Song Changsheng wanted to give chase, but Lu Yuxiu's condition was far from stable. Her breath was weak, the fire of life within her flickering dangerously. He had no choice but to give up the pursuit and turn his efforts to saving her.
While he raced against death inside the room, Lu Tianchou, who had been keeping watch just outside the door, remained completely unaware that the very culprit who had tormented his daughter for over a year had just passed beneath his feet through the floor.
Even Redfire, who had been meditating in the courtyard, noticed nothing out of the ordinary. Instead, he was preoccupied with his petty calculations.
Only Song Qingxing, standing by the spirit fields with his sword in hand, furrowed his brow slightly. His sharp gaze swept across the surroundings, but he found nothing amiss.
Still, that repulsive aura lingered stubbornly around him.
Clang
A blade sprang out an inch from its scabbard, and the sharp aura of sword energy instantly coiled around him. That foul presence immediately recoiled as if it had encountered something terrifying.
Once the presence fully vanished, the sword slid silently back into its sheath. Song Qingxing's aura gradually faded, as though nothing had happened.
Faced with questioning looks from Song Qingxi and the old ghost Redfire, he showed no desire to explain. Instead, he closed his eyes and feigned sleep…
Song Changsheng wasn't in great shape himself, but he still acted swiftly to stabilize Lu Yuxiu's injuries and pull her back from the brink of death.
Only after he had done everything he could, did he sit by her bedside, his brow furrowed in deep thought.
From what he could tell, the problem seemed resolved.
The fleeing clump of "tainted blood" had been the true culprit. It had parasitized Lu Yuxiu's dantian, feeding off incoming life energy to grow stronger.
Though he had healed Lu Yuxiu, he had inadvertently helped the mastermind complete their plan ahead of schedule. That left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Judging from the method used, this reeks of the Blood Demon. But what exactly are they trying to accomplish and why target Miss Lu?"
Song Changsheng rubbed his chin, completely baffled.
He had examined Lu Yuxiu thoroughly. She had dual wood and water spiritual roots, nothing extraordinary. Average aptitude at best. Other than her father being a master artisan, there was nothing particularly special about her.
But the Blood Demon had lurked in the Qi Cultivation Realm for years, always striking with purpose. Given the current state of the world, this made him uneasy.
"What a chaotic time to be alive…"
Song Changsheng let out a long sigh. In this swirling storm of unrest, neither he nor the Song clan was anything more than tiny fish swept up in the current, unable to control, unable to decide.
It was a stifling, frustrating feeling.
Just then, Lu Yuxiu slowly regained consciousness. A faint blush returned to her previously pale face, though she still looked weak and weary.
"Thank… you, Senior… for saving my life."
Seeing Song Changsheng's pale complexion, guilt washed over Lu Yuxiu's delicate face. With her intelligence, she had already pieced together what had happened.
Song Changsheng raised a hand to stop her from getting up and bowing. His voice was gentle. "No need for formalities. Are you feeling any discomfort?"
"No." Lu Yuxiu shook her head weakly. She just felt extremely fatigued, a bit light-headed.
"Good. That's good. Master Lu is right outside. I'll go call him in now."
Standing in front of the door, Song Changsheng rubbed his cheeks, making himself appear even more haggard. Only then did he wave his sleeve and lift the barrier.
What greeted him was an old face full of worry.
The moment Lu Tianchou saw Song Changsheng, his eyes filled with a mix of anxiety and hope.
At this moment, his heart was full of unease. Originally, he hadn't held much expectation for Song Changsheng after all, the man was neither a renowned alchemist nor a professional physician.
The only reason he agreed to let him try was because Song Changsheng's earlier words had moved him and, frankly, because the group with him didn't seem like people who could be easily provoked.
He might have a strange temper, but that didn't mean he was a fool.
What he didn't expect was that Song Changsheng had really discovered the root of the problem and even came up with a very risky method of treatment.
Though he ultimately agreed to Song Changsheng's proposal, he couldn't help but worry. Now, seeing him come out, his anxiety deepened. He feared he was about to hear disappointing news.
"Master Song... how is my daughter?"
Lu Tianchou rubbed his hands nervously in front of Song Changsheng, his voice tentative and uneasy.
"Miss Lu has already woken up. The hidden danger in her body has been removed. With proper rest, she'll make a full recovery.
Oh, by the way, Master Lu, since you've been outside this whole time, did you notice anything unusual?" Song Changsheng glanced around but sensed nothing out of place.
At this moment, Lu Tianchou had no mind to consider anything else. The moment he heard that Lu Yuxiu had awakened, everything else Song Changsheng said blurred into background noise.
This old man, nearly two hundred years old, dashed into the loft at the fastest speed of his life.
"Senior Song, my master was just overwhelmed with emotion. Please forgive him." Li Anmin scratched his head awkwardly and apologized to Song Changsheng.
"No need for that. I completely understand how Master Lu must be feeling." Song Changsheng shook his head lightly, not minding at all.
Li Anmin nodded and then stood nervously beside Song Changsheng, constantly peeking toward the loft. Unfortunately, he couldn't see a thing.
Song Changsheng found it amusing but said nothing. Casually, he asked, "Since you are Master Lu's only disciple, you must have inherited his teachings in full by now, right?"
Hearing this, Li Anmin scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Senior Song flatters me. My aptitude is dull, I'm still far from my master's level."
"Oh? Why the humility, young friend? Master Lu is one of the few top-tier craftsmen in the entire Qi Cultivation world. I'm sure you'll one day surpass your teacher. When you're out adventuring in the future, if you happen to pass through Lingzhou, you're welcome to visit my Song Clan." Song Changsheng smiled warmly, sounding very much like an elder trying to lure a child with candy.
Li Anmin didn't catch the hidden meaning and simply nodded with a bashful smile.
The two chatted idly outside for a while. After about half an hour, Lu Tianchou finally came out of the loft, eyes red as if he had been crying, but his face radiated joy.
As soon as he saw Song Changsheng, he bowed deeply and said solemnly, "Master Song, I will never forget your kindness!"
Song Changsheng quickly helped him up and said gently, "No need for that, Master Lu. I only did what little I could."
Seeing how pale and worn out he looked, Lu Tianchou felt deeply moved. Master Song had poured his heart into this.
He took out a black storage pouch, gave it a wave, and from it emerged a massive ship thirty feet tall, over sixty feet long, and entirely jet black. With pride in his voice, he said to Song Changsheng, "Master Song, this is the quasi-heavenly-class vessel I poured my heart and soul into crafting: a top-grade Tier-2 Black Star Ship!"
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