"Well, I just want to help you heal. I don't mean any harm. It's just your wound position, so…"
Chen Mo's heart was full of suspicion. Why did it have to be that spot? He was sure that fate—or perhaps the mischievous will of the world—had deliberately chosen such an awkward location for Yun Yun's injury. It was the perfect excuse to force an intimate moment between them.
But now…
"Hey, hey!"
"Since you're awake, you can do it yourself." Chen Mo feigned generosity, placing the healing talisman beside Yun Yun before stepping back.
He knew that, in the novel, Yun Yun was temporarily paralyzed, unable to move at all. She would inevitably have to rely on him.
By stepping back, he was simply lulling her into a false sense of security.
Seeing him retreat, Yun Yun let out a breath of relief. The coldness in her gaze softened slightly as she looked at the green talisman beside her. Her brows furrowed in surprise.
"What is this?"
When she tried to pick it up, she realized her body wouldn't respond. Even her cultivation was completely sealed.
"Damn it, I've been restrained!" she muttered under her breath.
Chen Mo spoke calmly, "It's a healing talisman. It can help you recover from your injuries."
"Healing talisman?"
After struggling fruitlessly, Yun Yun gave up and turned her attention back to the mysterious talisman.
It was palm-sized, entirely green, with a line of black script she didn't recognize.
She was skeptical. This so-called healing talisman was something she had never encountered in Doupo Cangqiong.
Can this really heal injuries?
Instead of voicing her doubts, she asked, "How do I use it?"
Her soft voice carried a trace of coolness, a subtle warning for Chen Mo to maintain his distance.
"Place the talisman over the wound and recite the incantation written on it."
"What does it say?"
Chen Mo hesitated. "You don't recognize it?"
He had assumed the text was written in the native script of the Doupo world. But now that he thought about it… Why can I read it when she can't?
"Of course I don't," Yun Yun said, slightly embarrassed. If I knew, why would I ask?
Chen Mo fell into thought for a moment. Then, a few jade bottles and vials materialized beside Yun Yun. She spoke softly, "You'd better apply the medicine instead."
(If necessary, she could have used a spatial ring, but for now, only the healing medicine was available.)
Chen Mo narrowed his eyes at the bottles.
Which one is it? I have no idea!
But then he reassured himself. She took them out herself, so they must be the right ones.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly reached toward Yun Yun's chest, his mind in turmoil. This was the first time he had ever touched such a beautiful woman. It was impossible not to react.
As he carefully pulled apart her white robe, a shimmering, light blue metal armor was revealed beneath.
"This should be the Sea Heart Armor…"
Suppressing his distracting thoughts, Chen Mo prepared to remove the armor when he suddenly felt an icy gaze piercing him.
He broke into a cold sweat.
"Ahem, the wound is…" He tried to brush off the tension with a joke, but before he could finish, Yun Yun's chilling voice cut in:
"Mind where your hands and eyes wander. Or else… you know the consequences."
Her body trembled slightly, and her pale cheeks carried a faint blush.
Clearly, she was just as uneasy as he was.
"Of course, I'm a gentleman," Chen Mo said with an unnatural smile. But sooner or later, I'll make you mine.
Yun Yun looked up at his face. His expression was serious, almost sincere.
She hesitated for a moment before sighing softly, closing her beautiful eyes, and muttering, "I'll trouble you, then."
Since the wound was in such an awkward position, there was no avoiding direct contact.
By the time he finished treating her, both of them were drenched in sweat.
"Hah, finally done." Chen Mo let out a breath.
Just as he was helping Yun Yun put her robe back on…
"Ding! Hidden Main Quest Completed. Rewards: 1x King's Treasure Chest, +100 Qi Points."
A golden, dragon-patterned chest appeared before him.
Chen Mo's heart skipped a beat. A hidden quest?
"Open the King's Treasure Chest?"
Chen Mo didn't hesitate. "Yes!"
With a dazzling golden flash, two notifications popped up in front of him.
"Ding! Congratulations! You have unlocked the 'Peering and Plundering' ability.
Congratulations! You have obtained the Divine-Level Skill: 'Elephant-Suppressing Prison Technique'!"
"Ding! Main Quest Activated: Establish Your Own Influence. Completion Reward: Passive Skill – 'Absolute Invincibility Within Your Own Territory'."
Chen Mo's heart pounded.
I'm about to go full cheat mode!
Peering and Plundering: As long as he had enough Qi Points, he could observe and steal abilities from across all realms.
A bold idea flashed through his mind.
"Ding! Target detected: Severely injured Three-Star Dou Huang. 33,000 Qi Points required to plunder cultivation."
"Ding! Target detected: Juxi Powder. 10 Qi Points required to peep."
…
"Eh? What's this?"
In the corner of his system interface, a line of golden text caught his eye.
"This system is a product of the Xianqin Empire Holdings. Serial No: 000000007."
"Nani!?"
What the hell does that mean?!
Was this implying that his system… was mass-produced?
"Shit! So I've been a tool this whole time? Just a worker for some shady corporation?"
Horrified, Chen Mo wanted to cry. But he didn't scream in protest, nor did he attempt to uninstall the system.
Instead, he felt relieved.
After all, not just anyone had the chance to experience something like this.
…
"You… What are you thinking about?" Yun Yun's cold voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
She swore that if she weren't injured, she would have slapped this apprentice of hers.
This brat had spaced out while dressing her, all the while staring at her body.
"Ah… S-so beautiful— No, I wasn't thinking anything!"
Chen Mo's mind short-circuited for a moment at the sight in front of him.
"So white!"
"You little—" Yun Yun bit her lip, trying to sit up, but pain shot through her wound, forcing her to collapse back down with a muffled groan.
"Ah! I'll help you!"
Chen Mo quickly dressed her properly and half-supported her upright.
"Don't… don't touch me." Yun Yun weakly resisted, but with no strength left, she could only surrender to his assistance.
As he held her slender waist, Chen Mo didn't let his thoughts wander. Instead, his consciousness focused on the Elephant-Suppressing Prison Technique.
Isn't this the main technique from the novel "Sacred Ruins"?
A crossover?
The system's grading had defined the skill beyond the usual four tiers of the Doupo world—Heaven, Earth, Xuan, and Huang.
Yun Yun glanced at him, noticing that despite holding her, his mind seemed occupied with something else entirely.
A strange feeling stirred in her heart…