Chapter 61: Heart Barriers

Surviving In A Martial Arts World To Become A Saint

"Senior Sister!"

Qin Lie called out hoarsely to stop her, his voice trembling with agitation, "Is it because of my family background? Or is it because... I've been crippled with no hope of recovery?!"

Zhou Yu stopped at the doorway and turned around, her face struggling to maintain a comforting expression, "Junior Brother Qin, don't let your thoughts run wild. Rest well and recover. Your injuries... may not be without hope of improvement."

"Recovery?!"

Qin Lie acted as if he had heard the most absurd joke in the world, laughing bitterly. His eyes instantly became bloodshot as indignation erupted like a volcano in his heart, "Whether I can recover or not, don't I know myself?! I can't recover! You! And Master! How long do you plan to keep deceiving me?!"

"Crash!"

A sharp shattering sound exploded as medicinal liquid splashed everywhere and fragments scattered.

Zhou Yu was startled by this sudden violent outburst and stepped back, looking at the mess on the ground with a trace of helplessness in her eyes.

Having studied medicine for many years, how could she not know what Qin Lie's injuries meant?

"Junior Brother Qin..."

She sighed, her voice carrying deep powerlessness.

"Senior Sister,"

Qin Lie gasped heavily like a wounded trapped beast, his bloodshot eyes staring fixedly at Zhou Yu, "Do you also look down on me? Do you also think I'm a burden? A waste?!"

Zhou Yu shook her head and said sincerely, "No."

"You clearly do!"

Qin Lie roared, pressing closer step by step, "You weren't like this before! You used to..."

The sharp contrast between Zhou Yu's past gentle care and her current distance created a huge sense of disparity that completely destroyed his last shred of reason.

As he spoke, he grabbed Zhou Yu's arm.

Zhou Yu took a deep breath and frowned, "Junior Brother Qin, let go quickly!"

"Senior Sister!"

Qin Lie's voice carried a note of pleading, tears even welling up in his eyes, "My feelings for you, can't you sense them? I know I'm now crippled and unworthy of you, but I, Qin Lie, swear! I will treat you well with this broken life of mine! Treat you well with everything I have left! As long as you give me a chance! Trust me! Please... trust me just once!"

"Junior Brother Qin! Please show some self-respect!"

Zhou Yu suddenly exerted force, using skillful leverage to forcefully push Qin Lie away.

Still recovering from serious injuries, Qin Lie stumbled backward several steps from the push and heavily crashed into the chair behind him. His internal organs ached intensely and his vision darkened.

He supported himself against the chair, looking at Zhou Yu with disbelief.

Zhou Yu quickly distanced herself and hastily straightened her wrinkled clothes. She looked directly at Qin Lie and said, "I, Zhou Yu, have always only regarded you as my junior brother. Nothing more than that. Never have I had, nor will I ever have, any other thoughts."

"Only regarded me as... junior brother?"

The color completely drained from Qin Lie's face, turning deathly pale.

The feeling of being abandoned and humiliated by the entire world instantly overwhelmed him.

Luo Qian's coldness, fellow disciples' estrangement, Zhou Yu's heartlessness... all these scenes exploded thunderously in his mind!

"Hehe... hahahahaha!"

Qin Lie began laughing bitterly, which then turned into maniacal laughter toward the heavens, "Indeed! Indeed you're all the same type of people! Hahahahaha!"

"Outrageous!"

A thunderous shout exploded from outside the door.

The door was pushed open with a "bang."

At the doorway, Zhou Liang's face was ashen. Behind him stood Sun Shun with a horrified expression and Chen Qing with a calm demeanor but profound eyes.

Zhou Liang looked at the mess of spilled medicine and fragments inside the room, then at Qin Lie who was supporting himself against the chair, laughing maniacally with only madness and hatred left in his eyes.

His chest heaved violently, his voice bone-chillingly cold, "Wicked disciple! How dare you be so disrespectful!!"

Sun Shun urgently advised, "Junior Brother Qin, quickly apologize to Master!"

"Apologize!?"

Qin Lie sneered, "What wrong have I committed? Why should I apologize?! The one who should apologize is this 'good master' of mine!"

Zhou Liang's face was ashen, so dark it could wring out water.

Has Junior Brother Qin gone mad!?

Sun Shun looked at Qin Lie as if seeing him for the first time.

Chen Qing stood quietly to one side, his gaze profound, saying nothing.

Qin Lie glared at Zhou Liang and questioned hoarsely, "You knew long ago that secret formula was useless, so why did you still deceive me?! Why did you still string me along with these grass roots and tree bark?!"

The questioning was direct, like a poisoned dagger striking straight at the vital point.

Zhou Liang's brow furrowed as he said solemnly, "When have I ever deceived you? Even if there's only a thread of hope, I would spare no effort to try..."

"Pretentious hypocrisy! Put away that fake benevolence and righteousness! Do you truly hope for my recovery, or are you counting on me being crippled so I can still block your enemies' fists and feet for you, care for you in your old age?!"

Qin Lie seemed to have fallen into madness, saying, "If it weren't for my good bones and the chance to break through to transforming strength, would you have looked favorably upon me? Wasn't it just because I had value to exploit? Treating me like your own son, it's all bullshit! All fake!!"

He suddenly pointed at Zhou Liang, his voice sharp and piercing, seeming to cry and laugh at the same time, "Furthermore, if it weren't because of you, how would I have come to this?! If you truly cared for me, you should go kill Gao Sheng to avenge me! Instead of fooling me daily with these useless grass roots and tree bark!"

Zhou Liang looked at this beloved disciple he had once placed high hopes on. Qin Lie's words were like awls, each one stabbing his heart until it bled but the truth was indeed as Qin Lie said, his crippling was largely due to himself.

Sun Shun looked at Qin Lie, who seemed like a completely different person, his voice hoarse, "Junior Brother Qin..."

Zhou Yu took a deep breath and said, "Junior Brother Qin, my father is still your master, how can you..."

"Enough!"

Zhou Liang's gaze swept over Qin Lie like an ice blade, his voice decisive with no room for compromise, "Qin Lie! Your temperament is wild and rebellious, your intentions are wrong, and today you even dare to offend your superior. Considering our past master-disciple relationship, I'll spare your life."

He paused in his words, each word carrying tremendous weight, "But from this moment on, you are no longer a disciple under my Zhou Liang's tutelage!"

"Old bastard..." Qin Lie's mouth twisted into an extremely venomous bitter smile, "Now that I'm crippled, you finally tear off that mask of fake benevolence and righteousness?"

"Evil creature!"

This last sentence was like sparks falling into boiling oil, completely igniting the anger and pain that had built up in Zhou Liang's chest!

His figure suddenly moved, faster than a ghost! Chen Qing only felt a blur before his eyes as fierce wind struck his face!

An iron palm containing tremendous force capable of splitting stone monuments and cracking rocks, accompanied by the sharp whistle of tearing air, struck toward Qin Lie's chest without reservation!

"Bang!"

A muffled sound like a heavy hammer beating a drum!

Zhou Liang's palm struck solidly against Qin Lie's chest.

Qin Lie was like being hit by a massive log, his entire body thrown backward violently, crashing hard into the solid wall behind him. He let out a muffled groan and collapsed to the ground, life or death unknown.

"Father!" Zhou Yu cried out in alarm.

"Master!" Sun Shun was horrified.

Zhou Liang slowly withdrew his palm, his chest heaving violently as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his roiling qi and blood, his voice carrying a trace of weariness and coldness, "Sun Shun, take him... send him home."

Having said this, he didn't spare another glance at that limp figure and left with heavy steps.

Chen Qing's gaze fell on Zhou Liang's slightly hunched retreating figure.

At this moment, Chen Qing clearly sensed that Master was truly old.