Shen Gurong, resting his chin on his hand, tilted his head: "Want me?"
Mu Zhe nodded.
Shen Gurong smiled, completely oblivious to the obvious provocation in his words, and said earnestly, "We've already formed a Daoist bond; I'm already yours."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe's face flushed again, and he looked down at his toes.
The "want" he spoke of wasn't the kind of "want."
Seeing his stammering, Shen Gurong knew he might have misunderstood. He clicked his tongue, leaned in, lifted Mu Zhe's chin, and stroked his jaw, saying calmly, "Just say what you want. How can I give it to you if you don't tell me?"
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe was completely overwhelmed by Shen Gurong's sudden bluntness. He was the one who had proactively said "want," and now he was the one awkwardly retreating.
Looking at his handsome master before him, Mu Zhe couldn't help but let his mind wander.
After his master awoke again, he seemed different from before.
But Mu Zhe couldn't quite put his finger on what was different. He was still just as unrestrained and flamboyant…
But something wasn't right.
But something was wrong…
Mu Zhe pondered for a long time, then suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him, and he finally knew what the problem was.
Before, Shen Gurong seemed to be deliberately imitating Shen Feng Xue, suppressing all his emotions on his calm, expressionless face. Only when Mu Zhe could read minds could he glimpse his true nature.
But now, Shen Gurong seemed to have stopped imitating anyone, revealing his true nature without reservation.
He probably couldn't control the degree to which he released his true nature. The personality he displayed was terrifyingly straightforward compared to his previous feigned reserve and aloofness.
His temperament seemed to possess both Shen Feng Xue's cold and exquisite beauty, and Shen Gurong's own unrestrained arrogance.
At the same time, Mu Zhe could no longer hear what Shen Gurong was thinking.
Shen Gurong seemed to bury all his thoughts deep within his heart, not even revealing a trace of the shared yuandan.
Mu Zhe felt a strange sense of panic, but Shen Gurong's unabashed and unreserved display of affection left him completely defenseless. He, who was always adept at handling everything, now finally understood what it meant to be at a loss.
Was his master… truly so unrestrained and undisguised?
As Mu Zhe pondered this, Shen Gurong rose and leaned closer, his eyes shimmering with a captivating light: "Which one are you referring to when you say 'want'?"
Mu Zhe finally snapped out of his reverie, staring at Shen Gurong's beautiful eyes for a long time before lowering his head and mumbling something.
Shen Gurong paused, then suddenly burst into laughter.
"Alright." Shen Gurong reached out and touched Mu Zhe's face, giving him a promise, "Once I've resolved the matter of entering Xianzhou, I'll give it to you."
Mu Zhe's breath hitched.
As Shen Gurong spoke, he straightened his robes and stood up, a smile playing on his lips. He gently stroked Mu Zhe's cheek with a hint of ambiguity: "Wait for Master's favor."
With that, he gracefully left Fanjiang Residence, his wide sleeves drooping slightly.
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe stared at his master's retreating figure for a long time before belatedly realizing that his master...
Had he misunderstood the meaning of that "want"?
Shen Gurong had just left Fanjiang Residence when he heard a commotion and frowned.
On the spirit boat, Yu Xinghe and Shen Wanglan were sitting on the railing, watching the stars. Wen Liubing, who had arrived sometime earlier, was now nagging Shen Wanglan with a stern face.
"Who are you?"
"How old are you?"
"Shen Wanglan? You're Master's child?!"
"Sanshui has only been gone for four years, and Master already has a child?!"
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said coldly, "Shut up."
Upon hearing his master's voice, Wen Liubing immediately jumped off the spirit boat and quickly walked to Shen Gurong: "Master, you're not dead?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
How did he even think of taking in this debt-collecting disciple back then?
Shen Gurong glanced at him: "Thanks to you, I barely managed not to be driven mad by you—what are you doing here?"
Wen Liubing twirled his Lanting sword and said seriously, "Helping Master enter Xianzhou."
"No need." Shen Gurong refused outright, "Get out of here, don't get in the way."
Wen Liubing said "Oh"
"Master knows how to enter Xianzhou?"
Shen Gurong raised an eyebrow: "You know?"
"Of course I know." Wen Liubing gripped his Lanting sword, "Just fight your way in, right?"
Shen Gurong: "..."
If Yu Xinghe is a little good-for-nothing, then you're a big good-for-nothing.
Shen Gurong glared at him: "Who sent you?"
Wen Liubing answered truthfully: "The Sect Leader."
Shen Gurong frowned: "He's always meddling."
Even so, he didn't mention asking Wen Liubing to leave again.
Although his eldest and youngest disciples were all unreliable, it was better than having no one at all; at least Wen Liubing was quite capable in combat.
And Yu Xinghe… Shen Gurong looked up and saw Yu Xinghe playing a game of slapping hands with Wanglan. This grown man was still getting teary-eyed from Wanglan's slaps.
Shen Gurong: “…”
He rubbed his temples. Oh well, he'd just treat it as babysitting for him.
Wen Liubing followed behind, asking, “Master, who is that child? Your child? Who is my master's wife? Where is she now? Master, Master, Master.”
His master was getting annoyed with him. He glanced impatiently back at Wen Liubing and said, "Too much nonsense. Can't you learn from Mu Zhe?"
Wen Liubing: "???"
When did the eldest brother start learning from the junior brother?
Wen Liubing was completely bewildered, but his master's current aura was too overwhelming, unconsciously reminding him of his master's appearance when he first joined the sect. He could only remain silent.
His master's temper had improved somewhat over the years, but he was still essentially the Holy Lord who single-handedly slayed countless demons and evil spirits.
His arrogance once or twice was enough; any more, and his master might really draw his sword and chop him down.
The Holy Lord Shen originally intended to go to Fengdu again to investigate clues about the thirteen plague demons, but after so much trouble, it was already broad daylight. The moment the sun rose, Fengdu turned to dust and vanished like an illusion.
Only the ruins of Huitang City remained.
Shen Gurong's eyes trembled slightly, but no further reaction followed.
A century had tempered his mind to the hardness of a rock. He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the blinding light, gazing at the plaque of Huitang City bathed in sunlight for a long time before finally looking away.
Wen Liubing had already gone to investigate Huitang City and its surroundings. After absorbing all the memories, Shen Gurong was no longer so eager to kill Li Genglan.
More than forty years ago, his cultivation had reached its peak. Alone with his sword, he had nearly killed Li Genglan, who had appeared in Youzhou. The man's legs and feet had their meridians severed, and his heart had gradually atrophied due to Lin Xia Chun's decades of erosion. Even if he escaped from the Burial Mound, he would ultimately not escape death.
On the contrary, Shen Gurong was glad that Li Genglan had chosen to escape. This way, he wouldn't have to worry about anything. Without the Demon Lord and the others' obstruction, he could personally and completely slay Li Genglan with his sword.
Shen Gurong decided to stay another night. If he couldn't find any clues in Fengdu that night, he would get up and search the surrounding populated areas.
Xianzhou was shrouded in fog, but it bordered Youzhou, so returning wouldn't take too much time.
After giving Yu Xinghe a few words of advice on taking care of Shen Wanglan, Shen Gurong returned to Fanjiang Residence.
Mu Zhe was in a daze, watering the flowers in the courtyard with a blank expression. His mind was filled with thoughts of what Shen Gurong's words meant, whether he understood his true intentions, but he couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he tried. So he found something to do.
When he came to his senses and watered all the flowers in the courtyard, he noticed that Shen Gurong was sitting on a stone bench with his legs crossed, resting his chin on his hand, watching him with a smile.
He didn't know how long he had been watching him.
Mu Zhe's hand trembled, nearly dropping the small ladle. He walked over, feigning composure, and asked, "When did Master return?"
Shen Gurong, with a languid posture and a slight smile, replied, "I returned a while ago."
Mu Zhe sat down beside him, somewhat awkwardly asking, "Has Master found a way to enter Xianzhou?"
After saying that, Mu Zhe immediately realized his words were inappropriate. It sounded like… he was practically begging for the favor?
Shen Gurong, oblivious to the hidden meaning in his words, explained, "Sanshui has already gone to search. Leave it to him. If he doesn't find it today, we'll set off for Youzhou tomorrow."
Youzhou was the closest to Xianzhou, teeming with demonic cultivators; surely a way to enter Xianzhou could be found there.
Mu Zhe said, "Alright."
An awkward silence followed.
Shen Gurong kept staring at him, chin propped on his hand. Mu Zhe felt his face flush under his gaze, forcing himself to remain calm, attempting to recapture his composed, aloof demeanor as an outsider.
"So we're just going to wait here all day?"
Doing nothing?
Shen Gurong smiled faintly: "What do you want to do? Master will accompany you."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe, his mind filled with erotic dreams and those stories about Yu Xinghe, immediately misunderstood and coughed violently.
Shen Gurong, unaware of his thoughts, raised his hand to gently pat his back to help him catch his breath, saying, "How old are you to still be choking yourself?"
Mu Zhe grabbed Shen Gurong's hand, struggling to speak: "Master, you..."
He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Shen Gurong was unconsciously alluring in every way. Every move, every smile seemed to deliberately arouse his desire, yet it was like a gentle scratch from a small animal's paw, leaving no trace before retreating, leaving Mu Zhe alone, itching with desire.
Shen Gurong stared at Mu Zhe for a long time, then suddenly tilted his head and said something shocking: "Do you want to cultivate with your master?"
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe was truly choked this time, coughing violently, tears almost streaming down his face.
Although he already knew his master was very direct, Mu Zhe was still caught off guard by this blunt question, almost choking himself to death.
Shen Gurong clicked his tongue, thinking he was making a fuss over nothing. After catching his breath, he said, "Anyway, you're just idling around, might as well do something meaningful."
Mu Zhe's face turned red.
The meaningful thing you're talking about is cultivation?!
Shen Gurong gently leaned closer, his eyelashes trembling slightly, and said softly, "Let's cultivate together."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe was stunned.
Shen Gurong seemed amused by his reaction, a slight smile playing on his lips. His usually aloof face seemed to radiate warmth as he leaned close to Mu Zhe's ear, his voice alluring and seductive.
"No, not dual cultivation," Shen Gurong whispered, his voice laced with a suggestive whisper. "Let's indulge in daytime debauchery."
Mu Zhe: "..."
Mu Zhe stared at him in astonishment for a long time before realizing that his seemingly composed master's earlobes were now almost dripping with blood.
Shen Gurong... wasn't as calm and collected as he appeared.
Mu Zhe suddenly lost his shyness. He reached out and grasped Shen Gurong's hand, his voice hoarse. "Okay."
Shen Gurong's eyes widened slightly at this answer, seemingly quite surprised.
Mu Zhe then realized that Shen Gurong was genuinely teasing him, seemingly wanting to see his awkward and flustered reaction.
Mu Zhe took a deep breath, feeling he had to regain the upper hand in front of his master, otherwise he would eventually be bewitched by Shen Gurong and completely at his mercy.
He gently stroked the back of Shen Gurong's hand with his fingertips, watching with satisfaction as Shen Gurong trembled slightly, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints.
Mu Zhe suppressed his inner tension, his tone cold and deep, "If Master wishes, then your disciple will accompany you."
Shen Gurong was startled, instinctively trying to pull his hand back; a crack finally appeared in his perfect mask.
Mu Zhe grabbed his hand, preventing him from escaping. The usually composed Shen Gurong suddenly became hesitant at the last moment. He tilted his head, coughed dryly, his eyes slightly red, and whispered, "This matter… you should think about it. In the end, you'll be the one who suffers."
He was the one who proposed the daytime debauchery, and he was also the one who made excuses to refuse.
Having just teased Mu Zhe, Shen Gurong hadn't even considered going that far. After all, as his master, to initiate such a thing would be shameless and audacious. If others knew, they would surely condemn him for abusing his status to force his disciple into submission.
Dirty, shameless, disrespectful to his elders, only knowing how to enjoy himself.
Shen Gurong even berated himself.
Seeing the guilty look on Shen Gurong's face, Mu Zhe knew what his master was worried about. He raised an eyebrow, helped Shen Gurong up from the stool, gently nudged his waist, and said calmly, "Don't worry, I won't be at a disadvantage."
Shen Gurong sighed, "Disciple, you don't understand."
Mu Zhe almost laughed. Did he not even understand something like this? What kind of pure white lotus did his master take him for?
Just as Mu Zhe was about to take Shen Gurong to his room to see who was truly at a disadvantage, a tremor came from outside Fanjiang Residence.
Then, his disciple arrived.
It was Wen Liubing.
Mu Zhe's face immediately turned green.
Shen Gurong, however, felt a sense of relief and quickly shook off his hand. But then, feeling that running away so abruptly was too heartless, he hesitated for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand to grasp the disciple's contract, shielding himself from the spirit butterfly's prying gaze.
Mu Zhe's expression was grim, his mind preoccupied with how to assassinate his senior brother.
Shen Gurong suddenly stood up and walked in front of him, saying vaguely, "Don't move."
Mu Zhe instinctively didn't move.
Shen Gurong's eyelashes trembled. He suppressed his wildly beating heart, slightly tiptoed, and bit Mu Zhe's neck.
He didn't bite hard, just leaving a red mark before quickly withdrawing, his eyelashes drooping like a dying butterfly, his tone inexplicably soft as he said, "I'm just leaving a mark."
Mu Zhe was stunned. Leave a mark? A stamp? Shen Gurong left his mark on Mu Zhe, soothing his resentment at having teased him so much only to have him run away halfway through. He left with the words, "We'll talk about it when we get to Xianzhou."
With that, his ears burning red, he rushed out of Fanjiang Residence.
This time, Mu Zhe heard the intense turmoil within Shen Gurong's heart.
'I'll never tease him again!'
Mu Zhe: "..."
Wen Liubing, like a ghost calling his soul, had disrupted their "daytime debauchery." After leaving Fanjiang Residence, Shen Gurong took a deep breath, finally finding his silly disciple somewhat more agreeable.
"What is it?"
Wen Liubing bowed and said, "Master, I know how to get to Xianzhou now."
Shen Gurong raised an eyebrow and said, "Tell me about it?"
Wen Liubing said, "Alright—Master, your sash isn't tied properly."
Shen Gurong: "..."
Shen Gurong immediately turned around, his ears turning red, and hastily tied the sash that Mu Zhe had untied at some point.
Fortunately, Wen Liubing, being a simple-minded person, didn't think much of it. Without changing his expression, he led Shen Gurong into Fengdu, to the mansion where the living souls were to be married, a place Shen Gurong had visited before.
Shen Gurong, sleeves gathered, slowly followed behind, glancing around, and said, "Here?"
Wen Liubing nodded: "The bride and the ghosts carrying the sedan chair in this house are all demonic cultivators in disguise."
He raised his hand, smashing half of the earthen wall of the now-ruined mansion, revealing several trembling weasels inside.
Shen Gurong walked over, glancing at the creature without changing his expression: "A demonic cultivator?"
Wen Liubing: "No, a ferocious beast that has become a demon. These usually appear in Xianzhou."
After all, Xianzhou is a gathering place for demonic cultivators.
Shen Gurong walked over, about to lift the weasel that Wen Liubing had beaten, when Mu Zhe, who had appeared unnoticed, grasped his hand with a stern expression and whispered, "I'll do it."
Mu Zhe was somewhat forceful, probably not wanting him to get his hands dirty. Shen Gurong awkwardly withdrew his hand, letting Mu Zhe hold the weasel by the scruff of its neck for him to see.
Shen Gurong stared for a long time before finally asking, "Why are they searching for living souls to marry in this ghost city?"
Wen Liubing replied, "Because Xianzhou is searching everywhere for living souls who can withstand the plague demon's poison, and the person Li Genglan chose..."
He glanced back and noticed Yu Xinghe wasn't there, then continued, "It's Yu Xinghe."
Yu Xinghe had been led all the way to Fengdu, and being foolish and rich, he was successfully captured by these weasels. They casually fabricated a marriage proposal, intending to form a control contract and carry him to Xianzhou.
Shen Gurong, adjusting his wide sleeves, asked, "What kind of strange quirk is this?" Searching for living souls, and using marriage as a method to take them to Xianzhou?
Wen Liubing said, "It's said to be Xianzhou's method of raising plague demons."
Shen Gurong nodded, scrutinizing the timid weasels for a long time before reaching out and tapping one of them on the forehead, his spiritual energy flowing like water into its mind.
Soon, the struggling weasel fell silent, breaking free from Mu Zhe's grasp and prostrating itself before Shen Gurong.
Shen Gurong lowered his eyes, his expression cold: "Take me to Xianzhou."
It was just a light, seemingly gentle sentence, but to the weasels, it was like a bolt from the blue. The weasel knelt, begging for mercy, its words mumbled indistinctly, as if pleading.
Shen Gurong frowned: "I don't understand. Speak human language."
The weasel trembled, then stammered in human language: "We can only enter Xianzhou if we find the bride."
Shen Gurong: "Is the bride Yu Xinghe?"
The weasel confirmed.
Shen Gurong and Mu Zhe exchanged a glance. Mu Zhe nodded and turned to leave.
Soon, they returned, one holding Yu Xinghe, the other Wanglan.
Yu Xinghe looked completely bewildered: "Huh? What's wrong? What happened?"
Shen Gurong looked at him with a loving expression and said calmly, "Xinghe."
Yu Xinghe quickly said, "Master, I'm here."
Shen Gurong smoothed down a stray hair on his head and asked, "Do you want to get married?"
Yu Xinghe: "..."
Yu Xinghe: "!!!"
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