The Final Voice

"Of course, please take a look, Old Madam!"

With a broad smile, Shentu Nantian instructed the Maidservant beside the Old Madam to present the Empress's relics.

The Old Madam picked up the relic with her index finger and thumb and placed it in the sunlight. The ring-shaped relic immediately became crystal clear, like a thumb ring made of celestial jade. In particular, the small snake on the surface of the relic revealed an omnipresent spirituality.

"What a fine relic!"

The elders of the Lin family praised it highly, and the Old Madam opened her Heavenly Eye, immersed her spiritual power into it, and nodded slightly, extremely satisfied.

With her senses, she could feel the fiery energy flowing within the pill, pure Pure Yang Power of the extreme.

Seeing the Old Madam's expression, Yi Yun's heart sank slightly.

He had hoped that the Old Madam would discover the unusual nature of the relic, but he was disappointed.

The Old Madam's understanding of the Savage Heaven Technique was undoubtedly excellent, but that understanding was limited to the existing Savage Heaven Technique inheritances in the Tianyuan Realm. As for the ancient Savage Heaven Technique, the Old Madam did not know much about them.

The problem with this relic isn't that the Shentu Family poisoned it, but rather that the ancient Savage Heaven Technique itself is extremely dangerous!

If the Shentu Family had poisoned it, the Old Madam would naturally have been able to detect it. However, the Ancient Savage Heaven Technique was a field the Old Madam had never been exposed to, so she couldn't see the flaws in the relic at all.

This made Yi Yun's expression turn somewhat unpleasant. If the Old Madam had figured it out, everything would have been easy, but unfortunately, she also highly approved of this relic.

"Good!" The Old Madam's face was full of kind smiles. "The Shentu Family has really gone to great lengths!"

After seeing the relic, the Old Madam's attitude towards Shentu Nantian became much more cordial, just like an elder to a younger person.

This attitude greatly excited Shentu Nantian.

"This is what we should do. The two parties in this alliance should trust each other and work together for the future."

As Shentu Nantian spoke, his gaze fell on Lin Xin Tong again. "Xin Tong, don't you think so?"

Now that he was certain that his marriage to Lin Xin Tong was a done deal, Shentu Nantian began to address Lin Xin Tong with increasing affection.

This form of address caused Lin Xin Tong to furrow her brows slightly.

She didn't answer, but even the Old Madam was dissatisfied with her reaction, not to mention the elders of the Shentu Family and Lin Xin Tong's great-aunt who supported the Shentu Family.

After all, the Empress's relic that cured Lin Xin Tong's congenital incurable Fatal Meridian is right before their eyes. This opportunity cannot be missed!

Previously, the Old Madam, considering Lin Xin Tong's own wishes, wanted to delay the matter to see if there would be a change in the situation.

But now, Shentu Nantian's description of these twelve pills has blocked any way out.

If we don't try this relic today, we won't have the chance again. It's tantamount to rejecting the Shentu Family.

The Old Madam dared not take such a risk, because if she missed this opportunity, it would be extremely difficult to cure Lin Xin Tong incurable Fatal Meridian in the future.

Savage Bone Relic of this caliber, made using an ancient secret formula, is something the Lin family could never possibly produce.

"Xin Tong!"

The Old Madam's voice became somewhat stern.

At this moment, Shentu Nantian also said, "Miss Xin Tong, it's not that I'm forcing you. As I've already said before, after my Shentu Family refined this Empress Relic, in order to prevent its medicinal properties from being lost, we specially crafted a relic box made of Primordial Purple Gold to hold it, and then placed seven seals on the relic box!"

"These seven seals are all extraordinary, but even so, within the Primordial Purple Gold reliquary, the Empress's relic can only be preserved for a year. Now that I have opened the reliquary, the relic can only be stored for less than half an hour. Its medicinal properties are gradually diminishing, and the longer it remains, the lower its efficacy will be!"

Shentu Nantian's words were the final straw that broke the camel's back. The Lin family elders who had been hesitant all sided with the Shentu Family.

Even Su Jie sighed and shook his head helplessly, using his spiritual energy to transmit his voice to Lin Xin Tong, saying, "Xin Tong, it is my incompetence that I could not find the divine medicine to restore your Fatal Meridian. Moreover, even if I were given another five hundred years, I would have no confidence. Now that the Shentu Family has found it, it is probably fate. Sometimes, for certain things, one must indeed pay a price..."

"Master..." Lin Xin Tong turned her head slightly to look at Su Jie, her eyes, as clear as autumn water, seemed to hold a thousand words. "You think so too?"

Su Jie sighed, "We martial artists practice martial arts to defy fate, but... looking at the Tianyuan Realm over the past hundred million years, how many people truly have the right to say they have surpassed the heavens?"

"To defy fate is not just a simple, boastful statement; it requires enduring countless years of hardship and humiliation, honing oneself step by step, gradually reaching the Martial Dao Peak, before one can truly say—'Man can conquer nature.' A fine sword is forged through tempering; no one is born to conquer fate..."

Su Jie spoke sincerely, reflecting on his profound understanding gained from a lifespan of thirty thousand years.

The seemingly slick and frivolous Su Jie of today was, in his youth, Su Jie talent in both martial arts and the Savage Heaven Technique far surpassed that of his peers. Wasn't he also a spirited and arrogant chosen one of heaven?

But slowly, his experiences in martial arts and the path of life gradually transformed Su Jie into the person he is today, playing the game of the world.

Lin Xin Tong took a deep breath and gave a slight, bitter smile.

Two years ago, when she returned to her Lineage, she heard that the Shentu Family wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Lin family, and that she would marry Shentu Nantian. Her first reaction was that it was absurd. Lin Xin Tong believed that given the relationship between the Lin family and the Shentu Family at the time, as well as her understanding of Shentu Nantian, this was absolutely impossible.

At that time, many elders of the Lin family also stood on Lin Xin Tong's side.

But two years later, today, there is no one left standing by her side.

Even the Old Madam, who had always doted on her, and Su Jie, who regarded her as her own daughter, turned to support this marriage alliance.

However, the Old Madam and Su Jie and their ilk did not actually submit to the Shentu Family, but rather to fate—to yield to the will of Heaven!

For a warrior to yield to the enemy is a disgrace.

It's quite normal for martial artists to submit to fate.

As Su Jie said, looking at the Tianyuan Realm over the past hundred million years, how many people dare to say they have surpassed the heavens?

Lin Xin Tong shook her head slightly in her heart, stood up, and knew that at this moment, no one would support her anymore.

She opened her mouth slightly, as if about to say something.

Just then, a faint voice rang out from a corner of the venue.

The voice was somewhat familiar to her, yet different from what she remembered—

"Wait! I have something to say."

Lin Xin Tong was startled and turned her head. She saw a Youth in Green stand up from his chair about ten feet away.

He wore a cold, silver mask with two blood lines around the eyes, making him look somewhat ferocious. However, at this moment, this ferocious yet cold mask brought Lin Xin Tong boundless warmth.

Feeling Lin Xin Tong's gaze, Yi Yun nodded solemnly.

This small gesture made Lin Xin Tong understand that Yi Yun wanted to say something to support her.

This surprised Lin Xin Tong slightly. In her most helpless moment, when no one, including Su Jie and the Old Madam, supported her anymore, this young man stood up and spoke a different voice...

Even though Lin Xin Tong knew in her heart that this boy could do nothing and change nothing, it was enough for Lin Xin Tong that he stood up and made a sound.

The sound was like a tiny, insignificant candle flame in the long, dark night of winter.

It doesn't bring much warmth or light, much less spring or dawn, but it...

It brought hope.

Lin Xin Tong looked at Yi Yun, through the mask, into his eyes, and saw her own reflection in his dark pupils.

She still remembered what Yi Yun had said to her that night at the victory celebration.

She had no idea that on that night in the Barren Human Valley two years ago, Yi Yun had already vowed to find a way to restore her severed Fatal Meridian.

Even though the possibility of finding a solution was still slim, he persevered and, at this time, faced with the dual pressure from the Shentu Family and the Lin family, voiced a different opinion despite his insignificant status.

This inexplicably touched Lin Xin Tong's heart.

"Thank you, but... no need."

Lin Xin Tong slightly and transmitted her voice to Yi Yun.

She knew that under these circumstances, Yi Yun couldn't change anything.

Moreover, if he speaks inappropriately, it will bring him disaster.

After all, this was a decision made by the two major Lineage. In such a setting, under the pressure of the elders, if Yi Yun were to casually express his opinions, it would anger some people.

To put it bluntly, given his position, he actually has no right to speak.

Shentu Nantian, in particular, harbors murderous intent towards Yi Yun. If the Lin family has already finalized its cooperation with the Shentu Family, Shentu Nantian will also have considerable influence within the Lin family, which will put Yi Yun in great danger.

"Um?"

Suddenly interrupted, Shentu Nantian's face darkened, and he turned to look at the source of the voice.

Upon seeing Yi Yun, Shentu Nantian's blood surged; it was actually... this kid!

He vividly remembered Yi Yun's mask. Although his failure at the Savage Heaven Technique Tea Party had nothing to do with Yi Yun, Shentu Nantian had already linked the mask to his failure.

The moment he saw Yi Yun, he was reminded of that defeat, and the scene before that defeat when Yi Yun directly contradicted his words—a humiliation he would never forget!

Thank you all for your concern. It's not that writing is difficult; it's just that the long-term stress makes me prone to insomnia, and when I can't sleep, I feel very tired the next day. Yesterday, I actually wrote over two thousand words before bed, but I wasn't satisfied with it, so I didn't post it. Today, although I still slept during the day, the sleep quality was very good. After rewriting most of it, I'm quite satisfied with the final product.

[The silkworm cocoons will be adjusted accordingly.]

...(To be continued~^~)