Gu Shenzhi slowly approached the unconscious peerless beauty, his heartbeat unusually clear, his hands trembling slightly.
Bai Qi, Yue Xi, Tao Yao—these women by his side were all breathtakingly beautiful, with faces like flowers and moonlight, yet none could compare to this Red Lotus Saintess.
Her countenance transcended “perfection,” surpassing even the lovers imagined in dreams by far.
He gently lifted the Saintess, steadying her form to channel spiritual energy into her meridians.
As long as her dantian was filled with spiritual energy, her cultivation realm would not falter, and inner demons would find no foothold.
From beginning to end, Gu Shenzhi adhered strictly to gentlemanly etiquette, not daring to cross the line even slightly, as if forgetting that the girl in his arms was his fiancée, destined to share intimate nights with him in the future.
Sensing the touch from his fingertips, the Red Lotus Saintess summoned her last ounce of strength to swat away Gu Shenzhi’s hands before completely losing consciousness, collapsing powerlessly into his embrace.
The girl’s cherry lips parted slightly, emitting soft murmurs like the clear, melodious song of a lark, yet laced with a hint of seductive charm—a perfect blend of purity and allure coexisting within her.
Her clothes slipped, revealing smooth, rounded shoulders, so translucent they seemed capable of yielding water with a pinch.
Feeling the exquisite form of the beauty in his arms, her captivating fragrance, and the strand of porcelain-white hair, Gu Shenzhi’s heart rippled like a stone tossed into a pond.
Gazing at her flawless face, he gradually felt that to win such a perfect woman, even dying and fading into oblivion would be worth it.
To claim he wasn’t moved would be self-deception; even if it wasn’t love at first sight, it was at least desire sparked by her beauty.
For a fleeting moment, Gu Shenzhi truly entertained the thought of marrying the Red Lotus Saintess and seeking the path to immortality together.
But as his mind began to waver, the image of Fairy Bai Qi abruptly surfaced in his thoughts.
Her lofty, arrogant expression instantly ignited the anger buried deep within him, burning away his reason and all other emotions like wildfire.
“It was you who begged me first, so why do you now pin all the blame on me? Accusing me of breaching etiquette and betraying our sect, when it was you who seduced your disciple, violating the ethics of a master!”
Gu Shenzhi roared through gritted teeth, his eyes bloodshot, veins bulging on his hands as he struck the ground heavily.
His voice echoed in the dark room, lingering endlessly.
It carried anger, unwillingness, and resentment, but in the end, it dissolved into helplessness.
As his rationality returned, the scene before him grew clearer.
Fairy Bai Qi’s figure became ethereal, dissipating into the cold moonlight.
His gaze returned to the unparalleled beauty in his arms.
No matter how many times he looked, or how long, she remained perfect—utterly captivating.
Beast!
Gu Shenzhi, oh Gu Shenzhi!
How could you succumb to mere feminine allure?
The path to immortality is long—how could you lose yourself in this tender trap?
He decisively bit his tongue, the sharp pain jolting his desire-clouded nerves, restoring his rationality to take control.
If something truly happened with this Moon Shadow Sect Saintess, tomorrow would mark the end of his life.
Placing his hands on the Saintess’s warm, silky back, the silk-like sensation spread from his fingertips, like the finest spiritual wine—smooth, lingering, unforgettable.
Gu Shenzhi drew from his dantian, channeling spiritual energy steadily into her body.
Like cracked earth needing water, her damaged dantian required the nourishment of spiritual energy.
The energy flowed into her like a gentle stream.
The Saintess’s cheeks flushed, her delicate frame trembling slightly, soft gasps escaping her lips, mingling pain with a trace of pleasure.
“It’s finally over.”
Gu Shenzhi collapsed to the ground, sweat rolling down his cheeks, his face nearly ashen, his eyes filled with emptiness and confusion, like a man on the brink of death, his spirit already half-gone.
Not a drop remained—his dantian was utterly drained.
Though Gu Shenzhi was a prodigy with a supreme wood spiritual root and blessed with double pupils, the gap in cultivation was insurmountable.
The chasm between the Spirit Manifestation and Core Formation realms was vast, and even the spiritual energy needed to repair her dantian was more than he could bear.
The Saintess curled her graceful form, her translucent, flawless skin faintly visible, still full and supple.
Her red lips curved slightly, her pearly teeth sparkling, her perfect face igniting both possessive and protective desires in men, her snow-and-plum fragrance stirring the heart.
At dawn, light streamed through the wooden window, dew resting comfortably on the petals of the Moon Shadow Chrysanthemum by the bed, glinting faintly.
Gu Shenzhi was awakened by a strand of white hair brushing his nose, the unbearable itch dispelling all sleepiness.
His sleep had been poor, especially after exhausting his spiritual energy.
He had barely slept, only drifting off around the hour of the Ox, haunted by the ethereal image of the breathtaking Saintess in his dreams.
First came resentment and discomfort, quickly turning to vigilance and fear.
Gu Shenzhi knew Tao Yao would never barge into his room uninvited—she was obedient in that regard—so the visitor must be someone else.
Squinting cautiously, he met a pair of crimson eyes, vibrant with disdain and displeasure, yet tinged with curiosity.
The Red Lotus Saintess, his fiancée, was observing him with keen interest, like a cat toying with its prey.
Before revealing her ferocious nature, she wanted to sate her curiosity.
After all, living men were a rare sight in the Moon Shadow Sect—most were just bloody chunks of flesh.
“Linghuang, you’ve come out of seclusion early?”
The abrupt question shattered the tranquility of the dawn.
Su Linghuang was clearly startled, her ears flushing transparently, like a little girl caught stealing sweets.
She hurriedly stood from the bedside, turning to face Yue Xi, her hands clasped tightly, fidgeting.
“I failed to break through to the late Spirit Manifestation stage. I’ll try again another day. But why does Sister Yue Xi have time to visit me today?”
“So that’s it. Linghuang, don’t be too disheartened. Nine out of ten cultivators fail to break through. Someone like you, who has never failed before, is truly exceptional…”
Yue Xi suddenly realized this was Linghuang’s first failure.
Her attempt at comfort only wounded her pride further, like salt in a wound.
Silence was the better choice.
Regret gnawed at her.
As the senior inner disciple, Yue Xi grew awkward, mechanically smoothing her disheveled hair, her eyes dodging.
In the presence of Su Linghuang, a once-in-a-millennium genius, she always felt overshadowed, her sickly inferiority complex deeply rooted.
Because of this, Yue Xi failed to notice Su Linghuang’s odd behavior or question why she was in Gu Shenzhi’s room, simply letting the Red Lotus Saintess leave alone.
She stood there, unmoving for a long time.
In beauty, talent, and cultivation, she was utterly defeated, not even worthy of being Su Linghuang’s rival.
“Is that Miss Yue Xi?”
Gu Shenzhi rose unhurriedly from the bed, picking up a silk scarf nearby and tying it carefully.
“How long were you eavesdropping?”
“Why tarnish my name, miss? There’s only you and me in this room—how could I eavesdrop on your soliloquy?” Gu Shenzhi said with a smile, calm and composed.
Yue Xi snorted, unwilling to argue with a “filthy” man, and said sternly, “Come with me. Someone has summoned you.”
“Who?”
Gu Shenzhi frowned, asking in puzzlement.
“The Sect Leader.”
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