Lu Ming began to officially treat the tabby cat. In reality, this tabby cat wasn't sick at all; it had only been hurt by a pebble, causing some stress reactions.
Lu Ming picked up the cat and began to massage it, helping it relax.
Beside him, Abbess Huijing watched, utterly bewildered. "You're just going to massage it? Aren't you going to give it medicine or an injection?" she asked anxiously.
"No need," Lu Ming replied with absolute confidence.
"Is it 'no need' or 'you don't know how'?" Abbess Huijing said sternly. "I'm warning you, if anything happens to my An'an, not only will I not help you, but I'll send you to the eighteenth level of hell!"
*Heh*, how ridiculous.
This was Lu Ming's first time encountering such a short-tempered abbess. Where had all her cultivation of self-restraint gone?
Without further ado, Lu Ming continued to massage the tabby cat, easing its pain and helping it relax little by little. In less than ten minutes, the tabby cat was once again agile and lively.
No vomiting, no twitching.
It had fully recovered!
This was truly a display of divine skill. Who would have thought Lu Ming's technique was so ingenious that he could completely restore the tabby cat's health merely through massage, without any injections or medicine?
One had to admit, Lu Ming's medical skills had reached their zenith, surpassing all others.
"It's all done," Lu Ming said, returning the tabby cat to Abbess Huijing.
The abbess held the cat, kissing and caressing it, overcome with emotion. After a thorough examination confirmed the tabby cat was fine, Abbess Huijing finally breathed a long sigh of relief.
However, just to be safe, she still asked the nun in charge to call a veterinarian to check it, lest there be any lingering issues.
With the matter settled, Lu Ming said, "The cat is cured. Abbess Huijing, you promised me a stick of incense's time to speak a few words."
Abbess Huijing nodded. "Yes, but you also said you wouldn't ask me to descend the mountain or write any letters. You would simply say a few words, and then you would leave without asking me to do anything else."
Lu Ming nodded affirmatively. "That's correct."
"Very well, come into the meditation room with me. I'll give you the time of one stick of incense," Abbess Huijing said, carrying the cat into the meditation room.
She had already prepared herself: no matter what Lu Ming said, it would go in one ear and out the other. She would completely ignore him. Even if Lu Ming spoke until the heavens themselves fell, she would pretend not to hear.
As long as she feigned deafness and silence, Lu Ming would be helpless!
Abbess Huijing secretly chuckled to herself: What a childish boy. You think you can sway me with a few words? Are you trying to threaten or intimidate me, or play the emotional card? None of that will work with me! *Hmph!*
The others shared the same sentiment.
Before entering the room, Jiang Mengxin grabbed Lu Ming's arm, asking anxiously, "What exactly are you thinking? You're not asking for anything, just to talk to her for a bit? She can completely ignore you!"
Lu Ming smiled. "Don't worry, I believe Abbess Huijing is a nun of great cultivation. After hearing my predicament, she will surely offer to descend the mountain with me."
"Heh, stop being so full of yourself," Jiang Mengxin said, completely unconvinced.
To call her a nun of great cultivation? Judging by her recent actions, it was clear that this Abbess Huijing was nothing but a selfish and petty individual.
The very title 'Abbess' was an insult to her!
Jiang Mengxin held out no hope and was already preparing to descend the mountain, thinking about how she would explain things to Su Wanran and the others.
Lu Ming, however, was the complete opposite. He walked into the meditation room with great confidence and shut the door behind him.
Inside the meditation room.
Just as predicted, Abbess Huijing maintained a very high posture.
She sat cross-legged, her eyes tightly shut, holding prayer beads and reciting scriptures, appearing exceedingly devout, as if impervious to external disturbances.
Her pretense was intended to make Lu Ming retreat.
On a nearby table sat an incense burner with a newly lit stick of incense. As promised, she would give him the time it took for the incense to burn out, and then unhesitatingly escort Lu Ming away.
In anyone's estimation, Lu Ming had no chance of "winning."
Whether he resorted to threats or emotional appeals, it would be useless! Abbess Huijing was impervious to all reasoning and stubborn as a mule; she wouldn't pay him any mind, so what could he do?
However.
Unlike what everyone expected, Lu Ming neither roared in anger nor threatened Abbess Huijing; nor did he break down in tears or beg for mercy.
He chose neither path.
Like Abbess Huijing, he sat cross-legged.
Then, he took out a token from his embrace: the Dragon Warlord Token!
Lu Ming coughed and said, "Let's be frank, Abbess Huijing. I won't beat around the bush with you. This token in my hand is called the Dragon Warlord Token. Your husband and son both fought on the front lines, and I believe you know something about this token."
*Hmm?*
Abbess Huijing's brow furrowed. She stopped chanting and slowly opened her eyes.
She had intended to ignore Lu Ming, but his words carried too much weight for her to do so.
The Dragon Warlord Token.
That was the token of the Dragon Warlord himself! To see the token was to see the man!
A single token could command an army of thousands.
Abbess Huijing's husband and son had both mentioned this token to her, expressing their admiration and reverence for the Dragon Warlord.
But… how could such an important token be in Lu Ming's possession?
Fake.
It must be fake!
Abbess Huijing's eyes were filled with disbelief. If the token were real, her Su family could command an army of thousands; why would they need to beg an old woman like her?
*Heh*, trying to trick an old woman with a scheme?
Wishful thinking!
Lu Ming saw through Abbess Huijing's thoughts at a glance and continued, "I know what you're thinking. You believe the Dragon Warlord Token I have is fake, don't you?"
Abbess Huijing let out a cold snort, but her expression revealed that she was a million percent unconvinced.
Lu Ming did not get angry. He continued, "Then let me first state my purpose for coming here. I am indeed here to invite you down the mountain, to persuade Zhang Ying to retreat. But it's not to save the Su family; it's to save your son—Zhang Ying!"
With one sentence, he had Abbess Huijing in his grasp.
Abbess Huijing found it incomprehensible, yet deeply worrying.
Lu Ming continued, "Do you think the Su family was merely lucky to have escaped the clutches of the Northern and Southern Emperors twice? You are mistaken. It was the Dragon Warlord secretly protecting the Su family! Northern Emperor Xiao Changshan knew this, which is why he dared to defy convention and flee Wudu, even at the risk of offending Fan Wentao!"
He paused.
He held up the Dragon Warlord Token and continued, "With the Dragon Warlord Token in hand, I can destroy the Five Emperors at any time! The Northern and Southern Emperors knew its power, so they feared it and fled. But Zhang Ying is unaware of the stakes and continues to oppose the Dragon Warlord! Abbess Huijing, I have come to you today to give you an opportunity, and to give Zhang Ying an opportunity."
"If you wish for your son to live, come down the mountain with me and persuade him to retreat. Otherwise, tomorrow morning, you will receive a corpse—Zhang Ying's corpse!"
Hearing this, Abbess Huijing could no longer sit still.
No one could have predicted Lu Ming would say such a thing!
Everyone assumed Lu Ming was here to beg for help, which was why Abbess Huijing was dismissive and maintained such a haughty demeanor.
However, the reality was completely different.
Lu Ming was not here to seek help; he was giving Abbess Huijing a chance to save her son!
After a moment of contemplation, Abbess Huijing finally couldn't help but ask, "Are you telling the truth?"
Lu Ming held up the Dragon Warlord Token. "If you don't believe me, you can verify it."
Abbess Huijing stared at the token for a long time, then asked, "But… since the Su family is secretly protected by the Dragon Warlord, why would they still fear the Fan family?"
Lu Ming chuckled.
"You said it yourself, it's *secret* protection. Not only does the Fan family not know of the Dragon Warlord's existence, but the Su family themselves are unaware of the Warlord's presence!"
"Then why do you know?"
Lu Ming did not answer this question. Instead, he tilted his head arrogantly and looked at Abbess Huijing coldly.
After a dozen seconds of eye contact, Abbess Huijing had the answer in her heart.
"I understand."
When speaking to intelligent people, it's not necessary to be overly explicit. Often, a mere glance is enough.
Abbess Huijing patted the tabby cat's plump head, let out a long sigh, stood up, and walked outside.
She opened the door herself.
At the doorway, Jiang Mengxin and the nun turned their heads simultaneously, looking at Abbess Huijing. To them, the conversation had been utterly pointless.
Because they saw no possibility of her being persuaded.
And look, the time of one stick of incense had not even passed halfway, indicating that Abbess Huijing had no intention of listening to Lu Ming's rambling any further.
Alas, the situation was sealed!
Jiang Mengxin sighed deeply, utterly disappointed. Yet, reality delivered a harsh lesson.
To her surprise, Abbess Huijing walked directly up to her and, quite abruptly, broke into a smile.
She bowed slightly and said with great kindness, "Patriarch Jiang, let us descend the mountain."
"Oh."
"Oh?"
Jiang Mengxin didn't react at first. She was about to lower her head and leave when she suddenly realized what the other party had said, and was astonished.
She asked excitedly, "Abbess Huijing, did you just say… descend the mountain?"
Abbess Huijing nodded affirmatively. "Yes, Mr. Lu has reasoned with me and appealed to my emotions. I was deeply moved. As the saying goes, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda. If I can prevent Ying'er from unleashing a massacre, it would also be a virtuous deed. Therefore, I am willing to descend the mountain with you."
This… was too unexpected!
Jiang Mengxin was overjoyed. "Thank you, thank you! Abbess Huijing, thank you so much. You truly have a compassionate heart."
Hearing this, Lu Ming, who was behind her, almost burst out laughing.
The nun was also looking on with a puzzled expression, unable to comprehend.
In the nun's understanding, her fellow nun, Abbess Huijing, had always been selfish and self-serving. Coupled with a very capable son, she had also become accustomed to being arrogant and overbearing.
She had never cared about the lives and deaths of others.
Why was she so magnanimous today? Merely because of a few words from someone, she was actually going to help the Su family!
Was it Lu Ming's eloquent persuasion, or had Abbess Huijing been moved by compassion?
She couldn't figure it out, couldn't guess.
The true reason was known only to Lu Ming and Abbess Huijing, and neither of them would ever reveal it. It would remain their secret forever.