Free Web NovelChapter 138: Chapter 138: Zhao Lan’s Request
Zhao Lan came to the Qin Estate at dusk.
That alone was significant.
A Zhao family member visiting the Qin Estate openly after years of tension would become city gossip by morning. She knew that. Qin Wanshan knew that. Qin Yuheng knew that.
Still, she came.
She wore a plain blue dress instead of Zhao ceremonial colors, and she brought only one servant, who remained outside the gate. Gu Tianhe personally led her into an outer reception hall, not the family core chamber.
Qin Yuheng met her there.
Qin Wanshan did not appear.
That meant this was Qin Yuheng’s matter to hear first.
Zhao Lan bowed.
"Thank you for receiving me."
Qin Yuheng nodded.
"You came for Zhao Tianyu."
"Yes."
Her voice was steady, but her eyes showed exhaustion.
"The academy treatment suppressed the instability, but it did not remove the root. He refuses to speak of what resource he used. He is ashamed, angry, and afraid the family will abandon his position."
"Will they?"
Zhao Lan’s smile was bitter.
"Some will. Some will try to use him anyway. Some will blame Qin family. Some will blame me for exposing it."
Qin Yuheng said nothing.
Zhao politics were not his problem.
Not directly.
Zhao Lan placed a sealed box on the table.
Inside was a cracked crimson crystal.
The moment it appeared, the Crimson Law Thread Revealing Eye Lens in Qin Yuheng’s storage reacted.
Zhao Lan said, "I found this hidden among his things. I believe it caused the contamination."
Qin Yuheng did not touch it.
He activated Law-Thread Severing Eye carefully.
The crystal was mostly spent, but faint blood-law threads remained.
Blood Sun.
Definitely.
Zhao Lan continued, "The academy can inspect it, but Zhao elders will interfere if I hand it over publicly. I need an independent reading before I decide my next move."
Qin Yuheng looked at her.
"Why come to me?"
"Because you severed part of the thread inside the trial. Because Blood Sun targeted your team first. Because if I bring this only to the academy, it becomes politics. If I bring it only to the Zhao family, it becomes buried."
"And if you bring it to the Qin family?"
"It becomes dangerous," she admitted. "But perhaps useful."
Qin Yuheng respected the honesty.
He called Qin Mo.
Qin Mo arrived, saw Zhao Lan, saw the crystal, and immediately looked pained.
"Another suspicious object." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
"Can you inspect it?"
"Can I refuse?"
"No."
"Then yes."
They moved to a sealed side chamber. Qin Mo used three isolation layers. Qin Yuheng used the Crimson Law Thread Revealing Eye Lens without revealing its full grade.
The result was clear.
[Crimson Beast Stabilization Crystal — spent]
[Hidden Function:]
Stabilized beast-blood aura while embedding delayed blood-sun class resonance hook.
[Secondary Function:]
Amplified rivalry emotion toward marked target.
[Marked target trace detected:
Qin Yuheng]
Zhao Lan’s face turned pale. freёweɓnovel.com
"Marked target..."
Qin Yuheng’s expression did not change, but his eyes cooled.
Blood Sun had not merely strengthened Zhao Tianyu.
They had aimed his rivalry.
Qin Mo looked angry.
"This was not a normal corruption item. It was emotional guidance."
Zhao Lan whispered, "Can it be removed?"
"From the crystal? Yes. From Zhao Tianyu? Harder."
Qin Yuheng said, "He must cooperate."
Zhao Lan closed her eyes briefly.
"That may be the hardest part."
Qin Yuheng did not offer immediately.
Helping Zhao Tianyu carried risk. It could expose resources. It could entangle Qin family and Zhao family. It could be another Blood Sun layer. But leaving the thread inside him meant Blood Sun retained a tool near the academy.
Qin Zhengyuan’s earlier warning returned: team first.
Was helping Zhao Tianyu a risk to the team?
Yes.
Could not helping him create greater risk?
Also yes.
Qin Yuheng made a limited decision.
"I can provide one inspection method through the academy, not privately. No secret treatment in Zhao territory. No Zhao elders present. Yu Qingmei supervises. Zhao Tianyu must agree."
Zhao Lan looked at him.
"You would help?"
"I would help remove Blood Sun’s hook. Not for the Zhao family. Not for his pride."
"I understand."
"Do you?"
She nodded slowly.
"If he refuses, I will not ask again."
Qin Yuheng appreciated that.
The next day, Yu Qingmei arranged a sealed academy inspection.
Zhao Tianyu resisted at first.
When he saw Qin Yuheng enter, his face darkened.
"You."
Qin Yuheng looked at him calmly.
"Yes."
Zhao Tianyu laughed bitterly.
"Come to see me humiliated?"
"No. I have better uses for my time."
Zhao Tianyu’s expression twisted.
Zhao Lan stepped forward.
"Tianyu, stop."
He looked at her.
For once, her voice broke slightly.
"You are not weak because you were deceived. You are weak if you keep protecting the deception."
The room fell silent.
Zhao Tianyu’s anger faltered.
Qin Yuheng placed the Crimson Law Thread Revealing Eye Lens on the inspection table.
"I can help identify the thread. Removing it will hurt. It may weaken your class temporarily. It may expose how deeply Blood Sun touched you. If you refuse, I leave."
Zhao Tianyu stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because Blood Sun used you to reach me."
His fists clenched.
That answer, unlike pity, he could accept.
After a long time, Zhao Tianyu sat.
"Do it."
The inspection revealed three remaining threads:
Class resonance hook.
Rivalry amplification mark.
Blood-Sun recall seed.
Yu Qingmei’s expression became murderous at the third.
Recall seed meant Blood Sun might one day pull or activate him.
Removal required Qin Mo’s formation, Yu Qingmei’s spirit suppression, Zhao Lan’s family blood-stabilizing art, and Qin Yuheng’s law-thread cutting.
Qin Yuheng did not use full Origin Purification.
He did not need to.
The process lasted four hours.
Zhao Tianyu screamed twice.
When it ended, his aura weakened sharply, but the crimson sun trace faded.
[Blood-Sun class contamination reduced.]
[Recall seed destroyed.]
[Rivalry amplification removed.]
[Residual class instability remains.]
Zhao Tianyu collapsed, breathing hard.
He looked at Qin Yuheng with complicated hatred, shame, and reluctant understanding.
"I still do not like you," he said.
Qin Yuheng nodded.
"You are allowed."
Zhao Tianyu closed his eyes.
"But I owe you."
"Yes."
That answer made Qin Mo choke on air.
Zhao Tianyu stared.
Qin Yuheng continued, "Use the debt by not becoming Blood Sun’s tool again."
For once, Zhao Tianyu did not argue.
