Chapter 222 The Heavenly Master's Choice

The end of July in the lunar calendar.

In the quiet wooden house on the west side of the Tianshi Mansion, a white-haired doctor took the pulse of the injured person, with a worried look on his face, and said to his old friend beside him:

"The child was seriously injured. His limbs were severed and his meridians were damaged. His life can be saved, but he can forget about cultivating in this life."

"Also, I don't know what was sprinkled in his eyes. The flesh inside has festered and needs to be removed as soon as possible."

Tian Jinzhong was lying on the wooden bed, wrapped in bandages, his face was pale and his lips were pale.

Even though the old doctor had miraculous skills, it still took him several days to bring the man back from the brink of death.

Zhang Jingqing was exhausted. The thing he was most worried about had happened. He felt very ashamed and said sadly:
"Old Su, is there any other way?"

"."

The doctor shook his head. He tried his best when examining the victim's eyes, but some things could not be changed.

"Well, thank you for your help."

Zhang Tianshi held his breath. In just five days, he seemed to have aged more than ten years. His originally gray hair had turned snow-white, his face had more wrinkles, and he looked lost and gloomy.

In the dignified Tianshi Mansion, first a disciple followed the devil to swear brotherhood, and then another disciple was crippled into this state. In a trance, Zhang Jingqing blamed himself and was filled with anger, but had no place to vent it.

"Bring a basin of boiling water."

"And alcohol."

The old doctor gave a hurried instruction, and Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Jingqing set off immediately. Soon, the door of the wooden house closed, and the two of them stood several feet away, waiting outside, not daring to make a sound to disturb them.

Half an hour passed.

"Squeak——!"

The wooden house was pushed open from the inside out. The old doctor's forehead was covered with sweat and he was panting. Zhang Jingqing hurried to greet him and asked:

"Lao Su, are you okay?"

"No problem. It just takes some effort."

Under the anxious and expectant gazes of the two, the old doctor slowly responded:
"The necrotic eyeball has been removed. The injury has also stabilized. It will take a few days for him to wake up."

"Thank you very much! Thank you very much! Oh, I really trouble you."

Zhang Jingqing was deeply grateful. His heart finally settled down and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't be polite. This child still needs your careful care. I have some patients there. I don't know if my disciples can handle it. I have to go back and check on them."

The old doctor patted Zhang Jingqing on the shoulder, exchanged a few words, and then said goodbye and left.

"Zhiwei, what are you still standing there for? Escort the old man back."

"Yes, Master."

Zhang Zhiwei helped the old man carry the heavy medicine box and said respectfully, "Old Su, let's go."

"Then thank you for your help, little guy." The old doctor smiled kindly.

night.

Zhang Jingqing and two Taoist boys stayed by the bedside, feeding Chinese medicine and wiping the body of the comatose Tian Jinzhong.

"Master, the escorts who sent Master Jinzhong back that day claimed that they were ordered by Sect Master Quanxing. Will you settle the score with them later?"

"Yes! This demon is really too violent."

"."

Zhang Jingqing fell into deep thought. He was not someone who could be easily fooled by these two little Taoist children.

"Master?"

Seeing that the old man was absent-minded and speechless, the Taoist boy beside him called out softly.

"It may not be Quan Xing. Your uncle went down the mountain to look for information about that evil creature, but was brutally murdered. If it was Quan Xing, why would he have done this? It would be nothing more than killing him to silence him."

Rather than being certain that Quan Xing was the murderer, Zhang Jingqing had reservations. He was skeptical:

"Perhaps some sects have intercepted your uncle and asked for information about the evil creature. When they failed to obtain any information, they tortured him. They also have a grudge against Quan Xing, so they simply pushed the blame onto Quan Xing, hoping that the Tianshi Mansion would go to war with them."

"But no matter if it's Quan Xing or anyone else, if I don't avenge Jin Zhong after he wakes up, I will be unworthy of being his teacher."

Zhang Jingqing suppressed his anger. He knew that now was not the time to talk about this. Perhaps there would be clues when his disciple woke up.

The two Taoist boys looked at each other and felt that what the master said seemed to make sense, but they still lacked consideration.

late at night.

When Zhang Zhiwei returned to the mountain, he rushed to the cabin to check on his fellow apprentice.

"Master."

"I'm sorry I couldn't keep an eye on Jinzhong."

Facing Zhang Zhiwei's self-blame, Zhang Jingqing sighed silently, thought for a moment, and then said: "No, it's my fault."

"I shouldn't have let you two go down the mountain. It would have been better to let that evil creature fend for itself."

"Master, what should we do if Jinzhong wakes up?"

Zhang Zhiwei was worried that his fellow apprentice brother would not be able to accept the cruel fact that his hands and feet were crippled and his eyes had been gouged out. He must be suffering a great blow mentally. If he did not handle it properly, he might even commit suicide.

"After waking up? I am also very worried." Zhang Jingqing was disheartened.

"How about sending it to Trinity Gate? I'll ask Old Lu and Headmaster Jiang for help and see if they can..."

Before he could finish his words, Zhang Zhiwei noticed the change in his master's expression and his voice became lower and lower.

"Let's not talk about whether we are still inside the sect or not. Just based on the mistake that evil creature made, we have sworn brotherhood with the devil. How do you expect Trinity's friends to treat us?"

"Although they can distinguish right from wrong and will not vent their anger on us, what about us? Do we have the nerve to go and ask for help? To be honest, I can't get over the hurdle in my heart." Zhang Jingqing knew of such a method. With the ability of the man from the Trinity Sect, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he is a god. He must have the means to heal his disciple. However, he really didn't want to trouble others because of the trouble Zhang Huaiyi had caused.

".If you don't go, I will."

Zhang Zhiwei couldn't bear it, and under the master's majestic gaze, he said word by word:
"If Jinzhong gets upset, his life will be over. Even if I lose all my face, I can't watch my junior brother suffer. Besides, Master, you have dealt with Jiang Menzhang and Lao Lu. What are they like?"

Before Zhang Jingqing could finish his words and was about to refute, a faint wailing sound interrupted their argument.

"No, no. I really don't know."

After waking up, Tian Jinzhong's first words were to beg the executioners not to torture him, without realizing that he had returned to the mountains.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!"

He suddenly began to howl, as if he felt the emptiness in his eyes. The pain in his hands and feet made his soul, which was on the verge of collapse, despair again.

"Jinzhong! Jinzhong!!"

"Jinzhong, it's Master."

Seeing his disciple like this, Zhang Jingqing felt sad and his eyes were wet. He said to comfort him, "Don't be afraid. We are back home."

"Master, Senior Brother"

When Tian Jinzhong heard the familiar voice, even though he realized he was in the Tianshi Mansion, he couldn't help but tremble all over.

He burst into tears, painful memories emerged in his mind. Those guys cut off his hands and feet and sprinkled powder into his eyes. The burning sensation made him feel excruciating pain.

"sorry"

"I'm useless."

"Ahhhh!!!"

"Jinzhong, Jinzhong, don't cry. I promise you that I will kill those who hurt you."

Zhang Jingqing felt as if her heart was being torn apart by a knife, and regret and hatred surged into her heart at the same time.
"Jinzhong, I'm here, you can tell Brother, but was it the Quan Xing monster who hurt you? No matter who it was, Brother will settle the grudge for you."

Zhang Zhiwei couldn't swallow his anger.

“I don’t know where they came from.”

Tian Jinzhong's voice was weak. He was disheartened and had no desire to live anymore. He was in panic and fear. He was confused about the future. With broken limbs and blindness, he was nothing but a burden.

The calling in his ears became increasingly distant. He fell into a state of severe self-denial and was completely unable to hear the words of comfort from his brothers and master.

Half an hour had passed, and the two people, who had mistakenly thought that Tian Jinzhong was tired and asleep, stopped disturbing him and just accompanied him silently.

In the second half of the night, Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Jingqing, who had not rested for several days, dozed off in the room, in a state of half asleep and half awake.

"boom"

"boom"

A faint collision sound suddenly woke the two men up. A chill ran down their heads to their feet. Tian Jinzhong wanted to commit suicide, and when he banged his forehead against the wall, the original wound opened again and blood flowed.

"Jinzhong! What are you doing? You are so confused!!"

Zhang Jingqing was no longer sleepy. He was so frightened that his whole body went numb. He rushed forward and scolded the disciple, grabbing his arm and pulling him back.

"Jinzhong."

Zhang Zhiwei took out ointment and bandages and tried to stop the bleeding for his junior fellow apprentice.

"Master. Brother Wuwu, Wuwu."

"I am...a useless person."

"Please, please give me a quick relief."

Tian Jinzhong could not accept himself as he was now. He would rather die than live in disgrace. His soul was in agony every moment, and the blood in his body was running hot and cold. His life was no longer meaningful.

Zhang Jingqing's face froze, his brows furrowed, suppressing the guilt in his heart, and said angrily:
"Do you know what you are talking about?"

"Master, I really can't hold on any longer."

Tian Jinzhong cried bitterly. He wanted to live, but he didn't have the courage to live. The threatening words and all kinds of torture haunted him like a nightmare, and he could hardly calm down.

"Jinzhong, are you going to abandon your master too?"

Zhang Zhiwei made a decision in his heart and advised: "Master is already old, and he still wants to find the murderer for you. Is this how you treat him?"

"No matter how painful it is, hold on. Master and I need you to survive. Promise us that you will survive."

"Brother. Woo woo"

Tian Jinzhong was heartbroken, his voice was trembling, and he was temporarily aphasic. His brain was so confused that he couldn't express his emotions normally.

"Don't cry, Jinzhong, you are not useless"

Zhang Jingqing couldn't bear to blame him, he slowed down his tone, understanding the child's predicament, a blue light appeared on his fingertips, it was the Longhu Mountain's Purifying Heart Mantra, however, he was unable to start.

Staying awake is painful, but it allows you to vent your emotions. If you try to soothe his body and mind directly, it may not solve the problem at once, but may instead create greater hidden dangers.

In the end, Zhang Tianshi didn't say anything more. He chanted the Heart Purification Mantra, held his disciple in his arms, and let him cry. His heart felt like it was bleeding, and as a master, he felt the worst.

The night was long, and Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Jingqing accompanied him silently until dawn, when Tian Jinzhong fell into a deep sleep.

The sunlight shone into the wooden house through the window, and the old man carefully helped his disciple to sleep on the bed.

"Master?" Zhang Zhiwei wanted to make a suggestion.

"Let's go down the mountain"

"Go to the town to rent a rickshaw, prepare some dry food, and go to Sanyi Gate later. Keep it a secret on the way and don't let Jinzhong know. This child is afraid of causing trouble to others."

After a night of repeated thinking, Zhang Jingqing made the decision he should make as a master.

(End of this chapter)