Among the Shadow Guards still present in the hall, one particular member watched the situation unfold with restless eyes. This person was none other than Wuying, the leader of the Shadow Guards.
'Should I help him...? But what if he starts to hate me afterward?' Wuying wondered, recalling Xuefeng's past words. He had once told her he liked cute and elegant women, which was the main reason she hid her involvement with the Shadow Guards. What if he discarded her after learning she was part of a group of cold-blooded killers? Just the thought of being away from him made her shudder.
As Xuefeng received the last two lightning bolts, Wuying battled with herself. She wanted to help but didn't know how. If she could, she would have taken the lightning for him, but Heavenly Tribulation didn't work like that. Even if she tried to block the lightning, he would still be hit.
'I will help him afterward if he is injured. I don't care about exposing myself anymore,' she ultimately decided.
Everyone held their breath as two bloody red thunderbolts descended on Xuefeng's body. This time, not only was his soul targeted but also his physical body. When he was hit, he felt like his organs were being crushed. He spat out a mouthful of blood and kneeled on the ground, clutching his stomach.
"Xuefeng!" Mu Lan and Wuying called out simultaneously as they jumped onto the stage to help him. The black clouds were finally retreating, signaling the end of the Heavenly Tribulation.
"I'm fine..." Xuefeng assured as he heard familiar voices, letting them help him stand up. He could feel their Spirit Qi pouring into his body but he didn't stop them, knowing they were only checking his injuries.
'I was getting too cocky so the heavens had to humble me...' Xuefeng chuckled inwardly. He thought that he could make it out without any injuries, but apparently, you couldn't get benefits without sacrifices.
The rewards for enduring a Heavenly Tribulation were enormous. The girls, preoccupied with his condition, didn't notice yet, but after absorbing some of the Lightning Essence, he had broken through another wall in his dantian.
He also produced what he called Lightning Qi. He hadn't read anything about it in Elder Ming's booklet, likely because no one else had been crazy enough to absorb lightning during a life-and-death tribulation.
"Son, I'm proud of you. Take this healing pill and go rest; we will talk later," Liu Xiaobei praised, slipping a round pill into Xuefeng's palm.
"Thanks, Dad," he acknowledged with a smile and swallowed the pill. It instantly melted on his tongue, the cooling liquid sliding down his throat and bringing immediate relief as the metallic taste in his mouth disappeared.
"Wuying, take him back to his courtyard and make sure he rests. We will take care of the aftermath," Mu Lan said gently to the Shadow Guard.
"Wuying?" Xuefeng repeated in surprise, but before he could even look for her, they vanished from the hall.
Only the remaining Spirit Kings and Clan Leaders stayed in the hall as Liu Xiaobei issued orders to his Shadow Guards. "Gather some people from the garden to help clean up the mess on the stage. Also, ask Elder Ming to speak with the parents of all participants. Tell them we will continue with the second part of the ceremony tomorrow."
The hall was a mess with dishes and debris from the ceiling scattered everywhere. Since the Shadow Guards were responsible for protecting the clan, they had to use all available clansmen to help clean up.
"Liu Xiaobei, you sly old man," a clan leader remarked as they returned to the main table, various leaders offering their congratulations. They knew their daughters had no chance with Xuefeng anymore, so they didn't even bother bringing up the topic. Any black talent was destined to leave their country one day in pursuit of higher cultivation.
"To think you would play with our hearts like this," the Lu Clan Leader commented, patting Liu Xiaobei's shoulder. "Tell us honestly, did your son actually raise his talent from red to black, or did you use some trick to make it seem like he was untalented?"
"Do you know of any ways that could increase innate talent by six levels?" Liu Xiaobei asked back with a smile. "I had no idea what talent he had, but I speculated it wouldn't be lower than ours. With that in mind, I set up an artifact that would only release his Qi up to sky blue while keeping the rest hidden. Who knew he would somehow break it and ruin my plans?"
He lied through his teeth to protect Xuefeng's secrets, but the clan leaders didn't seem to buy his story. They knew it would be impossible to prepare such a specific artifact in two days since his son healed his dantian.
"Well, whatever happened, if you actually know a method to increase innate talent, the Lu Clan will purchase it for a high sum," the Lu Clan Leader proposed.
"We will buy it as well!" the other clan leaders simultaneously exclaimed.
"If such a method existed, do you think our clan could afford it?" Liu Xiaobei replied with a shrug.
"You might not be able to afford it, but there is someone here who could certainly help you acquire such a treasure at a significant discount," Emperor Zhen pointed out, gazing at a mature beauty in a red dress. "Isn't that right, Miss Wu?"
Liu Xiaobei raised his eyebrows, not expecting her to get involved. Everyone sensed something was up and turned to Manager Wu, who stood up and shared a dazzling smile.
"Liu Xiaobei, I know you're trying to hide our recent cooperation, but we don't mind if this information is revealed," Manager Wu commented casually. "We did help the Liu Clan by selling them the legendary Six Petals Lotus Flower, which can help a cultivator increase their talent."
Recalling Xuefeng's greatness, she added, "The herb is known to raise talent by at most three to four levels, but Xuefeng managed to use its effectiveness to the fullest and rose by six levels. It's not a miracle; it simply shows how much of a genius he is."
"Miss Wu, does the Trade Union possess more of those flowers? My Lu Clan would like to buy them," the Lu Clan Leader suggested excitedly, only to be quickly shut down.
"It's an extremely rare Spirit Herb that only blooms once every three hundred years. We only had one stored in the capital and had to use a lot of resources to bring it here," Manager Wu explained indifferently. "Besides, even if we had more, they are useless to most cultivators. They only work on individuals who possess a rare broken dantian similar to Young Master Xuefeng. His condition was a blessing in disguise."
Although the clan leaders found the story hard to believe, it was still more plausible than Liu Xiaobei's lies about his artifact.
"As the ceremony is over, I will be taking my leave. I will come tomorrow to propose cooperation between the Trade Union and the Liu Clan. We would love to deepen our relationship," she announced before graciously walking out of the hall.
"The Liu Clan sure is lucky today. First, a purple talent, then a black one, and now they even have a chance to collaborate with the biggest trading firm," the Lu Clan Leader commented, jealousy written all over his face.
Emperor Zhen wasn't any different, his expression as dark as the tribulation clouds. He had initially planned to use his daughter to fish in the Liu Clan's waters, but his plans were ruined.
'Damn it, why isn't my son this lucky? With the Trade Union's protection, they might even start competing with the Royal Family for resources, raising their strength even further,' Emperor Zhen thought, irritated. "We are also leaving. Thank you for your hospitality."
He stood up and Zhen Ping followed closely behind. Only when they reached the exit did they realize something was wrong—Zhen Shan was missing.
"Zhen Shan? We are going back," Emperor Zhen called to his daughter, who was still seated, but she only shook her head.
"I'm not going," she announced in her sweet voice and turned to Liu Xiaobei. "Liu Clan Leader, could you arrange for me to stay in your clan for some time? I am interested in getting acquainted with your son."
"That shouldn't be a problem. We have more than enough rooms to spare," Liu Xiaobei agreed, seizing the opportunity to annoy the Emperor.
"Shan, you're staying for that nobody?!" Zhen Ping asked angrily.
"If he is a nobody, then who are you?" she shot back without even looking at him.
Her reply infuriated him further, but before he could respond, his father stopped him. Emperor Zhen stared at his daughter, trying to discern her motives, before nodding at Liu Xiaobei. "Make sure to take good care of her. I won't forgive you if a single hair on her head is harmed."
He didn't wait for a response before stepping out of the hall, dragging his useless son with him.