“Don’t bother, it will heal by itself.” Back in the room, Ning Tao said embarrassedly.

Qing Zhui went after Ning Tao with a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a roll of sterilized cotton wool. “Yes, yes, you must. Your wound is still bleeding. Let me clean it for you.”

Ning Tao smiled wryly. “I’m a cultivating doctor. Such superficial wounds aren’t…”

While he was talking, Qing Zhui had pounced on him. Her hand grabbed his Heavenly Gem Pants, pulling it down.

His destined concubine was so direct.

Ning Tao pretended to struggle and then gave up. He said sheepishly, “Okay, let me do it myself.”

He pulled down his Heavenly Gem Pants a little and protruded his butt. But Qing Zhui wanted him to stick out more and pull his pants further down. At first the process was like getting a jab, but now, it seemed more like he was being treated for piles.

“Bear with it, Brother Ning, it might hurt,” Qing Zhui said. Then she gingerly poured some hydrogen peroxide on his wound.

Ning Tao frowned a little. Hydrogen peroxide was no poison and this mild pain didn’t require him to dull it with his special spiritual power. It felt like ants were biting all around his butt— not exactly painful, but definitely uncomfortable.

Qing Zhui asked with concern, “Does it hurt? Let me blow it for you.”

“No… it doesn’t hurt… Huh?” Before Ning Tao had finished speaking, his mouth had opened strangely, like a fish gaping for oxygen.

Although he had rejected her proposal, Qing Zhui had started to blow on his wound. An odd yet stimulating sensation affected him. His voice changed.

“Brother Ning, that woman’s very powerful. You must be careful. Take me with you when you’re out as a precaution,” Qing Zhui said as she treated his wound.

Ning Tao said, “Sky Clinic has already destroyed her flying sword. It will be difficult for her to kill me. I believe she will rest for a while, before coming up with a new way to kill me. This will give me some time. I must make use of Sun Lanxiang to entice Sun Pingchuan.”

Qing Zhui gently cleansed the bloodstains around his wound with a cotton swab. Her voice sounded tender. “Will Sun Pingchuan be persuaded?”

“Every secure fortress disintegrates from within. Sun Pingchuan loves his granddaughter dearly. If I coax him the right way, I believe he will defect.” Although he was speaking seriously, there was a cheeky look on Ning Tao’s face. He seemed to be suffering yet enjoying himself, and enduring something.

“That woman is so much more powerful than us. In short, you must be careful. Take me with you when you’re out.” Qing Zhui switched to another cotton swab, swabbing a larger area than before.

Her tender hands, her gentle breathing and voice— all these gentle devotions assailed Ning Tao. And his heart, his mind and his body began leaning in the wrong direction.

Suddenly, Qing Zhui seemed to have discovered something. She cried out, “Brother Ning, you…”

Ning Tao suddenly turned around and caught her in his arms. His voice was trembling like a cantering gazelle. “Qing Zhui, I… want it!”

Qing Zhui started slightly, then suddenly realized something. She nodded, her dainty nose giving a nasal assent. “Okay!”

Ning Tao advanced and kissed her…

Dry firewood had met with a scorching fire. There was even oil sprinkled on it. Over time, they had developed feelings for each other and were deeply in love. So how could he control himself now?

The scene had ignited and gone out of control.

“Dad!” From outside the door came the sudden voice of Hu Xiaoji. She had pushed the door open.

The cultivating doctor and his destined concubine entangling in an embrace frantically separated. Qing Zhui hastily pulled down her Heavenly Gem qipao, while Ning Tao likewise pulled up his Heavenly Gem Pants.

Hu Xiaoji widened her dark beady eyes, her small face full of curiosity and astonishment. “Dad and Mama Qing, what are you two doing?”

Ning Tao coughed once, curbing his impulse to rampage the earth with his jumbled feelings. He said solemnly, “Um, well… just now… Dad and Mama Qing were talking business.”

“Yes, yes. Your dad and I were talking business.” Qing Zhui echoed his lie, her ravishing face suffused with a crimson hue.

Hu Xiaoji raised a finger and pointed at Qing Zhui’s leg.

Qing Zhui lowered her head. In the next second, she crouched down in a panic, pulling up her white underpants.

Ning Tao blocked before Qing Zhui, keeping her getting embarrassed.

Hu Xiaoji blinked her eyes and asked in a childish voice, “Dad and Mama Qing, what business are you talking just now? Why do you need to pull down your pants?”

Ning Tao clapped his forehead and said seriously, “These are adult matters. A kid won’t understand, so don’t ask.”

Hu Xiaoji jerked up the corner of her mouth. “Humph! Adults are always like that. You won’t have us ask questions you can’t answer. Very well, I won’t ask. I don’t care to.”

“Is something’s up?” Ning Tao now hoped fervently that she would leave quickly. He still had time.

Hu Xiaoji said, “Of course. I would like to know why you didn’t send me to school today.”

“Just this?” Ning Tao felt like ramming his head against the wall.

Hu Xiaoji nodded. “Yes, just this.”

Ning Tao didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. “It’s weekend today. There’s no school, don’t you know?”

“Okay, so that’s the reason why. Fine then. You two continue your business,” Hu Xiaoji said.

Ning Tao smiled. “Then go and do your homework. Good kids always complete their homework before they play.”

“Okay.” Hu Xiaoji turned to leave, conveniently closing the room door.

Ning Tao turned and embraced Qing Zhui impatiently…

A few seconds later, the room door was pushed open again.

Hu Xiaoji poked out her head from the door, staring intently at her dad and Mama Qing entangled together. Her face was full of astonishment and curiosity. “Dad and Mama Qing, why are you two not talking and biting each other’s lips?”

A bucket of cold water poured down Ning Tao and Qing Zhui’s heads.

If this went on, they would really get sick.

Ning Tao controlled his urge to cry and quietly released Qing Zhui. Most commendably, he still assumed the solemnity befitting of a stern father. “Your Mama Jiang and I are whispering sweet nothings.”

Hu Xiaoji tilted her neck and asked, “What kind of sweet nothings? Must you take off your pants to say them?”

Ning Tao was speechless.

Hiding behind Ning Tao, Qing Zhui’s body was half-bent. She wanted to dig a hole in the ground and crawl in.

“Forget it. It’s so boring. I don’t want to know what sweet nothings you two are whispering. Goodbye.” Hu Xiaoji retracted her head and closed the door.

Ning Tao and Qing Zhui were left in the room, exchanging glances. There were still smoldering unquenched flames in their eyes.

“I don’t think anyone will come again.” Ning Tao swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Qing Zhui nodded, a red flush suffusing her pretty face.

Ning Tao pounced at Qing Zhui…

“Dad!” It was the voice of the Howling Celestial Dog outside the door.

Ning Tao checked himself. He seemed to have met with a super-cold current seldom encountered before.

No human had indeed come, but a dog.

“Dad, someone’s at the door.” It was the Howling Celestial Dog’s voice.

Qing Zhui sighed and walked past Ning Tao. She tiredly opened the room door, sounding sickly. “Who?”

“Her surname is Tang…” The Howling Celestial Dog’s eyes went past Qing Zhui and landed on Ning Tao. It started a little. “What’s wrong with you, Dad?”

Only now did Ning Tao move his body. He turned and walked towards the door, mumbling to himself, “It’s all fate.”

The Howling Celestial Dog’s head followed Ning Tao, until he went past it. Then it glanced back at Qing Zhui. “Mama Qing, what’s wrong with Dad today? Isn’t his butt hurt? Why do I feel it’s his brain that injured?”

Qing Zhui slapped the Howling Celestial Dog’s head.

While Ning Tao was walking through the courtyard, Jiang Hao’s room door opened. Jiang Hao walked out, holding the Sun Chaser Gun. She said, “This time, no matter who makes trouble, I will kill him!”

She did not take along the Sun Chaser Gun when Sun Pingchuan came. This time, she would remember to. Just now, she was studying the gun in her room, giving Ning Tao and Qing Zhui the opportunity to…

Unfortunately, it was all fated.

Ning Tao had no chance to talk to Jiang Hao, before Tang Zixian walked in through the main door. Her voice was mellifluous and crisp. “I’m not here to make trouble. Could Miss Jiang put down that rifle in your hand? It’s making me nervous.”

Bai Jing and Yin Molan both walked out of their respective rooms, one from her left and the other from her right. Tang Zixian was sandwiched in between them. If Tang Zixian had some sinister motive, she would easily be attacked.

Ning Tao asked, “What brought you here?”

Tang Zixian answered, “I have some news, so I came. Are you hurt?”

From this sentence, Ning Tao could tell she knew about Wu Yue and Sun Pingchuan’s visit. He said calmly, “I sustained a superficial wound. It’s nothing.”

Bai Jing opened her mouth. “Miss Tang, you aren’t visiting him because he’s injured, right? If you are, where’s your gift?”

Tang Zixian ignored Bai Jing. She watched Ning Tao, saying with a vague, almost imperceptible smile, “Doctor Ning, won’t you serve me some tea?”

Ning Tao said, “We may as well talk outside.”

Tang Zixian started a little. She did not expect Ning Tao to receive her this way.

Ning Tao strode towards the door, squinting as he walked past Yin Molan.

Yin Molan understood him tacitly and nodded. Then he walked to Hu Xiaoji’s room.

Things had come to such a head. If Wu Yue or Nicholas Conway, or even Master Fakong and Reverend Miexin, were to know Hu Xiaoji was the reincarnation of Hu Ji, they would be in deep trouble. Tang Zixian was close to Master Fakong. If she were to see Hu Xiaoji, she might guess her true identity and report it to Master Fakong. As since Master Fakong was good friend with Reverend Miexin, would he not inform her too?

Ning Tao had to guard against this.

“If you have nothing to report, I will show you out.” Ning Tao said as he walked past Tang Zixian.

Tang Zixian smiled rather sheepishly. “Alright, let’s talk outside.”

Tang Zixian followed Ning Tao out of the door. Jiang Hao and Qing Zhui followed behind from a distance. They only stopped at the door. Jiang Hao had left the Sun Chaser Gun in a corner so that passers-by would not see it.

Ning Tao went down the alley towards the alley entrance. After walking some distance, he spoke. “Tell me, what business do you have visiting me?”

Tang Zixian said, “You’re in grave danger. You and your demons alone can’t withstand the combined firepower of the Genesis Biotech Company and Black Fire Company. So I discussed with Master Fakong to get him to intervene. He agreed. He said that Western demons are invading China— since we are all Chinese practitioners, we should not fight each other. We must join hands to oppose foreign forces. So he asked me to get your opinion. What do you say to that?”

Ning Tao was silent for a while before giving an answer. “I have no objection. So how did the Master arrange it?”

Tang Zixian said, “If you agree, he will contact Wu Yue. Wait for the news.”

Ning Tao said, “Very well, I will wait for his news. Goodbye. Sorry for not seeing you off.”

Tang Zixian slightly furrowed her brows. “Do you dislike me so much?”

But Ning Tao had already turned and walked back.

Master Fakong mediating between them?

Ning Tao did not think Master Fakong could make Wu Yue stop, highly esteemed though he might be. He only agreed because it would win him some precious time.

As for Tang Zixian, he did not believe she was so idle as to play peacemaker. Even now, he could not see through this woman.