Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

Chapter 182

“You’re heading to the Tianxuan Sect?”

“That’s right.”

“What are you going there for?”

“To meet someone.”

“Meet someone? A man or a woman?”

“A woman.”

“Oh~ I remember now. You told Shen Shengsheng earlier that you’d take her to meet an older sister. That must be the person you’re talking about.”

“So what if it is?”

“Nothing, just didn’t expect you’d go out of your way to meet a woman. I thought you were like a stone—unmoved by anything. Is this person your lover?”

“Eh? Am I? Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Shut your mouth. No one will mistake you for a mute.”

“Oh, come on, Young Master. But I must say, your stern expression is quite handsome~”

“Hmph, if you like it so much, keep looking. I’m afraid you won’t get many more chances. Don’t forget, I only gave you twenty days, and not much time is left.”

“Oh, Young Master, don’t say that. What if I change my mind by then?”

Xu Ming continued walking forward as Mo Zhuer chatted beside him. The two appeared to be making casual conversation, chatting about anything and everything, but in truth, they were testing each other.

“If you answer a few questions for me, I might let you go if I’m in a good mood,” Xu Ming said to Mo Zhuer.

“Oh? Is there such a good deal? I’ll answer everything to the best of my ability,” Mo Zhuer replied with a playful glint in her eyes.

Of course, she didn’t believe that simply answering a few questions would earn her freedom, but if the questions were harmless, she didn’t mind indulging him.

“The flood dragon in the Yellow Sand River used to take a pair of children each year—a boy and a girl—but not for eating. Yet, in its palace, there were no signs of any of those children. What do you make of that?” Xu Ming asked, his gaze fixed on Mo Zhuer to see how she would respond.

“I wouldn’t know. Didn’t you ask the flood dragon yourself? It self-destructed on the spot, didn’t it? Its head was blown clean off—quite terrifying. Since that’s the case, how could it have told me anything?” Mo Zhuer replied with a smile, meeting Xu Ming’s gaze.

“I see. On that note, your Black Lotus Sect also collects boys and girls. What’s your purpose for that?” Xu Ming pressed on.

“Why, for sacrifices, of course,” Mo Zhuer said matter-of-factly. “We use them to worship an evil god who ensures the Black Lotus Sect’s prosperity and longevity.”

As she spoke, Mo Zhuer quickly added, “But that’s all the leader’s idea, nothing to do with me. I’m just following orders. Otherwise, I’d be the one to die. Killing me out of anger won’t solve anything, Young Master~”

“And this evil god you worship—does it have a name?” Xu Ming asked again.

Mo Zhuer shook her head. “I don’t know that.”

“Not even you, a Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect, know its name?” Xu Ming said skeptically.

“Now, now, Young Master, don’t say that,” Mo Zhuer replied with a playful laugh. “Although I’m a Saintess, who said there’s only one Saintess in the Black Lotus Sect? There are five Saintesses and five Saints in total. Only one among us can emerge as the leader.”

“And what happens to the other nine?” Xu Ming asked casually.

“They all die,” Mo Zhuer replied without hesitation.

Xu Ming: “…”

Mo Zhuer’s tone was calm, but beneath it was a chilling edge. “The ten of us must eliminate the other nine to claim the leader’s position, by any means necessary. Even if there’s only one left, that’s the rule. If, after a hundred years, there are still two people alive, all of us will die.

Then the Black Lotus Sect will select ten new Saints and Saintesses, and the cycle will repeat until there’s only one left.”

Xu Ming frowned slightly. “Your sect’s system is no different from raising Gu insects.”

“Who says it’s not?” Mo Zhuer spread her hands helplessly. “But the Gu King is always the strongest, isn’t it?”

“No way to escape?” Xu Ming asked.

“None at all~” Mo Zhuer smiled. “A strand of our soul is anchored to the Black Lotus Sect. If we try to escape, the sect can track us down anytime, anywhere. We’d be hunted to the ends of the earth, never knowing peace for the rest of our lives.”

“Quite pitiful,” Xu Ming remarked with a sigh.

Mo Zhuer’s lips curled into a sly smile. “Could it be that the Young Master is pitying me?”

Xu Ming nodded. “A life out of one’s control is truly pitiful.”

“…”

Being so blatantly pitied, Mo Zhuer found herself momentarily at a loss for words.

I’ve been pitied?

For a brief moment, annoyance flickered in her heart. Pity was the most useless of emotions, something she disdained being offered by anyone.

Xu Ming didn’t bother himself with whatever thoughts might be running through Mo Zhuer’s mind. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was lying to him—not about the Black Lotus Sect’s selection process, as that could easily be verified and wasn’t worth the effort to lie about, but about the issue with the “boys and girls.”

Although he had no direct evidence, Xu Ming was convinced there was a connection between the Black Lotus Sect’s collection of boys and girls and the Yellow Sand Dragon King’s similar practice.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself, Young Master. Can I have my antidote now?” Mo Zhuer asked with a grin.

Xu Ming replied flatly, “You know nothing worth sharing, so no.”

Mo Zhuer clenched her fists but maintained her smile. “Understood~”

Two more days passed, and Xu Ming drew closer to Tianxuan Sect. He was nearing Yan Zhi City. Once past Yan Zhi City and then Xuan Yue City, he would practically be at Tianxuan Sect’s territory.

“It’s getting late. Let’s rest for the night and continue tomorrow,” Xu Ming said, glancing at the sky. It was already halfway through the Xu hour, and the wilderness outside Yan Zhi City was teeming with magical beasts. To ensure safety, it was best to wait for daylight before traveling further.

This time, Xu Ming took out some flood dragon meat to roast. Initially, he had refrained from eating it due to his incomplete recovery and concerns about handling its potent blood energy. But now, he was fully healed, and there was no such worry.

Chunks of dragon meat were skewered and roasted over the fire. The aroma was far richer and more enticing than any meat Xu Ming had ever tasted.

Shen Shengsheng, unable to contain her hunger, was already drooling. Even Mo Zhuer couldn’t help but swallow a bit of saliva.

To avoid wasting such a rare delicacy, Xu Ming took charge of the roasting himself. Once the meat was perfectly cooked, its tantalizing fragrance filled the entire cave. He placed a large portion of dragon meat, wrapped in lotus leaves, in front of Shen Shengsheng before taking a piece for himself.

As Mo Zhuer reached out for a piece of dragon meat, Xu Ming slapped her hand lightly. “The dragon meat is for us. You get the venison.”

Mo Zhuer: “…”

“Stingy! As if I’ve never had flood dragon meat before!” Mo Zhuer muttered as she picked up a piece of venison, nibbling at it grudgingly.

Just as the three were enjoying their meal, both Xu Ming and Mo Zhuer suddenly tensed. Their hands moved in unison, hurling the bamboo skewers they had been holding toward the cave entrance.