Liam blinked, caught off guard. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Qiao Mei replied with a serious expression. "Strip. You can't enter the river with your clothes on."
Liam turned to glance at the guards who were standing behind them, watching closely.
Noticing where his eyes went, Qiao Mei quickly understood his hesitation.
"Go and wait for us in the chariot," she commanded the guards in a strict tone.
"But, my lady, Miss—"
"No buts!" she snapped, the air around her practically crackling with tension. "If you don't value your life, I'll gladly give you a death worth remembering."
Her dark eyes glared at them as her voice dropped lower, dangerously calm. "And one more thing—don't come here no matter what happens, or you'll face my wrath."
The guards stiffened. They knew all too well what Qiao Mei was capable of when she was truly angry. Without another word, they turned and left in a hurry.
Once they were out of sight and there was no sign of them spying, Qiao Mei's expression softened.
"Now, can you take those clothes off and hurry up? We don't have all day."
Liam hesitated but slowly started to remove his top. After a moment, he slipped off his shorts, leaving him standing in just his underwear. He looked at her uncertainly. "I'm done," he said, waiting for her next instruction.
Qiao Mei frowned. "Jeez," she mumbled under her breath. "Did you not hear me? I said remove everything from your body—including your underwear!"
Liam froze, her words taking a moment to sink in. When they did, his face burned with embarrassment. Reluctantly, and with a look of sheer discomfort, he slowly pulled down his underwear, leaving him completely exposed in front of her.
Qiao Mei arched her brow. "Oh, don't tell me you're feeling shy now. Not like this is your first time standing naked before a woman, right? Or are you pretending to be innocent, you pervert?"
Liam scowled, his discomfort only growing. "Just get on with it," he muttered, his tone impatient.
Qiao Mei ignored his reaction. She reached into the bag slung over her shoulder and pulled out a small container. When she opened it, a sweet smell drifted out, filling the air.
"This is 'Vitalis Balm,' one of the rarest and most crucial ingredients for this process," she explained. "It was formed from a blend of sacred herbs and the essence of ancient flowers. We were fortunate to have a skilled alchemist prepare it, and it cost a lot."
Liam stared at the cream seriously in her hands.
Qiao Mei gave him a knowing look, her lips curving into a smile. "The cream reacts with the body's energy, unlocking what has been hidden. Here, you can have it and apply it to your whole body."
Liam dipped his fingers into the balm and began applying it to his temples.
At first, the sensation felt cool, but within seconds, a fiery heat spread across his skin. His face went pale.
Qiao Mei noticed how uncomfortable he was and suddenly remembered something she had forgotten to tell him. "Oh no!" she exclaimed. "I forgot to warn you. Apply it little by little! If you use too much at once, the burning can become severe—enough to damage your skin."
Liam glared at her, cursing silently in his head. Why didn't you say this earlier, you sly girl?
"But don't worry," Qiao Mei continued. "You didn't use much, so the heat will stop soon. Then you can try again, but this time, apply it little by little," she instructed.
Two minutes later, the burning sensation on his skin eased, leaving behind a strange warmth.
Liam sighed and started applying the cream again, this time carefully and gently. The heat spread across his skin, but he clenched his jaw and kept on with it.
"Be quick," Qiao Mei urged. "Don't let the cream dry on your skin. You need to get into the river before that happens. The river will work with the cream to give you the best results."
Liam carefully applied the cream to every inch of his body, ensuring no spot was missed. Once done, he stepped into the river. The moment his foot touched the water, he felt the magical energy within it, alive and trying to pull him in.
The more he resisted, the stronger the river's pull became, doubling its pressure with every effort he made to fight it.
"Mo Shen, don't resist it. Calm your heart," her urgent voice reached his ear.
He did as she said and couldn't feel the pull, stepping deeper into the river. The water soon reached his waist.
"Argh!" he let out a pained cry, feeling sharp bursts of pain, like invisible fish biting into his skin from all sides.
Qiao Mei was vigilant, ready to dive in and save him the moment she saw that his body couldn't bear it.
"If it doesn't go as planned, then I have no other choice than to use that method..." she muttered, a slight redness appearing on her face as the thought crossed her mind.
Quickly, she brought out a can and began sprinkling the powder on his body. It was another important item for the ritual, necessary to make the process successful.
Suddenly, Liam's body began to tremble uncontrollably in the river.
The once calm water churned around him as streams of energy from all directions rushed toward him. These energies swirled and collided, forming a circle around his body.
Each strand of energy seemed alive, pushing and pressing against him, searching for a way to pierce through his skin and flow into him.
The process was slow and could not be rushed. An hour later, the energy in the water had grown so thick.
Night had fallen, and the bright moon cast its light down, making the river glow eerily.
Liam's body could no longer withstand the pressure, and he collapsed, unconscious. He was fortunate that his body was strong enough to handle it; otherwise, the outcome could have been far worse.
"The situation isn't going as planned—"
She couldn't finish her sentence as a wave of numbness washed over her at the sight before her.
"How come? This shouldn't be happening?"
She was extremely confused.
"Celestial Moon Ritual," she whispered, dread filling her chest.
The moonlight grew more intense, causing the river to glow even brighter. Liam's body trembled harder, caught in the surge of energy.
This was an unexpected danger and it done handle well, it will caused great damage to Liam's body.
"I have to use that method, or it will be too late to save him..."