Chapter 104: A Detestable Martial World
Shi Hao whispered in Zhuo Mulan’s ear, “Indeed, the entire Chongxian Sect is a cesspool covered in silk, its outward appearance glamorous, but rotten to the core. And you? What kind of woman are you?”
Zhuo Mulan, her beliefs shattered, her body defiled, under his deliberate manipulation, was falling into an abyss.
“More… more…” she writhed in his arms, her cries unrestrained, her body pressed against his, shamelessly begging, “I’m also rotten, I’m also a whore, more, more…”
How could she, living in such a corrupt environment, be truly virtuous?
If she were truly pure and righteous, how could she be like this, on her disciple’s bed, with her disciple’s lover?
She had abandoned all restraint, lost in a whirlwind of desire.
“You’re not,” the young man, however, held her close, his voice gentle and soothing, “I know you’re different. You’ve tried your best, and you’ve done well. I know you’ve been protecting Yuejiao, trying to create a pure and untainted world for her. You could have abused your power, exploited others, like the rest of them.
“But you didn’t. You remained true to your principles. That’s admirable.”
He praised her, encouraged her, his words like a balm to her wounded soul.
If his goal had been to utterly corrupt her, he could have continued, pushing her further into the abyss.
But he didn’t want to break her. If he continued, after he left, she would be truly lost, becoming the “Daoist whore” Su Mei had described.
That wasn’t who she truly was. It was just that Su Mei’s Butterfly Flower Finger and her manipulative techniques were too powerful, even for a disciplined and virtuous Daoist like Zhuo Mulan.
But that wasn’t what Shi Hao wanted. So, as she teetered on the brink of collapse, on the verge of utter depravity, he held her, comforted her, supported her.
He undid the Evil Shadow Disguise Technique, revealing his true face, and whispered words of encouragement and reassurance, reminding her of her inherent goodness, her integrity, her purity, like a lotus flower rising from the mud, untainted by its surroundings.
He combined the techniques Su Mei had taught him with those he had used on Du Yuejiao in Jin Prefecture.
But now, there was no deception, no lies. He used his wicked sincerity, his manipulative righteousness, to pull her back from the abyss.
A gentle breeze blew through the secluded courtyard. The rain had washed away the dust, the air fresh and clean.
Water flowed from a small stream into a pond, dragonflies skimming the surface.
White banners and mourning cloths adorned the Chongxian Sect’s main temple, its gates closed.
The death of an Immortal Warrior had cast a pall of grief over the entire monastery.
But in this quiet, secluded courtyard, a warmth blossomed, like the first flowers of spring—
As dusk approached, the setting sun cast a golden glow through the gauze curtains, illuminating the room.
Shi Hao opened his eyes. The beautiful Daoist nun, nestled in his arms, her face flushed, looked like a young girl experiencing love for the first time.
It had all been… strange. He had humiliated her, degraded her, and yet, somehow, she had willingly given herself to him.
She didn’t understand why. She only knew that he was… good, and she wanted to repay him, repay him for the pleasure, for the comfort, for the support, and then, things had… progressed.
Her only regret was that this was Yuejiao’s bed, Yuejiao’s room.
And Yuejiao was still missing, her fate unknown, while she, on her disciple’s bed, had done something she shouldn’t have, with her disciple’s lover.
“Don’t worry,” as if sensing her thoughts, Shi Hao held her close, his voice soft, “I’ll find Yuejiao. Although I don’t know what the Emerald Beauty wants, I’m sure Yuejiao is safe for now.”
Zhuo Mulan clung to him. Although she was twenty-eight, no longer a naive young girl, having lived a sheltered life of cultivation, she felt strangely vulnerable, as if she couldn’t survive without his touch, his protection.
Perhaps, within the seemingly pristine walls of the Chongxian Sect, she had never truly found peace.
She whispered, “What can I do to help?”
Shi Hao was about to say she didn’t need to do anything, then he realized that the Chongxian Sect’s resources would be wasted otherwise.
He asked for a favor.
In the evening, they got up. Zhuo Mulan sat before the mirror, and Shi Hao gently combed her hair.
There was a kitchen in the courtyard, rarely used but stocked with basic ingredients. Zhuo Mulan prepared a simple meal.
They were like a newlywed couple, the atmosphere strangely intimate.
After dinner, they strolled through the garden, then returned to the pavilion and made love again in Yuejiao’s room… They didn’t know why they chose that room again.
As darkness fell, Shi Hao prepared to leave. The beautiful Daoist nun escorted him to the gate.
Two more days passed uneventfully.
The chaos in Dàxīng City intensified, clearly orchestrated by someone behind the scenes.
The Chongxian Sect, for reasons unknown, began withdrawing their forces from the city.
The various factions, seizing the opportunity, fought for control, the situation further complicated by various incidents and provocations, the overall direction of events unclear.
Yue Ya’er’s position within the Ancestral Altar seemed to have been elevated. But Shi Hao’s main duty was still to act as her bodyguard at night, protecting her from assassins.
Several of the Ghost Extreme Sect’s “female ghosts” had been captured by Yue Ya’er, but the trails always went cold, the investigations hitting dead ends.
This was typical of the demonic sects. If they were so easily exposed, they would have been eradicated long ago.
And the three Evil Lotus factions were still searching for “Hao Xinghua” and Night Lily.
The Keeper of the Canon was too important, a treasure they couldn’t afford to lose.
However, even the Ghost Extreme Sect, having lost the Leopard Gate, couldn’t openly operate in Dàxīng City, let alone the weaker Evil Lotus factions.
Despite sending out their experts, finding Shi Hao and Xu Xiaoyan in such a vast city was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
That night, Shi Hao had a dream.
He dreamt of the full moon, of Dragon Head Mountain.
Bathed in moonlight, the mountain radiated a strange, cold light.
A girl’s scream echoed from deep within the mountain… It was Yuejiao’s voice.
Shi Hao woke up with a start, his expression grim.
He went to the window and looked out. The full moon hung in the sky, like a drawn bow, its silvery light casting long shadows across the land.
He looked at the bed, the sleeping Yue Ya’er’s face visible through the translucent curtains.
She was smiling in her sleep, her expression peaceful, lost in a pleasant dream.
Shi Hao looked back out the window, his expression darkening.
He knew that dream wasn’t ordinary.
His Daoist true energy was swirling rapidly, a sign of external demonic interference.
The Emerald Beauty… it was sending him a message.
It was threatening him, telling him that if he wanted to save Yuejiao, he had to go to Dragon Head Mountain on the night of the full moon.
According to legend, that was where the Emerald Beauty first appeared.
The next day, he told Xu Xiaoyan about his dream.
Xu Xiaoyan looked up at him, “What are you going to do?”
Shi Hao said resolutely, “I don’t know what the Emerald Beauty is planning, but I can’t just abandon Yuejiao.”
Xu Xiaoyan tilted her head, “But Dragon Head Mountain, the night of the full moon… it sounds ominous.”
Shi Hao smiled, “We’ll face whatever comes our way. Having entered the martial world, we have to be prepared for anything. Dàxīng City is a dangerous place. People die here every day. And yet, martial artists still flock here, seeking fame and fortune, willing to risk their lives.
“Perhaps… that’s the martial world.”
Xu Xiaoyan muttered, “A detestable martial world.”
Shi Hao looked at her and said, “By the way, there’s something I need you to do.”
Xu Xiaoyan thought for a moment, then smiled, “The sword Uncle Yan forged for you?”
Shi Hao, thinking, She’s so clever, nodded, “Yes, it should be ready by now. And I broke the sword I borrowed from him…”
Xu Xiaoyan chuckled, “That’s not a problem. He has plenty of swords.”
Xu Xiaoyan prepared to leave. Shi Hao asked Yue Ya’er for a horse, and after disguising herself, Xu Xiaoyan left the city.
Shi Hao also had somewhere to go—
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