The moment Qiao Fengyi saw the person who walked through the door, her expression instantly changed to one of deep concern.
She immediately let go of Huang Shi's arm and rushed straight toward her father, grabbing one of his shoulders before speaking in a chastising tone.
"Father! What are you doing here?! Do you think that just because the poison that recently flared up has now weakened, you can afford to walk around all willy-nilly? Do you really want to fall back into a coma?"
Qiao Fengyi scolded him with anger on her face, yet the worry in her eyes was still clearly visible.
"That's right, Qiao Liang. You shouldn't involve yourself in these matters. All you should be doing is resting and trying your best to recover!"
This time it was Qiao Qinghe who spoke, appearing right in front of him. A deep emerald glow emerged from his hands as he used his energy to stabilize Qiao Liang's condition.
Despite their words of concern, Qiao Liang shook his head decisively and replied in a bitter tone.
"Don't worry, Grandfather… Fengyi… I can already feel that I don't have much time left. If I can give my life so the Medicine Hall can finally rise up and take vengeance for my beloved wife… then I will gladly pay that price with a smile on my face."
"After all, the only reason that bastard Luo Shang was able to ambush me successfully was because I tried to entice the Crimson Sand Sect to rise up against the Azure Dragon Sect so that we could target the Disciplinary Hall together…"
"But who would have thought that those Luo Clan bastards were so conniving? They dared to trick me and planted poison in my body so they could control me! So they could force me to do their bidding and even have my daughter poisoned as well! Those damn bastards…"
"If I can't take revenge against the Disciplinary Hall in this lifetime… then I at least want to take revenge against the Luo Clan for ruining my life…"
"But clearly… I don't have that capability…"
With these words, the entire room fell silent. Sad and angry expressions appeared on the faces of everyone present. Their hearts burned with a desire for revenge, but with the power they currently possessed, they also recognized that achieving it was essentially impossible.
Just as the flames of vengeance were about to be extinguished and replaced with despair, a voice suddenly broke the silence.
"Grand Elder Qiao Liang… may I check your condition?"
In an instant, numerous eyes widened as they turned toward the source of the voice. They quickly realized it came from him.
At that moment, a scintillating golden light burst forth from within Huang Shi's body, making him look like some sort of radiant Buddha.
WHEENG!!!
As the golden light of purification spread through the room, Qiao Liang—despite his barely recovered spiritual energy—could feel something stirring within his body, as if something inside him were melting away.
"The poison… it's disappearing?!"
Qiao Liang's body shook. After all these years of being a useless cripple, he could finally feel that the poison which had plagued his body for so long was beginning to fade, returning strength to his limbs.
WHOOSH!
However, it was clear that Huang Shi had only just recovered a portion of his strength. After just a few seconds of releasing the golden light, it began flickering in and out of existence before eventually dispersing into a wave of fading embers. Sweat poured down his face as he staggered slightly, almost dropping to his knees from exhaustion.
Fuck… I just really had to show off to Fengyi's dad to earn some brownie points, didn't I?
Despite the trembling of his body—and the hope he felt after witnessing the golden light—Qiao Liang forced himself to calm down as he spoke, his voice trembling.
"Child… is that golden light of yours also effective on me? I don't have much time left… I doubt I can wait for you to reach the True Profound Realm to help me…"
Qiao Qinghe trembled as he looked toward his son-in-law, who had suffered so much over the past few years. His heart ached with pain. Then he turned toward Huang Shi and suddenly roared,
"CHILD! WHY DID YOU STOP?! YOU SHOULD CONTINUE WHAT YOU WERE DOING AND HELP MY SON-IN-LAW AS WELL! IF YOU DON'T, I WILL—"
To the horror of his daughter, his son-in-law, and everyone else in the hall, Qiao Qinghe began shouting at Huang Shi, demanding that he continue the treatment despite the fact that he had clearly exhausted himself treating Qiao Fengyi just minutes earlier.
He was just about to continue his tirade when a cold voice suddenly interrupted him.
"Or what? You'll hurt me?"
"Is that your so-called oath of peace? Letting your enemies kill your friends and family while demanding your allies die for you? Is that how things work in the Medicine Hall?"
Huang Shi spoke with a frosty voice, his golden eyes shining with budding rage.
Truth be told, he had already been quite disappointed with the old man's actions so far. He had allowed his beloved daughter to die without retaliation, let his son-in-law be crippled and poisoned, and even allowed his granddaughter to be poisoned as well—yet he still chose to do nothing, all in the name of peace.
And now, here he was—probably the only hope this old man had left to rectify his mistakes—and the old man was antagonizing him?
Is this old man some kind of idiot?
Qiao Qinghe's eyes widened as his face twisted with rage. Without waiting for anyone to stop him, he began shouting.
"YOU BRAT! A MERE NASCENT PROFOUND REALM CULTIVATOR DARES TO SPEAK AGAINST ME, A TRUE PROFOUND REALM GRAND ELDER?!"
"DO YOU BELIEVE I COULD CRIPPLE YOU RIGHT HERE AND NO ONE WOULD DARE SAY A WORD?!"
Is this old man really some sort of fucking idiot?
Are you seriously doubling down on this nonsense right now?
Fucking hell… I'm really starting to hate this old man.