The prolonged silence pushed Qu Tong's nerves to the brink.
She could feel sweat trickling down her back,
terrified that Hikaru might lose patience and strike her down at any moment.
Living with death hanging by a thread—
every second felt like sitting on pins and needles.
Just then, the silence on the phone was shattered by a violent fit of coughing—
harsh and guttural, as if the person on the other end was in severe pain.
Qu Tong snapped out of her tension.
Gripping the phone tightly, she asked in panic:
"Gu Jiting, what's wrong?!"
But the coughing didn't stop—
it was joined by the sound of retching,
and Qu Tong's heart leapt into her throat.
She could imagine how much agony Gu Jiting was enduring.
Finally, after a long moment, he managed to gasp out a response.
His voice was hoarse and faint:
"What the hell did you do?!
I tried using Grand Luo Vision, but I saw nothing—
and I got hit with a backlash!"
Qu Tong's expression changed.
She turned to stare at Hikaru, visibly shaken.
She knew—this was his doing.
But she also knew—now was not the time to show it.
Any sudden move could provoke Hikaru and plunge her into even greater danger.
Unfortunately, it seemed Hikaru's patience was wearing thin.
With a wave of his hand, an elderly man suddenly appeared beside them—
blood oozing from his orifices, skin cracked, and his body in tatters.
His eyes were hazy, still dazed—
but the moment he saw Qu Tong and Hikaru,
he understood everything.
Gu Jiting instinctively tried to activate Grand Luo Vision, hoping to break through space and escape.
But to his horror—
he found no gaps, no exits.
Everything around him was locked tight.
He let out a helpless sigh and slumped to the filthy floor,
fully aware that he was now nothing but meat on the chopping block.
"…What do you want from me?"
He tried to keep his voice calm.
Hikaru replied coldly with just four words:
"Grand Luo Vision."
Gu Jiting didn't hesitate.
"Fine. I'll give it to you."
He didn't bother asking Hikaru's motives.
In the face of absolute power,
questions were meaningless.
Even against someone like Zhang Zhiwei, Gu Jiting had always believed he could escape.
But this man—
who hadn't even shown his face—
had dragged him here through the internet,
trapped him in place, and crushed all routes of escape.
That was ten times more terrifying than even the Old Celestial Master.
He even thought to himself:
Maybe the Demon is nothing compared to this guy…
There was no point in resisting.
Stalling would only get him killed faster.
Without another word, he began explaining the secrets of Grand Luo Vision.
Hikaru, pleased with his cooperation, nodded subtly.
Gu Jiting's quick submission had saved him quite a bit of trouble.
But he hadn't noticed—
at the moment Qu Tong ended the call,
her finger had subtly pressed a small button.
A tiny gesture, easily overlooked while Hikaru focused on Gu Jiting.
Or perhaps…
the signal hadn't even been meant for Hikaru at all.
Otherwise, he would've noticed.
Not long after, a system notification blinked before Hikaru's eyes:
[Mission Complete.]
A hint of satisfaction rose in his chest.
At the same time, Ma Hongxian burst into the scene,
having just finished dealing with the guards in the compound.
When he saw Qu Tong, he visibly relaxed.
He had waited seven days for this.
But Qu Tong's reaction had taken him by surprise—
she had tried to flee the moment she sensed something was off.
Ma Hongxian had wanted to chase her immediately,
but he'd been surrounded by a group of defenders inside the hideout.
Fortunately, he was strong.
After a fierce battle, he broke through their blockade.
He thought the plan had failed—
but Hikaru hadn't been bluffing.
Now, finally face-to-face with the one he hated most,
Ma Hongxian couldn't hold back.
He stepped forward, grabbed Qu Tong, and slammed her against the wall.
"Where's my grandfather?!" he roared.
Qu Tong had some power,
but with Hikaru present, she knew resistance was futile.
So when Ma Hongxian hurled her into the wall,
she didn't resist.
The impact drew a pained gasp from her lips.
Her face turned deathly pale.
Ma Hongxian's fury burned through the room.
He glared at her, waiting for an answer.
Qu Tong clenched her teeth, enduring the pain.
She knew her contingency plans still needed time to activate.
She spoke with difficulty:
"By the time I found him…
your grandfather was already gone.
He lost too much blood.
He didn't make it."
Ma Hongxian's face went white.
Memories flooded his mind—
his grandfather's injuries,
his own insistence on saving him.
That moment Qu Tong ambushed him—
the delay in treatment…
He'd feared the worst.
Now, that fear had come true.
Hot blood rushed to his head.
Grief and rage twisted together inside him.
His fists clenched.
His entire body trembled with hatred.
Driven by that storm of emotion—
he attacked.
A full-force, lethal strike.
No holding back.
Qu Tong, sensing his killing intent, finally retaliated—
even with Hikaru standing nearby.
In that cramped space,
the two clashed—
every blow lethal, neither giving an inch.
Hikaru stood silently, watching.
Unmoved.
His deal with Ma Hongxian was complete.
What followed was no longer his concern.
That indifference cut through Qu Tong like a knife.
Now she knew—Hikaru had never truly been on Ma Hongxian's side.
He just wanted Grand Luo Vision.
Nothing more.
Realizing this, regret crept into her heart.
If Hikaru hadn't interfered,
she could've crushed Ma Hongxian easily.
But now, it was too late.
Still—if her calculations were correct,
her final contingency should be ready by now.
Thinking that,
Qu Tong began to lose interest in the fight.
After parrying one more furious blow from Ma Hongxian,
she jumped back,
pulling away from the clash.