You TanZhi stood frozen in the midst of taking a sip.
In an instant, his mind went blank, with only Ron's words resounding in his heart.
Rayleigh, too, expressed surprise, "Kid, I had no idea you are a doctor."
While uttering this, he leaned toward Ron's ear and inquired softly, "Can my kidney be cured?"
"From now on, you can instruct me as you please!" Ron calmly pushed Rayleigh's head away, saying, "I have a method that can cure all diseases."
"Any solution?" Rayleigh asked.
"You need an injection of a 37.2-degree protein mixed solution," Ron responded seriously.
Rayleigh started feeling a sense of recognition.
Aren't these just descendants?!
Rayleigh was on the verge of shouting, but then witnessed You Tanzhi kneeling directly on the ground, repeatedly hitting his head against the floor, and fervently declaring, "As long as I can save Ah Zi, I won't hesitate to act like a cow!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The iron mask made a crisp sound as it hit the floor.
"What... what's happening?" Rayleigh looked bewildered.
How could you just kneel down like that?
Has your manly dignity been completely disregarded?
Ron didn't immediately address You Tanzhi's actions but instead asked the system:
"How many points do I need to exchange for the Divine Wood King Cauldron?"
The Divine Wood King Cauldron holds the utmost value in the Youtan realm. With its aid, practicing the renowned "Hua Gong Dafa" becomes notably efficient, yielding twice the results with half the effort. It serves as a protective tool, capable of eliminating hidden threats. Currently, Azi, the goddess of You Tanzhi, possesses this extraordinary artifact.
[Ding, you can exchange it for two thousand points.]
"In that case, bring me the Sacred Wooden King Tripod, and I'll heal Azi's eyes," Ron declared as he left the bar, assisting You Tanzhi to his feet.
Upon hearing this, You Tanzhi felt a twinge of embarrassment. Acquiring the Divine Wood King Cauldron was straightforward for him. However, Azi had previously ignored him, and stealing the sacred tripod might ruin any chance of marrying her in this lifetime. In light of this, sacrificing his own eyes seemed like a more acceptable solution.
"Can we negotiate the terms?" You Tanzhi tentatively asked.
Ron returned to the bar, sat down, and shook his head with a smile. "You have no choice."
While the books in the Sutra Pavilion were appealing, You Tanzhi likely wouldn't get far before being thwarted by the resident monk. Therefore, Ron had to settle for an alternative condition, one that would closely affect You Tanzhi.
"Let me consider it," You Tanzhi sighed, took a swig from the wine bottle, and laughed bitterly.
Rayleigh approached and asked softly, "What's happening with this guy?"
He couldn't comprehend what kind of woman could lead a man to relinquish his dignity without expecting anything in return.
"He's a man in a predicament," Ron's voice, now in a military tone, reached Rayleigh's ears. "Truth be told, both he and A'Zi have a touch of eccentricity in their hearts."
"The mask on You TanZhi's head was seared red by Ah Zi and then promptly placed directly onto his face."
"To test the mask's strength, Azi pressed You Tanzhi's head into a lion cage, putting his life in jeopardy."
"You Tanzhi went so far as to become a human kite for Ah Zi's happiness, enduring an uncertain amount of time suspended in the sky."
"Later, Azi asked You Tanzhi to plunge his hand into a jar teeming with poisonous insects for the sake of honing poison skills."
"And now, with Ah Zi blind, You Tanzhi is willing to gouge out his own eyes."
"You Tanzhi harbors no complaints about any of these actions."
Upon hearing this, Rayleigh was visibly shocked, his confusion evident. "I don't understand," he expressed.
Regardless of Ron's explanations, it seemed incomprehensible to ordinary sensibilities. Particularly, the fact that You Tanzhi not only refrained from protesting but seemingly enjoyed it was astonishing to Rayleigh. The extent of devotion, akin to licking a dog, left him dumbfounded.
"This woman is truly ruthless," Rayleigh remarked with a furrowed brow.
Ron smiled in response, choosing to remain silent. In reality, You Tanzhi's love for Ah Zi had been distorted from the very beginning, sparked by a single glance that stripped him of his rationality, rendering him impervious to pain and mistreatment.
In the original narrative, their initial encounter had seen You Tanzhi fervently embracing Ah Zi's feet and screaming fiercely, an act that defied comprehension and sparked disgust. Rather than a simple surge of romantic passion, it resembled a reverential act toward a deity, perhaps the only explanation for why You Tanzhi willingly sacrificed everything for Ah Zi.
At that moment, You Tanzhi ceased his drinking, displaying a sense of determination. Slowly raising his head, he gazed at Ron and Rayleigh with eyes consumed by obsession. "I promise you," he declared, "tomorrow, I will bring you what you want. I also hope you can cure Azi's eyes."
As Ron narrated the story, You Tanzhi reminisced about every moment spent with Ah Zi, his emotions laid bare.
He paused and spoke with a wry smile, "Truth be told, the happiest moments in my life were when Ah Zi was blind."
"I held Azi's soft and smooth little hand, and she followed me everywhere."
"Finally... I got a taste of what they call love."
"Especially the moment when I transformed from 'Iron Chou' in Azi's mouth to 'Brother Zhuang.'"
"I, You Tanzhi, suddenly ascended from the bottomless hell to the blissful realm of heaven!"
At this juncture, he halted, unwilling to let the story unfold further. Some good things, like fine wine, need to be savored slowly and not excessively indulged.
You TanZhi didn't want AhZi to remain immersed in the blind reality all day long.
Now, the reason behind his decision to steal the Divine Wood King Cauldron was revealed. It wasn't that You Tanzhi was unwilling to sacrifice his eyes; on the contrary, he was more than willing. After all...
In doing so, he could always be with Ah Zi. However, if he lost his eyes, how would he see Ah Zi in the future? You Tanzhi believed that Ah Zi would understand once she knew the whole story.
"Bang bang bang..." Rayleigh applauded, tears in her eyes, and exclaimed, "Brother, you're so devoted."
"Devotion?" You Tanzhi finished the last sip of his wine, stood up, and said, "You're mistaken. Every man can do this for the woman he loves, but they don't dare. I have the courage to do it."
"I'm willing to die for Ah Zi, and my only request before I die is that Ah Zi remembers that I am a person named You Tanzhi! Not an animal, not a clown..."
"May you have a beautiful future." Ron smiled and stood up to see him off.
You Tanzhi nodded silently, dropped two gold ingots, and left the tavern slowly. However, compared to when he arrived, his once straight back seemed a bit hunched, like a dog whose backbone had been taken away.