“Sect Leader, the remains left by the evil entities have been dealt with. Approximately several thousand civilians were affected. However, the whereabouts of Wei Xingfeng, the Lord of Wu’an City, remain unknown.”
A steward of the Spirit Sword Sect knelt on one knee, reporting respectfully, though inwardly torn about whether to steal one last glance at her.
The white-robed fairy stood atop a high tower, her plain white skirt fluttering lightly, her slender and graceful figure almost too beautiful to behold.
Her face was veiled by a thin layer of gauze, exuding an elegant and alluring charm, peerlessly stunning.
Her jet-black hair was styled in a simple, refined bun, secured with a jade hairpin, radiating an ethereal, otherworldly aura.
Her dark tresses cascaded down to her waist and hips, her lips as red as cherries, her autumnal eyes like crescent moons, deep and profound as the sea.
Her flowing gauze dress outlined her graceful, delicate form, with the faint outline of her lofty peaks subtly visible.
Her creamy shoulders were slightly exposed, her collarbone exquisitely delicate, and her slender waist added a touch of seductive allure to her sacred beauty.
A peerless beauty, pure and true, with skin like snow and a spirit like the moon.
Elegance and nobility defined her breathtaking visage, and her cold, celestial eyes reflected the city lord’s mansion, cleaved in two by a single sword strike.
“Resettle the affected civilians. Disobey, and you will be executed!”
The fairy spoke coldly, her tone as frosty as ice, devoid of the slightest emotion, keeping others at a thousand miles’ distance.
Her name was Bai Qi, the current Sect Leader of the Spirit Sword Sect and the master of Gu Shenzhi.
“I obey, but there is one matter I’d like to ask the Sect Leader to clarify.”
“Speak,” she replied simply, with no further words.
“Elder Qin Yuye has been sent to investigate the Netherworld Gorge for months. The miasma there is heavy, and demonic creatures abound. If she does not return soon, I fear her cultivation foundation may be damaged, ruining her immortal path.”
At these words, a change flickered across Bai Qi’s frosty, jade-like face.
It was not spring’s breeze that melted the ice but a spark of anger.
Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she said sternly, “Steward Zou, mind your own duties. Demonic forces lurk within Wu’an City, and that is your failure. As for Elder Qin, her affairs are not your concern.”
“I would never dare! I beg the Sect Leader’s forgiveness!” The steward, terrified, kowtowed heavily.
“You may leave. I wish to look upon Wu’an City a while longer.”
After the steward departed, Bai Qi stood alone by the pavilion.
Leaning against the vermilion railing, her fair, delicate hand gently brushed the jade pillar, like a spring breeze stirring fresh willow buds.
“Sword One’s remnant technique, the Human Emperor Form… Did Shenzhi come here? But if it was truly you, why would you hide and not meet me?”
She murmured softly, her beautiful eyes shimmering with emotion, her inky brows tinged with longing.
For the fairy Bai Qi to display such tender, conflicted behavior was unimaginable to others.
Before Sword One ascended to immortality, he created seven sword techniques, defeating countless heroes and standing unrivaled across the Nine Continents.
Regrettably, most of those peerless seven techniques have been lost to time, with only the two Human Emperor Forms preserved.
“I’ve already sent Qin Yuye to the Netherworld Gorge. She will surely perish there. How dare she try to ruin the bond between me and my Shenzhi? That self-righteous wretch—how could she ever compare to you, Shenzhi?”
“Anyone who stands between us must die!!!”
Crack!
The jade pillar split apart.
A rare glint of malice flashed through her crescent-moon eyes.
Her hands cupped her jade-like cheeks, dimples forming at the corners, but her smile was manic, utterly chilling.
“Shenzhi, I love savoring your essence—your skin, your blood, everything about you is mine.”
“Don’t be afraid. Your master is coming to find you.”
“If Mu Zhonghua refuses, I’ll slay Mu Zhonghua. If the Moonshadow Sect won’t release you, I’ll annihilate the Moonshadow Sect.”
…
When Gu Shenzhi returned to the Moonshadow Sect, dawn was breaking in the east.
The black-robed youth soared through the air on his sword, holding a breathtakingly beautiful woman in his arms.
Her faint, elegant fragrance teased his senses, her soft, warm body like flawless jade—warm in winter, cool in summer, impossible to let go.
“Senior Sister Yuexi, can I put you down now?”
“Are you tired of me?” Yuexi pouted, her full lips pursed pitifully, though her tone was sultry and enchanting.
“Of course not. It’s just… this position might seem improper, disregarding the boundaries between men and women. I’m worried it could cause misunderstandings.”
“What are you thinking about all day? Is it wrong to carry your injured senior sister back to the sect? Besides, I had no choice but to let you carry me. Respecting your seniors is a sect rule, or do you have some unspeakable feelings for me?”
Yuexi feigned indignation, her words suggesting resistance, yet her arms tightened around the youth, nearly melding herself into him.
Poor Gu Shenzhi could only endure silently, the girl’s ample chest nearly suffocating him.
Though her dress was tattered, exposing her delicate, porcelain skin, Yuexi felt no cold in his embrace.
Like a kitten, she nuzzled against his chest, marking him with her scent.
Before reaching the sect gate, Gu Shenzhi sheathed his sword and gently supported his heavily injured senior sister, resolute in not carrying her any longer.
With Linghuang above and Xiaoyao nearby, those two were already trouble enough.
Adding another would land him in a deadly love triangle, torn into three pieces.
The Moonshadow Sect’s core doctrine was to punish faithless men and save suffering women.
Racking up romantic debts here was no different from courting death.
“Senior Sister, your cave dwelling is less than half a mile away. Please walk the rest of the way yourself.”
Gu Shenzhi spoke calmly.
Two more steps, and they’d reach Qihuang Courtyard.
Encountering either the Red Lotus Saintess or Taoyao would mean unavoidable torment, both physical and emotional.
“Escorting your injured senior sister to her dwelling—isn’t that what a junior brother should do? Besides, you have no improper thoughts about me, right?” Yuexi’s cherry lips curved, a sly glint in her eyes as she teased playfully.
Unable to refuse, Gu Shenzhi dutifully accompanied her.
Though it was a proper act of support, Yuexi’s exaggerated cooperation made it rather intimate.
The shoulder of her black gauze dress slipped slightly, revealing a hint of rosy, fair skin.
Her delicate, alluring frame leaned weakly against Gu Shenzhi, her curves strikingly vivid.
“Senior Sister, you’re getting a bit too close.”
“Can’t handle even this much? I’m starting to suspect your feelings for Su Linghuang are just lust, like those men the Moonshadow Sect punishes—tossing aside the old the moment you tire of them, seeking new thrills, utterly heartless!”
“It’s not that serious, is it?”
Gu Shenzhi defended himself desperately.
In the Moonshadow Sect, such accusations were a slippery slope.
If someone caught wind of this, he’d spend the rest of his life as a mere cauldron for spiritual essence.
And while he might enjoy the new, he never discarded the old—he had that much integrity.
Watching Gu Shenzhi scramble to explain, Yuexi’s lips curved into a playful smile.
She admitted she was starting to enjoy teasing him, even if she was usually the one being teased.
Suddenly, Gu Shenzhi reached out, one hand around her slender waist, the other under her silk-clad thighs.
The touch was smooth and delicate as he lifted his teasing senior sister in a princess carry.
“Hey, what are you doing? Put me down!”
Yuexi squealed, her cheeks flushing, her eyes flashing with panic, her palms misting with sweat.
“Didn’t Senior Sister say my heart was unsteady? I had no choice but to prove myself this way. You don’t mind, do you?”
“I… of course I don’t mind. Do as you please, Junior Brother.”
Caught in her own trap, Yuexi could only endure silently.
She’d rather die than show weakness in front of Gu Shenzhi.
But this position?
It was bound to spark wild, thrilling assumptions.
One day, she’d make him pay dearly!
The next moment, they reached the entrance to Yuexi’s cave dwelling, only to come face-to-face with a young woman in green, her face tear-streaked like pear blossoms in the rain, evoking pity.
The three locked eyes, and the atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.