Chapter 0026

Chapter 26: Shang Guan Wu Hui Kneels and Begs, Chen Ling’er Feels Regret!

Clutching the floor, Shang Guan Wu Gou cried: “Father, it hurts, it hurts so much!”

Her small body thrashed and twisted, then curled into a tight ball. Three colors flared across her skin, red, green, and blue, the signs of fire, wind, and water. Instead of balancing, the three powers went wild, as if they were about to tear her body apart.

Shang Guan Wu Hui shouted in a raw voice: “Wu Gou! My child, what is happening to you? Don’t scare your father!”

The hard, domineering look on his face shattered. Like a wounded old ape, he stumbled and crawled, then scooped the girl into his arms even though he was a top cultivator.

He roared for help: “Someone, come quickly! Who can check what is wrong with my daughter?”

An elderly pill alchemist stepped forward to examine her, and his face turned very grim. Shang Guan Wu Hui asked with a chill running through him: “What is it?”

The old man spoke bluntly: “The water poison is in the lungs, the fire poison is in the heart, and the wind poison is in the belly. The outlook is very bad.”

Shang Guan Wu Hui muttered with dread: “So… my daughter has one chance in ten to live?”

The old man shook his head: “Saying nine deaths and one life is too kind. Even a god would struggle to save her. You should prepare for the worst.”

Staggered as if struck by lightning, Shang Guan Wu Hui snapped his gaze toward Tang Qi like a drawn sword and demanded: “Didn’t you say you could save my daughter? If anything happens to her, I will make you pay.”

Cold sweat streamed down Tang Qi as he felt death closing in. He stammered: “I… I don’t know what went wrong. After taking the pill, she should have been fine. Maybe it’s a side effect, yes, it must be a side effect. Please take deep breaths; dizziness is normal.”

Shang Guan Wu Hui exploded with fury: “Courting death!”

His aura crashed down like thunder. In an instant Tang Qi was heavily injured, blood leaking from his seven orifices. Tang Qi dropped to his knees and pleaded: “Senior, spare me. I only meant to help but did it wrong.”

Even with a strong soul lurking inside him, he could not resist Shang Guan Wu Hui’s wrath. Shang Guan Wu Hui barked: “If this weren’t the Hall of Enforcement, I’d kill you on the spot!”

Watching the chaos with a face as calm as a still pond, Zhou Tong said lightly: “This has nothing to do with us; let’s go.”

He and his two companions turned to leave.

A trembling, lovable voice piped up behind them: “Big brother… big brother, save me.”

Zhou Tong stopped without thinking and looked back. Shang Guan Wu Gou was reaching out a small hand, her face full of pleading. Children are sharpest at times like this. At the edge of life and death, she could sense who the true savior was.

Shang Guan Wu Hui finally woke up inside. Zhou Tong’s earlier warning echoed in his ears, but he had treated it like wind in the trees. He asked with forced steadiness: “Brat, can you really save my daughter?”

Zhou Tong’s eyes stayed empty of feeling as he answered with ice: “What did you just call me?”

Even a man used to life and death like Shang Guan Wu Hui couldn’t stop himself from trembling. Thinking of what he had done moments ago, he regretted it to his bones.

He bowed his proud head and begged: “Sir, please save my girl’s life.”

Zhou Tong refused without ceremony and sat cross legged on the ground: “I refuse.”

At those words, a spark of hope flashed across Shang Guan Wu Hui’s face. A refusal was not the same as saying he could not do it.

With a thud, the ruler of the Upper Clarity Sect dropped to both knees in front of Zhou Tong and offered a deep bow: “I was dull and blinded by love for my child. I offended you, sir. Please be greatly merciful, show me the path, and save my little girl. I will repay this great favor with my life if I must.”

The onlookers were moved. Shang Guan Wu Hui might be domineering and stubborn, but he was still a true man. No one was more stunned than Chen Ling’er. A man even Mo Liu Su greeted with respect was now kneeling before Zhou Tong, begging through blood and tears like a child. Zhou Tong, meanwhile, did not change his expression. He even closed his eyes, as if this was only natural, as if he deserved the bow of a peerless powerhouse.

Chen Ling’er’s mind drifted: [Is this still the timid junior brother from before? It feels like a different person.] Only now did she understand that Zhou Tong had truly changed. Panic rose in her chest. She had thought he was playing hard to get, but now… she felt like she was really losing him. She choked on the words: “No… I don’t want a future without you. I wasn’t trying to string you along… I just…”

No one could hear her soft, stuck voice.

Shang Guan Wu Gou spoke again with heartbreaking sense: “Big brother, please save me; I’m not afraid of dying, I’m only afraid that if I die, Father will be too lonely.”

Shang Guan Wu Hui burst into loud sobs. This was the only child his late wife had left him. If she was gone, he did not want to live either.

The two girls with Zhou Tong were moved. Long Ling Yun shot a look at Shang Guan Wu Hui, hinting for him to ask the little demoness for help. The Wordless Root of Wisdom was truly spiritual; it grabbed the key right away. Among everyone present, only the little demoness could make Zhou Tong change his mind.

Understanding at once, Shang Guan Wu Hui pleaded to the little demoness with true sincerity: “Child, I have no way left. Please help me. If this works, I will reward you greatly.”

The little demoness nodded and patted Zhou Tong’s shoulder: “Save her. A child is innocent.”

Zhou Tong stood and lifted Shang Guan Wu Gou into his arms: “Fine, for your sake.”

That simple motion shattered Chen Ling’er’s heart. The little demoness hadn’t bargained, asked, or commanded. She had only spoken, and Zhou Tong moved for her. What a deep, gentle favor.

Pressure from a strong enemy brushed him like a breeze, a venerable kneeling left his heart like still water, yet only a bond of feeling could make him lower his eyes. Once, that bond had belonged to Chen Ling’er, but she had thrown it away with her own hands.

She covered her face as tears slipped through her fingers and thought: [Heavens… what did I miss? What have I done? Chen Ling’er, you are the most foolish person under the sky.]

Shang Guan Wu Hui straightened as much as he could, his back still bent, and asked humbly: “Sir, can my girl still be saved?”

Zhou Tong answered with calm certainty: “She can. Rest easy.”

At his words, mental power on par with the Emperor Realm burst from him. He used the most direct force to erase the toxins. The energy was so terrifying that most people could not even sense it, but they saw the little girl’s expression finally relax.

Shang Guan Wu Hui exclaimed in joy: “It’s better, truly better!”

The red and green glow covering her had faded. It was a good sign.

Zhou Tong said evenly: “It isn’t over. The wind and fire poisons are gone, but the water poison remains.”

Shang Guan Wu Hui asked at once: “How do we clear it?”

Zhou Tong replied: “We need to draw the Vital Wind and ignite the earth fire to burn away the yin water poison in her body.”

Everyone’s face changed at once.