Chapter 238 A Talk with an Old Friend

Two scorpions slowly crawled towards Xiao Qing.

Xiao Qing was still afraid of this kind of creature.

So she unconsciously stepped back and soon got close to the door.

She instinctively opened the door and stood to one side, and the two scorpions crawled toward the door.

But instead of climbing out of the doorway, they brandished their pincers at her.

These two scorpions seem to possess some kind of spirituality; I wonder if they belong to Xiao Yuan.

If so, the two boys have grown much better than before since I last saw them. Not only have they grown bigger, but their colors are also brighter and purer than before.

But why are they here in Mingxiu?

What is their connection to those hiding in the shadows?

Xiao Qing quietly pressed her hand against her sleeve.

She quickly went to the bedside to check on Mingxiu's condition.

He looks normal, his breathing is normal, he just looks like he's asleep.

Just as she was about to examine it more closely, a deep male voice came from the doorway. "Don't move."

Xiao Qing clenched her fists and turned around to see the two people at the door.

Xiao Yuan was holding the red scorpion in his arms, while the black scorpion perched on his shoulder. He waved to her with a look of surprise, and standing beside him was... Mo Dan.

Xiao Qing felt an immense headache.

Mo Dan waved to her with a half-smile, then turned and left.

Xiao Yuan glanced at her, then at Mo Dan, and turned to leave.

Xiao Qing thought for a moment, then got up and followed him out.

Upon arriving at Xiao Yuan and Mo Dan's room, Xiao Qing immediately asked, "What's going on with the people inside?"

Mordan sat down and leisurely poured tea from the teapot. "You asked if it was someone sitting or someone sleeping?"

He thought to himself, "That's really direct. They didn't even have time to say 'long time no see'."

"Ask them all."

"Then, in what capacity are you asking this?"

Xiao Yuan couldn't contain herself, "Sister, sister, you've become ugly."

Xiao Qing felt even more overwhelmed.

Xiao Yuan compared them and said, "The clothes and the hair don't look good!"

Xiao Qing looked up at the roof, a little sad.

These days, can't you keep a secret?

"How did Xiao Yuan figure it out?" Xiao Qing felt that she couldn't hide it any longer, so she decided to be realistic and figure out where the problem was so that she could deal with it next time.

Xiao Yuan chuckled and handed over the red scorpion, saying, "Little Red can smell it!"

He then added, "Little Black can do it too!"

Xiao Qing remained silent.

There's nothing we can do about it.

A scorpion developing a dog's nose is not something humans can do...

Xiao Qing was a little depressed.

Seeing her amused expression, Mo Dan laughed. "Should I call you Fu Qingran?"

Xiao Qing wanted to roll her eyes. "Whatever."

She asked again, "What's going on with the people inside?"

“If you’re sitting, you’re just tired and will wake up after a short nap,” Modan said bluntly.

"If she's asleep," he said with a half-smile, pushing the freshly poured tea aside. "Qingran, would you like to make a deal?"

Xiao Qing frowned. "What deal?"

He's a real businessman; every transaction is a deal.

"I'll help you rescue people, and you help me find them."

Xiao Qing raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding.

Mo Fan can't even find the person he's looking for, so how can he think she can?

Xiao Yuan obediently stroked her scorpion beside them, probably knowing that the two were talking about serious matters, so she didn't disturb them.

Xiao Qing thought for a moment before sitting down properly.

Urgent matters should be handled slowly. Since this is a negotiation, we cannot let ourselves be led by the nose.

"Tell me first, who are you looking for?"

Modan smiled. "I thought you would ask about that girl first."

"Let's take it one step at a time. We have to talk things out eventually." Xiao Qing's expression was indifferent, and she remained calm and unhurried.

The way she acted didn't seem like she was negotiating a deal; it was more like Mordan needed her help.

Mo Dan thought about their previous encounter and couldn't help but laugh.

She's clearly just a little girl, yet she always dresses like a boy, which is a secret in itself. And yet, she's so calm and unwilling to suffer any loss; even for a boy her age, she seems far too mature.

Considering her previous methods of dealing with thieves, it's clear she's quick-witted. Just by looking into her eyes, you can tell this girl is full of clever ideas and has a very clear mind.

They're not easily fooled.

Modan said seriously, "Alright, let's discuss it one by one."

"I won't ask who you are, but I will explain to you why I'm looking for this person; this is my sincerity."

Xiao Qing wondered to herself, "Does he trust her that much?"

"I am a descendant of the Tanghua tribe."

Xiao Qing thought to herself, no wonder he was with Xiao Yuan, they were both from the Tanghua tribe.

“My mother was the daughter of the last chief of the Tanghua tribe.” Mo Dan said in a calm tone, “She refused the position of the next chief for some reason, thinking that she could live a peaceful and free life from then on.”

The flickering candlelight on the table cast interplay of light and shadow on his sharply defined face, making him appear somewhat gloomy.

"But she was found by the Ghost Flower Clan, the enemy of the Tang Flower Clan, and they killed her."

Mo Dan put it simply, but the simpler it was, the more Xiao Qing felt there was a lot more to it than met the eye.

"The person I'm looking for is this member of the Ghost Flower Clan."

Xiao Qing raised an eyebrow. "I don't know anyone from the Ghost Flower Clan." Not to mention the Ghost Flower Clan, she had only ever met one member of the Tang Flower Clan, Xiao Yuan, and his mother.

Mo Dan smiled enigmatically, “You don’t know them, but they do know the girl in the room.”

Xiao Qing denied it, "That's impossible." Ming Xiu's background was simple. Since entering the palace, she had been inseparable from her and had never had any contact with the Ghost Flower Clan. If she had, the palace would have discovered it long ago.

"Xiao Yuan, what is it?"

Xiao Yuan jumped over happily, feeling that she could finally be of some use.

"Sister, that sister has been cursed with ghost worms!" He hugged his beloved scorpion. "Little Red and Little Black found ghost worms and want to eat them!"

Xiao Qing was startled. If she wasn't mistaken, could this ghost worm be something like the so-called Southern Frontier Gu worm from her world?

"What's the purpose of those insects? Did you eat them?" she asked quickly.

Xiao Yuan shook her head, "I didn't eat it, my brother wouldn't let me! He said... my brother said it would make me stupid!"

Xiao Qing looked at Mo Dan, and thinking about the deal he had mentioned, she understood.

"What is a ghost worm? What do you want?" She didn't ask Xiao Yuan anymore; she knew that Mo Dan was the one making the decisions.

Modan didn't hide anything. "The Ghost Insects are parasitic insects carefully crafted by the Ghost Flower Clan. Once they enter the human body, they feed on the host's essence and blood. Over time, they will cause the host to lose their mind and become completely at the mercy of others."

Xiao Qing thought of He Shu's situation. "What symptoms would occur if a ghost worm were inside a person's body?"

"If it is that girl, the ghost worm has been inside her for several days, but she has not experienced any particular discomfort. This time, her initial unconsciousness was not due to the ghost worm, but rather because there was ghost flower powder in the oil lamp in her room, which catalyzed the ghost worm's awakening and absorption of her essence."

How do the ghost insects enter the body?

"Various methods are possible. However, because everyone's physical condition, health level, and willpower are different, the survival status of the ghost insects will also be different."