Chapter 212: Following Yang Xun for a Lifetime

Just as Yang Xun was ecstatic, his True Qi stopped its explosive surge, and his cultivation finally settled at the Peak of the Fifth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm.

Yang Xun was a little disappointed, but now he was only a single step away from the Sixth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm!

He slowly opened his eyes. Feeling the immense, heart-pounding power coursing through his body, a satisfied smile involuntarily graced his lips.

This ordeal had been perilous, but the rewards were just as great.

With one more opportunity like this, he could break through directly to the Sixth Layer of the Qi Refining Realm.

He looked down at Sun Rao on the sofa. With the parasite removed, the shocking black patterns on her face were already beginning to fade at a visible rate.

Some color returned to her pale face, and her breathing steadied. She was still weak, however, looking as if she had just overcome a serious illness.

Yang Xun reached out and gently pressed a finger to Sun Rao’s forehead, channeling a gentle stream of True Qi into her body to help repair the meridians damaged by the parasite.

After he did this, Sun Rao’s eyelashes fluttered a couple of times, and she slowly opened her eyes.

The first face she saw was Yang Xun’s.

"You... saved me?"

Sun Rao’s voice was weak and hoarse, but her eyes were stunningly bright. She stared right at Yang Xun, her gaze filled with gratitude and another, unidentifiable emotion.

"Yes."

Yang Xun nodded, his tone even. "I’ve removed the parasite from your body. You won’t be tormented by it anymore."

Sun Rao was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly struggled to sit up.

"Don’t move. The parasite is out, but your meridians are damaged. You need to rest properly."

Yang Xun quickly reached out to steady her by the shoulder, but she seized his wrist and used all her strength to sit up straight.

He was baffled. Then, he saw Sun Rao kneel on the sofa and bow her head to him.

"Thank you for saving me."

Though her voice was weak, it held an undeniable resolve. "From now on, my life is yours."

Yang Xun froze for a second, then said helplessly, "You don’t have to do this. It was nothing, really."

"No."

Sun Rao looked up, her narrow, almond-shaped eyes fixed on Yang Xun, filled with resolve.

"What I, Sun Rao, hate most in this life is being betrayed and deceived."

"Scarface lied to me for ten years, raising me as a mere vessel. But you... we were complete strangers. I even tried to kill you, yet you risked everything to save me."

She paused, her gaze brightening as she spoke, enunciating every word. "From this day forward, you are my one and only savior. I want to stay by your side. I would walk through fire for you without a moment’s hesitation."

"I guess I see now why Scarface could deceive you for so long."

Yang Xun sighed softly and reached out to help her up. "You take debts of gratitude far too seriously."

’Actually, he felt a little guilty. It was true he’d saved Sun Rao, but he had also absorbed the parasite. He hadn’t lost anything—in fact, he’d profited immensely. How could he possibly let her repay him?’

He cleared his throat. "I’m not looking for you to repay a debt. From now on, just stay out of trouble and live a good life. That’ll be repayment enough for me."

Sun Rao bit her lip, saying stubbornly, "If you don’t agree to let me stay, I’m not getting up."

"You’re unbelievable..."

Yang Xun was exasperated, but he couldn’t just leave her kneeling there.

"Fine, I agree, alright? For now, just focus on recovering."

A smile bloomed on Sun Rao’s face. She nodded emphatically, her eyes, as she looked at Yang Xun, filled with adoration and gratitude.

From that moment on, she resolved to follow Yang Xun for the rest of her life, her loyalty unwavering.

By the time Yang Xun helped Sun Rao out of the private room, the mess in the main hall was almost completely cleaned up.

Zhou Yuan had brought all of Scarface’s surviving men under control and had his own people cleaning the scene, removing the bodies, and wiping away the blood.

His subordinates were incredibly efficient. In just half an hour, the KTV lobby was pristine again, as if nothing had happened.

"Mr. Yang!"

Zhou Yuan hurried over to them. Seeing Yang Xun and Sun Rao walk out safely, he let out a long sigh of relief.

Yang Xun gestured to Sun Rao beside him. "She needs to rest. Could you please find a safe place for her to stay?"

"Leave it to me!"

Zhou Yuan immediately patted his chest, guaranteeing, "I have a small courtyard house in the suburbs I rarely visit. She can recover there. It’ll be safer."

"Can’t I go home with you?"

Sun Rao suddenly spoke up, looking at Yang Xun with a wounded expression.

"It wouldn’t be appropriate for you to come with me."

Yang Xun said awkwardly.

’He had to return to the Xu Family’s residence, so he obviously couldn’t bring Sun Rao along. He could have her stay with Yang Cai, though.’

’But Scarface had escaped. There was no guarantee he wouldn’t seek revenge. It was better for Sun Rao to lay low for now.’

Zhou Yuan glanced from Yang Xun to Sun Rao, a gossipy smile spreading across his face.

"My house may be in the suburbs, but it’s not far from the city. Mr. Yang can visit anytime," he said.

Only then did Sun Rao nod, reluctantly following Zhou Yuan’s subordinate away.

Once she was gone, Yang Xun hurried over to Yang Cai and her two friends.

After their terrifying ordeal, the three young women were utterly exhausted, huddled together on the sofa.

Seeing Yang Xun walk over, Yang Cai immediately threw herself into his arms. "Brother, can we go home now?"

Her voice was choked with sobs, her small face a mask of lingering terror.

"Okay, I’ll take you home right now,"

Yang Xun said gently, patting his sister’s back.

Mi Ting and Chen Xiafang got to their feet as well. The three women followed Yang Xun and slowly walked out the doors of the KTV.

The night wind carried a slight chill, but the stench of blood in the air was finally starting to fade.

A driver arranged by Zhou Yuan politely ushered them into a car, closed the door, and headed for Xiaoxie Village.

Before long, Yang Cai had fallen asleep on Yang Xun’s shoulder. Mi Ting and Chen Xiafang leaned back in their seats, closing their eyes to rest as well.

...

「Meanwhile.」

In a meticulously converted secret room, hidden deep beneath an abandoned factory in the western suburbs of Zhonghai City.

The room was spacious. A few dim, yellow lamps on the walls cast a faint glow.

Scarface lay on a hard iron bed, seven or eight of his bones broken. His chest was caved in and deformed, and bloody foam trickled from the corner of his mouth. He looked like a rag doll about to fall apart, barely clinging to life.

"Ma... Master..."

Scarface struggled to open his eyes. When he saw the slender figure standing before him, he rasped, his voice raw, "I’m sorry... I... I failed..."

The figure in the black robe standing before him was a woman. Hearing his voice, she slowly turned around and pushed back her hood, revealing a bewitchingly beautiful face.

She wore a form-fitting black dress with a thigh-high slit that revealed a long, slender leg. Her skin was so fair it was nearly translucent, shimmering under the dim yellow light.