Two days later, on Shu Family Island, in the forest's inner reaches.
"Young Master Chu Yun, spare me! I-I was only following orders. I had no choice! If you let me go, I-I'll testify against Lady Shu! I'll testify that she tried to have you killed!"
The Spirit Beast Master dressed in black knelt before Chu Yun. He trembled like a leaf, shivering from head to toe.
Chu Yun remained expressionless. His hand rose and fell, and blood sprayed as a fine head dropped to the ground, rolling into the brush.
"That was the last Spirit Beast Master. They're all dead. We're safe for now. Whew..." After letting out a long breath, Chu Yun could no longer hold himself up. He practically collapsed onto the ground, landing hard on his backside.
The Heavenly Fox whimpered softly beside him, its fox eyes brimming with concern.
Chu Yun reached out to comfort it. He was all right; despite his ragged appearance, he had only run out of strength.
Fortunately, he had acquired Fire Eye and spotted the enemy in time. The four pursuers were the same Spirit Beast Masters who had been at Lady Shu's side.
For the past two days, Chu Yun had fought a battle of wits and wills with the four Spirit Beast Masters, all while keeping the Wasteland Bear and Gold Spirit Honey in his sights. In the end, he exploited their greed and underestimation of him, overcoming the odds. Sometimes he used others to do the work for him; sometimes he struck from the shadows. One by one, he took down all four formidable foes.
He hadn't obtained the Gold Spirit Honey, but the four Spirit Beast Masters had been carrying a rich haul. Besides the four Immortal Pouches, the Demon Essence Pills, and the Blood Qi Pills, the Earth-Fiend Stone Coins they'd collected on the spot alone numbered over 1,800.
"Lady Shu, you actually wanted me dead. I underestimated just how vicious you are..." After a brief rest, Chu Yun and the Heavenly Fox promptly left the forest's inner reaches.
Compared to the forest's outer edge, its inner reaches were far more dangerous—too dangerous for the Heavenly Fox to explore in its current state.
When Chu Yun returned to the cave on Nameless Volcano, he found signs that someone had been there. He sighed inwardly, realizing that this secret base had been exposed and was no longer of much value to him.
Still, it would be safe for the time being.
The four Spirit Beast Masters at Lady Shu's side had come with her from the Ning Family. They obeyed her every command and were her strongest force. Now that Chu Yun had eliminated them, Lady Shu was like a tiger with its teeth pulled. For the time being, she posed little threat.
"Lady Shu, since you want me dead, I won't let you off easily either!" After this ordeal, Chu Yun had finally seen Lady Shu's true nature.
But with his current strength, he knew he was still no match for her.
The biggest problem was who she was: Lady Shu, his adoptive father Shu Tianhao's wife.
"If I kill Lady Shu, what will happen to Father?" Chu Yun furrowed his brow, his gaze drifting into the distance. In an instant, he seemed to be back more than a decade ago.
He had been very young then and couldn't remember much. But that incident had left such a deep impression on him that he had never forgotten it.
It seemed they had been stranded on a barren island where nothing could grow, with only Shu Tianhao by his side.
He had sobbed with hunger. To be precise, he hadn't eaten anything for several days and nights.
Shu Tianhao had looked exhausted and worn out too. No matter how he tried to comfort Chu Yun, he couldn't stop his cries.
At last, his pale lips moved a few times. Then, as if steeling himself, he drew his saber.
A flash of steel, a sudden chill—Chu Yun's cries caught in his throat.
Then blood swiftly spread across his vision. Shu Tianhao's left arm—severed at the shoulder—fell to the ground!
For many years afterward, Chu Yun often dreamed of that scene. It remained vivid, as if it had happened only yesterday.
Shu Tianhao might have thought Chu Yun was too young to remember. He had claimed he lost his left arm in an accident, but he never said what kind.
Outsiders had often lamented that after Shu Tianhao lost his arm, he'd lost all ambition and was no longer the All-Star Fierce Tiger of old.
Not even the Three Elders or Lady Shu knew the truth!
Shu Tianhao had lost his left arm because of Chu Yun.
He had cut off his own arm to feed him!
It was that arm that had kept Chu Yun alive when he'd been on the brink of death.
What kind of kindness was that?! Shu Tianhao wasn't Chu Yun's biological father, but his debt to him was as profound as the gift of life itself. For Chu Yun's sake, this man had cast aside his dignity and the ambition he'd carried all his life...
How could such a debt ever be repaid?
And now, the stepson he had saved by giving up his left arm was about to move against his wife... Chu Yun felt torn, his heart heavy with anguish.
He was decisive and ruthless. If someone was his enemy, his blade would fall without hesitation; he had no room for misplaced mercy. But Lady Shu was his adoptive father's wife...
Chu Yun wavered, the butcher's knife in his heart trembling. He was at a loss.
In the end, he cast aside his tangled thoughts and steadied himself. "No matter what, Lady Shu's plan to stop me is doomed to fail. I'll win first place in the coming-of-age ceremony and enter Heavenly Song Academy! I'm sure my appearance at tomorrow's third trial will shock and terrify her. Hmph! Just wait and see..."
The next day, at the Earth Altar.
"Why hasn't young Chu Yun arrived yet?" The Earth Altar Spirit Beast Master was growing anxious. The third trial was about to begin, and if Chu Yun was late, he would be disqualified. His results from the first two trials would be void as well.
"He's never coming." Lady Shu sneered inwardly, but on the surface she sighed. "Alas, that child has always been arrogant and unruly. He crippled his own brother, and now he knows that Master White-Browed Alchemist has come in person to observe the ceremony, yet he still dares act this way. He truly thinks nothing of anyone."
As she finished, she turned to the tall, lean, middle-aged man beside her with an ingratiating smile.
The man wore a dark blue robe and had a stern face, his brows as white as snow. He was a teacher from Heavenly Song Academy, here to recruit one of the young candidates recommended by Shu Family Island.
He was renowned throughout the All-Star Archipelago for his alchemy, and was known as the White-Browed Alchemist.
The Earth Altar Spirit Beast Master glanced respectfully at White-Browed Alchemist, then snorted. "Lady Shu, that's going too far. Chu Yun is young but clever, well-mannered, resourceful, brave, and steady. If he's late this time, something serious must have happened. Otherwise, he wouldn't be."
Lady Shu's expression turned cold at his words. She was about to retort, but White-Browed Alchemist spoke first.
"Enough. The Earth Altar is a place of quiet. Stop your bickering. I have no interest in your grudges. My task is to recruit the most promising candidates from the coming-of-age ceremony. If Chu Yun still hasn't arrived in a little while, we'll count him absent. The ceremony will proceed as scheduled." White-Browed Alchemist's tone was cold and haughty.
The Earth Altar Spirit Beast Master fell silent, while a flash of delight flickered in Lady Shu's eyes.
As for Shu Da and Shu Er, they were too young and poorly mannered to hide the joy on their faces.
So what if you'd placed first in the first two trials, Chu Yun? If you couldn't take part in the third, what chance in hell did you have?
Just then, a rush of hurried footsteps sounded.
Shu Da and Shu Er's expressions stiffened. Shu Er in particular had been badly beaten, his whole body wrapped in white bandages. The sound of the footsteps seemed to trample his wounds, and he couldn't help groaning.
"How could this be? No..." Lady Shu's heart jolted. Her expression shifted between gloom and hope as she stared toward the doorway.
The footsteps drew closer. With a crash, the door was thrust open.
White-Browed Alchemist frowned slightly. He hadn't thought much of Chu Yun to begin with, and now his impression had worsened further.
But the newcomer wasn't Chu Yun.
"General Wu, what are you doing here?" Lady Shu cried in surprise when she saw him.
"Madam, it's terrible! The island lord was ambushed by the Remnant Wolf Pirate Group and is now locked in a desperate battle, on the brink of death! I beg you to take command, rally the troops, and go to his aid at once! If we're late, it'll be too late!"
Wu Datou was drenched in sweat, his face wild with panic and urgency.
His words struck like a bolt from the blue. Everyone present turned pale.
"How could this happen? The island lord..." The Earth Altar Spirit Beast Master stared in shock.
"Father..." Shu Da and Shu Er were completely panicked. They looked at each other, not knowing what to do.
White-Browed Alchemist's expression shifted too. His brow furrowed, and his gaze grew grave. If the lord of Shu Family Island died, then with the All-Star Fierce Tiger gone, the whole All-Star Archipelago might be thrown into turmoil...
"Shu Tianhao, Shu Tianhao..." Lady Shu murmured, her face white as snow. The news struck her so hard that she staggered back a few steps, her mind ringing and blank.
"Shu Tianhao... Shu Tianhao... Ha! So this is your day!" Once she recovered, Lady Shu cried out inwardly, filled with glee and malicious delight.
"You've kept me down and suppressed me for so many years! And in the end, you're going to die at the hands of pirates. Ha! How ironic. Aren't you the All-Star Fierce Tiger? Some tiger you turned out to be!"
Lady Shu laughed inwardly, savoring the joy of revenge and triumph. She had no affection for Shu Tianhao. She had never been loyal to her husband—only to her family.
"Wait! If Shu Tianhao dies, won't the power over Shu Family Island fall into my hands? Then what will I have to worry about? I can crush Chu Yun however I like, and open as many shops on Shu Family Island as I please!"
Lady Shu's mind raced, her eyes gleaming as she began plotting how to take control of everything on Shu Family Island.
"Madam! The military situation is critical!" Seeing Lady Shu remain silent, Wu Datou broke into a sweat and urged her loudly.
Lady Shu shuddered, coming back to her senses. She immediately ordered, "General Wu, gather the garrison at once!"
"Yes, Madam!" Wu Datou's tiger-like eyes brightened, and he was overcome with excitement. But Lady Shu's next words were like a basin of cold water poured over the fire in his heart.
"From this moment on, defend Shu Family City. If the Remnant Wolf Pirates launch a major assault on Shu Family Island, it will be a catastrophe!"
"Madam!" Wu Datou shot to his feet, eyes wide with disbelief at the order he'd just heard.
Lady Shu glared right back at him and snapped, "General Wu! Do you intend to disobey my orders?! Do you even know who we're up against? The Remnant Wolf Pirates have a Great Demon, Beacon Smoke Wolf! What do you have that could stop them? Your Martial Dao Crab? Hmph! I order you to defend Shu Family City to the death. I'll send a letter to Ning Family Island at once. When reinforcements arrive and Shu Family Island is safe, you'll be credited with the first merit!"
"Madam..." Wu Datou's spirit sank. He was left speechless.
It was true—the Remnant Wolf Pirates had a Great Demon-class beast, Beacon Smoke Wolf. Its battle strength was tremendous. His Lesser Demon-class Martial Dao Crab couldn't possibly stand against it.
But if they defended Shu Family City to the death, were they really going to leave the island lord Shu Tianhao to die on the battlefield?
Wu Datou couldn't accept it. He remembered the great fire, and the scene of the island lord Shu Tianhao standing like a mountain with a saber in hand as he rescued him from the flames.
It was as clear as if it had happened yesterday.