After hesitating for a long moment, Gu Shenzhi resolutely said, “Sorry, I refuse. As for Mo Xiaonian’s Martial Contest for Marriage, please find someone else to participate.”
If the immortal fate falls into someone else’s hands, you may never have another chance in this life. Are you truly willing to accept that?” Mu Zhonghua looked surprised, stood up, and slowly walked over to the black-clad youth.
“I suppose I would regret it for the rest of my life, but if I can’t spend my days with the Honglian Saintess, wouldn’t that be another kind of lifelong regret? In fact, it would probably hurt even more.”
Although he appeared to be yielding to Mu Zhonghua on the surface, in reality he was hinting that he wanted both the immortal fate and the beauty. Only children make such choices.
Hearing the youth’s answer, Mu Zhonghua’s lips curled into a gentle smile, radiating goodwill. “I would never separate a loving couple, and besides, Linghuang is my personal disciple. So, as you wish, the Honglian Saintess will accompany you to the Mo Family Auction House!”
“Thank you for your grace, Sect Leader.”
Gu Shenzhi spoke respectfully. With this, the trip to the Mo Family Auction House was no longer fraught with danger. Not only would it not deepen the rift between the two, but it might even become the opportunity for Huang’er to untie the knot in her heart.
Of course, all of this depended on him behaving as a true gentleman and keeping himself pure. In this, Gu Shenzhi was quite confident—after all, he truly felt no worldly desires for Mo Xiaonian.
Just as he was about to take his leave, Gu Shenzhi suddenly said to Mu Zhonghua, “May I trouble the Sect Leader to tell the Honglian Saintess on my behalf: whether she is here or not, my answer remains the same.”
With that, Gu Shenzhi immediately flew off on his sword, leaving the Black Lotus Witch alone to play her zither once more.
“You actually shouldn’t have come. Whether it’s this Master’s spiritual sense or Gu Shenzhi’s Mystic Eyes, both could easily see through your Nizong Technique.”
The Honglian Saintess revealed herself. From the beginning, she had been eavesdropping on their conversation, but unfortunately, the outcome had turned her eavesdropping into open listening.
Both Gu Shenzhi and Mu Zhonghua knew where the Honglian Saintess was, but out of fondness for her, they chose not to expose her.
“Master, what kind of Mystic Eyes does he have? It feels like there is nothing in this world he cannot see through.”
“Come closer, and I’ll whisper it to you,” said her Master.
As soon as she finished speaking, Su Linghuang obediently tilted her head over. For a long time, the secret of Gu Shenzhi’s eyes had been scratching at her heart.
And as time passed, her curiosity only grew stronger.
“Whoosh.”
Mu Zhonghua, like a mischievous child, blew a cool breath by her disciple’s ear, a faint smile on her lips. She truly enjoyed seeing Linghuang flustered.
Cultivators are not true immortals after all; they must retain some human touch. Her disciple was extraordinarily gifted, stunningly beautiful, and cool in temperament—perfect for cultivation in every way, except perhaps for being a little too unapproachable.
But ever since Gu Shenzhi arrived, he had stirred the still waters of Su Linghuang’s heart—no, to say it was a surging wave would not be an exaggeration.
In just a few short months, Su Linghuang had shown her care for Gu Shenzhi before her Master countless times. She’d even “accidentally” called him husband.
Although every time this happened, the Honglian Saintess would always try to explain it away, as a Returnee, how could Mu Zhonghua not see what was truly in the young lady’s heart?
She was just being stubborn.
“Master, what are you doing? I’m not a child anymore, why are you playing such childish tricks?” Su Linghuang puffed her cheeks and said coquettishly.
“Just teasing you for fun, Linghuang. It’s a little tradition between Master and disciple,” Mu Zhonghua said with a clear and charming smile. “But really, rather than hearing it from me, you’d much prefer Gu Shenzhi to tell you himself, right? That way, there would be no secrets left between you.”
With her thoughts seen through completely, Su Linghuang didn’t dare argue further. She could only clutch the tassel at her waist with her delicate, pale fingers, trying to calm her inner panic.
“If he had no secrets from you, would you be willing to tell Gu Shenzhi your own secrets, Linghuang?” Mu Zhonghua asked with a smile.
“Of course I would. As long as he agrees to a duel with me, fighting with all our strength, could I possibly still keep the Phoenix Divine Power in my bloodline hidden?”
Su Linghuang mumbled softly. Only now did she realize that she was the one most deeply ensnared in the web of love.
If only she had met him sooner—if their feelings had blossomed earlier, she could have come before Bai Qi in certain matters.
Pushing open the side room’s western door, Gu Shenzhi almost thought he had entered the wrong room after stepping inside. The tables and chairs were neatly arranged, all carefully wiped down, and the blue-tiled floor was spotless. Even the flowers on the windowsill had been freshly watered.
To have everything so meticulously arranged—among those Gu Shenzhi knew, only Taoyao could achieve such order.
He poured himself a cup of fine tea and took a light sip. The warm tea entwined with his tongue; though the initial taste was bitter, the aftertaste was richly sweet.
Before Gu Shenzhi could put down the teacup, a young girl in a pink dress hurried into the room, clutching a broom, beads of sweat dotting her forehead.
“Young Master, is that you back?”
As soon as she saw the black-clad youth inside, Taoyao tossed aside the broom and, like a fluttering butterfly, leapt into her Young Master’s arms.
Gu Shenzhi held the soft, alluring figure of his maid, gently leaning close to sniff at her snowy neck. The girl’s fragrance was as intoxicating as peach blossoms, and even now, there was not a trace of sweat.
The girl clung to him tightly, as if wanting to melt herself into his body, heedless of propriety or the fact that the man before her was, in name, already married.
“Xiao Yao, loosen your grip a little. You’re holding me too tight.”
Gu Shenzhi, already at the peak of the Spirit Gathering stage, certainly wouldn’t be strangled by a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator. He just wanted an excuse to escape her embrace—this girl was a bit too enthusiastic.
He could clearly feel the softness and resilience of her ample chest, and the way it was gradually being pressed out of shape. Perhaps because of her thin clothes, even the firmness of her rosy buds was all too apparent.
“No, these days I’ve missed you so much, Young Master.” Taoyao said with a charming, plaintive tone. At this moment, she was secretly using the Seduction Art.
If she waited any longer, not only Su Linghuang, but even Senior Sister Yuexi might get ahead of her.
Feeling a deep sense of crisis, Taoyao had already decided to take the initiative and make things happen—let those sneaky wildcats see what they could use to compete with her.
Then, Taoyao parted her long, delicate legs, wrapping them tightly around Gu Shenzhi’s waist. The position between the two could no longer be described as merely ambiguous.
Unknowingly, the usually composed Gu Shenzhi had been led by Taoyao to sit at the bedside, and the dazzlingly beautiful girl was now straddling him…
And at this very moment, the Honglian Saintess was hurrying back.