak, casting a golden glow over Lin Xiaoxi’s earnest sword forms. Shu Yue watched, her Golden Core aura steady but subtly strained by the second curse’s unnoticed pulse, her thoughts drifting. Xiaoxi’s simplicity… it grounds me. The memory of wiping fruit juice from Xiaoxi’s cheek sparked a rare warmth, but it was quickly overshadowed by the weight of Qing Wan’s pain and Wan Qing’s probing gaze. The trials are tomorrow. I need them united. The third curse, activated by Liu Qingxu, stirred faintly, a shadow in her spiritual veins.

In her courtyard, Qing Wan sat cross-legged, her Silent Annihilation Sword Intent suppressed, her mind replaying Shu Yue’s gentle moment with Lin Xiaoxi. She’s never that soft with me. The curse’s remnants whispered: You’re alone. Her Foundation Building Late Stage aura flickered, but her resolve hardened. I’ll prove my strength in the trials. Chu Yi’s words echoed: Master needs us. She gripped her sword, torn between resentment and the faint pull of Shu Yue’s earnest plea. One chance.

At the sect’s trial grounds, Wan Qing prepared her zither, her notes laced with subtle enchantments to sway the crowd. Luyue’s warming to me, but Qing Wan’s her anchor. Her message to Liu Qingxu was clear: “The curse is active. Push Luyue’s limits in the trials.” Liu Qingxu, in her chamber, smirked, her third jade slip glowing faintly. “Her collapse will discredit Jinghong Peak.” She planned to accuse Shu Yue of neglecting her disciples, using Qing Wan’s instability as proof. Elder Yuheng, meanwhile, reviewed the counter-talisman, her suspicions of Liu Qingxu deepening. She’s moving too boldly.

Chu Yi gathered Lin Xiaoxi at the training pavilion, briefing her on the trials’ structure—team battles, solo duels, and a qi array test. “Xiaoxi, stay close to Sunny Sister tomorrow. She’s strong, but…” He hesitated, glancing toward Qing Wan’s courtyard. Lin Xiaoxi nodded, her eyes wide. “I’ll help Second Sister! Teacher trusts us!” Her enthusiasm masked her worry, but Chu Yi saw it. “Master’s carrying too much. We need to watch her.” The memory of Shu Yue’s sway during the council lingered, hinting at an unseen threat.

As night fell, Shu Yue returned to her bookroom, the bamboo grasshopper and azure leaf on her desk. She meditated, seeking clarity, but the third curse surged, a sharp pain lancing through her dantian. She gasped, clutching her chest, her divine sense catching a faint, malevolent qi. What is this? The second curse’s effects, amplified, dulled her senses, but her resolve held. I can’t falter now. She summoned Frost Silence, its icy aura stabilizing her, and headed to the trial grounds to prepare.

Qing Wan, unable to sleep, found herself at the same grounds, her sword drawn. She sensed Shu Yue’s approach before seeing her, the familiar chill of Frost Silence cutting through the night. “You’re here,” Qing Wan said, her voice guarded but softer. Shu Yue nodded, her face pale from the curse’s strain. “I meant what I said, Qing Wan. Fight with me tomorrow.” Qing Wan’s eyes narrowed, but she saw the flicker of pain in Shu Yue’s gaze. “You’re not well,” she said, stepping closer. “What’s happening?”

Shu Yue hesitated, the curse’s haze clouding her judgment. “Just… fatigue. The trials will test us all.” Qing Wan’s hand twitched, wanting to reach out but holding back. “If we fight together, no lies.” Shu Yue met her gaze, a spark of hope breaking through. “No lies.” Their tentative alliance formed, fragile but real, as the trial grounds hummed with gathering qi.

Unseen, Wan Qing watched, her zither notes sharpening. Their bond strengthens. She signaled Liu Qingxu: “The curse must strike now.” The third curse pulsed, threatening to unravel Shu Yue at dawn, as Jinghong Peak faced the sect’s judgment in the

trials.