Chapter 61: Bone-biting Cold Night, Shura's Wrath
Li Lianhua sat alone by the window, her fingertips unconsciously caressing the cool porcelain cup. The building had been so quiet lately, so still that she could clearly hear the rustling of the bamboo trees outside. Di Feisheng hadn't appeared for days, a stark departure from her usual habit of finding time to visit him, no matter how busy she was.
It wasn't like he hadn't asked before. Every time a disciple brought him medicine or food, he'd casually ask, "What has Your Excellency been busy with lately?" The answers he received were always the same, respectful and evasive: "Master, Your Excellency is attending to important matters within the alliance. Please rest and recuperate." These disciples lowered their eyes, not daring to meet his gaze. Beneath the deliberately maintained calm, Li Lianhua could sense a hint of unusual tension.
He was sleepy and listless every day, and his health was getting worse day by day. Although Di Feisheng was constantly using Beifeng Baiyang's internal force to clear the blockage, his physical weakness and keen intuition told him that something must have happened outside!
The real thunder suddenly exploded one afternoon.
That day, Li Lianhua was barely able to drink the medicine when she could faintly hear the disciples guarding the building outside the building, mumbling something in a low voice that they couldn't help but raise in shock.
"Have you heard?! Your Majesty...he actually wants to..."
"Marry the Wansheng Dao... Jiao Liqiao!"
"The news is absolutely true! The alliance is already preparing! They say... the wedding will be taking place soon!"
"How...how is this possible?! His Majesty clearly..."
"Shh! Be careful! The host is still inside..."
"Marry Jiao Liqiao"?
These words struck Li Lianhua's mind like thunder from the sky! He shuddered, nearly dropping the medicine bowl in his hand, and the medicine splashed onto his clothes without him noticing.
Astonishment, absurdity, disbelief... all eventually turned into a bone-chilling chill and the sharp pain of being completely betrayed!
Jiao Liqiao? The evil-minded woman who repeatedly framed him and was one of the culprits responsible for the many tragedies of the East China Sea War? Di Feisheng... wanted to marry her?
Li Lianhua felt his blood boiling, and a sweet, fishy taste suddenly surged up his throat. His mind was in a mess:
The bloody aura, fatigue and anxiety on my body... turned out to be because of this?
Those paranoid vows of "life and death are mine" are still ringing in my ears, but now they seem so ridiculous!
What exactly does Di Feisheng want to do? Why does he choose Jiao Liqiao?
The huge impact caused Li Lianhua's heart to ache, and he could barely breathe. He suddenly stood up, wanting to rush out and ask for clarification! He had to find Di Feisheng and confront him face to face!
However, when he stumbled to the door of the Lotus Tower, he was stopped expressionlessly by two disciples of the Golden Yuan League who had always been respectful to him.
"Master, the Lord has ordered that you rest in peace and not go out." The disciple's voice was respectful but cold, leaving no room for maneuver.
Li Lianhua was startled and tried to force her way in: "Get out of the way! I have something important to see Your Majesty!"
But now, his internal strength was completely depleted, and his body was weak and frail, so he was easily stopped. He looked around and was horrified to find that the number of guards outside the Lotus Tower had increased several times over, with open and covert sentries, surrounding the small building like an iron barrel!
Only then did he fully realize that he was under house arrest!
Not only did Di Feisheng plan such a ridiculous marriage without telling him, he also completely cut off all his connections with the outside world and imprisoned him in this exquisite cage!
The successive blows left Li Lianhua exhausted both physically and mentally. He retreated back into the building and sat down on the cold floor, gazing out the window at the familiar scenery, only to feel a gloomy, suffocating feeling.
No matter how he requested, or even scolded him harshly, the guards only said, "Your Majesty is busy and cannot meet you."
He was like someone with his eyes blindfolded and his ears blocked, completely oblivious to the earth-shattering changes taking place in the outside world.
The body becomes increasingly weak due to the violent fluctuations in emotions, while the heart is repeatedly tormented by doubts, anger, and pain.
The stark contrast between his past warmth and the present ruthlessness plunged Li Lianhua into deep confusion and pain. Abandoned in this building filled with memories, he seemed to have become the first to be sacrificed and concealed in this sudden storm.
It turns out... that ridiculous wedding news wasn't groundless, and the foreshadowing of all this was actually...
"He...actually put me...under house arrest here?"
This thought was like the sharpest ice spike, piercing Li Lianhua's mind, bringing a sharp dizziness and a bone-chilling chill. He staggered, subconsciously holding onto the door frame beside him, his fingertips cold and trembling slightly.
Shock, anger, betrayal, disbelief... all these emotions were like a raging wave, instantly drowning him. He stared intently at the familiar yet unfamiliar faces outside the door, their respectful yet distant demeanors, and an unprecedented sense of isolation and despair gripped his heart.
The sound of a flute...
While you were preparing to marry someone else, you imprisoned me in this small place...
What on earth... do you want to do?!
Li Lianhua slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, all the intense emotions in them had been forcibly suppressed, leaving only a bottomless, cold silence. He no longer tried to break out, nor did he argue with the guards. He simply silently retreated back into the building, step by step.
The heavy wooden door slowly closed behind him with a slight "click", but it was like a locked cage, completely isolating him from the outside world.
The building was dimly lit, and the aroma of medicine remained, but there was no trace of the warmth and tranquility of the past. Only the suffocating, iron-like confinement and the silent storm remained.
The successive blows left Li Lianhua exhausted both physically and mentally. He retreated back into the building and sat down on the cold floor, gazing out the window at the familiar scenery, only to feel a gloomy, suffocating feeling.
The night was as dark as ink. In the inner chamber of the Lotus Tower, only a dim candlelight remained, flickering in the cold wind that blew through the hall, almost dying.
Li Lianhua curled up in the depths of his bed, wrapped in thick fur, yet still shivered uncontrollably. The subtle sound of teeth knocking against each other was particularly clear in the dead silence. A chill emanating from deep within his bones was frantically devouring his remaining body heat. Every part of his body felt as if pierced by countless icy needles. The intertwined pain and coldness threatened to tear his mind apart.
The cold poison in his body, triggered by the Gu poison, had resurfaced, and this time it was far more ferocious than before.
He bit his lower lip hard, tasting blood, but he forced himself to suppress a groan of pain. His forehead was covered in sweat, his face was as pale as paper, and even breathing felt like icy pain. He knew Di Feisheng had been exhausted recently, and the surrounding disciples guarding him were equally exhausted. He didn't want to disturb others with his illness, and even more so, he didn't want Di Feisheng to see him in such a state of disgrace.
So, he chose to endure it in silence. His nails dug deep into his palms, trying to use more sharp pain to fight the pervasive cold. His body unconsciously curled up into a smaller ball, like a wounded cub, licking its wounds alone in a corner where no one could see.
His consciousness gradually blurred under the torment of the extreme cold, his vision began to blur, and a ringing in his ears continued. Finally, the bone-chilling cold completely swallowed up his last bit of clarity. His head tilted, and he completely lost consciousness, collapsing on the cold bed, his breath so weak that it was almost inaudible.
After an unknown amount of time, the door to the inner room was suddenly pushed open!
Di Feisheng entered the building, bearing the chill of night dew and the lingering scent of blood. He'd been dealing with some unsuccessful "important business" out there today, and his mood was already volatile and irritable, a lingering rage etched between his brows. Subconsciously, he stepped softly toward the bed, wanting to see if Li Lianhua was asleep.
However, the scene that came into his eyes made his blood freeze instantly!
Li Lianhua fell soundlessly onto the couch, his face a near-deathly pale gray, his lips a frightening bluish-purple, his entire body icy cold, devoid of any life! His condition was almost identical to when he had found him on the shores of the East China Sea!
"Lotus?!" Di Feisheng's heart suddenly stopped. He rushed forward and probed his trembling fingers for his breath - it was as weak as a candle in the wind! The skin on his tentacles was icy cold!
An unprecedented panic and rage exploded like magma, instantly burning away all his sanity!
"Someone come here!!!" He turned abruptly, facing outside the building, and let out an almost beast-like roar. The sound was wrapped in raging rage and terrifying internal strength, shaking the entire Lotus Building. "Everyone, get in here!!"
The disciples guarding outside the building were frightened out of their wits by the terrifying roar. They rushed into the inner room, tumbling and crawling. Before they could see the situation clearly, they felt an irresistible terrifying force coming towards them!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Di Feisheng didn't give anyone a chance to explain. His murderous aura surged, and his palm swept out like thunder! The disciples at the front were caught off guard and screamed as they were thrown back, slamming heavily into walls or pillars, spitting blood and fraying their bones!
"A bunch of trash!" Di Feisheng's eyes were bloodshot, his gaze as ferocious as that of a demon from hell. Every word he said was filled with cold murderous intent. "I told you to guard him! And this is how you guard him?! His cold poison has taken effect so badly! And no one noticed?! No one reported it?!!"
His figure flashed like a ghost, and he slapped out several more palms, the fierce palm wind mercilessly sweeping down the disciples who rushed in later! In an instant, the room was filled with people lying on the ground, wailing, and everyone was injured, but no one dared to resist. They could only kneel on the ground in fear, trembling.
"Your Majesty, please calm down! This subordinate... this subordinate really didn't hear the master calling you..." A disciple endured the severe pain and tried to explain.
"Call?!" Di Feisheng suddenly grabbed his neck and lifted him up, his voice hoarse and terrifying, "If he still has the strength to call! Why do you have to do this?! Are you dead?! Can't you see?! Can't you hear?!!"
Just when he was raging with rage, about to lose control and crush the person in front of him—
A very faint groan, accompanied by painful gasps, came from the bed.
Di Feisheng's entire body stiffened, and he instantly let go of his grip. The disciple collapsed to the ground. It was as if a basin of ice water had been poured over him. All his anger and murderous intent vanished in an instant, leaving only overwhelming panic and heartache. He turned abruptly and rushed back to the bed.
"Lotus?!" He carefully lifted up the cold body and poured his own powerful and fiery internal energy into it without reservation and continuously. His voice was trembling, "Wake up... Look at me... Don't sleep..."
Feeling the pure and yang internal energy pouring in, Li Lianhua's cold body trembled slightly, her eyelashes quivered a few times, and finally she opened her eyes with great difficulty. Her eyes were dull and blank, and she seemed unable to recognize anyone.
“…cold…” He murmured a word unconsciously, as weak as a cat’s meow.
Di Feisheng's heart ached, and he immediately hugged the man tighter, wrapping him tightly with his body temperature and inner strength. He rubbed his cold back again and again in vain, trying to dispel the deadly chill. "Don't worry... I'm here... You won't be cold soon..."
While frantically channeling his internal energy, he suddenly turned around and let out a suppressed growl at the terrified disciples on the ground. His voice still carried the lingering violence, but with a hint of urgency: "What are you still standing there for?! Go call the Medicine Demon! Get the best cold-relieving medicine! Boil some hot water! Quick!!"
Those disciples, as if they had been pardoned, crawled and supported each other as they fled the inner room, fearing that if they were a step slower, they would be torn to pieces by the angry Lord.
The room returned to silence, leaving only Li Lianhua's faint, painful gasps and Di Feisheng's heavy, suppressed breathing.
The flickering candlelight illuminated Di Feisheng's face, which still held a lingering trace of frightening violence, yet was filled with fear and regret. He held the cold figure in his arms tightly, as if holding a rare treasure that had been lost and found, only to be shattered once more.
This accident completely ignited all the fear and violence that had accumulated in his heart, and also made him more determined to have that almost crazy idea -
No matter what the cost, he must activate the Rama Cauldron as soon as possible.
I must not let the person in my arms endure such pain for even a moment longer.
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