“Why? Why?!”
All along the way, Yuexi kept muttering this phrase, stomping her feet in frustration, the soft, porcelain-white flesh of her thighs trembling slightly, a captivating sight.
Not only did the Sect Master not kill that scum from the Spirit Sword Sect, but she also healed his injuries and gifted him [Falling Plum], one of the sect’s four earth-tier spiritual swords.
No matter how she thought about it, Yuexi couldn’t comprehend Mu Zhonghua’s actions, and the once elegant and noble image of the Sect Master in her heart was now shrouded in shadow.
“What kind of bewitching spell did you cast on Sect Master Mu? Confess honestly, and maybe I’ll let you die a quick death!”
“Miss Yuexi, this is the eleventh time… you’ve asked me this question. Even if you ask a thousand… ten thousand times, my answer won’t change.”
Gu Shenzhi, dragged behind her, spoke haltingly.
The ropes were tied so tightly that he could barely breathe, and deep red marks were already etched into his neck.
“Let’s see how long you can keep up that tough act!”
Yuexi’s tender, porcelain-white foot pressed firmly on Gu Shenzhi, the rope in her delicate hands tightening gradually.
She was gleefully toying with her pitiful prey.
As time passed, Gu Shenzhi’s breathing grew more labored.
Though his expression remained cold as frost and his attitude dismissive, in his heart, he had already cursed Yuexi’s entire family several times over.
At times like this, the gentle kindness and innocent charm of his own maidservant seemed all the more precious.
He knew that the more he struggled, the more excited Yuexi would become.
She might even strangle him to death for real, like some twisted game of lovers where unchecked desire could occasionally lead to death.
Swish—
A sharp wind blade effortlessly cut through the thin rope in Yuexi’s hand, so fast that even a Core Formation cultivator might not have noticed.
“That’s enough, Sister Yuexi.”
As the words fell, Su Linghuang appeared, a gentle breeze blowing against her, lifting her snow-white hair.
Clad in a scarlet long dress, it perfectly accentuated her graceful, alluring figure.
Her slender waist was adorned with spiritual jade, and the hem of her skirt reached her ankles, revealing delicate, lustrous feet that one couldn’t help but want to hold and caress.
Gu Shenzhi, “surviving a calamity,” collapsed powerlessly on the ground, his breathing rapid and ragged, his face pale as if he had just returned from the gates of death.
“Linghuang, why are you here?” Yuexi asked softly, her eyes darting nervously, her hands unconsciously fidgeting with her nails, her heart inexplicably flustered.
“I was just passing by. But Master specifically instructed me that he must not die before our wedding night.”
“Sorry, I just felt it wasn’t worth it for you. But since you say so, Linghuang, I won’t make things difficult for him.”
In front of the Scarlet Lotus Saintess, Yuexi always felt an inexplicable sense of inferiority.
It wasn’t so bad before, but today she wished she could crawl into a hole and disappear, practically fleeing in panic.
Su Linghuang silently walked to Gu Shenzhi’s side, bending down to gently untie the ropes carelessly binding him.
The snowy fullness of her chest pressed right before his eyes, blocking out the already dim sunlight.
A faint fragrance.
“We’ve never met before, so why did you save me, miss?”
“That’s a question I should be asking you. The thief who broke into my room last night and inexplicably shattered my bookshelf—that was you, wasn’t it?”
“You’ve got the wrong person, miss. My cultivation is low, my eyes are blind, and I can barely protect myself, let alone save someone.”
“Liar!”
Su Linghuang declared without room for argument.
She was certain it was Gu Shenzhi who saved her—earlier, she had sensed the lingering aura from last night on him.
Gu Shenzhi sighed, shakily standing up and brushing off the dust, replying helplessly, “It was just a small effort, nothing worth mentioning.”
Su Linghuang let out a soft laugh, her starry eyes radiating a charm that could captivate all beings, breathtakingly beautiful.
“Then I was just helping out casually as well.”
Holding the thin rope, Gu Shenzhi followed behind the Scarlet Lotus Saintess like a pet, drawing the attention of onlookers.
“Hey, isn’t that a man following behind the Saintess?”
“With a face like jade, brows like ink, and red lips with white teeth… he’s probably prettier than most women! I heard he’s the young master of the Spirit Sword Sect!”
“What are you thinking? Have you forgotten the sect’s rules?”
A female disciple scolded sharply, but her eyes never left Gu Shenzhi’s face, reluctant to shift her gaze from his handsome features.
Hearing the murmurs, Su Linghuang suddenly turned to look at Gu Shenzhi.
“I still don’t know your name.”
“This one is surnamed Gu, named Shenzhi.”
“Then it’s Young Master Gu. I look forward to your guidance in the days to come,” Su Linghuang said with a smile, her beautiful eyes shimmering with a captivating light.
“No, no, no, it’s I who will trouble the Saintess.”
Gu Shenzhi quickly responded.
He couldn’t bear the respectful address of a heaven’s pride like her.
Even if there was to be any “guidance,” it likely wouldn’t be in cultivation.
Su Linghuang didn’t deny it.
Her first impression of her betrothed wasn’t bad; she even felt a bit of fondness.
After all, he had saved her life, and she was quite bored, wanting someone to talk to.
In the past, Sister Yuexi would often visit, but ever since she broke through to the Spirit Manifestation stage, Yuexi came less often, only exchanging brief pleasantries when they met.
Living alone in such a vast cave dwelling, no matter how devoted she was to cultivation and the immortal path, she couldn’t help but feel lonely.
Not to mention, she was only nineteen years old, even though her realm surpassed most cultivators who had practiced for ninety years.
“By the way, since you can heal my injuries, your cultivation must be quite high, Young Master Gu. There’s a minor sect competition in a few days, and the winner can enter the inner sect to cultivate. Master instructed me to ensure you pass the competition, even if it means dual cultivation. But I suppose that won’t be necessary, right?”
“No need, truly no need.”
At that moment, Gu Shenzhi’s heart twisted like a knife.
He silently lamented why the heavens were punishing him so, making him miss out on the chance to explore the great path of yin and yang with such a peerless beauty.
Mainly, he wanted to advance his cultivation realm.
As for Su Linghuang’s body, he wasn’t really interested—yes, really not interested.
Amid their casual chatter, the two soon arrived at the Saintess’s cave dwelling—Qihuang Garden, the place with the densest spiritual energy in the entire Moon Shadow Sect.
Two trees stood at the entrance: one a phoenix tree, the other also a phoenix tree.
Beneath them, a girl in a light red dress anxiously awaited her young master’s return, occasionally standing on tiptoe to peer at the end of the bluestone path.
Gu Shenzhi’s voice drifted closer, carried by the breeze to the girl’s ears.
Taoyao’s delicate, doll-like face lit up with joy at first, then froze in an odd expression.
Watching her young master chatting and joking with that vixen, Taoyao’s face flushed with anger, her feelings of longing swept away, her back teeth nearly grinding to dust.
“Young Master, where have you been? Your servant was worried to death!”
Taoyao hurriedly ran to Gu Shenzhi, throwing herself into his arms.
Tears glistened in her eyes, her cherry lips slightly pursed, looking like a delicate bird, docile and spirited, easily stirring one’s desire to protect and possess her.
As for Su Linghuang beside her, Taoyao selectively ignored her until, while nestled in Gu Shenzhi’s arms, she shot a provocative glance her way.
“Young Master Gu, who is this girl?” Su Linghuang asked coldly, her sweet, playful smile vanishing, replaced by an icy frost and an air of superiority that looked down on everything.
As the chief disciple of the Black Lotus Demoness and the greatest genius of the Moon Shadow Sect in a century, those who dared to play tricks in her presence usually met a grim fate—or rather, a gruesome death.
The reason the demonic path was called demonic wasn’t just because of its crazed and extreme doctrines.