"Clan Leader Du, would it be possible to prepare a quiet chamber for me, along with some healing herbs?" After successfully mastering the first form of Pear Blossoms in the Torrential Rain, Lin Tian addressed Du Tianheng with calm resolve.
"Very well, I will make the arrangements immediately." Upon hearing this, Du Tianheng set to work without hesitation. Any trace of the earlier hostility he had harbored toward Lin Tian had completely vanished, replaced by profound admiration.
Before long, all the required herbs were brought to him, and even Du Tianheng's personal cultivation chamber had been cleared and prepared for Lin Tian's use.
Entering the chamber, Lin Tian seated himself in a lotus position. Activating his cultivation method, he swallowed a potent healing herb. The medicinal energy, guided by his spiritual power, soon spread throughout his body. Yet the injuries he had sustained were grievous; even with the aid of the herbs, it took a full three days for him to fully recover.
As for Pear Blossoms in the Torrential Rain, upon reaching the fourth form, Lin Tian encountered a frustrating truth: at his current level of cultivation, progressing to the fifth form was impossible. To advance further, he would first need to elevate his own cultivation to a higher tier.
Having fled here in desperation, he lacked any devices to refine spiritual energy, and only had two vials of spiritual elixir remaining. Advancing his cultivation at this moment was little more than a fantasy.
After a moment of contemplation, Lin Tian resolved to reveal the situation to Du Tianheng.
"What? Even you, Lin Tian, cannot manage it?" Du Tianheng's brow furrowed deeply. He had hoped Lin Tian could save his daughter, yet the news left him dismayed.
"Clan Leader Du, aside from the two methods you mentioned, there is another approach that might be worth attempting," Lin Tian offered kindly, seeing Du Tianheng's distress.
"What approach?" Du Tianheng asked immediately, seizing Lin Tian's arm with urgency.
"To have Du Yuejiao cultivate Pear Blossoms in the Torrential Rain herself," Lin Tian replied earnestly. The unrest of the spiritual energy within her stemmed from her limited mastery over the technique. If she could advance to the third form, she might gain control over the energy, extracting it safely from her body.
"Have Yuejiao cultivate Pear Blossoms in the Torrential Rain? Absolutely not! That is far too dangerous." Du Tianheng rejected the idea outright, knowing firsthand the tremendous difficulty and peril of mastering the technique. Better to let her cultivation stagnate than risk such a gamble; at least this way, she might survive.
"Clan Leader Du, the energy within Yuejiao continuously drains her own spiritual power, growing stronger day by day. While your seal presently restrains it, eventually it will spiral beyond control. When that happens, all we can do is watch as Yuejiao is torn apart from the inside by her own spiritual energy."
"Yet…" Du Tianheng hesitated.
"Father, I am willing to try," Du Yuejiao suddenly declared, pushing open the door with unwavering determination.
"Yuejiao, you—" Du Tianheng's eyes were filled with a mixture of guilt and concern.
"Father, you needn't say anything. I understand. I would rather take this chance to fight than remain a powerless failure within the Du clan," she said firmly. Evidently, her decision had been reached only after immense inner struggle.
"Very well. If you insist, how can I refuse to support you?" With a heavy sigh, Du Tianheng reluctantly yielded.
Watching Lin Tian and Du Yuejiao enter the chamber, his heart clenched. He had always cherished his youngest daughter above all, never abandoning her even in her most perilous moments. He had exerted his authority as clan leader to protect her from harm. And now, to see her choose such a dangerous path, how could he not be consumed by worry? He even began to question whether revealing the situation to Lin Tian had been the right decision.
"Master, what is troubling you?" A woman adorned in elegant attire approached cautiously.
"Ning'er, you've come," Du Tianheng said, stopping in his pacing.
"What has happened, Master, to leave you so agitated?" Yue Ning asked, puzzled.
Realizing the matter could no longer be concealed, Du Tianheng steeled himself and revealed the truth.
"What? How could you consent to Ning'er undertake such a perilous act?" Upon hearing the explanation, Yue Ning's fury flared. She had always considered her husband prudent, yet here he had acted recklessly.
"For years, we refused to interfere with the spiritual energy within Yuejiao, even if it meant she could not cultivate. And now, you permit a boy who has barely practiced Pear Blossoms in the Torrential Rain for a single day to guide our daughter in mastering it? Do you not comprehend the difficulty of this technique?" Yue Ning scolded, her voice sharp.
"I must stop them," she resolved, moving to push open the door.
"Ning'er, you must trust Lin Tian. Though his strength is limited, his comprehension is extraordinary. I witnessed it myself: merely one glance at the method allowed him to master the first form of Pear Blossoms in the Torrential Rain," Du Tianheng urged, restraining her.
"His comprehension is one thing. Do you not know our daughter's aptitude? By agreeing so lightly, you are pushing her toward certain peril!" Yue Ning's expression darkened. Though aware of Du Tianheng's good intentions, she could not condone such a hazardous course of action.
As their argument continued, a piercing scream suddenly echoed from within the chamber.