“Rong’er doesn’t ask because she doesn’t want to know, but because she’s already guessed.” Gu Shenzhi spoke quietly.
“It’s good that you realize it. A secret this important should be buried in your own heart. Don’t ever tell anyone again, not even me.”
Su Linghuang grabbed his arm and bit down hard. The girl’s two canine teeth were especially sharp—blood welled up at the first touch. Taking advantage of the pain that flickered across the black-clad youth’s face, she deftly slipped out from under him.
There was still a cold war between her and Gu Shenzhi. Although she was aware she’d made mistakes too, in order to uphold the dignity of the Honglian Saintess, she would never reconcile so easily. At the very least, Gu Shenzhi had to take the initiative.
“But I remember someone once told me not to keep any secrets from her, or she’d never speak to me again. She even threatened to break off with me…”
“Shut up!”
Su Linghuang’s lovely face flushed bright red at being called out. Flustered and exasperated, she reached out to cover his mouth, her slender jade hand patting haphazardly at Gu Shenzhi’s body. Yet she didn’t use the slightest bit of spiritual power, and the scene had the playful flavor of a lovers’ quarrel.
However, Gu Shenzhi didn’t resist at all, letting the Honglian Saintess do as she pleased. He simply untied his white silk ribbon in silence, revealing those dark purple eyes.
Staring into those supreme royal eyes, the rare and peerless Eye of Dual Pupils, Su Linghuang couldn’t help but lose herself. Her attacks on this scoundrel abruptly halted.
After a long moment, she barely managed to recover, muttering softly, “They’re clearly even prettier than my blood-red pupils. What a pack of lies.”
Then, the Honglian Saintess took out a jade bottle from her storage pouch. She pressed her finger to her lips and bit down gently. Blood welled out and dripped slowly into the bottle. Once it was full, she handed it to the black-clad youth before her.
“This is for you. I don’t like owing others favors,” Su Linghuang said, turning her head away in feigned annoyance.
“What does this mean?”
“You told me the secret of the Eye of Dual Pupils, but I have no secret of equal value to give you. Wouldn’t that mean I owe you a favor!”
Gu Shenzhi fought back a smile and teased, “Shenhuang Zhi Xue is a supreme treasure for cultivation. Prolonged use can double one’s cultivation speed, and if you drink a high concentration all at once, you can even force a breakthrough. I never thought the Honglian Saintess would be willing to give me some.”
As soon as he finished, Su Linghuang’s face changed instantly. Alarmed, she asked, “How did you find out?”
“It’s simple. The Eye of Dual Pupils can see the essence of all things. From the moment I first saw you, I could see the Shenhuang Zhi Xue flowing in your veins, Saintess.” Gu Shenzhi replied casually.
Su Linghuang took a deep breath, struggling to suppress her anger. So all this time, for months, she’d been the only one running around like a fool, knowing so little about Gu Shenzhi.
And because of the Eye of Dual Pupils, this scoundrel might have seen through her from the very first day they met, yet had pretended to know nothing ever since…
The more the Honglian Saintess thought about it, the angrier she became. She immediately abandoned any thought of taking the initiative to make up with Gu Shenzhi. Not stabbing a few holes in this scoundrel with [Xiehuang] was already being merciful.
“Fine! So between us… the cold war continues!”
No sooner had she spoken than—bang!—the Honglian Saintess slammed the door and rode off on her Yingjian, her willow-leaf brows drawn in anger, making it clear she was furious.
Fortunately, with Gu Shenzhi’s skills, he’d still be able to coax her back eventually. But for now, Rong’er needed some time to cool off. He decided to use this chance to pay Mo Xiaonian a visit.
Zhan Yun Peak, southern mountainside.
As an inner sect disciple, Mo Xiaonian had her own courtyard. It wasn’t large—barely a sixteenth the size of Qihuang Courtyard. The decorations were sparse, with only a single pine tree, its needles evergreen through all seasons.
Gu Shenzhi knocked politely at the door. To his surprise, it wasn’t locked—just closed, as if waiting for a guest.
At this moment, Mo Xiaonian was practicing her swordplay. The girl’s Ling Sword [Falling Plum], [Yuwu], gleamed with cold light as she swung it. She sliced the falling drizzle in half, her movements as light as a butterfly, her form and spirit immersed in Sword Dao.
Perhaps it was her earnest attitude, or perhaps her debate with the Honglian Saintess had benefited her greatly, but now Mo Xiaonian had just begun to grasp the basics of sword intent.
Her long black braid fluttered in the wind, the bell at her waist chimed softly. Her blue dress was soaked through by rain, clinging tightly to her graceful figure. The soaked fabric outlined her beautiful curves in exquisite detail, faintly revealing the outline of her undergarments. Yet the girl, absorbed in her practice, remained oblivious, simply using her blade to weave beautiful sword flowers, each carrying the true meaning of sharp, chilling sword qi.
“Ahem.” Gu Shenzhi cleared his throat. He’d intended to get the girl’s attention, but what he drew instead was a streak of lethal sword qi.
As the cold, murderous sword qi shot toward him, Gu Shenzhi didn’t dodge. He merely extended a finger and used an even stronger, more domineering sword qi to shred Mo Xiaonian’s attack to pieces.
“Senior Brother Gu, what brings you here today?” Mo Xiaonian feigned innocence, speaking respectfully.
“Aren’t you going to explain that murderous sword qi just now?” Gu Shenzhi stepped forward, his tone cold.
Faced with the black-clad youth’s question, she chose her tried-and-true method: acting cute to get by. She blinked her eyes and made a playful gesture, “Senior Brother must be mistaken, what sword qi? Eh-heh~”
Yueying’s seductive arts, enough to steal a man’s soul, couldn’t shake Gu Shenzhi in the slightest. A mere blink and a smile only made him feel awkward; it had no effect at all.
Did she really think she was the Honglian Saintess, able to outshine the moon and freeze time with just a glance?
“You know what you did.” Gu Shenzhi summoned a ringing from his sheathed sword, killing intent flooding out, using absolute force to intimidate the other Ling Sword in the courtyard.
He had no interest in arguing with Mo Xiaonian. A small show of force was punishment enough; any more and he’d seem petty as her senior brother.
“The Sect Master gave me a direct order. At the upcoming martial arts tournament, we’re to win over the Mo Clan. There are three of us involved, including you and me. What do you think about this, Junior Sister?”
Gu Shenzhi clasped his hands behind his back, asking indifferently. Suddenly, something felt off, so he took half a step back.
This was Yueying Sect territory, and it was said that Linghuang watched from above. But now that she knew about his Eye of Dual Pupils, what use was there in hiding and spying in the dark?
A woman’s heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea—impossible to fathom!
Gu Shenzhi sighed inwardly.
“It’s the sect’s order and my family’s wish. Even if I don’t want to, I still have to go back to the Mo Clan for this martial arts marriage tournament I only learned about yesterday…”
Mo Xiaonian spoke absentmindedly, her tone sorrowful, tears shimmering in her eyes, making her look pitiful. Of course, she knew her father only saw her as a tool for marriage alliances. She just hadn’t expected this day to come so soon.
She wanted to resist, but she still didn’t have the strength.
After a while, the girl in blue looked up, and with the Honglian Saintess eavesdropping in the shadows, she asked seriously, “Senior Brother Gu, if you win at the martial arts tournament, would you choose to marry me?”