My Ares Son-in-Law

"Hiss..." He gasped, his heavy breath hitting the pill's surface with barely suppressed heat. He had completely forgotten about the dying Lin Zhenghao on the ground; he picked up a pill between his fingers, hesitated for only half a second, then tilted his head back and swallowed it whole!
The elixir melted upon entering the mouth, transforming into a warm yet immensely powerful current, rushing straight to the limbs and bones like a surging river!

In an instant, Zhao Ruixiang felt that the bottleneck of his cultivation, which had been as solid as a rock for many years, was emitting a "buzzing" vibration, as if it was about to shatter at any moment!
The hidden injuries and chronic ailments accumulated in the body for decades were enveloped and soothed by the warm current, and the soreness disappeared, leaving only a comfort that penetrated to the bone marrow! The true energy in the dantian surged wildly like boiling oil that had been ignited, and its circulation speed increased by more than five times!
"Ugh...!" Zhao Ruixiang couldn't help but let out a low moan of extreme pleasure. Every pore on his body opened up. He closed his eyes to meditate for only three seconds before suddenly opening them. His eyes shone brightly, almost piercing the darkness of the secret room, and his face flushed with a morbidly ecstatic blush.

"Good! Good! Good!" he shouted three times, his voice hoarse and trembling with excitement. He grabbed Zhao Peng's arm with such force that he almost crushed the other's bones, causing Zhao Peng to grimace in pain but not daring to utter a sound.

"This pill is incredibly effective, far surpassing the ancestral secrets of my Qingyang Sword Sect by a hundred times! If we can trace the source of this pill and obtain the formula, how can our family not prosper? In time, the entire martial arts world of the Western Region will revere my Qingyang Sword Sect! Ao Tianchen? The Lü family? They will be nothing but ants beneath my feet!"

His burning, almost manic gaze suddenly fixed on Lin Zhenghao, who was lying on the ground.

The feigned compassion he had shown moments before had vanished, replaced by an all-consuming greed. He crouched down, holding a pill in front of Lin Zhenghao's eyes, his voice deliberately softened, yet unable to conceal the impatience in his eyes:
"Lin Zhenghao, tell me, where did this pill come from? Just tell me, and I will immediately invite the best martial arts physicians in the country to save you with the most precious spiritual medicine. Your injury may still have a chance to turn around."

Lin Zhenghao's unfocused eyes struggled to move, looking at the face filled with desire, his chapped lips moving as if he had something to say.

Zhao Ruixiang immediately leaned forward, his ear almost touching his mouth.

"Heh...heh heh..." Lin Zhenghao only let out two broken gasps from his throat, filled with endless mockery and determination, before his head lolled to the side and he completely lost consciousness.

Zhao Ruixiang's face instantly turned ashen, his knuckles white as he gripped the pill, and his eyes flashed as if he were plotting something.

Outside the secret room, the sky was already as dark as ink, with a strong wind whipping up the rolling clouds and the faint rumble of thunder.

Inside the sealed room, the heavy stench of blood mingled eerily with the cool, strange fragrance of medicinal pills, creating a chilling atmosphere.

After a brief moment of unconsciousness, Lin Zhenghao slowly regained his breath, and a sliver of clarity returned to his unfocused pupils. No matter how Zhao Ruixiang threatened or tempted him, he simply closed his eyes and gasped for breath, blood foam continuously seeping from the corner of his mouth, using silence to build an unbreakable barrier, shutting out all greedy prying eyes.

"Sect Master!" Zhao Peng stepped forward, lowering his voice, his tone filled with barely concealed excitement, "I noticed during our fight yesterday that this traitor's strength had increased by an extraordinary amount! In just a few days, he was able to fight me for a hundred moves without being at a disadvantage... He must be hiding an extraordinary opportunity!"

Zhao Ruixiang's eyes gleamed even brighter, like a venomous snake spotting its prey.

He squatted down again, his voice slow and gentle, yet unable to conceal the burning greed deep within: "Lin Zhenghao, tell me, where did your sudden increase in cultivation come from? If you're willing to tell me, I will not only use all of my family's wealth to heal you, but I will also allow you to return to the Qingyang Sword Sect and regain your position as an elder. How about it?"

Lin Zhenghao's eyelids trembled slightly as he slowly opened them. His once bright and piercing eyes were now bloodshot, yet still clear and resolute, carrying a disdainful air as if looking down upon ants.

He smirked, a bloodthirsty, sarcastic smile spreading across his face: "Zhao Ruixiang... some things are not for a coward like you to covet. Be careful... you might bring trouble upon yourself and destroy the last vestiges of the Qingyang Sword Sect's foundation. Ha, how glorious the Qingyang Sword Sect was back then, the leader of the West... now reduced to this state, all because of your short-sighted foolishness!" "Insolence!" Zhao Ruixiang's expression changed drastically, his palm surging with internal energy as he raised his hand to strike!

"Sect Master! What are you doing?!"

A furious shout suddenly rang out, and Elder Hai stumbled into the secret chamber. When he saw Lin Zhenghao lying on the ground, barely recognizable as a human and covered in blood, his face turned deathly pale, and a chill ran down his spine.

Although he knew the martial arts world was cruel, he still couldn't help but feel chilled to the bone after witnessing Lin Zhenghao, with whom he had worked for decades and made great contributions to the Qingyang Sword Sect, being tortured to this extent.

"Why did you do this?!" Elder Hai's voice trembled as he immediately pulled out his phone to dial an emergency number.

"Snapped!"

A gust of wind swept through the air, instantly snatching the phone away and slamming it heavily into Zhao Ruixiang's palm. He clenched his fingers tightly, and with a crisp "crack," the steel-made phone instantly twisted and deformed, its parts shattering and scattering, turning into a pile of scrap metal.

Zhao Ruixiang's face was ashen, his gaze sharp as a knife as he looked at Elder Hai: "Everything I have done is for the survival of the Qingyang Sword Sect and the revival of my family! Elder Hai, if you continue to be so reckless and interfere with important matters, I will lock you in the cold cave in the back mountain for three years to reflect on your mistakes!"

Elder Hai looked at his unfamiliar and ferocious face, all her arguments stuck in her throat, and in the end she could only sigh helplessly. She shook her head, silently looked at Lin Zhenghao, and said with a guilty voice, "Old Lin, I'm sorry, I can't help you."

A complex warmth flickered in Lin Zhenghao's cloudy eyes as he gave an almost imperceptible nod to his old friend.

Just then, Zhao Ruixiang's phone suddenly vibrated.

He glanced at the text messages on the screen, and a chilling smile slowly spread across his gloomy face.

He bent down again and patted Lin Zhenghao's twisted face with his blood-stained hand, his voice mocking like a cat playing with a mouse: "Lin Zhenghao, guess what I just found out? That Xiao Chen actually called and said he wants to come to our Qingyang Sword Sect in person to 'demand someone'!"

Lin Zhenghao's pupils suddenly contracted! Mr. Xiao... Mr. Xiao is actually coming to save him?!
"You bastard! Zhao Ruixiang!" He roared hoarsely, a surge of astonishing power erupting from him, his eyes flashing with a terrifying light. "You have no idea what kind of existence you're provoking! If Mr. Xiao wanted to destroy your Qingyang Sword Sect, it would be as easy as snapping his fingers! You're courting death! You're bringing disaster upon the entire Qingyang Sword Sect!"

"Destroy my Qingyang Sword Sect? In the blink of an eye? Hahaha...!"

Zhao Ruixiang burst into laughter as if he'd heard the funniest joke in the world, laughing so hard he was doubled over, tears welling in his eyes. Zhao Bei, Zhao Peng, and even several core experts from the Qingyang Sword Sect around him joined in the laughter, filling the secret room with unbridled mockery and disdain. (End of Chapter)