"Are you all right?" Lin Tian asked, clearly encountering such a situation for the first time, utterly at a loss.
"I feel terrible…" Du Yuejiao's face contorted in agony. Within her body, a violent surge of energy seemed to rampage uncontrollably, churning her internal organs into chaos. Her entire being felt as though it were about to tear apart, as the spiritual energy inside her erupted in constant turmoil.
She clutched the edge of the bed with both hands, her features drawn tightly together. Witnessing this, Lin Tian was completely flustered, his mind in disarray.
At that moment, a voice approached rapidly from afar. The door flew open, and a middle-aged man rushed in without hesitation. In the next instant, his palm pressed firmly against Du Yuejiao's back. As streams of spiritual energy flowed steadily from him, the pain on her face gradually eased, her breathing slowly calming.
Watching this unfold, Lin Tian frowned unconsciously. Though he did not know precisely what the man had done, he could clearly sense that this was no mere infusion of spiritual energy. It was as though a seal had been planted within Du Yuejiao's body.
"Father, why are you here?" As the violent surge within her finally subsided, Du Yuejiao slowly opened her eyes. Seeing the man before her, a flicker of confusion crossed her gaze.
"I sensed something amiss in your room and came to take a look. I never expected to find you in such pain the moment I entered," Du Tianheng said with a faint smile. Yet as he spoke, his eyes instinctively shifted toward Lin Tian, clearly warning him not to mention what had just transpired.
"Father, I have good news for you," Du Yuejiao said proudly, throwing her arms around Du Tianheng. "My cultivation has already broken through to the sixth layer of the Qi Refinement Realm."
"Oh? Is that so? That's wonderful," Du Tianheng replied, the corners of his mouth lifting as if in delight. Yet Lin Tian saw clearly what others did not: the instant Du Yuejiao mentioned her breakthrough, Du Tianheng's brow subtly furrowed. He was far less pleased than he appeared.
"Uncle, if I'm not mistaken, you must be the patriarch of the Du clan," Lin Tian said with a respectful clasp of his fists and a polite smile.
"That's right. I am the Du clan's patriarch," Du Tianheng replied, glancing at Lin Tian with a hint of curiosity.
"There is something I'd like to discuss with you, if I may," Lin Tian continued.
"Fine. Come with me," Du Tianheng said, frowning slightly, but agreeing nonetheless.
Once they stepped outside, Du Tianheng turned around impatiently. "Say what you need to say, but if you think you can threaten me with what just happened, you'd best abandon that thought."
"I didn't come to threaten you, Uncle. I came to help," Lin Tian said earnestly. "If my guess is correct, you rushed here because Yuejiao's cultivation broke through the seal you placed within her. Sensing the disturbance, you hurried over at once."
At these words, Du Tianheng looked at Lin Tian with renewed interest, his gaze markedly different. Du Yuejiao's condition was a closely guarded secret within the Du clan. The fact that a seal had been placed in her body was known only to Du Tianheng himself. Yet this young man had discerned it at a glance.
"So what if that's the case?" Du Tianheng replied impatiently.
"If you're willing to trust me, I may be able to help you resolve this matter," Lin Tian said sincerely. Du Yuejiao had once saved his life; seeing her in danger, he naturally wished to repay her kindness.
"Just you?" Du Tianheng scoffed, contempt deepening in his eyes. He sensed no trace of spiritual energy from Lin Tian and instinctively regarded him as a cripple. That such a person would claim he could save his daughter was, to him, nothing short of a colossal joke.
Over the years, he had exhausted countless efforts to address Du Yuejiao's condition, yet aside from maintaining the seal, he had found no solution. Thus, even as he watched his daughter grow increasingly despondent over her stagnant cultivation, he could only endure it in silence. Telling her the truth would have been an even crueler blow.
"Do you truly intend to keep this from your daughter forever?" Lin Tian pressed. "Or do you believe your seal can restrain her condition indefinitely?"
He knew nothing of Du Yuejiao's true state. To help her, Du Tianheng would have to reveal everything plainly. Only by fully understanding her condition could he hope to treat it at the source.
"But on what grounds should I trust you?" Du Tianheng frowned, his voice heavy with hesitation. Lin Tian's words had struck at his deepest worry, yet trusting a youth of unknown origin was no easy matter.
"Uncle, rest assured. Yuejiao saved my life—I would never repay kindness with betrayal," Lin Tian said with a helpless smile. He understood Du Tianheng's concerns, though he could not easily dispel them. "And telling me the truth won't harm her in the slightest. Or would you rather watch your daughter slowly waste away?"
At this, hesitation flickered in Du Tianheng's eyes. The prospect Lin Tian described was one he could not bear to face. Yet his distrust remained.
After a long silence, Du Tianheng finally lifted his head, determination settling into his gaze, as though he had reached a momentous decision.
"Fine. I'll tell you about Yuejiao's condition," he said through clenched teeth. "But if you dare to reveal this to anyone else, I will not spare you."