A Life-Saving Pill and a Stern Reprimand

“You!” Zhao Qiubai wanted to curse, but that wasn’t the most important thing right now. Saving the person was. “Why are you still standing there like an idiot? Give me the storage ring!”

Mu Qingli rarely saw Zhao Qiubai so angry, and she immediately panicked. She quickly threw the storage ring to Zhao Qiubai, then ran over and asked nervously, “Martial Aunt, is it really that serious?”

Zhao Qiubai, disinclined to engage further, immediately retrieved a delicate jade vial from her storage ring and gently tipped out a single pill.

She carefully helped Lin Mo sit up, allowing him to lean against her arm.

Lin Mo was so profoundly weak that he could barely keep his eyes fully open, his body limp and yielding.

Zhao Qiubai guided the Huiyuan Pill to Lin Mo’s lips and murmured, “Here, take this.”

Lin Mo’s parched lips parted slightly, and Zhao Qiubai gently placed the pill into his mouth.

The moment the pill touched his tongue, it dissolved, a warm, potent energy immediately blooming within Lin Mo’s mouth and slowly trickling down his throat.

The medicinal essence, like a gentle stream, nourished his parched body as if it were drought-stricken earth finally receiving a life-giving rain, which began to greedily absorb this revitalizing power.

As the vital energy flowed into Lin Mo’s abdomen, it felt as though a warm flame had been kindled within him.

His stomach, previously cold from hunger and weakness, gradually regained its warmth; his digestive system began a gentle peristalsis, as if life itself was being reinfused.

With the further diffusion of the medicinal power, Lin Mo could feel every part of his body, from his limbs to his bones, being thoroughly nourished.

His arms, previously as weak and lifeless as cotton, now steadily regained their strength, and his fingers could even twitch faintly.

His legs no longer felt leaden and unresponsive; after a wave of tingling sensation, they began to possess the strength to support his body.

Lin Mo’s pallor also began to recede; the deathly white, like paper, slowly gave way to a hint of healthy color.

His once pale lips blossomed into a healthy rosiness, and the cracked wounds at the corners of his mouth slowly began to mend under the pill’s potent effects.

His eyes, too, gradually brightened, the previous dull, lusterless gaze now sparkling with renewed vitality.

“Th-thank you, Grand Martial Aunt,” Lin Mo uttered in a faint voice.

“It’s alright, just rest for now.” Zhao Qiubai gently lowered Lin Mo to the ground, before turning a severe gaze upon Mu Qingli.

“Surely you’re not unaware that newly inducted disciples must undergo the Mortal Transformation (TL Note: A process where mortals shed their mortal coil to become cultivators, often involving cleansing and spiritual awakening)?”

Zhao Qiubai’s voice sharpened into a fierce reprimand for Mu Qingli, devoid of her usual easygoing warmth and amiability.

This was no trivial matter.

A disciple of such exceptional innate talent, one whose very birth heralded auspicious phenomena during testing, had nearly been starved to death by Mu Qingli!

If word of this were to spread, wouldn’t the Xuan Nv Sect become the laughingstock of the cultivation world?

The mere thought of such a possibility caused Zhao Qiubai’s fists to clench involuntarily; her eyes, wide and blazing, seemed to wish they could unleash a torrent of fire and incinerate her foolish grand-niece to ashes!

Thus, despite her deep affection for Mu Qingli, her heart now seethed with fury.

The gravity of this situation surpassed all expectations; at best, Mu Qingli might simply forfeit her position as Sect Master.

At worst, if this incident were to lead to any misfortune befalling Lin Mo, it could spell the utter ruin of the Xuan Nv Sect!

One must understand that in the cultivation world, the prosperity of a sect is invariably tied to the caliber of its outstanding disciples.

A disciple possessing such extraordinary talent is, by nature, the shining star of the sect’s future hope.

Should she perish prematurely for an absurd reason like starvation, how would the outside world perceive the Xuan Nv Sect?

They would undoubtedly conclude that the Xuan Nv Sect was plagued by mismanagement, incapable of even tending to a lone disciple.

If that were the case, who would ever dare to join the Xuan Nv Sect?

All promising cultivators would shun the Xuan Nv Sect, its reputation would plummet into disrepute, ultimately leading to its inevitable decay.

“Forgive me, Martial Aunt… I… I truly didn’t know…” Mu Qingli lowered her head, her hair sliding from her shoulders to obscure most of her features.

She resembled a flower withered by frost, her former imposing demeanor and chilling composure utterly vanished.

Her spine, usually held ramrod straight, now curved slightly, as if burdened by an immense, unseen weight.

She stood like a child caught in a transgression, her heart heavy with guilt and apprehension, daring not to lift her head and confront Zhao Qiubai’s scathing questions and fiery wrath.

Her hands were restlessly clasped together, her fingers tightly interwoven, her knuckles faintly white from the strain.

Her lips were drawn into a tight, thin line, yet she found herself unable to utter a single word of explanation.

She could only stand there in silence, awaiting Zhao Qiubai’s further censure.

“You! Fine, fine, fine! How can you possibly guide disciples when you don’t even grasp such fundamental matters?! Had I known you were ignorant of the Mortal Transformation, I would have entrusted her to Qing You instead! Though I detest that little girl, she would never cause such a scandalous incident as nearly starving an apprentice to death!”

“Gr-Grand Martial Aunt—” Lin Mo spoke up softly, though his voice remained somewhat fractured and weak.

Hearing Lin Mo’s voice, Mu Qingli’s heart immediately leaped into her throat.

She had no idea what Lin Mo intended to say, but she knew that even a hint of complaint would surely prompt Zhao Qiubai to take Lin Mo away.

At that point, all her carefully laid plans… would be utterly ruined.

Yet… she also lacked the audacity to speak up, for it was an undeniable fact that she had nearly starved Lin Mo to death.

While Lin Mo was indeed a man, that was certainly no justification for her nearly starving him to death.

She was unlike those contemptible, vile men; if she made a mistake, she had to bear the consequences.

Besides, if Lin Mo were merely taken away by Zhao Qiubai, she could simply seek him out later, once the Profound Yin Body backlash occurred.

It would have no adverse impact on her, and she wouldn’t even need to expend her time instructing Lin Mo.

Rather, it would be preferable for Zhao Qiubai to take him, as Zhao Qiubai possessed greater experience and truly embodied the demeanor of a master.

She was merely a half-baked novice… an utter idiot who had almost caused her own disciple’s death…

Did she… truly resemble her own master?

“Wan’er, don’t be afraid. Speak of any hardship you’ve endured, and I shall see justice done for you. I, Zhao Qiubai, fear no one!”

As these words were uttered, Mu Qingli felt as though she was bidding a final farewell to Lin Mo.

‘Forget a man… even if it were herself, she would never follow a master who had nearly starved her to death.’

Mu Qingli’s spirits sank, as she awaited her sole apprentice to declare his departure with Zhao Qiubai.

“Grand Martial Aunt… this, this isn’t Master’s fault…” Lin Mo stated feebly.

At these words, Mu Qingli’s delicate frame trembled perceptibly.

Zhao Qiubai’s gaze flickered.

He blamed Mu Qingli for none of this?

‘Child… you are far too kind… your voice has been starved into a rasping croak, like a man’s… and you still defend her?’

Zhao Qiubai felt a sudden sting in her eyes, but she forced herself to maintain a stern demeanor, declaring sharply, “She nearly starved you to death! And you don’t blame her? Do not be intimidated by her status; this little girl, I can handle her with a single hand.”

“No, it isn’t Master’s fault… it’s… it’s mine… I was foolish. Down the mountain, I fell for false rumors… believing that once I entered the sect, I would instantly become an immortal and no longer require food… That’s why… I didn’t inform Master. I thought… I was merely failing to adapt, and then—

I… I caused Grand Martial Aunt to worry… I apologize… and I caused Master… to be scolded… I’m sorry—” Lin Mo concluded weakly.

Mu Qingli’s pupils constricted in shock, her gaze fixed on Lin Mo in utter disbelief.

‘Men… shouldn’t they betray me at a time like this…?’

‘Shouldn’t he be basely clinging to Zhao Qiubai’s hand, pleading with her to quickly forgive the one who had nearly starved him to death?’

She couldn’t fathom it, but she knew even more acutely that this was no time for such ponderings.

Mu Qingli immediately dropped to her knees, prostrating herself before Zhao Qiubai, and declared, “Martial Aunt… Qingli possesses a Natural Dao Body (TL Note: A rare and exceptional physique that allows for innate cultivation and spiritual affinity), having been born directly into the Qi Refining stage, thus negating the need for sustenance. After joining the sect, I only ventured out after reaching Foundation Establishment, and have since had no contact with disciples undergoing the Mortal Transformation… Furthermore, this is Qingli’s first time acting as a master, and… I had no one to guide me… I assure you, I had no intention of starving my newly accepted apprentice!”

Zhao Qiubai’s brow furrowed, realizing the logic in her words.

Mu Qingli possessed a Natural Dao Body, having been born into the Qi Refining stage, allowing her to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to sustain herself without the need for food…

Her senior sister had also passed away prematurely… and later, embroiled in the struggle for the Sect Master’s position, she had no time to accept new disciples.

Subsequently, she was ambushed by Qing You, leaving her with the title but stripped of all authority… effectively imprisoned within this Sect Master’s residence for five hundred years.

Had Zhao Qiubai herself not emerged from seclusion with a breakthrough in cultivation, little Qingli would likely still be under house arrest, unable to even attend this year’s grand disciple-acceptance ceremony…

With so many factors compounding… it was hardly surprising that little Qingli remained ignorant of the Mortal Transformation.

Alas…

The matter had reached this point; further words would be fruitless.

Casting a complicated gaze upon Mu Qingli, Zhao Qiubai ultimately said nothing more, merely instructing Lin Mo to take heed of his health before handing her storage ring to Mu Qingli, and admonishing her before departing, “…This situation must not recur. Regarding matters of disciples, if you ever find yourself unsure of anything in the future, simply come and ask me.”

With that, Zhao Qiubai stepped out of the main hall, no longer inclined to pursue the matter further, and transformed into a streak of light that shot directly into the clouds, vanishing into the horizon.

Mu Qingli took the storage ring, her gaze remaining fixed on Lin Mo.

It was only when her divine sense confirmed Zhao Qiubai’s departure that she spoke softly, “Why… why didn’t you go with Martial Aunt? I… didn’t I almost cause your death?”

‘…This question, do you even need to ask it?’

‘You know I’m a man; does your Martial Aunt know that? How do I know she wouldn’t just slap me, a man, to death?’

‘Can I hide it myself?’

‘Can’t you use your brain to think for a moment? If I went with that Zhao Qiubai, could I still keep my little ‘Lin Mo’?’

‘It’s not even certain I’d keep my life!’

‘Besides, if I really left, wouldn’t all this starvation have been for nothing?’

‘How else would I gain your trust?’

‘That’s right!’

‘Ten years!’

Lin Mo was no longer a naive young boy; he, too, harbored many subtle intentions.

Appearing before Zhao Qiubai on the verge of starvation, any person with a sane mind would undoubtedly want to take him away.

If he were merely an ordinary talent, perhaps it wouldn’t have been like this; she might have simply scolded Mu Qingli.

But he was not ordinary, which allowed him to play this game.

All for this—a show of loyalty!

After a brief period of interaction, Lin Mo had come to understand Mu Qingli’s stereotypical views of men—petty, treacherous, disloyal, and so forth.

In short, all negative labels were simply assigned to men.

The more this was the case, the more he needed to break these stereotypes; the more he broke them, the easier it would be to gain Mu Qingli’s trust.

This was the most crucial reason.

Secondly… it was the expression he saw on Mu Qingli’s face…

How to describe it? In that instant, it was strikingly similar to his past self.

That expression of fear of abandonment…

After all, she too had been stripped of power, left alone in this desolate place, with everything in the sect unrelated to her.

Upon reflection, although Mu Qingli constantly claimed to dislike and hate men, she had never actively sought to harm him.

Perhaps, she was also very lonely.

So lonely that even though he was the man she detested most, she couldn’t bring herself to let him leave.

How to explain it… Lin Mo could understand that feeling.

When he was on Blue Star, he deeply disliked a snot-nosed kid next door.

That child seemed foolish, unable to grasp why he always lay in bed and couldn’t play with him.

The windows of their two homes were close together; opening a window allowed them to hear each other’s words.

No matter what he said, the other child never understood what it meant to be sick.

He was simply tireless, constantly seeking to talk to him, bickering with him, provoking his anger, and then giggling to the side.

During their arguments, he would feel angry and infuriated, but for some reason, Lin Mo always wanted to laugh afterward.

It was both infuriating and amusing.

He felt as though his chest, heaving violently with anger, was telling him that he was still alive.

He hadn’t become disconnected from the world.

It wasn’t until the little boy moved away, and the sound of their bickering no longer drifted through the window, that he suddenly realized what he had missed.

He didn’t know the name of the child across the way.

What they looked like.

How old they were.

He was trapped in one place, unable to go anywhere.

But his world still had his mother.

Suddenly, his mother’s face flashed through Lin Mo’s mind, a gentle, warm smile that hadn’t appeared in a long time, slowly melting away his frustration and sadness.

He still had his mother, but what did Mu Qingli have?

His mother always used one phrase to encourage Lin Mo to cheer up, and with that phrase, Lin Mo could always rally himself.

Moreover, he had watched many anime, novels, and TV dramas; it seemed many people used this line to move villains and bad guys.

This led them to be whitewashed, join the protagonist’s camp, and become a great asset to the protagonist.

If he said the same, would Mu Qingli also become like that?

In that case, whether it was for escape or anything else, he would receive help.

So, he pondered and decided to say it.

“Because I love you.”

Mu Qingli abruptly lifted her head, staring at Lin Mo in astonishment, all traces of her previous despondency nowhere to be found on her face.

‘She must have been moved by my words~’

‘Wow, this line is really effective!’

‘Speaking of which, it was precisely because I said this to Qiu Yue that I wasn’t immediately cut down by her, but instead captured alive and taken back, giving me the opportunity to spend ten years escaping the Qiu family.’

‘Because his mother loved him, he was able to endure every painful day.’

‘As long as one is filled with love for the world, every day is blissful, and everywhere is paradise.’

‘So Lin Mo deeply loved every day and tomorrow.’

‘As long as there is love, miracles will always be seen.’

‘See, he escaped the Qiu family.’

‘Hmph, Xuan Nv Sect, will I still be afraid of not escaping in the future?’

‘Love is full of magic.’

Lin Mo believed in this phrase wholeheartedly.

‘Presumably, by saying this, Mu Qingli will treat me better from now on.’

‘Oh, it seems future days will be much easier~’