None of the four girls spoke about what had happened to them under the effects of the drug.

After all, it wasn’t exactly a proud moment.

Oh, except for Qu Ruyan—who had absolutely no idea what had happened and didn’t care in the slightest.

Lin Mo led the way, with the girls following behind him.

There were quite a few cultivators around, watching their every move, but Lin Mo paid them no mind.

Leaving the pavilion and passing through the formation, they returned to Daliang City.

Seeing Lin Mo heading toward the city gates, Xia He hesitated before asking, “S-Senior Brother, aren’t we going to finish our training mission?”

Her tone had unconsciously become more respectful.

Xie Zhi’an spoke up, “Senior Brother already handled the ghost disturbance in Daliang City.”

That’s when Xia He realized—she was the useless one in the group.

Throughout this entire training exercise, she had done nothing but drag Lin Mo down.

In the end, Lin Mo not only completed the mission single-handedly but also helped her time and time again.

Feeling ashamed and guilty, she chose to stay silent and quietly followed behind him.

“Senior Brother, Senior Brother, I want more candy!”

Qu Ruyan, however, was still completely fixated on the lollipop Lin Mo had given her.

That lollipop was hands down the best thing she had ever tasted in her life.

“I’ll give you one, but only if you promise to talk less.”

“Why—”

Before she could even finish, Lin Mo shot her a glare.

That was when the girls finally remembered his earlier warning: “Stop asking so many questions!”

With her prize secured, Qu Ruyan eagerly unwrapped the lollipop and started savoring it.

But this time, instead of just popping it into her mouth, she carefully licked it, bit by bit, enjoying every moment.

Watching her extend her little tongue, eyes full of bliss as she slowly licked the candy, Lin Mo felt a headache coming on.

“Can you just suck on it normally?”

Did this girl have any idea how suggestive that looked?!

“But it’s too delicious! I’m afraid it’ll be gone too quickly, so I want to savor it…” Qu Ruyan treated the lollipop like a precious treasure.

Seeing how much she enjoyed it, both Xie Zhiqu and Xia He unconsciously swallowed.

Lin Mo casually tossed them each a lollipop.

This stuff was cheap anyway—200 Regret Points got him 50 of them. He wasn’t that stingy.

The two girls unwrapped theirs and put them in their mouths.

The moment the candy touched their tongues, their eyes lit up in surprise.

‘So sweet! So delicious!’

Lin Mo glanced at Xie Zhi’an, who was pretending not to care about the candy. “Want one?”

“I don’t like sweets.”

“Just take it. Don’t make it seem like I’m playing favorites.” Without waiting for her response, Lin Mo shoved a lollipop into her mouth.

Xie Zhi’an, who supposedly didn’t like sweets, silently accepted it.

Ha! Trying to act tough?

This was modern technology’s finest confectionery—there wasn’t a girl or child who had never tasted candy that could possibly resist it.

Qu Ruyan suddenly asked, “Senior Brother, where can we buy these?”

The other girls looked at him with curiosity as well.

“You can’t buy them. Only I have them,” Lin Mo replied casually.

“Eh? Did you make them yourself, Senior Brother?” Qu Ruyan asked excitedly.

“…Sure, let’s go with that.”

“Senior Brother, can you make more of these for me in the future?”

Hearing this, Lin Mo suddenly stopped in his tracks, his expression turning serious. “There’s something you all need to understand.”

The girls immediately halted as well, looking at him expectantly.

“Once we return to the sect, we will no longer have any ties. There’s no need to interact.”

“I never wanted to be your guide for this training mission, and you didn’t want me either. Let’s just go our separate ways—no need to cross paths again.”

Then, he turned to Xia He. “But the spirit stones you owe me—you still have to pay them back.”

After hearing this, the girls felt a heavy weight settle in their hearts.

Only now did they recall the rumors about Lin Mo in the sect.

Cruel. Ruthless. Heartless. A tyrant among his peers.

And right now, he truly was acting heartless toward them.

But deep down, they knew they deserved it. Before today, they had never even considered him their senior brother—and on top of that, they had caused him nothing but trouble.

Only Qu Ruyan was still confused. “Senior Brother, why can’t we interact with you…?”

Another why.

Lin Mo’s headache worsened, but he had no desire to answer.

Seeing his silence, Qu Ruyan suddenly felt like the lollipop in her mouth wasn’t as sweet anymore. Her face drooped in disappointment.

The journey back to the sect was quiet and heavy.

Lin Mo had always been cold to them, but now that he had clearly drawn the line, it felt like a weight pressing down on their chests.

Since the girls had changed back into their usual clothing, cultivators kept trying to block their path, drawn by their beauty.

But Lin Mo dealt with them swiftly.

At that moment, the girls finally understood why Lin Mo had initially asked them to dress plainly.

It was for this reason.

Realizing how much he had considered their safety, they felt even more miserable.

Lin Mo, on the other hand, heard the system notifications confirming an increase in Regret Points.

After walking for some time, Lin Mo suddenly spoke in a cold tone.

“You’ve been following us for quite a while now. If you don’t show yourselves, we’ll be returning to the sect soon.”

The girls were stunned.

Someone was following them?

They hadn’t noticed anything at all.

The next moment, a pudgy man in purple robes stepped out from the shadows, accompanied by a middle-aged man.

Lin Mo recognized the pudgy man immediately—it was the same guy who had been bidding against him at the auction.

“Oh? You’re quite sharp to have noticed us,” the pudgy man sneered.

Lin Mo had sensed their presence the moment they left Daliang City.

The middle-aged man beside the pudgy youth spoke, “Young Master, don’t worry. I’ve already confirmed—he has no hidden protectors.”

Hearing this, the pudgy man’s arrogance skyrocketed.

“I don’t care if you’re from one of the Five Great Clans of the Upper Realm. Today, you’re going down.”

“You were quite bold at the auction, buying four beauties in one go. You think you can handle them all?”

“Be smart—hand one over, and I’ll spare your life.”

Lin Mo looked at the man like he was an absolute idiot.

“…Are you missing a brain, or is your head just filled with filth?”

“You want me to hand one over in exchange for my life?”

“If you’re worried that I’m from one of the Five Great Clans, shouldn’t you be even more afraid of my revenge?”

The pudgy man’s face twisted in fury. “You dare insult me?!”

But then, he sneered, “You reminded me of something—leaving you alive would be a problem. You’re only at Foundation Establishment level, yet you act so arrogant without even a single bodyguard.”

“My Uncle Li here is at the Golden Core mid-stage!”

Hearing this, the girls turned pale.

A Golden Core mid-stage cultivator was far beyond their current level…

Lin Mo, however, simply shifted his gaze toward the forest.

“Still not coming out?” he said indifferently.

Both the pudgy man and his middle-aged guard flinched.

Could it be that Lin Mo really did have hidden bodyguards?

At that moment, two figures emerged from the grove.

When the pudgy man saw who they were, he immediately relaxed.

It was Chen Huai and his ever-present old servant.

There was an unspoken rule—the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Chen Huai and the pudgy man exchanged glances and grinned, understanding each other instantly.

Seeing Chen Huai, Xia He’s face twisted in anger and disgust.

“You shameless bastard! How dare you show yourself in front of me again?!”

Chen Huai chuckled. “Why wouldn’t I? Soon, I’ll have you moaning under me.”

Then, he pointed at Lin Mo. “That slap you gave me this morning was quite something. But I didn’t expect you to be a eunuch. Four stunning women in your possession, yet you refuse to touch them?”

“I was hoping to watch you ruin Xia He, but you made me wait for nothing.”

Lin Mo had already noticed Chen Huai sneaking around during the night attack at the pavilion.

So he had been spying on him, hoping to see him take advantage of Xia He?

Wait. Didn’t Chen Huai pursue Xia He before?

So he was actually just a cuckold?!

Lin Mo’s eyes filled with disdain.

He glanced at the grove once again.

“Still not coming out?”

Everyone tensed.

Especially Chen Huai and the pudgy man—their hearts clenched as the same thought crossed their minds.

Could he actually have a hidden protector?