Chapter 195: My Mother is Your Mother.

In Xuanyue City.

Xu Ming sat in the courtyard, placing his hand on the stone table.

Shen Shengsheng sat beside him, her little head turning left and right. First, she looked at Xu Ming, then at the elderly doctor taking Xu Ming's pulse.

Seeing that neither of them spoke, Shen Shengsheng remained quiet as well, looking very obedient.

The healer finally released Xu Ming's hand and spoke slowly:

"Young master's injuries are quite severe, but thankfully, they haven't harmed the foundation. However, you'll need to rest for some time. For the next month or two, it's best not to engage in any major battles.

Additionally, the young master practices both martial arts and cultivation, and both have reached a certain level of attainment. This is quite rare.

However, there is a conflict between the martial qi and spiritual energy within your body. Logically, your meridians should've been torn apart long ago. But it seems you've encountered some sort of opportunity, as the two energies are temporarily at peace."

Yuanyang

Listening to the doctor's words, Xu Ming couldn't help but recall that night in the Yuanyang Cauldron. His expression turned a little awkward as he explained:

"A friend of mine helped calm the martial qi and spiritual energy temporarily, but they said it wasn't a permanent solution. I wonder, do you know of any way to completely resolve this issue?"

Both his martial arts and cultivation were paths Xu Ming found difficult to abandon.

Through countless battles, Xu Ming had come to deeply appreciate the immense advantages of these two paths complementing one another.

If he had walked solely the path of a martial artist or a cultivator, he would have been dead long ago.

Indeed, Mo Zhuer had temporarily stabilized his energies, but she had not cured the problem.

To truly resolve it, he would need to seek her out again.

But now that he no longer held any leverage over her, approaching her voluntarily would mean falling under her thumb again.

Who knew what that demoness would make him do?

Whatever it was, it wouldn't be anything good.

Hearing Xu Ming's inquiry, the elderly doctor's expression turned hesitant.

"This… I'm afraid I don't know. Perhaps you'll have to ask your friend.

For now, though, you needn't worry. At least until you attempt to break into the next realm, the martial qi and spiritual energy within your body should remain in harmony.

I'll prescribe a few remedies. If you take them daily for the next two months, it will further aid in calming the energies within you.

But young master, you must remember—until a solution is found, do not attempt to advance to the next major realm in either martial arts or cultivation. Otherwise, the consequences could be disastrous, beyond even the gods' ability to save you."

"Thank you, sir," Xu Ming replied, sighing inwardly.

Could it be that in this entire world, only Mo Zhuer could help him?

If that were true, it would be troublesome indeed.

After the doctor wrote down a few prescriptions, Xu Ming saw him out.

Xu Ming had read some medical texts and had a rudimentary understanding of medicine.

The prescriptions were extremely intricate. Both the main and supplementary ingredients were selected with great care, showcasing the doctor's skill in the field of medicine.

However, the required herbs were all quite rare and costly—not something an ordinary cultivator could easily afford.

Fortunately, over his travels, quite a few people had been eager to "deliver treasures" to him. For now, his wealth was sufficient.

"Are you… okay?"

After the doctor left, Shen Shengsheng jumped down from her chair and leaned over Xu Ming's lap. Her large eyes gazed up at him, filled with worry.

Xu Ming chuckled and gently ruffled her small head.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

"Oh, okay," Shen Shengsheng replied with a nod, her obedience as endearing as ever.

Looking at the little girl, so delicate and perfect as if sculpted from jade, Xu Ming felt a deep sense of guilt in his heart.

Since the events at the Lava Heart Cavern, Shen Shengsheng's mother had entrusted her daughter to Xu Ming. Yet, it seemed like he hadn't given her even a few days of peace.

If he wasn't being hunted, he was on the run. Shen Shengsheng followed him everywhere, enduring the hardships of eating in the open and sleeping under the stars. Most of the time, they lived in caves, and it was a rare luxury to stay in an inn for a few days when they entered a city.

"I'm sorry," Xu Ming said, apologizing to Shen Shengsheng.

"Hmm?" Shen Shengsheng tilted her little head, confusion written all over her face. "Why sorry?"

She could say a few simple sentences, though not very fluently.

"Because I haven't been able to give you a good life lately. I've been dragging you along, running here and there. Are you tired of following me around?" Xu Ming asked.

Shen Shengsheng, who was leaning on Xu Ming's lap, shook her head. "Not tired."

"Really?" Xu Ming pressed.

Shen Shengsheng nodded earnestly.

Then, as if recalling something, she lowered her head and softly said, "Sorry… I… dragged you down… I no help."

Xu Ming smiled and gently tapped the little black horns on her head. "You've never blamed me for not giving you a stable life. How could I blame you for being a burden? Besides, you're not a burden at all—you've helped me a lot."

Shen Shengsheng raised her head, looking at Xu Ming seriously. Her questioning eyes seemed to ask, "Really?"

"Really. You've helped me so much," Xu Ming said, pointing at the small storage pouch tied to her waist. "See this? It's a symbol of our teamwork. You've helped me collect a lot of things."

Shen Shengsheng froze for a moment, then glanced at the storage pouch on her waist. Her eyes sparkled, and a bright smile spread across her face.

Seeing her smile, Xu Ming felt a warm sensation in his chest.

He understood that, in this world, she had already regarded him as her only family.

And he, too, would treat her as if she were his own little sister.

"Shengsheng, when things settle down, I'll take you home," Xu Ming said gently.

"Home?" Shen Shengsheng didn't quite understand.

Xu Ming felt a pang of sorrow. "Home is where family is. It's a place where you can truly relax. I'll take you to meet my mother."

"Mother…" Shen Shengsheng repeated the word softly, her head lowering slightly.

Xu Ming patted her small head. "If you're okay with it, my mother can be your mother too. I'm sure she'll love you very much."

"Really?" Shen Shengsheng asked, a little nervously.

Xu Ming smiled reassuringly. "Really."

"Okay," Shen Shengsheng said happily, nuzzling against Xu Ming's palm.

Looking at the little girl before him, Xu Ming thought to himself that when they returned, he would ask Wu Yanhan to help look after her.

With Wu Yanhan, the princess, offering protection, there shouldn't be any major issues.

The only concern was whether Shengsheng would be willing to stay by his mother's side.

"Xu Gongzi."

As Xu Ming's thoughts wandered, a female cultivator from Xuanyue City approached, her expression tinged with hesitation.

"There's something I need to discuss with you…"