Chapter 66: The Clever Little Devil

Dan Hospital, ward.

The sky was just beginning to lighten; the rustle of autumn wind through leaves echoed outside the window, and a faint scent of osmanthus lingered in the air.

Shasha shasha~

As his spiritual sense stirred awake, an indescribable exhaustion washed over him from within and without.

It felt as if he’d been subjected to ten times his usual training load for seven days and seven nights straight, while ten ghost brides transformed into succubus demons, draining his yang energy as he trained…

“Damn…”

His qi had been so brutally drained that his mind had grown sluggish; it took him half a minute to muster the strength to lift his eyelids, each weighing a thousand catties, revealing a painted ceiling adorned with birds and flowers—likely meant to lift the patient’s spirits.

Xie Jinhuan tried to raise a hand to rub his forehead, but found himself bound tightly with ropes as thick as his thumb; looking down, he realized he lay on a specially designed hospital bed, his entire body bound from head to toe like a caterpillar…

Huh? I delivered crucial service—why am I tied up?

Could it be that last night, in my daze, I touched her too roughly and made the glasses girl angry…

Unable to break free, Xie Jinhuan turned his gaze left and right.

The ward wasn’t large, but it was spotlessly clean—just the bed and a table beside it, upon which rested the Zhenglun Sword and the recovered Tian Gang Club.

Linghu Qingmo, now dressed again in a snow-white long gown, sat on a round stool, likely exhausted from keeping vigil all night; her hands rested on the table as she slept, her cheek turned toward him, revealing delicate lashes trembling slightly—no telling what dream she was having, her full chest hanging loosely at the table’s edge, forming a tense, arresting half-arc…

Xie Jinhuan glanced briefly, didn’t wake the sleeping Qingmo, and quietly recalled the hazy images flashing through his mind after taking the pill.

From those fragments, he could confirm he’d killed at least a thousand people and traveled many places, but his memories were blurred, like viewing flowers through mist—he couldn’t recall a single face or location.

After racking his brain to no avail, Xie Jinhuan checked his body—though the doubled cultivation power from last night had faded, his third-rank status had held firm, not slipping back.

At third-rank martial cultivation, one enters the “Spirit-Qi” stage—the initial phase of “governing qi with spirit”—allowing one to faintly perceive the condition of internal meridians and sense qi movements within a few feet of the body.

Yet compared to the supreme martial rank of “Demon-Slaying,” which physically eradicates evil and cuts down gods and buddhas with a sword, the difference remains stark…

As he silently examined himself, the woman slumped over the table suddenly twitched her lashes and opened her eyes.

Seeing Xie Jinhuan awake, Linghu Qingmo’s eyes first sparkled with relief.

But then she remembered last night’s gaze—how he’d looked at her as if he wanted to crush her into paste—and she shot upright, snatching up the sword on the table!

“Huh?!”

Xie Jinhuan snapped back to reality, jolting upright as if rising from a deathbed:

“Qingmo, what are you doing?!”

“Don’t move!”

“I’m not moving.”

“Lie down!”

Plop~

Only after Xie Jinhuan lay back did Linghu Qingmo approach cautiously to observe him.

Xie Jinhuan remembered last night’s slaughter aboard the boat and his foul-mouthed tirades, but back then he’d been too euphoric; now, euphoria was impossible—he reassured her:

“Don’t worry, the drug’s worn off. I’m fully conscious now—I won’t go berserk again.”

Linghu Qingmo, satisfied he couldn’t break free, sat back down and spoke softly:

You're not fully awake! The Qi-Boosting Pill was only ever taken by Mr. Li—he claimed he was awake too, but the moment the ropes were loosened, he grabbed a stool and smashed it into Mr. Mu’s face…

“Really?”

Xie Jinhuan hadn’t known Old Li had such a glorious past; he carefully sensed himself—his mind was merely tired, nothing else amiss—he replied:

“What level was Old Li? Mine’s the same! My blood and qi are completely drained—I can’t even muster the energy to go mad. Untie me, I’m being strangled.”

Linghu Qingmo, strictly obedient to protocol, spoke solemnly:

“Director Zhang said you must follow Mr. Li’s precedent—observe for three full days and nights before unbinding. If you’re freed early, you might do something irrational. I must consider your safety.”

“Three days and nights tied up? I’ll starve to death!”

“I’ll feed you!”

“?”

Moved by Qingmo’s care, Xie Jinhuan gave up resisting and lay still, asking:

“What’s the situation outside?”

Linghu Qingmo, fearing he might still be under the drug’s influence, recalled his feats last night—her heart swelled with admiration—and leaned closer to summarize:

“The demon bandits are all dead. The Wang family elders examined the corpses and identified the ringleader as Taishu Dan. He was originally from the Poison Cult’s ancestral temple, the Chi Dragon Cave, later switched to the Corpse Witch Sect’s Spirit Dew Valley, and recently joined the Demon Daoist sect, the Cult of the Dark God…”

“From the scene, Taishu Dan was likely trying to brew a Blood Demon Pill for the Cult’s leader. This pill requires the cauldron to die in a state of greed and lust—it’s commonly used as a medium to break through to the Demon Daoist supreme rank…”

Xie Jinhuan needed exactly this information; his expression turned grave as he replied:

“These demon bandits are truly heartless! Without doubt, the crimson blood-shaft rising from Zihui Mountain was caused by the Cult’s great demon!”

Since the likelihood of two Demon Daoist titans appearing simultaneously near Danyang was negligible, the Wang Mansion had reached the same conclusion; Linghu Qingmo nodded gravely:

“Indeed. But we still don’t know what the Cult is doing in the mountains. The Mansion has deployed countless personnel to re-sweep the mountains—even if they dig down three feet, they’ll find traces of these demons!”

“Hmm… Huh?!”

Hearing this, Xie Jinhuan’s foggy mind snapped alert—he thought:

Why are they searching the mountains again?!

If the bandits hadn’t been found, fine—but I already unearthed the Cult! Why are they still digging? Is my life worth nothing?

Though the Spirit-Subduing Tomb lay deep in the wilderness, requiring a full day and night to reach, it wasn’t easy to find.

But now, without any allies to distract them, all Danyang’s government offices could coordinate and search slowly—within ten or fifteen days, they’d find the spot.

Then the camp tents, tomb robbers’ corpses, the Spirit-Subduing Tomb—all would come under official scrutiny…

The Wang Prince would realize the blood-shaft on Zihui Mountain wasn’t from the Cult, and begin digging three feet deep to find the living ancestor who’d unearthed the Spirit-Subduing Tomb…

This is going to kill me…

No. I’ve worked so hard to get to this point—I’m about to wipe my ass clean. I can’t fail now. I must return before the officials find the place and destroy all evidence.

Thinking this, Xie Jinhuan tried to rise:

“The demons haven’t been fully eradicated—I can’t rest in peace. I’m still able to move—I’ll help search the mountains.”

His goal: slip away to erase all traces.

But Linghu Qingmo saw his action—and interpreted it completely differently!

In her entire life, she’d never met many true gentlemen willing to sacrifice themselves for the people—even her own master fought demons only as far as he could, never to the point of throwing away his life.

But Xie Jinhuan?

Since arriving in Danyang, he’d saved people everywhere without asking for reward, spending every day either slaying demons or chasing them.

Previous incidents were one thing—but last night at Huaijiang Bay, seeing civilians about to be slaughtered, he swallowed a potent pill and boarded the ship alone to fight the powerful demons to the death!

Now, barely awake with wounds still fresh, he’s already eager to resume the hunt.

What kind of spirit is this?

What does it mean to be a great hero who serves country and people?

What does it mean to make demon-slaying and protecting the Dao one’s sacred duty?

Even the martyrs of the Witch Cult who died for the people during the chaos probably didn’t surpass him!

Seeing Xie Jinhuan eager to rise, Linghu Qingmo was moved beyond words; she rushed forward to support him, speaking gently:

“You’re injured and your mind isn’t clear—you must stay in bed for the next few days.”

If Xie Jinhuan stayed in bed, the officials’ systematic search might uncover something—his tone hardened:

“I’m fine. Even if I have to hobble with a cane, searching for demons is better than lying here wasting time. Untie me—I can still do it!”

“Jinhuan!”

Linghu Qingmo’s tone grew tender; she pressed both hands on his shoulders, her eyes blazing:

“I know you’d sacrifice yourself for justice—but your drug effects haven’t fully faded. If you’re untied, you might do something reckless. I must prioritize your safety—you must stay in bed for three full days! If you’re truly worried, I’ll search Zihui Mountain myself—I’ll tell you immediately if I find anything…”

If you find anything, all my effort was for nothing!

Xie Jinhuan’s body was too weak to break free; faced with Qingmo’s sincere gaze, he had no choice but to feign distress:

“Uh… I… I really need to relieve myself—I can’t hold it anymore. Could you call Miss Lin?”

Linghu Qingmo wasn’t a fool; she frowned:

“Miss Lin is your sweetheart—she’d do anything you say. I won’t fall for that!”

“I’m not lying! I’m a great hero—would you let me pee my bed? Go call her!”

Linghu Qingmo knew he wanted to sneak out—how could a nurse agree?

After a moment’s thought, she reached under the bed, pulled out a spotlessly clean chamber pot…

?

Xie Jinhuan stared blankly, looked down:

“You’ll still have to untie me so I can go outside—how else am I supposed to use it?”

Linghu Qingmo wouldn’t untie him; her expression twisted in conflict, then she gritted her teeth and made an agonizing decision:

“Illness knows no modesty. You’ve sacrificed so much for the people—I shouldn’t cling to petty propriety…”

She set the pot down and reached for her waist.

“Huh?”

Xie Jinhuan, stunned that the pure, reserved Qingmo would actually help him relieve himself, was deeply moved and hurriedly refused:

“No no, I can do it myself…”

“Don’t move!”

Linghu Qingmo’s cheeks flushed crimson, her expression resolute; she closed her eyes and began unfastening his pants.

Xie Jinhuan, completely bound, couldn’t dodge—he could only plead:

“MoMo, calm down, this isn’t appropriate…”

Hu Lingqingmo kept her eyes tightly shut, refusing to look anywhere, yet moved her hands and feet swiftly as a nurse.

Huh?!

Xie Jinhuan didn’t know how to respond to the naive, well-meaning fool MoMo; helplessly, he put on a solemn, candid expression:

“MoMo, I trust you. I have a huge secret to tell you—promise you won’t tell anyone else.”

?

Hu Lingqingmo’s expression grew more serious, tinged with doubt:

“What secret?”

Xie Jinhuan glanced around, then whispered:

“Lean in close.”

Hu Lingqingmo offered no suspicion, bending forward to press her cold, elegant cheek against Xie Jinhuan’s face.

Plop~

The room fell utterly silent, save for the rustling autumn wind outside the window.

Hu Lingqingmo’s body tensed; she felt the burning heat on her cheek, her eyes wide with disbelief. She leapt backward, snatching up her sword, and clapped her left hand over her flushed face:

“You… you despicable scoundrel!”

Xie Jinhuan lay on the pillow, eyes innocent:

“Sorry, I’m drugged—my mind’s not clear. Don’t take it to heart.”

How could I not take it to heart?!

Last time you touched my chest and ass, now you kiss my face—next time will you climb into bed with me?

Hu Lingqingmo’s eyelashes trembled slightly:

“Don’t pretend! You’re fully awake—you did this on purpose…”

“If I’m awake, why are you still tying me up?”

“You…?”

Hu Lingqingmo froze, wanting to retort, but suddenly realized she’d walked into a dead end.

If she claimed Xie Jinhuan was delirious, then she herself had been negligent—she’d rushed forward willingly while he was drugged.

If he wasn’t in his right mind, how could he be held responsible?

But if she claimed he was fully aware and taking advantage of her, then why tie up such a great contributor in the first place?

Huh? You clever little devil…

Hu Lingqingmo took several deep breaths, her gaze turning slightly cold:

“Your drug hasn’t fully worn off—you’re alternately clear-headed and delirious. When you kissed me, you were awake. Later, you’ll be delirious again. So I won’t let you get out of this bed!”

That was a clever answer—Schrödinger’s delirium.

Xie Jinhuan hadn’t expected that one kiss wouldn’t shake MoMo’s resolve to protect him. Helplessly, he turned his gaze to the window:

“Anyone there? Hu… ugh—”

Hu Lingqingmo darted forward, clamping a hand over his mouth, eyes blazing with shame and fury:

“Are you mad? If you dare say anything…”

“I’d never say anything—I’m fully awake! I just need to relieve myself, I really can’t hold it anymore…”

“No!”

Hu Lingqingmo knew how fiercely Xie Jinhuan would fight to eliminate demons and uphold justice; her gaze turned resolute:

“Dean Zhang ordered me: no matter what, you must not be untied until the drug fully clears—that’s for your own safety.”

“Even if you’ve insulted me, it’s because the drug hasn’t worn off—I accept it, I don’t blame you. But I won’t let you risk yourself!”

“… ”

Faced with her burning gaze, Xie Jinhuan had no recourse. He wondered if he should kiss her again—die as a romantic rogue.

But MoMo had learned her lesson: she pinned his bound body down, keeping her cheek at a distance, giving him no chance!

As the two remained locked in stalemate, someone outside the door was startled—urgent footsteps approached.

Knock knock knock…

(End of Chapter)