From absorbing the essence of the sun and moon to achieving divine mastery in martial arts

Shortly after, the heavy wooden door to the office was pushed open, and Ning Chongli, Ning Geng, Ning Xiaoxing, and Ning Ke walked in, supporting each other.

Their faces were ashen, their steps unsteady, and with each step their bodies trembled slightly uncontrollably, as if they were walking on a knife's edge.

As soon as they stepped into the room filled with a chilling atmosphere, Ning Chongli and the others involuntarily stiffened.

They not only felt the suffocating solemnity of the National Martial Hall, but also a terrifying sense of oppression emanating from the beautiful figure directly in front of them.

"Ning Chongli, along with three members of the Ning family, pays his respects to General Chu!"

Ning Chongli dared not be negligent in the slightest. Ignoring the excruciating pain in his body, he led the others, forcing himself to kneel down and pay his respects.

"No need." Chu Zhaoxue raised her hand indifferently, her gaze sweeping coldly over the four of them as if examining an object. "Given your current physical condition, this greeting is unnecessary. Stand up."

The group stood cautiously, not daring to even breathe loudly.

In the face of such an absolute superior, these so-called martial arts masters are as insignificant as ants.

Chu Zhaoxue stood up, walked slowly to Ning Chongli, and placed two fingers on his radial artery pulse.

A powerful surge of energy traveled from her fingertips into Ning Chongli's body.

After a moment, she withdrew her hand, her brows furrowing slightly, and said, "The bloodthirsty aura has already seeped into my marrow; to eradicate it completely is as difficult as ascending to heaven."

Upon hearing the words "as difficult as ascending to heaven," Ning Chongli's old face turned ashen, and the last glimmer of light in his eyes seemed to be extinguished.

He said in a trembling voice, "General Chu... is there really no other way?"

"I do have a solution." Chu Zhaoxue turned around, her gaze not on the Ning family, but on the silent Cang Lian with a half-smile. "I'm only making an exception for Cang Lian's sake. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't even glance at you if you knelt to your deaths at the door."

Upon hearing this, the four members of the Ning family immediately turned their gazes to Cang Lian.

His lips trembled, and his eyes instantly reddened.

"Alright, let's begin!" Chu Zhaoxue said no more. With a flick of her wrist, she took out the Blood God Pearl from the brocade box and placed it in her palm.

In an instant, a chilling stench of blood filled the command room.

"go."

With a soft shout, the Blood God Pearl slowly rose into the air under the control of her inner energy, hovering above the heads of the four members of the Ning family.

hum!

The Blood God Pearl seemed to have smelled something highly nourishing, and it couldn't help but tremble.

"Ugh—!"

The next moment, the Ning family members couldn't help but let out a suppressed growl.

They felt as if their blood was boiling, and the bloodthirsty energy that had tormented them for years was now being forcibly pulled from their bones by an incomparably domineering suction force.

Strands of crimson mist seeped from their seven orifices and pores, and were absorbed into the Blood God Pearl like rivers flowing into the sea.

As the bloodthirsty aura left their bodies, Ning Chongli and the others' originally ashen faces regained a rosy hue at a visible speed, and their hunched backs straightened slightly.

It was a long-lost sense of ease, as if a corner of the massive boulder weighing on my soul had been lifted.

However, just when the group felt they were about to be completely free.

Chu Zhaoxue retracted her five fingers, and the Blood God Pearl's light faded, returning to her palm.

The feeling of comfort was abruptly interrupted. Although most of the pain in his body had subsided, Ning Chongli, with the keen perception of a Grandmaster of Dan Jin, clearly sensed that deep within his dantian and the spine, several strands of the most stubborn and insidious evil energy still lurked, like a malignant tumor clinging to the bone, which had not yet been eradicated.

Chu Zhaoxue slowly said, "The bloodthirsty energy within you has accumulated for too long, and has already fused with your bones and blood. If we were to remove it all at once, you would all die from having your bones and blood drained. Now, seventy percent of the bloodthirsty energy within you has been removed, so your lives are no longer in danger, and your strength can be restored to about thirty or forty percent. As for the remaining thirty percent..."

She paused, then turned her gaze to Cang Lian, saying meaningfully, "Since Cang Lian has so strongly recommended you, I will give him that face. From now on, you can come here every three months, and I will personally remove another portion of the evil energy and nourish your meridians. As long as you are properly cared for, it will be completely eliminated in a year or two."

Her life has been saved, but she will need further treatment to fully recover and regain her former glory.

Ning Chongli was an old and shrewd man; how could he not hear the hidden meaning in the words?

"Thump!"

"Thump!"

This time, it wasn't just polite greetings, but a deep, groveling kowtow!

Tears streamed down Ning Chongli's face. With all his remaining strength, he led the three members of the Ning family to kneel heavily before Cang Lian and Chu Zhaoxue, their foreheads slamming against the floor with a startling thud.

"General, you have shown us such great kindness! Young Master, you have shown us such great kindness! The entire Ning family is deeply grateful!"

"Young Master... from this day forward, the lives of my Ning family of four belong to you! If you command us to go east, we will never go west; if you command us to die, we will never flinch! If we break this oath, may we be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

At this moment, Ning Chongli's voice contained less hesitation and more resolute determination.

Even Ning Ke, the most timid and weak of them all, was now in tears, kowtowing heavily: "Ning Ke is willing to be the young master's maid, to serve the young master for all eternity, and will never have a second thought!"

Cang Lian squatted down and personally helped the eldest, Ning Chongli, to his feet, saying slowly, "Get up, all of you. I think you understand that the reason I saved you was because I valued your martial arts skills. Your martial arts cultivation is quite good, and I will indeed need you to do things for me in the future. As long as you do your best, I, Cang Lian, will never treat my own people unfairly."

The four members of the Ning family exchanged glances. They hadn't expected Cang Lian to be so frank, and immediately bowed again.

"We...are willing to die for our young master!"

Cang Lian glanced at the men's eyes, a thought stirring within him. Once upon a time, he too was a servant in the Cang family, subservient to others; now, he had his own faction.

He composed himself, his tone gentle yet carrying the authority of a leader: "Alright, you've just started to recover, so come with me to rest. From now on, you'll reside and recuperate at the base as free martial artists!"

"Yes, young master!"

The four responded in unison, their eyes filled with more respect as they looked at Cang Lian.

Chu Zhaoxue watched Cang Lian lead the group away, her fingertips gently stroking the smooth Blood God Pearl, a hint of appreciation flashing in her cold eyes.

"This kid is getting more and more capable," she murmured to herself, then looked down at the national map on the table, a faint smile curving her lips. "Well, it's always good to have another helper. The stronger Cang Lian is, the more useful he will be to me."