Chapter 203: Chapter 200: A Woman’s Body, a Man’s Form
"Looking at your condition, you have half a year at most before the Bone-Eating Worms burrow into your marrow. When that happens, your life will come to an end. You will die a miserable death, suffering unimaginable torture."
"First, your bones. Then, your organs. In the end, you’ll be nothing but a sack of skin. The entire process will last for a full month."
"During that month, you won’t be able to move or circulate your True Essence. And because of the Soul-Scattering Flower, your consciousness will remain exceptionally clear. The pain will be a thousand, even ten thousand times worse than what you feel now!"
The Old Tomb Digger’s face turned pale, a look of panic on his face.
In truth, he had long been prepared for death. The fact that he could endure the torment of three corpse poisons for a thousand years was a testament to his resolute will.
He didn’t fear death, but even he couldn’t accept the end Mo Qi had described.
As for suicide?
For someone with his personality, that was even more out of the question.
"Of course, you can think I’m just making alarmist statements. You can choose not to believe me. In any case, we’ll see who’s right in half a year," Mo Qi added.
The Old Tomb Digger closed his eyes and contemplated for a long time before finally letting out a sigh.
"You’ve said so much. What are you trying to get at?"
Although he already had a guess, the Old Tomb Digger still asked.
"I can cure your poison," Mo Qi said bluntly.
’So it’s just as I thought.’
The Old Tomb Digger looked up. "How can I believe you?"
Mo Qi said, "The question you should be considering right now isn’t whether you can believe me, but whether you’re willing to truly submit to me if I can, in fact, cure you."
The Old Tomb Digger fell silent. ’That’s right... would I truly submit to him?’
Mo Qi paid the Old Tomb Digger no more mind and walked over to Hu the Eighth.
"I never expected you to have such profound knowledge of medicine and poison. A pity, though. First, I’m not poisoned, and second, I’m fit as a fiddle. The routine you used on the Old Tomb Digger won’t work on me," Hu the Eighth said mockingly, stroking his mustache.
"Fit as a fiddle, you sure?" Mo Qi stared at Hu the Eighth with a brilliant smile, making his skin crawl.
"O-Of course I’m sure! Don’t I know my own body?" Hu the Eighth said, turning his face away. For some reason, under Mo Qi’s intense gaze, his tone was inexplicably lacking in confidence.
"No, you’re sick!" Mo Qi stated with conviction.
’Dammit, you’re the one who’s sick! Your whole family is sick!’
If he weren’t wary of the Dragon Vein’s power, Hu the Eighth would have slapped Mo Qi to death right then and there.
’I’m a magnificent Void Realm Cultivator! Wouldn’t I know if I was sick or not?’
"You don’t believe me?" Mo Qi asked with a smile.
Hu the Eighth rolled his eyes, not bothering to reply. His disbelief was obvious.
"Well, I’m going to say it then. Don’t regret it," Mo Qi added.
"Trying to trick me? Go on then, if you have the guts!" Hu the Eighth sneered.
Mo Qi shrugged. "Since you insist. I’ll just ask you one question: you were born a woman, yet you can grow a mustache, your voice is like a man’s, and you’re built like an ox. Isn’t that strange?"
Hu the Eighth’s hand, which had been stroking his mustache, froze.
Wu the Old Ghost and the unknown expert stared blankly. Even the Old Tomb Digger, who had been lost in his own dilemma, looked up, a fascinating expression on his face as he stared at Hu the Eighth.
’For real?’
’Is the gossip this explosive?’
’After knowing him for a thousand years, I never realized Hu the Eighth was a woman!’
"You... you, you, you..." Hu the Eighth was too shocked to speak.
This was a secret she had buried in her heart for over a thousand years. After so much time, even she had nearly forgotten it.
That’s right. Hu the Eighth was born a woman, and back in the day, she was a great beauty whose looks could topple nations.
But everything changed over a thousand years ago when she broke through to the Void Realm.
She began to grow a mustache, her physical strength increased daily, and her once slender, graceful body slowly became broad and brawny.
Her voice, once as sweet as a songbird’s, gradually coarsened until it became a man’s.
A goddess of her generation had turned into a boorish brute. Who wouldn’t have a complete breakdown over something like that?
During that time, she hit rock bottom. Her personality changed drastically, and she would fly into a murderous rage at the slightest disagreement.
The result was obvious: she was suppressed Within the Pass by the Mountain and Sea Empire.
The lands Within the Pass were vast and sparsely populated. On the Dark Plain, one could go years, even decades, without meeting another soul.
After such a long period of solitude, Hu the Eighth had gradually grown accustomed to her current identity.
But she never, ever expected that Mo Qi would expose her secret in a single sentence.
"You... you have a way to help me change back?" Hu the Eighth’s expression grew excited.
Just because she had gotten used to her male identity didn’t mean she had accepted it.
"As long as you can help me return to my original appearance, I am willing to submit to you!" she declared before Mo Qi could even speak.
Women are emotional creatures, after all. Who among them doesn’t love beauty?
Even with her Void Realm Cultivation, she couldn’t escape her nature.
"Quick, quick, quick! Help me change back now!" Hu the Eighth urged impatiently.
"Er..." Mo Qi shook his head. "I can indeed help you change back, but not here."
"Why? Are you messing with me!" Hu the Eighth flew into a rage.
Mo Qi said helplessly, "The Spirit Medicines I need aren’t here. If you want to change back, you’ll have to leave with me in a few days."
"Leave?" Hu the Eighth frowned. Before she could be restored, she felt a deep-seated aversion to the outside world.
"Fine! You’d better not be lying. There’s no Dragon Vein out there for you to borrow power from. If you dare deceive me, I will definitely kill you!"
Mo Qi ignored Hu the Eighth’s threat and turned his gaze to the unknown expert.
"I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. I’m not sick, not in pain, and not poisoned. My gender is normal, and my Martial Dao foundation is solid and flawless," the unknown expert said coldly.
"Oh, is that so?" Mo Qi once again revealed that familiar smile.
The unknown expert was taken aback. ’Could it be... I really do have a problem?’
It wasn’t that he lacked confidence; it was just that the two tricks Mo Qi had already pulled were too shocking.
Just as he was starting to doubt himself, Mo Qi nodded. "Yes, you’re right. There’s nothing wrong with you."
The unknown expert: "..."
’You scared the hell out of me!’
’Get over here. I promise I won’t beat you to death!’
Mo Qi rubbed his brow in frustration. He really couldn’t find anything wrong with this unknown expert.
’What am I going to do?’
’Should I have the Pig Emperor glare at him? Create a problem where there isn’t one?’
’No, he’s a Void Realm expert, not an idiot. That might just backfire.’
"By the way... do you have any unfulfilled wishes? The kind where if I help you achieve it, you’ll follow me," Mo Qi sighed, asking casually.
"Yes!" the unknown man said.
Huh?
Hearing the unknown man’s sudden reply, Mo Qi didn’t know how to react for a moment.
He thought he had misheard.
"Say that again?"
"Yes!"
Mo Qi swore that when it came to the question about wishes, he had only asked it casually as a joke, without any real hope.
But this unknown expert actually said yes!
’What the hell? It can work like that? Is that even a valid move?’
