Chapter 49
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Chapter 49: Evil Sect Disciple
A day of instruction finally ended. Zhou Luo, utterly drained, returned to Zhou Garden.
There was no helping it. Lin Zhi Shou, desperate to stabilize his realm, seemed determined to impart every shred of middle first-level knowledge to him, even demanding constant practice.
Yet, all this knowledge was already familiar to Zhou Luo. He still had to feign a thirsty-for-knowledge posture, and even during alchemy, he resorted to elaborate acting techniques to appear convincingly like a true novice.
For him, this was genuinely a kind of torment.
"Husband, you must be tired. The water is ready," Lin Fei Ying approached, holding clean clothes.
"Are all those rare treasures prepared?" Zhou Luo asked.
"They are. All added into the bath," Lin Fei Ying nodded.
However, just recalling the items she had seen made her expression turn slightly strange.
After all, this was the first time she’d ever heard of anyone using poisonous scorpions and venomous snakes for bathing.
Nonetheless, she wisely refrained from asking further questions.
Entering the room, Zhou Luo shed his clothes. He gazed into the dark medicinal liquid inside the copper cauldron. Without hesitation, braving the intense heat, he slowly lowered himself into it.
The moment his skin touched the decoction, a fierce, scalding pain immediately washed over him.
Still, compared to before, his endurance was already much greater.
He began to recite the Bear Body Refinement Technique formula.
As the technique flowed, a crimson glow rippled across his skin, accompanied by the faint, echoing roar of a giant bear.
Simultaneously, deep within his Qi sea, his spiritual energy, guided by the technique, circulated throughout his body.
A force at once immense and profound coalesced within him. The medicinal liquid in the copper cauldron churned violently as intense agony surged from every inch of his flesh.
Under the potent effects of the medicine, Zhou Luo felt as if his body was being torn asunder.
The deeper the crimson glow shone, the fiercer the pain grew.
Zhou Luo clenched his jaws, lips bloodless, his mind trembling on the edge.
Precisely at that moment, the Spirit Xiyu Jade at his throat emitted a gentle spiritual glow. The soft light penetrated his skin, infusing his mind. It soothed his fraying spirit, bringing a wave of calm.
Time ebbed away. Zhou Luo gradually absorbed the energy within the medicinal liquid, using it to reshape his physical form relentlessly.
Admittedly, this path of body refinement proved that only those possessing extraordinary fortitude could succeed.
No wonder the vast majority chose the road of Qi Refinement.
The temperature of the medicinal liquid within the copper cauldron cooled steadily. Zhou Luo, once fair-skinned, now resembled a red-skinned monkey after soaking for so long.
However, once he resumed guiding the technique’s formula, a faint, gleaming luminescence surfaced over his flushed skin. Pinpoints of light shimmered, swiftly restoring his skin back to its normal state.
"Probably just two more sessions should suffice," Zhou Luo murmured to himself.
He tightened his fists; a crisp cracking echoed from within his bones as they settled.
He rose, dressed, and left the room.
Beyond the daily physical body refinement and alchemy work, he never neglected his continuous cultivation.
After all, his cultivation realm was the paramount foundation.
Seeing their husband working so hard, the wives and concubines were deeply moved.
Because they knew that all of Zhou Luo’s efforts were to ensure they could live a better life.
In the evening, Zhou Luo still lay in Bai Zhi Yan’s room.
Bai Zhi Yan was not lying flat; she lay on her side, her head resting on her arm, staring quietly at the man beside her, and suddenly said, "The sisters all hope you can reduce your pressure."
This was something the wives and concubines had told her to say.
Because they felt Zhou Luo was working so desperately due to pressure, and since their demands weren’t that high, they hoped Bai Zhi Yan could advise him.
Zhou Luo looked at the bed canopy and murmured to himself, "Actually, it’s alright, after all, much time has been wasted."
He was referring to the alchemy matter.
Bai Zhi Yan gazed at that handsome and striking face, her heart stirring, and she blurted out, "Marrying you should be very happy."
At that moment, Zhou Luo suddenly turned on his side.
Their eyes met.
"So, do you really want to marry me?" Zhou Luo asked sincerely.
"Ah?"
Bai Zhi Yan gasped in surprise, her little face flushing red all at once; she quickly turned around, her back facing Zhou Luo, and involuntarily curled up into a ball.
In the darkness, it was quiet, but Bai Zhi Yan could hear her own heart thumping violently.
Fortunately, Zhou Luo made no further movements.
The day’s exhaustion had worn him out too much, so he fell into a deep sleep.
After a long while, Bai Zhi Yan turned back again and realized Zhou Luo was already asleep.
She studied him carefully, her gaze lingering on that delicate face, pursing her lips, with a complex expression.
If she really married him, it seemed like a good choice too.
Bai Zhi Yan thought to herself.
But then again, she wondered, did she truly like him?
Or was it simply dependence?
She wasn’t sure.
Because of this, she couldn’t understand her own feelings.
So, lost in thought, she closed her eyes.
The next day, when Bai Zhi Yan woke up, Zhou Luo had already left.
She walked out of the room, and Lin Fei Ying had already prepared breakfast, calling her over to eat.
In the dining room, Zhou Luo wasn’t there; he had probably gone to Shouchun Hall.
"Little Mama, play with me."
While they were eating, little Chang An suddenly ran in, tugged at Bai Zhi Yan’s pants, raised his little head, and declared seriously.
Bai Zhi Yan smiled faintly, scooped him into her arms, and said, "Alright, have you eaten breakfast?"
"I ate! Daddy fed me," little Chang An proclaimed proudly.
After breakfast, Bai Zhi Yan carried little Chang An to the rockery area in Zhou Garden.
This place had been transformed by Zhou Luo into a small playground, complete with rocking horses, swings, trampolines, and everything else imaginable.
The other children were all there too.
Seeing Bai Zhi Yan arrive, the little ones immediately crowded around her, clamoring for her to take them to play.
"Alright, alright, one at a time. I’ll take you all to play a new game today," Bai Zhi Yan said with a soft laugh.
"Hooray! Hooray!" cheered the group of children.
Just as Bai Zhi Yan, little Chang An, and the others were playing happily, an uninvited guest appeared outside Zhou Garden.
It was the middle-aged man who had appeared at Lin Dao Ming’s estate that day.
His name was Zhao Yuan, the junior brother of that mysterious person previously seen in a courtyard somewhere in Maple Leaf City.
Both belonged to a certain evil sect; it was their master-disciple duo who had orchestrated the kidnapping of Bai Zhi Yan.
As for why they brought her to this particular Maple Leaf City, naturally, it was because their master happened to be in the city.
However, due to some matters, their master had temporarily left Maple Leaf City.
Therefore, the two brothers intended to seize Bai Zhi Yan and bring her back before their master reappeared.
Otherwise, given their master’s temper, both brothers would likely bear severe consequences when he found out.
Zhao Yuan gazed coldly at the vast estate’s structure, his expression grim.
He knew that after today, he could never stay in Maple Leaf City again.
Otherwise, if the Lin Family discovered the slightest clue and found out he came from an evil sect, escape would be impossible by then.
Unnoticeably, he had reached the main gate. With a dart, he entered directly inside Zhou Garden.
Zhou Garden lacked powerful experts, so no one detected his presence.
After all, Zhou Luo would never have imagined encountering danger within the clan’s own territory.
Zhao Yuan rapidly advanced deeper inside.
He had spent the last few days gathering information about Zhou Garden. As long as he remained sufficiently cautious, he should be able to spirit the target away unknown and unseen.
Very soon, the clamor of children reached Zhao Yuan’s ears.
He crept closer and immediately spotted Bai Zhi Yan playing among the children at a glance.
