22 Guilt

Shi Xiong has his mouth wide open. It took him a while to come back to his senses. He put the talismans back in his storage ring.

'Perhaps the heavens have got tired of playing with me?' Shi Xiong thought.

"Grandpa Shi, why are you sweating after seeing us?" Zhen Han asked.

Lin Li has informed her son about Shi Xiong yesterday after the 'incident' with the beast. She has told him to treat Shi Xiong as his grandfather.

A few moments ago, Lin Li noticed Shi Xiong when they were looking for a way out from the ninth zone.

Shi Xiong has a very close friendship with Lin Li's father. He has even acted like a second father to her on many occasions. So it only made sense for Zhen Han to treat him with great respect.

"Grandpa Shi, why is your mouth wide open?" Zhen Han continued to ask one question after another.

"Han'er, silence! You shouldn't say such things," Lin Li said.

Only after coming close she was able to see the injuries suffered by Shi Xiong. She was shocked to see him with an arm missing.

"Uncle Shi..." Lin Li has tears in her eyes. She understood most likely he suffered these injuries due to the Celestial Tribulation and the tree.

Lin Li felt extremely guilty. Yesterday, Shi Xiong's grandson was defiled by the beasts in ways which would give people nightmares. Dozens of beasts made 'love' with Shi Xiong's grandson. If she hasn't said he deserves mating with beasts, then her son wouldn't have changed the rules of nature.

Today, her son invited the Celestial Tribulation and the tree. It resulted in the current injuries of Shi Xiong.

Shi Xiong has even gone to the second zone for escorting them to the imperial city as he was worried about their safety! She was treated like a daughter, but she has unknowingly created so many troubles for him. She knew her son couldn't control his powers, but that didn't stop her from feeling guilty.

She started crying.

"Li'er, don't cry. It is just an arm. I can regenerate it after I recover my stamina," Shi Xiong came forward and placed his remaining hand on her shoulder.

Lin Li hugged him tightly.

"Li'er..." Shi Xiong did his best to console her. The more he consoled the more she cried. Her guilt only grew stronger. If she could go back in time she would have begged the tree for help.

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Zhen Han was unaware of the crisis he has created in the empire. The only thing he remembered was an afternoon nap, and when he woke up he was in the ninth zone with his mother surrounded by debris and corpses.

He felt sad when he saw his mother crying. His heart ached to see tears in her eyes. For him, his mother is the most important person in the world.

Even though she didn't allow him to leave the castle back in Yue State, he never hated her. He knew she did what he did because she was worried about him. He has seen the kindness and love she has for him in her eyes.

"Mother, please don't cry!" Zhen Han said. He has tears in his eyes. He was only a three-year-old.

Lin Li turned back when she heard her son's sad voice. She tried best to control her tears while wiping her son's tears.

"Just yesterday you told me you were going to become a great person but now you are crying. A true man never cries," Lin Li teased her son. Perhaps her teasing worked and he stopped crying.

"Mother, I will become the most powerful person in this world. No one would be able to make you cry then," Zhen Han promised. Lin Li smiled.

She knew her son was destined for greatness. The destruction of the empire was not even his first step.

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Lin Li then took out the best medicines she has from her storage ring and gave them to Shi Xiong. Her medicine couldn't regenerate the missing arm but at the very least it could help in healing other wounds.

Shi Xiong's entire body was a mess, so he didn't decline the good intention of Lin Li. He has used all his medicines in the second zone when the tree and gray sword were fighting.

"If you don't mind answering how did you escape?" Shi Xiong asked Lin Li. He was surprised to see not a single scratch on Lin Li and Zhen Han.