This Has to Be a Scam, Right?

She didn’t know why, but recently she always had a faint feeling of unease.

If one were to put this feeling into words, it was like someone saying, “Once this battle is over, I’ll go home and get married,” or “Don’t worry, I’m the strongest.”

The kind of phrase that practically nails a death flag into one’s skull.

There was nothing more to say.

It would go wrong, obviously.

Ever since news of Qin Ximo surfaced, Lu Qianyun had rarely appeared in the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

To the outside, it was claimed that “Yun’er” had unfortunately caught a cold and was unfit for receiving guests.

Many regular patrons who specifically came for Lu Qianyun beat their chests and wailed over this.

Some even got drunk and shouted in the pavilion that they must see “Miss Yun’er” with their own eyes or they would not rest.

But such people, once beaten and thrown out, would return the next day and casually spend their spirit stones on another girl instead.

Heh.

Men.

No — to generalize so broadly would be unfair.

With Lu Qianyun’s beauty that toppled all beings, and her subtle seductive tricks, the identity of “Yun’er” actually had many loyal admirers.

Lu Qianyun never refused any of them.

And if she found one pleasing to the eye, she would even give a subtle hint.

Then, in a night when no one knew, that girl would sneak in through the back door of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion and enter Lu Qianyun’s boudoir.

As for those women’s final destination…

Naturally, it was the cage in the next room.

Most of them did not even seem to mind their situation.

Was Lu Qianyun’s cultivation method truly so terrifying?

Or did she use some kind of bewitching charm?

Every woman she took in, without exception, became devoted to her to the point of abandoning their human dignity and willingly becoming her pet.

Today was a particular day.

Lu Qianyun led Cao Xueyan once again to the hidden chamber beneath the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

The place was the same as last time.

Dark, damp, and cold, like a dungeon used to hold prisoners.

A strange chill drifted through the air, wandering like lost ghosts.

Given that this body “Ming Yue Mian” was only at Qi Refining ninth layer, the environment made her skin crawl.

Lu Qianyun was dressed the same as before.

Even calling it “light” clothing was not enough.

The thin gauze she wore was like something not meant to exist at all.

And yet, the places that should be covered were covered just right.

So tempting that one’s heart itched just to look.

Lu Qianyun took pleasure in this, never caring.

However, she clearly did not enjoy coming to this kind of place.

Normally she was barefoot, sometimes wearing a delicate anklet, the white jade glow of her skin making her feet appear even more enticing.

But today, she was unusually wearing black silk stockings and boots.

Her heels struck the stone floor, echoing throughout the chamber.

People often believed demonic cultivators should prefer dark, filthy, hidden places like this.

But in truth, Lu Qianyun was like any ordinary woman.

She liked bright and spacious places, and jewelry set with gold and jade.

When she arrived, the few black-robed demonic cultivators from last time were already waiting.

They immediately spoke in mocking tones:

“Saintess Lu graces us. Forgive us for not welcoming sooner.”

“Senior, what do you mean?” Lu Qianyun remained smiling, flawless. “As the Saintess of the Hehuan Sect, I am naturally busy. But you all came without announcement — might that not mean you do not put my Hehuan Sect in your eyes?”

“Tch.”

They all sneered.

“What business could the women of the Hehuan Sect possibly have? Aren’t you busy rolling in bed and indulging with those wanton girls?”

“Senior speaks correctly,” Lu Qianyun replied evenly. “For us, dual cultivation is indeed the highest pursuit. Legend states that in ancient times, the Human Emperor lay with three thousand women in one night and ascended by day. Our Hehuan Sect reveres him as our ancestor and seeks to follow his glorious example.”

“Ridiculous nonsense!”

“Not quite,” Lu Qianyun said lightly. “It is recorded in our ancient texts. If you don’t believe me, you may return to the sect with me to verify. And afterward, if any female disciple pleases you, I would not mind arranging a marriage.”

The demonic cultivator laughed.

His eyes, burning behind the hood, shamelessly moved over Lu Qianyun’s body.

“Oh? And if the one I want is Saintess Lu herself?”

Lu Qianyun chuckled.

Beside her, Cao Xueyan’s eyes grew cold like a thousand-year glacier.

“If Senior successfully breaks through Core and forms a Nascent Soul, becoming a Dao Lord, I would not mind becoming your s*ave and concubine.”

“Hahahaha! You said this yourself.”

But no one took it seriously.

Other women — perhaps.

But the Saintess of the Hehuan Sect?

No one dared.

To dual cultivate with a master of the Hehuan Dao was to risk dying on the bed, drained to nothing, your cultivation turned into her nourishment.

She would wear another’s life as her bridal veil.

Another demonic cultivator cut in coldly.

“You speak easily, but do not forget why we risk being tracked by the imperial Heaven-Observing Bureau to come here! That woman has been in Gusu City for days. Yet you only notified us after she left? Lu Qianyun, what are you plotting? If this fails, our Longevity Heaven will not forgive you.”

The woman, of course, referred to Qin Ximo.

Lu Qianyun remained calm.

“She stayed in Gusu only one night. This morning she already set out toward the ruins. Is that not exactly what we wanted? Since she is in such a hurry to die, we may as well save effort.”

“Let me ask you directly. Can your Hehuan Sect truly control everything inside those ruins?”

“If I didn’t have confidence, how could I have persuaded your sect master?” Lu Qianyun replied. “But the outer formation of the ruins cannot be opened with the token alone. I have already tested it in secret.”

One demonic cultivator exploded in rage.

The chamber trembled under the pressure of his Golden Core cultivation.

Cao Xueyan swayed, nearly falling.

Lu Qianyun steadied her.

“Senior Ming, your cultivation is indeed profound. But do restrain yourself. If the heavenly inspectors smell bloodshed here, they will not leave easily.”

She continued:

“We do not speak empty words. The ruins can be opened. Only—besides the token—I require one more thing.”

“What thing?” another demonic cultivator snapped.

“No need to rush,” Lu Qianyun smiled.

“The missing requirement is—”

The demonic cultivators eventually left, cursing as they went.

Some drank human blood.

Some extracted souls.

Some raised corpse poison worms inside living hosts.

Some slaughtered by the thousands to build bone altars.

Each one of them was a monster drenched in sin.

And yet—

They looked down on the Hehuan Sect.

Lu Qianyun had explained that to open the ruins, a ritual was needed.

A ritual performed by two women, both trained in the Hehuan Sect’s special arts, performed before the altar, using bodily essence as the key.

The demonic cultivators nearly suspected they had stayed underground too long and their ears had gone bad.

If Lu Qianyun had said: We need to sacrifice ten thousand living souls—

They would not have blinked.

But this?

This was too Hehuan Sect.

Yet these ruins were indeed their ancestral legacy.

So even absurdity must be endured.

They set a time and left, each irritated and unwilling.

After they were gone, Lu Qianyun yawned lazily and took Cao Xueyan back to the pavilion.

It was late.

The Drunken Immortal Pavilion was no longer receiving guests.

Only Hehuan Sect members remained, calling out in sweet, bone-melting voices:

“Welcome back, Saintess~”

Lu Qianyun returned to her room with Cao Xueyan.

Only then did Cao Xueyan finally speak.

“Saintess… that ritual…”

Lu Qianyun smiled before she could finish.

“I lied to them. The ruins can be opened by the Saintess’ token alone. There is no ritual.”

…Lied?

Cao Xueyan froze.

Given the Hehuan Sect’s reputation, she had been certain the ritual was real.

It turned out Lu Qianyun was simply unwilling to suffer a loss.

Even here, she wanted to scam the demonic cultivators.

“But—words once spoken cannot be taken back. So in the end, I really do have to perform something dramatic in front of them. It needs to look convincing. Medicines and magic tools won’t be enough.”

Lu Qianyun tapped her chin thoughtfully.

“As for one of the participants, I don’t really care. But the other one…”

Cao Xueyan felt Lu Qianyun’s playful gaze drift slowly over her.

Her back went cold.

This was…

This was also…

A lie…

Right?

…Right?