“What, lost your voice?”

“Are you terrified because the stakes I put up are too high?”

“Hehe, don’t let the pressure get to you. You could never win these five million dollars, much less cure Miss Huang in a single hour!”

Jack Sun looked at Qi Dengxian with sheer disdain, a cold sneer fixed on his face. “You are just a jianghu charlatan. Huaguo specializes in producing fakes like you!

Qi Dengxian spoke calmly. “No, I just think it is a bit strange that a stranger wants to give me five million dollars for no reason.”

As soon as those words left his mouth, the room fell into a stunned silence.

The tone was level, but the words were incredibly aggravating. It was enough to give someone a brain hemorrhage.

Jack Sun’s voice turned icy. “Fine! If you have the ability, then take my money! Just cure Miss Huang within the hour!”

He had been immersed in psychology for years and had treated countless patients with various mental disorders. Cases like Huang Qingge were rare, to be sure. Such conditions usually required vast amounts of time and effort to remedy, yet Qi Dengxian claimed he could do it in an hour. Forget five million dollars; even if someone beat Jack Sun to death, he would never believe it.

“Master Qi, what do you think…?” Huang Wenlang coughed and asked.

“Sure, let us do as he says!” Qi Dengxian shrugged with an air of total indifference.

“If I win, I will take his five million. If I lose, I will kneel and admit I am a fraud.”

Jack Sun scoffed. “It cannot be that simple. If you lose, besides kneeling and admitting you are a fraud, you must also publish it in the newspapers and the news. Let the whole world know your identity as a scammer!”

Qi Dengxian snapped his fingers. “Then it is decided. I will go treat Miss Huang immediately. Mayor Huang, be the witness for this bet. Our time limit is one hour.”

“Done!” Huang Wenlang agreed without a second thought.

Xu Aoxue watched Qi Dengxian coldly. If even Jack Sun could not handle this, she did not believe Qi Dengxian had the capability. It was obvious to her that Qi Dengxian had been pushed to the edge by Jack Sun and was simply putting on a brave front because he had no other choice.

“I am going to treat Miss Huang now. One hour. Do not disturb me. I will come out when the time is up,” Qi Dengxian said calmly.

“No problem!” Huang Wenlang replied.

Huang Qibin hesitated. Letting Qi Dengxian stay in a room alone with his sister felt somewhat inappropriate. However, he did not dare say more for fear that Qi Dengxian might throw down his tools and walk away.

“Hmph, playing tricks!” Jack Sun sneered. He would wait one hour, and then Qi Dengxian’s true face would be exposed.

Once Qi Dengxian entered the room, he pulled the curtains shut. He looked at the catatonic Huang Qingge and said calmly, “Have you been having nightmares lately? Dreaming of your deceased mother? And in the dreams, is she constantly blaming you, which is why you have these suicidal thoughts?”

Huang Qingge could not help but lift her head. She glanced at Qi Dengxian. Beneath her messy, tangled hair was a haggard, exhausted face.

“How… do you… know?” Huang Qingge had not spoken for so long that her voice was hesitant and broken.

“Someone is secretly using evil arts to harm you. Think about it: a parent’s heart is full of love for their child. What mother wouldn’t want her child to live a good life?” Qi Dengxian sighed.

Huang Qingge remained silent, hugging her knees as she curled into a ball.

“Look into my eyes,” Qi Dengxian said suddenly.

Huang Qingge subconsciously looked up to meet his gaze. At that instant, her eyes became vacant and lost.

In the Buddhist tradition, high monks would perform Guanding for their disciples. This was not a transfer of internal power like in wuxia novels, but a form of spiritual hypnosis. Through this hypnosis, they would transmit ideas and the Dharma.

Qi Dengxian was essentially performing a Guanding on Huang Qingge. His spiritual strength was so powerful that it was startling. With just a single look, the hypnosis was complete.

“Go to sleep. You will see your mother again, and she will tell you what she truly wants to say.” Qi Dengxian tapped his finger on the center of Huang Qingge’s brow.

Huang Qingge’s body slumped. Thud! She collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

Qi Dengxian did not move again. He sat quietly to the side with his legs crossed.

As Huang Qingge slept, her breathing became even. The longer she slept, the better her complexion became. The wisp of black qi that had been constantly lingering between her brows began to gradually dissipate.

Qi Dengxian saw this and let out a soft sigh of relief. As expected, the higher a person’s martial arts, the more vibrant their blood-qi. Their Yang energy and righteous qi would be more abundant, making it easy to suppress this type of Yin-sha energy.

“There is no sound at all inside. Nothing has happened, right?” Huang Qibin listened at the door, his heart burning with anxiety because of the silence.

“Master Qi must have his own unique methods. Don’t be nervous.” Huang Wenlang was also tense, but he comforted his son nonetheless.

As he spoke, he could not help but remember the first time he met Qi Dengxian. Back then, he also had a hundred doubts, but in the end, it was Qi Dengxian who saved his life.

Xu Aoxue sat to the side. She wanted to see how Qi Dengxian would account for himself to the Huang family after an hour passed without a cure.

As for Jack Sun, he was already brimming with confidence. He was certain Qi Dengxian was just playing ghost inside. Otherwise, how could there be no noise at all?

“That little prison guard is probably just staring blankly at Miss Huang. What does he know about psychology?” Jack Sun thought with total disdain, a sneer on his face.

Tick, tock, tick, tock…

Time passed second by second. The hour was almost up.

Huang Qingge remained curled on the bed, still sleeping, but her rest was no longer as peaceful. She began to shed tears, as if she were dreaming of something.

“Mom, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so willful back then…” Huang Qingge wept, talking in her sleep.

Qi Dengxian checked the time. Exactly at the one-hour mark, he stood up and walked to the window. Shua! He yanked the curtains open.

The dazzling sunlight outside flooded into the room. Huang Qingge was awakened by the light. When she woke, her face was covered in tears, and she wore a dazed expression.

“Do you feel better now?” Qi Dengxian asked, turning to her.

“Thank you.” Huang Qingge looked at Qi Dengxian. It was as if she had cast off her inner demons; her entire aura was completely transformed.

“You’re welcome,” Qi Dengxian said flatly with a smile.

At that moment, the door was opened by Huang Wenlang. Jack Sun was the first to rush in, a cold sneer on his face. “The hour is up! Get on your knees!”

NOTES

Guanding (灌頂): Consecration / Empowerment / Spiritual Hypnosis.

Yin-sha (陰煞): Malign or baleful energy associated with the dead or dark arts.

Yang Energy (陽氣): Vital, positive, and warming energy.

💝 Support the Team

possible odoabuchi

✍️ Translator

☕ Buy Me a Coffee