An Jiu was deeply aware of the potency of Mo Sigui’s poisons. A few vials of these were more useful than carrying many hidden weapons, and his healing medicines were truly miraculous.

“Doctor Mo,” Sun Dixian knocked on the door.

Mo Sigui, busy sorting medicines, didn’t look up. “What is it?”

Sun Dixian smiled and was about to enter when Mo Sigui said, “Stop. Whatever you have to say, say it from the doorway.”

Sun Dixian laughed awkwardly and said, “Doctor, I’d like to request a vial of protective medicine.”

“I don’t have any,” Mo Sigui replied coldly.

“This mission is extremely dangerous, unlike any other. Please grant me a vial! If I can return alive, I’ll repay you with my life,” Sun Dixian persisted, unwilling to give up on this chance for survival.

Mo Sigui paused his work. “If I were willing to give it to you, I would have done so already. No need for pointless talk. Since I’ve said no, just leave quickly and don’t be a nuisance.”

Usually, Mo Sigui might have teased Sun Dixian a bit before giving her the medicine. But not this time. The available medicine was limited, and he couldn’t easily restock. He had barely enough for his use, with portions set aside for An Jiu and Lou Mingyue. Even if there were some leftovers, he couldn’t give it to Sun Dixian. With so many people watching him, if everyone came begging for medicine and he refused, wouldn’t he offend even more people?

More importantly, he was in a bad mood and didn’t want to deal with anyone.

Sun Dixian bit her lip, stood at the door for a moment, and finally left.

Seeing her rejection, others gave up hope. Rather than begging others, they decided to focus on training before the big battle, so everyone retreated to practice in seclusion.

Although An Jiu had obtained many medicines, she didn’t slack off in her training.

The Meridian-Breaking Palm had 81 moves across nine levels. An Jiu had reached the third level. The first three levels were foundational, and she hadn’t noticed much difference in her abilities yet. It didn’t seem particularly useful in actual combat. Once she mastered the first three levels, she began attempting the fourth.

Meridians are pathways for qi and blood circulation, connecting internal organs with the body’s surface and regulating bodily functions. In medicine, acupuncture is used to clear meridians for healing. Similarly, external force can be used to damage meridians, disrupting an enemy’s qi and blood flow. The Meridian-Breaking Palm was the most powerful technique of this kind.

An Jiu practiced a few moves from the manual, then applied force. As she struck out, she felt a slight stinging pain in her arm. This pain was insignificant to An Jiu, but fearing she might be going astray, she stopped.

She opened the door and saw Mo Sigui approaching with a bundle.

An Jiu leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, waiting for him.

Mo Sigui entered the room silently, placed the items on the table, and said, “Help me give these to her.”

An Jiu knew who “her” was. “I promised Lou Mingyue I wouldn’t interfere in your affairs. Take them yourself.”

Mo Sigui angrily retorted, “Ungrateful brat! After pressuring me for three days, you won’t even do this small favor? You little devil!”

An Jiu stared at him silently, showing no signs of yielding.

“Ah!” Mo Sigui sighed. “I understand her. She’s strong-willed and stubborn. If I deliver these myself, she’ll just throw them back at me. But if we approach it indirectly, giving her an excuse, she won’t refuse for the sake of survival.”

“I’m also a person of my word,” An Jiu emphasized seriously.

“Then change just this once,” Mo Sigui pushed the bundle forward, pleading. “Besides, this isn’t interfering. It’s just a favor for a friend. You wouldn’t be so heartless as to refuse, would you?”

An Jiu pondered for a moment, then nodded. “That makes sense.”

Delighted, Mo Sigui couldn’t help but ask, “Do you know how to be tactful?”

“No,” An Jiu replied.

“Why don’t you use your skill at subtle insults for something else?” Mo Sigui muttered, then instructed, “Just say these things are from me to you, and you’re sharing half with her out of gratitude for her care. If she refuses, tell her that this mission is extremely dangerous, and having more survival tools is beneficial, especially since the Lou family’s revenge is yet unfulfilled. If she still refuses, use your background to move her. Say you both share similar pain, that you understand her suffering, and hope you can survive together to exact your revenge.”

“You’re truly scheming,” An Jiu remarked, then added, “Also, I don’t want revenge.”

“It’s called being thoughtful!” Mo Sigui had given up on her choice of words. He patted her shoulder weakly. “You can do it. I believe in you.”

An Jiu shook her head, insisting, “How can I say such things carelessly?”

“Fine, just say the first two sentences, alright? If she doesn’t accept, just leave the things and come back,” Mo Sigui pushed the bundle into her arms and shoved her out the door. “Go on, quickly.”

An Jiu took the bundle and turned back, saying, “Wait here. I have something to ask you when I return.”

“No problem,” Mo Sigui said, slowly fanning himself.

An Jiu quickly went to Lou Mingyue’s door and knocked.

Mo Sigui immediately slipped back into the room.

“Come in, the door isn’t locked,” Lou Mingyue said.

An Jiu pushed open the door.

Lou Mingyue’s silhouette was hidden in darkness. An Jiu couldn’t see her face clearly but could sense her sadness. Her figure stood alone as if she were the last person left in the world.

How similar Lou Mingyue was now to An Jiu’s former self!

An Jiu’s heart trembled slightly as she suddenly realized how much she had changed.

“Did he send you?” Lou Mingyue’s voice was a bit hoarse.

“I asked him for quite a few things,” An Jiu placed the bundle on the table. “You’ve taken good care of me in Kongheyuan. I’m sharing half with you as thanks.”

“Mm,” Lou Mingyue never emerged from the darkness. “Thank you.”

Having achieved her goal, An Jiu had nothing more to say.

After An Jiu left, Lou Mingyue approached the table.

Her pale fingers untied the bundle, and she wept silently at the sight of the various bottles and jars. Having reached the ninth level, her hearing was now several times better than before. At such a close distance, she had heard every word of Mo Sigui and An Jiu’s conversation.

Mo Sigui’s appearance had peeled away Lou Mingyue’s hard shell, occasionally revealing her soft, vulnerable side. She longed to rely on him but feared harming him.

With such conflicting emotions, wanting to be close yet unable to, Lou Mingyue’s face was pale, her dark eyes filled with deep hatred—all because of Yelü Huangwu!

Lou Mingyue vowed that one day she would kill that person with her own hands!

An Jiu returned to the room, and Mo Sigui immediately rushed over. Seeing her hands empty of the bundle, he asked, “She accepted?”

“Mm,” An Jiu responded dully.

Mo Sigui grinned, closing his fan and lightly tapping his palm. “Little An Jiu, you truly lived up to my expectations!”

He sat down, lifted his robe, and poured tea while asking, “What did you want to ask me?”

An Jiu snapped back to attention and took out the manual, placing it before him. “When I practiced the fourth level, I felt a stinging pain in my arm. Is this normal?”

“Perfectly normal,” Mo Sigui pushed a tea cup towards her. “If you keep practicing like this, you’ll end up paralyzed one day.”

An Jiu frowned. “What do you mean?”

“The Meridian-Breaking Palm is so violent that it’s a technique that harms the user almost as much as the enemy,” Mo Sigui flipped to the preface and tapped the table, indicating for An Jiu to look. “However, our predecessors found ways to solve most of these problems by tempering the body. That’s why each level requires soaking in body-strengthening medicinal baths, and every three levels requires rebuilding the body. I thought it would take you a year or more to reach the second level. Who knew you’d progress so rapidly.”

An Jiu read the passage on the preface page. “I never took any strengthening medicinal baths. Why didn’t I feel this pain when practicing the second and third levels?”

Mo Sigui crossed his legs proudly. “Do you think this great physician is here for nothing? The body I rebuilt for you is a thousand times better than others. If not for your weak foundation, you wouldn’t have problems even at the fourth level.”

“I see,” An Jiu said.

Given Mo Sigui’s confidence in his medical skills, he wouldn’t typically go on about things under his control. But this time, An Jiu’s progress had exceeded his expectations. To prevent similar dangerous situations in the future, he explained, “Actually, the drawbacks of the Meridian-Breaking Palm haven’t been eliminated. Using your force to damage the opponent’s meridians also causes a rebound effect on yourself. Body tempering can reduce this damage, but there’s no truly invulnerable body in this world. Even if you reach the peak, you’ll still harm yourself each time you use this technique. I didn’t warn you before because such injuries are trivial for me to treat. I can quickly restore you to normal after you’re hurt.”

Mo Sigui owed An Jiu a life debt. Since he was repaying it, he wouldn’t neglect her. Mentioning this earlier would only have made An Jiu hesitant, so he had chosen not to say anything.

“Oh, right!” Mo Sigui’s eyes lit up as he thought of something. “You could try learning the Plum Blossom Fist. It can help you solve the rebound problem of the Meridian-Breaking Palm.”

“The Plum Blossom Fist?” An Jiu knew this was the Mei family’s ancestral martial art, rumored to be able to “hit a cow behind a mountain.” Beyond that, she didn’t know much. “It seems the Mei family descendants don’t use fists anymore.”

“That’s because the Plum Blossom Fist is an external cultivation technique. In an era where internal cultivation is prevalent, external cultivation is much more difficult. So the Mei family gradually shifted to internal cultivation, but they never abandoned their ancestral technique. All Mei family members practice both internal and external arts. Even if their internal energy is crippled, they still have fighting power. This is the true reason for the Mei family’s strength,” Mo Sigui grew more excited as he spoke. “By learning the Plum Blossom Fist, you’ll understand how to manipulate force skillfully, harming the enemy without harming yourself.”

“Do you know the Plum Blossom Fist?” An Jiu asked.

“The Plum Blossom Fist isn’t taught to outsiders. My mother secretly taught me a bit, but she was allowed to marry outside the family because of her poor martial arts and intellect,” Mo Sigui looked helpless. “What she learned was only superficial, and what I got from her is even less.”

Mo Sigui had never focused on martial arts training, let alone his mother’s mediocre skills. He had learned a bit just to humor her. “When we return to Bianjing, you should seek out Mei Zhengjing.”

“Alright,” An Jiu said.

“Also!” Mo Sigui tapped the worn book on the table with his fan. “This is a martial arts manual. How can you just casually take it out like that?”