Time passed quickly.
After that, Xu Sheng left first.
He didn’t even appear for lunch.
However, Li Qingqing remained present as a guide. During that time, Mo Ruxue asked about Xu Sheng’s whereabouts, and Li Qingqing only said that Xu Sheng was handling sect matters and wouldn’t return until evening.
‘Won’t return until evening…’
Hearing such precise information, Mo Ruxue felt a bit reassured, yet also a bit nervous.
Although she hadn’t made any agreement with Xu Sheng, intuition told her that he would come find her again in the evening.
And at that time, she would need to pay the “tuition fee.”
As for the so-called tuition fee… it was probably related to the contents of those picture books.
However, Mo Ruxue hadn’t yet decided what exactly she would use as the fee.
At this moment, Mo Ruxue had completely forgotten, or ignored, that such behavior was “shameless.” It was only because her trading partner was Xu Sheng that, subconsciously, the flirtation outweighed the transaction, covering up that layer of “shamelessness.”
Her feelings for Xu Sheng were perhaps far more complicated than she imagined.
During mealtime, Mo Ruxue was somewhat distracted. But since she was usually quiet, and Zhu Yuexi was still brooding over the morning’s events, neither noticed this.
After lunch, Mo Ruxue and Zhu Yuexi were about to return to their room when Li Qingqing stopped Mo Ruxue.
“What are you doing?” Zhu Yuexi’s eyes were hostile as she warily watched Li Qingqing.
Li Qingqing didn’t even spare Zhu Yuexi a glance. She merely smiled and stared at Mo Ruxue.
“When my master left, he instructed me to give something to Fairy Mo.”
‘Something from Xu Sheng?’
‘A gift?’
When she first arrived, Xu Sheng had given her a welcoming gift—those three Demon Cult spies in the Linxian Sect had now been completely dealt with.
And the hot spring and wine afterward could also be considered gifts…
Mo Ruxue was not a greedy person, but just thinking that this was something Xu Sheng had given her, she couldn’t help but feel a stir of excitement.
Before Mo Ruxue could answer, Zhu Yuexi spoke first:
“What could that worm Xu Shien possibly take out…”
Zhu Yuexi felt a chill.
It wasn’t from Mo Ruxue; Mo Ruxue wouldn’t look at her with such eyes.
It was Li Qingqing.
It was hard to imagine how Li Qingqing could have such eyes. The moment she was stared at, Zhu Yuexi felt as if a cold, venomous snake had coiled around her neck, as if it was about to deliver a fatal strike.
She froze.
Mo Ruxue also noticed the look Li Qingqing was giving her disciple. She was about to stop her, but then recalled what Zhu Yuexi had just said.
“…Yuexi, show some respect.”
“…” Zhu Yuexi, recovering, was still shaken, but she shot Li Qingqing a glare.
“What is it?”
Mo Ruxue stopped paying attention to Zhu Yuexi and continued asking Li Qingqing.
Li Qingqing glanced at Zhu Yuexi.
“Please, Saintess Zhu, excuse us.”
“You…” Zhu Yuexi snorted coldly. But she had indeed been a bit too insolent in front of Mo Ruxue lately. Finally, she snorted again and turned to walk toward the room.
Mo Ruxue watched Zhu Yuexi’s retreating figure and sighed inwardly.
“That girl Yuexi is just a bit blunt, but her character isn’t bad.”
If Xu Sheng were here, he would probably be holding his stomach laughing. Only Li Qingqing could keep a straight face at such a remark.
Li Qingqing nodded. After making sure Zhu Yuexi was far enough, she took out a small gift box from her qiankun pouch.
The small box had black and pink lace on the outside, looking especially exquisite.
‘It’s a gift from Xu Sheng, right?’
“What’s inside?” Mo Ruxue took the box. Her expression didn’t change much, but she was indeed delighted inside.
“Sect Master Mo will know when you open it.”
Mo Ruxue opened the gift box.
Inside the box lay… a scarf?
No, this black thing wasn’t like a scarf; it was a lace accessory? There seemed to be two of them… And what were these two round cups placed together?
And this other shape… could it be pants? But whose pants were so sheer?
They were clearly things she had never seen before. Mo Ruxue felt that these items looked somewhat blush-inducing.
Seeing Mo Ruxue’s puzzled expression, Li Qingqing stepped closer to her, approaching to a slightly closer distance and spoke…
After hearing Li Qingqing’s words, Mo Ruxue froze on the spot. Even her hands began to tremble.
Li Qingqing continued explaining how to wear and use these two garments.
She understood, but…
…
Mo Ruxue returned to the room. At this time, Zhu Yuexi was sitting cross-legged, absorbing qi.
Her disciple had just started treatment and, with only a little spiritual energy restored, was already diligently cultivating. This itself was a cause for joy, but Mo Ruxue still seemed distracted.
She was even blushing.
‘Why did Xu Sheng give me this kind of clothing?’
Based on Li Qingqing’s description, Mo Ruxue could even imagine herself wearing those garments.
Just imagining that sight made Mo Ruxue feel so ashamed that her legs went weak.
It was even more… wanton than the contents of the picture books Xu Sheng had given her earlier.
‘Why did he give this to me? Does he want me to wear it…?’
‘No, absolutely not.’
Mo Ruxue considered herself a principled person. This level of behavior already qualified as a wanton woman. She wouldn’t allow herself to become that.
‘Refuse it?’
Mo Ruxue suddenly recalled yesterday’s kiss that never landed, the reward Xu Sheng had mentioned to her, and then the “tuition fee” he had spoken of today.
Mo Ruxue felt very confused.
Her sense of shame and morality told her that she couldn’t let Xu Sheng manipulate her, couldn’t use such a shameless way to seduce him.
But there was another voice inside her telling her:
‘If you want something, go for it.’
‘Are you really disgusted?’
‘Is it more shame, or genuine resistance from the bottom of your heart?’
‘Do you want Xu Sheng’s reward?’
‘Do you want… that kiss to actually land?’
‘Or… do you want to wear this for Xu Sheng to see?’
Mo Ruxue could no longer distinguish which voice was her truest. She only felt her mind in turmoil. In decades of cultivation, she had never encountered such a situation.
If not for the smooth circulation of spiritual energy in her body, she might have suspected she had entered a demonic deviation.
But yesterday’s hot spring and wine had been very helpful for cultivation, so she was certain her cultivation was fine.
This was also thanks to Xu Sheng’s help.
It seemed that Xu Sheng had never really mistreated her.
‘What should I do?’
Mo Ruxue also recalled yesterday’s kiss. After she dodged, Xu Sheng hadn’t looked disappointed, but his eyes had turned cold for an instant.
‘Would he be disappointed again?’
‘No… that’s not my concern…’
‘I’m just… just making the cooperation between Xu Sheng and myself smoother…’