Mount Dengxian was the residence of the Sect Master of the Linxian Sect and her disciples.
However, the current Sect Master, Mo Ruxue, loved silence. She kept no servants and had only one disciple. Consequently, Mount Dengxian was usually occupied by only Mo Ruxue and Zhu Yuexi.
Tonight, however, a man appeared on the mountain.
Zhu Yuexi climbed out of bed with stealthy movements. She showed none of the weakness she had displayed during the day, concealing her aura so thoroughly that even Mo Ruxue in the adjacent room noticed nothing unusual.
In the courtyard of the residence, Xu Sheng sat on a stone bench. Though he was the leader of one of the three great demonic cults, the moonlight now made his white robes seem to glow. Combined with his handsome features, he looked like a celestial being who had descended to Mount Dengxian from the heavens.
As Zhu Yuexi walked toward him, her eyes were filled with hatred and resentment. Yet, as if recalling something, an unusual flush appeared on her fair face.
“Bastard…”
As she drew near, she practically hissed the word through gritted teeth.
Hearing the greeting, Xu Sheng did not even spare her a glance. He merely flicked his eyelids slightly and continued pouring tea for himself.
“It seems the last lesson wasn’t enough…”
Xu Sheng drained his cup in one gulp before finally turning his cold gaze toward Zhu Yuexi.
She was all too familiar with that look. The moment Xu Sheng’s eyes locked onto hers, bad memories seemed to resurface, and the hair on her neck stood on end.
*Splash—*
Xu Sheng raised his hand, tossing the tea leaves and dregs from the bottom of his cup directly at her face.
There was not much liquid, not enough to soak her clothes, but given her high status, the sight of her being forced to close her eyes and dodge as tea leaves hit her face was strangely stirring to a man’s heart.
“Zhu Yuexi, it has been nearly a month since we last met. Have you already forgotten the words I said to you?”
She was already fuming at the humiliation of having water thrown at her. Hearing his words, her temper was on the verge of exploding.
Xu Sheng simply snapped his fingers, and a crystal ball appeared in his hand.
Images flashed within the sphere, playing back content that would make anyone blush. The lead actress in those scenes was undoubtedly Zhu Yuexi.
And the man was, without question, Xu Sheng.
Seeing this, Zhu Yuexi’s expression shifted drastically. She instinctively lunged for the crystal ball in his hand.
Xu Sheng’s other hand shot out, firmly gripping her wrist.
“Zhu Yuexi, you should think carefully about the consequences of resisting me. How would your dear, kind Master feel if she saw the scenes within this Recording Stone?”
Even as she tried to snatch the sphere, Xu Sheng maintained his signature smile—the smile of a man who controlled everything.
“Zhu Yuexi, how exactly should I judge you? You must know that someone who acts only on their temper without considering the consequences wouldn’t last three days in a demonic cult.”
At this, Xu Sheng seemed to recall something, and the corners of his mouth curled upward.
“Then again, if you actually had a brain, you wouldn’t have given me such leverage in the first place. Or perhaps, like your Master, you lacked the heart to harm others and wouldn’t have ended up with that lust drug on yourself.”
Hearing this, Zhu Yuexi fell silent for a long time.
This time, she did not grow angrier. Instead, she allowed her struggling hand to go limp.
“It seems you have some brains after all.”
Xu Sheng smiled, released her wrist, and put away the Recording Stone with a flick of his hand.
“I have many of these. However, if one were to break because of you, I would certainly be angry. And I wonder if you, Zhu Yuexi, could endure the punishment that follows my anger.”
Zhu Yuexi did not take the bait.
“I have already followed your instructions, taken the pill you gave me, and feigned being poisoned. My Master likely sought you out today. You can discuss whatever cooperation you want with her. I want to know why you called for me tonight.”
Xu Sheng chuckled, avoiding a direct answer.
“You are very important to Mo Ruxue, aren’t you?”
Zhu Yuexi’s phoenix-like eyes narrowed slightly.
Even though she was a woman with a venomous heart—having tried to poison her own junior sister during a mission a month ago—it did not change the fact that she was a stunning beauty. Even with such an expression, any onlooker would only marvel at her exquisite face.
“You have already used my relationship with my Master to force her into cooperating with you.”
A month ago, due to her own negligence, that wench from the sect had escaped her trap. Instead, Xu Sheng had seized the opportunity.
The thought of a demonic cultist like Xu Sheng daring to lay a finger on her made Zhu Yuexi feel a wave of nausea every time she remembered it.
Even worse, this demon was using a Recording Stone to threaten her.
If his goal was to use the stone to force her to continue an intimate relationship with him, she would have fought him to the death, even if it meant only taking a piece of his flesh with her.
But his goal was to use her to guide her Master into a partnership…
Her Master was the Sect Master of the Linxian Sect, and Xu Sheng was the Valley Lord of the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons.
If he wanted to discuss cooperation with her Master, it likely involved many interests between the righteous and demonic paths.
The possibility that his true target was her Master never even crossed Zhu Yuexi’s mind.
To her, Xu Sheng was certainly a creature driven by his lower half, but what demonic leader would waste such an opportunity on petty lust when there were grander schemes at play?
And so, Zhu Yuexi had compromised.
Her words now were meant to remind Xu Sheng not to cross the line; she had not actually submitted to him.
Xu Sheng silently poured her a cup of tea.
“When your Master came to see me, I proposed a condition. I asked for half the lifespan of everyone in the Linxian Sect in exchange for curing your ailment.”
Zhu Yuexi merely sneered.
“Quite the clever trick, ‘curing my ailment’…”
Xu Sheng shrugged. “How can you call it a trick? Didn’t I swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao? As long as your Master agrees to cooperate, I will never use the Recording Stone to blackmail you again. In a sense, I am losing a major piece of leverage over your Linxian Sect.”
Zhu Yuexi huffed coldly.
Xu Sheng had indeed sworn an oath to the Heavenly Dao. That could not be faked. Even as a demonic Valley Lord, he would not dare go back on such an oath.
Xu Sheng continued, “Are you familiar with the roof-dismantling effect? When someone threatens to tear off the roof, people often compromise by letting them open a window. Your true purity is already gone, but in your Master’s eyes, how important do you think that is?”
Zhu Yuexi was so enraged she almost threw her teacup at him.
However, Xu Sheng’s signature smile remained unchanged, even as she raised her hand.
Zhu Yuexi’s hand tightened around the cup until her knuckles turned white.
***
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