Shen Mo’s face slowly turned red.
The flush spread from his cheeks to the corners of his eyes, then from the corners of his eyes to his ears, clearly visible under the moonlight.
“If you’re willing, if you’re willing to show off, taking seventy percent of the votes won’t be difficult.”
The unguarded, objectifying assessment in her words pierced Shen Mo, making him shiver with cold.
And yet, her confident evaluation also excited him.
‘Really…can I?’
‘For Wan’er…’
“I’ll go.”
Qin Shuying watched him, watched his expression that clearly showed he was scared to death yet still agreed.
The string in her heart twitched slightly.
“Then, next, there’s one more thing you need to prepare.”
“What?”
“A dress.”
A…dress?!
These two words were like a thunderclap, striking Shen Mo’s mind with force!
His eyes flew wide open.
An act against all moral principles!
In a female-dominated world, a man wearing women’s clothing was something shocking and scandalous.
“W-Why…do I need to wear a dress?!”
Shen Mo was stunned.
‘Have you forgotten what kind of place the Ten Thousand Flower Pavilion is?’
Qin Shuying didn’t wait for his answer and continued in that unquestioning tone.
“Since its founding, the Ten Thousand Flower Pavilion has had one iron rule—it only receives female guests.”
“Those qualified to enter its core area and access the Cangzhen Pavilion have always been only women, or…a very small number of specially permitted individuals of unique status.”
“For the Flower Queen Competition it hosts, the observers, the judges, and even the male consorts who enter with them… No ordinary man can get close to the competition’s core area except by signing up.”
Her gaze fell on Shen Mo’s pale face.
“You are Su Wan’er’s husband. In the Cloud Hidden Sect and even the surrounding territories, your title is too well-known. In a place like the Ten Thousand Flower Pavilion, filled with all kinds of people and bustling with information flow, someone on the scene is bound to recognize you and know you are the Lord of Jiaoyue Peak.”
Shen Mo’s heart sank. He had indeed overlooked this point.
“Unless you are the male consort of some invited top power or giant of a sect, it’s nearly impossible to move an inch without relying on a woman. That is a place where women seek pleasure and judge men. A refined venue for female entertainment.”
“But the problem, Shen Mo, is that with your name as the Lord of Jiaoyue Peak, I would be very willing to take you in as my male consort.”
“If I, as the Tianjian Peak Master, publicly bring you—the legitimate husband of the Jiaoyue Peak Master—into the Ten Thousand Flower Pavilion, which only receives female guests, and also have you participate in the Flower Queen Competition as a male consort… What do you think will happen when the news gets out?”
“The selection of the Flower Queen doesn’t just look at looks. Virtue, reputation, and the conduct of a man are also important considerations. A man who sneaks into such places with another female cultivator behind his wife’s back…”
“Not only would you fail to get the Purifying Soul Dragon Spine Liquid, but you would immediately become a target of public criticism, your reputation ruined.”
Her unspoken meaning had already chilled Shen Mo to the bone.
She paused. “So, you can only go alone. At the critical moment, reveal your identity and be selected under the pretense of ‘loving beauty.'”
The malicious amusement in her heart reached its peak.
‘What would Shen Mo look like in women’s clothing?’
She was actually…a little looking forward to it.
“The Frost Condensation Sword Art is one of the world’s ultimate cold techniques, and it also touches on healing arts. To expel the poison and circulate the energy requires a hundred days of practice. Though troublesome, it’s not impossible.”
“All three conditions now have a way forward.”
“And as for the person who will perform the technique,” Qin Shuying leaned in, “The Heavenly Lotus Heart I cultivate, the spiritual liquid… I myself am the qualified person to perform the technique.”
“Shen Mo, I have old grievances with her. You know this very well.”
Qin Shuying said calmly.
“Saving her brings me nothing but harm, and instead will consume precious treasures and my own cultivation level. In this world, there is no free lunch.”
“I…” Shen Mo wanted to say something anxiously, but she raised her hand to stop him.
“Considering how sensible you’ve been today, and the fact that I now have your Yin Essence within me… I agree to your request.”
Shen Mo’s heart began to race wildly.
“But, after the deed is done,” Qin Shuying’s voice turned abruptly cold, “there are three conditions.”
“First, from that day on, you will move to the Heavenly Sword Peak. Without my permission, you are not allowed to leave without authorization, and you are not allowed to see Su Wan’er again. You will serve by my side until…I deem it appropriate.”
“Second, the materials needed to save Su Wan’er and the cultivation I will expend are all because of you.”
“You must swear a Heavenly Dao Oath that your body and soul will belong to me, Qin Shuying, alone for this life, without a second heart, and you will never again have marital relations or intimate contact with Su Wan’er. If you break this oath, may heaven and earth destroy you, and may your soul be scattered.”
“Third,” Qin Shuying leaned down slightly, her icy fingertips lifting Shen Mo’s chin again, forcing him to look up at her,
“Once Su Wan’er’s injuries are stable and her Dao Foundation is rebuilt…I will let her know that it was you, seeing her gravely wounded and on the verge of death with no hope for her Dao path, who voluntarily begged me, using yourself as the price, to trade for her life. And from then on, you and she will be cut off from all ties, with no relationship whatsoever.”
“How about it?”
Qin Shuying let go of her hand, straightened up, and looked down at Shen Mo, who was sitting limply on the ground, his face ashen.
Her voice returned to its original cool and indifferent tone.
“Use your freedom, your oath, your past and future with her…to trade for her life, to trade for a chance at her Dao path. This deal, for you…should be quite a bargain, shouldn’t it?”
Shen Mo sat on the ground in a daze.
A bargain?
Use everything he had to trade for Wan’er’s life.
It seemed…he had no choice.
Nor did he have the right to say no.
“I accept.”
“Good.”
Qin Shuying extended her hand, palm up.
A strand of pure, icy spiritual power condensed, transforming into a complex and profound ice-blue rune that hovered in midair.
“Then, take the oath.”
“Swear with your spirit soul, your Dao path, and all your feelings and bonds for Su Wan’er.”
Shen Mo opened his eyes, trembling as he raised his hand.
A faint wisp of his Primordial Soul Power gathered at his fingertip, slowly pointing toward the rune.
The cold light of the contract flickered faintly in the Xuanbing Meditation Room.
Qin Shuying stood up and walked to an inconspicuous wardrobe in the corner of the meditation room.
With a light touch of her spiritual power, the cabinet door slid open silently.
Inside, there were no cultivation jade slips or elixir treasures. Instead, a whole set of…women’s dresses was neatly hung.
The fabrics were all of the finest quality, with colors leaning toward the plain—mainly moon-white, light blue, and pale purple.
The styles were simple yet elegant, the tailoring exquisite, and faint defensive or concealing spiritual power subtly flowed through them.
Her eyes swept over several dresses, finally settling on a set of moon-white, wide-sleeved Immortal-Soothing Skirt embroidered with silver, dark-patterned flowing clouds—the most elegant and ethereal of the styles.
She reached out and took the skirt, along with the matching white silk socks, embroidered shoes, and a complete set of delicate but not overly flashy hairpins and jewelry.
“Change into this.”
Shen Mo’s eyes landed on those soft fabrics belonging to women.
He stared at the moon-white hem for a long time, so long that Qin Shuying furrowed her brows, her eyes showing impatience as a prompt.
Finally, as slowly and mechanically as a puppet on strings, he extended his hand.
When his fingertips touched the cold, smooth silk, they jerked back as if burned. Then he forced himself to grasp it tightly.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, though the frigid air stung his lungs.
Then he began to move, removing his already tattered and stained plain male outer robe, untying his white underrobe… Every movement was slow and stiff.
The cold air brushed against his bare skin, sending a shiver through him.
It wasn’t just the cold. It was the shame of having something completely stripped away.
When the last piece of men’s undergarment was removed, the cold air swept over his skin, bringing another tremor.
He picked up the moon-white Heart Cover (women’s undergarment).
Time and again, he failed to tie the thin straps properly.
Qin Shuying stood by the side, coldly watching him struggle clumsily with the unfamiliar garments.
She did not reach out to help, nor did she look away.
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