Chapter 249: CH. 249 | Hao Xiu Sacrifice

Becoming the head of a cultivator family had never once crossed Hao Xiu’s mind. She’d always believed Hao Bao was the one meant to carry that kind of responsibility.

But everything had changed now. Ever since Lin Tian dragged Hao Bao into the void dimension, no one knew what had become of him, whether he was even still alive.

"But what about my father? My brother?" Hao Xiu asked.

Hao Yun fell silent for a moment, glancing briefly toward Lin Tian, who was calmly sipping his tea, before turning his attention back to the rift.

He edged closer to it, careful not to touch it, wary that the dimension’s pull might drag him back into that nightmare again.

"Head Hao Ming and the elders went into the void together. To make the search for Hao Bao more efficient, we decided to split up."

"I thought it was a good plan at the time. It wasn’t. It’s not just the emptiness itself that tears at the soul in there, there are other cultivator souls trapped inside as well, and they’re dangerous," Hao Yun said. "I saw them myself... they were soul eaters."

"I have no idea what condition Head Hao Ming and the other elders are in. The whole time I searched for them and for Hao Bao, I found nothing."

Hao Yun turned and clasped his hands together, bowing his head in a plea toward Lin Tian. Hao Xiu did the same, going so far as to drop to her knees on the floor, repeatedly pressing her forehead against it until it began to bleed.

"Please, Master Lin Tian."

"Please, free my father and my brother. We’ll do anything for you," Hao Xiu pleaded.

"They had one simple task, find the dimensional rift before I sealed it shut," Lin Tian said. "If they couldn’t manage even that, then forget about them."

An Yue listened to what Lin Tian said. She rose from her seat and walked over to Hao Xiu, helping the girl to her feet before pulling her into a tight embrace.

Hao Xiu broke down sobbing in An Yue’s arms, and An Yue’s eyes drifted toward Lin Tian. She wanted to voice what she truly felt about the whole situation.

"All of this started because Hao Bao tried to seduce me. I don’t want to drag this out any longer. I’ll forgive them," An Yue said. "Bring them home, husband."

Lin Tian fell silent, lifting his cup and taking another sip of tea. He glanced over at An Yue, her eyes glistening, as though she could already feel the weight of Hao Xiu’s grief as her own.

If Lin Tian let things stand as they were, there was a real chance An Yue would end up in tears herself, mourning what Hao Xiu was going through.

"What guarantee can you offer?" Lin Tian asked.

Hao Xiu turned to him at once and offered herself. If Hao Bao were ever proven to act like that again, she’d willingly become Lin Tian’s servant, and accept having her cultivation base destroyed without complaint.

An Yue was a little taken aback, watching clearly as Hao Xiu prepared to sacrifice her own future just to bring her father and brother home. That was the price she was willing to pay to see them again.

Lin Tian finished off the last of his tea, then rose to his feet and walked toward Hao Xiu. The girl fell quiet, drawing a deep breath, uncertain what he intended to do.

"Then I’ll place a restrictive seal on you. If Hao Bao is ever proven to act this way again, I’ll destroy your cultivation base myself."

Hao Xiu nodded. She accepted the consequence, so long as it meant Hao Ming and Hao Bao could return safely from the void.

Lin Tian raised one hand, forming a seal, and guided a golden restrictive seal into Hao Xiu’s body.

The golden light sank into her, more than enough to leave her gasping in shock. She clutched at her tight chest, struggling to steady the flow of her spiritual qi.

Before long, a burst of spiritual energy rippled outward, spreading through every corner of the house.

Hao Xiu gradually began to steady, her breathing returning to normal, the tightness in her chest fading away.

The result of the seal was a golden tattoo now etched onto Hao Xiu’s forehead, shaped like a blazing flame.

Lin Tian watched it take form, confirming the restrictive seal had been successfully implanted and activated.

He could see clearly that the restrictive rune was rooted deep within Hao Xiu’s dantian, ready to trigger the moment Lin Tian chose to activate it.

Once the seal was firmly in place, Lin Tian turned and walked toward the dimensional rift.

True to their agreement, he would pull Hao Ming and Hao Bao out of the void dimension, along with the six remaining elders.

As the master of that void dimension, Lin Tian could pinpoint their exact locations without difficulty.

Lin Tian stamped his foot against the floor, and eight dimensional rifts tore open simultaneously, encircling the room.

One by one, they stepped out from the rifts. Some were injured, others utterly exhausted.

The worst off among them was Hao Bao, who’d been trapped and left with severe psychological trauma, gripped by acute, overwhelming terror.

Hao Ming looked up and saw Lin Tian standing before them. He and the other elders immediately dropped to their knees, clasping their hands together, while Hao Xiu rushed to her brother’s side.

"Thank you, Master Lin Tian."

"Don’t thank me yet," Lin Tian said. "I only freed you because Hao Xiu was willing to sacrifice herself for your sake."

"If she hadn’t, I wouldn’t have bothered saving any of you."

"Sacrifice?" Hao Ming asked, turning to look at his daughter.

He saw it clearly then, the golden flame tattoo etched into Hao Xiu’s forehead, a simple but unmistakable sign that some kind of restrictive seal had been bound to her.

Hao Ming stared at the mark, curiosity gnawing at him over exactly what kind of sacrifice Hao Xiu had made on Lin Tian’s behalf.

Hao Bao turned and glared at Lin Tian, his expression twisting with fury as he lunged forward to attack.

Lin Tian responded instantly, slamming a wave of cultivation pressure into him, sending the man crashing to the floor, completely helpless.

"I’m warning you, Hao Bao!"

"If you ever disturb my life or my wife’s again, I’ll destroy Hao Xiu’s cultivation base myself!"