Chapter 180: This Is the Ideal Groom

Lian Xing lay on the bed, her gaze fixed on Gu Qing.

At this moment, Gu Qing gently held Lian Xing's left hand, carefully kneading it, sensing the changes in its bones and flesh, then took her right hand to examine and compare.

"Almost done."

Yao Yue watched Gu Qing kneading Lian Xing's hand, their eyes frequently meeting, and said coldly: "My sister is a pure maiden, chaste and immaculate—don't go too far."

"Illness does not forbid treatment."

Lian Xing spoke softly: "It's better to examine thoroughly."

Gu Qing met Lian Xing's gaze and smiled gently.

All people love beauty, especially a peerless beauty like Lian Xing—she did not wish her body to remain flawed forever. Holding Lian Xing's small hand, Gu Qing felt that if he could heal her limbs, he could stride forward, reach beyond the door of her heart, and with a little more effort, succeed with her.

"I'll seal a few of your acupoints."

Gu Qing reached out, pressing several points along Lian Xing's arm to temporarily block her blood flow, then clasped her left hand, first using the Jade Orchid Palm to realign her tendons, then applying the Bone-Melting Palm to help her bones settle back into place.

The Jade Orchid Palm and Bone-Melting Palm were both extremely cruel martial arts—Lian Xing, suddenly subjected to these techniques, felt her hand as if touched by a branding iron, heated within Gu Qing's grasp, her bones cracking and crumbling into dust under the power.

The tendons returned to their original positions.

The piercing pain made sweat pour from Lian Xing; only after Gu Qing finished did she loosen her teeth slightly and involuntarily moan.

She lowered her gaze to her left hand, now caked in blood and grime. After Gu Qing wiped it clean with hot water, the once deformed and twisted hand had naturally separated—aside from withered flesh, the deformity had been repaired.

The acupoints released, Lian Xing tried channeling her inner energy; the qi flowed through the meridians of her left hand, and she immediately understood—her left hand was truly healed. With proper rest, it could fully recover.

As a woman, Lian Xing had once dreamed of marriage. Then Jiang Feng arrived, stirring her fantasies—but fearing Yao Yue, she dared not move an inch, revealing only a sliver of her true feelings when Jiang Feng was dying.

After Jiang Feng's death, Lian Xing abandoned such thoughts entirely.

Until Gu Qing came—throwing everything into helping her, offering treasures as a bride-price, and most importantly, being the one who could mend her flaws and heal her limbs.

This gave Lian Xing a natural sense of "perfect contentment."

When she looked at Gu Qing, her gaze grew even softer—perhaps this was the ideal groom.

"Rest well. Tomorrow morning, I'll repair your left foot."

Gu Qing met Lian Xing's eyes and said tenderly.

"Did it drain you too much?"

Lian Xing's voice was exquisitely gentle as she lightly wiped the sweat from Gu Qing's brow with her right hand.

"I'm perfectly energetic now—I'm just afraid you can't bear the pain."

Gu Qing was deeply concerned; after all, Lian Xing still ached from the left hand's repair.

Lian Xing felt this care and smiled, saying: "But I truly can't wait—treat it all tonight."

"Smooth-tongued and shameless!"

Yao Yue's voice cut coldly through their intimacy: "If you're going to heal her, do it quickly—don't dally and flirt."

At that moment, Lian Xing suddenly looked up at Yao Yue, astonished: "Sister, shouldn't you be entering meditation now?"

Yao Yue cultivated the Ming Jade Technique, requiring two hours daily of meditation, rain or shine—this relentless practice was why she possessed a crushing advantage in power.

Yao Yue's gaze flickered slightly: "I'll meditate after you've healed her foot."

Healing Lian Xing was too critical—Yao Yue would not leave, unwilling to risk any mishap.

Lian Xing nodded slightly, instructing her maid to bring water. Under the maids' care, she washed and dried her feet, then cautiously extended them before Gu Qing. As he gently took her foot, Lian Xing's whole body went half-numb—no man had ever touched this place before.

Now held by Gu Qing, their eyes met, and a tender warmth lingered between them.

"Focus!"

Yao Yue's voice, emotionless, shattered the intimacy, forcing Gu Qing to concentrate. Gu Qing and Lian Xing exchanged a smile, then carefully probed her bones and tendons, sensing the deformities in her left foot. After examination, they gently kneaded her right foot for comparison, then applied the Bone-Melting Palm to dissolve the deformities, realigning the joints, followed by the Jade Orchid Palm to arrange the meridians…

This treatment lasted until nearly midnight.

Lian Xing's hands and feet were fully restored; what remained was dietary and medicinal nourishment, plus electrical stimulation to restore her muscle strength and return her limbs to normal.

Yao Yue ordered a maid to take Gu Qing to the guest quarters, then vanished in a flash.

Gu Qing followed the maid, watching her carry a lantern in silence, his mind stirring—he suddenly smiled and asked: "Little girl, how many kinds of flowers are there in the Flower Moon Palace?"

The maid said nothing, walking forward like a puppet.

"I know little about flowers, but I do know how to keep bees—do you keep bees in the Flower Moon Palace?"

Gu Qing asked again.

While living in seclusion with Xiaolongnu and Cheng Ying in the Ancient Tomb, Gu Qing had absorbed their knowledge and learned beekeeping—even how to use bee venom and Jade Bee Needles. He had no use for them before, but seeing the Flower Moon Palace's blooming flowers, he thought keeping bees might be a wise use of resources.

"Actually, I know the atmosphere here isn't cold and heartless—it's all because of Yao Yue, isn't it?"

!

Gu Qing added, still following the maid's back.

The maid's body trembled slightly, pretending not to hear, walking on.

"Speaking of which, I recall a joke about the Flower Moon Palace."

Gu Qing suddenly chuckled: "When you're asleep and your roommate sighs heavily—what should you, as a disciple of the Flower Moon Palace, do?"

He paused, then said seriously: "Immediately stop her from speaking ill of Yao Yue!"

"You're talking nonsense!"

The maid broke, turning her face—angry, yet fighting a smile.

"How am I talking nonsense?"

Gu Qing asked, smiling.

"You're talking nonsense from start to finish!"

The maid stamped her foot, turning to walk away—then saw Yao Yue standing before them, her robe as white as snow, her gaze fixed not on Gu Qing, but on the maid.

"Who told you to joke with him?"

Yao Yue said coldly.

"Your handmaiden dares not!"

The maid immediately knelt, begging for mercy.

"Cut out your own tongue."

Yao Yue said coldly.

"Why can't I speak to her?"

Gu Qing stepped forward, blocking the maid.

Yao Yue's gaze burned with fury, fixed on Gu Qing.

"Are you jealous?"

Gu Qing suddenly asked.

Yao Yue, who had been furious, suddenly deflated—she vanished in a flash.

(End of Chapter)