Chapter Twenty-One: The Struggle Within the Huang Family

Huang Sheng’s sudden reaction left everyone in shock. Du Zhong and Lin Meng exclaimed simultaneously, “What is it? Did you remember something?”

“No, I remember nothing!” Huang Sheng gritted his teeth, his face twisted with rage, as if he had been violated by countless people, utterly humiliated.

“Then do you know who did this? Huang Sheng, don’t get agitated, you need to stay calm when things happen,” Hu Mo said in a low, compelling voice that seemed to brook no refusal.

Huang Sheng took a deep breath, struggling to steady himself. He glanced at Hu Mo, then burst into tears with a wail, throwing himself into Hu Mo’s arms like a weeping maiden, utterly devoid of any masculine dignity.

If the stench before had been unbearable, now it was almost suffocating. Yet, Du Zhong and the others forced themselves to endure it. In all these years, it was the first time they’d seen Huang Sheng so deeply wounded.

“I know who it is, I know! Young Master Hu, you must help me. I never thought he could be so ruthless—why didn’t I see it before? I was such a fool; I should have realized it long ago…” Huang Sheng forced a bitter smile, reluctantly pulling himself away from Hu Mo’s embrace.

There was no denying it—Huang Sheng reeked down to his very bones; even his tears seemed tainted, like the stagnant water of a filthy latrine. Though they tried to suppress their nausea, their stomachs churned relentlessly, leaving them intensely uncomfortable.

“Speak your mind. Crying is useless! That’s what women do, isn’t it?” Hu Mo fixed Huang Sheng with a piercing gaze, and under his encouragement, Huang Sheng gradually composed himself.

“All right, Young Master Hu, I’ll listen to you.” Huang Sheng wiped away his tears, a cold, vengeful glint flashing in his eyes.

Du Zhong and Lin Meng were amazed. They suddenly realized both Hu Mo and Huang Sheng had changed, becoming people they could no longer face as equals.

“Our Huang family is dwindling with each generation. Counting myself, there are only three male heirs. When I was about five or six, my eldest brother, Huang Zong, was ambushed outside and his meridians were shattered, leaving him a cripple. Though my brother was only twelve, he was already a level seven Berserker. His exceptional talent was unmatched. After that incident, my father devoted himself to me and my second brother, Huang Kun. My second brother is different from the eldest. He’s ambitious, ruthless, and will do anything for power. He’s always wanted to become the head of the family, so…”

“So this must be connected to him, right?” Hu Mo interrupted, his words laced with icy intent.

A chill flashed in Huang Sheng’s eyes as he nodded. “Indeed, there could be no other reason. My second brother and I have the same father but different mothers; he is illegitimate, while I am the legitimate heir. In our family, only a direct heir can become head, so I am his greatest obstacle.”

“I see… So he’s the prime suspect. But this is only your suspicion—there’s no proof. You can’t expect him to confess,” Lin Meng said, shaking his head in resignation.

This was the first time he’d heard Huang Sheng speak of his family affairs. After hearing it, Lin Meng was quietly grateful that, with five generations of only sons, his own family had no such power struggles.

“How frightening. Perhaps your eldest brother was also his victim. Your family is truly ruthless; to go this far!” Du Zhong exclaimed, a cold sweat breaking out on his brow.

“It’s not so surprising. That would explain everything. But I’m curious—if it’s a chronic poison, you’d need to take it daily for it to have such an effect. Have you really been poisoned for over ten years without realizing it?” Hu Mo frowned, pondering what kind of poison could make someone so persistently foul. He could recall several possibilities, but wondered if poisons here matched those in the Heavenly Dragon realm.

Huang Sheng shook his head with a bitter smile. “Young Master Hu, if you hadn’t pointed out I was poisoned, I might never have suspected my second brother. All these years, he’s been making me take a folk remedy, supposedly to suppress my illness and gradually cure me. After each dose, the stench would lessen for a while, but soon it would return, even stronger! Now I finally understand…”

“What a vicious scheme!” Du Zhong and Lin Meng exclaimed in unison.

“Are you still taking that medicine?” Hu Mo’s lips curled into a devilish smile.

“Yes, once every half-month. After taking it, my body odor disappears for over an hour—only then can I…” Huang Sheng suddenly grew embarrassed, laughing sheepishly at Hu Mo.

“Alas, how pitiful for your wife! So, only twice a month at best?” Hu Mo teased.

“Twice? You’re overestimating him. In that one hour, he manages dozens of times!” Du Zhong and Lin Meng bantered, smirking lewdly.

“You two, shut your mouths! You have the nerve to compare your stamina to mine? I could take on ten like you with no trouble!” Huang Sheng roared, visibly agitated.

Suddenly, his bravado wilted. He looked at Hu Mo pitifully and said, “If only it were so. I don’t understand why my endurance is so high. Young Master Hu, you don’t know—I can go for over an hour with little sensation, as though I’m brimming with power but can’t release it. I envy Du Zhong and Lin Meng, those two ‘hundred-times-a-night heroes’!”

Huang Sheng’s lament turned the air from mournful to comically exasperated. Du Zhong and Lin Meng blushed redder than a monkey’s behind, inwardly swearing, “When I’m cured, I’ll give you a taste of your own medicine!”

Hu Mo smiled knowingly. “Huang Sheng, aren’t you grateful to your second brother? The medicine made you stink, but it also gave you extraordinary stamina. Who else can last an hour every time? If we cure your body odor and you end up with stamina like Du Zhong’s, don’t blame me.”

“Young Master Hu, my dear brother, please don’t joke! Just cure me—if you do, I’d even dedicate myself to you without hesitation…”

“Spare me your nonsense! I prefer beautiful women, and even if you became one, you’d still be terrifying,” Hu Mo retorted with disgust, barely suppressing the urge to punch him.

Huang Sheng’s coquettish manner nearly made Hu Mo spit blood, and Du Zhong and Lin Meng shuddered with revulsion at his shamelessness.

“Get out of here! Stop disgustingly flaunting yourself. Huang Sheng, I can’t cure you yet. Prescribing medicine without a proper diagnosis could kill you. Next time you take it, save the dregs for me. Bring them to me—I want to see what kind of medicine has such an effect. Trust me, anyone who dares do this to you will pay dearly,” Hu Mo said with a sinister smile, a chilling air filling the room.