Old Master Ling sat in his chair, showing no intention of acting, but instead looked at Ling Chi Yuan, saying unhappily, "You brat, what's the use of this medicine for me now?"
"Is it this medicine I want?"
"Where is the person? Didn't you say it would definitely succeed? How did the person get lost?"
Ling Chi Yuan let out a helpless sigh, "This is not something I can decide."
"How is it not something you can decide?" Old Master Ling said displeasedly.
He felt that Ling Chi Yuan had never been someone who feared things, so why did he seem worried and afraid this time?
Old Master Ling suddenly seemed to recall something and looked at Ling Chi Yuan, saying, "What's wrong? Do you look down on..."
"It's not that. If you truly looked down on him, you wouldn't have brought him back in the first place."
Old Master Ling said with a hint of disappointment, "Or are you afraid of Xuan Yuan Heng?"
"Even if he is the Regent, so what? I'm not afraid, what is there for you to be afraid of?"
Ling Chi Yuan originally didn't want to dwell on this matter, but his grandfather kept bringing it up. Finally, he let out a helpless sigh and said, "It's Feng Ran. She said she needs Xuan Yuan Heng to give her power, and I can't give her anything."
Old Master Ling's expression turned somewhat grim.
To be honest, hearing these words now was something he had never expected.
He had suspected Ling Chi Yuan, but never imagined that the problem wasn't with him, but that everything was caused by Feng Ran.
Ling Chi Yuan had no way to deal with Feng Ran's thoughts.
Old Master Ling thought for a moment, glanced at Ling Chi Yuan, and said fiercely, "Then, back then, I told you to hurry, but you were slow and said it was fine."
"Grandfather, I..."
"Kneel. You can get up when you've thought it through and decided how to handle this matter," Old Master Ling's voice held a trace of anger.
At this moment, in the Xuan Yuan residence. Feng Ran knelt on the ground, which was covered in blood.
She bit her lip tightly but did not make a sound.
Even though blood was still flowing, she persevered.
At this moment, snow began to fall, light at first, and then it grew heavier.
A sable coat lay nearby, while Feng Ran knelt on the ground in a single layer of clothing.
The snowy weather was so cold it made one gasp.
But Feng Ran seemed unaffected, continuing to kneel on the snowy ground, her expression unchanging.
Today, she had used Xuan Yuan Heng's power to destroy the Lan family. This was the price she had to pay.
Xuan Yuan Heng had said that as long as she asked him for something, he would agree. But Feng Ran also had to obey and pay the due price.
Did she regret it?
Feng Ran closed her eyes in resignation and let out a soft groan. No, she would never regret it.
The Lan family's downfall was well-deserved.
In fact, the punishment she was enduring now was nothing compared to what she had suffered at the border. It was utterly insignificant to her.
Although Lan Xian had helped her, that so-called 'help' had only pushed her further into the abyss.
Perhaps, in the eyes of outsiders, she was ungrateful. Perhaps, in the eyes of outsiders, she was a white-eyed wolf.
But she didn't care about the views and thoughts of outsiders.
What she cared about was that the Lan family and Lan Xian received their due punishment.
After all, her reputation was already tarnished, so adding this would have no impact on her whatsoever.
It was just that Xuan Yuan Heng's ruthlessness was something she had never expected.
Yet, she had no regrets and even tacitly accepted Xuan Yuan Heng's actions.
She even felt that what Xuan Yuan Heng had done was entirely correct.
Once, Lan Xian had taken her hand and gently said to her, "Feng Ran, from now on you are my good sister, and I will protect you with my life."
"Feng Ran, everyone in the world will harm you, but I won't."
Now, in the face of the truth, how ridiculous were the words Lan Xian had spoken.
Closing her eyes, she continued to kneel stubbornly. This was what she deserved, and she would not say anything.
Would she turn back? Was she afraid?
But she had no way back now, and she didn't even have the chance to be afraid.
She almost fell directly onto the snowy ground. She truly couldn't hold on any longer; she hadn't had a single sip of water for a day and a night.
She tilted her head back and opened her mouth to the sky. She thought perhaps this would offer some relief.
But at that moment, an umbrella appeared, blocking the snow. And she directly collapsed. Although someone was beside her, and she seemed to have found support, the person had already vanished as she fell.
She crashed heavily to the ground.
Feng Ran fell to the ground in disarray. She struggled to open her eyes and saw a pair of boots. She looked hard and discovered a face both familiar and terrifying.
Xuan Yuan Heng, he had appeared.
At this moment, she clenched her fists tightly, remembering Xuan Yuan Heng's words.
He had said: "Feng Ran, kneel for three days and three nights. If you satisfy this king, then this life will be spared."
"Feng Ran, remember this, and do as I say."
Feng Ran's lips curved into a disdainful smile. Yes, do as he said. That's why she was thirsty, unable to even eat the snow.
She accepted her fate.
With all her might, she slowly got up, maintaining her kneeling posture.
She recalled her arrogant demeanor in the past, standing beside Xuan Yuan Heng. Because Xuan Yuan Heng had glanced at a servant, she had made that servant kneel in the snow. Later, she heard that the servant had died.
At that time, she had been truly afraid, even guilty.
She had never intended to take his life, only to punish him.
But if she said this, who would believe her?
No one would believe anything she said.
Thinking of what had happened then, and then thinking of what was happening to her now, her lips curled into a self-mocking smile.
All of this, one could say, was her own doing.
Even though she knew everything, even though she knew Xuan Yuan Heng wouldn't take her life, even though she knew that as long as she bowed her head, as long as she said one soft word, Xuan Yuan Heng would let her go, and she wouldn't have to suffer this torment.
But she found that she couldn't utter a single word of pleading.
Tears streamed down her face.
Her body was almost unable to bear it, but she refused to bow her head or beg Xuan Yuan Heng.
She thought, if she could endure it, then she would endure it.