“What’s this? You don’t seem very willing to kill Xu Ming,” the Black Lotus Sect Master said, staring at his disciple.
“That’s not true,” Mo Zhuer shook her head.
“Xu Ming once humiliated me. Luckily, I escaped. The grudge between us is irreconcilable—I’d like nothing more than to tear him apart piece by piece. However, I’m curious about one thing: who exactly wants him dead? Xu Ming is indeed a bit of a genius, but is it really to this extent?”
“A prominent figure in the Wu Kingdom wants him dead. While Xu Ming may not want to become the prince consort, plenty of others are eager for the position,” the Black Lotus Sect Master said slowly. “As for who it is, you neither have the qualifications nor the need to know.”
The Black Lotus Sect Master fixed his gaze on Mo Zhuer. “If you manage to kill Xu Ming this time, you’ll be one step closer to inheriting the position of Black Lotus Sect Master. Don’t disappoint me.”
“Understood.”
As Mo Zhuer finished speaking, the figure of the Black Lotus Sect Master gradually dissipated.
Mo Zhuer put away the scroll and the formation, then stepped out of the stone chamber. She walked to a nearby hot spring and began cleaning her body, washing away the traces of blood left behind from her time with Xu Ming in the Yuan Yang Cauldron.
After bathing, she changed into a clean short skirt.
After several days of rest, her gait had returned to normal, much steadier than before.“Oh, you’re out of seclusion,” a voice called.
Hearing the sound of a mechanism opening, Jiang Ruyan set down the document she was holding and turned to smile at Mo Zhuer.
“Mm.” Mo Zhuer nodded, picking up a cup of tea from Jiang Ruyan’s table and downing it in one gulp.
“So, why are you here in my place?” Jiang Ruyan poured Mo Zhuer another cup of tea.
Mo Zhuer sat down beside her, crossing her long, perfectly proportioned legs to one side. Her posture was captivating, the kind that could turn someone into a willing servant, desperate to trace every curve from heel to thigh and back again.
“What else? I was cleaning up a mess at one of the Black Lotus Sect’s branch strongholds, preparing to send some virgin boys and girls to the North Sea Dragon Palace. Then the Sect Master decided I should go kill Xu Ming instead.”
“Xu Ming? Who’s that?” Jiang Ruyan asked.
“Who else?” Mo Zhuer let out a cold laugh. “The prince consort-to-be of the Wu Kingdom.”
“Never heard of him,” Jiang Ruyan shrugged. “This border city is far from the Wu Kingdom.”
“Far is good,” Mo Zhuer murmured, thoughtfully toying with her teacup.
“You seem… different somehow,” Jiang Ruyan said, propping her chin on her hand. Her long lashes fluttered as she studied Mo Zhuer.
Mo Zhuer’s lips curled into a smile, her usual devil-may-care attitude returning. “Different how?”
Jiang Ruyan thought for a moment. “You seem to have… more charm now. A woman’s charm.”
Mo Zhuer froze for a moment, then leaned forward, hooking Jiang Ruyan’s chin with a slender, jade-like finger. “What, was I not womanly enough before?”
“Not the same, not the same.” Jiang Ruyan shook her head. “I can’t quite put my finger on it, but now, you’re even more alluring.”
“Ha, ha, ha.” Mo Zhuer laughed, her voice resembling a cackling hen. She lazily reclined on a chaise, propping her head up with one hand while tilting a cup of tea with the other. A single drop of tea slid down her lips, past her snow-white chin, and fell perfectly onto the chaise without a trace.
“You’re so stunning. To me, you should be number one on the Beauty List,” Jiang Ruyan praised sincerely. “By the way, aren’t you going to report back to the Sect Master?”
“I already did,” Mo Zhuer said. “The Sect Master told me to stay here and kill Xu Ming. Who knows what that old fool is thinking.”
“Zhuer… that’s still your father,” Jiang Ruyan said helplessly.
“Hmph,” Mo Zhuer sneered. “After my mother died, I stopped seeing him as my father. He thinks I don’t know anything, but I know perfectly well! My mother died because of him! One day, I’ll kill him and avenge her!”
“Careful what you say, careful what you say.” Jiang Ruyan quickly covered Mo Zhuer’s small mouth.
Feeling the softness of Mo Zhuer’s lips against her palm, Jiang Ruyan couldn’t help but marvel—how tender they were. She almost wished she were a man so she could properly savor them.
“Alright, alright, that old fool can’t hear us anyway,” Mo Zhuer said, her expression weary. “I have two favors to ask of you.”
“Killing Xu Ming?” Jiang Ruyan guessed.
“No, that old fool will send two or three enforcers. I don’t need your help with that,” Mo Zhuer shook her head.
“Earlier, I worked with someone to fight Hehuan Sect’s Ji Wuming. We killed their Sect Master. Now, the Hehuan Sect must be leaderless. You should send people there immediately to clean them out. While you’re at it, loot the sect and bring me their supreme dual cultivation technique.”
“Huh? Dual cultivation? Are you planning to walk the path of dual cultivation?” Jiang Ruyan asked, surprised.
“Just bring it to me. Why ask so many questions?” Mo Zhuer rolled her eyes at her.
Jiang Ruyan nodded. “Fine, fine. I do love looting anyway. What’s the second favor?”
“Do you know about Qin Qingwan from the Tianxuan Sect?” Mo Zhuer asked.
“Of course I do!” Jiang Ruyan replied. “She’s the personal disciple of Elder Wang Xuan, said to be his final disciple too. Born with an innate sacred physique, ranked fifth on the Beauty List.”
Mo Zhuer sneered. “You really know her details by heart, don’t you?”
“Why do you sound a little jealous?” Jiang Ruyan walked over to Mo Zhuer, caressing her smooth, delicate thigh. “Don’t worry, in my eyes, you’re the most beautiful!”
“Oh, stop it, you perverted woman!” Mo Zhuer slapped Jiang Ruyan’s hand away. “Do you have any detailed information about her?”
“Not much, but in a month, the Tianxuan Sect will hold a Zixia Festival. They’ve invited sects and city lords from all around. Even representatives from other nations will attend.
Though my city is small, it’s right next to the Tianxuan Sect, so I got an invitation too. Do you want to come with me?” Jiang Ruyan asked.
“Zixia Festival…” Mo Zhuer thought for a moment, then smiled. “Alright, I’ll join in on the fun.”
“Great! I was dreading going alone anyway,” Jiang Ruyan said, delighted.
“That’s settled, then. I’m going to take a nap. Call me if you need me,” Mo Zhuer said, slapping Jiang Ruyan’s hand off her thigh again before standing up and heading back into the hidden chamber.
“Wait, I have a portrait of Qin Qingwan. Do you want it?” Jiang Ruyan called after her.
“Send it over,” Mo Zhuer replied from behind the closing door.
Two incense sticks’ worth of time later…
A painting lay spread out on the sandalwood table inside the stone chamber.
Mo Zhuer studied the woman depicted in the painting, her brows furrowing. “Is she prettier than me?”
The more she looked, the more annoyed she felt. With a flick of her sleeve, she rolled up the painting and tossed it aside.
The girl lay sideways on the bed, her thoughts consumed by a certain man who seemed so eager to meet this woman. The more she thought about it, the more displeased she became.
“Hmph! Blind fool!”
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