Fenglin City, the Qin Residence.
In Qin Yu's boudoir, she lay on her sickbed, her face devoid of any color, coughing softly from time to time. Occasionally, the coughing grew so violent that she could barely catch her breath.
A strange aura of death clung to Qin Yu's body. Even an ordinary person who had never cultivated could faintly sense that something was wrong with her condition. And for anyone with even a modicum of cultivation, if they swept their divine sense over her, they would clearly see that she was shrouded in a thin layer of black mist.
As time passed, the black mist only grew denser.
No one knew exactly what kind of energy this black mist was. Ever since it first appeared two months ago, it had been devouring Qin Yu's vitality, leaving her condition worse with each passing day.
Heaven and Earth Severed Body — it was a very peculiar constitution, one that was rejected by heaven and earth. Anyone who possessed this constitution could not live past the age of eighteen, because the laws of heaven and earth would sever their life force.
By the bedside, the maidservant attending to Qin Yu quietly wiped away her tears, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
Qin Yu had always been kind and gentle, courteous to everyone regardless of rank. Every servant in the Qin Residence respected her deeply, and this maidservant was no exception. Seeing her young mistress struck by some unknown illness and deteriorate so drastically in just two months, the maidservant's heart ached terribly.
"What are you crying for? Useless thing — get out of here right now!" From the side, Qin Chaoyang suddenly barked in anger.
He had been tormented these past days, his mind already in turmoil. Seeing the maidservant crying before him only made him more irritable, and he couldn't help but lash out.
The maidservant turned pale with fright and dropped to her knees with a thud, but she did not leave. "Please forgive me, Ancestor. Please calm yourself. This servant will stop crying. This servant won't leave — this servant wants to stay and look after the young mistress…" she pleaded over and over, her voice sincere and earnest.
Qin Chaoyang opened his mouth, but in the end let out a deep sigh. He raised his hand, and an invisible force lifted the maid back to her feet. His anger subsiding, he said, "Forget it… forget it…"
His voice was unspeakably desolate.
"It's this servant's fault for not taking proper care of the young mistress." The maidservant dabbed at the corners of her eyes again as she spoke, forcing herself not to cry aloud.
"Ancestor…" From the sickbed, Qin Yu suddenly called out softly. The moment she spoke, another violent coughing fit seized her. The maidservant rushed forward, rubbing her back to help her catch her breath.
Once Qin Yu had recovered, Qin Chaoyang said gently, "Yu'er, rest well. Don't try to talk."
Qin Yu slowly shook her head. "Brother Yang… has he not returned yet?"
At these words, Qin Chaoyang's expression shifted subtly, and he did not know how to respond.
Qin Yu's eighteenth birthday was fast approaching. The only hope of keeping her alive rested on Yang Kai, yet there was still no sign of him.
Qin Chaoyang couldn't help but wonder whether he had placed his trust in the wrong person.
He had already gathered news about what happened in the Four Seasons Land.
Yang Kai had displayed extraordinary prowess inside the Four Seasons Land, refining the Supreme Mystical Divine Pill and single-handedly toying with the elite disciples of every major sect. The story had spread like wildfire throughout the entire Southern Region.
Fenglin City might be a small city, but with Qin Chaoyang's deliberate inquiries, how could he possibly remain uninformed?
Only… the Four Seasons Land had already closed three months ago. If Yang Kai had truly obtained the Tribulation Calamity Difficult Fruit, he should have returned to Fenglin City long ago. So why was there still no trace of him?
Qin Chaoyang did not wish to judge a noble heart by his own lesser measure, but as long as Yang Kai did not appear, he could not rest easy.
He did not know whether Yang Kai had failed to find the Tribulation Calamity Difficult Fruit and was too ashamed to face him, or whether Yang Kai had simply never taken the matter seriously and had long since disappeared without a trace.
The world was vast. Even if he wanted to search for Yang Kai, he wouldn't know where to begin — and besides, there was no longer enough time.
"Ancestor, are you doubting Brother Yang?" Though Qin Yu was gravely ill, her perceptive nature remained as sharp as ever. One glance at Qin Chaoyang's expression and she had guessed his concerns.
"I don't want to think ill of anyone. I keep hoping young Brother Yang will return that item as soon as possible. But… even if he failed to obtain it, he should have at least come back and let me know. A man's strength has its limits — I can understand that. But as things stand now… sigh!"
"Perhaps Brother Yang was delayed by some important matter," Qin Yu said softly. The words had barely left her lips before another bout of violent coughing seized her.
"I hope so." Qin Chaoyang gave a bitter smile, though inwardly he was far less convinced.
Even if some pressing matter had detained him, surely he could have found someone to deliver a message? Deep down, he increasingly suspected that Yang Kai had taken the Qin family's Million Sword and had no intention of ever returning.
The Emperor Treasure Million Sword was gone, and that was that. Though it was a precious artifact, the Qin family was now in decline, and no one among them could wield its power. An ordinary man with a treasure in his possession invites trouble — it might even bring unforeseen calamity.