"Alas!
What a foolish girl!"
Old Monster Tang stroked Tang Rou'er's hair with deep affection, then turned to Gu Qingfeng. "Gu kid, lend a hand. Can you help Rou'er live a few more years?"
"What do you mean, 'a few more years'? Why be so pessimistic?"
"Rou'er has an Extreme Body after all, and a rare Pure Yin Extreme Body at that. Throughout history, how many with Pure Yin Extreme Bodies have died young? How can I not be pessimistic?
All I hope for now is that Heaven will let Rou'er live a little longer."
"Praying to Heaven is less useful than praying to me."
"Am I not begging you right now? As long as you can make Rou'er live a few more years, I'll do anything you ask."
"Really?"
"Gu kid, believe me, I've never begged anyone as earnestly as I am today. Should I kneel for you?"
"Forget it."
Gu Qingfeng looked at Tang Rou'er and said, "If I intervene, it's not impossible. However, the little girl is already very weak. Her life flame is barely flickering; she simply can't withstand any more torment. There's no need to extend her life further—doing so would only kill her. In my opinion, it's better to help her resolve it completely. It'll spare the little girl further suffering."
As Gu Qingfeng spoke, Old Monster Tang immediately became anxious and roared angrily, "What do you mean, 'no need to extend her life'?
Gu kid, you bastard!
I asked you to intervene to help extend Rou'er's life, not to kill her!"
Tang Manqing chimed in, "Great-Grandfather, he is not the Monarch. Don't beg him anymore."
Then she shouted at Gu Qingfeng, "I warn you, if you dare harm a single hair on Rou'er, I, Tang Manqing, will never let you go!"
On the other side,
Gu Qingfeng was truly at a loss for words. "What are you all thinking? When did I say I'd kill Rou'er?"
"You brat just said Rou'er doesn't need her life extended anymore, and in your opinion, it's better to kill Rou'er?
To spare her the pain?"
Old Monster Tang berated furiously, "You've got some nerve, Gu Tianlang! Regardless of everything, you and Henghe shared a past affection, and I even saved you once. It's fine if you won't help, but to actually suggest killing Rou'er? How can you be so heartless!"
"Old Monster Tang, Old Monster Tang, why do you hear the words but not the meaning?"
Gu Qingfeng said helplessly, "When I said 'resolve it completely,' I didn't mean killing Rou'er. I meant helping her awaken her Pure Yin Extreme Body! How could you, you old scoundrel, think I wanted to kill her?"
Old Monster Tang was stunned, doubting his own ears. He asked again, "What did you say?
You want to help Rou'er awaken her Pure Yin Extreme Body?"
"That's right."
"But that's a Pure Yin Extreme Body."
The Pure Yin Extreme Body was an exceedingly rare physique between Heaven and Earth, recorded throughout history. Ancient texts noted that those with such a physique seldom lived long. Though legends said that if an Extreme Body awakened, not only could the bearer survive, but they would also possess terrifying, peerless power.
But legends were just legends.
Whether they were true or false, no one knew.
How to awaken an Extreme Body, or the method of awakening, was even more unknown.
Hearing now that Gu Qingfeng seemed to have a way to help Tang Rou'er awaken her Pure Yin Extreme Body, Old Monster Tang found it hard to believe.
"It's just a Pure Yin Extreme Body. I was fortunate enough to meet one in the past, so I have some understanding of the thing. Helping Rou'er awaken shouldn't be difficult."
"Really?"
Old Monster Tang looked utterly excited. "You're not lying to me, are you?"
"Nonsense! Why would I lie to you?
However, we'll have to wait a while. My body is still a bit weak right now. I'll intervene after I've recovered a bit more."
"No hurry!
No hurry!
You recover first!
We can talk after you've recovered. We're in no rush...
Hehe!
No rush!"
Perhaps this news made Old Monster Tang too happy; he was so agitated he became incoherent. Excitedly, he said to Tang Rou'er, "Rou'er, did you hear that? You're saved!
Gu kid says he has a way to help you awaken your Pure Yin Extreme Body! Hahaha!
Truly, Heaven has eyes!"
Old Monster Tang was overjoyed, but Tang Manqing beside him grew anxious. She hurriedly said, "Great-Grandfather, he is not the Monarch. How can you casually let him intervene with Rou'er? What if he harms her? Great-Grandfather, have you gone senile..."
"Impudence!"
Old Monster Tang's furious shout genuinely startled Tang Manqing.
"You stubborn girl! How many times have I told you this kid is Gu Tianlang? Why won't you believe it!
Hurry up and kneel to apologize to Gu kid! How dare you..."
"What?
You want me to kneel and apologize?"
Tang Manqing was on the verge of tears. Just as she was about to speak, Old Monster Tang roared at her again, "Kneel and beg forgiveness! Gu kid is your elder and a benefactor of our Yanluo royal family! How can you, you stubborn girl, be so disrespectful!"
"I..." Tang Manqing could see that her great-grandfather wasn't joking; he was truly angry. But she simply didn't believe Gu Qingfeng was Lord Chixiao, so how could she kneel to a fraud?
"Hey!
You stubborn girl, defying me now? I haven't settled the score with you for calling me senile earlier, and now you dare disobey your great-grandfather!
Looks like you need a beating!"
Old Monster Tang acted as soon as he spoke, delivering a series of heavy punches to Tang Manqing's back. Seeing this, Gu Qingfeng quickly interjected, "Alright, that's enough. Just make a point; no need to actually hit her."
"Gu kid, please don't mind her. Manqing has a stubborn temper and is young and ignorant. When her father returns, I'll have him deal with her."
Gu Qingfeng waved his hand, indicating it was unnecessary. He didn't say anything more. After bidding farewell, he left.
Watching Gu Qingfeng's departing figure, Old Monster Tang was as happy as could be. Rou'er's condition had always been a burden on his heart. Now that this burden was about to be lifted, Old Monster Tang's mood naturally lightened considerably. He nearly wanted to throw back his head and roar, telling everyone of his excitement.
"That Gu Tianlang kid is truly a great benefactor, a great savior of our Yanluo royal family!
!!"
Old Monster Tang sighed to the heavens. "Henghe, I must thank you for this. If not for the karma you formed with Gu kid back then, we likely wouldn't have today's result. But you suffered for it...
Now Gu kid has returned, and it seems he still remembers you fondly. But you, where are you now?
Is it you impersonating Gu Tianlang in our Yanluo? If it is, come out quickly. Don't let this kid run away again. You missed your chance once; don't miss it this time."
Beside him,
Tang Manqing stood there disconsolately, her face crestfallen, filled with as much anger as could be.
Of course,
she wasn't angry at Old Monster Tang for hitting her, but at Gu Qingfeng—at this fellow who had somehow made her great-grandfather utterly convinced of his identity.
Beyond anger, there was more worry.
The relationship between the Immortal Dynasty and the Yanluo royal family was currently very sensitive, and Gu Qingfeng was a wanted criminal of the Immortal Dynasty. Once his identity was exposed, the Yanluo royal family would undoubtedly be implicated. But that wasn't her greatest worry. What worried her most was that not only did her great-grandfather believe this fellow was the Monarch, but he also planned to let him intervene to treat Rou'er.
Letting a fake Monarch treat Rou'er—what difference was there between that and finding a quack doctor? Wouldn't it just kill Rou'er?
Tang Manqing initially wanted to persuade him further, but after some thought, she decided against it. She could see that her great-grandfather simply wouldn't listen to her. Now, she could only hope her parents would return quickly. Once they were back, they could expose this fellow's true face.