"Who poisoned my daughter!?"
Xue Hui braced himself as the violent spiritual pressure of a Black Gold Rank Demon Spiritualist burst forth, pressing down on him like a tidal wave.
Under the immense soul suppression, Xue Hui hastily unleashed his spiritual energy, forming a thin veil of aura around his body.
With his excellent control over soul power, Xue Hui used his own spiritual energy to guide the enormous soul pressure pressing against him, altering its flow so that it circulated around his body.
Following this, Xue Hui recited the first three chapters of the Creation Origin Ancestral Canon, using its refining ability to transform Chen Zhenlong's soul force into raw spiritual energy, which he absorbed to replenish his own soul force.
It was a perilous process beyond measure, one that could cause a severe soul backlash if Xue Hui failed to tame the turbulent spiritual energy.
Under the crushing force of Chen Zhenlong's soul force, Xue Hui's small body endured immense physical torment. He coughed up blood as his internal organs bled from the overwhelming spiritual pressure entering his body.
Yet Xue Hui showed no signs of retreating. Danger and opportunity went hand in hand. With a defiant look, he continued refining Chen Zhenlong's soul force and making it his own.
A cracking sound echoed through the room as the concealment array around them began to buckle under Chen Zhenlong's soul pressure.
Hearing this, Xue Hui threw out another set of paper talismans, followed by a hand seal that reinforced the structure of the concealment array.
It would be bad if the other members of the Divine Family detected Chen Zhenlong's turbulent aura and caused a massive commotion within the family.
If that were to happen, questions would inevitably arise, and news of the incident would undoubtedly spread throughout the city.
And that would bring nothing good for either of them.
After all, they were still in the dark about who had poisoned Chen Linlin.
If word spread that Chen Zhenlong knew about it and was searching for the perpetrators, the culprit would undoubtedly go into hiding while erasing any traces that could lead back to them.
That would make finding them nearly impossible.
That was why Xue Hui was only willing to speak about Chen Linlin's condition with Chen Zhenlong alone.
Not only did he need to borrow Chen Zhenlong's strength to gather all the materials required to cure Chen Linlin, but he could also work with Chen Zhenlong to discreetly identify the culprit.
Xue Hui's eyebrows furrowed, his complexion turned ashen, and his back was drenched in cold sweat as he continued to defend himself against Chen Zhenlong's spiritual pressure.
Trapped in a life-threatening situation, Xue Hui remained calm as he endured, using every opportunity to his advantage.
BOOM!
Chen Zhenlong's furious outburst came to an abrupt halt as his spiritual sense picked up the faint fluctuations of someone achieving a cultivation breakthrough.
His gaze snapped toward the source of the aura and immediately turned ashen when he saw Xue Hui's miserable condition.
Overwhelmed by grief after learning the truth behind his daughter's illness, Chen Zhenlong had completely forgotten about the little boy before him. In his loss of control, he had unleashed his soul force without restraint, subjecting Xue Hui to its crushing pressure.
It was a spiritual pressure that even a Gold Rank expert would struggle to withstand, let alone someone at the Bronze Rank.
The results spoke for themselves.
Simply put, Xue Hui looked miserable.
"Xiao Hui! Quick, take this!"
Panicked, Chen Zhenlong hastily took out a recovery elixir and strode toward the boy, fully intending to examine his condition with his spiritual energy and assess the extent of the damage he had caused.
Yet he abruptly stopped.
He could clearly sense that the boy was not collapsing from his injuries. Instead, he was consolidating his cultivation after a breakthrough.
Chen Zhenlong's mind blanked the moment the realization struck him.
Under the bombardment of his soul force, the boy had not only avoided suffering severe injuries, but had actually achieved a breakthrough in the midst of it.
What kind of monster could cultivate under such circumstances, let alone break through?
Everyone knew that absorbing spiritual energy was an extremely delicate process.
The slightest disturbance could cause a backlash, crippling one's cultivation or even costing one's life.
Yet the boy before him had advanced a rank while enduring the chaotic spiritual energy of a Black Gold Rank Demon Spiritualist.
The absurdity of it left Chen Zhenlong momentarily speechless.
Slowly, he sat back down in his chair. Interfering now would only do more harm than good.
Taking a slow, steady breath, Chen Zhenlong seized the moment to calm both his mind and spirit.
Countless questions surged through his thoughts, but he knew that losing control again would solve nothing.
On the contrary, it would only make the situation far more complicated.
Chen Zhenlong was a smart man.
He already understood why Xue Hui had insisted on speaking with him alone.
Ten minutes later,
Xue Hui slowly opened his eyes.
Feeling the uncomfortable dampness clinging to his body, he released a gentle wave of warm spiritual energy, instantly drying his clothes.
Chen Zhenlong was just about to hand him a recovery elixir when Xue Hui took out a pill of his own and tossed it into his mouth.
A rich medicinal aura immediately spread throughout his body, and his pale complexion quickly returned to a healthy, rosy hue. He looked far better than before.
"What was that?" Chen Zhenlong asked in astonishment.
He possessed countless recovery elixirs, yet none of them matched the effectiveness of the one Xue Hui had just taken.
After confirming that his body had recovered to some extent, a relieved smile appeared on Xue Hui's face. Looking up, he answered Chen Zhenlong's question.
"Nine Transformation Pill."
His reply made the man before him stare at him in puzzlement.
"It's an elixir capable of healing severe injuries. It can even bring back someone on the brink of death."
Xue Hui's words reminded Chen Zhenlong of his blunder. His expression became apologetic as he lowered his head awkwardly.
"I'm sorry about that, Xiao Hui. I put you in danger despite your warning beforehand."
Seeing this, Xue Hui merely chuckled, waving his hand dismissively.
"Lord Patriarch, there's no need to apologize so earnestly."
"I had already expected something like this might happen. Even I, when I first learned that Linlin had been poisoned, could hardly contain my own fury."
At the mention of his daughter, Chen Zhenlong immediately cast aside everything else.
A serious expression appeared on his face, and his eyes sharpened as he asked bluntly,
"Xiao Hui, do you have any idea who did it?"
Chen Zhenlong went straight to the point.
More than anything else, he simply wanted to know who was behind all of his daughter's suffering.
Xue Hui slowly shook his head, a trace of anguish appearing on his face.
"I have no idea, Lord Patriarch. That is precisely why I insisted on speaking with you alone. Somewhere out there is someone with the heart to harm a child in such a cruel manner."
Xue Hui paused for a moment before emphasizing his next words.
"Someone powerful, at that."
Chen Zhenlong nodded.
As a Black Gold Rank Demon Spiritualist, he was naturally familiar with the infamous Toxic Forest.
Even its outskirts were swarming with deadly demon beasts, while the Blood-Pungent Butterfly larvae were said to dwell only in the forest's most perilous depths.
Even a Black Gold Rank Demon Spiritualist would struggle to obtain that poison.
A thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.
He knew the boy's intentions to help his daughter were sincere, but Xue Hui's sudden changes remained shrouded in mystery.
Particularly the mysterious master standing behind him.
Chen Zhenlong hesitated for a moment before speaking, his tone cautious.
"Xiao Hui, don't take this personally, but…"
He leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with the small boy.
"Your master...?"
Before he could finish, Xue Hui immediately raised his palm to stop him before nodding, clearly understanding the implication behind the question.
"I can assure you, it is not my master who is behind all of this."
Chen Zhenlong gave another slow nod in response, though the doubt in his eyes had not completely faded.
Although his truth-detection soul technique judged Xue Hui's words to be genuine, Chen Zhenlong could not completely dismiss his suspicions.
After all, it was entirely possible that the boy himself had been deceived by his own master.
This so-called master could very well be using his daughter for some hidden purpose, or even as a test for his disciple.
"My master is a supreme expert who surpasses even a Legend Rank," Xue Hui said in a serious tone. "If he truly wanted something, wouldn't it be far easier for him to take it by force rather than resorting to such schemes?"
Chen Zhenlong gave a slight nod. The boy's reasoning was sound.
"Not to mention," Xue Hui continued with an earnest tone, "my master is the Medical Saint. He dedicated his entire life to the pursuit of the art of healing. I'm certain my master would rather wipe out humanity with his own hand than defile the very Medical Dao he cultivated all his life by poisoning a little girl."
Xue Hui's words were filled with absolute conviction.
While he was indeed fabricating the existence of this "Medical Saint," the part about the art of healing was completely genuine.
Within the space of the [CREATION ORIGIN ANCESTRAL MANUAL], Xue Hui had painstakingly cultivated his medical knowledge and techniques.
To use the art of healing to harm others would be the greatest insult to all his hard work.
Noticing the boy's agitation, Chen Zhenlong fell silent before sighing in acceptance.
"Mm… I'm sorry about that, Lord patriarch. I didn't mean to raise my voice," Xue Hui added, regaining his composure.
Chen Zhenlong waved off the apology.
"Forget it. You were only speaking your mind. I should be the one apologizing for slandering your master."
Both of them leaned back in their chairs, each lost in their own thoughts.
After a moment, Xue Hui spoke again. His tone was much calmer than before, yet remained firm.
"I can at least assure you that none of your close family members were responsible."
Chen Zhenlong's gaze snapped back to the boy.
"Oh? How can you be so certain?"
Although he sounded composed, his heart was in turmoil.
The mere possibility that someone from his own family could have done such a thing would shatter him.
Thus, hearing Xue Hui's assurance lifted an enormous weight from his shoulders.
"Madam Wenrou, Madam Yinying, Grand Elder Chen ShenXin, and Elder Chen Fei... they all gave their lives to protect Linlin in the end," Xue Hui said softly, his voice heavy with reverence.
"I saw it with my own eyes how they hurled themselves at the demon beasts to let me and Linlin escape."
Then Xue Hui recalled something, a faint shadow crossing his expression.
"Well... except for Elder Chen Shenxin. He died a year before the attack while trying to seize a divine herb from a Legend Rank demon beast."
A look of grief washed over him.
Hearing about their tragic ends left a heavy weight on Chen Zhenlong's heart.
"I don't know what happened to Young Master Li Jiang," Xue Hui continued. "When he discovered the Sacred Family's betrayal, he went berserk and set off to hunt down their remaining members himself. But from the few times I managed to speak with him, I can at least say he cared deeply for his little sister."
Chen Zhenlong nodded.
His son had been very young when Chen Linlin was poisoned, and motive-wise, what motive could he possibly have had?
Li Jiang's position as the next patriarch had already been secured long before Chen Linlin was born.
The little girl had shown no desire to contend for that position.
All she had ever wanted was to grow stronger and protect Glory City.
There had been no reason for his son, or anyone supporting him, to damage her foundation.
That would only result in a loss for the Divine Family.
"Let's leave it at that for now," Chen Zhenlong finally said, suppressing the storm of thoughts in his mind. "Without any concrete leads, we won't be able to find the culprit."
For now, his priority lay elsewhere.
He turned his full attention back to the boy before him, his voice growing solemn yet hopeful.
"Xiao Hui," he asked, "tell me... how will you help my Lin'er?"
End of Chapter 14