Chương 12: Fate Reveals the Truth, The First Move of the Dark Chess Game

Moonlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Chen Mo sat cross-legged, his eyes slightly closed, his breathing long and even.

Within his dantian, the "Returning Dragon to Origin Technique" operated on its own, refining the mixed spiritual energy absorbed during the day's work into its depths.

However, his mind was not completely immersed in cultivation.

The system notification sound was still echoing in my mind.

[Hidden Mission: Undercurrents] Chen Mo opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them.

"Find out the truth, or stay out of it..."

He muttered to himself, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips.

"System, you've gone bad too, even using the word 'or' now."

But he knew in his heart that he had no choice in this task.

Xiuer's mother's injury to her heart meridian was achieved through a subtle and clandestine method, clearly not the work of an ordinary person. While the Heart-Nourishing Pill that Zhou Han sent was of good quality, it only treated the symptoms, not the root cause.

Behind this, someone is playing a very big game.

Xiuer was merely a pawn.

Chen Mo remained silent for a moment, then a thought struck him.

"System, bring up Zhou Han's Fate Record."

【A Pictorial Record of Encounters - Zhou Han】 Name: Zhou Han [Identity]: Outer disciple of Tianxuan Sect [Cultivation Level]: Qi Refining Level 7 [Affection Level]: -5 (Contempt) [Recent Encounters]: Due to Xiu'er's matter, he was assigned by the sect leader to go down the mountain to deliver medicine, which he resented. He will return to Tianxuan Sect to report back in three days.

[Hidden Information]: Has no impression of Matongli Village or Chen Mo himself, and considers "waste spiritual root" to be insignificant.

Chen Mo's eyes narrowed slightly.

The favorability rating is negative, which is not surprising.

However, the message "Return in three days" was useful.

He continued to pull up Xiuer's catalog.

【Love Story: Xiuer】 Name: Xiuer [Identity]: Outer disciple of Tianxuan Sect (Trial Period) [Cultivation Level]: First Level of Qi Refining [Favorability Rating]: 78 (Gratitude and Trust) [Recent Encounters]: Due to his mother's serious illness, he pleaded with the sect leader to go down the mountain to visit her, but was refused. Disturbed and unsettled, his cultivation progress has stalled.

If his mother's condition does not improve within three days, he will disregard sect rules and leave the mountain without permission.

[Hidden Information]: He was accepted as a disciple by Elder Xuanming of the Tianxuan Sect, but some of his fellow disciples were jealous of his talent and secretly targeted him.

Chen Mo's pupils contracted slightly.

"Master Xuanming..."

That was the Foundation Establishment cultivator who presided over the spiritual root test half a year ago.

The clue of "secretly targeting her fellow disciples" aligns with the story of Xiuer's mother being murdered.

Chen Mo took a deep breath and continued to pull up the catalog of Xiu'er's mother's pictures.

【A Record of Fate: Xiu'er's Mother (Liu Shi)】 Name: Liu [Identity]: Resident of Matongli Village [Cultivation Level]: None [Affection Level]: 82 (Gratitude and Dependence) [Recent Encounters]: Ten days ago, my heart meridian was injured by someone using a secret method, and my condition has been worsening day by day. Without a miraculous medicine to save me, I will surely die within three days.

[Hidden Information]: The person who injured her was at least at the Foundation Establishment stage, and acted with extreme caution, leaving no trace of spiritual energy. Their purpose appears to be to influence Xiu'er's cultivation through her.

The coldness in Chen Mo's eyes intensified.

Foundation building period.

Covert methods.

The objective is clear.

This was not an accident; it was a premeditated murder.

He closed his eyes, his mind racing through the scenario.

Xiu'er is a genius, and being accepted as a disciple by Master Xuanming must have touched the interests of some people.

Her only weakness was her mother.

So someone intervened, damaging Xiuer's mother's heart meridian, causing her to fall seriously ill and become critically ill.

Upon hearing the news, Xiu'er was thrown into turmoil, her cultivation stalled, and she might even disregard the sect rules and leave the mountain on her own.

At that point, she would be labeled as having "violated the sect rules," and would be punished at best, and expelled from the sect at worst.

The person who secretly intervenes can then legitimately take her place.

That was a ruthless move.

Chen Mo opened his eyes, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"Using the lives of ordinary people to destroy the path of a genius..."

He muttered to himself, his tone tinged with sarcasm.

"The cultivation world is indeed not a good place."

But he wasn't angry.

Anger solves nothing.

What he needs to do is to break this game without revealing himself.

Chen Mo pondered for a moment, then a thought struck him.

"System, with my current medical skills, can I completely cure Xiuer's mother's heart meridian damage?"

[Testing in progress...] [Host's current [Miraculous Healing] level: Lv. 3, [Basic Pharmacology] level: Lv. 6, [Qingnang Acupuncture Techniques (Qi Refining Chapter)] proficiency: Beginner.] [Conclusion: Yes. However, it requires a large amount of spiritual energy, and the practitioner's cultivation level may be revealed during the treatment.] Chen Mo frowned slightly.

Revealing one's cultivation level is absolutely unacceptable.

"What if I use [Great Dream Evolution] to simulate the treatment process in a dream and find the optimal solution?"

【feasible. 】 [Note: The "Great Dream of Truth" technique can simulate treatment scenarios and deduce the optimal acupuncture techniques and spiritual energy usage. However, each simulation consumes a significant amount of spiritual energy, so it is recommended that the host perform it in multiple sessions.] Chen Mo nodded.

"Let's do it that way."

He sat cross-legged, took a deep breath, and sank his mind into his sea of consciousness.

【The Great Dream Evolves into Truth】 The feeling of weightlessness was fleeting.

In the chaotic dream space, Chen Mo's figure solidified into a physical form.

He raised his hand and waved it, and the phantom image of Xiuer's mother appeared before his eyes. She was lying on the bed, her face ashen and her breath faint.

"Start simulation."

Chen Mo stepped forward and took the pulse of the illusory figure.

The pulse is disordered, indicating damage to the heart vessels.

He took out his needle case from his pocket, picked out a silver needle, and inserted it into the Tanzhong acupoint on the phantom's chest.

At the same time, a wisp of spiritual energy flowed into the silver needle.

The phantom's body trembled slightly, and its complexion improved somewhat.

But the next moment, the hidden injury deep in his heart meridian suddenly erupted, the phantom coughed up blood, and his life force instantly weakened.

Simulation failed.

[Cause: Excessive input of spiritual energy triggered a backlash of hidden injuries.] Chen Mo's eyes narrowed.

"Again."

Scene reset.

This time, he slowed down the rate at which he channeled spiritual energy, allowing it to seep into his heart meridian little by little, like spring rain nourishing the earth.

The phantom's aura stabilized, but the hidden injuries still showed no signs of healing.

Simulation failed.

[Reason: The spiritual energy is too gentle, lacking sufficient power to repair deep damage.] Chen Mo took a deep breath.

"Again."

the third time.

the fourth time.

the fifth time.

……

I don't know how much time passed.

When Chen Mo reset the scene for the seventeenth time, he finally found that delicate balance.

The silver needle pierced the Tanzhong acupoint, and spiritual energy, like threads, followed a specific meridian path, bypassing the core of the hidden injury, and gradually enveloping and nourishing the damaged heart meridian from the outside.

The phantom's complexion gradually regained its rosy hue, its breathing became steady, and the hidden injury to its heart meridian slowly healed.

[Simulation successful.] The optimal solution has been recorded.

[Estimated treatment time: one hour.] [Spiritual energy consumption: Approximately 30%.] [Exposure risk: Extremely low.] Chen Mo opened his eyes, his forehead already covered in a fine layer of cold sweat.

It consumed a great deal of spiritual energy, but it was worth it.

He raised his hand to wipe away the sweat, a smile playing on his lips.

"Thirty percent of spiritual power, one hour... acceptable."

He got up from the kang (a heated brick bed), walked to the window, and opened it.

The night breeze blew in, carrying the scent of earth and grass.

In the distance, a dim oil lamp still shone in Xiuer's courtyard.

Chen Mo's eyes were deep and unfathomable.

"We'll go get treatment for Xiuer's mother first thing tomorrow morning."

"As for the person who secretly intervened..."

He muttered to himself, his tone tinged with coldness.

"Since you dare to reach out, don't blame me for chopping off your claws."

Outside the window, the moonlight was like frost.

A dog barked in the distance, then fell silent again.

The next morning.

Chen Duan, carrying a bowl of hot porridge, knocked on the gate of Xiuer's courtyard.

"Auntie, I've come to change Xiuer's mother's dressing."

The courtyard gate opened, and Xiuer's aunt's eyes were red and swollen, clearly indicating that she hadn't slept all night.

"Xiao Mo's here... Come in quickly, come in quickly!"

Chen Mo walked into the house.

On the bed, Xiuer's mother looked even worse than yesterday; her lips were purple, and her breathing was so weak it was almost inaudible.

Chen Mo's heart sank.

time is limited.

"Auntie, you go out first, I need to give Xiuer's mother acupuncture."

Xiuer's aunt hesitated for a moment, but seeing Chen Mo's solemn expression, she nodded and left the room.

Chen Mo closed the door, turned around and walked to the bedside.

He took a deep breath and pulled his needle case from his pocket.

"Let's begin."

Insert the silver needle into the acupoint.

Spiritual energy is as fine as silk.

One hour later.

Xiuer's mother's complexion gradually became rosy, her breathing became steady, and she even began to snore softly.

Chen Mo withdrew the last silver needle and let out a long sigh of relief.

[Daily Task: Heal Xiuer's Mother's Hidden Heart Injury (Completed)] [Task Rewards: Experience +500, [Miraculous Healing] Proficiency +50, [Qingnang Acupuncture Technique] Proficiency +30.] [Hidden Quest "Undercurrents" Progress Update: 20%] Chen Mo's eyes narrowed slightly.

Only 20%?

It seems this matter is far from over.

He turned and walked out of the house.

In the courtyard, Xiuer's aunt was pacing anxiously back and forth.

"Xiao Mo, Xiu'er's mother..."

"It's alright," Chen Mo said calmly.

"Let her get a good night's sleep, and she'll be able to walk again when she wakes up."

Xiuer's aunt was stunned for a moment, then her eyes reddened, and she knelt down with a "thump".

"Xiao Mo, you're truly a living Bodhisattva!"

Chen Mo quickly helped her up.

"Auntie, don't do that, it was nothing."

He paused, then lowered his voice.

"However, there's something I need to remind you of."

"What is it?"

"Xiuer's mother's illness is no ordinary one," Chen Mo said with a deep look in his eyes.

"Someone has been secretly behind it."

Xiuer's aunt's expression changed.

"Who?! Who is so vicious?!"

"I'm not sure yet." Chen Mo shook his head.

"But remember, don't let any outsiders get close to Xiu'er's mother these next few days, especially..."

He paused.

"Especially those who call themselves 'people of the immortal sect'."

Xiuer's aunt trembled, as if she had thought of something, and her face turned pale.

"I... I understand."

Chen Mo nodded, turned around and walked out of the courtyard.

Just as I stepped out the door, the system notification sounded again.

[The key figure "Zhou Han" is about to make contact with the host again, triggering subsequent plot developments.] [Hint: The other party seems to have noticed something amiss.] Chen Mo paused, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Notice anything unusual?

He raised his head.

In the distance, a figure in blue was walking towards them.

Zhou Han.

His face was gloomy, and his eyes were unfriendly.

A faint smile appeared on Chen Mo's lips.

"You've come at the perfect time."