By the time Xu Sheng inserted the silver needles into Zhu Yuexi’s acupoints, she had already fallen into a coma.
He did this so that if any clues were revealed during their conversation, she wouldn’t discover his true goal. His objective was never the Linxian Sect, nor was it anything like lifespan — it was Mo Ruxue herself.
At this moment, Mo Ruxue felt particularly furious. She had never been this angry, not even when she heard Xu Sheng suggest using half the lifespan of every person in the sect as a bargaining chip during the day.
Xu Sheng noticed this.
It was precisely for this reason that he had specifically used Zhu Yuexi as an accelerator for Mo Ruxue’s psychological transformation. However, his face wore a playful, mocking smile.
“When I proposed using half the lifespan of your entire Linxian Sect as a bargaining chip earlier today, your reaction wasn’t nearly as intense as it is now, Fairy Mo. It seems that even for a righteous cultivator like you, there is still quite a bit of selfishness involved.”
Xu Sheng was right. Until he pointed it out, Mo Ruxue hadn’t even realized it herself.
If Xu Sheng had used the sect’s lifespan and Zhu Yuexi as the two sides of a bargaining chip… she really might have wavered for a long time. As for the final answer, Mo Ruxue was no longer certain.
Xu Sheng looked at Mo Ruxue’s suddenly stunned expression, a rare hint of pity appearing in his eyes.
“Fairy Mo, there are two types of people in this world who are the most pitiful. One type is those who are foolish and know it, feeling pale and powerless when facing the world. The other type is those who never know themselves, living only within a predetermined persona, never truly recognizing who they are… Which of these two types do you think is more tragic?”
Looking at the even more silent Mo Ruxue, Xu Sheng suddenly laughed.
“Why is Fairy Mo getting so lost in thought? There is no answer to such things. What is more important right now is whether you can give me your answer.”
Xu Sheng’s strategy was one of measured pressure. If he pushed too hard, it would make his intentions too obvious — that he was targeting her Dao Heart. Making her more defensive would be counterproductive.
At this moment, bringing these things up was more of a tactic to divert her attention. After all, it was clear that Zhu Yuexi was incredibly important to Mo Ruxue. If he truly offended her over these chips, his plan would fall apart.
After Xu Sheng’s diversion, the anger Mo Ruxue had felt was replaced by a sense of guilt. It was only when she heard his question that she snapped back to reality.
Mo Ruxue took a deep breath.
Xu Sheng had already proven his ability; he could indeed delay the toxin within Zhu Yuexi. As for a complete cure, it was no longer entirely impossible. It wasn’t that she hadn’t held onto fantasies — the world was vast, after all. What if there was another way to treat Yuexi?
But now that even the Sect Master of the Immortal Medicine Sect had declared the girl beyond help, who else could she find? It seemed the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons was the only path left.
If the other party’s condition was still the sacrifice of half the lifespan of everyone in the sect, Mo Ruxue knew, deep down, that she would not agree. But the condition had changed to a choice between two options.
It was either the lifespan of the sect, or… herself.
When she first heard the terms of this deal, Mo Ruxue had felt disgusted. Yet, by comparison, she felt strangely wavering. Sacrificing herself… meant she wouldn’t have to sacrifice her people, and she could still save Zhu Yuexi.
If what Xu Sheng said was true… perhaps…
And tonight, Xu Sheng had appeared again. He seemed to have come to apply pressure, but Mo Ruxue felt the way he looked at the unconscious Zhu Yuexi was somewhat strange. She didn’t dare to gamble.
Now, Xu Sheng was making her choose between sacrificing herself or sacrificing Zhu Yuexi. Mo Ruxue would no longer hesitate.
“At least…” Mo Ruxue’s eyes held a mix of stubbornness and mist, along with a firm resolution to face death. “At least wait until after Yuexi has fully recovered.”
“No,” Xu Sheng refused flatly.
Hearing his decisive answer, Mo Ruxue’s eyes widened. Her eyes, already misty, were now filled with shock. She found him inexplicably loathsome yet felt a strange pressure.
A smile played at the corners of Xu Sheng’s mouth. It was unclear if it was because of the nature of the “bargaining chips” they were discussing or if his smile itself carried a suggestive meaning.
Mo Ruxue’s head throbbed. She could feel her cheeks becoming hotter than they had ever been in her life. Discussing such a matter with a man in the middle of the night was something Mo Ruxue would have previously thought impossible.
“How long do you think it will take to cure Zhu Yuexi’s poison?”
Xu Sheng’s voice interrupted her chaotic thoughts.
“…1 month?”
“Hahaha…” Xu Sheng truly laughed. “Fairy Mo is not a stupid person. To say something so ridiculous now, I can only assume you’ve become dim-witted because we are discussing such intimate matters.”
Mo Ruxue wanted to retort, but hearing him mention “intimate matters” seemed to rob her of her voice.
“At the shortest, it will take 6 months; at the longest, 1 year. Do you think I can wait that long?” As Xu Sheng spoke, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally swept over Mo Ruxue’s body.
Mo Ruxue had always detested gazes that wandered over her. Whenever it happened, she would always respond with a cold, piercing glare. But now, even though Xu Sheng’s gaze was so blatant, she didn’t feel the usual surge of nausea in her throat.
“What do you mean, you can’t wait…” Mo Ruxue took a few steps back. It was only when the medicinal fragrance surrounding Xu Sheng faded slightly that her head stopped spinning.
“Lecher…” Mo Ruxue finally gritted out through clenched teeth.
“Using the word ‘lecher’ to describe the Master of the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons… I really don’t know if you, Sect Master Mo, are insulting me or praising me.”
“I never thought that a master of the demonic path, having reached such a level of cultivation, would only have such filthy and disgusting thoughts in his head!”
It seemed that by staying away from Xu Sheng, Mo Ruxue’s heated brain could cool down a little. Xu Sheng simply shrugged indifferently.
“This has nothing to do with status or cultivation. For any man, no matter what status or cultivation level he reaches, being able to conquer a woman like Fairy Mo is likely a secret desire.”
Conquer.
The word was too suggestive. The moment Mo Ruxue heard it, her face turned even redder, and she couldn’t help but spit at Xu Sheng in disdain.
But before she could say anything more, Xu Sheng finalized the deal.
“Out of consideration for your sincerity, the final wall will only be crossed on the day your precious disciple is cured. However, before that… I might have to continuously collect interest from you, Fairy Mo.”
Even though Mo Ruxue was no longer a young girl, very few people dared to say such things to her face. It took her a few seconds to understand what Xu Sheng meant by “collecting interest.”
Xu Sheng took a step back, giving Mo Ruxue no chance to speak further.
“5 days. In 5 days, bring your disciple to find me.”
In the next instant, with just a blink of Mo Ruxue’s eyes, Xu Sheng’s figure completely vanished from the room, leaving behind only the lingering scent of medicine.
—