Chapter 558: I don't want to owe you!

Mu Lingxue grew more doubtful the more she thought, and even a hint of vigilance arose in her heart.

If the Ghost Doctor Sect were truly an evil sect, then Lin Yuan's identity would be worth investigating.

She clenched her fists tightly, waiting for Lin Yuan's explanation.

Mu Lingxue's eyes held both doubt and a barely perceptible guard.

Lin Yuan looked at Mu Lingxue's doubtful expression and gently shook his head.

Lin Yuan said in a heavy tone:

"The Ghost Doctor Sect is not an evil sect; it's just… its existence involves too many past grudges and hides too many secrets capable of shaking the martial world. Once my identity is exposed, not only will I bring disaster upon myself, but I will also implicate those around me, including you."

"What secret does the Ghost Doctor Sect hold that makes you so wary?" Mu Lingxue couldn't help but ask again.

The vigilance in her tone had not lessened at all.

Lin Yuan leaned against the sofa, his gaze drifting to the night outside the window.

Lin Yuan's tone carried a hint of distance and heaviness: "The Ghost Doctor Sect has been lost for nearly a century. Once my identity is known to those in the martial world, they will spare no expense to find me and force me to hand over the sect's secret arts."

"Secret arts? What secret arts are so enticing?" Mu Lingxue pressed.

"Medical arts." Lin Yuan spoke slowly, his voice tinged with helplessness.

"The Ghost Doctor Sect's medical arts are unparalleled in the world; they can not only bring the dead back to life and heal flesh from white bones, but also precisely break the various vital points of martial arts masters. To ancient martial artists, the sect's medical arts are their nemesis, a nightmare for all ancient martial artists under heaven."

"The Ghost Doctor Sect's existence is essentially to break the martial arts shackles of all under heaven. My martial skills, as well as the silver needle technique I just used to treat wounds, are all inherited from the Ghost Doctor Sect."

Lin Yuan paused, his tone turning grave: "Those lawless scoundrels, like the Lei Hu Sect and their ilk, want to obtain the Ghost Doctor Sect's medical arts to monopolize the martial world, control other ancient martial artists, and commit even more heinous acts."

Mu Lingxue furrowed her brows, her face showing a doubtful expression.

She hesitated before speaking: "But… aren't the ancient martial artists of Yanxia often defeated by Western combat techniques? Even if the Ghost Doctor Sect can break ancient martial arts, it doesn't seem as dangerous as you say."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yuan couldn't help but give a self‑deprecating smile, his eyes full of regret: "That's exactly the problem. Ancient martial artists decline generation after generation, always thinking their greatest enemy is the Ghost Doctor Sect, unaware that their true enemy is themselves."

"They cling to old ways, stubbornly adhering to outdated martial arts concepts, and hoard knowledge, refusing to pass on the true secret arts." Lin Yuan's voice carried a hint of anguish.

"This causes their descendants to deteriorate generation after generation, gradually losing the core inheritance of ancient martial arts; many excellent martial arts techniques have been completely lost. The ancient martial arts that remain today have long lost their former essence, their power greatly diminished, so they naturally cannot match the systematically trained Western combat techniques."

"It's the same fate as ancient Chinese medicine—both are gradually declining, heading toward extinction." Lin Yuan's voice sank low.

"That is precisely why the Ghost Doctor Sect's inheritance is so precious, and my identity must never be discovered. Once exposed, not only will I be hunted by all factions, but I will also implicate everyone around me."

Mu Lingxue was completely stunned, staring blankly at Lin Yuan as the doubt on her face gave way to shock.

She had never imagined that behind a lost sect lay so many martial world secrets, nor had she expected the decline of ancient martial arts to be so lamentable.

In the silence, Mu Lingxue suddenly recalled the scene in the factory……

She couldn't help but ask: "By the way, just now in the factory you suddenly stabbed yourself with a silver needle, and your speed and strength surged instantly—what technique was that? It was almost inhumanly fast."

Upon hearing her, Lin Yuan's eyes flickered slightly as he calmly explained: "That is the Ghost Doctor Sect's secret art, called Yanluo Pagoda. Essentially, it is a hard qigong that stimulates potential through Chinese medical means. By precisely inserting silver needles into specific acupoints, it can forcibly draw out the body's deep potential."

"After the potential is unleashed, my strength, qi and blood, speed, and even my five senses spike instantly—just like you said, 'unleashing a ultimate move'—allowing me, in a short time, to possess the power to overwhelm ordinary ancient martial artists."

Lin Yuan paused, his tone turning grave: "But the aftereffects of this secret art are extremely severe; once the potential burst ends, it causes serious internal injury, leaving the body extremely weak, even leading to bleeding from the seven orifices."

"More importantly, this forced stimulation of potential consumes the mind and spirit; the worst part is that it shortens one's lifespan." Lin Yuan's voice sank a little further.

"Each use of Yanluo Pagoda reduces my lifespan somewhat; afterward I must take the Ghost Doctor Sect's specially prepared herbal medicine, supplemented by acupuncture for nourishment, to slowly replenish the lost lifespan—a process that is extremely tedious and time‑consuming."

Mu Lingxue remained silent for a long while, looking at Lin Yuan's weary and solemn face……

The anger in her heart had long since faded, leaving only understanding and worry.

Mu Lingxue let out a soft sigh, her eyes firming: "I understand now… what you've endured is far more complex than I imagined. I promise you I will help keep this secret and will never tell anyone."

Upon hearing her, Lin Yuan's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

He gave Mu Lingxue a slight nod, about to say thank you, when suddenly his brows furrowed tightly.

Lin Yuan let out a muffled groan.

He instinctively raised his hand to press on his ribs; the wound that had already stopped bleeding had somehow split open again.

Bright red blood seeped through his clothing, quickly spreading into a large dark‑red stain.

"What's wrong with you?" Mu Lingxue noticed his abnormality and hurriedly rose to approach him.

As she saw the ever‑expanding dark‑red stain on Lin Yuan's ribs, her heart clenched instantly.

"It's nothing… the wound split open, it hurts a bit." Lin Yuan gritted his teeth, enduring the intense pain.

He slowly released his hand from the wound, then rummaged through the tea table drawer for the hemostatic powder he carried.

He trembled as he poured the hemostatic powder onto the wound, his movements somewhat clumsy from the pain.

Watching Lin Yuan stubbornly endure the pain to staunch his own bleeding……

Mu Lingxue's tears could no longer be held back, dropping with a soft "pat" onto the floor.

She recalled that Lin Yuan had willingly been stabbed in both ribs by a dagger to save her, then used the heavily draining Yanluo Pagoda secret art.

She also remembered his blood‑soaked struggle in the factory earlier, filling her heart with anguish and guilt.

"Don't move, I'll help you." Mu Lingxue sniffed, reached out and gently pressed her hand against Lin Yuan's, her voice thick with nasal congestion.

She took the gauze from Lin Yuan's hand, carefully lifted his blood‑stained clothing to reveal the gruesome wound……

The two dagger puncture marks were still clearly visible, the surrounding flesh turned outward from the previous violent exertion.

Fresh blood slowly oozed from the wound, a shocking sight.

Mu Lingxue stifled her inner sourness, gently wiping the blood around the wound with a clean tissue, her motions as tender as if caring for a fragile treasure.

She first evenly sprinkled the hemostatic powder onto the wound, then took the gauze and wrapped it carefully around Lin Yuan's chest, layer by layer.

With each wrap she lightly pressed down, ensuring the gauze stayed firmly in place.

Throughout the bandaging, tears continually streamed down Mu Lingxue's cheeks, dripping onto Lin Yuan's arm with a warm sensation.

Lin Yuan could clearly feel her trembling, seeing her reddened eye sockets and her face full of anguish.

A strange warmth welled up in Lin Yuan's heart, and the original intense pain seemed to ease somewhat.

Finally having bandaged the wound, Mu Lingxue was about to withdraw her hand when she suddenly leaned forward, rose onto her tiptoes, and gently pressed her lips to Lin Yuan's.

Her kiss carried the salty tang of tears, with a barely perceptible tremor, yet it was extraordinarily firm.

Lin Yuan was completely stunned, his body instantly froze, and he even forgot to breathe.

He could clearly feel Mu Lingxue's soft lips, and the faint fragrance on her body, forming a stark contrast with the bloody smell in the air.

Mu Lingxue did not retreat; instead, she slightly deepened the kiss.

After a moment, she slowly withdrew, her cheeks flushed crimson.

Mu Lingxue's eyes, however, were unusually bright, carrying a hint of resolve.

She looked at Lin Yuan's shocked expression, her voice trembling with tears yet unusually clear: "Lin Yuan, you suffered such grave injuries for my sake... I owe you a debt I can never repay in this lifetime. I don't want to owe you so much..."

She drew a deep breath, as if making a tremendous resolve, her voice trembling yet utterly firm: "I... I am willing to give myself to you."

Before her words faded, Mu Lingxue placed both hands on Lin Yuan's shoulders, exerting slight pressure...

She pushed the unprepared Lin Yuan onto the sofa.

Mu Lingxue then straddled Lin Yuan's lap...

She gripped the edge of the sofa tightly with both hands, her eyes full of shyness and determination...

Her tears still clung to her cheeks, yet they now held a touch of moving affection.

The instant Lin Yuan was pushed down, he finally came to his senses...

He gazed at Mu Lingxue straddling him, feeling the warm sensation of her body...

Lin Yuan's face changed instantly; he hurriedly spoke to stop her: "Lingxue, don't do this! You're suffering a great loss, it's not worth it! Get up quickly!"

"I don't care!" Mu Lingxue shook her head, her eyes extraordinarily resolute.

Her tears welled up again, but she stubbornly held them back: "Even if I suffer a loss, it's to your benefit; as long as I can repay what I owe you, I am willing!"

Lin Yuan felt anxious inside, struggling to rise and push her away.

Lin Yuan's tone carried a hint of helplessness and urgency: "Lingxue, calm down first! We truly aren't suited for each other! I am entangled in too many martial world grudges; put bluntly, I'm half an Underworld figure, while you are Police—we belong to different worlds, and forcing ourselves together would only harm you!"

"I don't care about Underworld or Police!" Mu Lingxue pressed down hard on Lin Yuan's shoulders, not letting him rise.

A flash of resolve crossed her eyes, even tinged with threat: "If you dare push me away, I will expose that you are an heir of the Ghost Doctor Sect! Let the entire martial world know your identity!"

Lin Yuan's movement froze instantly, he stared at Mu Lingxue in disbelief.

He never expected Mu Lingxue to use this to threaten him...

But seeing the determination and grievance in her eyes, Lin Yuan's anger could not rise; only helplessness remained.

Mu Lingxue watched Lin Yuan's stalled motion, her tone softened, thick with sobs, her voice choking:

"Lin Yuan, to save me you took a blade to your ribs, even resorting to a secret art that damages your lifespan, giving so much... I owe you a debt I can never repay in this lifetime."

"I have nothing to repay you with; since I cannot repay with my life, I can only give you my most precious first time."

She drew a deep breath, her eyes full of resolve: "This way, we will be even; I won't have to keep remembering my debt to you, nor feel uneasy inside. I don't want to owe anyone, especially you."