C18 A Fiery Slap to the Face!

Liu Changqing observed the dark aura on Old Mrs. Tang's forehead, his face taking on an unusual expression.

"Puppet Baleful Qi. Some people actually resort to such deeds that diminish one's moral integrity," he mused.

This Puppet Baleful Qi involved absorbing the souls of the deceased, hindering their passage to the afterlife, and infusing them into puppets for refinement. Unable to reincarnate, the souls harbored resentment, causing the puppet to amass Baleful Qi. If one kept such a puppet close for too long, it would inevitably lead to their demise.

"Nevertheless, had the fire jade not been of use to me, I wouldn't have intervened. Saving you must be destiny at work. It appears your time has not yet come! So, I shall act this once to resolve this entanglement of fate," Liu Changqing declared.

With those words, he stepped forward, and a burst of Spiritual Qi erupted from him, swirling into a vortex behind him.

Under the influence of the Primordial Scroll, the Spiritual Qi that had been accumulating within him now seemed even more refined.

"Shatter!"

Liu Changqing traced a rune in the void with his finger, channeling the Spiritual Qi to inscribe it. The rune, imbued with the essence of the Dao, shimmered faintly as he thrust it into Old Mrs. Tang's body.

Boom!

The moment the rune touched her, the black Qi on her forehead stirred violently, as if provoked.

"Buzz!"

Old Mrs. Tang's body jolted, and the black Puppet Baleful Qi emerged from her forehead, lunging at the rune in an attempt to obliterate it.

Yet, how could a mindless Baleful Qi withstand the might of Liu Changqing's command? Far from destroying the rune, the Baleful Qi crackled and fizzled upon contact, ultimately disintegrating in the light emanating from the rune.

"Souls, return to your rightful place!"

With the Baleful Qi vanquished, Liu Changqing infused a stream of pure Spiritual Qi into Old Mrs. Tang, who lay on the sickbed, his voice resonating with a sacred chant as if descending from the celestial realms.

"Cough! Cough!"

Old Mrs. Tang, who had been motionless until now, coughed several times as the Spiritual Qi filled her. Color returned to her cheeks, and her eyes fluttered open slowly.

"You're all welcome to come in now."

Liu Changqing's voice cut through the air outside the door with a cold edge.

"Is everything okay?"

Upon hearing Liu Changqing's voice emanating from the room, accompanied by the sound of his wife's cough, Tang Zhenye didn't hesitate and burst into the room.

"Mr. Liu?"

Out of breath, Tang Zhenye looked toward Liu Changqing.

By then, Liu Changqing had already settled himself comfortably in a chair, calmly observing the arrivals.

"She's out of danger. A few days of rest should see her well."

Liu Changqing spoke with a detached ease.

"My deepest gratitude to you, Mr. Liu, for your aid! Your kindness is something I shall never forget."

With profound respect, Tang Zhenye bowed deeply to Liu Changqing.

"Please, rise."

Liu Changqing commanded, his voice carrying the weight of years, unmoved by the gesture.

"How can this be?"

The astonishment was clear in the eyes of Qian Xianhong and Sun Zhenying as they arrived to find Old Mrs. Tang awake on the bed.

Her complexion was markedly better, and the readings on the medical instruments beside her had stabilized.

"What happened to me?"

Old Mrs. Tang, coming to her senses, turned her gaze to Tang Zhenye.

"My dear, we owe Mr. Liu a great debt this time. Your illness has finally turned a corner!"

Tang Zhenye spoke with a palpable excitement.

Their love for each other was profound, a bond that only deepened with age as they grew more aware of their mortality and the preciousness of their time together.

"Is that true?"

Old Mrs. Tang was well aware of her condition, a sickness not easily shaken, and she had braced herself for the worst.

"Well, you're not entirely out of the woods yet. For a complete recovery, we'll need to wait until tonight. But for now, isn't there something important we should attend to first?"

Liu Changqing was not a man to be trifled with, particularly after Sun Zhenying's repeated provocations. If you target me, then you must be prepared to face the consequences.

At Liu Changqing's insinuation, all eyes involuntarily turned to Sun Zhenying.

Sun Zhenying's frame shuddered, his legs threatening to buckle beneath him.

"You... You're just stumbling upon luck, like a blind cat finding a dead rat. Surely, the credit belongs to us. You're nothing but a glory seeker!"

Sun Zhenying's words tumbled out in a jumble.

"Damn it! Who are you calling a dead mouse?!"

Tang Xingjia's anger flared instantly. He lashed out with another kick at Sun Zhenying. Had Liu Changqing not remained silent, Tang Xingjia's temperament would have ensured Sun Zhenying was silenced for good.

"I... I didn't mean it that way, Mr. Tang..."

Sun Zhenying's composure had crumbled. Usually so adept at playing all sides, today he couldn't stop putting his foot in his mouth. He had it coming.

"Sun Zhenying, do you recall the wager you proposed earlier?"

Tang Xingjia's icy gaze bore down on Sun Zhenying.

"I..."

"Did you come on your own, or should I have someone force-feed you?"

Tang Xingjia was far from a saint, and Sun Zhenying's repeated blunders, which had irked him, made the prospect of mercy even less likely.

"Old Mr. Tang, Elder Qian, please help me!"

Sun Zhenying trembled, casting a desperate glance at Tang Zhenye and Qian Xianhong.

Tang Zhenye had already taken issue with Sun Zhenying's disdain for Liu Changqing. Plus, it was Sun Zhenying who insisted on the bet—no one coerced him. Now, in defeat, he was pleading for leniency. What kind of sense did that make?

Would he have shown any mercy to Liu Changqing had the tables been turned? Clearly not!

Thus, Tang Zhenye was in no mood to intervene. Speaking up would surely alienate Liu Changqing, and to alienate a Master for the sake of a lackluster doctor would be foolish in the extreme.

As for Qian Xianhong, with his years and cunning, self-preservation was second nature. He certainly wouldn't stick his neck out for a sycophant and risk offending Tang Zhenye.

"..."

Realizing the cold reality from Qian Xianhong and Tang Zhenye's demeanor, Sun Zhenying felt his heart sink. He was finished, a marked man with no one to turn to.

His eyes brimmed with hopelessness.

"Little Friend Liu, I clearly didn't see the forest for the trees. Let's just let bygones be bygones, shall we?"

Sun Zhenying pleaded with Liu Changqing, his face flushed with embarrassment, feeling the sting of humiliation as the words left his mouth.

"You think you're on equal footing with me? Even Tang Zhenye wouldn't presume to speak to me as an equal. Ask him yourself; does he dare?"

Liu Changqing gave a dismissive snort and turned to Tang Zhenye.

"Of course not! Mr. Liu, your talents are far beyond my reach. I wouldn't dream of overstepping."

Tang Zhenye hastily responded.

"This..."

Sun Zhenying was taken aback by the extent of Liu Changqing's influence. Knowing the Tang family's prominent standing in Gliatol, he was shocked to see even Tang Zhenye wary of crossing the young man before him. He couldn't fathom what had possessed him to pick such a futile battle with Liu Changqing.

"Eat the vase and live; refuse and die."

Liu Changqing's cold snort offered Sun Zhenying a stark choice.