Unexpected Intimacy and Hidden Agendas

Just as her objective seemed within reach, Su Mo ceased her struggles. However, a closer look revealed her top had completely come undone, her ample bosom, like twin snow-capped peaks, rose majestically, obscuring half her vision, leaving her unable to even glimpse her own legs.

With a man still pressing down on her, even Su Mo, typically unashamed, felt her face burn crimson.

‘What if he presses down…?’ Su Mo frowned, feeling as if her body were rooted to the spot, utterly unable to move.

Her hands were held firmly by the young master, pinned above her head. Even her shallow breaths caused a tumultuous swell.

It was truly astonishing that the man managed to maintain such remarkable composure.

‘Hold on, isn’t this actually a good thing?’ Su Mo mused, realizing her mind was racing, clouded by panic.

Speaking in a hushed whisper, Su Mo turned her face, avoiding his intense gaze. ‘Young Master, might you release me first?’

‘No,’ Xu Qingzhu replied, his body pressing down just a fraction more.

In that moment, a sensation of both rising and falling, a shivering current, passed through her as her soft ‘snow peaks’ brushed against his muscular chest, causing a slight collapse.

Su Mo’s eyelashes fluttered, and she pressed her lips together. The soft ‘mm’ that her delicate form threatened to utter was ruthlessly suppressed.

‘My fox body is simply too sensitive…’ she lamented inwardly.

At that moment, Xu Qingzhu finally revealed his purpose. ‘Miss, I haven’t inquired about your name yet, but that matters little. You simply need to understand that the weapons contained within the ring are not to be wielded carelessly.’

‘Young Master, I fear you misunderstand. I… I am a docile and charming maiden, and I shall certainly abide by your wishes.’ Su Mo gazed at him in surprise, struck by the sudden realization of his extreme caution.

Yet, with such meticulous caution, why had he brought her back, intending to take her as his wife?

‘You wouldn’t understand,’ Xu Qingzhu stated gravely. ‘The elderly woman, Huang Po, who resides in this very house, has shown me immeasurable kindness. I must treat this matter with the utmost seriousness. Your storage ring I will return to you, but any weapons and the like, I shall retain for safekeeping.’

In his previous life, he had mistakenly believed the Su family responsible for the massacre of his entire clan, and had, in turn, been relentlessly pursued by their remaining assassins. Unable to discern Xiao Yao’s insidious machinations, and crushed by the immense pressure of losing his loved ones and evading relentless pursuit, he had become utterly despondent, driven to the brink of madness. It was through a serendipitous turn of events that Huang Po had offered him solace, guiding him out of his profound suffering. If one were to ask which individuals held profound significance for him in his previous life, the answer would undoubtedly be Huang Po and his childhood sweetheart, Lu Yanling.

‘Little Ling’er… I am truly sorry, but I still cannot take you as my wife.’ Xu Qingzhu’s heart ached for a fleeting moment, before his gaze hardened, settling upon the ‘medicinal ingredient’ beneath him. The path to enlightenment, achieved by slaying one’s wife, could only be forged through this demonic woman, Su Mo. He would wait until she fell deeply in love with him, and then, in turn, deceive himself into loving her. Only by slaying her, amidst the fabricated sorrow, could he truly grasp the profound mysteries of the ‘Path of Ruthlessness’. This was, in essence, a divergent path. For the sake of vengeance, Xu Qingzhu would not allow himself to be burdened by trivialities.

‘Su Mo: ‘I’m left with a bitter taste.’

Rising to his feet, Xu Qingzhu handed the storage ring back to Su Mo. Hastily accepting it, Su Mo’s consciousness delved into the storage ring, only to find it truly ‘clean’. Whether it was spirit artifacts, talismans, elixirs, or even mundane weapons, everything had been confiscated. What remained? Only her clothes, some food, and mortal currency—not a single spirit stone. And, the very last book her mother had gifted her before her departure: ‘The Nine-Tailed Fox Sutra of Emotion’, a cultivation technique designed exclusively for those with the Nine-Tailed Fox physique. By cultivating according to its intricate methods, Su Mo could not only awaken her Nine-Tailed Fox bloodline but also gain mastery over the ‘Path of Emotion’.

What, then, constituted the Path of Emotion? It encompassed everything from romantic affections, familial bonds, friendships, and gratitude, to human desires, joys, and sorrows—all fell under its domain. Beginning with Qi Condensation, its practice could elevate one through the Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and even the Nascent Soul realms. Beyond that, however, there were no further cultivation methods, for the most profound cultivators in the Su family had only ever reached the Nascent Soul stage.

‘In the original novel, this Su Mo first mastered carnal desire… having been ‘intertwined’ too many times, it was certainly easy to comprehend.’ Su Mo mused, clutching the cultivation technique, her brow furrowed in indecision. To swiftly grasp the fundamentals of this cultivation method, she first needed to choose a single emotion to comprehend. Familial affection? Her entire family was gone. Friendship? Unfortunately, the original ‘Su Mo’ possessed a disagreeable personality and no true confidantes. And now, being hunted, forming new friendships seemed an impossible feat. Love? That was, for the moment, entirely out of the question. What about pleasure? Su Mo had no desire to be forcefully ‘intertwined’ by a man. Suffering? That, she considered, but it was akin to treading on thin ice, for only amidst the precipice of life and death could one truly encounter profound terror and immense opportunity.

… ‘I’ve endured half a lifetime of hardship; must I truly suffer for the rest of this one?’ Su Mo feared she was destined to become a masochist. Fortunately, Su Mo was currently cultivating the ‘Dust-Asking Heart Thunder’ technique, a secret art personally passed down within the Su family. Though she had only progressed to the Qi Condensation stage, with a weapon in hand, she could still unleash potent thunder spells. Beyond that, by expending a vast amount of spiritual energy, she could also summon lightning bare-handed, albeit at the perilous cost of inflicting a thousand wounds upon her enemy while incurring eight hundred upon herself. Unless she achieved Foundation Establishment, she would invariably require the aid of a weapon. She had chosen a bow, specifically preparing a Dark Thunder Bow, a high-grade spirit artifact, which now, to her dismay, had been confiscated by Xu Qingzhu. A wave of helplessness washed over Su Mo as she considered this, her gaze turning to him.

‘Let us depart; we have a destination today,’ Xu Qingzhu announced, pushing open the door before turning his gaze back to Su Mo, who was now dressed.

Having merely donned her clothes, Su Mo awkwardly fumbled with her hair, utterly clueless on how to arrange it into a proper bun. Previously, her maid Lian Huan had always assisted her; she had never once attempted it herself. Now, as a transmigator inhabiting a female body, and being a man at heart, she was completely lost.

‘Forgive me, Young Master, but I haven’t yet inquired about your esteemed surname,’ Su Mo stammered, awkwardly tugging at her disheveled hair, feigning competence.

Having observed her intently, Xu Qingzhu could hardly fail to notice that the girl was merely putting on a pretense, entirely incapable of styling her own hair. He strode over, gently pulling her to sit before the bed. Taking up a comb, he expertly began to untangle and smooth her tresses. His voice, unconsciously tender, spoke, ‘Xu Qingzhu. That is my name; you must not forget it.’

‘Ah?!’ Su Mo gasped, drawing in a sharp breath as she instinctively tried to turn her head. Yet, the sudden tug on her hair, a jolt of pain, brought her back to her senses.

‘Don’t move,’ Xu Qingzhu admonished softly. ‘Your hair is already disheveled again.’ He carefully gathered her unruly strands, meticulously combing them into place. His gaze held a distant, reminiscent quality. For a fleeting moment, the graceful silhouette of the woman before him seemed to merge with the carefree days of his past. Little Ling’er, for whom he had once styled her hair.

‘Then… I shall address you as Young Master Xu?’ Su Mo asked, still turning, a movement that sent a significant tremor through their proximity.

… The ‘giant peaks’ jolted Xu Qingzhu from his reverie, reminding him that the one in his heart… was flat-chested.

‘Very well,’ he simply stated, disinclined to elaborate further. In an instant, the illusion shattered; this was, after all, not the same person.

‘Mhm,’ Su Mo hummed, a bright smile gracing her lips, a subtle gleam flickering within her leisurely eyes. ‘So it’s you, Xu, the architect of great tragedy,’ she mused inwardly, a rare sense of ease settling over her. She couldn’t quite explain why. Perhaps it was born of sympathy, but she found herself feeling an extraordinary sense of reassurance around this man. Though Xu Qingzhu now appeared changed, imbued with a distinct coldness, had he not just moments ago displayed a flicker of tenderness? In the original narrative, he had been a true gentleman, only to be driven to madness and transformed into a venomous demon, obsessively hunting down and slaughtering entire lineages. At present, he was undeniably not yet insane. His desire to take her as his wife must surely stem from a desperate search for a spiritual anchor.

‘This will be simple,’ she thought, clenching her small fists in a silent resolve. ‘I’ll just send him back to his childhood sweetheart and wholeheartedly play matchmaker!’ Moreover, given their current acquaintance, Xu Qingzhu would surely come to her aid, shielding her from her relentless pursuers. The crucial prerequisite, however, was this: ‘Either I must prevent you from discovering my true identity as Su Mo, or I must enable you to uncover Xiao Yao’s wicked machinations and restore my Su family’s honor.’ Su Mo, naturally, aimed to achieve both.

Just then, the man behind her inquired, ‘I have yet to ask for the young lady’s esteemed name?’

‘Mhm,’ Su Mo hummed, carefully touching the newly fashioned bun on her head and smoothing a stray lock of hair that cascaded over her fragrant shoulder, before she turned to face him. She radiated immense delight, as if genuinely pleased with her new hairstyle. With a sweet smile, she unconsciously tilted her head, offering her thanks. ‘You may call me Su Yao, or simply Yaoyao, Young Master Xu~’

Their eyes glinted, and as they met each other’s gaze, each harbored their own intricate calculations.