"Who poisoned my daughter!?"

  Xue Hui braced himself as the violent aura of a Black Gold rank Demon Spiritualist pressed inside all over the surrounding.

  Being under its heavy suppression.

  Xue Hui gritted his teeth, as he poured all of his Soul force around him.

  Forming a thin layer of aura around him.

  The aura did not resist the Chen Zhenlong's spiritual pressure directly;

  Instead, it redirected the rampaging soul force, guiding Chen Zhenlong's aura to circulate around him in controlled currents.

  While this is happening, Xue Hui silently recited the first chapter of the [creation origin ancestral canon], attempting to refine the chaotic Soul force back into pure, raw spiritual energy, he could safely absorb.

  The process was perilous beyond measure.

  A single lapse in concentration—whether in maintaining the protective aura or refining the turbulent energy—would result in immediate backlash.

  Under the crushing force of Chen Zhenlong's Soul force, his small body would be torn apart in an instant.

  Yet Xue Hui didn't show any weakness, he had anticipated this outcome.

  The moment Chen Zhenlong learned the truth about Chen Linlin's condition, such an eruption was inevitable.

  He himself had lost control the moment he realized that everything his friend had suffered was deliberately orchestrated by someone.

  That was precisely why he had set up the concealment array beforehand, using his own blood and the remaining Black Gold rank demon crystal.

  This, to prevent the members of the Divine Family from sensing the abnormal fluctuations in Chen Zhenlong's aura.

  And for them to rush over to investigate.

  Despite being the strongest expert within the Divine Family, there was always a chance that an intruder might attempt to attack Chen Zhenlong—even within his own territory.

  If the other members of the experts detected such a violent fluctuation, they would undoubtedly storm in without hesitation.

  And if that happened, questions would inevitably follow, entangling matters even further.

  After all, he still had no idea who was behind Chen Linlin's poisoning.

  If word of this were to spread, the culprit would undoubtedly go into hiding and erase any trace that could lead back to them.

  That was why Xue Hui was only willing to share his plan with Chen Zhenlong.

  Not only did he need to borrow Chen Zhenlong's strength to gather the rare materials required to cure Chen Linlin, but also the means to keep the truth of her condition from spreading.

  Although he was not the direct target of the chaotic surge of Soul force, merely standing within the "wall of the storm" was enough to place Xue Hui in grave danger.

  Finding himself trapped under enormous pressure.

  All he could do is endure.

  This was also why Xue Hui had wanted to reach the Bronze rank before speaking to Chen Zhenlong.

  whether the patriarch chose to cooperate or not, he would inevitably face the terrifying suppression of a Black Gold rank demon spiritualist.

  His back was long soaked with sweat.

  A thin trail of blood trickled down from his nose, and his complexion had turned deathly pale, as though all the blood had been drained from his body.

  Yet he remained calm.

  With his eyes closed, he continued to circulate his soul force both to defend himself from overwhelming pressure while also refining it.

  Since he could not change the situation, he might as well make use of it to gain some benefit.

  BOOM!

  Chen Zhenlong's furious outburst came to an abrupt halt when he sensed a faint fluctuation within his soul perception—the subtle sign of someone on the verge of crossing a rank.

  His gaze snapped toward the source of that aura.

  The moment he saw Xue Hui's condition, his face instantly turned pale.

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  Overwhelmed by grief after learning the truth behind his daughter's illness, Chen Zhenlong had completely forgotten about the little boy standing before him. In his loss of control, he had unleashed his Soul force without restraint, subjecting the child to its crushing pressure.

  Even a Gold rank expert would struggle under his Soul Force suppression, let alone someone at the Bronze rank.

  The results spoke for themselves. Simply put, Xue Hui looked like a corpse.

  "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—instead, he was consolidating his Soul force 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—he had actually undergone a breakthrough in the midst of it.

  What kind of monster could cultivate in that kind of situation, let alone achieve a breakthrough?

  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 their life.

  Yet the boy before him had advanced a rank while enduring the chaotic Soul force of a Black Gold rank aura.

  The absurdity of it left Chen Zhenlong momentarily speechless.

  Slowly, he sat back down in his chair. The boy was clearly in the middle of consolidating his cultivation, and any interference now would only do more harm than good.

  Taking a slow, steady breath, Chen Zhenlong seized the moment to calm both his mind and his spirit.

  In his fury, he had lost control—so much so that he had nearly taken the boy's life in the process.

  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. Even so, he resolved to take a proper bath after their discussion.

  Though he would never openly admit it, Xue Hui had developed the habit of being a neatnik during his time within the space of the [CREATION ORIGIN ANCESTRAL MANUAL].

  Countless books and scrolls there were arranged in perfect order; even the slightest misplacement would irritate him endlessly until it was corrected.

  Unknowingly, that obsession with order had extended to some aspect of his life—including his hygiene. He simply detested the feeling of being filthy.

  Chen Zhenlong was just about to hand him a recovery elixir when Xue Hui calmly took out a pill of his own and tossed it into his mouth.

  A rich medicinal aura immediately seeped from his body, and his pale complexion quickly returned to a healthy, rosy hue.

  All signs of injury vanished as if they had never existed.

  "What was that?" Chen Zhenlong asked in astonishment.

  He had possessed countless recovery elixirs throughout his life, yet he had never seen anything like the pill Xue Hui had just consumed.

  After confirming that his body had fully recovered, Xue Hui smiled faintly.

  "Nine Transformation Pill," he replied.

  "It can restore someone on the brink of death back to peak condition with a single pill. Or… were you referring to my breakthrough? If so, I was cultivating my master's technique. That allowed me to turn a near disaster into an opportunity."

  Reminded of his grave blunder, Chen Zhenlong couldn't help but wince. He lowered his head awkwardly and said, "I'm sorry about that, Xiao Hui. I put you in danger despite your earlier warning for me to remain calm. For that, I sincerely apologize."

  Seeing the patriarch's solemn apology, Xue Hui merely chuckled, dismissing it lightly. "Lord Patriarch, there's no need to apologize so earnestly."

  He waved his hand with a casual grace, as if brushing away a trivial matter.

  "I had already expected something like this might occur. 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 his earlier question.

  His eyes sharpened as he asked bluntly, "Xiao Hui, do you have any idea who did it?"

  He went straight to the point.

  More than anything else, he simply wanted to know who was behind all of this.

  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 a malicious heart—someone who deliberately inflicted such a cruel poison on a little girl."

  He paused for a moment, emphasizing his next words.

  "Someone powerful, at that."

  Chen Zhenlong nodded slowly.

  As a Black Gold rank Demon Spiritualist, he was naturally familiar with the infamous Toxic Forest.

  Even the outskirts were swarming with deadly demon beasts, and the Blood-Pungent Butterfly larvae were said to dwell only in the forest's most perilous heart.

  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 uncertainty—particularly with the mysterious master looming behind him.

  Chen Zhenlong hesitated for a moment before speaking, his tone cautious. "Xiao Xue, 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 nodded, 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 a 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 as genuine, Chen Zhenlong could not completely dismiss his suspicions.

  After all, the boy himself might have been deceived.

  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 the Legend rank," Xue Hui said calmly. "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, his voice steady, "he is the Heavenly Doctor

  who has dedicated his entire life to the art of healing. I'm certain my master would rather wipe out humanity with sheer power, than defile the very medical path he cultivated by using it to poison a little girl."

  His words were filled with absolute conviction.

  While he was indeed fabricating the existence of this "Heavenly Doctor" the part about the art of healing was the pure truth.

  Within the space of the [CREATION ORIGIN ANCESTRAL MANUAL], he 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—and to himself.

  "If he truly wanted to hurt people," Xue Hui said with a sudden flare of emotion, "he could simply punch, kick, stab, or tear them apart. There would be no need to cultivate the art of healing for hundreds of years just to do something so despicable."

  Noticing the boy's agitation, Chen Zhenlong fell silent for a moment before giving a small nod.

  "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 suspecting your master. I almost forgot—someone capable of sending you back both in life and time is far too powerful to scheme against a little girl."

  Both of them leaned back in their chairs, each lost in their own thoughts.

  After a moment, Xue Hui spoke again, his tone calm but 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 he considered family could have done such a thing would shatter him completely.

  Thus, hearing Xue Hui's assurance lifted an enormous weight off his chest.

  "Madam Wenrou, Madam Yinying, Grand Elder Chen Shi Xin, and Elder Chen Fei… they all gave their lives to protect Linlin," Xue Hui said softly, his voice heavy with reverence.

  "I saw it with my own eyes—how they hurled themselves at the demon beasts, leaving nothing between us and death."

  He tilted his head, a faint shadow crossing his expression as he recalled a lingering detail.

  "Well… except for Grand Elder Shi Xin. He died a year before the attack, while trying to seize a divine herbs from a Legend-rank demon beast."

  Chen Zhenlong almost wished he hadn't asked. Hearing about their tragic ends left a heavy weight on his 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 the 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 his daughter was poisoned—and as for motive, what motive could there have been? Li Jiang's position as the next patriarch had already been secured. Even before Chen Linlin was born.

  the little girl had shown no desire to contend for that seat.

  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