Chapter 969: Blessings Hidden Within Misfortune

Zhang Zhongjing was unaware of Sun Ce’s dark expression outside the wall as he sighed in regret, preparing to leave. He still had many others to save, and he planned to study Zhou Tai’s condition later. After all, Zhang Zhongjing had already confirmed that Zhou Tai’s body was as tough as steel, so he wasn’t worried about leaving him unattended for now.

"Bo Fu, what’s wrong?" Zhou Yu asked as he saw Sun Ce suddenly pause.

"Yo Ping!" Sun Ce roared, slamming his fist into the wall, punching a hole through it. He then walked straight into Zhou Tai’s courtyard, while Zhang Zhongjing jumped in fright.

"Doctor Zhang, what’s wrong with Yo Ping?" Sun Ce’s tiger-like eyes glared fiercely as he demanded answers from Zhang Zhongjing.

"..." Zhang Zhongjing hesitated. He knew how important Zhou Tai was to Sun Ce, and if he spoke too bluntly, things could get ugly.

"Speak the truth!" Sun Ce shouted angrily, reaching to grab Zhang Zhongjing’s collar, only to be stopped by Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu’s face was just as cold, but at least he remained rational, knowing how important Zhang Zhongjing was to them.

"General Zhou’s body is in perfect condition, even better than before," Zhang Zhongjing slowly explained. Sun Ce’s expression eased somewhat.

Seeing Sun Ce calm down, Zhou Yu held him back as Zhang Zhongjing hurriedly continued, firing off the rest of the facts like a machine gun.

"However, General Zhou Yo Ping’s problem isn’t his body—it’s his spirit. His mental strength has been completely exhausted. If it hadn’t been for Gongjin’s music stirring his will to survive, he would have already died. His spirit is too weak now, and for all the doctors in the world, the spirit is a forbidden area," Zhang Zhongjing finished quickly, then immediately fled, fearing Sun Ce’s wrath.

After hearing Zhang Zhongjing’s diagnosis, Sun Ce stood frozen, his face ashen. He didn’t even notice Zhang Zhongjing leaving. He stood there, motionless, knowing that although Zhou Tai wasn’t dead, he might as well be.

"Bo Fu, don’t despair. Doctor Zhang’s judgment may not be the final word. Yo Ping is a fortunate man with divine protection. Besides, just because Doctor Zhang couldn’t save him doesn’t mean others can’t," Zhou Yu said, doing his best to comfort Sun Ce while forming his own plans.

"I know. If Doctor Zhang can’t help, there’s still Hua, the divine doctor," Sun Ce said with a forced smile, though deep down, he had already made his own judgment. Spiritual afflictions were a domain even the best doctors feared to tread.

"Yes, there’s still Doctor Hua," Zhou Yu replied calmly. He was already prepared to travel to Mount Tai with Sun Ce to seek help. As for the risks involved, Zhou Yu wasn’t concerned. With just the two of them, few could stop their departure.

Meanwhile, Ma Chao had begun working hard to master his newfound powers. He wasn’t the type to wallow in self-pity.

Although he had lost more than half of his internal energy, challenging Lü Bu meant accepting the possibility of serious injury or even death.

And now, he had only lost more than half of his internal energy—hardly the worst outcome. All things considered, it wasn’t such a heavy price to pay.

With a soft crack, Ma Chao summoned a trace of lightning from his hand, shattering the teacup into dust.

"What immense power," Ma Chao murmured in surprise. His internal energy had never been so destructive before. With just a small amount, he had reduced the cup to powder.

"It seems it’s not all bad after all. Blessings can come in disguise!" Ma Chao laughed heartily, immersing himself in mastering his new abilities. Such overwhelming power—this was the strength he had been seeking!

Over the next month, as Ma Chao recovered from his injuries, he focused on honing his control over lightning. Eventually, he fully mastered his new power.

With a buzz, Ma Chao instantly appeared a hundred meters away, a proud smile spreading across his face.

This wasn’t his limit either. With the stimulation of lightning, Ma Chao could move even faster. His reaction speed, already at the peak of Internal Energy Manifestation, had also improved. Overall, his strength had surpassed what it had been during his desperate battle with Lü Bu. However, Ma Chao had lost the ability to sustain prolonged combat.

This didn’t mean he couldn’t fight continuously—just that he couldn’t engage in extended battles against top-tier opponents. If Ma Chao now faced a less serious Lü Bu, for the first thirty moves, he might be able to match him blow for blow. But after that burst, Ma Chao’s strength would fall to the level of someone like Hua Xiong.

Whether Ma Chao’s power had increased or decreased was hard to say. The overwhelming explosive power of his lightning granted him incredible bursts of strength, but it severely weakened his endurance. To truly determine whether this was a blessing or a curse, Ma Chao would need to test himself in battle.

After learning the truth about Zhou Tai’s condition, Sun Ce spent a long time with a dark cloud over his head. Every day, he visited Zhou Tai at the same time, only to see the same sight—Zhou Tai’s strong body lying there, showing no signs of waking.

Sun Ce had even resorted to using brute force to check Zhou Tai’s body. He found no problems, and in fact, Zhou Tai’s physical condition had significantly improved. Yet, despite his body being in perfect shape, his awakening remained an impossible dream.

Even so, Sun Ce continued his daily visits, hoping for a miracle. In truth, only a miracle could bring Zhou Tai back. Though he had reached the pinnacle of Internal Energy Manifestation, if he didn’t wake up, he would remain in this state forever.

"Sun Bo Fu, let’s fight! I’ve recovered!" Ma Chao’s loud shout echoed throughout the courtyard. Ma Chao had waited long enough. It was time to prove he was the strongest of his generation.

"So much time has passed, and Yo Ping still hasn’t woken up. In the end, I’m too weak. If I were stronger, you wouldn’t have had to fight so desperately," Sun Ce muttered quietly, gazing at Zhou Tai’s still determined face, even in his endless sleep. "I will become stronger. I will no longer need anyone’s protection."

With that, Sun Ce strode out of the courtyard. Ma Chao wanted to fight him, and Sun Ce was eager for battle too.

Ever since learning the truth about Zhou Tai’s condition, Sun Ce had been holding back his frustration. He had long wanted to find someone to fight, but no suitable opponent had presented themselves. Meanwhile, Ma Chao had been occupied mastering his new abilities, leaving Sun Ce without a sparring partner.

"Follow me," Sun Ce called out, grabbing his spear as he left. With a mighty roar, he transformed into a streak of golden light, flying eastward. A battle between him and Ma Chao required a wide-open space, and without a legendary horse like Li Feisha, Sun Ce knew the skies were the best battlefield for their fight.

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