“Father…
it hurts.
It hurts so much!”
Shangguan Wugou collapsed to the ground, her small body writhing and twisting in agony until she curled into a ball.
Three colors—red, green, and blue—intertwined across her body, representing fire, wind, and water.
These three forces not only failed to reach balance, they had gone completely berserk, as if about to tear her body apart at any moment.
“Wugou!
My child, what’s wrong?
Don’t scare your father!”
Shangguan Wuhui roared in anguish, his voice full of heartache, the arrogance on his face shattered in an instant.
At this moment he was like a wounded old ape—a man of supreme cultivation who nonetheless stumbled with every step, crawling and scrambling to scoop the girl into his arms.
“Someone!
Quickly, someone!
Who can look at my daughter and tell me what’s wrong?”
He bellowed.
An old alchemist stepped forward, examined her, and his face turned extremely grim.
“What is it?”
Shangguan Wuhui’s heart sank, his hands and feet turning cold.
“I’ll be blunt, then.
The water poison has entered her lungs, the fire poison her heart, and the wind poison her belly.
Her condition is extremely dire!”
“You mean…
my daughter has only one chance in ten of surviving!”
At that, the old man shook his head slightly.
“One in ten is a euphemism.
In this condition, even the gods couldn’t save her.
You’d best prepare the funeral.”
Shangguan Wuhui felt as if struck by lightning.
Then his gaze, sharp as a sword, turned to Tang Qi!
“You said you could save my daughter!
If anything happens to her, you’ll pay the price!”
Tang Qi broke out in a cold sweat in an instant, sensing the breath of death.
“I…
I don’t know what happened either.
She should have been fine after taking the pill.
Maybe it’s a side effect—yes, it must be a side effect.
Please take a deep breath; dizziness is normal!”
“You’re asking for death!”
Shangguan Wuhui flew into a rage.
His aura turned into thunder that crashed down, gravely wounding Tang Qi until blood leaked from his seven orifices!
“Spare me, Senior!
I meant well, but I did wrong!”
Tang Qi dropped straight to his knees, begging for mercy without a shred of dignity.
Even with the soul of a mighty expert within him, he couldn’t possibly withstand a furious Shangguan Wuhui!
“If this weren’t the Great Enforcement Hall, I’d kill you on the spot!”
Zhou Tong watched the farce before him, his face as calm as still water.
“We have nothing to do with this.
Let’s go.”
“Big brother…
big brother, save me…”
A trembling, pitiful voice came from behind, making Zhou Tong stop in his tracks.
He looked back and saw Shangguan Wugou stretching out her little hand, her face full of pleading, begging for help.
Children are the most perceptive at times like this.
At a moment of life and death, she could precisely sense who her savior was.
Shangguan Wuhui finally came to his senses.
Zhou Tong’s earlier warning was still ringing in his ears—a warning he’d let go in one ear and out the other.
“Boy, can you really save my daughter?”
“What did you call me?!”
Zhou Tong’s eyes held no emotion, only the cold indifference of one who sees human life as mere grass.
Even Shangguan Wuhui, who had seen countless deaths, couldn’t help trembling.
Thinking of what he’d done moments ago, his guts ached with regret.
“Sir!
Please save my daughter’s life!”
He lowered his proud head, his voice full of entreaty.
“I refuse!”
Zhou Tong didn’t accept the courtesy; he simply sat down cross-legged.
Hearing this, a trace of joy actually appeared on Shangguan Wuhui’s face.
Zhou Tong had refused—but he hadn’t said he couldn’t save her.
Perhaps there really was still hope.
Thud!
Under the crowd’s horrified gaze, the man who held power over the Shangqing Sect dropped to both knees and bowed to Zhou Tong with full ceremony.
“This old man was foolish.
In my desperation to save my daughter, I could not discern right from wrong and offended you, Sir.
Please, in your great compassion, show me the way and save my daughter’s life.
I will repay your kindness with every drop of my blood, even if I must grind my bones to dust!”
At the sight, everyone was deeply moved.
Though Shangguan Wuhui was overbearing and stubborn, he was nonetheless a true man.
None was more shocked than Chen Ling’er.
What kind of man was Shangguan Wuhui?
Even Mo Liusu had to greet him with respectful ceremony.
Yet now he knelt before Zhou Tong, weeping blood in supplication, humble as a child!
Zhou Tong, by contrast, did not even change his expression—he even closed his eyes.
As if all of this was only natural, as if he, Zhou Tong, was worthy of this peerless expert’s bow.
Chen Ling’er couldn’t help feeling dazed.
Was this really the same submissive, timid junior brother of old?
It was as if he’d become a different person.
Only now did she understand: Zhou Tong had truly changed.
At that thought, she was seized with panic.
She’d thought Zhou Tong was playing hard to get—but now…
it seemed she really was going to lose him.
“No…
I don’t want a future without you.
I didn’t mean to string you along…
I just…”
Her throat felt blocked, her voice faint to the point of inaudibility.
No one could make out her words.
“Big brother…
I’m not afraid of dying—I’m only afraid that if I die, Father will be all alone!”
The little girl’s maturity was heartbreaking.
At her words, Shangguan Wuhui burst into loud sobs.
This was the only flesh and blood left to him by his late wife.
If she left him, he wouldn’t want to live either.
At such a scene, the two girls beside Zhou Tong were both moved.
Long Lingyun shot Shangguan Wuhui a look, signaling him to go beg the Little Vixen.
It had to be said that the Wordless Wisdom Root was truly perceptive—it had seized on the crux of the matter at once.
Of everyone present, the only one who could change Zhou Tong’s mind was the Little Vixen.
Shangguan Wuhui took the hint.
With a sincere expression, he begged the Little Vixen: “Young miss…
this old man truly has no way left.
Help me, please.
Once this is done, I will reward you handsomely!”
The Little Vixen nodded in agreement and gently patted Zhou Tong’s shoulder.
“Save her, quickly.
The child is innocent!”
“Very well.
For your sake!”
Zhou Tong stood up and reached out to lift Shangguan Wugou into his arms.
Just this simple gesture made Chen Ling’er’s heart feel as if it were shattering.
That vixen had said only a single sentence—not a discussion, not a plea, not even a command—and Zhou Tong acted for her.
What indulgence, what favoritism was this?!
Forced by the mighty, he was unmoved as wind on his face; bowed to by the exalted, he was calm as water without ripples.
Only the bonds of affection could make him lower his eyes!
That affection had once belonged to her—and now she had thrown it away with her own hands!
“Heavens…
what did I miss?
What have I done?
Chen Ling’er, you are the greatest fool under the sky!”
She covered her face, tears slipping through her fingers, yet no one cared.
“Sir, is there still hope for my daughter?”
Shangguan Wuhui rose to his feet, though his back remained hunched.
No one mocked his fawning; they only found his silhouette infinitely noble.
“She can be saved…
set your mind at ease!”
The words had barely fallen when Zhou Tong erupted with a spiritual power comparable to the Emperor Realm.
He would use the most violent means to extinguish the poison.
Such terrifying energy was beyond the crowd’s comprehension—they couldn’t even perceive it—yet they saw the little girl’s expression finally relax.
“It’s better, she’s really better!”
Shangguan Wuhui was overjoyed, for the two colors—green and red—shrouding his daughter had vanished.
It was a good omen.
“It’s not over yet.”
Zhou Tong withdrew his spiritual power, his expression as usual: “The wind and fire poisons are gone.
Only the water poison remains.”
“How is it to be removed?”
“It requires summoning the Life Wind and igniting the Earth Fire to break the yin water poison within her body!”
At these words, everyone present suddenly changed color!