C17 I Am Willing to Sacrifice Myself for the Sect!

Zhang Daoming regarded Zhao Yu with a mix of emotions playing across his face.

Zhao Yu modestly bowed his head, a gesture of respect.

A year prior, before Zhao Yu had been poisoned, Zhang Daoming held him in high esteem and had even promised his daughter's hand in marriage to him.

But after the poisoning, Zhang Daoming grew increasingly distant.

As the father of Zhang Xuemeng, Zhao Yu found it hard to believe that Zhang Daoming was unaware of his daughter's role in the poisoning.

Moreover, Zhang Daoming's covert directive to Tian Feng to pressure Zhao Yu into calling off the engagement, along with halting his access to free medication from the pharmacy, spoke volumes about the underlying truth.

Following a brief silence, Zhang Daoming inquired, "Zhao Yu, have you recovered?"

"Yes," Zhao Yu confirmed with a nod.

"Congratulations! How did you manage to heal?" Zhang Daoming pressed.

Zhang Daoming's feelings about Zhao Yu's recovery were complex; he was both astounded and perplexed.

Yet, he was shrewd, his face betraying none of his thoughts.

Zhao Yu had anticipated this. He scratched his head and replied, "To be honest, I'm not quite sure myself. Maybe it was just serendipity."

"You're not sure?" Zhang Daoming's brow furrowed.

"I really can't make sense of it," Zhao Yu admitted. "Over a month ago, I was in agony from my illness. Believing I had no chance of survival, I thought it better to end my suffering swiftly rather than endure the pain. So, I went to the pharmacy to obtain poison with the intention of taking my own life."

Zhang Daoming remained stoic; he was aware of this incident. The sect disciple on duty had informed him the day Zhao Yu had collected the poison.

Pausing briefly, Zhao Yu went on, "With the poison in hand, I left the sect, intending to find a scenic spot in the Taibai Mountain Range to end my life. Deep in the mountains, I stumbled upon a variety of poisons. Figuring I was doomed anyway, I decided to sample them, choosing the ones that seemed the most palatable."

Zhang Daoming was already privy to Zhao Yu's departure into the Taibai Mountain Range.

"What happened next?" Zhang Daoming urged him to continue.

Zhao Yu expressed his bewilderment, "I'm at a loss myself. I consumed the poisons for several days, yet, miraculously, my illness abated. Later, fortune led me to a gravely wounded Black Wind Tiger on the brink of death. Consuming its flesh, my cultivation was restored. That's essentially what transpired. I assure you, I've omitted nothing."

"You're telling me you got better after ingesting a massive amount of poison?" Zhang Daoming fixed Zhao Yu with a piercing look, skepticism evident in his eyes.

Zhao Yu nodded. "I can't think of any other explanation."

Zhang Daoming studied Zhao Yu intently, searching for any sign that might reveal more, but found none. After a moment, he asked with a furrowed brow, "What exactly did you consume in the Taibai Mountain Range? Can you recall?"

Zhao Yu hesitated before responding, "To be honest, I've tried to remember, but back then, I was so set on ending my life that I didn't pay much attention. I just consumed any poison I came across, and even some odd plants that might not have been poisonous at all. And those days, after ingesting so much poison, my mind was anything but clear."

Zhang Daoming fell silent, lost in thought, while Zhao Yu remained standing dutifully in place.

Eventually, Zhang Daoming cracked a smile and said, "Regardless, your illness is cured, and that's what matters most."

Zhao Yu replied, "I owe it all to the blessings of the Sky Profound Sect's ancestors!"

Zhang Daoming nodded, "I'm glad to see you've recovered. However, you shouldn't have clashed with Hsiao Fengyun. He represents the Pill Sect. If he were to come to harm here, it would be difficult for me to justify it to them."

Zhao Yu bowed respectfully, "Sect Master, it wasn't my intention to conflict with Senior Brother Hsiao, but he provoked me first. Elder Qian and many of our fellow disciples can vouch for that. Moreover, Junior Sister Xuemeng and I are betrothed. He, being an outsider, has no right to meddle in our relationship. I'm a normal man, and faced with such a situation, it's hard to keep my emotions in check."

Zhang Daoming replied with a level tone, "I understand your feelings, but you've seen Xuemeng's reaction. Clearly, she no longer harbors feelings for you. Given that, why are you reluctant to dissolve the engagement?"

At these words, Zhao Yu's expression turned grim.

Zhang Daoming let out a sigh and said, "I know this isn't your fault, but you must understand that in this world, many things are beyond our control. Hsiao Fengyun has significant influence, and even I have to defer to him. If he returns and leverages the Pill Sect's power to oppress our Sky Profound Sect, it's our entire sect that will suffer the consequences. Do you really want to drag the whole sect into a dispute between the two of you?"

Inwardly, Zhao Yu sneered. It was clearly a personal vendetta, yet Zhang Daoming was using the sect to apply pressure on him.

Still, he replied with feigned alarm, "I wouldn't dare."

Noticing Zhao Yu's reaction, Zhang Daoming's face softened slightly as he inquired, "Zhao Yu, how has the sect treated you over the years? And what about my treatment towards you?"

Zhao Yu responded with gravity, "Without the Sky Profound Sect, I wouldn't be who I am today. And your kindness, Sect Master, is as profound as a mountain."

"Good, I'm glad you recognize that," Zhang Daoming said with patience. "So, when the sect calls upon you, are you prepared to make sacrifices for it?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Zhao Yu declared, "For the sect, I am ready to face death a thousand times over."

Zhang Daoming paused, taken aback by the decisiveness of Zhao Yu's response. He had anticipated resistance, even if Zhao Yu were persuaded to yield under pressure.

Zhao Yu then looked up and stated, "To me, sacrificing for the sect is a matter of duty. But I also believe the sect should offer compensation to ensure that the disciples' loyalty remains steadfast."

Zhang Daoming fixed him with a cold gaze. Moments ago, he had used the sect's well-being to exert pressure on Zhao Yu, and now Zhao Yu was countering with the loyalty of the sect's disciples.

After a brief silence, Zhang Daoming asked, "What compensation do you seek?"

By posing this question, it was clear he had accepted Zhao Yu's terms.

Zhao Yu replied, "My strength has been restored. In just over a month, the inner sect disciple assessment will take place. I've heard that the top performer will be eligible to join the Martial Meeting of Seven Sects. Is that correct?"

"Exactly," Zhang Daoming stated with composure.

"I'd like to vie for a ranking as well," Zhao Yu remarked, "but I've been gravely ill this past year, and my cultivation has significantly declined. Hence, I'm hoping the sect will grant me some Tao points, allowing me to acquire the necessary cultivation resources to fully prepare for the inner sect disciple assessment."

Zhang Daoming had gone to great lengths simply to persuade him to dissolve the engagement.

In truth, calling off the engagement posed no real loss to Zhao Yu.

Yet, he saw it as a chance to negotiate some advantages for himself.