Hearing the piercing scream, Yue Ning could no longer remain seated. With a single powerful kick, she sent the chamber door flying open. Instantly, a surge of spiritual energy shot toward Lin Tian, striking with ruthless precision.
Lin Tian's expression changed dramatically. Though not as formidable as Du Tianheng, Yue Ning's strength was undeniable—she was a true Foundation Establishment practitioner. Were he struck by that force, the injuries he had just recovered from would surely flare up again.
With spiritual energy exploding beneath his feet, Lin Tian leapt backward, narrowly evading the attack. The strike impacted the wall, leaving a deep, jagged scar etched into the stone.
Seeing her attack thwarted, Yue Ning's face darkened. Without hesitation, she unleashed another strike. Du Tianheng intervened immediately, his own spiritual energy erupting to shatter the oncoming force.
"Ning'er, that's enough!" he commanded.
"He's the one who harmed our daughter! And you still protect him?" Tears streaming, Yue Ning glared at Du Tianheng, her voice trembling with fury. Du Yuejiao was her own flesh and blood—any harm to her pierced Yue Ning's heart. And now, seeing her daughter lying motionless, uncertain whether she was alive or dead, Yue Ning could not let Lin Tian go unchallenged.
Du Tianheng's chest tightened painfully at the sight of Du Yuejiao. Bloodshot eyes betraying his anguish, he turned to Lin Tian. "Lin Tian, I entrusted Yuejiao to you, not to see her in this state!"
"Clan Leader Du, rest assured—Yuejiao is fine," Lin Tian said, rising from the ground, wincing from residual pain. Though he had evaded Yue Ning's full force, the aftershock had still inflicted injuries. Were it not for Du Tianheng's timely intervention, he would have perished there.
"Fine? Do you call her lying there motionless, fine?" Yue Ning snapped, incredulous. A person "fine" would not collapse and remain unmoving on the floor.
"Boy, do you truly think we are fools? Do you imagine that speaking such words will let you escape unscathed?" Yue Ning sneered. "You're barely a teenager. What skill do you possess to solve a problem our family couldn't handle for ten years? Did you really believe that mastering Pear Blossoms in the Torrential Rain would allow you to control the energy within Yuejiao?"
"I tell you, since you dare endanger the Du clan, I will not let you go unpunished today." Her spiritual energy surged once more.
"Clan Leader Du, you must believe me," Lin Tian said, exasperated. He had not anticipated encountering someone so utterly unreasonable.
"I trusted you too much, and that's why Ning'er ended up like this," Du Tianheng interjected sharply. "I should never have agreed to let Yuejiao undertake such a dangerous path."
Lin Tian could only sigh inwardly; his luck seemed cursed, encountering two such obstinate people.
"Clan Leader Du, Yuejiao truly is unharmed, and the energy within her has been completely resolved," he added, speaking with restrained urgency.
"Resolved? Do you take me for a fool? If you've truly handled the energy, I will kneel right here and apologize," Yue Ning scoffed.
The instant she finished speaking, Du Yuejiao's fingers twitched slightly. Seeing this faint movement, Yue Ning's breath hitched. She hurriedly knelt, gently supporting her daughter.
"Mother… what are you doing here?" Du Yuejiao's eyes widened in surprise, clearly astonished that her mother had been drawn to the scene.
"Yuejiao, are you all right?" Yue Ning asked, her concern evident. Seeing her daughter awake, her murderous intent toward Lin Tian diminished considerably.
"I'm fine." Wiping the blood from her lips, Du Yuejiao smiled sheepishly, aware of the worry she had caused her parents. "Following Lin Tian's guidance, I've successfully cultivated the third form of Pear Blossoms in the Torrential Rain, and the energy inside me has been expelled. I can now continue my cultivation normally."
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Lin Tian, filled with gratitude. Without him, who knew how much longer the oppressive darkness would have lasted?
"What did you say?" Yue Ning was momentarily stunned.
"Mother, you don't know how incredible Lin Tian is. Pear Blossoms in the Torrential Rain is notoriously difficult. Normally, it would take me over a year to master the third form. But with Lin Tian's instruction, I achieved it in just one hour. And my cultivation has already reached the peak of the sixth level of Qi Refinement. Perhaps before the upcoming recruitment tournament, I might even break through to the seventh level," Du Yuejiao exclaimed, brimming with excitement.
"Madam Du, I believe you've heard what Yuejiao said. Perhaps now is the time to honor your previous words?" Lin Tian interjected, seizing the opportunity to claim what was promised.
Yue Ning's face darkened. Her earlier statement had been uttered in frustration, never expecting Lin Tian to succeed in purging the energy. Now, to kneel before him in front of her daughter was a humiliation she could scarcely bear.
"Mother, what's going on?" Du Yuejiao asked, puzzled.
"Nothing, your mother said that if I could heal you, she would kneel and apologize," Lin Tian replied nonchalantly.
Du Yuejiao hesitated, looking at Yue Ning. As the clan's matriarch, Yue Ning's position was exalted. For her to kneel was an immense loss of face.
"Do the Du clan's leaders always go back on their word?" Lin Tian pressed, impatience creeping into his tone.
Biting her teeth, Yue Ning finally knelt, her eyes betraying a deep, reluctant submission.