Chương 15: Overt Scheme – Killing Someone By Destroying Their Spirit!

The next day, early in the morning.

Chen Mo carried his medicine kit and walked along the dirt road in the village.

Behind me, a gaze as sharp as a needle pierced my back.

From the direction of the inn west of the village.

Chen Mo kept walking, seemingly unaware of what was happening. When he passed the stone mill in the center of the village, he even greeted several women who were washing clothes.

"Aunt Zhang, is your leg feeling any better?"

Amidst a cacophony of greetings, a loud shout erupted.

"Chen Mo!"

Sun Er squeezed out of the crowd, his face turning as red as a pig's liver.

He pointed at Chen Mo's nose.

"You liar!"

The surroundings fell silent instantly.

"What right do you have to say my father has back pain! My father is perfectly fine! You're just jealous of Xiu'er, jealous that my brother can enter the immortal sect, and you're deliberately cursing us!"

The villagers looked at each other in bewilderment.

Chen Mo stopped and looked at him.

"Sun Er, wake up!"

"I'm perfectly sober!" Sun Er spat as he spoke.

"You were incredibly lucky to cure Xiu'er's mother! And now you dare to pretend to be a miracle doctor, going around deceiving people!"

Upon hearing this, Aunt Wang, who was standing nearby, became displeased.

"Sun Er, how dare you speak like that!"

"We've all witnessed Xiao Mo's medical skills; don't make false accusations!"

Sun Er's neck turned even redder after being criticized by the crowd, and he began to speak recklessly.

"You've all been fooled by him! He's a jinx! He brought bad luck to his parents, and now he wants to bring bad luck to our whole village!"

Chen Mo's gaze darkened.

Outside the crowd, under an old locust tree, a middle-aged man in a simple cloth jacket leaned against the trunk, arms crossed, watching the farce unfold.

Zhao Wu.

Chen Mo looked away.

That idiot, he was definitely used as a pawn.

Just as the villagers were about to shove Sun Er, Chen Mo suddenly raised his hand.

The arguing gradually subsided.

He didn't look at Sun Er; his gaze swept across the crowd and landed on Sun Er's father, Sun Laosan.

Uncle Sun.

Chen Mo's voice was calm, yet everyone could hear it clearly.

"Did you use the herbs I gave you yesterday?"

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Sun Laosan rubbed his hands and gave a vague reply.

"I... I used it."

"Then you will bend over today."

Chen Mo paused for a moment.

"Is it more painful than yesterday?"

Sun Laosan's expression froze. The next moment, he subconsciously cried out "Ouch!" and pressed his hand tightly against his lower back.

This action is more powerful than any words.

All eyes immediately shifted from Sun Er to his father.

Chen Mo continued speaking.

"I told you yesterday that what you have is not a simple case of lumbar muscle strain."

"When you were young, you often fished in the river, and the cold and dampness entered your body, which has already damaged your kidney meridians."

"Herbal remedies can only improve blood circulation; they only treat the symptoms, not the root cause."

"If you don't receive acupuncture treatment in time, your legs will probably become unable to walk within three months."

The words fell.

In the square, you could hear a pin drop.

Sun Er was stunned. He looked at his father's pained face, his mouth agape, unable to utter a single word.

"Really... really?" Sun Laosan's voice trembled.

Chen Mo nodded.

"Trust me, I'll give you acupuncture right now."

"If you don't believe me, just consider it nonsense."

He placed the medicine box on the ground and opened it.

The choice was given to Sun Laosan, and also to all the villagers present.

Just then, a round of applause broke out.

Zhao Wu, who had been watching the show, walked in through the crowd.

"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!"

He walked to the center of the field and first bowed to Chen Mo.

"Young man, you are so young yet possess such medical skills, I admire you."

Then, he changed the subject, walked over to Sun Laosan, and took his arm.

"However, this young man said you cursed his father, and you said his father had a chronic illness."

Zhao Wu adopted the posture of a fair-minded person, but his gaze was fixed on Chen Mo.

"We're all from the same village, and everyone has their own version of events, so it's hard for outsiders to judge."

He patiently guided and persuaded him.

"Young man, why don't you explain in more detail how you 'saw' that his father had a chronic illness? That way, everyone will be convinced."

He wanted to force himself to explain.

Explanation is a flaw.

Chen Mo didn't speak, but only replied with one sentence.

"Observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation: the four diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine."

"Oh?" Zhao Wu stepped forward.

"So, you also discovered that Xiu'er's mother had a severe injury to her heart meridian in this way? I heard that it was an injury caused by immortal techniques. How could a mortal's medical skills detect it?"

Problems are like knives, piercing straight to the heart of the matter.

The villagers held their breath.

Chen Mo fell silent.

A moment later, he suddenly raised his head, looked at Zhao Wu, and smiled.

That smile, pure and enthusiastic, was like that of a medical apprentice who had finally found a kindred spirit.

"Sir, you seem quite interested in medicine?"

Zhao Wu was taken aback.

I've heard a little about it.

"That's perfect."

Chen Mo stepped forward, extended his hand, and made a "please" gesture.

"How about I take a look at it for you too?"

Zhao Wu's smile froze on his face.

How could a cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining be allowed to have his pulse taken by a "mortal"?

How can the traces of spiritual energy circulating in the meridians be touched?

But if you refuse in public...

He looked into Chen Mo's clear and bright eyes, and a murderous intent flashed through his mind.

Zhao Wu coughed lightly and took a half step back without making a sound.

"No need, I'm perfectly healthy."

"Yeah?"

Chen withdrew his hand and didn't press the matter further.

He merely glanced at Zhao Wu from head to toe a few times.

Then, he shook his head.

"Uncle, although you have a strong voice, your eyes are dark and your lips are dull."

"As he spoke, there was a faint, sweet, fishy smell coming from his mouth and nose."

Zhao Wu's facial muscles twitched slightly.

Chen Mo looked at him and spoke each word clearly.

"This is caused by liver fire attacking the heart, excessive thinking, and depletion of the spirit and soul."

"If this continues, it may damage the foundation and shorten one's lifespan."

boom!

To the villagers, this was a diagnosis that sounded like magic.

To Zhao Wu, this was a thunderclap that resounded deep within his soul!

It depletes your spirit and soul!

Damage to the foundation!

It shortens one's lifespan!

Isn't this the result of his tireless efforts these past few days, constantly using his divine sense to monitor Chen Mo?!

How could a mortal possibly see through a cultivator's state?!

At that moment, Zhao Wu looked at Chen Mo's harmless face and felt a chill run down his spine.

evildoer!

This child is absolutely a prodigy!

But why is there not a trace of spiritual energy fluctuation on his body?

Zhao Wu forced out a distorted smile.

"Young man... you're joking."

"I never joke."

Chen Mo's expression was very serious.

"Especially when seeing a doctor."

He took a piece of paper from the medicine box, quickly wrote a few lines, and handed it over.

"Uncle, here's a remedy to calm your nerves and reduce internal heat. Three doses, and you'll get a good night's sleep—that's better than anything else."

That light piece of paper felt as heavy as a thousand pounds in Zhao Wu's eyes.

Accepting the answer is tantamount to admitting that you have been seen through.

Not answering is tantamount to appearing guilty in public.

He was checkmated.

He used the platform he set up himself, and the things he started.

The villagers' awe and worshipful gazes had all shifted away from him and focused on Chen Mo.

"Amazing! Xiao Mo is truly a miracle doctor!"

"One look and you can tell the root of the problem!"

Amidst the praise, Zhao Wu became the clown standing on the stage.

He stared intently at Chen Mo, and finally, through gritted teeth, squeezed out two words.

"Thank you..."

He did not accept the prescription.

He turned around, pushed through the crowd, almost crashing his way through, and fled in a panic.

Chen Mo watched his retreating figure before turning his gaze away.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the hidden event: Overt Scheme to Win Hearts and Minds!] [Reward: 5000 experience points, +1000 proficiency in the skill "Observation, Auscultation, Inquiry, and Palpation"!] [The host was detected to have cleverly outmaneuvered cultivators in public, perfectly embodying the principle of "great seclusion in the city." The [Aura Concealment] skill has gained a slight boost, enhancing its effectiveness!] [The Encounter Catalog has been updated!] [Congratulations, host, your cultivation has broken through to the tenth level of Qi Refining!] Chen Mo looked at Sun Er and his father Sun Laosan, who were already dumbfounded.

He walked over and stuffed the prescription into Sun Laosan's hand.

"Uncle Sun, this prescription isn't for him, it's for you. Take the medicine on time, and I'll give you acupuncture again in three days."

After saying this, he slung his medicine box over his shoulder and turned to leave, under the villagers' reverent gazes.

Back in the courtyard, I closed the door.

The gentleness on Chen Mo's face vanished, leaving only a cold expression.

He immediately pulled up Zhao Wu's catalog.

【A Record of Acquaintances by Zhao Wu】 [Affection Level]: -80 (Fear and Murderous Intent) [Recent Encounters]: Having been publicly "diagnosed" by Chen Mo about his depleted soul, he was deeply shocked and now believes Chen Mo is either a high-level cultivator disguised as a mortal or a prodigy possessing extraordinary treasures. His probing mission has completely failed, and he has decided to abandon conventional methods.

He has already used a secret technique to request assistance from his sect, applying for the use of the second-tier talisman [Shadow Revealing Talisman], which is specifically designed to see through all disguises! The talisman is expected to arrive in two days!

Image-revealing symbol.

Second-tier talismans forcibly stimulate the target's spiritual power, leaving it nowhere to hide.

Even a max-level [Aura Concealment] skill can't fool you.

Chen Mo slowly exhaled.

There was no panic in his eyes, only fighting spirit.

"Two days..."

He muttered to himself, his gaze falling on the wood-chopping knife in the corner that had been used for over a decade.

"Alright."

"Perfect timing to test my sword, which is at the tenth level of Qi Refining, and see if it's fast enough!"