Seeing Lin Yun lying motionless on the bed, Huo Zhen and the others grew frantic.
“Big Brother, wake up!”
Huo Zhen and the others called out repeatedly.
But their cries failed to rouse Lin Yun, making them realize the situation was far worse than they had imagined!
“Your Highness, what happened to the Prefecture Lord?” Huo Zhen quickly turned to Emperor Fire Cloud.
At his words, Liang Yuan, Wei Qi, Yang Wan, Du Yuanzi, and the Wanderer also looked to Emperor Fire Cloud, desperate to know what had happened.
In their urgency, they forgot to salute him.
“Lin Yun was poisoned with the demon clan’s soul-severing poison. Even I am powerless,” Emperor Fire Cloud said, shaking his head.
At this, Huo Zhen and the others froze in place.
To them, Lin Yun was like a god—seemingly omnipotent, always creating miracles.
In their eyes, Lin Yun would never fall!
But this time, their sky had collapsed…
“How could this be? My disciple is so formidable, how could this happen!” The Wanderer’s face paled, unable to believe it.
In his eyes, Lin Yun was also invincible.
Yu Ying, crying and shaking her head, said, “You all think he’s formidable, invincible even, but you don’t know how much effort he’s put in behind that facade, or the immense pressure he’s borne. He… he’s flesh and blood too. He… feels joy, sorrow, pain, and bleeds…”
By the end, Yu Ying was sobbing uncontrollably!
Hearing her words, Huo Zhen and the others—grown men—had red eyes, tears welling up.
Yes, Lin Yun was human too!
He always showed his strongest side to others, making them see his brilliance, his power, his invincibility!
But his journey from an unknown nobody on the cultivation continent to the East Yuan Prefecture Lord—how many knew the trials and tribulations he endured?
People saw his glory but not the suffering behind it.
The room fell silent, filled only with sobs and the wails of Lin Yun’s daughter.
After a moment of stillness, Emperor Fire Cloud spoke, “For the time being, stay with him. If he wakes, crush this jade slip to notify me.”
He flipped his hand, producing a jade slip and handing it to Yu Ying.
“Yes…” Yu Ying, her face streaked with tears, took the slip with trembling hands.
“I have matters to attend to,” Emperor Fire Cloud said, his gaze hardening.
With that, he turned and left.
Yu Ying returned to the bedside, clutching Lin Yun’s hand tightly. “Brother Yun, let me… let Ke Xin and me stay with you. You must wake up. You can’t… can’t abandon us!”
Her warm tears dripped onto Lin Yun’s hand.
“Daddy, don’t leave Ke Xin, please. Ke Xin… will listen to Daddy from now on!” Lin Ke Xin cried, holding Lin Yun’s hand, pleading desperately.
…
Meanwhile.
Demon Beast Mountains, Demon Commander’s Palace.
Celestial demon Di Jiang hurriedly entered the dimly lit hall.
The Demon Commander, shrouded in black mist, slowly looked up at Di Jiang, his faintly glowing eyes eerie.
“Di Jiang, how did it go?” the Demon Commander asked in a hoarse, low voice.
“Reporting to the Commander, the mission was a complete success! The soul-severing needle struck Lin Yun. He’s as good as dead!” Di Jiang said, smiling.
Di Jiang was elated. His previous assassination attempts on Lin Yun had failed, but this time, he had succeeded!
To him, Lin Yun was a lingering thorn in his heart.
Now, that thorn was finally removed!
Though he left immediately after the needle struck and didn’t see Lin Yun die, he wasn’t worried. The soul-severing poison was a grave threat even to many immortals, though injecting it into someone like Emperor Fire Cloud was difficult.
As for Lin Yun, no matter how strong he was, he hadn’t reached immortality. Di Jiang was certain that once the poison entered his body, Lin Yun’s death was inevitable!
“Well done! Since you’ve completed the task, I’ll keep my promise. I’ll assign you an important task next, but first, you’re rewarded with cultivation time at the Eclipse Altar,” the Demon Commander said.
“Thank you, Commander!” Di Jiang bowed excitedly.
…
Time passed, and four days had gone by.
Fire Cloud Empire, Divine Capital.
Dongguo Residence.
Dongguo Lie rushed into his father, Dongguo Wuji’s, study.
“Father, it’s confirmed. Lin Yun was poisoned with the demon clan’s soul-severing poison and hasn’t woken. He’s likely doomed,” Dongguo Lie said, his face beaming with joy.
“Soul-severing poison? That kid’s finished.”
Dongguo Wuji sneered, “Who would’ve thought a genius like him would fall to the demon clan.”
“Haha, this saves us the trouble. We’re reaping the benefits without lifting a finger,” Dongguo Lie laughed gleefully.
They had always seen Lin Yun as a thorn in their side, wanting him gone. But as Emperor Fire Cloud’s disciple, protected and powerful, they couldn’t touch him.
Now, without any effort, they could watch Lin Yun fall. They were thrilled!
“The demon clan really went all out, using soul-severing poison. Normally, they’d never waste it on a mere Ninth Transcending Tribulation realm cultivator,” Dongguo Wuji remarked.
“Father, if the poison is so potent, why hasn’t Lin Yun died yet? From what we’ve heard, he’s in a coma but still alive. Is the poison not strong enough?” Dongguo Lie asked, puzzled.
Dongguo Wuji smiled, shaking his head. “Rest assured, as far as I know, there’s no antidote for the soul-severing poison, not even among the demon clan. Once poisoned, death is certain. Even if he miraculously survives and wakes, the poison will remain, turning him into a cripple, and he won’t live long.”
“Father, in that case, I hope a miracle happens and he lives. Isn’t he a dazzling genius? If he wakes to find himself a cripple, it’ll be like falling from heaven to hell—more painful than death, haha!” Dongguo Lie laughed loudly.
