Xu Mu sat beneath a tree, quietly waiting.
Before long, a woman dressed in a black casual outfit appeared before him.
Xu Mu frowned slightly. Judging from her figure, she didn't seem to be Dai Xingluo.
Her steps were unsteady, her body swaying as though something was wrong with her.
But since she was still some distance away and wrapped up tightly, Xu Mu couldn't tell what exactly was wrong.
He immediately activated his Divine Eye to observe.
Name: Xia Sihan
Identity: Daughter of the Sect Master of the Demon Sword Sect; Female Lead of "The Master Descends the Mountain: My Seven Senior Sisters Are All Peerless Beauties"
Favorability: 0
Fate Level: 8 (Max: 10)
Xu Mu was astonished.
Demon Sword Sect? He had never heard of it, but with "Demon" in its name, it clearly wasn't an orthodox sect.
Before he could speak, Xia Sihan suddenly collapsed to the ground.
"Are you okay?" Xu Mu shouted from afar. From the looks of it, this woman clearly wasn't the one who kidnapped him—she was badly injured and must have fled here, only to stumble upon him by chance.
As she fell, her sunglasses slipped off.
Supporting herself on the ground, she struggled to rise. Her large, lychee-like eyes looked toward the bound Xu Mu.
Step by step, she tried to move closer, leaning against a tree for support, before finally collapsing right in front of him.
As she drew near, Xu Mu could feel waves of heat radiating from her body—unnaturally high, definitely a sign something was wrong.
He slipped a hand free from the ropes and grabbed her wrist.
"Let me go!"
Sensitive to touch, Xia Sihan instinctively drew a short blade from her waist and swung at him.
But her arm was weak and powerless—Xu Mu easily caught the blade mid-swing.
"Relax, I mean no harm. I'm just taking your pulse," Xu Mu said, tossing the dagger aside and holding her wrist again.
She struggled, but her strength was gone. When she realized Xu Mu wasn't making any improper moves, she reluctantly relaxed.
"…Something's not right."
Xu Mu leaned closer and removed her black mask.
Her face was revealed—she looked no older than twenty. Sweat dampened her long black hair, clinging to her flushed, rounded cheeks.
Her features were cool and proud, yet her wide eyes gave her a kind of innocent, almost naïve air—as though untouched by the grime of the world.
But those same eyes now brimmed with hostility—no, killing intent.
"Damn, I knew it—what a strong scent."
As the mask came off, the breath she exhaled hit Xu Mu's face.
"This is Spring Night Grass—you've been poisoned," Xu Mu said, fanning the air.
Spring Night Grass was a third-grade natural treasure.
Natural treasures referred to potent natural substances, not all of which were benevolent—some of the deadliest poisons also belonged to this category.
The toxin in Xia Sihan's body clearly fell into the latter.
Once consumed, it dulled the mind like drunkenness, drained one's strength, and magnified primal desire to the extreme.
Someone must have poisoned her, intending to take advantage of her body.
Still, her willpower was impressive—she'd managed to flee all the way here.
"You… since you know, why don't you just get lost!" Xia Sihan snapped, glaring at him.
"Spring Night Grass is, after all, a natural treasure," Xu Mu said calmly. "If you don't purge it, it could burn out your mind."
"So that's your excuse—you still just want to take advantage of me! You men are all the same!"
Tears welled up in her eyes, overflowing like a broken dam, filled with fury and humiliation.
She couldn't believe that the man she once admired had drugged her—her whole world had collapsed in that instant.
"Fine, then I won't help," Xu Mu said, putting his hand back into the ropes behind him.
Coldly, Xia Sihan glanced at him and tried to stand, but her arms gave out, and she fell again.
Then she remembered his words—if he was telling the truth, and her mind could burn out…
Now that he'd mentioned it, she could actually feel it—her head felt like it was on fire.
The pain was unbearable.
"There's about a thirty percent chance," Xu Mu said casually.
"That high?"
She bit her lip until blood oozed out. She couldn't become an idiot—she still had revenge to take!
If her mind were destroyed, she'd be finished.
Looking at Xu Mu again, she realized he was actually quite decent-looking.
Taking a deep breath, she seemed to make a painful decision. "Fine! So be it!"
Never in her life had Xia Sihan imagined her reputation would be ruined by an unknown nobody.
But she would have her revenge—this humiliation would not go unanswered.
Her mind blurred by fever, she began unbuttoning her outfit.
Having decided to "let him have her," the burning desire in her body surged uncontrollably.
Her reason slipping away, she lunged toward Xu Mu—
But Xu Mu suddenly raised a hand to stop her. "What are you doing? Don't! I'm married!"
Xia Sihan froze, dumbfounded. What kind of man pretends like this?
She was confident in her looks—wasn't he overreacting?
"Miss, please calm down," Xu Mu said solemnly. "I'm a traditional man. Once I cross that line, I'll feel obligated to take responsibility. I don't even know your character—I can't get involved."
"Get involved, my ass!" she shouted furiously. "Do you think you'll ever even see me again? Keep your mouth shut about this—or I'll kill you!"
"I'm a man of principle," Xu Mu said firmly. "I don't touch women I don't know—because I value kindness."
"I'll help you," he added, "but I won't do that kind of thing."
Hearing that, Xia Sihan's feverish mind suddenly cleared a little.
"You… you can help me without… doing that?"
"Of course," Xu Mu nodded. "I'm a doctor. I understand Spring Night Grass. We just need to disperse the desire."
Then he raised both hands. "I'll use my hands—to fulfill your dream."
——
Xia Sihan wanted to die.
She wanted to dig a hole and bury herself in it.
Her whole body trembled—but gradually, the burning agony subsided.
Now she just wished she could disappear.
Honestly, she thought, it might've been less humiliating if they'd just done that.
Still, Xu Mu hadn't lied—he really hadn't gone that far, and she had preserved her chastity.
But somehow, it still felt… wrong.
"Who's there!"
Suddenly, Xia Sihan's expression hardened as she looked toward the distant forest, full of vigilance.
Could it be—the pursuers had caught up?