Long Aotian panted, staring at Hun Tianguang.
"Senior, this junior means no disrespect. I'm only worried you're being deceived by a schemer."
Lu Chengwen scoffed, "Oh, please. Even if we combined our brains, we wouldn't match a single hair of Senior's wisdom."
Hun Tianguang nodded. "Hmm, makes sense."
Long Aotian was on the verge of tears. "Senior, I…"
"Alright, alright, enough!" Hun Tianguang waved dismissively. "Both of you are in bad shape from that fall, but I've only got one Bone-Restoring Vitality Pill. Here's the deal: I'll ask you a question. Whoever answers correctly gets the pill."
"This junior is ready," Lu Chengwen said.
Hun Tianguang looked at Lu Chengwen. "Tell me, what's one plus one?"
Lu Chengwen rubbed his chin, feigning deep thought. "Equals… two?"
Hun Tianguang exclaimed, "Brilliant! A true talent!"
Long Aotian panicked. "Senior, that's—"
"Don't interrupt!" Hun Tianguang turned to Long Aotian. "Your turn. What's one plus one?"
Long Aotian was dumbfounded.
Seriously? The exact same question?
"Equals two."
"Nonsense!" Hun Tianguang snapped. "That's his answer! Have some originality!"
Long Aotian thought, I'm injured, or I'd jump up and kick you, you old fossil! Just give him the damn pill already! This is ridiculous!
"Senior, one plus one can't be anything else! I object!"
Hun Tianguang sneered. "I'll make it clear so you die understanding."
He turned to Lu Chengwen. "One plus one equals what?"
Lu Chengwen answered, "Fourteen!"
Hun Tianguang slapped his thigh, thrilled. "Genius!"
Long Aotian lost it.
Fourteen!? Are you two even serious!?
Hun Tianguang looked at Long Aotian. "Your turn. One plus one?"
Long Aotian thought, Fine, you're answering nonsense, I'll answer nonsense.
"Nineteen."
Hun Tianguang shook his head in disappointment. "Are you an idiot? One plus one equals nineteen? You've got some nerve!"
Long Aotian pointed at Lu Chengwen, eyes wide. "He said fourteen, and you didn't bat an eye!"
"I felt like it!"
Hun Tianguang turned to Lu Chengwen. "Your turn. One plus one?"
Lu Chengwen closed his eyes dramatically. "Somewhere between nine thousand one hundred twenty-four and nine thousand one hundred twenty-five."
Hun Tianguang slapped his thigh again. "Holy hell, you're a god!"
Long Aotian flipped the small stone table in front of him. "Just give him the pill! I'm done with this nonsense!"
Hun Tianguang barked, "Don't throw a tantrum in front of me! One plus one, what's your answer?"
Long Aotian, practically sobbing, stammered, "I… I…"
Hun Tianguang shook his head. "Wrong again!"
"I haven't even answered!" Long Aotian wailed.
Lu Chengwen chimed in, "Senior's wisdom is so profound, he knows you're wrong before you even open your mouth."
Hun Tianguang nodded sagely. "Tell him the answer."
Lu Chengwen declared confidently, "It equals x plus y minus z, multiplied by beta cubed, divided by the fruit of pi."
Hun Tianguang gave a thumbs-up. "Brilliant!"
Long Aotian stared, slack-jawed. "Divided by pi? Are you serious?"
Hun Tianguang said, "I don't know what pi is, but it sounds profound."
Long Aotian was about to explode.
He wanted to leave, but his broken bones kept him pinned.
This was a dead end!
Long Aotian, stay calm! You're the chosen one. There's no way you're trapped here with no way out.
This old man was clearly charmed by Lu Chengwen's flattery. Everything Lu Chengwen said sounded like music to his ears.
He had to turn this around!
With a sudden smile, Long Aotian clasped his fists. "I concede. Senior's wisdom and intellect are beyond me in this lifetime. My admiration for you flows like an endless river."
Hun Tianguang's face hardened. "Bootlicker!"
Long Aotian nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, I'm a bootlicker, but your wisdom truly astounds me. I can't find words grand enough to describe its depth, breadth, and… vastness…"
"Enough!" Hun Tianguang snapped. "You think I'm a child to be toyed with?"
"Huh? I… didn't mean—"
Hun Tianguang snorted. "One plus one equaling something about pi? Ridiculous!"
"Then why—"
"You!" Hun Tianguang pointed at Lu Chengwen. "Tell him what one plus one really equals!"
Lu Chengwen, unfazed, said, "A triangle."
Hun Tianguang nodded approvingly. "See? That's how you flatter me properly!"
Long Aotian broke down, tears streaming.
This is too much!
What kind of logic do these two have!? What are they even talking about!?
Not only can't I compete, I don't even understand what you're saying!
How do two idiots create such a bizarre chemistry!?
Hun Tianguang looked at Lu Chengwen. "Kid, you're to my taste. The Bone-Restoring Vitality Pill is yours!"
"Thank you, Senior!"
Lu Chengwen took the pill, smiling, but glanced at Hua Xuening's unconscious form and felt a pang.
[Hua Xuening's a good girl at heart. Her mind's just clouded because a strand of her spiritual sense is sealed.]
[She carries a blood feud and chose to align with a devil. She shouldn't die here.]
Lu Chengwen sighed. "Senior, why don't we give this pill to Miss Hua instead?"
Hun Tianguang blinked. "Why?"
"We're both men. In situations like this, it's fate that decides who lives or dies. But she's a woman. I can't let a man take the pill and leave a woman to die."
Hun Tianguang gave a thumbs-up. "Honorable!"
Lu Chengwen crawled over to Hua Xuening, gently turning her over, marveling at how soft her body felt.
As he prepared to feed her the pill, Hun Tianguang shouted, "Hey, hey, you trying to kill her?"
"Huh?"
"She's unconscious! If you shove the pill in her mouth, she can't chew. If she swallows it whole, her throat muscles won't work, and she'll choke to death."
"Then what do I do?"
"Chew it up and feed it to her."
"Oh."
"Wait!" Long Aotian tried to intervene, but Hun Tianguang extended a palm, pulling him over with a force. "They're saving someone. Why are you interfering?"
"She's my maid! If anyone's saving her, it should be me!"
"Cut the crap! You got a Bone-Restoring Vitality Pill? From your attitude earlier, you were clearly planning to take it yourself, not thinking of that girl. You think I didn't see through you?"
In truth, Hua Xuening had already woken up.
She just couldn't move or speak.
She'd heard every word of Lu Chengwen and Long Aotian's heated exchange, including Lu Chengwen's inner thoughts and his decision to chew the pill to feed her…
She knew about the seal on her spiritual sense.
One of the twelve main gods of the organization had sealed it, telling her that the one who unlocked it would be her lifelong master.
She'd always hoped the Young Master could unseal it, but the method was… embarrassing.
And the Young Master couldn't break his virgin body until he reached the Upper Four Gates realm.
All four Shadow Assassins had their most vital essence sealed, awaiting the Young Master's unlocking.
But until he reached that realm, the four Shadow Maidens had to preserve their purity for him.
When their seals were broken, they'd all undergo a transformation.
The Young Master would soar like a dragon.
This was their fate—their chosen path.
How did Lu Chengwen know about this?
This slick-talking jerk was utterly infuriating.
Yet why, at this moment, was he the one saving her?
Lu Chengwen chewed the pill, noticing Hua Xuening staring at him with a hostile gaze. Startled, he accidentally swallowed some of the pill.
Panicking, he kept the rest in his mouth, mumbling, "Not on purpose! Bear with it, I'm feeding you the medicine. You'll be fine."
He pulled Hua Xuening close and, without hesitation, pressed his lips to hers—not a kiss, just feeding her the medicine.
The old man coached from the side, "Use your tongue! Her oral functions are nearly gone; she can't swallow easily! Come on, don't be shy! Use more saliva—it'll help trigger her swallowing reflex. Oh, for heaven's sake, you're feeding her medicine, not groping her chest! If you can't do it, step aside, I'll do it!"
Hua Xuening endured Lu Chengwen's… feeding.
Humiliated tears slid down her face.
When they parted, Lu Chengwen wiped his mouth, sheepish. "Sorry, force of habit. I… didn't know where to put my hands."
Long Aotian was furious. "Lu Chengwen! You dare touch my woman? I swear, I'll tear you to pieces!"
Lu Chengwen looked at Long Aotian, now fearless. "Oh, yeah? You think I'm scared? We've already torn off the masks, so you'd better not mess with me. Otherwise, even if you crush me, I'll make sure to take half your life with me!"
"You ant! How dare you speak to this Young Master like that! I'm furious! Hmph, once Hua Xuening wakes up, the first thing I'll do is have her kill you!"
Hun Tianguang laughed. "He saved her life. Why would she kill him?"
Lu Chengwen scratched his head. "She actually might."
Sighing, he added, "Her spiritual sense is partially sealed, so she's loyal only to this guy. Plus, she hates my guts. Once she's up, her first move will probably be to take me out."
Hun Tianguang said, "No worries, kid. Look at this!"
He rummaged through his belt and pulled out another pill.
Lu Chengwen gasped dramatically. "Senior, could this be…"
Long Aotian and Hun Tianguang shouted in unison, "Exactly!"
Hun Tianguang paused. "Hm?"
Long Aotian's nose was practically crooked with rage.
So, Lu Chengwen, you've got one trick, huh? And it works every time!
Long Aotian said, "Senior, since he knows, don't say it. Let him say what it is. I want to see if he actually knows!"
Lu Chengwen snorted. "Do I even need to say it? If I'm not mistaken, this is a pill! Senior, am I right?"
Hun Tianguang slapped his thigh. "Spot on! You're good, kid!"
Long Aotian shouted, "What kind of pill? Name it!"
Lu Chengwen asked casually, "What was the pill we just took?"
"Don't dodge the question! That was then, this is now. Name this pill, and if you do, I'll kowtow and admit defeat!"
Lu Chengwen looked at Hun Tianguang. "Senior, the last one was a Bone-Restoring Vitality Pill. Do I really need to say this one's name?"
Hun Tianguang nodded. "Indeed, some things are better left unsaid."
Long Aotian clutched his chest. "Stop dodging! Can you name it or not? You can't!"
Lu Chengwen bellowed, "If I'm not mistaken, this pill's name is—"
Long Aotian roared, "What!?"
Lu Chengwen scrambled to Hua Xuening's side. "Xuening, you scared? Don't be, don't be. Big Brother Chengwen's here, don't be afraid…"
Long Aotian forgot his pain, leaping up and swinging a palm at Lu Chengwen.
"I'll make you stop posturing!"
_
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