The Martial God who started at Mantuo Manor

Page 39

The astonishing size, the silhouette, the purplish-red color... even a fleeting glimpse was enough to make all the seasoned women present gasp in unison, their hearts skipping a beat.

However, there was one person whose gaze did not linger there. The usually aloof and reserved Taoist nun, when Wang Meng turned around, fully exposing his chest, still bearing the handprint, to everyone, her pupils… suddenly contracted!

This time, there was no obstruction of light, no obstruction of angle.

In the bright sunlight, she could see it clearly.

On that broad chest, covered with old and new scars and brimming with masculine vigor, on the left side of the chest, near the heart, stood a striking... dark red mole, as vivid as cinnabar.

In that instant, the Taoist nun's entire world seemed to stand still.

All the sounds around her disappeared, and all she could see was that mole.

Her breath caught in her throat, and her knuckles turned white from gripping the whisk so tightly. A memory she had buried deep in her heart for over a decade, a memory she thought had long since died, suddenly ignited violently in her mind like dry tinder thrown into a spark!

Wang Meng's skin was thicker than the bluestone slabs beneath his feet.

Faced with the undisguised, almost tangible gazes of this group of stunningly beautiful women, each with their own unique charm, he showed no shyness or embarrassment what an ordinary man would have.

Although the repeated blood loss and excruciating pain had given his cheeks an abnormal flush, he merely grinned, forcibly straightened his already swaying back, and adopted a nonchalant attitude that said, "I'm standing right here, look all you want."

However, the blood that was slowly seeping uncontrollably from the corner of his mouth and that he was casually licking away with his tongue silently revealed his true state, which was far from the nonchalant demeanor he presented.

He was forcing himself to stay upright, using all his strength to maintain his last shred of dignity as a man.

In the midst of this eerie and tense standoff, a suppressed whisper, as if squeezed out from between clenched teeth, broke the silence.

"A mole that connects to the heart!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the Taoist nun, who had always presented herself as aloof and cold, as if she would not change her expression even if the sky were to fall, had now taken a few steps forward in a state of disarray.

Her steps were unsteady, and the hand that had been holding the whisk clenched into a fist so tightly that her nails dug into her palm, bringing a sharp pain.

She tried her best to make her tone sound calm, but her violently trembling voice made everyone present clearly hear the turbulent emotions she was desperately suppressing.

Her eyes, like iron filings drawn to a magnet, were fixed intently on the bright red birthmark on Wang Meng's left chest, her voice carrying a morbid excitement and a desire for confirmation that she herself was unaware of: "You...your birthmark...is it natural, or acquired...?"

Wang Meng was completely bewildered by her seemingly delirious appearance.

He lowered his head with difficulty, glanced at the mole on his chest, and thought to himself, "How could I possibly have time to remember whether I have an extra or missing mole?"

He was getting impatient and too lazy to investigate what was wrong with the Taoist nun, so he casually replied, "Of course it's natural, how come..."

"bass!"

The last "了" was still stuck in his throat, but before he could finish speaking, the blue figure in front of him had already turned into a phantom, so fast that he didn't have time to react, and instantly circled behind him!

This happened in a flash, as fast as lightning.

They all thought that the Taoist nun was about to take action in anger and finish off Wang Meng, the offender.

Li Qingluo was even prepared to speak up and stop her.

However, the anticipated attack did not occur.

Wang Meng only felt a gentle breeze carrying a faint orchid fragrance brush past him from behind, and then a gaze so hot it almost burned his skin was fixed on his back!

The Taoist nun didn't make a move; she simply stood behind Wang Meng, her eyes wide open, her pupils shrinking to two dangerous pinpoints due to extreme shock.

Her gaze was fixed on his broad back.

There, on his back, exactly symmetrical to the cinnabar mole on his chest... there was another mole that looked exactly the same!

Size, color, shape... exactly the same!

If a single mole could be a coincidence, then these two identical "heart-piercing moles," symmetrical from front to back and seemingly piercing through the heart, could absolutely not be a coincidence!

This is a unique physical manifestation, one in ten thousand, found in the ancient texts of the Emei School, and it is her only, desperate obsession in this life!

The nun's breath caught in her throat.

Time seemed to stretch out infinitely at this moment.

An ancient story, a prophecy almost forgotten by the world, is passed down in Emei Mountain:

"A karmic connection from a past life continues in this one, a single drop of blood-red Bodhi from the heart."

A mole on the heart, a mark on the back—these are signs that enemies are destined to meet.

The Taoist nun's gaze refocused on Wang Meng, this time with a deeper, more chaotic... probing look.

She seemed to want to see every bone, every flesh, and every corner of his soul.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, she slowly opened her mouth and asked a question that caught everyone off guard.

"How old are you?"

Her voice was hoarse and dry, and every word seemed to be spoken with great difficulty.

Wang Meng was stunned again.

He pondered for a moment, recalling the years he had spent in this world in a daze before unraveling the mystery of his birth, and said somewhat uncertainly, "Probably... eighteen!"

"eighteen?"

These two words were like two invisible hammer blows, striking the nun's heart hard.

But this time, she wasn't repeating a question, but a dreamlike confirmation mixed with fear and ecstasy.

Now... a man with a "heart-connecting mole," possessing the exact same destiny mark as his senior brother.

A man who was exactly eighteen years old, whose death coincided perfectly with the time of his senior brother's passing.

Could it be... could it really be the cycle of fate, an inescapable destiny?

Could it really be that my senior brother... has been reincarnated and returned to this world?

The idea was so absurd and shocking, yet it was like a wildly growing vine that instantly and tightly bound her entire mind!

She could no longer see the disheveled and wildness on Wang Meng's body. What she saw was as if her senior brother, dressed in white and with unparalleled elegance, was quietly gazing at her through this unfamiliar body.

The nun's gaze completely lost focus, becoming blank and vacant.

She seemed to have all her strength drained away. She simply shook her head slowly, said no more, and turned to walk back towards the group in the flower room.

However, after taking a few steps, she inexplicably stopped.

Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, she reached out her slightly trembling hand and took out an exquisite white jade porcelain bottle from her wide Taoist robe.

She turned around, walked back to Wang Meng, and shoved the cold porcelain bottle into his muddy hand without saying a word.

This action is no longer to make amends, nor is it out of pity.

It's like a kind of protection that has been suppressed for eighteen years and has almost become instinct.

"This medicine..."

Her voice was so low it was like a dream, and her eyes were so complex they were impossible to read. "...It's good for your internal injuries."

After saying that, she turned and walked into the crowd without looking back.

Wang Meng looked down at the bottle of pills in his hand, which emitted a faint fragrance and were clearly of extraordinary quality, and was somewhat bewildered.

The woman's attitude changed so quickly, more absurdly than turning the pages of a book, that he felt like a passenger on a wrecked ship in a storm, being tossed around in a daze.

The nun's steps were unsteady, but she still managed to walk up to Li Qingluo. She took a deep breath, seemingly trying to suppress all the turbulent emotions she had just felt and regain the composure befitting a high-ranking Emei master.

"Qingluo!"

She spoke, her voice still slightly hoarse, "Regarding the alliance you just mentioned, I... need to consider it more carefully."

After all, people of our status are not alone; every word and action must be for the sake of our sect and its disciples.

These words startled everyone. "Mei, you haven't thought about it yet? Lin, are you here...?"

In an instant, we were pulled back into the unpredictable and volatile negotiation situation.

The nun paused, then added, "However, from my personal perspective, I am very receptive to your suggestion."

Well then, I will definitely give you a definite answer before the auction ends.

Her words were perfectly flawless.

He neither agreed on the spot, leaving himself room to maneuver, nor did he express his intention to cooperate, thus appeasing Li Qingluo.

More importantly, she skillfully steered the conversation back from Wang Meng, who had caused the awkwardness, back to the main topic, thus giving everyone a way out.

Li Qingluo was incredibly intelligent; how could she not understand the meaning behind her words?

She was already having a headache about how to cover up for Wang Meng, this "uninvited guest," and now that the Taoist nun had taken the initiative to help her out, she was naturally more than happy to do so.

She put on that graceful smile again, stepped forward, and affectionately took the nun's hand, saying softly, "Sister Yanqing is right; I was a little too hasty."

This matter is of great importance and requires careful consideration.

This address of "Sister Yanqing" brought the two of them even closer.

After calming the Taoist nun down, Li Qingluo slowly turned her head. Her beautiful phoenix eyes instantly turned sharp, glaring fiercely at Wang Meng, who was still standing there in a daze. "What are you still standing here for?"

What a disgrace!

She snapped at him, her tone filled with undisguised disgust and disdain, "Go back upstairs!"

"You are not allowed to step out of this room again without my permission!"

These words were harsh and vicious, as if Wang Meng were some filthy thing that had offended her eyes.

Wang Meng hadn't intended to refute it; after all, it was normal to suffer a bit of mistreatment while living under someone else's roof.

But then he thought, why not take this opportunity to see just how deep the "docility" he had instilled in Li Qingluo's bones really was?

Thinking of this, he stopped and slowly turned around.

The nonchalant smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold, detached indifference.

"Now that I am awake, I will not disturb Madam Wang any further."

He deliberately used an unfamiliar form of address, and although his voice was soft, it clearly reached the ears of everyone present: "This is not a place for me to stay for long. I shall... return to where I was before!"

After saying that, he turned around and refused to look at Li Qingluo again. He limped resolutely toward the servants' quarters.

In that instant, time seemed to stand still.

The stern and authoritative look on Li Qingluo's face froze instantly, then shattered inch by inch, turning into boundless panic and fear.

His voice, with its cold and distant tone, was like a poisoned ice pick that pierced her heart!

He said "Madam Wang," and that he wanted to "go back to where he used to be," which meant he wanted to completely abandon her!