Chapter Thirty-Two: Memories Before My Eyes

A crisp clang of metal rang out as the sinister black needle fell to the ground, struck down. The sturdy diamond arena floor instantly sizzled and smoked where the needle landed. Fatty Gu, reeling from the blow, staggered back several steps, his movements disordered and unsteady; unable to keep his balance, he was about to fall flat on his back.

At that moment, several figures flashed onto the dueling platform in the blink of an eye. The worried Fifth Uncle Gu rushed forward to catch Fatty Gu before he could collapse.

"Changqing, how are you?"

The question burst out in anxious urgency from Gu Zaizuo, who simultaneously swept his divine sense over Fatty Gu again and again, checking him from head to toe.

...

"How dare you, Zeng Hu! You would harm your own fellow disciple..."

In the next instant, Elder Gongsun, furious to the extreme, kicked Zeng Hu in hatred, sending him flying to the very edge of the platform.

"My adopted son, Gongsun Shan—did he die by your hand?!"

"You want to die? It's not that easy..."

With a wave of his large hand, Elder Gongsun seized Zeng Hu and lifted him up as if he weighed nothing. He shoved a precious life-saving pill straight into Zeng Hu's mouth, forcing him to swallow it, his bloodless lips trembling as he bit out each word with rage.

He immediately began a soul search. With every memory he uncovered, Elder Gongsun's face grew darker with fury until, overwhelmed with anger, he coughed up blood.

This elder had once had an exceptionally talented disciple—a gentle, clever youth who progressed rapidly and whom he eventually adopted as his own son. He cherished him dearly, treating him even better than his own child. But disaster struck a year and a half ago. During a tearful examination, the elder discovered a black needle identical in make to the one found here, lodged in the battered skull of his beloved disciple.

To reach such a level of cultivation and power required extraordinary talent and intellect. Therefore, when the scene unfolded before them, many things became self-evident.

...

"No wonder! No wonder you insisted so stubbornly on going out to train a year ago..."

"I thought you were being diligent and ambitious, nothing more. I was even pleased..."

"How laughable! How utterly ridiculous... how tragic!"

...

Elder Kong, his mind in turmoil, stood motionless upon the platform, aged decades in an instant. He made no move to stop Elder Gongsun’s vengeful kick, nor did he spare a single glance for his disciple, Zeng Hu, who was now barely clinging to life.

...

"What was that black needle Senior Brother Zeng spat out just now?"

"Silence. He’s not worthy of being called Senior Brother! He doesn’t deserve the title!"

"It looked familiar... Now I remember, it’s exactly like the one found in Senior Brother Gongsun Shan from our Second Peak a year ago."

"So that's why Elder Gongsun was so furious!"

"Poor Elder Gongsun. Since then, no one from our Second Peak or any other peak has ever seen him smile again."

"Elder Kong is to be pitied too. He used to take such pride in his disciple, Zeng Hu, but now..."

...

"By the way, how is Fatty Gu?"

...

"Did the black needle hit him? Why did it sound like metal striking stone?"

"He must have had some sort of protective mirror or armor. But then again, it didn’t look like it..."

"Just seeing that evil, sinister black needle, you can imagine how terrifying it must be..."

...

"Uncle Fifth, how is Fatty Gu?... Old Man Mu, please come check as well!"

Tears trembling in her voice, Mu Wan’er rushed onto the platform, anxiously pressing for answers.

"Brother Gu, please be all right..."

In the corner of the stands, a shy junior sister who, though she barely knew Fatty Gu, inexplicably cared deeply for his well-being, turned pale and wept uncontrollably.

"If that needle had struck me as it did in the previous match..."

Cold Zikang, who had earlier been delighted with the sect leader’s reward, now felt as though his heart was frozen solid with fear. He couldn’t help but feel secretly grateful to have escaped disaster. The other disciples who had faced Zeng Hu before were all similarly shaken and relieved.

...