Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

Chapter 187

Twilight.

Outside the bustling Wangsheng Inn in Yan Zhi City.

The disciples of the Hehuan Sect had already gathered together, sitting by the noodle and wine stalls near the inn, occasionally casting glances toward it.

“Young Master, why haven’t the Hehuan Sect members made a move yet?” The old servant asked Ji Wuming, looking somewhat impatient.

Mo Zhu’er was a woman ranked among the top ten beauties, and she was also the esteemed saintess of her sect.

If Mo Zhu’er were truly captured, and he could share an intimate moment with her—even if he were to rank behind the dogs—he would still be content.

“What’s the rush?”

Ji Wuming yawned and poured himself a cup of wine.

“Although the Hehuan Sect is cooperating with us, the person they want to kill is the saintess of the Black Lotus Sect. For the Black Lotus Sect, this would be a disgraceful matter.

The Hehuan Sect is merely a minor sect. To maintain its dignity, the Black Lotus Sect will certainly hold them accountable.

In the end, the Hehuan Sect will become the sacrificial pawn in the power struggle between the Black Lotus Sect’s saints and saintesses.

That leader of the Hehuan Sect, Cui Renwang, isn’t a fool. He understands this layer of consequences, so he has to proceed flawlessly, at least in a way that leaves no trace for the Black Lotus Sect to discover.

By the time I speak up for them in the Black Lotus Sect, even if everyone knows the truth, they won’t break the silence. The matter will blow over.”

“I see,” the old servant nodded. “So everything was within your calculations, Young Master.”

Ji Wuming took out his folding fan, snapping it open with a “pa” sound, and fanned himself.

“Nothing is ever truly within calculations. I simply think a bit further than others.

When you’re in my position, if you don’t think ahead, you’re more likely to die.

Anyway, let’s wait until tonight.

The Hehuan Sect’s poison seems to be administered in two doses. The second dose will be given tonight, and only then will its full effect take hold.”

—

“We’re already surrounded.”

Earlier, Mo Zhu’er had opened the window, leaning on the windowsill to observe the street below for the duration of a stick of incense.

She appeared to be casually gazing outside, but in truth, she had already identified the Hehuan Sect disciples among the crowd.

From what she saw, roughly seventy people were scattered around the corners outside the inn.

“That’s to be expected,” Xu Ming replied, still meditating with his eyes closed, restoring his spiritual power and martial energy.

“If I’m not mistaken, the Hehuan Sect will administer a second dose of poison tonight. When the two doses combine, it will activate, making it hard for anyone to detect until it’s too late. That’s when they’ll make their move.”

Mo Zhu’er blinked at Xu Ming.

“How do you know so much?”

Xu Ming slowly opened his eyes, glancing at her as if she were a fool.

“When you feel like you don’t know enough, you should read more. A lot of things are documented in books.”

Back in Wu Kingdom, whether at the Xu family estate, the Blood Asura Battalion, or the palace, Xu Ming often read various books.

When he was preparing to roam the martial world, he had spent an extended period in Wu Kingdom’s royal library, not just to enhance his abilities but also to avoid being easily tricked.

The royal library contained rare texts that documented sect secrets and techniques. They had indeed proven useful.

“…”

Seeing Xu Ming’s disdainful gaze, Mo Zhu’er’s chest rose and fell violently. She felt an itch in her foot, tempted to kick him hard.

Why was this man so infuriating?

“So, what do we do now?”

Mo Zhu’er steadied her breath, her smile returning.

“Didn’t you say that as long as I followed your lead, we’d be able to leave safely? Now you’re asking me instead?” Xu Ming said calmly.

“Well, I was pretty confident in myself before, but seeing how much you know, of course, I’ll leave everything in your capable hands, Young Master~”

“Don’t. I’m counting on you to lead us out of here. You’ve got this.” Xu Ming closed his eyes again.

“What does ‘you’ve got this’ mean?” Over the past few days, Mo Zhu’er noticed that Xu Ming occasionally used terms she didn’t understand.

“It means to give it your best shot,” Xu Ming explained.

Mo Zhu’er: “…”

Smack!

A sound rang out on the table in front of Xu Ming.

Opening his eyes again, he saw Mo Zhu’er slapping two small straw dolls onto the table.

“What’s this?”

Xu Ming curiously examined the straw dolls on the table.

“Hehe~” Mo Zhu’er looked pleased with herself.

For the first time since meeting Xu Ming, she felt a sense of superiority, and it felt fantastic!

“Inject a little spiritual energy into one of these dolls,” Mo Zhu’er urged enthusiastically.

Xu Ming hesitated for a moment, wondering if Mo Zhu’er might use the doll to curse him once he did.

But after reconsidering, he decided it was unlikely.

Even a practitioner of the Yin-Yang sect would need someone’s blood essence and birthdate to cast a proper curse. Merely channeling spiritual energy into a straw doll shouldn’t have any such effect.

Xu Ming injected a sliver of spiritual energy into one of the dolls, and Mo Zhu’er did the same with the other.

Placing the two straw dolls on her smooth, fair thighs, Mo Zhu’er clasped her hands together and began chanting a spell.

In the next moment, the two straw dolls started moving.

They stood up on Mo Zhu’er’s soft, white thighs and then jumped down, one on each side, landing on the floor.

Shen Shengsheng crouched in front of the two straw dolls, poking at them with her finger.

The straw dolls gradually grew larger, their shapes slowly changing.

Startled, Shen Shengsheng leapt back in alarm.

When the transformation finished, the straw dolls had turned into life-sized straw figures that looked exactly like Xu Ming and Mo Zhu’er.

“It’s not done yet,” Mo Zhu’er said smugly.

Walking over, she pulled out a stack of paper from her sleeve—over a hundred sheets of rice paper.

She carefully placed the rice paper over every part of the straw figures. Then, pulling out a brush, she infused it with her spiritual energy.

The brush moved like a printer, painting rapidly on the straw figures.

Finally, when everything was complete, the two straw figures looked exactly like Xu Ming and Mo Zhu’er.

Using the same technique, Mo Zhu’er created a straw figure of Shen Shengsheng.

Shen Shengsheng stared at the straw figure, which was as tall as she was, poking it here and there with her finger.

Mo Zhu’er clapped her hands with a satisfied smile as the three straw figures joined hands and started moving, behaving remarkably human-like.

Sitting on the bed with her fair legs crossed, Mo Zhu’er smiled slyly and said, “This is my plan.”