The Witch of Desire?

Being abducted by a woman meant one less thing to worry about in certain respects—but it still wasn’t a good situation.
In this era, anyone branded as a demonic cultivator was never someone harmless.

The woman suddenly cupped Gong Ning’s face in her hands, gently weighing the texture of her skin.

Her fingers moved with delicate care, as if handling a priceless piece of art.

She asked, “You’re Gong Ning, right?”

Gong Ning didn’t resist.
Perhaps she needed more information.

“Yes. And you are?”

“You don’t remember me? Two months and one and a half weeks ago, we met in Hua Province.
You were still naive then—a young beast who hadn’t reclaimed your true form.
…I created you.”

Her expression was off.
Her words were cryptic.

But Gong Ning always tried to understand others’ logic.

“I remember you.”

“Good. Then come back to me, won’t you?
I’ll teach you everything.
I’ll fulfill every wish you have…”

“But I have my own life.
People and things I can’t abandon.”

The demoness continued gazing at Gong Ning’s face, dazed.
“You’ve been reborn. Why cling to the past?”

“Don’t you have anything you care about?”

“I care about you.”

The words were sweet, but Gong Ning felt no warmth in them.
This was nothing like the affection her disciple showed.

Gong Ning decided to skip the topic.

“What’s your name? And how did you find me?”

“I haven’t used my real name in a long time.
But others call me Desire.
Since you were taken from me two months ago, I’ve been searching.
I waited for so long beneath that mountain…”

So she’d been watched from the start.
Desire, the name given by the Governance Institute—no doubt about it.

“What use am I to you? Why capture me—need me?
I’m neither a furnace vessel nor an ingredient.
If I’m hindering your plans, just kill me.”

But she didn’t seem to care about grudges at all.

“You’re beautiful. Isn’t that enough?”

Could those four words really explain everything?

“Many have gazed into that mirror.
Some saw themselves.
Some saw nothing.
Some became half-human, half-beast.
Others turned into full beasts.
Some developed a taste for human flesh.
Others became obsessed with money.
I’m curious—why did you become human?
Why no change at all?
Can you tell me?”

This might touch on Mind Studies.

Coming from a materialist world, Gong Ning had naturally studied the cultivation world’s philosophy of the mind.
She’d discovered that intangible things like soul and thought actually had tangible applications here.

The Mirror of the Heart amplified one’s inner self, making the outer form reflect the inner truth.

But Gong Ning didn’t consider herself a saint or immortal.
She’d simply done a few good deeds in life.
She had ordinary desires and sorrows, even thoughts she wouldn’t show to others.

“I don’t know.”

She couldn’t answer.
She didn’t have the confidence to claim she was that pure.

This demoness was difficult to communicate with.
She wasn’t driven by hatred or by profit.

“Hmm. That’s why you must return to me.
I want you.
But you don’t want to go.
I see.
There must still be bonds holding you back.
You’re unwilling to let go.”

At those words, Gong Ning’s heart clenched.

A demoness was called so not just for her power, but for her mind—twisted beyond common morality, her actions bringing chaos.

Was she interpreting Gong Ning’s attachments—her people—as shackles?
Was she going to target Lingling?

“Take off your clothes.”

Gong Ning exhaled in relief—then immediately tensed again.

“Why?”

“I’m curious.
Are you as perfect as I imagine?”

Then there was no more hesitation.
Compared to her disciple’s safety, everything else was trivial.

“But… here?”

“Oh.
I suppose not.
I thought you wouldn’t care.”

She finally stopped touching Gong Ning’s face and instead took her hand—then suddenly leaned in close.

Hot, damp breath brushed against Gong Ning’s cheek, making her lightheaded.

“You… what do you intend to do?”

“Something natural.
Haven’t you ever felt the urge to kiss yourself?
To defile yourself?”

“…I have.
But I never acted on it.”

“Why not?”

“It’s unnecessary.
Even counting age, I’m over a hundred and thirty.”

“Because you think it’s inappropriate for someone your age?”

“No…
I just never did it.
Pleasure gained from nothing brings no real value.
And in over a hundred and thirty years, what kind of pleasure haven’t I experienced?
I’ve cultivated past that.
There’s no need.”

Gong Ning had merely answered honestly, speaking from the heart.

But Desire’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“So… you’re like this?
Then if I kiss you, will you hate me?”

“Yes.
You made me undress.
You kidnapped me through shameful means.
These are things I despise.”

“So no matter what, you’ll always hate me.
Given your nature…
Yes, I’ve killed so many people.
You’d still hate me.
Then I don’t care anymore.”

She suddenly wrapped her arms around Gong Ning’s waist, pulling her close.

Gong Ning gasped, realizing too late that words had consequences.
She’d hoped the demoness would stop upon hearing her feelings—instead, she only grew bolder.

A soft, wet sensation pressed against her cheek.

Her heart pounded.

But the thing she feared didn’t happen.

“You have a demonic nature.
Looking at you, I want to cherish you.
I care about your feelings.
It weakens my desire for you.”

In the end, she only kissed Gong Ning’s cheek.

But her arms remained locked around her waist, her fingers restless, brushing against every inch of skin.

What unsettled Gong Ning wasn’t just her touch—but her eyes.
Calm as a still lake, they seemed determined to capture every unguarded, shameful expression she made.

Meanwhile, Tao Lingling and Lu Yunling were frantically searching every inn across the Central Land, asking if anyone from Xuantian Sword Sect had passed through.

Tang Qiaohuan had rushed to the Governance Institute, trying to contact her father.

This incident was too unexpected.
It wasn’t in her script at all.

At first, she’d wanted to take down both senior sisters.
In the past life, things had escalated too much.
Logically, she believed the conflict between the three was irreconcilable.

But after the arena battle, she saw both had held back.
The sisterly bond still existed.
So she’d tried to mend their relationship.

Even her act of informing the Master was meant to clear the air.
Some problems only worsen if left unspoken.
Better to expose them early and preserve the foundation.

But who could’ve predicted that a minor character from the past—someone Lu Yunling had casually defeated—would now ambush them like this?

Tang Qiaohuan’s mind was in chaos.
Even if she was blamed, even if she took another slash from the senior sister, she’d accept it.
But she couldn’t afford to make the same mistake twice.

The Governance Institute’s final reply:
Her father had been there—but two hours ago.

Yet there was better news.

Sword Immortal Jiang Yuyao had already known Gong Ning was coming to the Central Land.
She’d left an address with the Governance Institute officials.