"Hehe." Facing everyone's mockery and insults, Chu Feng was neither angry nor annoyed. He smiled faintly and said casually, "I've said what I needed to say. Whether you believe it or not is up to you."
"But Senior Sister Qiu Zhu, I advise you to think twice. Otherwise, with your talent, if your Mental Power were to be damaged, that would truly be a shame."
"There's no need for Young Brother Wuqing to worry about that. I trust that Young Master Zhu's judgment is correct." However, Qiu Zhu did not accept Chu Feng's warning. Though she wore a smile, it was clear she looked down on Chu Feng from the bottom of her heart.
She then waved her beautiful, jade-like hand and wrote the number "Four" on the scroll.
*Sizzle!*
But the moment the character appeared, the scroll flashed with light, and a bolt of lightning shot out, drilling into Qiu Zhu's finger. Then, with a muffled *boom* that exploded inside her skull, this frosty beauty stumbled several steps backward. At the same time, all color drained from her beautiful face.
"How can this be?!" Seeing this scene, Zhu Tianming, Gao Xiong, and the others all changed dramatically. They had never imagined that the answer Zhu Tianming had determined could actually be wrong.
"Qiu Zhu, are you alright?"
"Qiu Zhu, how are you?"
"Sister, are you hurt?"
At the same time, Xia Yu, Dong Xue, and Chun Wu had long since panicked. They hurried to Qiu Zhu's side, anxiously checking on her.
"Senior Sister Xia Yu, my Mental Power is damaged. I can feel it—my Mental Power is damaged." At this moment, Qiu Zhu's expression was very unsightly, but nothing was worse than the look of terror on her face. For a genius like her, Mental Power was something that absolutely could not be damaged.
"Zhu Tianming, what is the meaning of this? Did you deliberately try to harm my junior sister?" At this moment, Dong Xue exploded in rage, pointing at Zhu Tianming and cursing loudly.
"This… this… I…"
Zhu Tianming had never expected to miscalculate either, so now he had no idea what to do. Causing Qiu Zhu's Mental Power to be damaged—putting aside Mistress Piaomiao's blame, even if she let him off the hook, once word got out, who knew how many admirers of Qiu Zhu would come after him.
"Don't be afraid, Qiu Zhu. Master once told me that the power within the scroll is complementary. If one is weakened, gaining another boost will neutralize the adverse effect."
"Besides, our Piaomiao Immortal Peak has countless rare treasures. Even if the power within the scroll cannot restore your diminished Mental Power, Master can use other precious items to heal you. You mustn't worry too much," Xia Yu comforted her.
"Sister, is that true?" Hearing Xia Yu's words, the terror on Qiu Zhu's face visibly eased.
"Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you?" Though Xia Yu could be very scheming toward outsiders, it was clear she genuinely doted on Qiu Zhu.
"Zhu Tianming, why are you still standing there? Look more carefully—what exactly is the answer?!" Dong Xue bellowed, pointing at Zhu Tianming.
"Please don't rush, Miss Dong Xue. Allow me to examine it carefully." At this moment, Zhu Tianming was drenched in cold sweat, but he didn't dare hesitate. He wiped the sweat from his face and began examining the scroll once more.
This time, Zhu Tianming didn't dare be the slightest bit careless. He looked back and forth, carefully, multiple times—but the more he looked, the more alarmed he became. The cold sweat on his face didn't decrease; instead, it poured out like rain. His body even began to tremble.
"You've looked for so long—is there a definitive answer or not?!" Dong Xue roared again.
"There is, there is, there is!" Zhu Tianming was truly frightened. He didn't dare hesitate and nodded rapidly.
"What is it? Tell me now!!!" Dong Xue pressed sternly.
Zhu Tianming's face was taut with tension, his eyes flickering, his expression a mix of terror and fear. Finally, stammering, he said, "It's… it's… it's four!"
"What?! Are you messing with me?!" Hearing this, Dong Xue erupted in fury. A torrent of blue energy erupted from her body, instantly blanketing the entire hall in a thick layer of ice and snow. The bone-piercing cold was terrifying. Dong Xue's combat power was absolutely far beyond Zhu Tianming's.
"Miss Dong Xue, please calm down!" Seeing this, Gao Xiong hurriedly stepped in front of Zhu Tianming. Leveraging his fourth-rank Martial Lord aura, he managed to withstand Dong Xue's terrifying pressure. Then, gravely, he asked Zhu Tianming, "Brother Zhu, this concerns Miss Qiu Zhu's Mental Power. Stop joking around. What is the answer? Tell us honestly."
"Brother Gao, I used my barrier secret technique to observe very carefully, and it really is four. I don't think my technique could be wrong—it must be the Unpredictable Scroll that has the problem," Zhu Tianming said, trembling.
"Shut your mouth! You've already harmed my senior sister, and now you dare insult my Master's treasure? I think you're tired of living!" Dong Xue's eyes blazed with fury, her words cutting like knives. She was no longer the refined lady from before—she was practically a raging shrew.
At this critical moment, Chun Wu suddenly stood up and asked Chu Feng, "Young Brother Wuqing, what was the answer you said it was just now?"
At this point, Chu Feng was relaxed and smiling, happily watching the spectacle. He hadn't planned on getting involved again, but since Chun Wu had asked, he couldn't very well ignore her. So he smiled and replied, "Senior Sister Chun Wu—it's five."
"Then I'll try." Having confirmed the answer once more, Chun Wu spun around and strode toward the Unpredictable Scroll, raising her hand to write the answer.
"Xiao Wu, have you lost your mind? You actually believe him?!" Seeing this, Dong Xue rushed to stop her. Though Zhu Tianming had been wrong, she absolutely refused to believe that Chu Feng's answer could possibly be correct.
"Indeed, Miss Chun Wu—this is no joking matter. Please think carefully!" At the same time, Gao Xiong and the others all urged her, thinking Chun Wu was gambling with her own future.
"I believe him." But Chun Wu simply smiled radiantly, and ignoring Dong Xue's attempts to stop her, she forcefully pressed her finger down on the scroll, writing the number "Five."
In that instant, almost everyone held their breath, bracing for the lightning punishment to strike Chun Wu. Even Dong Xue hastily released Chun Wu and stumbled several steps back, afraid she might be caught in the blast.
*Hummm!* But just then, the scroll shimmered with light, and a beam of radiance flowed into Chun Wu's body. At the same time, her complexion regained a rosy glow.
"Oh my god—no way!" Seeing this scene, almost everyone was stunned—more shocked even than when they'd seen the lightning strike Qiu Zhu. Because they absolutely could not believe that the answer given by a mere first-rank Martial Lord like Chu Feng could actually be correct.
"How is this possible? This can't be! I observed it so many times—clearly it was four. How could it be five?!" As for Zhu Tianming, his face was a mask of utterly disbelief. He felt this defied all reason.