Chapter 5

"Whoosh!"

Ling Yushi took a deep breath, placed Qin Lie on the bed with fatigue, and her clear eyes were filled with doubt.

This was the stone house where Qin Lie stayed for a long time, consisting of three rooms. One of them was originally Qin Shan's, now empty, and the other was a washroom.

In Ling Family Town, such stone houses were very common, and most of the martial artists in Ling Family Town lived in similar houses.

Qin Lie's stone room had only one stone table, two stone stools, and a wooden bed, with no other furniture.

"Sis, what was up with Du Heng just now? I heard that bastard often goes to Ice Rock City recently. Is his body drained by wine and women? How could he even fail to carry this fool?" Ling Xuanxuan asked in confusion.

After placing Qin Lie down, Ling Yushi carefully examined him. Seeing the green palm print on his chest gradually fade and his breathing steady and strong after placing her jade fingers on his nose, she finally felt relieved and said, "He should be fine. The wound on his chest should heal in a couple of days. Let's go back."

Ling Xuanxuan didn't want to stay a second longer and immediately got up. Ling Yushi followed, and just before leaving the stone room, she turned back and looked deeply at Qin Lie, who had his eyes tightly closed.

...

After a long while, Qin Lie suddenly sat up from the bed, closed all the doors, and then returned to the bed.

In the dim room, Qin Lie's eyes shone brightly. If you looked closely, it seemed as if electric currents were darting through his pupils, making it look extremely strange and peculiar.

"Zzzt!"

The sound of lightning gradually came from within his body. At this moment, a terrifying aura emanated from him.

Just as the aura reached its peak, a faint light appeared between his eyebrows, and a black bead the size of a silkworm bean floated out from his forehead.

The black bead was as dark as ink, and at first glance, it looked like an extra eye had appeared on his forehead.

Focusing his will, Qin Lie roared in his heart, his expression fierce as he tried to break the seal inside the bead.

"Boom!"

His mental consciousness surged into the seal, colliding with an invisible barrier. His head suddenly felt an intense pain, and his mental power loosened.

The hard-earned aura dissipated, and he leaned against the wall, exhausted, sighing, "Still no good."

After being awakened by Qin Shan two years ago, he had also tried to break the memory seal of the Soul Suppressing Bead, but failed just like today.

After two years, he felt his strength had greatly increased, and he thought he might have a chance to break the seal, but unfortunately, he failed again.

During the five years of "Heavenly Lightning Punishment" cultivation, he had already developed a strong and resilient will, so he wasn't too disheartened. He quickly calmed down and carefully thought about today's events.

"Who is trying to harm me? Grandfather's enemy?"

Due to his ten years of memory being sealed and Qin Shan never talking much about his identity, he couldn't get an answer.

"Regardless of who it is, it seems I can't continue my cultivation in a state of no thought and no desire for a while. Otherwise, when that person acts again, it might be a fatal blow."

...

"Is Qin Lie okay?" In the Ling Family hall, the family head asked his two daughters, with Ling Chengzhi also present.

"The white-robed man didn't try to kill him today. The spiritual energy injected into Qin Lie's chest has mostly dissipated. He should recover in a couple of days," Ling Yushi replied, then asked, "Father, did you engage in combat with the white-robed man? Could you identify him?"

Ling Chengye shook his head, "I didn't catch up to him. His realm is probably not inferior to mine. I also find it strange why he would attack Qin Lie."

"Father, when I carried Qin Lie back today, I noticed... he was very, very heavy," Ling Yushi finally voiced her doubts.

"Very heavy? Much heavier than a normal person?" Ling Chengye's expression changed, clearly taking it seriously.

"More than five times heavier than a normal person!" Ling Yushi exclaimed.

"He must have something heavy on him," Ling Xuanxuan said, pouting.

"He might really have something heavy on him, but as a woman, I can't thoroughly check him. Of course, there's another possibility... but it's too unbelievable, even I find it hard to believe," Ling Yushi said, shaking her head in confusion.

Ling Chengye and Ling Chengzhi exchanged glances, both seeing the surprise in each other's eyes. Their thoughts were focused on the second possibility Ling Yushi mentioned, and they remained silent for a moment.

"Father, I will never marry that fool! If you insist, I will run away from home and never return to the Ling Family!" At this moment, Ling Xuanxuan's suppressed anger finally erupted, her fists clenched, glaring at Ling Chengye like a little tigress.

Waving his hand, Ling Chengye said, "I won't really make you marry Qin Lie. Qin Shan has done a favor for our Ling Family, and I promised him to take care of Qin Lie until he is seventeen. Yes, you and Qin Lie are just engaged in form. In two years, I will dissolve the engagement, and you won't have any ties with him."

"It's as I thought, Father wouldn't be so heartless as to sacrifice my lifelong happiness," Ling Yushi smiled, relieved, "Are you relieved now, you little girl?"

"Being engaged doesn't sound good either!" Ling Xuanxuan pouted, "I have to endure gossip and rumors for two whole years, and I can't focus on my cultivation! If my realm doesn't advance in two years, don't blame me for not being ambitious!"

With that, Ling Xuanxuan stormed off, her anger evident.

Upon hearing this, Ling Chengye and Ling Chengzhi's expressions changed, truly hit where it hurt.

The two brothers had placed too much hope on Ling Xuanxuan, expecting her to help the Ling Family rise through her exceptional cultivation talent, fulfilling their inner ideals.

All of this depended on Ling Xuanxuan's continuous breakthroughs. If she couldn't reach the Kaiyuan Realm before the age of twenty, all their efforts would be in vain.

The two brothers looked worried and sighed, full of helplessness and bitterness.

Ling Yushi saw everything and felt a deep pain in her heart.

After a long while, she suddenly said softly, "Let me take Xiaomei's place and get engaged to Qin Lie? My talent is not as good as Xiaomei's, and I have no hope of reaching the Kaiyuan Realm before the age of twenty. Xiaomei... will be the hope of the family. As her older sister, I should take on more responsibilities for the family and for Xiaomei."

The two brothers didn't expect Ling Yushi to take the initiative, and they felt a mix of surprise and pain, unsure of what to say.

Ling Yushi forced a smile, which made the two brothers even more heartbroken and ashamed, "Father, Uncle, you don't need to feel conflicted. I am older than Xiaomei and can see things more clearly. I... can bear it. I know you have made many sacrifices for the family and endured a lot of hardship. I am not a child anymore and should take on some responsibilities."

"Ah, I'm sorry to burden you," the family head's eyes were moist, and he sighed, "It's all because I am useless."

"It's not your fault. I know you are also in pain. Please arrange everything as you see fit," Ling Yushi said, consoling them softly.

The two brothers sighed, and in the hall, they decided on the engagement date between Ling Yushi and Qin Lie, confirming the matter.

...

In another hall of Ling Family Town.

Luxurious fur was spread on the ground, and in the richly decorated room, Du Jiaolan held a wine glass, lazily leaning on an elegant recliner.

Though this woman was devious, she had a mature and charming allure, and if not, Du Haitian of the Star Cloud Pavilion wouldn't be so devoted to protecting her.

"That fool is extremely heavy, so he must have something heavy on him. These years, that grandfather and grandson have been in the mine, who knows what secrets they are up to. Ling Chengye strictly forbids us from entering the Medicine Mountain mine, perhaps they are involved in some shady dealings. Today, the whole Ling Family went to Medicine Mountain, and Ling Yushi even carried Qin Lie back, something must have happened!"

Du Heng, with a grim face, firmly stated his deductions to his mother, "Mother, perhaps they have mined some unique spirit stones in the Medicine Mountain mine!"

Du Jiaolan's expression changed, and after a moment, she said, "You have a point. We have indeed neglected those mines. We need to pay more attention. Recently, keep an eye on that fool and find an opportunity to check out the mine and figure out what the Ling Family is up to."

"I understand."

"Ha ha, Ling Family Town will eventually become Du Family Town. If there are spirit stones in the Medicine Mountain mine, they should belong to us, not be secretly taken by them," Du Jiaolan smiled, as if it were a given.

"He he, those two daughters of the old man will eventually become playthings for me and my brother!" Du Heng grinned wickedly.

...

The next day.

Qin Lie got up on time. He didn't continue to use the Soul Suppressing Bead to enter the state of no thought and no desire. Before leaving, he took out a bronze mirror and slowly adjusted his eyes.

After a while, seeing that his eyes in the mirror were as vacant and wooden as usual, he left the stone house.

At the exact time, he entered the Ling Family dining hall. Seeing him arrive on time, the whole Ling Family, old and young, were surprised and began to scrutinize him.

Qin Lie remained calm, ate silently, and showed no difference from his usual behavior.

He only wanted to steadily lay a solid foundation for "Heavenly Lightning Punishment" in the Ling Family. Once he no longer needed to rely on the Medicine Mountain mine to guide lightning for body tempering, he might choose to leave the Ling Family and search for Qin Shan outside.

Soon, after finishing his meal, he got up and walked toward Medicine Mountain, looking dazed.

In the dining hall, the whole Ling Family, old and young, seemed somewhat silent. Du Jiaolan and her two sons also unusually paid attention to Qin Lie, only turning their gaze away from his back when he left the hall.

"Brother, the Star Cloud Pavilion has sent a message, asking us to send a batch of medicinal herbs soon," Du Jiaolan elegantly wiped the corners of