In the haze, all that registered was a surge of coolness, permeating every limb and bone of his body. His exhausted frame gradually regained its strength.

The True Essence within the meridian wheel spun anew, vibrant with life force. Zong Shou’s consciousness slowly drew itself out from the blank, thoughtless darkness.

He pondered: Had he not died? How could he still feel his physical body?

Those bones that had clearly been shattered moments ago were now perfectly restored, perhaps even stronger than before. A stinging sensation pricked his skin—the precise touch of needles.

Inserted into his pressure points, they helped regulate his channels and clear stagnant blood. He also felt two cool hands moving over him, pressing and kneading at his vital points with a unique, practiced technique.

The force was controlled with absolute precision, subtly guiding the flow of qi within him, smoothing out all his meridians. Though the hands were cool, they felt profoundly warm, imbued with an intense tenderness.

This aura was incredibly familiar, stirring an almost primal urge to curl up within the embrace of those hands. “Mother—” The sound slipped out involuntarily, and Zong Shou’s spirit immediately jolted.

The hands paused noticeably, followed by a soft ‘hissing’ chuckle before continuing their unique method to mend his injuries. Zong Shou felt a flush of heat rising to his face, but he forcibly controlled his blood, preventing it from rushing upward.

He thought that this time, he truly had no face left to show anyone. He felt an overwhelming urge to dig a hole and bury himself in it.

But for now, he could only pretend to be still deeply asleep. That utterance, it must have been a mere murmur from a dream.

It was definitely a dream utterance! Surely, it was just because he cared too much for his mother, still suffering in the Death Prison!

His awareness cautiously extended outward. He found himself outside the black mist, near that monstrous demonic tree.

His head was resting on the lap of that woman, and those so-called ‘needles’ were, in fact, strands of her hair. Though bound by the vine-like wood, the woman had still managed to free her hands to help him recover.

A moment later, seemingly exhausted, she let out a slight breath. “Little Brother, are you awake now?

Feigning sleep is a bad habit. This family’s Du’e Yinmai Jue—I still haven’t mastered it fully.

To recover completely, you will still need to rely on your own internal circulation!” Zong Shou could maintain the pretense no longer, and he opened his eyes, sitting his body upright. His eyes still ached and were too painful to see clearly.

Thus, he immediately released the Illusory Heart Mirror once more. Observing his surroundings, he confirmed it was the woman who evoked such an immediate sense of kinship and intimacy.

His face, though generally as sturdy as a city wall, betrayed no embarrassment at being discovered. A fleeting shadow of confusion and bewilderment crossed his eyes before he directly asked his question.

“Senior, may I know how many days have passed since I fell unconscious? And was it you who saved my life?” His doubt lingered over the matter of Jue Yan, why he hadn't ended his life then.

But upon reflection, the Saint Venerable seemed to carry no killing intent at that time either. So, the primary purpose of this question was to divert attention and avoid the awkwardness.

“Only seven hours! Given your condition then, even if I hadn’t intervened, you would have recovered on your own.

Calling it saving your life is an exaggeration.” Saying this, the woman shook her head again. “Didn’t I tell you not to call me Senior?

Just call me Lu Hanyan!” Lu what? Zong Shou didn't hear clearly.

He flushed with shame inwardly. He couldn't believe himself; for the second time, he hadn't clearly registered the woman’s name.

He was then drawn back to the condition of his body. Only seven hours?

How could his injuries have recovered so rapidly? Even though his consciousness was muddled before he passed out, he still had a general impression of his internal damage.

At that time, it was a catastrophic sight. Even consuming the best healing elixir from his private stores...

It would have taken at least thirty to fifty days for a full recovery. Yet, his body now seemed largely whole, with only minor details still slightly amiss.

His spirit and energy were completely restored, perhaps even surpassing his pre-injury state. Even the fractured bones had healed perfectly—not only without any latent issue but with greater inherent strength than before.

His soul felt perfectly harmonious and complete, showing no sign that this Sea of Consciousness had recently endured a massive battle. Zong Shou couldn't help but furrow his brow.

Why was this the case? He wasn't at the Apex Realm; how could he recover this fast?

His gaze of doubt instinctively turned toward the woman beneath the tree. This was the only conceivable reason for his injuries to be completely healed.

Lu Hanyan seemed to sense his thought process, tilting her delicate head slightly. “It wasn’t me.

Little Brother, your wounds are fully recovered because someone else aided you with spirit elixirs.” As for who did it and what specific elixirs were used, Lu Hanyan was unwilling to elaborate. She only said, “You must be highly valued within the Lu Family.

Are you one of their Crown Heirs?” Zong Shou let out a cold chuckle. Valued?

If he were truly valued, that would be wonderful. His current status was indeed that of a young master heir of the Lu Family.

But now, his hatred for the Lu Family was ingrained, his heart boiling with fury! If his mother met any misfortune in the Death Prison— Then he would devote his entire life, regardless of the karma accumulated, to bathe the entire Fenkong Lu Family in blood!

He gazed thoughtfully into the black mist. Could the person who restored his injuries be him?

Saint Venerable Jue Yan? Seeing his expression, Lu Hanyan seemed to recall something else, her expression turning slightly odd.

“Oh, right! Saint Venerable Jue Yan left a message before you passed out, saying he would wait for you at the Abyss Gate, but only for ten days.” Zong Shou frowned slightly, then let out a cold laugh.

He closed his eyes to circulate his breath, beginning his internal recuperation. He had already recovered substantially before; now, with his internal flow cycling, full recovery took only a moment.

Even his elemental power showed no sign of depletion. When Zong Shou awoke next, he flicked his sleeve, causing the seventy-nine Star Dao Seeds and the thirty-seven Imperial Dao Dragon Tooth Swords to materialize beside him.

In his hands, he held an additional Star Dragon Pill and a single Dragon Tooth fragment. He hadn't had time recently to forge new Star Dao Seeds or Imperial Dao Dragon Tooth Swords.

At this moment, feeling clearly insufficient in strength, he subconsciously intended to focus on these two areas—it was the fastest way for his current power level to increase. Regarding other aspects, he had already mastered the Great Dao of ‘Life’ and all its derivative Daos to a level approaching the ‘Root of the Dao’ thanks to Lin Xuanshuang’s Spiritual Connection Dream Imprint technique.

Dao Seeds could be condensed easily; in just a few days, he could forge at least seven new Stars and two flying swords! But as this thought arose, Zong Shou’s mind stirred again.

He remembered Jue Yan’s words before he lost consciousness. “Disorganized and chaotic!

Laughable!” This phrase seemed to hold deeper meaning. Zong Shou knitted his brows and began to multitask.

The hand seals for condensing the Star Dao Seeds did not stop. The Fenkong Flame used to refine the Dragon Teeth continued to burn.

Yet, his mind drifted slightly, pondering the battle he had experienced only a day before. It hardly qualified as a battle; Jue Yan had never used his full power.

Merely the power of the Fenkong Flame and the pressure of his soul intent were enough to push Zong Shou to his limits. In the end, a single flick of the finger had sent his body flying.