Chapter 221: Follow Me!
Gu Moning closed her eyes, showing no intention of flinching.
Zhao Dong's expression changed, and just as he was about to step in, the fruit knife in Li Xiaoran's hand clattered powerlessly to the ground, her face stricken with grief.
Gu Moning slowly opened her eyes and choked out, "Xiaoran, why didn't you do it?"
Li Xiaoran wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, gave a self-deprecating smile, and said hoarsely, "Gu Moning, just go..."
Gu Moning hesitated. "Xiaoran, have you... forgiven us?"
Li Xiaoran's eyes were lifeless as she suddenly clutched her head with a pained expression, fresh tears streaming down her face. "I can't do it... I just can't do it! Gu Moning, get out, just get out! I never want to see you again!"
Gu Moning also began to cry, holding Li Xiaoran tightly. "Xiaoran, I know you're hurting. I'm sorry... I'm truly sorry!"
This time, Li Xiaoran and Gu Moning wept bitterly in each other's arms. After a long while, they let go. Li Xiaoran, her face streaked with tears, said, "Gu Moning, I've come to understand..."
"Xiaoran, what have you understood?"
With tears welling in her eyes, Li Xiaoran said, "Killing you, wiping out the Gu Family, won't bring my parents back! All I want is for your entire Gu Family to do one thing: visit my parents' graves every Mid-Autumn Festival and Qingming Festival! Can you do that?"
Tears streaming down her face, Gu Moning nodded fervently.
Li Xiaoran closed her eyes, a fresh tear sliding down her cheek as she murmured, Dad, Mom... your daughter is useless. I can't bring myself to do it... If you are aware in the netherworld, surely you would understand your daughter, right?
Opening her eyes, Li Xiaoran managed a wretched smile and looked at Zhao Dong, her voice hoarse. "Brother Zhao Dong, I'm a bad person. It was me who wanted to ruin the Gu Family. Just kill me."
Zhao Dong spoke slowly. "If it were before, I wouldn't have let you go. But now..." He sighed softly. "Xiaoran, let go of the hatred in your heart and live a good life from now on. You're a good girl; you shouldn't be held back by the past. You have a long future ahead of you. If you're willing, you can come back with me."
Li Xiaoran's body trembled as she looked at him and murmured, "Really, Brother Zhao Dong?"
Zhao Dong nodded vigorously and smiled. "There's no need for me to spell out our relationship. Do you think I have any reason to lie to you?"
Li Xiaoran suddenly remembered that upstairs, Zhao Dong had taken her, and she was now his woman.
A complex look filled her eyes, and she choked back a sob. "Brother Zhao Dong, I'll go with you, but I want to stay here for one day. I want to accompany my parents one last time. You guys go back first."
Zhao Dong sighed softly, took out a pen and paper, wrote down his contact information and phone number, and handed it to her. "Xiaoran, contact me when you get to the city. Got it?"
With red-rimmed eyes, Li Xiaoran said, "Got it, Brother Zhao Dong!"
Zhao Dong nodded and pinched her cheek, sighing inwardly. He could tell that Li Xiaoran was actually a very sensible and kind girl, and so beautiful at that. Yet because of an accident, she had gone down a path of no return. Now that he had the means to help her, he was naturally willing to do so.
Li Xiaoran went back inside. Zhao Dong looked at Gu Moning, and they exchanged a glance, both sighing.
Suddenly, Zhao Dong's face contorted, a look of agony spreading across his features!
Gu Moning asked anxiously, "Zhao Dong, what's wrong?"
Zhao Dong waved his hand and sat down cross-legged. Enduring the pain, he took out the two Heavenly Yuan Pills he had refined earlier and swallowed them both!
In an instant, Zhao Dong's aura underwent a drastic transformation!
He was already on the verge of a breakthrough. Although he seemed unharmed after fighting the man in black, he had indeed been injured! After all, that man in black was a sixth-level Grandmaster, an extremely powerful expert!
Zhao Dong had been suppressing his injuries, and when they suddenly flared up, he had no choice but to take the pills to heal himself!
Soon, wisps of Spiritual Energy wrapped around Zhao Dong's body and finally seeped into him! His entire body, his bones and flesh, underwent earth-shattering changes, becoming seven to eight times more resilient than before! The injured meridians rapidly repaired themselves! Even the egg-sized Dantian in his lower abdomen more than doubled in size, surrounded by rich Spiritual Energy that coursed throughout his body!
Zhao Dong's aura climbed higher and higher until finally, he snapped his eyes open, let out a low roar, and threw a punch!
The force of the punch tore through the air, stirring up a strong gust of wind outside!
Zhao Dong's eyes shone, flashing with a sharp light, and he was overjoyed!
Success! The Seventh Layer of Qi Refinement! I've actually broken through two consecutive layers to reach the Seventh Layer of Qi Refinement. I'm now strong enough to contend with a seventh-level, or even an eighth-level Grandmaster! In East Sea, an eighth-level Grandmaster is considered among the absolute top tier! I am now nearly at the summit of East Sea's experts. On the Heaven and Earth Rankings, I could probably rank second or third!
Zhao Dong clenched his fists, his fighting spirit soaring!
Hong Wu, I will destroy you sooner or later! Yafei, wait for me!
Nearby, Gu Moning looked at Zhao Dong with amazement, sensing an indescribable new aura about him! This aura made her heart race and even made her feel a little shy!
She found herself too embarrassed to look at Zhao Dong. His features had become sharper and more defined; he was truly handsome!
Gu Moning bit her lip, glanced at Zhao Dong again, and her face flushed slightly as she quickly looked away, trying to calm herself.
What's wrong with me... Why am I having such a strange reaction...?
Zhao Dong, oblivious to her strange behavior, smiled and said, "Shall we go back, Miss Gu?"
Gu Moning bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Oh... okay!"
The two tidied up the ancestral home and drove off. Zhao Dong had wanted to ask Li Xiaoran to come along, but she said she wanted to stay and spend more time with her parents, promising she would find him on her own later. Zhao Dong didn't press the issue and left with Gu Moning.
On the way back, they passed through a small town. Seeing that it was getting late and a light rain was falling, Zhao Dong glanced at a roadside stall and asked, "Hungry? Want to stop and get something to eat?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Moning's stomach growled audibly, and her pretty face instantly turned red. After an afternoon of rushing around, she was indeed rather hungry.
"Sure, let's get some noodles," Gu Moning agreed.
Zhao Dong smiled, parked the car nearby, and they walked over to a roadside stall. They each ordered a bowl of noodles, which arrived quickly, and they began to eat.
As Zhao Dong ate, he glanced around. This was considered a small town, and while not densely populated, it was the most bustling area in the entire mountain region. There were a few small businesses along the road, with a handful of patrons scattered at the stalls.
Zhao Dong had just taken a few bites when he noticed two more people approaching, a man and a woman.
He looked over and his brows furrowed. The woman was Song Zixuan, and the man was her senior martial brother, Kuang Tianhao—the one she had called to attack him last time!
The memory of Kuang Tianhao humiliating and stepping on him was still vivid!
Zhao Dong's eyes turned cold in an instant. Last time, Kuang Tianhao was a seventh-level Grandmaster, so I was no match for him! But now, I'm fully capable of fighting an eighth-level Grandmaster. I can easily crush Kuang Tianhao underfoot!
Just then, Kuang Tianhao also spotted Zhao Dong. He froze for a second, then burst out laughing with utter scorn. "Well, well, if it isn't the piece of trash I beat up last time. What a coincidence. You're here too?"