After the silver needles were removed, the swelling pain in Lin Tianlu's body immediately vanished.
Hum!
Red points of light now appeared at all the pores across his body.
Lin Tianlu pushed himself up from the ground with his hands, slowly rising to his feet.
He could feel his own Qi bursting forth from the point where his lumbar spine connected to his pelvis.
It was important to know that before this, his Qi had been unable to reach that area.
"Thank you."
Lin Tianlu gave Xu Mu a slight nod and then walked towards the outside.
He was still bare-chested, revealing his emaciated upper body, which was practically skin and bones.
Yet, he exuded an immense sense of pressure.
Xu Mu, holding Dai Xingluo's hand, followed beside Lin Tianlu as they walked into the distance.
Upon reaching the group of people, Xu Mu smiled at Zhao Yide and said, "Alright, as you wished, I've brought him."
Huang Min stared in disbelief. Just a few days ago, Lin Tianlu had personally told her his legs had lost all sensation.
Why could he stand now?
"Heh! Sect Master, are you planning to fight me to the death? But what can you, a flickering candle in the wind, possibly do?"
Zhao Yide sneered.
"A flickering candle in the wind? Are you talking about yourself?"
Lin Tianlu clenched his fist, his body gradually enveloped in red Qi.
Thump! Thump! Thump...
Suddenly, in the quiet mountain forest, a vibration resembling the sound of drums appeared.
Xu Mu, standing nearby, looked at Lin Tianlu in surprise, his own heart pounding like a drum. Grandmaster Perfection, Organ Refining Stage.
Zhao Yide first looked around, then confirmed the sound was coming from Lin Tianlu's heartbeat.
"This... impossible! How can you still unleash the power of a Grandmaster Perfection in your condition?"
Zhao Yide was dumbfounded.
Boom!
The ground beneath Zhao Yide's feet instantly collapsed as Lin Tianlu's figure flashed to his side.
A hand shot out to grab him.
Zhao Yide immediately retreated, his hand gripping his sword. Before he could even execute a technique, Lin Tianlu had already seized him by the neck.
His face pale, Zhao Yide swiftly slashed at Lin Tianlu's arm.
But the long sword shattered, leaving only a red mark on Lin Tianlu's arm.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Several red wind blades erupted from Lin Tianlu's palm, piercing through Zhao Yide's neck.
It severed his neck on the spot.
Then, Lin Tianlu turned his head to look at the trembling black-robed man over there.
The black-robed man immediately turned and fled into the distance.
But in the darkness, Lin Tianlu's figure was like a flaming meteor, catching up to the black-robed man in the blink of an eye and blocking his path.
"You... you can't kill me! Do you know who I am? I'm from the Eternal Life Research Institute!"
The black-robed man trembled, shuffling backward.
"I find some people just have problems with their brains. Revealing your identity will only get you killed faster. Did you think I would let you go so you could find help to take revenge on me?"
Lin Tianlu retorted coldly.
Swish!
A long sword pierced through the black-robed man's back, emerging from his chest where his heart was.
Lin Tianlu hadn't made a move; it was Huang Min who ended his life.
"Sect Master! Are you alright?"
Huang Min's face was full of pleasant surprise.
"He's not. He's not fully recovered yet; he needs a few more treatment sessions."
Xu Mu stepped forward and said.
Lin Tianlu looked at Xu Mu and slightly cupped his hands in salute. "Thank you for saving my life."
He admired the young man before him immensely.
At such a young age, he possessed such composure, especially agreeing to go to Reckless Mountain despite knowing full well the dangers involved; he had charged forward without hesitation.
"You're welcome. I agreed to help you this time entirely for Dai Xingluo's sake."
Xu Mu looked at Dai Xingluo who had caught up.
Dai Xingluo immediately beamed with joy, stepping forward to link her arm with Xu Mu's.
[Favorability +20]
She had never imagined that as a little nobody within the sect, with Xu Mu's help, she would become the hero who saved the sect.
"Father! Are you alright?"
At that moment, Lin Qianzhu also ran over from a distance.
Lin Tianlu looked at Lin Qianzhu and realized she and Xu Mu really were a match made in heaven; they even looked like a married couple just by standing together.
"I'm fine now. Quickly go find Elder Kong and your elder brother."
Lin Tianlu said immediately.
...
Everyone returned inside the palace.
Xu Mu crouched down to examine the severely injured Kong Liuke.
"Mostly superficial wounds, nothing vital was hit. Conservative treatment with some medicine will suffice."
Xu Mu said to Kong Liuke.
"Good, I understand."
Kong Liuke also looked at Xu Mu with admiration.
For the Sect Master's illness, they had previously consulted many doctors, both traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
None had been able to do anything, yet this young man had cured him.
Lin Qianzhu also cast a grateful look at Xu Mu. "Xu Mu, thank you. I want to apologize for my previous rudeness."
"Hmm? You've met before?"
Lin Tianlu asked in surprise.
"We have."
As Lin Qianzhu spoke, she stole another glance at Xu Mu.
This person had saved her before, and now he had saved her father. Did he have feelings for her?
[Favorability +10]
Noticing Lin Qianzhu's gaze, Dai Xingluo immediately stepped forward and linked her arm with Xu Mu's again. "Brother, don't we still have important business we haven't told the Sect Master?"
"Oh right, I almost forgot the main matter."
Xu Mu nodded to himself, then looked at Lin Tianlu. "Senior, I came with Dai Xingluo because she wishes to leave the sect."
"What? Leave the sect?"
Lin Tianlu's body jolted.
"To be honest with you, Sect Master, I already carry Brother's child."
Dai Xingluo stroked her own abdomen. "I only wish to stay at home now, tending to my husband and raising our child. I no longer wish to engage in dangerous affairs."
Hearing this, Lin Qianzhu's face immediately fell. He's already married? And has a child?
"This..."
Lin Tianlu first glanced at Kong Liuke, then said, "Brother Xu Mu, I'll be frank. Under normal circumstances, since Dai Xingluo has learned our sect's secret techniques, it would be impossible for me to let her go."
"That's right. To put it bluntly, these secret techniques represent our sect. For example, if she were to use them outside in the future, everyone would trace that technique back to our sect."
Huang Min also nodded in agreement.
Xu Mu understood this as well, just like how the Illusion Sword technique he used had constantly been used against him by Zhao Yide and Zhao Gang.
"What does the Sect Master propose then?" Xu Mu inquired.
"Let's shelve the dispute. Dai Xingluo will still be considered a disciple of our sect, but henceforth, we will not involve her in any sect affairs, ensuring her safety."
Lin Tianlu looked at Xu Mu. "How about that?"
He didn't want to sever ties with Xu Mu.
He was strong, courageous, and, crucially, skilled in medicine.
He would surely be useful in the future. As long as Dai Xingluo remained a sect disciple, this connection between them would remain unbroken.
"That's acceptable."
Dai Xingluo agreed proactively.
To put it simply, it was just like before, and she thought that was fine.
Just then, Lin Jitao walked in from outside. "Father, I've called all the other elders over."
The elders present here, upon seeing Lin Tianlu, all bowed their heads. "Sect Master!"
One of the elders suddenly stared at Xu Mu in shock. "You're Xu Mu?"
"You know him?"
Lin Tianlu glanced at this elder; he was the Seventh Elder of Green Wood Mountain.
"Sect Master, back during the martial arts competition for marriage held by the Jiang family's Jiang Sheng for his granddaughter, I took Zhao Gang to participate."
The Seventh Elder answered truthfully, "Xu Mu here is an alchemist."
"What?"
Everyone present, except for Dai Xingluo, was shocked.
Lin Tianlu, in particular, became even more determined to secure Xu Mu—not only was his medical skills astonishing, but he was also an alchemist.
He couldn't even imagine to what heights this person might grow in the future.
"Hmm? Did Xu Mu also participate in the martial arts contest to win a bride?" Lin Tianlu suddenly asked.
"Not only did he participate, but he also won the championship," the Seventh Elder reported truthfully.
Hearing this, Xu Mu glanced somewhat awkwardly at Dai Xingluo.
Dai Xingluo's eyes turned icy, and she immediately let go of Xu Mu's arm.

ial death, also known as "shè sǐ" in Chinese, generally refers to... well, never mind, it's not important. My name is Ye Cheng, and I'm about to experience social death firsthand. ... 【Host, your mission is to confess your love to the young lady of the Dongfang family, the current student council president, in a way that will be unforgettable for everyone at the freshman ceremony!】 【Host, assist the girl with a sprained ankle in front of you to reach the infirmary, and fulfill the wicked thoughts in your heart!】 【Host, act on your desires and punish the arrogant young lady before you mercilessly!】 【Host, follow your instincts—abandon shameful surrender, begging, or groveling, and ruthlessly criticize the domineering, ill-mannered young lady in front of you!】 【Host...】 Ye Cheng: "Here, here, you take this host role—I quit!" Wait, why is the girl with a sprained ankle the daughter of a mafia boss? And what kind of punishment method is this for the arrogant young lady? Also, who the heck said anything about wicked thoughts in my heart? Come out here, let’s settle this one-on-one!!! ... The haughty student council president, the scheming mafia princess, the fragile yandere young lady, the airheaded maid-in-waiting, the mixed-blood loli/...

reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?

u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.

world slacker. But a genius female disciple just had to get clingy, insisting that he take her as a disciple. Not only that, she was always making advances on him, thoroughly disrupting his peaceful slacker life...