Beep.
Lian Qiguang’s hand twitched.
Without hesitation, he hung up the call.
Staring at the darkened optical communicator, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
“What happened?”
Noticing something unusual about him, Guan Ze asked curiously.
“…Shaoxuan.”
Pressing his lips together, Lian Qiguang looked at Guan Ze expressionlessly and answered stiffly.
But if Xiahou Shaoxuan had been here, he would have noticed the trace of bewilderment and uncertainty hidden in Lian Qiguang’s eyes.
“Hm?”
Guan Ze paused before smiling knowingly.
“I figured it’d be about time.”
“Ever since you were injured and fell unconscious, Shaoxuan has asked about you every single day. Sometimes he’d stay beside you all night.”
“The moment you woke up, I sent him a message so he wouldn’t keep worrying.”
“What did you do?”
Stretching his neck to peek at the communicator Lian Qiguang had hidden under the blanket, Xiahou Yuchi’s eyes practically shouted, I’m really curious.
“…I hung up.”
Lian Qiguang remained expressionless.
Only now, that expression looked noticeably stiffer.
“…”
Xiahou Yuchi and Guan Ze exchanged glances.
After a long silence, Xiahou Yuchi silently raised a thumbs-up toward him.
“Besides my old man, you’re the first person who’s ever dared hang up on that brat.”
Beep! Beep!
The communicator rang again.
Lian Qiguang looked expressionlessly at Guan Ze.
Guan Ze pursed his lips, signaling for him to answer.
Tilting his head slightly, Lian Qiguang accepted the call.
Xiahou Shaoxuan immediately appeared on the floating screen, his face as dark as thunder.
“Wife.”
“You actually hung up on me.”
His voice was icy, with a barely restrained hint of grinding teeth.
Lian Qiguang looked at Xiahou Shaoxuan.
Then he looked up at Xiahou Yuchi, who was grinning with unmistakably malicious amusement.
Pressing his lips together—
He suddenly pointed at Xiahou Yuchi.
“It was Second Uncle.”
“…”
The smile froze instantly on Xiahou Yuchi’s face.
“I had just woken up.”
“I was being examined.”
“He hung up.”
“Not me.”
Looking earnestly at Xiahou Shaoxuan, his eyes practically radiated the words:
Absolute sincerity.
“You little brat!”
“You can’t frame me like that!”
Recovering from his shock, Xiahou Yuchi yelled as he lunged toward Lian Qiguang.
Halfway there, Guan Ze grabbed him by the collar.
“Quiet down!”
Guan Ze barked.
“He yelled at me.”
“That proves he has a guilty conscience.”
Lian Qiguang nodded expressionlessly.
“You—!”
Xiahou Yuchi glared at him, only to be mercilessly silenced by Guan Ze’s fist.
Seeing Lian Qiguang’s still somewhat pale face, the frost on Xiahou Shaoxuan’s expression gradually melted away.
“Wife.”
“Are you feeling better?”
“I’m fine.”
“I slept.”
“It was comfortable.”
“I’m very strong.”
Expressionlessly, Lian Qiguang raised one arm and clenched his fist.
“I don’t have muscles.”
“But I’m very strong.”
Ignoring his “display,” Xiahou Shaoxuan asked with a cold expression,
“What happened to your earlier injuries?”
“…”
“Don’t try to fool me.”
“Before this latest injury, you were already hurt.”
Just remembering the medical report filled Xiahou Shaoxuan’s chest with rage.
Lian Qiguang looked toward Guan Ze.
Guan Ze shrugged innocently, silently mouthing,
Not me.
Then he pointed at Xiahou Yuchi and mouthed,
Him.
“Wife…”
Receiving Lian Qiguang’s utterly expressionless—but somehow murderous—stare, Xiahou Yuchi rolled his eyes helplessly.
“My cultivation went wrong.”
After remaining silent for a long time, Lian Qiguang answered calmly.
“Wife!”
Xiahou Shaoxuan’s voice dropped into an obvious growl.
His fists clenched so tightly that they crackled.
“Tell me the truth.”
He practically forced the words through gritted teeth.
“My cultivation went wrong.”
Lian Qiguang looked directly at him.
“My abilities were exhausted.”
Xiahou Shaoxuan stared at him sharply.
His expression darkened.
He said nothing.
Lian Qiguang simply returned the gaze without expression.
Silence settled between them.
The atmosphere became increasingly heavy.
Seeing things turning awkward, Guan Ze wanted to step forward to ease the tension.
Xiahou Yuchi quietly reached out and stopped him.
Looking back at him, Guan Ze saw Xiahou Yuchi silently shake his head.
Frowning, Guan Ze looked worriedly toward Lian Qiguang.
Click.
The call ended.
Lian Qiguang looked silently at the now-dark communicator.
After a long while—
“Xiao Guang…”
Guan Ze approached softly.
“Prepare a car for me.”
“I’m leaving later.”
“Leaving?”
Guan Ze looked surprised.
“Where are you going?”
“The academy has field training the day after tomorrow.”
“If I don’t return now…”
“I’ll miss it.”
“You’re in this condition and you still want training?”
“No.”
“I won’t allow it.”
Guan Ze frowned, his tone becoming noticeably firmer.
“I’m going.”
Lian Qiguang raised his head.
His expression remained calm, but an invisible pressure spread from him.
This training determined whether he could graduate early.
He had to go.
“You…”
Caught off guard by the sudden pressure, Guan Ze opened his mouth but couldn’t find any words.
“Xiao Guang.”
Xiahou Yuchi stood up and pulled Guan Ze behind him.
Looking seriously at Lian Qiguang, he asked,
“Are you sure?”
“I’m already fine.”
Right now, he felt better than he had any day since arriving in this world.
His space had recovered.
Although it had become a completely useless space…
His abilities had advanced once more.
His wood ability had reached Human Rank Level Five.
His fire and ice abilities had both reached Human Rank Level One.
“If you’ve decided…”
“Then that’s enough.”
After saying that, Xiahou Yuchi dragged the unwilling Guan Ze out of the room.
The door closed behind them.
Lian Qiguang pressed the button beside the bed, raising the backrest until he was reclining comfortably.
Expressionlessly, he gazed out the window.
Outside, suspended highways crisscrossed through the air as hovercars and flying vehicles streamed endlessly back and forth.
Time passed.
His communicator, silent until now, rang once again.
Lian Qiguang glanced at it.
Xiahou Shaoxuan.
He paused briefly.
Then, as though it were only natural—
He hung up again.
Less than five seconds later…
The communicator rang again.
He hung up.
It rang.
He hung up.
The cycle repeated…
More than a hundred times.
Finally, staring at the endlessly flashing communicator, Lian Qiguang simply shoved it under the blanket and continued staring expressionlessly out the window.
The steady beep… beep… beep… echoed throughout the hospital room.
Every time his thoughts started drifting elsewhere…
The relentless metallic ringing pulled them back.
Eventually, perhaps because he’d grown annoyed by the noise—
He pulled the communicator back out.
Expressionlessly, he answered.
Silently, he looked at Xiahou Shaoxuan.
Seeing Lian Qiguang’s indifferent face and cool eyes, Xiahou Shaoxuan felt his heart tighten painfully.
“Wife…”
“…”
“Wife.”
“When you’re not by my side…”
“I can’t stop worrying about you.”
Seeing that Lian Qiguang had clearly decided not to speak, Xiahou Shaoxuan surrendered first.
“…”
“Wife.”
“If you’re injured…”
“You have to tell me.”
“I don’t want you carrying everything alone.”
“…”
Looking into Xiahou Shaoxuan’s tired eyes, Lian Qiguang suddenly remembered what Guan Ze had said.
During the days he’d been unconscious…
Xiahou Shaoxuan had often stayed beside him all night.
Lian Qiguang pressed his lips together.
His gaze shifted ever so slightly.
“Wife…”
“I was treating someone.”
Lian Qiguang interrupted him.
“My little sister was dying.”
“I treated her.”
“My abilities were exhausted.”
“My body was damaged.”
This body wasn’t the one he had tempered over decades in his previous life.
It was weak.
Both his physique and ability foundation were fragile.
It simply couldn’t withstand such massive energy output.
“Treating someone?”
Xiahou Shaoxuan looked surprised.
“My wood ability can heal injuries.”
“Because of the mutation?”
Shaoxuan frowned.
“…”
No.
But Lian Qiguang didn’t say it aloud.
He simply remained silent.
Xiahou Shaoxuan took the silence as confirmation.
His brows slowly knitted together.
“Wife.”
“Who else knows about this?”
“That pig.”
Lian Qiguang answered expressionlessly.
Seeing Xiahou Shaoxuan’s confusion, he added flatly,
“My little sister.”
“Wife…”
“As always.”
“Keep it secret.”
Massaging his forehead helplessly, Xiahou Shaoxuan sighed.
“I know.”
“I’ll get captured and taken to a laboratory to be dissected.”
Lian Qiguang nodded seriously.
“I’d like to see who dares!”
Xiahou Shaoxuan’s expression turned cold.
His eyes flashed with murderous intent.
“I’ll flatten them.”
“Major General, mighty!”
Lian Qiguang applauded expressionlessly.
“Wife.”
Looking steadily at him, Xiahou Shaoxuan’s face grew serious again.
“Second Uncle said you want to return to the academy.”
“Mm.”
“I have to participate in the academy’s field training.”
“No.”
“You’re not going.”
His voice left no room for argument.
“Stay home and recover.”
“No.”
Lian Qiguang refused immediately.
“Wife—”
Xiahou Shaoxuan’s face darkened.
He was just about to lose his temper—
When he met Lian Qiguang’s soft, innocent-looking eyes.
Whoosh.
His blazing anger vanished like smoke.
“Wife…”
“You’re injured.”
“I’m already better.”
Lian Qiguang raised a hand.
A basketball-sized flame blossomed in his palm.
“My abilities improved again.”
“I’m very healthy.”
“Wife…”
“This training determines whether I can graduate early.”
He looked at Xiahou Shaoxuan earnestly.
Xiahou Shaoxuan froze.
“I want to graduate early.”
“Wife…”
His expression softened.
A faint smile curved his lips as he looked deeply into Lian Qiguang’s quiet eyes.
“You don’t have to.”
“Believe me.”
Lian Qiguang nodded seriously.
“I’m actually…”
“Really very strong.”
“…”
Xiahou Shaoxuan fell silent.
Then he smiled.
“…Mm.”
“I believe you.”