At this moment, Zi Wenchang's pathetic state was no less than that of Zi Donglai and the other three.
His body was covered in wounds inflicted by various weapons, crisscrossing each other in a terrifying and irregular pattern.
What was worse, a piece of flesh had been gouged out from his buttocks, bleeding profusely.
Judging by the shape of the wound, it seemed to have been inflicted by a claw-like weapon.
The person who had taken the piece of flesh had, naturally, used it to trade with Situ Yunfeng for a Blood Qi Pill.
A few streaks of dried blood marked the corners of Zi Wenchang's mouth, making him look as if he had gnawed on raw meat without wiping his mouth.
Fortunately, his tongue was still intact.
After all, the tongue was protected by a face and two lips, making it difficult to sever.
When everyone ceased their attack, Zi Wenchang finally breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed on the ground.
He gasped for air as if he had been drowning for a long time.
A trace of disdainful indifference flickered in Situ Yunfeng's peach blossom eyes.
He raised an eyebrow, nonchalantly examining his slender fingers, and sneered, "Second Master Zi, do you like the grand gift my little beast has bestowed upon you?"
Zi Wenchang's face was contorted with fear.
He scrambled to his knees, repeatedly kowtowing and pleading, "Young Master Situ, forgive my ignorance and insolence. You are magnanimous, please spare me! Please, I beg you..."
Zi Wenchang was now like a dog wagging its tail and begging for scraps, no longer bearing any resemblance to the head of a household.
He had wanted to beg for mercy long ago but had lacked the opportunity.
Now that he had finally seized the chance, he cared nothing for his pride.
"Hmph!"
Situ Yunfeng snorted coldly, "You should be grateful that Little Ling... Linlin still has use for you, otherwise you wouldn't even be leaving behind ashes right now!"
He stated this plainly to inform the Zi family that he was not seeking trouble with them solely out of consideration for Zi Linling.
Concurrently, he was also warning other forces that Zi Linling was under the protection of the Medicine King Valley, and anyone who dared to trouble her would be considered an enemy of the Medicine King Valley.
He was not stingy in the least when it came to Zi Linling.
This was because he never wanted to see another incident like Xie Lianhua happen again.
"Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Young Master Situ, thank you, Lin'er!"
Zi Wenchang kowtowed like he was pounding garlic, quickly agreeing.
He had forgotten that certain pet names were not for him to use.
"Lin'er? Is that something you are worthy of calling her? If you dare to call her Lin'er again, I won't mind repeating everything that just happened!"
Situ Yunfeng's voice was filled with a chilling coldness.
He knew that Zi Linling found Zi Wenchang's address for her utterly repulsive.
Even if they could no longer love each other, it did not stop him from openly showing his favoritism.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Zi Wenchang kowtowed again in agreement.
Indeed, this kind of person had a remarkably pliable backbone, yet possessed an exceptionally strong will to survive.
Zi Linling pursed her lips, her expression filled with disdain.
She now suspected that the four Grand Elders, Shang Chun Bei Qiu, had poor eyesight due to their old age.
Otherwise, how could they have agreed to let such a disgraceful fellow as Zi Wenchang take over as the family head?
Was it because of the threat from the Imperial Zi Family?
Heh!
A person like Zi Wenchang, who lacked character and could potentially ruin the entire Zi family at any moment, was merely useless mud even with the backing of the Imperial Zi Family.
Therefore, in the face of the Zi family's future, the threat from the Imperial Zi Family was insignificant!
Zi Linling's thoughtful gaze swept over the four Grand Elders, Shang Chun Bei Qiu, a hint of inquiry in her eyes.
She surmised that there must be something about Zi Donglai and the other three that she was unaware of.
Something that even the four Grand Elders had to compromise for.
However, the more this was the case, the more interested Zi Linling became.
Extracting secrets from others was a challenging task.
Regardless, Zi Donglai and the other three were destined to suffer a fate worse than death in her hands!
With that thought, Zi Linling lost all interest in toying with Zi Wenchang.
She said lightly, "Situ, since your revenge is complete, may I proceed now?"
Situ Yunfeng grinned, "Of course, Linlin's matters absolutely cannot be delayed!"
Ye Lingyuan frowned but remained silent, merely shifting his position to be closer to Zi Linling.
Linlin?
Zi Linling's lips twitched.
That nickname truly made her… feel a shiver all over, utterly uncomfortable.
She shot Situ Yunfeng a dagger-like glare, dropped the sunflower seeds in her hand, stood up, and said coldly, "Second Uncle, you haven't yet told me, are you satisfied with the gift I presented you?"
Zi Wenchang then remembered Zi Donglai and the other three. He glanced at them furtively and replied, "Satisfied!"
Did he dare to say he wasn't satisfied?
No, he didn't.
The three individuals before him were known for their peculiar and ingenious methods of torture.
"It's good that you're satisfied. Please introduce their identities to our esteemed guests, Second Uncle?"
Zi Linling spoke with an air of nonchalance, yet she had cornered Zi Wenchang completely.
She intended to use Zi Wenchang's words to tell everyone that Zi Wenchang's earlier boasts were meaningless.
Of course, she also wanted to appease the Seven Great Aristocratic Families, signaling to them that the Zi family had no intention of antagonizing them.
This was not an act of weakness but a strategy for internal consolidation.
After all, she had just killed the Palace Mistress of the Hundred Flowers Palace, making their relationship irreconcilable. Therefore, she naturally had to visit the Hundred Flowers Palace's mountain gate.
And during this period, she did not wish for someone to stab her in the back.
She wasn't afraid of trouble, but she found it to be a nuisance.
However, if the Seven Great Aristocratic Families insisted on opposing her, then she, the Ghost Hand Poison Doctor, was not one to be bullied.
Zi Wenchang's body trembled. If he revealed the identities of these four, it would be equivalent to completely tearing off their fig leaf.
But if he didn't speak, would Zi Linling easily let him go?
Seeing his silence, Zi Linling's voice grew colder by three degrees. Sudan Novel Network.
"What? Second Uncle is unwilling?"
As she spoke, a withered-looking blue flame appeared in her hand.
This blue flame was something she had inadvertently comprehended a few days ago while refining elixirs.
Despite its withered appearance, this flame could directly burn souls, making it an indispensable tool for interrogation.
As this flame appeared, everyone in the training ground felt a sense of dread.
This dread was a natural bodily reaction upon sensing extreme danger.
If there was indeed one exception, it was Ye Lingyuan.
This was because Ye Lingyuan's divine sense, after breaking through to the Minor Divine Realm, had already reached an extremely high level.
Zi Linling's divine sense was not as powerful as his, which was why he remained calm and collected.
Zi Wenchang felt his soul trembling and hurriedly said, "These four are all from the Imperial Zi Family!"
"Ah..."
Upon hearing this, a collective sound of jaws dropping echoed through the training ground.