Bianliang City is the foremost of the ten thousand cities in Muyun Continent, with bustling streets and a thriving population.
Merchants come and go endlessly, cooking smoke rises, and the lights of countless households glow.
People from all walks of life—scholars, warriors, and rogues—gather here, making it distinct from other places and far surpassing the likes of Wu’an City.
It truly lives up to its reputation as the capital of Muyun Continent.
Before the grand and magnificent city gate walked a dashing young man dressed in a black dragon robe, crowned with a white jade cap adorned with a crimson gem.
His demeanor was refined and courteous, exuding an air of elegance and charm, as if he were a jade-like figure, a peerless gentleman unmatched in the world.
By his side stood a young woman with snow-white hair cascading to her waist.
Her scarlet silk dress subtly outlined her enchanting, graceful figure.
A light veil covered her face, yet it could not conceal her ethereal aura, hinting at a beauty that could only be described as heavenly.
Hand in hand, their fingers interlocked, they walked slowly into Bianliang City, resembling a harmonious and loving couple.
“Has Huang’er been to Bianliang City before?” Gu Shenzhi asked softly, gently leaning toward the stunning young woman beside him.
“I came here once before. At that time, the lord of Bianliang City was plotting with the Spirit Sword Sect to seek autonomy, and my master sent me to take his head,” Su Linghuang replied.
Feeling the conversation turn slightly awkward, she quickly changed the subject, asking, “What about you, husband?”
“I’ve been here many times. Back then, I was still the young master of the Spirit Sword Sect. I came here mainly to meet with a city lord who wanted to abandon his dark path and join the light. Later, he was mysteriously assassinated, reportedly leaving no trace of his body.”
Both fell silent for a moment, neither speaking.
Sometimes, reality is far more bizarre and fascinating than fiction.
“Does husband blame me for killing him?” Su Linghuang asked, gently resting her head on the young man’s shoulder, adopting a delicate, bird-like demeanor.
Gu Shenzhi didn’t pull away.
The faint smile that always lingered on his lips remained, though the one he gave Su Linghuang was noticeably more sincere than those he offered others.
He said casually, “Killed him? So be it. That old man wasn’t a good person anyway—lustful and greedy, he repeatedly abducted women and even set his sights on Bai…”
When he had visited Bianliang City before, he hadn’t come alone.
Accompanying him was his junior sister, as beautiful as peach blossoms.
Though they were nominally senior and junior disciples, their relationship was closer than that of typical sect mates, almost like lovers.
In secret, it was a forbidden master-disciple romance.
If the Red Lotus Saintess were to learn of this scandal, it would be a miracle if he escaped with his life intact, let alone avoiding being reduced to ashes.
Realizing the danger, Gu Shenzhi immediately stopped talking, abruptly changing the subject.
“There’s a Yulan Teahouse up ahead. I used to visit it often, and the food there is quite good. Shall we go take a look? You might like it too.”
“Alright. If it’s something husband enjoys, I definitely want to try it,” Su Linghuang said with a light laugh, her exquisite face revealing two charming dimples.
The Red Lotus Saintess’s snow-white hair always carried a faint, delicate fragrance, like an epiphyllum blooming alone in the night—fragrant, pleasant, and surely delightful to taste.
The teahouse was small, with only two floors, barely larger than three or four carriages stacked together.
The wooden tables bore varying degrees of damage and years of accumulated grease stains.
Yet, the business was surprisingly brisk.
Not only were all the seats taken, but several people were eating standing at the counter.
The aroma wafting from the kitchen was rich and enticing, whetting the appetite.
The two waited for quite a while, and after several rounds of tipping, they finally secured a window seat.
A pot of clear tea, two bowls of red bean dumplings, and a few low-grade spirit stones—Gu Shenzhi could afford this small treat.
Inviting someone out, he wouldn’t dream of letting Huang’er pay the bill.
The tea was still the same clear tea, but the candied fruit had been replaced with red bean dumplings.
Since the people were no longer the same as before, why should the items remain unchanged?
How could they?
Treating his wife to the same dessert he used to share with his former lover (his master) in the same shop—Gu Shenzhi might be sentimental, but he wasn’t perverse enough to stoop to that level.
The freshly made red bean dumplings were small and delicate, still steaming hot, immediately catching Su Linghuang’s attention.
Having lived on spiritual herbs and elixirs for so long, she couldn’t recall the last time she tasted mortal food.
Rescued from a pile of corpses by her master and brought into the Moon Shadow Sect, her memories before that were like a fog—hazy and indistinct.
Yet, Su Linghuang restrained her urge to indulge in the food, sitting upright on her stool.
Her delicate, slender foot subtly brushed against Gu Shenzhi’s calf, as if reminding him she was waiting for something.
Looking at the shy and stunning young woman before him, Gu Shenzhi chuckled softly, feigning ignorance as he asked, “Huang’er, eating dessert on our own is rather dull. How about I feed you from my bowl, and you feed me from yours?”
“That… doesn’t seem proper, does it?”
Though Gu Shenzhi had guessed her thoughts, the Red Lotus Saintess insisted on maintaining her aloof demeanor, politely declining at first, waiting for him to invite her again before reluctantly agreeing.
The easier something is to obtain, the less men cherish it—this was the lesson Su Linghuang had recently learned from her junior sisters.
Reflecting on it now, she realized how naive she had been before.
Things like holding hands, embracing, or even her first kiss—such precious moments shouldn’t be given away so easily.
At the very least, she should make him swear to love her forever.
At this moment, Su Linghuang fidgeted with her nails, anxiously awaiting the words she longed to hear from Gu Shenzhi.
When it came to reading people, whether physically or emotionally, Gu Shenzhi was exceptionally skilled.
Ordinary women’s thoughts were transparent to him, let alone someone as straightforward as Su Linghuang.
“If Huang’er thinks it’s not right, then perhaps we should forget it,” Gu Shenzhi said gently, as if considering her feelings.
“Hm… huh?! Just like that?”
Su Linghuang’s cheeks flushed red.
She desperately wanted Gu Shenzhi to feed her but couldn’t bring herself to say it, leaving her in distress.
Regret—overwhelming regret.
If she hadn’t played coy earlier, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.
Just as the Red Lotus Saintess thought all was lost, a new opportunity arose.
Gu Shenzhi suddenly spoke, “I know this request may seem abrupt, but feeding the most beautiful woman in the world dessert has long been an unfulfilled wish of mine. I hope Huang’er will grant it.”
At that moment, the pitiful Red Lotus Saintess was completely at the mercy of her charming yet philandering husband, who had dallied with four or five other women.
“Alright then,” Su Linghuang said, removing her veil to reveal her flawless, ethereal face.
She slightly parted her cherry lips, closed her eyes, and waited for the black-robed young man to feed her.
Her pearly teeth gently bit into the treat, and a sweet fragrance filled her mouth.
The faint sweetness spread across her tongue, the red bean dumpling still warm from the oven, soft, sticky, and deliciously delicate.
Su Linghuang let out a soft, pleasant hum, her cheeks tinged with a rosy blush.
Gazing at the breathtaking beauty before him, Gu Shenzhi found himself momentarily entranced.
Yet, at that moment, a white silhouette caught his peripheral vision—a figure strikingly reminiscent of someone he both despised and was powerless against.
His junior sister, Bai Ling—or rather, his master, Bai Qi.
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