Sitting in front of the alchemy furnace in the distance, Zhang Chen heard the ingratiating words of Shen Ling echoing through the mountains, and his mind went blank: "Shen Ling, this rascal, really has a love-obsessed brain!"
And it’s not just any love-obsessed brain.
He suddenly found himself not so resentful about Shen Ling breaking off the engagement anymore, as he could somewhat understand the bizarre actions a love-obsessed brain might perform.
On the cliff over there, Zhang Gaoqiu, upon hearing Shen Ling’s confession, seemed to fall into memories, with bits of sweetness from the past surfacing in his heart.
Then Zhang Gaoqiu sighed gently, his expression softening as he stepped forward to embrace Shen Ling’s delicate body: "I never expected your love for me to reach such a degree, to the point of obsession."
"As long as you can stay by my side, I am not afraid to be shattered to pieces or scorned by the world," Shen Ling’s voice was full of determination.
"Are you truly willing to be shattered to pieces for me?" Zhang Gaoqiu asked.
"If there is any falsehood, may I be struck by thunder from the heavens, and die an ignoble death," Shen Ling swore in Zhang Gaoqiu’s arms.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Gaoqiu let out a long sigh: "Having you love me like this, what more could a husband ask for?"
The next moment, Zhang Gaoqiu suddenly pushed, and Shen Ling was sent flying off the cliff. She plummeted rapidly into the abyss with a face full of shock and helplessness.
"Since you’re willing to be shattered to pieces for me, how could I not fulfill that for you? Right now, a soul-stirring battle is taking place in Jinling City, capturing the attention of all the experts, presenting me with the perfect opportunity to act. The rain will wash away all traces, and no one will know it was me," Zhang Gaoqiu stood at the edge of the cliff, looking into the vast canyon. After standing for a while, he sighed softly:
"Don’t blame me, anyone who obstructs my progress is my enemy. You’ve stopped me from pursuing someone better, and now we’re adversaries, you are my enemy."
After speaking, Zhang Gaoqiu glanced at the rain curtain, then his figure vanished from the cliff.
With Shen Ling’s death, all ties between us naturally come to an end.
However, Zhang Chen on the distant high platform was stunned by the scene before him, and in the next moment, he realized what was happening and quickly cursed to himself, "Shen Ling can’t die!"
If Shen Ling dies, her bloodline will return to the Innate Water God. At that point, the Innate Water God will pass the crucial threshold and reach the legendary Twelfth Tier, and then I’ll be in trouble. My act of dismembering the Innate Water God will eventually be discovered by the other side! At that point, how could they possibly spare me?
We all must die!
Everyone in Jinling City must die!
No one can stop the vengeance of a Twelfth Tier master.
Zhang Chen quickly transformed into a mist and fled, but unfortunately, it was already too late. Shen Ling had already fallen to the bottom of the valley, her muscles and bones broken in countless places, her body a bloody mess, shattered beyond recognition.
At this time, a surge of bloodline power was about to escape from Shen Ling’s body and return to the Innate Water God. Zhang Chen hurriedly took out a sealing rune and stuck it onto Shen Ling’s body to suppress her bloodline power.
"Love-obsessed brains surely never end well," Zhang Chen looked at Shen Ling, his eyes showing a hint of sentimentality.
Thinking of the Eight-Treasure Heart-lock Pill formula given by the old lady, and the grudge between himself and Zhang Gaoqiu, he thought it would be better for Shen Ling to stay alive.
If Shen Ling stayed alive, she would inevitably clash ceaselessly with Zhang Gaoqiu, and then the one in trouble would definitely be Zhang Gaoqiu.
Zhang Gaoqiu is malicious, daring to plot against my mother’s relics and even steal my fiancée. Zhang Chen thought it would be quite good to cause some trouble for him, preferably ruining his marriage to the Little Princess, so that when the time comes, it would be as easy as crushing an ant to kill Zhang Gaoqiu.
"I have Yama Authority, it won’t be difficult to resurrect her, but the hard part is her body is already smashed into pulp, her internal organs ruptured. If I can’t repair her injuries, even if I decree her resurrection, I fear she will just die again," Zhang Chen’s eyes showed a hint of difficulty, pondering how to repair Shen Ling’s body as he must first heal her body to decree her resurrection.
Unfortunately, Zhang Chen thought it over and found that he didn’t have the means, so he could only first suppress Shen Ling’s body and then carefully place her at the alchemy furnace for safekeeping, to prevent it from being eaten by wild animals in the mountains, and then use the Escape Technique to seek out Tushan Qing.
Tushan Qing has unknown means, Zhang Chen thought Tushan Qing might have a way to restore the dead to life.
Of course, Zhang Chen also had the leaves of the Heaven-Reaching Jianmu, which contained a large amount of vitality, and even Innate Vitality, capable of repairing Shen Ling’s body without any problem, but Zhang Chen was reluctant to use them.
Zhang Chen traveled all the way to the Exquisite Tower, and indeed saw Tushan Qing fiddling with a painting, muttering over something.
Zhang Chen walked up and patted Tushan Qing on the shoulder, to which Tushan Qing turned his head to look at Zhang Chen, "Why call me? Is there some good news?"
"Do you have any means to restore the dead to life?" Zhang Chen asked.
Tushan Qing looked Zhang Chen up and down and didn’t see any serious injuries, then asked, "Why are you asking this? You don’t seem like the kind of person who could use such means, do you?"
Hearing this, Zhang Chen recounted the events between Shen Ling and Zhang Gaoqiu, directing Tushan Qing’s gasp, "Goodness, this kid has a heart more vicious than a beast."
Zhang Chen remained silent upon hearing this and did not respond to Tushan Qing’s words. Tushan Qing asked again, "Given your relationship with Shen Ling, wouldn’t you wish for her to be dead? Why are you thinking of bringing her back to life?"
"If you’re not afraid of a Twelfth Tier Innate Water God being born in this world, I can just stand by and watch," Zhang Chen replied, his tone indifferent and ambiguous.
Upon hearing this, Tushan Qing did not bother further and shook his head, saying, "I don’t possess the methods you mentioned to resurrect the dead and restore flesh to bones."
"Then why are you wasting time here?" Zhang Chen retorted, annoyed.
"Although I lack the means to resurrect the dead, I do have a way to save her," Tushan Qing said.
"What way?" Zhang Chen asked with interest upon hearing this.
Tushan Qing said, "Since she is of the Shen family bloodline, carrying the blood of the Innate Water God, if infused with the Innate Water God’s blood..."
Tushan Qing did not finish his sentence, but Zhang Chen’s eyes lit up: "That’s a good idea."
Zhang Chen turned his head and walked out of the Exquisite Tower, and just as he reached the door, he encountered Zhang Gaoqiu, who passed by him with an expressionless face, holding an oiled paper umbrella.
"This kid remains so calm after committing murder; he’s really something. This kid is no ordinary person," Zhang Chen muttered to himself, no longer paying attention to the other and continued forward. However, barely walking two steps, Zhang Gaoqiu’s voice suddenly sounded from behind: "Zhang Chen!"
Zhang Chen halted his steps and turned to look at Zhang Gaoqiu.
"Have you seen Shen Ling?" Zhang Gaoqiu asked.
Upon hearing Zhang Gaoqiu’s question, Zhang Chen paused in disbelief: ’You just killed Shen Ling, and now you’re asking me if I’ve seen her? Is this guy insane?’
Before Zhang Chen could reply, Zhang Gaoqiu already said, "Shen Ling has been looking for you all morning; if you have the time, you should go check at Shen Ling’s place."
After saying this, Zhang Gaoqiu walked away, leaving Zhang Chen puzzled while watching Zhang Gaoqiu’s back. He walked a few steps in the rain and suddenly his pupils shrank with a realization: "Is this guy trying to lure me to Shen Ling’s place and then frame me?"
Zhang Chen thought that this was indeed possible, or rather very possible. What wouldn’t Zhang Gaoqiu do?
This guy is ruthless and decisive!
Various thoughts flashed through Zhang Chen’s mind, and then he directly used the Escape Technique, arriving at the cliff where Shen Ling lay like mud. The next moment, he took out a jar of previously stored Innate Water God’s blood, contemplated briefly, scooped a spoonful, and poured it into Shen Ling’s mouth.
As soon as the Innate Divine Blood appeared, it resonated directly with Shen Ling’s body’s bloodline, causing Shen Ling’s body to tremble, and her bloodline seemed to have intelligence, ravenously devouring the Innate Water God’s blood.
With the infusion of the Innate Water God’s blood, Shen Ling’s bloodline within her body grew increasingly strong, and waves of popping sounds echoed from within her torso, then her skin, which was smashed into pulp, began to squirm voraciously, consuming the life force from the Innate Water God.
Three hours later, a vague outline of Shen Ling’s flesh appeared, barely recovering a semblance of human form from the pulp state.
However, at this time, the vitality from the Divine Blood was exhausted, and Shen Ling’s flesh restoration temporarily stopped.
Seeing this, Zhang Chen raised an eyebrow, then reached out to scoop another spoonful of the Innate Water God’s blood into her mouth. The next moment, Shen Ling’s flesh began to tremble once more, and crisp popping sounds arose from within her body, as bones that were initially broken began realigning.
Three more hours later, Shen Ling’s skeleton was fully realigned, but her internal organs remained unhealed.
Zhang Chen had no choice but to pour another spoonful of Innate Divine Blood in, which started restoring Shen Ling’s internal organs, with humming vibrating in her abdominal cavity.
After another three full hours, Zhang Chen used the Blood Control Technique to sense the situation inside Shen Ling’s body, seeing her internal organs were fully restored and the blood in her body completely replaced by pale blue blood.
However, Shen Ling’s face remained a blur, with her nose and eyes indistinguishable from their original form, so Zhang Chen decided to store the Innate Water God’s blood away.
This is the Innate Water God’s blood; how precious is this substance?
Saving her is impressive enough, but as for cosmetic restoration? Sorry, Zhang Chen has no obligation to do that.
Zhang Chen’s gaze swept over the wounds on Shen Ling’s skin. Though she had been revived, the damage remained unrepaired, and Shen Ling was completely disfigured.
Her nose was entirely flattened, her whole face turned into a plane, and her teeth were mostly gone.
Of course, Zhang Chen had the means to restore her appearance; he only needed to pour another spoonful of Innate Divine Blood into her, and Shen Ling could certainly heal all injuries. But Zhang Chen chose to stop.
He saved her only for expediency; does he really look like a living Bodhisattva?