Chapter 184: Did I Deceive You?

Xu Ming held Shen Shengsheng's hand and followed Mo Zhuer into the cave.

Shen Shengsheng looked at Xu Ming with concern.

Xu Ming shook his head and gently patted Shen Shengsheng's small head. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"Fine? You're practically on the brink of death," Mo Zhuer teased, rolling her eyes at him.

Xu Ming: "..."

"Come, sit down," Mo Zhuer said, smoothing her dress before kneeling on the ground. Sitting on her legs with her back straight, she patted the ground in front of her.

Xu Ming looked at Mo Zhuer with some doubt.

Mo Zhuer, annoyed, retorted, "Don't look at me like that. If you die now, it does me no good. Besides, weren't you skeptical about whether I could harmonize the spiritual energy and true qi in your body? Let me show you a little of what I can do."

Still, Xu Ming hesitated to step forward.

Mo Zhuer rolled her eyes at him again. "If you don't trust me, then suit yourself. But let me warn you, I'm not the one trying to kill you—it's the entire Black Lotus Sect.

It's likely that you're already on the hit list of the Black God Sect as well.

Do you truly have the confidence to face the assassinations of all those cultivators?

And let's be clear, I'm not helping you out of sheer goodwill. I have a condition."

"Speak." Xu Ming looked at her, feeling that this was more like the Mo Zhuer he knew.

If she had offered to help him unconditionally, he would have found it unsettling.

The woman before him was not someone who would ever strike a losing deal.

"If I'm not mistaken, the other saints and saintessess of the Black Lotus Sect likely already know I've fallen into your hands. They're probably plotting my death as we speak.

I can help you heal, but you must protect me."

Xu Ming chuckled. "And what if I choose not to protect you?"

Mo Zhuer's lips curled into a sly smile, her eyes crescent-shaped as she replied with a calm demeanor, "If that happens, there's nothing I can do. I'll just have to trust your verbal promise. Do I have any other options?

Besides, if I die, I can guarantee there's no one else in this world who can solve the spiritual energy and true qi conflict in your body."

Xu Ming narrowed his eyes slightly. "You're that confident? You truly believe no one else in this world can help me but you?"

Mo Zhuer leaned forward, her hands pressed to the ground, her knees resting on the stone floor, her hips slightly raised, revealing a hint of the snowy white curve of her chest. "I believe I'm the only one in this world who can help you. No one else."

Xu Ming: "..."

After thinking it over briefly, Xu Ming said nothing more and sat down in front of Mo Zhuer.

"I accept your condition. Let's begin." Xu Ming was not one to overthink.

"At least you're not completely stupid," Mo Zhuer said with a smirk as she sat up straight again. "Next, I'll channel spiritual energy into your body. Don't worry—spiritual energy is the purest force in this world. I don't have any means of poisoning you through it."

"Go ahead and try," Xu Ming said, closing his eyes.

Mo Zhuer muttered a few complaints about how "dense and unromantic" he was before placing her soft, white hands on Xu Ming's back.

Xu Ming could distinctly feel Mo Zhuer's spiritual energy entering his spiritual veins and meridians.

The previously chaotic martial true qi and spiritual energy in his body began to miraculously calm down under Mo Zhuer's guidance.

Xu Ming gradually realized it wasn't just Mo Zhuer's skillful mediation that worked wonders—it was her spiritual energy itself that was exceptionally unique.

Her spiritual energy was like a healing spring—wherever it passed, everything gradually calmed.

No wonder Mo Zhuer was so confident when she claimed that only she could resolve the conflict between Xu Ming's spiritual energy and true qi. It was likely due to her unique constitution.

"Pfft!"

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Xu Ming spat out a mouthful of blackened blood.

Shen Shengsheng, startled, shivered and thought the demoness had harmed her Brother Xu. She opened her mouth, ready to bite Mo Zhuer.

"I'm fine," Xu Ming said, extending a hand to stop her. He slowly opened his eyes, feeling much better.

Xu Ming circulated his spiritual energy and true qi again and found everything flowing smoothly. Though the issue wasn't completely resolved, at least nine-tenths of the problem had been handled.

"It's done."

Mo Zhuer wiped her forehead. Even though she had only worked on Xu Ming for half the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, she was drenched in sweat. Her dress clung tightly to her figure, her hair stuck to her forehead, and the flush on her cheeks made her even more alluring.

"How do you feel? Did I deceive you?" Mo Zhuer asked with a smile.

"You didn't," Xu Ming admitted. He now truly believed she had the ability to harmonize the conflict between his spiritual energy and martial true qi.

"What I've done for you now is only a temporary fix," Mo Zhuer said, looking him directly in the eye. "If you want to know the permanent solution, hand over the antidote first."

---

To the north of Yan Zhi City lay a mountain range.

At the foot of the tallest peak in the range stood a stone stele.

Carved into the stele were the words:

"Unite the pleasures of the world, spread the joys of the world."

Looking at the inscription, a man stroked his chin and said to the servant beside him, "This should be the place."

"Yes, young master," the old servant nodded.

"Let's go."

The man opened his paper fan, fanning himself with an air of elegance.

As they walked through the mountain gate, the path on either side was eerily quiet, devoid of people.

After walking about 100 meters up, they came across a man and a woman at the entrance, shamelessly indulging in the pleasures of the flesh.

In broad daylight, the man had lifted the woman's skirt, while she leaned against a tree, moaning seductively.

The sight was like a spring palace painting come to life, so much so that the servant beside the man couldn't help but gulp, feeling a fiery heat rise within him.

"Pardon me, brother," the man said, ignoring the scene as if he hadn't seen anything. He cupped his hands in a polite gesture toward the couple. "Could you inform your sect master that I request an audience?"

The male disciple of the Hehuan Sect glanced at the scholarly man with the fan. "Who are you? Our sect master is not someone you can just meet as you please."

"I am Ji Wuming, the Saint Son of the Western Black Lotus Sect," Ji Wuming replied, revealing his identity.

Hearing that this man, Ji Wuming, was a Saint Son of the Black Lotus Sect, the Hehuan Sect male disciple immediately stopped what he was doing, much to the displeasure of the woman beneath him, who pouted.

The man quickly pulled up his pants, sizing up this so-called Saint Son of the Black Lotus Sect.

"Please, follow me."

The Hehuan Sect disciple cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, his demeanor turning serious.

He didn't know if this man was truly a Saint Son of the Black Lotus Sect, but if he was, refusing him entry would only mean his own death.