The Qin Family Head's Residence was in chaos.
"Family Head!"
"Family Head, how are you?"
Qin Xiongfeng and the other Qin elders hurried to Qin Yuntian's side. Qin Xiongfeng caught him and held him up, his face full of worry.
"Yuntian."
Tears blurred Qi Yuelan's eyes. Seeing Qin Yuntian's pale face and his breath growing weaker by the moment felt like a knife twisting in her heart.
"I'm fine. I'm fine, cough, cough..." Qin Yuntian struggled to stay on his feet. He tried to speak, but after just a few words, violent coughs seized him.
Every cough sent excruciating pain through all his meridians.
A brief check of his body made his heart sink. His Dantian was damaged, and his meridians were broken inch by inch.
His cultivation had fallen from the Saint Martial Realm First Layer to the True Martial Realm Ninth Layer, and it was still dropping.
He could not stop it.
"Yuelan, I'm all right. That man came... because of Hao'er." Qin Yuntian drew a deep breath and forced the words out through the pain.
"I know, I know. Don't talk. The Third Elder will be here soon. She's an Inner Gate elder of the Myriad Phenomena Hall. She must have Healing Pills."
Qi Yuelan spoke through tears.
Qin Xiongfeng and the others exchanged stunned, worried looks. The mysterious expert had come to Tianshui City because of Qin Hao, and Qin Yuntian's injuries were worse than they had feared.
Apart from Qin Hao, Qin Yuntian had the highest cultivation in the Qin family: the Saint Martial Realm First Layer.
The Qin family had begun to show signs of becoming one of the Southern Reach's foremost families. If Qin Yuntian fell, the consequences would be unthinkable.
And yet...
With the Blackwater Grand Formation sealing off Tianshui City, the