After saying this, the Honglian Saintess took Mo Xiaonian’s small hand and led her deeper into the Mo Mansion. Even dressed in men’s attire, it was nearly impossible to hide the devastating allure that radiated from the Honglian Saintess’s every gesture.
This time, those who had just tried to block her path were smart enough to back down, scattering in a panic like startled birds and beasts. After witnessing Su Linghuang’s strength, they all understood clearly in their hearts that provoking this “Gongzi” before them was no different from courting death.
Before long, only the disciples of the White Feather Sect remained in the eastern forecourt of the Mo Mansion, waiting for their Holy Maiden and a Hei Yi Shaonian to catch up.
Although he was holding a beauty in his arms, Gu Shenzhi felt utterly numb inside, his attitude toward the situation basically one of “I’m exhausted, just let everything be destroyed already.”
It seemed that every time he went out with Huang’er, nothing good ever happened. Last time in Bianliang City, they’d run into Bai Qi, and today at the Mo Clan, they’d encountered Nangong Yu. Deep in his heart, he had a vague sense of foreboding—the woman he dreaded had probably also arrived.
What about next time? What would happen then? Judging by the way things were developing, it wouldn’t even be surprising if an ex-lover from his previous life suddenly showed up.
Thinking this far, Gu Shenzhi broke out in a cold sweat, and made up his mind that next time he went out with Su Linghuang, for absolute safety, he’d be better off crossdressing as a woman.
Back when he was the Young Master of the Lingjian Sect, he was indeed suave and unrestrained, but for most of the beautiful nüxiu who admired him, he only ever kept things at a surface level—holding hands, maybe a hug, never even stealing a first kiss.
He only deceived feelings, not bodies—this was one of Gu Shenzhi’s few principles.
Strictly speaking, he hadn’t even deceived anyone’s feelings. After all, Gu Shenzhi had never once said words like “like” or “love”—it was always the other side who threw themselves at him, including some crazed admirers who’d practically undressed themselves.
To encourage these naive young girls to respect themselves, he always sternly refused their Dual Cultivation requests (mainly because their figures and looks didn’t meet his standards), and would even try to lecture them in the style of his own Master.
Looking at it this way, he was obviously a gentleman, wasn’t he!
“Nangong Girl, isn’t this a bit improper, doing this in front of everyone?” Gu Shenzhi asked awkwardly, already feeling the White Feather Sect disciples’ murderous stares, not to mention the sound of metal scraping together.
But Nangong Yu didn’t reply. She only clung tightly to him, collapsing into his arms as meek as a kitten, her delicate nose greedily inhaling his scent, her hands embracing the Hei Yi Shaonian with a look of near bliss.
Suddenly, one of the White Feather Sect inner disciples couldn’t take it anymore and shouted loudly, “Senior Brother Nangong, aren’t you afraid of chilling the hearts of your fellow sectmates by getting so close to that demonic heretic?!”
No sooner had his words fallen than that tactless White Feather Sect disciple felt the true pressure of the Spirit Gathering stage. Frost rapidly spread across the stone ground, and the surrounding temperature plummeted.
Nangong Yu possessed an extremely rare mutated Ice Spiritual Root. In terms of combat power, it was even stronger than a pure Five Element Spiritual Root, but cultivation methods based on this kind of soul root often led to cold poison seeping into the bones—most died before even mastering the technique. That’s why, in rankings, it was placed below the pure Five Element Spiritual Roots.
Nangong Yu’s gaze was like a sharp sword, instantly teaching that disciple to keep his mouth shut.
“Gongzi Gu, there are too many eyes and ears here. Why don’t the two of us find a quiet place to catch up?” Nangong Yu pursed her rosy lips, her cheeks flushed, and her slender fingers idly twirled her hair, unable to hide her girlish shyness.
Gu Shenzhi thought for a moment and said, “Sorry, Nangong Girl, I’ve been ordered by my sect to escort the Mo Clan Third Young Lady back to her estate—I can’t let anything go wrong. Maybe we can catch up another time!”
Before Nangong Yu could reply, Gu Shenzhi tried to slip away, but before he’d even taken a step, she grabbed his sleeve with a death grip.
“So the rumors are true?” Nangong Yu’s voice was choked, but she forced back the tears welling in her eyes. Of course she could cry in front of the Hei Yi Shaonian and show her weakness, hoping to win his pity.
But she was also the Holy Maiden of the White Feather Sect, the first genius in her sect in a thousand years, standing at the peak and shining brightest. She could not show a hint of weakness before her sectmates, let alone shed tears.
“Which rumor?” Gu Shenzhi asked in confusion, unable for a moment to grasp what she was getting at.
“The one about you… making a move on your own Master, Bai Qi Fairy, being exiled to Si Guo Cliff, and then used by your sect as a political tool to marry into the Yueying Sect, to wed that ugly, ill-tempered Honglian Demoness.” Nangong Yu’s voice trembled with sorrow.
Hearing this, Gu Shenzhi secretly gave thanks that Huang’er had already left. Otherwise, the two women would have fought to the death right then and there.
Though these words were a blatant insult to Su Linghuang’s looks, when it came to her temper, they weren’t entirely off the mark—there was some truth there.
Gu Shenzhi replied coolly, “If it’s all true, would you still be willing to marry a rebellious disciple who defied his Master and ancestors, a villain who’s betrayed the righteous path?”
“As long as you’re willing to marry me, I’ll marry you!” Nangong Yu said stubbornly.
“All just to repay that so-called favor I gave you in the Tianyuan Secret Realm, even though it was full of calculation and scheming—is it really worth it, Nangong Girl?”
Gu Shenzhi countered. He did feel a faint stir of emotion toward Nangong Yu. After all, they’d been trapped in the secret realm together for months. Even if there was no romance between man and woman, it was perfectly natural to develop some feelings.
But at the time, his heart could hold no second Bai Yueguang.
Nangong Yu took his hand and said earnestly, “It’s worth it to marry you—so long as you don’t fall into the demonic path and bring calamity to the world.”
“Falling into the demonic path is nonsense. But even if you’d be willing to be the concubine, Nangong Girl, would you still accept?” Gu Shenzhi gently lifted her chin, smiling wickedly.
At this point, the White Feather Sect disciples could bear it no longer. To actually speak of “being the concubine” in front of them—this was an unforgivable insult to the dignity of the White Feather Sect’s Holy Maiden. In their eyes, Gu Shenzhi had trampled on the sect’s honor.
“Holy Maiden, what are you hesitating for? Just kill this lecherous, filthy scoundrel already, before he brings disaster to others,” shouted the disciple who’d been cowed by Nangong Yu’s glare earlier. He then formed a Sword Formula and summoned his Lingjian from its sheath.
“That’s right, that’s right!” As soon as he spoke, many echoed him. In the blink of an eye, a hundred Lingjian pointed straight at Gu Shenzhi’s head.
“You… go. I won’t agree to your terms,” Nangong Yu said softly, her expression filled with pain, but not a single tear fell.
Of course, Gu Shenzhi knew Nangong Yu could never agree. That was why he’d posed such a humiliating question—to end things between himself and the Holy Maiden of the White Feather Sect.
The more a man and woman’s feelings dragged on, the harder they were to cut off. Only by severing it quickly, like a sharp sword slicing tangled threads, could both he and Nangong Yu have the best ending.
Unlike with Taoyao, after this Martial Competition Marriage Event, he and Nangong Yu would likely be… parted forever.
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