"You've passed my test."
Three Sage Starwords gazed straight ahead, her expression calm, with a trace of blood still lingering at the corner of her lips.
Yet precisely because her face was so expressionless, that dash of crimson looked almost comical.
So Chu Feng pinched his fingers together and condensed a handkerchief from barrier power, handing it to Three Sage Starwords.
"Sorry, I misread the situation just now."
"That's why I attacked directly."
"I hit a little too hard. Don't take it to heart." Chu Feng's tone carried a hint of apology.
Three Sage Starwords finally realized what had happened and took the handkerchief, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth.
"No need to apologize. I understand."
"This matter was Three Sage Autumn Heaven's fault."
Even as she spoke, Three Sage Starwords showed no emotion. Chu Feng couldn't tell whether she was forcing herself to stay calm or whether this was simply her nature.
But at least she no longer carried that resentment she'd had before.
Once she'd learned the full truth of what had happened, it seemed she truly didn't blame Chu Feng for striking her so hard.
Whether it was because she felt she was in the wrong, or because she genuinely believed Three Sage Starwords was a reasonable person, Chu Feng's impression of her was quite favorable.
She was arguably the person who had left the best impression on him so far, aside from Saint Elder.
Led by Three Sage Starwords, they soon arrived at a towering pagoda.
The tower rose ten thousand meters high, yet in reality it contained only a single floor. The entire structure was crafted from special materials, maintaining a grand formation within.
"Zi Ling is inside."
Three Sage Starwords gripped a token, formed hand seals, and the tower's door swung open.
Chu Feng stepped straight through.
Once inside, the space opened up enormously.
From outside, one could only tell that the tower concealed extraordinary formations.
But upon entering, the true face of the formation was revealed.
A healing grand array, brimming with tremendous formation power.
The tower had been built in this specific configuration entirely to maximize the effect of its healing power.
The formation spiraled throughout the entire tower, but the formation's core was concentrated at the very top.
Right now, a beam of light shot down from the core, landing at the center of the tower's base.
And there, Zi Ling sat cross-legged, bathing in the restorative power of the treatment.
Zi Ling was so focused on her healing that she hadn't even noticed Chu Feng's arrival.
Because she didn't know he was there, she was holding nothing back in her recovery.
After all, to heal properly, one had to fully expose one's wounds.
Zi Ling's injuries were internal, but because she was completely unguarded in her treatment, Chu Feng could see them clearly.
She had been hiding them before.
Her injuries had been there all along, and they had been quite severe the entire time.
So severe that they made Chu Feng's heart ache.
Chu Feng waited in silence. A full ten hours passed before the formation's power finally subsided and Zi Ling opened her eyes.
"Big Brother Chu Feng?"
Seeing Chu Feng, Zi Ling's pupils contracted sharply, like a frightened child.
She knew full well that she had concealed her condition from him before, and now that he had discovered the truth, she naturally felt a swell of panic.
Chu Feng held no trace of blame. Instead, he opened his palm, and a healing formation immediately released, settling over Zi Ling.
"Big Brother Chu Feng, you..."
Warmth flooded Zi Ling's heart, yet there were emotions she couldn't put into words.
"Don't speak for now. Focus entirely on accepting this formation," Chu Feng said.
This formation was one Chu Feng had set up specifically for Zi Ling.
Its effect wasn't as powerful as the tower's grand array, but it could help stabilize Zi Ling's condition after the main formation's cycle ended.
Though it was merely supplementary, it could still keep her injuries in a more stable state.
Right now, this was the only thing Chu Feng could do for Zi Ling.
With Zi Ling's cooperation, the formation merged perfectly into her body in mere moments.
"I'm sorry, Big Brother Chu Feng. Did I worry you again?" Zi Ling asked, looking up.
"How could I not worry?"