Li Lianhua’s expression changed completely.

Moments ago, he was filled only with sorrow and grief.

Now, anger and murderous intent rose sharply in his eyes.

“Dan Gudao, you truly are an animal,” he said.

“My life was given by you. If you want it back, I can return it anytime.”

“But why… why did you kill our master?”

“If it weren’t for him protecting us, we would have been swallowed by this cruel world long ago. How would we have survived to this day?”

“If not for his teaching, where would your martial skills come from?”

Dan Gudao was satisfied by Li Xiangyi’s reaction and burst out laughing.

“That old man shouldn’t have lived,” he said.

“Since childhood, he favored you.

Whatever food, supplies, techniques—every good thing, he gave to you.”

“Carrying water, chopping wood, washing clothes, cooking—every dirty, tiring chore, he made me do.”

Dan Gudao’s expression grew more distorted, his voice more bitter.

“When I went back to him and told him all the grievances and hardships I’d gone through over the years, he didn’t care at all.”

“But the moment your name was mentioned, his expression changed.”

“With just a few made-up words, he even transferred all his inner strength to me.”

“He’d long forgotten that I was also his disciple.

If he couldn’t even be fair in the most basic sense, what meaning was there in him staying alive?”

His twisted, unhinged appearance made everyone around feel uncomfortable and disgusted.

People in the hall began to speak up:

“You old fool, this is just jealousy. Don’t make it sound righteous.”

“Your mind is twisted. You refuse to reflect on yourself.”

“You even killed the master who raised you. Are you still human?”

“With someone as jealous as you, nothing will ever be enough. There are countless prodigies in the world—are you going to kill them all?”

At first, some of them had felt sympathy for Dan Gudao.

They were all ordinary people;

in cultivation, they struggled just as he did—

working hundreds or thousands of times harder, yet not always gaining results.

But cultivation was never an easy path.

They weren’t strong;

they couldn’t compare to prodigies;

yet they didn’t let bitterness twist their nature.

Dan Gudao, however, was malicious, short-sighted, narrow-minded, and endlessly dissatisfied.

Even without Li Xiangyi, he would have envied and hated someone else.

---

Before the white jade platform,

Li Xiangyi finally gave up completely on his senior brother.

He lifted his robe and, without hesitation, cut off a piece of it.

“The life I owed you was repaid ten years ago,” he said calmly.

“From this moment on, all ties between us are severed.”

“The next time we meet, we will be enemies.”

“One of us will not live.”

He threw the piece of cloth into Dan Gudao’s arms, then turned to leave.

At that moment, Fang Duobing suddenly stepped forward.

“Wait.”

He approached the platform and cupped his fists respectfully.

“Master of the Heavenly Secrets Tower, though Li Lianhua and I travel together, we do not belong to the same faction.”

“So…”

He took out three silver notes from his robe and placed them on the platform.

“The previous three transaction chances belonged to Li Lianhua.”

“This time, it’s mine.”

Seeing this, Huang Rong hesitated, unsure whether she should accept the notes.

Without instructions from Feng Wuhen, she didn’t dare decide on her own.

Feng Wuhen spoke calmly:

“I’m afraid not. Your and Li Lianhua’s transaction chances for today have already been used.”

“If you have doubts, return in seven days.”

Fang Duobing had not planned to argue,

but Li Lianhua had yet to obtain the antidote for the Green Tea Poison.

He couldn’t leave things like this.

So he spoke again.

“I am a disciple of Baichuan Academy. I can use Baichuan’s transaction opportunity.”

“My father is the Minister of Revenue…”

“And my mother is the head of the Heavenly Secrets Hall. I can use theirs as well.”

As he spoke—

He suddenly dropped to his knees.

“Master of the Tower, please grant me three transaction chances.

As long as I can save Li Lianhua, I am willing to give anything.”

Feng Wuhen’s voice remained steady.

“Li Lianhua and Dan Gudao are fellow disciples. And you… are Dan Gudao’s son.”

“Which means Li Lianhua is your martial uncle. You share your transaction opportunities.”

“Go back.”

---

As his words fell,

everyone in the tower looked stunned.

“What… what is going on?”

“The father tried desperately to kill Li Xiangyi, and the son is trying desperately to save him?”

“Fang Duobing traveled everywhere with Li Xiangyi, yet didn’t even know who his father was?”

“This family’s relationships are a mess!”

They had thought the drama was about to end.

Unexpectedly, there was another twist.

Even Fang Duobing, Dan Gudao, and Li Lianhua looked completely stunned.

Li Lianhua: “Fang Duobing is Dan Gudao’s son?”

Dan Gudao: “Fang Duobing is my son?”

Fang Duobing: “I’m Dan Gudao’s son?”

The three stared at one another, confused.

Fang Duobing was the first to break.

“Master of the Tower, what do you mean?” he asked anxiously.

“My father is Minister Fang Zeshi, and my mother is Hall Master He Xiaohui.”

“I have nothing to do with Dan Gudao.”

“What is the truth of my identity?”

“If I really am Dan Gudao’s son, how am I supposed to face Li Lianhua?”

After a brief silence, Li Lianhua bowed respectfully to the crowd.

“If any of you is willing to provide a transaction chance to help my friend uncover his background,” he said,

“I will cover the cost in silver, and I will owe you a personal favor.”

At once, the crowd stirred.

Jiang Biehe was stunned—

even offering a million taels had moved no one.

But one personal favor from Li Xiangyi, and everyone rushed forward?

Wasn’t this blatant double standard?

The one who successfully gained the transaction chance was Yu Canghai of the Qingcheng Sect.

He had entered the tower early, anxious about the threat posed by Mount Hua and Lin Pingzhi.

Fearing the Tower Master might trouble him, he hadn’t dared step forward.

Now, finally, the perfect chance appeared.

If Li Xiangyi owed him a favor, why worry about a mere Lin Pingzhi?

Li Lianhua didn’t have time to investigate Yu Canghai’s identity.

He simply bowed repeatedly.

“Thank you.”

He took out a hundred-tael note and handed it to Yu Canghai.

Lu Xiaofeng watched quietly.

He could have taken this opportunity easily, but he had other plans for his own transaction chances, so he remained silent.

Yu Canghai, understanding the situation, didn’t linger.

He accepted the silver, then placed it on the white jade platform.

“Please tell us the truth of Fang Duobing’s background,” he said.

Feng Wuhen signaled Huang Rong to accept the note.

He had long known about Yu Canghai’s activities in secret,

but the Qingcheng Sect’s actions unintentionally benefited the Tower, so he didn’t mind.

Any legitimate transaction could proceed.

After a brief pause, Feng Wuhen spoke slowly:

“Dan Gudao and the second young lady of the Heavenly Secrets Hall, He Xiaolan, once shared a night together.”

“Afterward, He Xiaolan became pregnant and gave birth to a son.”

“Before she passed away from severe injuries, she entrusted the child to her elder sister and brother-in-law to raise.”

“That child is Fang Duobing.”

Many had assumed that such tangled personal matters would interest few.

Unexpectedly, everyone in the tower leaned forward with pure curiosity—

even more attentive than when hearing secret information about the martial world.

Truly, people everywhere enjoy watching a bit of drama.

---

All eyes turned toward the three people before the platform.

Everyone waited, eager to see their reactions now that the truth had been revealed.

---