Xu Xuejiao poked her head out cautiously. "Brother Chengwen, was that really your master?"
Lu Chengwen was drenched in sweat, lying weakly on the sofa. He nodded. "Yes."
Xu Xuejiao hopped onto the sofa and snuggled into Lu Chengwen's arms.
Lu Chengwen, still shaken and exhausted, instinctively held her close, playing with her curves as he spoke:
"That was close. I almost got turned into a cripple."
Xu Xuejiao giggled. "You're pretty lucky, but I really do feel like you've gotten stronger."
"Yeah, I played basketball in college. You know that."
"Mhm." Xu Xuejiao leaned against Lu Chengwen. "Should we go back and continue?"
Lu Chengwen shook his head. "No way. After all that, I'm in no mood anymore."
"Then why… are your hands still so restless?"
"You threw yourself at me. I'd be a fool not to take advantage."
"If I'm offering myself to you, why not just enjoy it to the fullest?"
Lu Chengwen looked at Xu Xuejiao, then sat up. "I got carried away earlier. You were dressed like that, and… anyway, this can't happen again. If it does, I'll definitely make a mistake."
"Pfft. Now you're pretending to be a gentleman?"
"I'm not pretending. I just… don't plan on getting involved with you guys."
"Guys?"
"Anyway… I'll figure something out."
"Figure what out? About what?"
Lu Chengwen felt the situation was too precarious.
If Luo Shiyin hadn't drugged him, if he hadn't slept with Jiang Shihan after being drugged, he wouldn't have received the side quest reward or the bone reforging. Then today, he would've been done for.
That old man was insane!
He might not even know what he was saying or doing.
Whether he could actually fix someone after crippling them was entirely up in the air.
It all depended on how crazy he was!
No, he had to be more careful around that old man in the future. Otherwise, he'd die without even knowing how.
"Anyway, I've got big plans for tomorrow. Let me rest and recover. We'll talk about us later."
"Okay, I won't bother you then."
Xu Xuejiao obediently nestled against Lu Chengwen, her head resting on his chest, her finger drawing circles on his stomach.
"Brother Chengwen, I really do like you a lot. I don't know why, but lately, I've started feeling like you're so good. I like you more and more…"
"Mhm."
Lu Chengwen responded absentmindedly, his thoughts already drifting to his own problems.
"I know you like Leng Qingqiu, but I'm not afraid. I don't think I'm worse than her. She's just taller, has better poise, and is a bit smarter, but those aren't the most important things in love. Besides, a silly girl is easier to fool. You could trick me into circling around you forever—wouldn't that be great? Leng Qingqiu is too clever. You'd never be able to handle her."
"Mhm."
Lu Chengwen was still lost in thought.
"I really had a big fight with my dad today. I told him I wanted to help you take over Qianfeng, but he disagreed and said I was betraying the family, that raising a daughter was a losing investment, and all that. So I argued with him. He said even a stray dog off the street would be better than you, haha. But I've already fought with him. He was just angry. He doesn't know you yet. Once he gets to know you, and after we… you know, he'll treat you well."
"Mhm."
Lu Chengwen suddenly snapped back to reality. "So that's why you came here today, to seduce me?"
Xu Xuejiao blushed. "Yeah, so what? As the eldest daughter of the Xu family, am I not good enough for you?"
"You are, you are. I'm the one who's not good enough for you."
"Hmph, you'd better remember that. Brother Chengwen…"
"Yeah?"
"Why are you so mean? That old man is going to shatter Long Aotian's bones, isn't he?"
Lu Chengwen grinned. "Ah, what a shame. I can't be there to watch."
Xu Xuejiao laughed too. "You're so evil!"
---
In the room, Long Aotian's screams pierced the heavens.
"Master! Master, no! Ah—!"
"Master! Master, I really can't take it! Ah—!"
"Master, not there! You can't— Ah—!"
"You old bastard, I'll fight you! Ah—!"
Outside, Hua Xuening and Luo Shiyin exchanged glances.
Hua Xuening looked grave. "Is the young master okay? I'm going in!"
Luo Shiyin stopped her. "That old man's strength is unfathomable. Even if all four of us were here, we wouldn't be a match for him."
Hua Xuening tightened her grip on her sword. "Is he an enemy?"
Luo Shiyin shook her head. "No."
"How can you be sure?"
"Actually, what he said about bone reforging is legitimate. The young master's previous bone reforging technique was incremental, requiring step-by-step upgrades. If he could do it all at once… it'd be suffering first, benefits later. In the long run, enduring this once would bring huge gains for his future cultivation."
"Master! I was wrong! Spare me!"
Huntian Gang said, "If you can't even handle a little pain, how can you achieve great things? Learn from your junior brother. When I reforged him, he thanked me profusely! As the senior disciple, you should set an example!"
"Master, this disciple is useless. Just expel me from the sect!"
"Oh, that punishment is too harsh. I wouldn't do that. You're still my good disciple. Get ready for my full-power strike!"
"Master, master, master, no no no, let's talk about this— Ah! Damn you!"
Hua Xuening couldn't take it anymore. She raised her sword to charge in. "I'll fight him!"
Luo Shiyin held her back. "Don't be reckless! This is a critical moment. If the young master can endure this, he'll gain immeasurable benefits! Besides, what good would you do by going in?"
"But my heart aches for the young master."
"Who doesn't?" Luo Shiyin forced herself to stay calm. "We have to endure. This elder has the Great Revival Pill, and with his Marrow-Cleansing Scripture, recovery will be quick. It's not as painful as you think. Endure it. For the young master!"
Hua Xuening wiped away a tear. "Logically, I know that. But hearing the young master scream like a pig being slaughtered, I…"
Luo Shiyin gritted her teeth. "After this, the young master will undergo the most important transformation in his martial arts journey. Just wait and see."
"The screaming stopped?"
As they exchanged puzzled looks, Huntian Gang walked out. "Do you have any cold water? Fetch me a bucket! My useless disciple has passed out."
"You… want to wake him up with it?"
"Elder, if he's passed out, isn't that better? He won't feel the pain. Please finish quickly so the young master suffers less."
"I need to talk to him while I work. That way, while reforging his bones, I can also strengthen our master-disciple bond!"
Luo Shiyin thought, *What kind of person is this?!*
"Elder, I don't think… that's necessary, is it?"
"Don't worry, I'll use another method!"
Huntian Gang turned and swept back into the room like a gust of wind, slamming the door behind him.
Inside, Long Aotian screamed and woke up.
Huntian Gang said cheerfully, "Disciple, awake? Let's continue!"
Long Aotian said weakly, "Master, just kill me."
After what felt like an eternity, Long Aotian's screams finally subsided.
Luo Shiyin let out a breath and unclenched her fists. "It must be over."
Both girls sighed in relief.
"Finally… it's done."
Just then, the door burst open, and Huntian Gang rushed out. "Oh no, oh no, oh no! I forgot—I don't have the Great Revival Pill!"
Luo Shiyin and Hua Xuening tilted their heads in unison… tilted… tilted…
There were no words or expressions that could adequately convey what they were feeling right now.
*What the hell?!*
*Old man, are you doing this on purpose?!*
*You shattered his bones and meridians, and now you're telling me you don't have the Great Revival Pill?!*
*You're screwing with us, right?!*
*Could this get any more absurd?!*
*Are you really the young master's master?!*
*Or are you some nemesis sent here to torture him?!*
"Wait here. I'll go to the Southern Kingdom. A friend of mine has a Great Revival Pill. I'll borrow one and come back to finish."
Without waiting for a response, he vanished.
---
The two girls rushed into the room and burst into tears at the sight of Long Aotian's mangled state.
Long Aotian's body seemed to have collapsed in on itself. His face was sallow, his lips bloodless, his eyes vacant, and his breathing shallow.
"Young master!" Hua Xuening sobbed.
Luo Shiyin also cried. "That old man is completely unreliable! We'll avenge this sooner or later!"
Long Aotian gasped for breath. "Give me… the remaining… Bone Restoration and Vitality Pill… crush it… feed it to me… I'll use the Joyous Divine Technique."
"Young master, the Joyous Divine Technique will drain your vitality and shorten your lifespan."
Long Aotian said weakly, "I don't have… much time left… anyway…"
Hua Xuening cried harder. "Young master, rest in peace. We'll avenge you!"
Long Aotian glared at her. "I'm… still alive…"
Hua Xuening sobbed. "For now. We'll prepare for the worst."
Luo Shiyin couldn't take it anymore. "Enough, Xuening. Stop crying and go get the Bone Restoration and Vitality Pill."
To Long Aotian, she said, "Xuening's consciousness is partially sealed. Please forgive her thoughtless words."
"Help me… tomorrow, I must…"
"I understand, young master. Rest easy."
Luo Shiyin checked him over. "Young master, the old fiend didn't smash your skull, did he?"
Tears streamed down Long Aotian's face. "What? Not satisfied?"
---
Silver Tuo King stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of the hotel, holding a glass of wine, a faint smile on his face.
"Brother, the young master seems quite pleased with us."
"Of course. With Copper Tuo and Iron Tuo as comparisons, things have gone very smoothly."
"I still don't get it. How could they mistake the young master? That's not a mistake anyone should make!"
Silver Tuo King chuckled. "I'm baffled too, but it doesn't matter. Yuanfang, you just need to remember one thing."
"What?"
"You've seen what happened to Copper Tuo King and Iron Tuo King. They've become wandering ghosts, stuck following some rich kid. Their fate is to be wiped out by us soon."
"And we…"
Silver Tuo King raised his glass. "We will step over their corpses and become the young master's right-hand men in Snow City. We'll make a fortune. That's all."
"Brother, I'm getting excited."
Silver Tuo King smiled as he gazed at the city lights. "The young master must be strategizing right now. We must deliver a perfect performance tomorrow. Heh, tomorrow, everything will be settled."