Elder Zhao moved swiftly. Almost at the exact moment the referee announced the outcome, he had already flown down beside the despondent Zhao Qian, catching and steadying her.
At the same time, a surge of gentle yet irresistible spiritual energy poured into Zhao Qian's body.
“Disgraceful thing, come back with me!” Elder Zhao reprimanded her in an undertone.
Just then, below the stage, Tantai Yunzhi, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, swayed slightly. Along the edges of the five-colored spiritual glow that had just subsided around her, several faint, almost imperceptible wisps of black profound qi quietly resurfaced like curling wisps of smoke, swirling persistently.
Gongsun Lin, who had been watching her closely the entire time, was the first to notice. With a flash of her figure, she appeared at her side, her delicate brows knitting slightly as she asked in a low voice, “Yunzhi, are you all right?”
Over this period, Tantai Yunzhi had been cultivating alongside her. Perhaps because of Zhao Qian, she had come to find Tantai Yunzhi increasingly pleasing to the eye.
Tantai Yunzhi also felt that familiar, slightly devouring profound qi leak out uncontrollably once more.
She immediately circulated her spiritual energy in an attempt to suppress it while shaking her head at Gongsun Lin, her tone carrying a touch of helplessness: “I'm fine. It's just that I consumed too much spiritual energy and agitated my vital energy and blood, inadvertently stirring up this... strange profound qi again.”
This black profound qi had accompanied her since the beginning of her cultivation, appearing and vanishing unpredictably. Even the elders of her clan could not explain its exact origin, knowing only that it seemed connected to her innate Dao physique. It could not be eradicated and could only be carefully kept under control by herself on normal days.
As she spoke, her gaze involuntarily drifted past Gongsun Lin toward the high platform above. She saw that Su Yi was also looking at her, a hint of a... smile on his face?
Just as her heart stirred, Su Yi fluttered down from the high platform, landing before her and Gongsun Lin.
His gaze first swept over the nearly imperceptible black profound qi around Tantai Yunzhi before looking into her eyes. “Go back, adjust your breathing well, and stabilize your realm. For the Foundation Establishment secret realm in a few days, make sure to stay in peak condition.”
“Yes, Senior Brother Su,” Tantai Yunzhi replied respectfully.
At the same time, a subtle thought flitted through her mind: ‘Senior Brother Su... doesn't seem angry at all that Zhao Qian was injured.’
‘Could it even be... that he's somewhat pleased that I won?’ This realization caused her to heave an inexplicable sigh of relief, and even a faint, imperceptible thread of joy welled up inside her.
She felt that Su Yi's attitude toward Zhao Qian was not at all like the rumors suggested, whereas toward her, it felt somewhat fraught with deeper meaning.
Su Yi nodded, his gaze finally shifting toward Gongsun Lin beside her. “Junior Sister, thank you for your trouble during this time.”
Gongsun Lin's expression remained unchanged as she merely nodded slightly. “It is my duty.”
Su Yi smiled wryly. Gongsun Lin still seemed to be brooding over the matter between him and Zhao Qian.
Turning around, he returned to Su Jing and Gongsun Rou's side. By this time, the spectating disciples were gradually dispersing under the guidance of the deacons. However, Tantai Yunzhi's feat of breaking a magical artifact with exquisite Five Elements techniques and injuring Zhao Qian, along with the conspicuous favor shown to her by both the Young Manor Lord and Manor Lord, was bound to spread swiftly across the entirety of Divine Might Manor.
On the high platform, Su Jing watched his son walk back and transmitted via voice, “Yi'er, Rou'er and I have confirmed once again. Elder Zhao's lineage, including Zhao Qian herself, genuinely bears no demonic aura or any traces related to demons.”
As Manor Lord, his divine sense was immensely powerful, and he had investigated most thoroughly when Zhao Qian's spiritual energy was violently fluctuating.
Hearing this, a flicker of comprehension flashed through Su Yi's eyes. ‘Just as expected... Truly worthy of being the most troublesome figure in the plot. It hides so deeply; that demonic soul must have other contingency plans.’
‘Never mind. She can't cause any waves right now. I'll deal with her in the secret realm,’ Su Yi thought. The disposable cultivation base of Late Foundation Establishment stored in the system had finally come time to be used.
“Right, what about Mother's divination results?” Su Yi looked toward Gongsun Rou.
Gongsun Rou gave an annoyed huff, evidently still harboring resentment over Su Yi's previous act of acting close with Zhao Qian. “It's the same as the countless divinations before. Zhao Qian's life trajectory is crystal clear—she's just worthless mud that can't stick to a wall, narrow-minded and incapable of achieving anything of note.”
“It's a hundred and eight thousand li off from what you claimed about her overturning the righteous path in the future and stirring up a reign of blood!”
‘Is that so? Does that demonic soul even have a way to evade divination?’ While Su Yi was pondering, Gongsun Rou spoke up again.
“As for you, that bizarre black profound qi on Little Yunzhi flared up again. Didn't you see it? Why are you still standing around here like a wooden post? Take advantage of her weakness and go show her some warmth! Win her over before she achieves great success in the Dao and sets her sights too high—that way, this mother can put her mind at ease!”
Su Yi felt a headache coming on from his mother's unabashedly blunt matchmaking pressure. He waved his hand helplessly. “Got it, got it. I'll keep an eye on Junior Sister Tantai's condition.” After tossing out a few perfunctory excuses, he turned and walked away, seemingly unwilling to discuss it further.
“Hey, don't leave! Take some things with you!” Gongsun Rou called after him, digging around in her pouch.
Watching Su Yi's departing figure, a sharp glint flashed across Su Jing's eyes as he transmitted via voice to Gongsun Rou, “Rou'er, as I recall, Sunset Glow Ridge, where the Zhao clan resides, is quite close to your Gongsun clan, isn't it?”
Gongsun Rou paused, then nodded. “Yes, separated only by a stretch of miasma-shrouded mountain forest. Why?”
Su Jing cast his gaze in the direction where Elder Zhao had departed, his eyes sharp as blades. “Keep a close eye on the Zhao clan. As for Elder Zhao, I will keep watch on him personally.”
“As for Zhao Qian... leave her to Yi'er to handle.”
“Why?” Gongsun Rou asked, bewildered. “Both you and I probed repeatedly, and Zhao Qian and the Zhao clan truly have no issues.”
Hearing this, Su Jing stood with his hands behind his back, his tone calm yet carrying unquestionable resolve. “It is merely taking precautions against trouble before it arises. Though Yi'er can be flighty and his actions sometimes appear absurd, since he has raised suspicions so solemnly, there must be a reason for it.”
“Perhaps he sensed some minute clues that eluded us, or perhaps... it is an intuition beyond our comprehension.”
“Even though he is deliberately hiding something.”
“Still, as a father, I trust him.”
He had a faint feeling that although Su Yi's actions were baffling, they possessed their own underlying reason.
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