Kneeling — a gesture that seemed simple enough, yet its weight depended entirely on who was performing it.
Someone like Gu Mingyuan was prideful to the bone. How could she ever kneel before another?
And to kneel before someone who had dared to look down on her, no less?
Yet today, she had conceded.
And Chu Feng and the rest all knew — the one who had forced Gu Mingyuan to concede was
"
"But please — I beg you, could you tell me the location of the Deep Sea Eye?"
Gu Mingyuan had not only knelt — she had even spoken in a humble, pleading tone, apologizing and beseeching the old man.
Seeing Gu Mingyuan like this, Chu Xuan Zhengfa and Master Liangqiu's eyes were filled with a complicated mix of emotions.
This was the first time they had ever seen Gu Mingyuan beg someone.
"Kowtow ten times for this old man, and I'll think about it."
The voice came from within the house.
But the moment those words rang out, not only Chu Feng and Chu Xuan Zhengfa — even Master Liangqiu's heart skipped a beat.
Even Master Liangqiu felt that his old friend had truly gone too far.
Even a small cat had its temper, let alone Gu Mingyuan — a tiger among tigers. Treating her this way was practically asking for trouble, nay, practically courting death.
But who could have expected that Gu Mingyuan would not only fail to grow angry, but without the slightest hesitation — she truly went to kowtow.
Whoosh—
However, just as Gu Mingyuan's head was about to strike the ground, a hand blocked her forehead, stopping her.
That hand did not belong to Chu Feng, nor to Master Liangqiu, and it was not Chu Xuan Zhengfa's either.
It belonged to an elderly man…
This elder was gaunt as a skeleton, his complexion deathly pale — the kind of sickly white that suggested a grave illness. His face was not only ugly, but it carried a harsh, merciless look to it.
And he was, of course, the old friend Master Liangqiu had spoken of.
After helping Gu Mingyuan back to her feet, the elder turned his gaze toward Chu Lingxi, who was still unconscious and slumped over Gu Mingyuan's back.
Even in this old man's eyes, a flicker of emotion surfaced as he looked upon Chu Lingxi.
"Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that anyone could make Gu Mingyuan kneel and admit her fault."
"Young lady, you truly have some remarkable qualities," the elder said with a faint smile.
"Senior, I beg you — please tell me the location of the Deep Sea Eye. I am willing to trade anything for it."
Suddenly, Chu Xuan Zhengfa also dropped to his knees. Desperate to heal Chu Lingxi, he began beseeching the old man.
But faced with Chu Xuan Zhengfa's pleas, the elder merely smiled coldly:
"Trade with me? A pauper like you doesn't even have a half-grade Supreme Armament on you. What could you possibly offer in exchange for the supreme Deep Sea Eye?"
These words left Chu Xuan Zhengfa with an awkward expression. Just as the elder had said, he truly had nothing of sufficient value to trade for the Deep Sea Eye.
He had simply been too anxious — too eager to save Chu Lingxi — and the words had slipped out before he could think. Now he realized his mistake.
"Senior, I did not mean to offend you. But as you can surely see, Lingxi's condition is extremely critical."
"If there were any other way, I would not have troubled you."
"Senior, please name your conditions. Even if we cannot fulfill them right now, we will absolutely make good on them in the future."
"I beg you — tell me the location of the Deep Sea Eye," Chu Feng said.
"Young man, you certainly know how to speak. That's pleasant to hear," the elder looked at Chu Feng, then asked:
"But tell me, boy — if you said you'd fulfill any condition, would you be willing to trade your own life for it?"
"I am willing," Chu Feng answered without a moment's hesitation.
"Chu Feng, you mustn't!!!"
The moment those words left Chu Feng's lips, Chu Xuan Zhengfa, Master Liangqiu, and even Gu Mingyuan — all three of their expressions changed drastically. Almost in unison, they cried out in protest.
Though every one of them wished to heal Chu Lingxi, none of them were willing to trade Chu Feng's life to restore Chu Lingxi's sight.