Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

The Black Lotus Sect Leader’s gaze was fixed on Mo Zhuer.

All the excuses Mo Zhuer gave were ultimately inconsequential.

Did Xia He want to burn bridges and stop cooperating with the Black Lotus Sect?

If she said so, then that was the truth—because the man was already dead. Completely gone. Not even his soul remained; he wouldn’t even get the chance to reincarnate.

Had Xia He’s power crumbled once Xu Cang and his group emerged? Had Mo Zhuer chosen to cut her losses in time?

Perhaps at that moment, Xu Cang did have a considerable advantage.

But until the very last step, who could truly say what would happen? Advantage and disadvantage were merely subjective judgments based on the circumstances of the time.

And how exactly did Xu Cang escape? That was even more intriguing.

The existence of Xu Cang and his group of people was the most classified of secrets among the Four Holy Lands and the Five Great Sects. Only a Holy Lord or Sect Master, upon inheriting their position, would be informed. No one else was supposed to know.

Everything she said was just an excuse.@@novelbin@@

And those excuses were full of holes.

Yet, despite their flaws, they worked.

If people believed them, then they became the truth.

If they didn’t, then they were mere sophistry.

“Tomorrow, the Black Lotus Sect will hold a tribunal. You can explain all of this to the elders and hall masters then.” The Sect Leader waved a hand dismissively. “For now, leave. Think carefully about how you’ll argue your case tomorrow.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.” Mo Zhuer took her leave.

As he watched her silhouette disappear from view, the Black Lotus Sect Leader slowly closed his eyes and shook his head.

—

“Zhuer! How did it go? Wait! You actually made it back alive?”

The moment Mo Zhuer stepped into her room, Jiang Ruyan rushed up to her anxiously, grabbing her hand.

“Why wouldn’t I come back alive?”

Mo Zhuer chuckled, lightly shaking off Jiang Ruyan’s hand before pouring herself a cup of tea.

Jiang Ruyan sat down beside her. The fabric of her dress stretched taut over her rounded hips, accentuating a graceful curve. “Well, I suppose it makes sense. No matter what, he’s still your father—he wouldn’t really do anything to you. No matter what you’ve done, deep down, he still cares for you.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Mo Zhuer shook her head. “To him, the only thing that matters is the Black Lotus Sect. The only thing in his heart is his path to power. To me, that man is no different from Xia He—both are utterly selfish. Otherwise, my mother wouldn’t have died back then.” ṚâℕộBĚS

Jiang Ruyan sighed. “Still, he’s your father.”

Mo Zhuer’s eyes curved into a smile. “I don’t acknowledge such a father.”

Jiang Ruyan: “…”

“Alright, let’s not talk about this.” Jiang Ruyan waved a hand. “What about your situation? Are you in the clear?”

“In the clear?” Mo Zhuer let out a soft laugh. “How could that be possible? There’s still a tribunal tomorrow. All those old fossils will be there. Many of them support other Holy Sons and Holy Daughters—they can’t wait for me to die so their candidates will have one less competitor.”

“This…” Jiang Ruyan stood up and began pacing anxiously. “Then you’re still in a dangerous position! I told you, you shouldn’t have come back. We should’ve defected to another sect. Even if the Black Lotus Sect hunted us down, so what? There are plenty of sects that oppose them. Their reach isn’t limitless!”

Mo Zhuer reached out and tapped Jiang Ruyan’s forehead lightly. “Have you been a city lord for too long? Did you turn foolish? I have my own plans. You don’t need to worry—I won’t be in any danger.”

Jiang Ruyan frowned. “You’re that confident?”

“Of course.” Mo Zhuer gently brushed the sleeve of her robe. “Tell me—Black Lotus Sect’s plan failed. A failure is a failure. What would they gain by killing me?”

“This…” Jiang Ruyan was momentarily speechless.

“The Black Lotus Sect gains nothing from killing me.”

Mo Zhuer’s lips curled into a smile.

“The Black Lotus Sect, and in fact most of the demonic sects in the Western Region, are inherently selfish. They care only about immediate benefits.

Xia He is dead. The Black Lotus Sect’s plan has failed. That is a fact.

Meanwhile, I have obtained the Dragon Vein of Tianxuan Sect, my strength has soared, and my future prospects are limitless. Reaching the Immortal Realm is merely a baseline for me now. That, too, is a fact.

Moreover, I have already fully refined the Dragon Vein.

If the Black Lotus Sect were to kill me now, the Dragon Vein would be lost as well. Their losses would be even greater—years of planning would amount to nothing.

So tell me, if you were one of the elders of the Black Lotus Sect, what choice would you make?”

Jiang Ruyan: “…”

“Relax.”

Mo Zhuer yawned, kicking off her delicate shoes before lying sideways on the bed. Her fair, smooth legs intertwined, the stark contrast between her pale skin and the dark hem of her dress making the scene all the more striking. Her hips arched like rolling hills, forming a graceful curve.

“Many want me dead, but even more want me alive. I’ve already given the Black Lotus Sect a way out, and they have no choice but to take it.

For me, tomorrow is nothing more than a formality.”

“That’s good to hear.” Listening to Mo Zhuer, Jiang Ruyan finally let out a sigh of relief.

“By the way, what about that monk Shi Xin from Leiming Temple? Where is she now?” Mo Zhuer asked.

“Shi Xin? That nun?” Jiang Ruyan blinked. “Why are you interested in her?”

Mo Zhuer shot her a look. “Isn’t it obvious? Shi Xin has the potential to become the leader of the entire Buddhist sect.”

Jiang Ruyan looked at her in disbelief. “That nun?”

Mo Zhuer nodded with a smile. “Yes, that nun.”

Jiang Ruyan thought for a moment. “I’m not entirely sure, but it seems like she’s been heading toward the Central Plains. By now, she should be somewhere around—”

—

“Benefactor.”

In a remote mountain village, a bald woman in a monk’s robe stepped forward, asking for directions.

“May I ask where this place is?”

The old farmer before her was utterly stunned by the sight of the woman. She had red lips, white teeth, and skin as fair as snow.

A monk?

A female monk?

“Could you kindly tell me where I am?” The nun asked again, her eyes as clear as a pristine lake.

Though still in shock, the old farmer instinctively stammered out a response.

“This… is… the border town of the Wu Kingdom—Zhulucheng.”