C20 His Breakthrough

"Kid, did you kill Lee Quan?" The man toyed with a knife as he inquired.

"Do you really think a student like me could kill him?" Ling Yifei feigned fear, offering a timid rebuttal. The man pondered for a moment and conceded that his point was valid.

"Fine! Let's play a game. Only one of you gets to live." The man's words terrified Jiaang Xueer.

"If I die, will you let her go?" Ling Yifei asked, lifting his head and deliberately ignoring Jiaang Xueer's stunned expression.

"Ah, trying to play the hero, are we? You do realize that in most stories, the hero gets the girl in the end, but here, you'll just end up dead," the man said with a squint, eyeing Ling Yifei.

"If you've made up your mind, take this knife and end it yourself. Once we get the money, we'll release the girl." Although Ling Yifei wasn't responsible for Lee Quan's death, he was certainly implicated. The man was thrilled at the thought of avenging Lee Quan and getting paid—a perfect two-for-one deal.

Ling Yifei's hands were freed, and he slowly reached for the knife on the ground. Jiaang Xueer, crying, shook her head at the sight. After picking up the knife, Ling Yifei looked up at the middle-aged man. "I hope you're a man of your word."

The middle-aged man grinned and nodded. Without a second thought, Ling Yifei plunged the knife into his abdomen. Jiaang Xueer fainted from shock at the scene. But was Ling Yifei really going to die? Of course not.

To make the ruse more convincing, Ling Yifei had to resort to the Turtle Breathing Technique, which could conceal the signs of life, simulating death by stopping breathing, heartbeat, and pulse, all while the user maintained consciousness.

As Ling Yifei collapsed, he activated the Turtle Breathing Technique. The gang leader, seeing him fall, ordered, "Go check if he's truly dead."

A henchman approached Ling Yifei and felt for his breath. "Boss, his breathing is getting fainter. He's not going to last much longer."

"This kid is quite something, not afraid to die for someone else's sake," he remarked, casting a glance at the unconscious Jiaang Xueer.

"Let's dump him in a workshop for now. Once we've handled this and collected the money, we can bury him." The man gestured dismissively, and his underlings carried Ling Yifei out of the hall, tossing him into a random workshop.

Ling Yifei, feigning death, had overheard the middle-aged man's conversation crystal clear. These people were motivated by money, and the police must have already begun their operation. He needed to find a way to rescue Jiaang Xueer when no one was around. But she had seen him 'commit suicide'—how was he going to explain that?

As Ling Yifei contemplated his next move, he suddenly felt the Vital Spirit in his dantian growing stronger. "Hmm? Is this the effect of the Turtle Breathing Technique? It feels like a breakthrough is imminent. Ha, fortune is on my side!" Ling Yifei cast aside all other thoughts, focusing solely on seizing this chance to break through. With greater strength after the breakthrough, rescuing Jiaang Xueer and avenging his father would be much easier. With that in mind, Ling Yifei entered a meditative state for cultivation.

Meanwhile, the police were in a state of frenzy. Zhao Yuqin, upon learning of her daughter's predicament, was struggling to come to terms with the reality. And with Ling Yifei also caught up in the situation, she was at a loss for how to face Ling Zhiyu should anything happen to him.

Zhao Yuqin pulled every string she could to exert pressure on the police department. The most distressed among them was the police station itself, being pressured by the deputy mayor. Twelve hours had passed with no progress on the case.

"Chief, Captain Lee has arrived!" a man informed the middle-aged man brooding in his office.

"Quick, let her in," the chief responded, a glimmer of hope crossing his face. The door swung open to reveal a woman whose presence was immediately commanding—she exuded a spirit of indomitable courage and strength.

The woman respectfully saluted the middle-aged man and called out in a clear, strong voice, "Director, Lee Xinyi reporting for duty."

"No need for formalities, Little Lee. Please, take a seat," the director gestured for Lee Xinyi to sit, foregoing any pleasantries as he dove straight into the matter at hand. "Time waits for no one."

"Xinyi, you're the expert in this area. I'm counting on you to find clues quickly. The stakes are high, and we can't afford any delays!" Lee Xinyi, upon receiving her assignment, didn't hesitate. She bid the director farewell and immersed herself in the rescue operation.

Zhao Yuqin, upon learning of her daughter's abduction, hadn't set foot in her company. She spent her days rushing to the Public Security Bureau for any leads, emerging each time looking utterly distraught.

"It's incredibly exhilarating! The Vital Spirit is pouring into my dantian and meridians like an endless sea. At this rate, I'll soon advance to the Spirit Movement Stage!" Ling Yifei was ecstatic. Despite his previously slowed cultivation speed, he hadn't anticipated such a breakthrough and was oblivious to the events unfolding outside.

Jiaang Xueer, confined in a nearby factory, had been scared into unconsciousness but was now slowly coming to. Surrounded by the unfamiliar, the memory of Ling Yifei plunging a knife into her replayed in her mind like a relentless slideshow, and she began to weep from the overwhelming sense of injustice.

Feeling utterly helpless, she longed for home and her mother. Why had this tragedy befallen her? With Ling Yifei gone, how could she face her mother, and how would her mother confront Ling Yifei's father? Her mind was awash with questions, leaving her paralyzed and hoping desperately for rescue.

Eight hours had elapsed since Jiaang Xueer's kidnapping. The night had deepened past ten o'clock, yet the police station was ablaze with light, its personnel still tirelessly at work.

In the darkness of the factory, a pair of eyes snapped open, belonging to Ling Yifei, who had just achieved the Spirit Movement Stage.

"This sensation is truly magnificent!" Ling Yifei flexed his hands, feeling a surge of power throughout his being. The transition to the Spirit Movement Stage marked a significant transformation for him.

Peering outside the factory, the group believed Ling Yifei had perished, so they hadn't bothered to lock the door. With a swift move, Ling Yifei found himself in a corner of the hall.

"Hmm? Why is the hall empty? Where have they all gone? And where have they taken Jiaang Xueer?" As he pondered, he activated his clairvoyance. The kidnappers were in the backyard, drunkenly celebrating their imminent payday.

During his surveillance, Ling Yifei spotted Jiaang Xueer huddled against the factory wall, her head buried in her knees, her eyes puffy from tears. He let out a soft sigh. In perilous times, he thought, the vulnerability of women was ever so apparent.

Now, Ling Yifei knew what he had to do: rescue the captives and uncover the puppeteer who had orchestrated the scheme against his father. Chen Xinghai would be next. Ling Yifei's thirst for vengeance intensified by the moment, sensing that the day of retribution was drawing near.