“Xiaotian!”
An Ruxin screamed. Tears burst from her eyes as she struggled to rush toward the protective barrier, only to be firmly held back by Xiahou Jue.
“Let me go! I’m going to find Xiaotian! Xiaotian!!!”
“Don’t worry! He’s fine!”
“What do you mean fine?! That’s your son!” An Ruxin cried and struggled, hitting and kicking Xiahou Jue.
“You always joke about him like he was picked up from a garbage planet—do you really treat your son like that?!”
Pfft.
Xiahou Jue froze for a moment, then couldn’t help laughing.
“You’re still laughing! I’m divorcing you!!!” An Ruxin angrily twisted his arm.
But to Xiahou Jue, that level of force was no more painful than a mosquito bite.
“Mother.” Xiahou Shaoxuan’s gaze remained fixed on the barrier. “Xiahou Hetian is fine. His life signs are stable.”
“R-really?” An Ruxin asked through tears.
“Yes.”
“Then… that’s good…”
She stopped struggling and quietly wiped her tears. Xiahou Jue looked irritated—his own comfort hadn’t worked, yet their son’s single sentence had calmed her instantly.
And he absolutely refused to admit he was jealous.
“Housekeeper Qi.” Xiahou Zhong lowered the protective barrier.
His gaze was sharp as a blade. The pressure in the air grew heavy.
The surrounding nobles gradually calmed, though the shock from the earlier explosion still lingered.
Inside the barrier, dust slowly settled.
What was revealed made everyone’s breath catch.
Dozens of meters of thick vines filled the space, densely coiling and twisting. They slowly writhed, producing faint scraping sounds.
Lian Qiguang stood atop a vine more than ten meters high, hands behind his back, looking down from above.
Below him, Xiahou Hetian sat frozen on a writhing vine, face pale.
He did not dare move.
He recognized those vines.
A common plant type—low individual attack power, but in groups they could even overwhelm an Xuan-tier expert.
One wrong move, and the soft barbs would erupt and turn him into pulp.
“You lost,” Lian Qiguang said flatly.
“You’re… triple-system ability…” Xiahou Hetian’s voice was stiff.
“Yes.”
“But why can’t I sense your energy fluctuation?”
“That’s because you’re stupid.”
The vines beneath Lian Qiguang slowly lowered him to the ground.
He walked step by step to Xiahou Hetian.
“Apologize.”
Silence.
“Apologize for what you said about my father.”
Seeing his expressionless face and calm eyes, Xiahou Hetian felt something he had never experienced before.
Helplessness.
Defeat.
“…I’m sorry.”
He lowered his head. His bright, blazing eyes dimmed.
Lian Qiguang watched him quietly.
His father once said:
“One person’s strength is weak. But when countless people like me gather, we become strong. I will protect this planet, even if it costs my life.”
Because this planet had his home.
And in that home were the people most important to him.
He would build a safe wall for them.
Those were Lian Xiaozhu’s words.
To Lian Qiguang, anyone who could say such things was a good person.
“My father was a hero,” Lian Qiguang said. “At least in my heart, he is.”
The vines slowly collapsed, withering away, returning everything to normal as if nothing had happened.
The barrier opened.
Lian Qiguang walked out.
The crowd parted silently, forming a path for him.
Night swallowed his figure.
And with it—his pale face, and the faint blood at the corner of his lips.
—
He didn’t know how long he had walked.
Far away from the crowd, until there was no one left.
Only then did he finally collapse.
A mouthful of blood spilled out as he leaned against the wall.
A shadow flashed.
A broad chest caught him steadily.
Blood kept pouring from his lips, staining both of their clothes.
White shirt.
Crimson blood.
Stark and shocking under the night sky.
Pain.
That was the only thing he could feel.
His organs felt twisted out of place. He couldn’t breathe.
Through blurred consciousness, he felt himself being carried.
Running.
Who…?
Who was holding him?
Where… was he being taken?
He wanted to struggle—but couldn’t even move a finger.
Even a child could kill him in this state.
Pain.
It hurt so much.
So much…
—
“Any news?” Lian Yucheng rushed forward the moment Xiahou Jue’s private doctor, Murong Qing, stepped out.
Murong Qing handed the device to a robot nearby, then glanced at the waiting crowd.
“The patient’s body was compressed by a massive energy surge. Nearly all internal organs were displaced, and the heart was injured…”
“I’ll kill you if anything happens to my wife,” Xiahou Shaoxuan said coldly.
“…I haven’t even finished,” Murong Qing clicked his tongue. “He’s seriously injured, yes—but with me here, he won’t die. Relax.”
He reached out as if to pat Xiahou Shaoxuan’s shoulder, but Xiahou Shaoxuan sidestepped him and entered the room, slamming the door shut.
“Tch. Iceblock.” Murong Qing muttered.
“Xiao Qing,” Xiahou Zhong said calmly.
“Marshal.” Murong Qing’s expression immediately turned serious.
“Can you tell how Xiaoguang was injured?”
“It looks similar to energy backlash cases I’ve treated before, but not entirely.”
“Could it be from his final attack?” Xiahou Hetian peeked out cautiously. “Like backlash on himself?”
A slap came instantly from Xiahou Jue.
Xiahou Hetian recoiled and shut up.
Murong Qing shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
“Brother, will Second Brother die?” Lian Xiaozhu asked quietly, tugging at Lian Yucheng’s hand.
“No,” he said coldly.
“Yucheng.” Xiahou Zhong spoke. “It’s late. You and Xiaozhu should rest. Waiting here won’t help.”
He gestured to Housekeeper Qi.
“Please.”
“Thank you,” Lian Yucheng replied flatly, taking Lian Xiaozhu away.
At the doorway, he suddenly stopped.
Without turning around, he said:
“Marshal Xiahou. Although this engagement was arranged by my father, forced marriage is never sweet. If the general truly doesn’t want it, then let it end here.”
He left.
Silence filled the room.
Break the engagement…?
That’s what he meant… right?