Mo Han wiped his hands with the silk napkin provided. He rose quietly, bowing slightly toward Patriarch Wood before turning to Rose Wood, who had remained unusually silent throughout the latter part of the meal.

Her gaze followed him with a softness that she tried, unsuccessfully, to hide behind polite composure. When he stood, she instinctively mirrored the motion, her delicate hands pressing together in front of her robe.

Mo Han turned to her directly. His voice, calm and direct, broke the fragile politeness between them.

"So," he said, "can you tell me now — what was your true purpose for inviting me here?"

The hall stilled. The faint chatter of servants outside seemed to fade as his words hung between them.

Rose Wood blinked, caught off guard by the bluntness. She tried to smile, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Young Master Mo Han, must I have a purpose other than courtesy? It is rare to meet a man of such skill and humility. My family merely wished—"

He cut her off gently but firmly. "Your courtesy is appreciated, Lady Rose, but I do not believe this invitation was for simple pleasantries." His tone was neither cold nor harsh — it was measured, piercing, the kind of voice that invited no escape from honesty. "Speak the real reason."

Her composure cracked, just for a moment. The mask of nobility slipped, and what replaced it was something far more human — desperation.

She looked down, her fingers gripping the silk edge of her sleeve, knuckles whitening. "You are… sharp, Master Mo Han," she whispered, almost trembling. "Indeed, there was another reason."

"Go on," he said quietly.

Rose took a long, slow breath. Her voice grew faint, softer than the rustle of the garden leaves outside. "It is about my younger sister… More Wood."

At the name, something changed in her tone — pain, laced with years of helplessness. "She has been bedridden for seven years," Rose continued. "Her body... paralyzed from the neck down. She cannot move. She cannot speak beyond faint murmurs. Her pain comes and goes like waves, and no elixir nor formation can ease it. My father has summoned dozens of healers, even elder rank experts, yet none could help her."

Her eyes glimmered with restrained sorrow. "They said her soul meridians were broken. That no one could mend them."

Mo Han listened in silence, his gaze unflinching.

"And yet," she said, her voice trembling, "when I saw you that day in the Pleasure City — when you fought that elder cultivator and commanded fire and healing essence together — I felt… hope. A foolish hope, perhaps. But I thought…" She looked up, meeting his eyes. "If anyone could, maybe it would be you. The man everyone calls the 'Pleasure Healer.' The one whose hands have brought people back from the edge."

Mo Han's expression remained neutral, though something flickered behind his eyes — curiosity, perhaps empathy, perhaps the faintest spark of challenge.

"You wish for me to heal her?" he asked.

"Yes." Her voice was steady now, firm with conviction. "Even if there's only one chance in a thousand. I want you to try."

For a moment, the only sound was the wind against the lattice windows. Fatty Lambu, sitting awkwardly at the side of the room, looked between them as if watching a scene he didn't fully understand but dared not interrupt.

Finally, Mo Han sighed. "Very well," he said at last. "I will take a look."

Rose's lips parted in disbelief. "You will?"

He nodded. "I cannot promise results, but I can examine her condition. If there is something left to be healed, I will find it."

Her shoulders relaxed, and a faint, fragile smile touched her lips — the kind of smile that carried too much gratitude for words. "Thank you, Master Mo Han."

They moved through the halls of the Wood residence, guided by two servants. The interior grew quieter, darker, until they reached a large room at the far end of the western wing.

The scent of medicinal herbs hung thick in the air, and soft white curtains surrounded a bed in the center. Upon that bed lay a young woman, her skin pale as ivory, her eyes half open but distant, as though her spirit wandered far beyond her body.

More Wood.

Her beauty was ethereal — fragile, untouched by time or sun. Her lips moved faintly as they entered, a soft sound escaping, but her body remained still.

Rose knelt beside her sister, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. "Sister," she said softly. "Someone has come to help you."

Mo Han approached quietly, his steps soundless. He looked down at the girl for a long moment, then placed two fingers lightly on her wrist.

The moment his spirit sense entered her, his brows furrowed. Her energy channels were a maze of chaos — broken, twisted, sealed by what felt like layers of old injuries. The flow of her soul energy was faint, flickering, but still present.

"Strange," he murmured.

"What is it?" Rose asked, voice tight with hope and fear.

Mo Han didn't answer immediately. His hands moved across the air above More's body, tracing invisible lines of spiritual force. Occasionally he pressed lightly against her meridian points, his brows tightening as he worked.

Minutes turned into hours. The candles burned low again. Rose sat silently, eyes never leaving his face.

Finally, Mo Han exhaled deeply and stepped back. "I understand her condition now," he said. "It's not just physical. There are multiple layers — injury to the spirit veins, suppression of internal essence, and something else..."

"Something else?"

He nodded slowly. "A fragment of sealing energy. Someone — intentionally or accidentally — sealed part of her vitality long ago. That is why normal healing doesn't work. Remove the seal, and she may recover."

Rose's eyes widened, her lips parting in astonishment. "You mean... there's a chance?"

Mo Han gave a faint nod. "A difficult one. But yes."

He called for materials — herbs, spirit needles, powdered jade essence, and a basin of spiritual water. As servants scrambled to gather them, he began his preparations. His every movement was measured, graceful — the confidence of one who had long since made mastery an art.

When the materials were ready, Mo Han began the procedure. He formed hand seals, pressing them to the girl's chest and neck, sending faint pulses of flame energy through her frozen veins. The heat shimmered, sinking into her pale skin, then vanished.

Slowly, faint color returned to More Wood's cheeks. Her lips trembled. Then — astonishingly — her fingers moved.

Rose gasped, covering her mouth, eyes glistening.

"Don't speak," Mo Han said quietly, his focus unbroken. "She's still under internal pressure."

He guided another stream of energy through her back, tapping into the seal. A faint, dark mist rose from the girl's body, vanishing in the air. Then, for the first time in seven years, More Wood's head turned slightly. Her eyes moved.

She blinked.

"Sis…"

The word was faint, hoarse, but clear. Rose broke down at once, tears spilling down her face as she clutched her sister's trembling hand.

Mo Han exhaled slowly, his spiritual aura dimming. Sweat glistened along his temples, but his gaze was calm. "Her pain will lessen now," he said softly. "But complete recovery will take time."

Rose looked up at him, her eyes wide — not just with gratitude, but something deeper, rawer. "You... did this. After years…" Her voice trembled. "You're truly… incredible."

Mo Han met her gaze, unbothered by the intensity in her eyes. "She's not healed yet. I've only relieved the binding. For full recovery, I'll need ten sessions — one each week."

Rose nodded fervently, still unable to tear her eyes away from him. "Then... I'll prepare everything you need. Whatever it costs."

As he turned to leave, she took a hesitant step forward. "Master Mo Han."

He paused, glancing back.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice soft, almost shy now. "Not just for my sister… but for giving me hope again."

For a heartbeat, their eyes met — her gratitude like sunlight, his calm gaze reflecting it back like still water. Somewhere between the healer and the noble lady, something unspoken passed — fragile, unacknowledged, but undeniably real.

And as Mo Han stepped out into the quiet corridor, the faint scent of roses followed him — lingering, haunting, and perhaps, waiting.

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