Reduced to a Cripple?

"Grandpa, I'm heading back." Qian Renxue sounded a little downcast. Without looking at Qian Daoliu again, she called out a farewell and headed down the mountain alone.

She was only nineteen, after all. She had never weathered great storms and could not hide what was in her heart.

Qian Daoliu opened his mouth, but in the end, he could not bring himself to explain. He only let out a long sigh.

Azure Luan Douluo and Light Feather Douluo exchanged a glance. Neither asked anything more, and they followed Qian Renxue down the mountain.

Golden Crocodile looked baffled. "Big Brother, what's wrong with the young mistress? She seems upset. Don't tell me the little young master bullied her."

From beginning to end, Golden Crocodile had known nothing about Qian Xunji.

Nor had anyone else in the Worship Hall. All these years, they had blamed Tang Hao for Qian Xunji's death.

"I imagine Zong'er told Xue'er more about the future, and it shook her." Qian Daoliu shook his head. Without explaining further, he pushed open the door. "Let's check on Zong'er first."

Some things were better known by as few people as possible.

"That makes sense. I never thought our descendants would meet such a miserable fate. Damn that Tang San!" Golden Crocodile paused, then followed Qian Daoliu inside with a regretful sigh. "It's a shame. The little young master's injuries have healed, but I'm afraid he'll never be able to cultivate again..."

Qian Zong was already out of bed, dressed in silk pajamas woven with gold thread. The fabric was warm and smooth as water to the touch, and plainly expensive.

It really brought that saying to life: in a rich man's home, even the underwear was trimmed with gold.

Qian Renxue's room was large, easily over a hundred square meters. Beyond the bed at the far end, it had everything from tables, chairs, and bookshelves to clothes racks and a dressing table, all arranged outside a low partition wall.

The partition wall stood not far from the bed, facing the door and shielding the bed from anyone looking in.

Potted plants and other decorations sat on a separate balcony.

Qian Zong put on his shoes and walked around the wooden partition just as Qian Daoliu and Golden Crocodile pushed the door open.

Pointing to the table and chairs, he greeted them. "Grandpa, Grandpa Golden Crocodile, come sit down."

Golden Crocodile stepped forward, pulled out a chair, and plopped into it. "Hahaha! Little young master, judging by your complexion, you've recovered well."

Qian Daoliu came over too. He pulled out the chair beside Golden Crocodile and sat down.

Qian Zong took three cups from the tea set on the table. He poured tea for Qian Daoliu and Golden Crocodile first, then filled a cup for himself and sat where Qian Renxue had been sitting earlier.

"Grandpa, Grandpa Golden Crocodile, did you come to see me about something?"

Golden Crocodile picked up his cup and drained it in one gulp. "Little young master, we did come to discuss something."

"Not yet, Second Brother." Qian Daoliu sipped his tea. "Zong'er, give me your hand. Let me examine you first."

Qian Zong could more or less guess why they had come. They wanted to hear about the future.

He merely smiled, then obediently held out his hand and rested it on the table.

After examining him, Qian Daoliu said, "Your body has recovered well, but the earlier injuries damaged your foundation. Even though I used Angel Divine Power to protect you, I couldn't rebuild your meridians."

Qian Daoliu sighed helplessly. "Zong'er, I'm afraid you won't be able to cultivate anymore."

His expression remained calm, but his spiritual power had already enveloped Qian Zong's entire body. If the news overwhelmed him, Qian Daoliu would intervene at once to keep his injuries from worsening.

For a Soul Master, being unable to cultivate was an immense torment.

For someone as gifted as Qian Zong, that torment would only be greater.

Qian Daoliu had worried that Qian Zong would not be able to bear it, so he had come as soon as Qian Zong woke. He had only stayed outside because he sensed Qian Renxue telling Qian Zong about the past.

Golden Crocodile sighed again and again.

Such fine talent, wasted because he could no longer cultivate. What a pity.

Qian Zong paused, then turned his palm upward. A faint wisp of Soul Power appeared above it. "But I can still use Soul Power."

Earlier, his meridians had been shattered and his internal organs damaged. He had been unable to call upon his Soul Power at all.

This was far better than before.

Qian Daoliu explained with a bitter smile:

"That's Innate Soul Power left in your body. It comes from the same source as your Martial Soul, so it dissipates slowly. When I used Angel Divine Power to heal you and reconnect your meridians, I sealed that Soul Power inside you."

Seeing that Qian Zong had not lost control of his emotions, Qian Daoliu breathed a sigh of relief and warned him:

"Zong'er, your meridians may look intact now, but they're actually very fragile. The Angel Divine Power I left inside you can only stabilize your injuries. A full recovery will take at least six months.

"Until then, you must not fight anyone."

Qian Zong's expression dimmed. He lifted his cup and took a sip of tea, carefully turning Qian Daoliu's words over in his mind.

In short:

Angel Divine Power was merely holding his body together. Recovery would depend on his own ability to heal.

His meridians were like a sheet of white paper torn to pieces and forcibly glued back together. They looked the same on the surface, but would fall apart at a touch.

Qian Zong spoke in a subdued voice. "Grandpa, can I still be a Soul Master?"

He had become a Soul King at thirteen. Even in this era, talent like that could crush the finest geniuses of his generation.

Qian Daoliu shook his head gently. "Difficult."

One word said everything about Qian Zong's situation.

"What about the Ye family's Nine Heart Begonia? Couldn't it help me recover?"

Qian Daoliu shook his head again:

"The Nine Heart Begonia's healing ability is powerful, but your shattered meridians are beyond what it can heal.

"And a few days ago, you were at death's door. To stabilize your injuries, I sealed a great deal of divine power inside your body.

"Right now, the highest-ranked wielder of the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul is only a Soul Emperor. Her Soul Power can't budge the divine power inside you."

Qian Daoliu had considered ways to treat Qian Zong, of course. But no matter how long he thought it over, he could find no way for Qian Zong to recover.

Qian Zong fell silent. At last, he let out a long sigh.

"Even Angel Divine Power and the Nine Heart Begonia are no use. Nirvana is my only option."

Great. I've only just started living the good life, and now I have to risk it all again to get my talent back.

At least healing will take time. I can enjoy myself for another six months!

"Zong'er, I'm glad you can see it that way."

Seeing that Qian Zong was not despairing, Qian Daoliu felt the stone weighing on his heart finally lift.

"Oh, right, Zong'er. There's an extremely evil and overbearing power in your heart. Even with Angel Divine Power, I couldn't drive it out. I could only seal it there." Qian Daoliu's gaze grew serious. "Zong'er, do you know what it is?"

Angel Divine Power had a holy nature that could dispel evil.

Yet after Qian Daoliu sensed the evil power in Qian Zong's heart, every attempt to disperse or guide it away had failed. As though it had a mind of its own, it kept resisting the Angel Divine Power and refused to leave Qian Zong's heart.

With no other choice, Qian Daoliu had settled for sealing it.

"It's a long story, Grandpa. Can you tell what my Soul Power Level was before I got hurt?"

"Judging by your physical strength, you must have reached Soul Ancestor."