Chapter 69 - 65: Gu Xiangzhu: Take Good Care of Your Kidneys

Chapter 69: Chapter 65: Gu Xiangzhu: Take Good Care of Your Kidneys

From behind, a "thank you" as faint as a mosquito’s buzz could be heard.

Gu Xiangzhu smiled faintly. Her talent for Soul Skills was unparalleled, yet she seldom used them. She had always firmly believed that psychological tactics were far more effective than any Soul Skill.

After leaving the secret chamber, they returned to the Practice Room.

Zhao Ci bit his lip and said in a low voice, "If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now."

Gu Xiangzhu asked with a faint smile, "If you go out like this, aren’t you afraid Zhao Huan will find out?"

Zhao Ci was speechless.

Gu Xiangzhu shook her head. "Take off your clothes."

Zhao Ci said, "Huh?"

’Is she trying to seduce me?’

’If she is, it’ll be hard for me to say no!’

Gu Xiangzhu pointed to the bruises on his neck. "You have too many bruises. If you don’t get rid of them, they’ll only arouse suspicion."

Zhao Ci was speechless.

Though embarrassed, he deftly removed his outer robe.

Gu Xiangzhu hesitated for a moment before taking out a medicinal ointment. She dabbed a little on her fingertip and gently applied it to his back.

"Hiss..."

Zhao Ci hissed, drawing a sharp breath. Perhaps it was because of the pain from being bound earlier, but the sudden, gentle touch gave him an ASMR-like sensation.

’Oh, crap!’

’My body has become so sensitive from her touch.’

’Worthy of a Demoness from the Demon Sect!’

Gu Xiangzhu was speechless.

She felt a tingling sensation at her fingertips. It was similar to when Zhao Ci had gotten handsy with her, but it wasn’t as unpleasant.

Her fingertips traced paths across the young man’s back.

The sight left her somewhat dazed. Realizing something was amiss, she quickly bit the tip of her tongue, dispelling the strange sensation.

’This... is merely part of my plan.’

’It shouldn’t affect my state of mind.’

The ligature marks and bruises on Zhao Ci’s body weren’t too severe, so she finished treating them in a short while.

"There. By the time you wake up tomorrow, the bruises will be gone."

Gu Xiangzhu withdrew her hand. "You’ll stay in Wangshu Palace tonight. Get your emotions in check. As for what just happened... pretend it never did."

"Mm..."

Zhao Ci gave a sullen nod, put on his clothes, and prepared to leave the Practice Room.

He stopped at the doorway, however.

He seemed to have something to say, but after a moment’s hesitation, he gave up on it.

Gu Xiangzhu asked, "Are there any of those mushrooms left? I’d like to have some more tomorrow."

Zhao Ci stiffened and said sullenly, "I already told you, that was just part of the test."

Gu Xiangzhu said, "I want to eat them."

Zhao Ci fell silent for a moment. "There are a few left. I can cook them for you, but only because I’m worried they’ll spoil. And this will count as repaying you for today’s favor. After this, there’ll be no more."

With that, he quickly left the Practice Room.

Though his steps were steady enough, he had the flustered air of someone fleeing.

He hurried back to his room.

He shut the door.

HUFF... HUFF... He panted for breath.

A huge, irrepressible grin spread across his face.

’Even though I got beaten up tonight and was humiliated by that woman’s feet...’

’...the final result was absolutely perfect.’

’Gu Xiangzhu thinks I’m neutral but leaning toward her side.’

’And Zhao Huan probably thinks the same.’

’My performance today deserves an Oscar, at the very least!’

...

「In the Practice Room.」

Watching Zhao Ci flee in such a flustered state, a smile touched Gu Xiangzhu’s lips as well.

’Compliance test: passed.’

’No matter how rational that boy is, his subconscious will now see me as someone he can rely on.’

’Even though I didn’t get the Alcohol Refining Technique tonight...’

’...the final result was absolutely perfect!’

’She knew that once a seed of doubt is planted, a guilty verdict is all but guaranteed.’

’The next time he sees Zhao Huan, he’ll inevitably feel the pressure. And he’ll inevitably suspect whether Zhao Huan had anything to do with his mother’s death.’

’Add to that the pressure of needing a transplant...’

’As long as I handle my psychological manipulation correctly...’

’...time will push him to my side, step by step.’

’After all, Zhao Huan has at least another hundred years to live.’

’In all of Lingge...’

’...there’s no room for him to survive unless he’s on his knees.’

’The boy is a clever one.’

’His talent for cultivation is also well worth developing.’

’He himself...’

’...is more valuable than the Alcohol Refining Technique.’

"Hah..."

Gu Xiangzhu stretched, but then she seemed to remember something.

She took the mirror down from the Practice Room wall, pushed open the window, and angled it toward the moon.

"Lady Yue, come out!"

The next moment, the reflection of the moon in the mirror transformed into a human figure and emerged.

This was her direct subordinate and her key liaison with the Demon Sect.

Lady Yue asked in a low voice, "Saintess, what are your orders?"

"Pass down my orders."

Gu Xiangzhu said coolly, "We are no longer contending for the position of First Dharma Protector."

Lady Yue was startled. "Just like that? We’re giving up?"

Ever since the Demon Monarch’s disappearance, the Demon Sect’s upper echelon consisted of only one Saintess and four Dharma Protectors. They were all individuals of supreme strength, and none submitted to any other.

Furthermore, no one knew whether the Demon Monarch was dead or alive.

That was why a new Sect Leader hadn’t been chosen in all these years.

The sect wasn’t completely disorganized, however.

Every five years, they vied for the position of First Dharma Protector, who would then serve as the acting Sect Leader.

Gu Xiangzhu had always focused on her enterprises in Lingge and had never entertained the thought of vying for the position of First Dharma Protector.

This time, however, she had been confident that she could obtain the Alcohol Refining Technique to solve the problem of new disciples having foundations that were too weak, which was why she had made a last-minute decision to contend for the position.

She had even laid considerable groundwork within the sect for this purpose.

’So why cancel it all of a sudden...’

Lady Yue’s expression grew solemn. "Saintess, you failed to get the Alcohol Refining Technique?"

Gu Xiangzhu said coolly, "It’s in the bag. There’s no need to be hasty."

Lady Yue was speechless.

’Something so important, and she’s not in a hurry?’

She furrowed her brow slightly and pondered for a good while before saying in a low, serious voice, "Saintess, I have no intention of interfering with your decision. But... Guardian Song is devious and unpredictable, and his actions are reckless and arrogant. If you withdraw so abruptly, what if he turns his attention to Zhao Ci...?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Xiangzhu’s pupils contracted, and a chill entered her voice. "Rest assured. As long as Zhao Ci is in Lingge, he absolutely won’t dare to make a rash move. But if he is audacious enough to actually target Zhao Ci, then I’d be more than happy to see just what he’s capable of!"

Lady Yue was speechless.

Her brain felt like it was short-circuiting. She sensed that Gu Xiangzhu’s attitude toward Zhao Ci had undergone some sort of subtle change.

’But why would such a change happen in such a short amount of time?’

’She didn’t even get the technique, so why is the Saintess still willing to make an enemy of Guardian Song? They were already on bad terms, but it shouldn’t have escalated to this point over some boy, right?’

However, as a subordinate, she knew her place.

She didn’t press the issue. Confirming that Gu Xiangzhu had no further orders, she once again became a stream of light, entering the mirror and returning to her form as the moon.

Gu Xiangzhu hung the mirror back on the wall, glanced back at the Practice Room, then returned to her bedchamber.

A wave of fatigue and drowsiness washed over her.

The day had been utterly exhausting.

She undressed, lay down on her bed, and pulled the thin quilt over herself.

The day’s events replayed continuously in her mind.

This was a habit of hers.

It helped her review her gains and losses and adjust her strategy with maximum speed.

Looking back, there were almost no flaws.

’Zhao Ci’s worldview is currently collapsing. The period when he rebuilds it is the most opportune time to build trust.’

’As long as I can firmly grasp his trust during this period, it will be more effective than any nefarious mind-control technique.’

’The only imperfection...’

’...was the unexpected amount of physical intimacy.’

Whenever she thought about it, that strange feeling would reappear in her heart.

’I won’t think about it!’

’It was merely an unavoidable part of the plan.’

’It won’t affect me in any way.’

’In the end, I was the one who won this round.’

Gu Xiangzhu closed her eyes, trying to force herself to sleep, but her feet kept feeling itchy, as if a pair of hands were caressing them.

Her jade-like toes fidgeted restlessly for a moment.

Gritting her teeth, she tucked her feet under the covers.

...

「The next morning.」

A Palace Maid was helping Zhao Huan arrange his draconic robes for the morning court session.

Eunuch Li stood to the side, saying respectfully, "Your Majesty, the Tenth Prince has already left Wangshu Palace."

"Oh?"

Zhao Huan raised an eyebrow. "How is Ci’s condition?"

Eunuch Li smiled. "He is full of vigor and in high spirits. He must have made significant progress in his cultivation."

A smile finally appeared on Zhao Huan’s face. "It seems my Noble Consort Jing is rational after all and didn’t do anything out of line. Where did Ci go after leaving the Imperial Palace?"

Eunuch Li put on an expression of admiration. "Toward the city’s north gate, in the direction of the Xiang’s Artifact Refining Workshop. Your Majesty is truly farsighted!"

"Oh?"

A benevolent smile graced Zhao Huan’s face as he waved his hand. "It’s nothing so farsighted. It’s simply that no one knows a son better than his father. Wake Xiang Yunzhan and tell him to hurry home."

"Yes!"

Eunuch Li also beamed, as if the Alcohol Refining Technique were already in Zhao Huan’s pocket.