“Master… why did you secretly harm me?”
“I did all this for the future. Only this way can we be together forever, undisturbed by anyone.”
The noble and aloof immortal gently lifted his cheek, her beautiful eyes like autumn waters, their clear surface reflecting only his figure.
Her soft, moist cherry lips kissed him without hesitation, her delicate tongue cool and silky, fervently seeking his affection.
Such scenes had already played out countless times before.
Even if he resisted desperately, he was merely a lone boat on the sea, helplessly battered by towering waves, at risk of being swallowed by the tide at any moment.
“Cough, cough, cough!”
Gu Shenzhi abruptly woke from his dream, coughing violently, his chest heaving as if he were drowning.
If a person loses their freedom and dignity, what right do they have to call themselves human?
This was not the first time Bai Qi had been the protagonist of his dreams.
As long as that woman existed, it was destined to be a nightmare.
To ordinary people, her stunning, breathtaking beauty was like a painting, but to Gu Shenzhi, it was a past he least wanted to recall.
Her ethereal face was like the coldest moonlight in the mortal world, yet her heart harbored dangerous depths.
“Senior Brother Gu, it’s almost the hour of Mao.”
A light knock came from outside, and Mo Xiaonian kindly reminded him, a trace of worry flashing in her clear eyes.
Last night, Senior Sister Yuexi had asked about Gu Shenzhi’s room location.
Overcome by fatigue and drowsiness, Mo Xiaonian had casually told her.
But the more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
In the dead of night, a lone man and woman, whose relationship could hardly be called close—more like irreconcilable enemies—Senior Sister Yuexi might be planning to take this chance to get back at him.
Their cultivation levels were worlds apart, and this place was far from the sect’s jurisdiction.
Senior Brother Gu… he wouldn’t die in there, would he?
Just as Mo Xiaonian was about to break down the door to check, the previously shut door was suddenly pushed open, hitting her delicate nose.
With a soft whimper, Mo Xiaonian quickly covered her reddened nose, glaring resentfully at the black-clad youth before her.
“Junior Sister Mo, are you hurt?”
Gu Shenzhi asked with concern, his tone warm and friendly, his acting skills clearly inherited from his master.
Seeing his sincere expression, Mo Xiaonian could only choose to forgive him.
“I’ll let it slide this time. Senior Sister Yuexi and I are waiting for you in the room.”
With that, Mo Xiaonian gracefully turned to leave, her twin ponytails swaying lightly, adding a touch of youthful charm to the refined young lady from a prominent family.
Before meeting the Red Lotus Saintess in person, she planned to get along well with Gu Shenzhi, fostering their sibling-like bond.
If he backed out at the last moment, she would make sure to exploit all his value before thoroughly crushing him underfoot.
At this thought, a smug smile curved Mo Xiaonian’s lips.
She couldn’t wait to see Gu Shenzhi begging for mercy on his knees.
Such obvious scheming naturally didn’t escape Gu Shenzhi’s dark purple double-pupiled eyes.
He let out a helpless sigh—whatever made Junior Sister Mo happy.
As for the next competition, he’d just throw the match by a few hundred moves.
He refused to believe he could still win.
Pushing open the slightly ajar door, Gu Shenzhi cautiously followed Mo Xiaonian.
Even with his keen understanding of human nature, he couldn’t quite read the current Yuexi, and the unknown was often dangerous.
“Junior Brother Gu, you’ve finally arrived. Mu’er and I were getting worried.”
A soft, enchanting female voice sounded, and Yuexi, dressed in a black and yellow oriole skirt, gracefully stepped out from behind a screen.
Her fair, delicate face was lightly adorned with makeup, her phoenix eyes captivating, her figure curvaceous and alluring.
Behind her followed a shy little girl named Mu’er, peeking out from behind the screen.
She was the one Gu Shenzhi had saved the previous day.
Mu’er cautiously approached Gu Shenzhi, slowly kneeling and saying shyly, “Young Master, I have no way to repay your life-saving grace. This humble girl can only offer herself…”
“Stop right there!”
Gu Shenzhi’s expression turned serious as he asked, “Little girl, answer me honestly—who taught you to say those words?”
“I’m not ‘little girl,’ I’m Mu’er,” the girl pouted stubbornly.
“Alright, alright, Mu’er it is. Now, can you tell me who taught you to say that?”
He bent down, gently patting her head with utmost tenderness.
Mu’er hesitated, then pointed at Yuexi behind her, innocently saying, “Big Sister taught me. She said if my savior is handsome, I should offer myself to him. But if he’s not good-looking, I can only repay him in the next life as a beast of burden.”
“She was joking, Mu’er, don’t take it seriously,” Gu Shenzhi said, suppressing his anger with a smile. “I remember you said your sister was taken by the bad people from the City Lord’s Mansion a year ago and hasn’t returned since?”
“After that, I never saw her again. At first, I got letters from her every month, but half a year ago, they stopped completely,” Mu’er said, her voice trembling with tears, her eyes misting over, heartbreaking to see.
“Don’t be afraid, Mu’er. Your big brother and sisters will help you get revenge,” Yuexi said, lifting the crying girl from the ground and comforting her softly.
“You all… be careful. Besides Wei Xingfeng, there’s also the young master of the Spirit Sword Sect, Gu Shenzhi. My sister was chosen to be his concubine. He’s one of the culprits too!”
As soon as she spoke, two piercing gazes stabbed into Gu Shenzhi like silver needles.
If looks could kill, he’d already be queuing for reincarnation.
The black-clad youth took a step back, innocently saying, “Ladies, a year ago, I was still drinking the northwest wind at the Cliff of Reflection. How could I have had the time to abduct women, let alone in Wu’an City, thousands of miles away?”
“I believe Senior Brother Gu. He doesn’t seem like that kind of person,” Mo Xiaonian said with a nod, clearly insincere.
If she didn’t need to maintain their relationship for now, she wouldn’t bother defending this scum.
She still vividly remembered Gu Shenzhi’s despicable behavior at the sect’s minor competition.
It was the first time a man had touched her foot—and he even squeezed it.
Utterly beastly, a beast in its purest form.
“No need to rush to clear your name, Junior Brother Gu. The truth will come out. I’ll report this matter to Linghuang in full detail,” Yuexi said.
At her words, Gu Shenzhi nearly spat blood.
If they wanted him dead, they could just say so.
Why go through all this trouble?
The outcome would still be a cold corpse.
“If you don’t believe me, go ask Taoyao!” the black-clad youth explained again, inwardly cursing Wei Xingfeng to be hacked to pieces and ground to dust.
That dog Wei Xingfeng dared to smear his name.
How audacious.
It seemed he needed to experience the pain and helplessness of death firsthand, watching his blood drip away.
For the utterly wicked, Gu Shenzhi liked to repay them in kind, letting them feel the suffering of the innocent.
Before crossing over, during his chuunibyou phase, Gu Shenzhi liked to call this “speaking for the dead.”
As the group argued, Mu’er suddenly slipped between them, timidly saying, “I don’t know what connection Big Brother has with the young master of the Spirit Sword Sect, but I believe him. My sister said words can lie, but actions don’t.”
Seeing Mu’er speak, the group ceased their debate.
After a moment of thought, Yuexi declared, “Since girls are sent to the City Lord’s Mansion every day, why don’t we turn their plan against them? We can disguise ourselves as Mu’er and her escorts to infiltrate the mansion. Any objections?”
Gu Shenzhi silently raised his hand, asking doubtfully, “Disguising as escorts is easy with the Dust of Disguise, and I’ve got some clothes from the corpses yesterday. But who will play Mu’er?”
“Then let’s decide fairly with a draw.”
Yuexi shook the bamboo container of wooden sticks, smiling seductively.
She leaned forward, her curvaceous figure on display, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, her phoenix eyes, lightly adorned with makeup, staring at Gu Shenzhi with ill intent.
A very bad feeling rose in Gu Shenzhi’s heart.