Chapter 1232: Love Debt +1
"Ugh..."
A pained groan sounded. Luo Guxie's body trembled, and she quickly leaned forward.
Amid the rising profound light and medicinal aura, Luo Changsheng slowly opened his eyes, his parched lips parting with difficulty.
"Changsheng!" Luo Guxie called out urgently. "You're awake... Don't push yourself. Rest a bit longer. The next time you wake, your injuries will be fully healed."
But Luo Changsheng did not obediently fall back asleep. His gaze was clouded, yet roiling with deep pain, his still feeble aura chaotic: "I... lost... lost... lost..."
For others, victory and defeat were common. But he was Luo Changsheng—the one with the most honored status, the strongest father and master, the one who had never lost, who could not lose, who had no right to lose, the Eternal Son. The impact of this defeat on him was something no one else could fathom.
Luo Guxie quickly said, "No, Changsheng, you didn't lose. You just..."
"You did lose, and there's no injustice in it." A heavy voice overpowered Luo Guxie's consoling words. Luo Shangchen stepped forward, brows furrowed and eyes cold. "But your confrontation with Yun Che isn't over. In three days, you have a second battle. That means you still have a chance to turn this around!"
Luo Changsheng's dim gaze suddenly sharpened.
"Your talent is extraordinary, born in the Saint Universe Realm. From birth, you stood at a starting point beyond anyone's reach. Your aunt is the unrivaled number one of the Eastern Divine Region, and from the moment you were born, she poured all her energy into you. Therefore, your ability to always tower above all your peers and never lose is only natural—not something particularly remarkable."
Luo Shangchen's brows were tightly knit, his expression stern. "Today's defeat is what truly tests whether you have the qualifications to become the 'Number One of the Eastern Region' in the future! To crumble at a single defeat, unable to extricate oneself—that is the mark of a coward. No matter how great the talent or how high the starting point, such a person will never amount to much. A true strong person never fears defeat; instead, they grow stronger from it, stronger with each loss, even craving a defeat.
"If you understand, put away that unworthy look..."
"Enough!" Luo Guxie suddenly cut him off. She gently lifted Luo Changsheng, using her profound energy to soothe his chaotic aura. "Changsheng is still a child. He doesn't need to understand these so-called grand truths that sound like bold declarations but are utterly useless."
"..." Luo Shangchen's lips moved, but in the end, he turned around, sighed heavily, and said no more.
"Changsheng," Luo Guxie spoke softly. In this world, only when facing Luo Changsheng did her tone become so gentle. "When you were born, your father named you 'Chang Ling,' hoping you would one day soar above the world. It was I, your master, who took you as a disciple and forcibly changed your name to 'Changsheng.'
"Throughout my life, I have been accustomed to solitude, without attachments, until I had you..." Luo Guxie's chest heaved. "I never asked you to achieve great things or gain great glory. I only wished for you to live a peaceful, long life. But I also deeply understand that in this world, to live long and not be bullied, one must stand above all others, so that the world respects, fears, and looks up to you. That is why I have been strict with you since childhood, never allowing you to be beneath anyone."
"I ordered you not to reveal your full strength outside, even going so far as to set restrictions on you and forcibly prevent you from breaking through—because I feared your brilliance would attract envy. Little did I expect that because of this, that base little wretch Yun Che would injure you so gravely... All of this is my fault. Otherwise, how could he have even touched a hair on your head?"
"..." Luo Shangchen wanted to speak but held back, his expression complicated, a sigh escaping his lips. He had thought he understood Luo Guxie well enough, but ever since she returned to the Saint Universe Realm and forcibly took Luo Changsheng as her disciple... in how she treated Luo Changsheng, she seemed like a completely different person.
"Master..." Luo Changsheng said with difficulty, his words hoarse. "I... refuse to accept this..."
"I beg... Master... to lift the restrictions for me..."
"Alright." Luo Guxie nodded without any hesitation. "Don't listen to your father's words. There's no need to forcefully suppress the resentment and unwillingness in your heart. Heal your wounds, and then personally... settle today's score!"
"Guxie," Luo Changsheng could not hold back and interjected, "This is, after all, a conflict between the younger generation, fought on their own merits. There has never been any enmity or grievance between the two. Moreover, this defeat is by no means harmful to Changsheng. Why must you..."
"Say no more!" Luo Guxie said coldly. "Changsheng is my very life. To dare harm him to such a degree—no matter who it is, no matter the reason, even if it's not some unknown mongrel from who knows where, but the son of a king realm... I will never forgive!"
"You..." Luo Shangchen's face tightened, but seeing Luo Guxie's gloomy expression, he could only flick his sleeve and let out a helpless, heavy sigh. "Enough. Changsheng, first calm your mind and heal your wounds."
Luo Guxie lived up to her name—extremely solitary and eccentric. Once she decided something, no one could go against her.
Compared to the Saint Universe Realm, the Yin Xue Realm side was far more frantic.
As night fell, all the disciples stood guard outside the courtyard. Mu Huanzhi and the other elders and palace masters all surrounded Yun Che, their faces gloomy.
Yun Che was covered in blood, barely breathing. Mu Bingyun's snow-white hand was gently pressed over his heart, a faint icy gleam shimmering. But besides Mu Bingyun, the other elders and palace masters, though anxious as fire, dared not act rashly.
The ground was littered with all kinds of healing sacred medicines, a considerable portion of which had been sent from the Yan Shen Realm. But they dared not use even a bit of them. In his current state, Yun Che could not withstand the slightest impact of profound energy, and naturally could not withstand any medicinal force.
"Bingyun, perhaps we should take Yun Che back to the sect. The sect master will surely have a way. His condition right now is far too dangerous," Mu Huanzhi said worriedly.
Yun Che's name had resounded throughout the Eastern Divine Region this time, and it had naturally brought unprecedented glory to the Yin Xue Realm.
When they first came to the Zhou Tian God Realm, they had to walk with their necks tucked in, facing the upper star realms with a sense of inferiority, barely daring to breathe loudly.
But now, the looks other star realms cast at them were ones they would never forget. Even those upper star realms they usually could only look up to showed expressions of amazement, envy, and even jealousy—things they had never dared to dream of before.
Their Yin Xue Realm disciple had entered the God Sealing Battle among all the young talents of the Eastern Divine Region, stepped on a host of top geniuses, defeated Lu Lengchuan, defeated Jun Xilei, defeated Shui Yingyue... and now, had defeated Luo Changsheng, the head of the Four Divine Sons of the Eastern Domain, hailed as the undefeated legend.
If he were to never fully recover or suffer lasting damage from such severe injuries, it would be a loss beyond measure for the Yin Xue Realm.
Mu Bingyun's gaze remained dazed and unsettled. After a long silence, she finally moved her hand away from Yun Che's chest and said with all the calm she could muster, "Grand Elder, please trouble you to accompany me in taking Yun Che back to the Yin Xue Realm."
"Why only you and the Grand Elder?" Mu Tanzhi was startled, then said in surprise, "Are you... planning to come back?"
"Not us—Yun Che must come back," Mu Bingyun said. "Don't forget, in three days, he still has to fight Luo Changsheng again."
"What?" The elders and palace masters were all shocked. Mu Huanzhi said, "Bingyun, Yun Che is this gravely wounded. Even if we use all the Time Wheel Pearls, it's uncertain whether he can fully recover. How can he possibly fight Luo Changsheng again!"
"This is Yun Che's own wish. Even if he hasn't fully recovered by then, we must bring him back," Mu Bingyun said without hesitation. "Grand Elder, Yun Che cannot withstand any jostling right now. Please make sure to protect him well."
"Leave it to me," Mu Huanzhi nodded.
Just then, an Ice Phoenix disciple hurried over and said in a low voice, "Elders and Palace Masters, the Ninety-ninth Young Master of Liuguang Realm is here to see you."
"The Ninety-ninth Young Master of Liuguang?" Mu Huanzhi frowned, but said, "Didn't we say no one is to disturb us? Even if it's someone from the Liuguang Realm..."
"Wait!" Mu Bingyun's eyes flickered. "Bring him in immediately."
Soon, a young man in a water-blue long robe entered. However, this dignified Ninety-ninth Young Master of Liuguang was slightly hunched, his neck retracted, his eyes darting nervously. He walked without a sound, looking utterly furtive.
"Ninty-ninth Young Master, you..."
"Shh!" As soon as Mu Bingyun opened her mouth, Shui Yinghen frantically waved his hands and shushed her, leaving everyone stunned.
Shui Yinghen turned back, carefully swept his spiritual sense behind him for a good while, then turned around and suddenly tossed a thumb-sized blue jade bottle to Mu Bingyun. In the smallest voice possible, he said, "I... I'll tell you now: I was absolutely not here tonight, and you have never seen me. Do you hear me? Hear me!"
Mu Bingyun looked at the jade bottle in her hand and frowned. "Ninety-ninth Young Master, what is this..."
"What Ninety-ninth Young Master!" Shui Yinghen shook his head frantically, then furtively glanced behind him again. "You don't know me, and I don't know you... In short, never say I was here. I know nothing. Otherwise... otherwise, my father will definitely beat me to death!"
As he spoke, Shui Yinghen carefully stepped back. When he reached the door, he turned back and warned again, "Remember: you never saw me, none of you did. If not, I'll make trouble for you!"
With that, he vanished into the night in a flash.
The Yin Xue group exchanged baffled looks.
"What was that about?" Mu Huanzhi was completely confused. "Bingyun, what did he just throw to you?"
As Mu Huanzhi spoke, Mu Bingyun picked up the small jade bottle, erased the sealing array on it, and carefully opened it.
Immediately, a breath even purer than snow and ice slowly seeped out. As this aura brushed over them, the Yin Xue elders and palace masters felt their eyes brighten, as if bathed in a gentle breeze. Their fatigue vanished, and a refreshing comfort washed over them, even the anxiety from Yun Che's severe wounds seemed to be soothed away.
"What... what kind of miraculous medicine is this? To have such an extraordinary aura?" Mu Huanzhi exclaimed in shock. As the Grand Elder of the Yin Xue Realm, he had encountered countless spiritual flowers and sacred medicines, most of which were rich in the Yin Xue Realm's unique pure ice and snow breath, but he had never felt such miraculous spiritual energy.
Mu Bingyun stood frozen, her hand tightening unconsciously around the bottle. After a long while, she murmured as if in a dream, "It is... a drop of Tai Chu Divine Water."
Tai Chu Divine Water...
These four words made the air fall into a profound stillness. Then, all the elders and palace masters trembled as if struck by needles. "Wh... what!?"
"T... Tai Chu Divine Water?" Mu Huanzhi's pupils dilated, his face pale with shock, as if he had heard of a divine artifact descending from the heavens.
"There is no mistake," Mu Bingyun whispered. "That year, when the sect master last entered the Tai Chu Divine Realm, she obtained one drop. I would not mistake this aura. And besides Tai Chu Divine Water, there is nothing in the world with such pure spiritual energy."
"Yun Che can be saved!" After the initial shock came overwhelming joy. Mu Bingyun's snow-white figure flickered as she hurried to Yun Che's side.
"Wait... wait!" Mu Huanzhi stopped her, his gaze rippling with agitation. "Why would the Liuguang Realm give us a drop of Tai Chu Divine Water? This favor... our Yin Xue Realm can never repay it!"
What was Tai Chu Divine Water? It was a true divine object that even Divine Lords would risk their lives for. Even for a powerful realm like Liuguang, obtaining a single drop of Tai Chu Divine Water once every few thousand or even tens of thousands of years was a gift from the heavens. No one would doubt that one drop of Tai Chu Divine Water could buy half the Yin Xue Realm.
Such a divine object... why would they give it away?
What virtue did the Yin Xue Realm possess to warrant the Liuguang Realm presenting them with a drop of Tai Chu Divine Water?
"This favor does not need the Yin Xue Realm to repay," Mu Bingyun said. "This is a love debt that Yun Che himself owes. Let him slowly repay it himself in the future."
Mu Huanzhi was startled, then suddenly realized. "You mean... Princess Meiyin!? She, she, she..."
Mu Bingyun had no time to talk. She knelt before Yun Che, gently flicked her jade finger, and was about to draw out the Tai Chu Divine Water, when Mu Tanzhi spoke up again. "Wait a moment... A divine object like Tai Chu Divine Water—if used in the future to temper Yun Che's body, it would be endlessly beneficial. Wouldn't using it to heal injuries be somewhat wasteful?"
"We can't afford to worry about that now. It must heal his injuries in the shortest possible time."
As Mu Bingyun's words fell, a drop of colorless water silently dripped from her jade finger and landed on Yun Che's chest.