The enchantress laughed heartily, her body swaying back and forth, her slender frame trembling with mirth. The towering peaks of her bosom revealed a glimpse of snowy whiteness and perfect curves, glistening with an alluring sheen that captivated the soul. Her raven-black hair cascaded over her porcelain neck, and her sparkling eyes shimmered with mischief. Her radiant face was alight with joy as her lithe form swayed gracefully, circling Lunar Grace with an unrelenting gaze. Her very demeanor exuded an intoxicating charm, a breathtaking sight that stirred the heart and soul, blending ethereal grace with bewitching allure in a way that left one both astonished and entranced.
Lunar Grace, the celestial maiden, was no less extraordinary—renowned as the true peerless beauty of the mortal realm. Her skin was like jade, her robes fluttering like a divine breeze, exuding an otherworldly elegance. Her obsidian-dark eyes, her flawless, crystalline complexion, and her unblemished beauty made her seem like an exiled immortal descended to earth. Yet now, she was on guard, deeply troubled by the sudden appearance of the enchantress. As her greatest rival, this was the last person she wished to see in her current predicament—captured and made a prisoner of a man, only to be witnessed by her adversary. Nothing could be more humiliating.
“Hehehe…” The enchantress giggled shamelessly, utterly unrepentant, never having felt such unrestrained delight. She had come eagerly, just to witness this very scene.
“Oh dear, sister, your slender waist is so delicate—it seems even more tempting than before!” The enchantress wasted no time, seizing every opportunity to tease.
Lunar Grace dodged, but with her cultivation sealed, she was no match for the enchantress’s speed. Her fair cheeks flushed crimson, a stark contrast to her usual serene and dignified demeanor.
“Demoness, have some self-respect.”
“Sister, why so serious? It’s been so long—can’t I greet you warmly?” The enchantress beamed, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
“Oh my, your bosom has grown even fuller! Is this the so-called ‘post-marriage effect’? But it’s a good change, isn’t it?” She flashed a dazzling smile, her teeth white as snow, her hair shimmering, her gaze playful as she reached out and gave a teasing pinch.
This time, Lunar Grace let out a startled cry. No matter how composed or transcendent she usually was, she was still a maiden at heart. Being teased so brazenly by her rival was more than she could bear. Her face burned with embarrassment as she warned the enchantress to behave—only to invite even more provocative teasing.
*Smack!*
The crisp sound of a playful slap landed on her pert backside, sending waves of mortification through Lunar Grace. Her cheeks burned scarlet, especially knowing that a certain man was watching nearby. The sound, along with the infuriating hand on her curves, made her wish she could vanish on the spot. As the sacred maiden of the Heaven-Mending Sect, she had never endured such humiliation.
This was truly a reversal—enough to shake the composure of one who had always stood aloof, towering above the Eight Domains. Her Dao heart wavered, her restraint crumbling. She longed to challenge the enchantress to a decisive battle, one that would rage for three days and three nights!
Shi Hao watched from the side, his gaze flickering with complex emotions before finally settling into amusement. This was… quite the spectacle. Seeing two peerless beauties in such a state, his mind conjured some rather indecent thoughts, and a smirk tugged at his lips. He simply observed, saying nothing.
“Wait a minute… Sister, you don’t look like a married woman at all?” The enchantress suddenly remarked, though of course she had already discerned the truth—this was merely a deliberate jab.
“Little Shi, how could you neglect such a fairy right beside you? That’s just cruel.” The enchantress turned to Shi Hao, her smile radiant, dazzlingly beautiful.
“I was waiting for you. The doors of my harem are always open—without you, who else could be empress?” Shi Hao chuckled shamelessly.
“Ah, what a pity. I already have someone I like, so don’t save that spot for me. I think Lunar Grace is perfect—why are you so heartless, leaving her to pine in loneliness? You know, even fairies can get into trouble when they’re lonely.”
Truly a demoness—she had no inhibitions, saying whatever she pleased.
Shi Hao took it in stride, teasing her right back. But Lunar Grace was at a disadvantage—after all, she was a captive, and no words could change that fact.
“Why don’t you stay too? Never leave—live in the harem, grow in the harem, and we’ll enjoy eternal freedom together,” Shi Hao suggested.
Finally, the enchantress’s expression shifted. A flicker of unease crossed her heart—she knew all too well that even five Venerable Ones had fallen here. If Shi Hao truly intended to trap her, it would be troublesome.
“You can’t be so cruel. I only have one World-Breaking Divine Talisman—if I waste it here, wouldn’t that just make the Heaven-Mending Sect cheer?”
“World-Breaking Divine Talisman… That sounds like a treasure. Care to trade? I’ll give you three divine materials,” Shi Hao mused.
The enchantress dared not agree—if she lost the talisman, she truly feared Shi Hao might just imprison her as well. No amount of divine materials would matter if she couldn’t escape. Mentioning the talisman was both a warning and a way to ensure mutual safety.
Seeing her shake her head, Shi Hao sighed dramatically. “How sad. You don’t trust me at all.”
After some playful probing, they finally turned to serious matters—discussing the chaos in the Barren Domain. She brought crucial news, at least from Shi Hao’s perspective.
The Severing Heaven Sect, another immortal legacy, had not been idle—they simply hadn’t acted within the Stone Kingdom. Now, the Fire Nation, the Wood Nation, the Golden Wolf Ancient Kingdom, and even the strongest maritime kingdom were in utter turmoil, torn apart by forces backed by foreign sects.
Shi Hao’s gaze darkened slightly. Was the Severing Heaven Sect also serving the great figures of the Upper Realm? That didn’t sit well with him.
“Even if we are connected to the Upper Realm, we oppose the Heaven-Mending Sect and others. Our doctrines clash, our traditions contend—everything we do is to counter them, not to harm the Lower Realm’s inhabitants,” the enchantress stated frankly.
The Upper Realm’s power struggles were complex, with deep-seated enmities—like that between the Heaven-Mending Sect and the Severing Heaven Sect. They were irreconcilable, destined never to unite.
“To put it simply, our sect descended specifically to oppose them,” she explained.
That eased Shi Hao’s mind somewhat. Otherwise, he might have gained yet another formidable enemy. The current situation was already complicated—having an ally wasn’t a bad thing.
Of course, he couldn’t fully trust her words. She was too cunning, too unpredictable.
Among the great ancient kingdoms of the Barren Domain, only the Stone Kingdom remained unified under Shi Hao’s control. The others had all fractured.
“What happened in the Fire Nation’s capital?” Shi Hao was worried about Fire Spirit and wondered if the Fire Emperor had truly ascended via the Celestial Clan’s teleportation array.
“Didn’t take you for such a romantic. With a beauty like Lunar Grace right before you, you’re still thinking of others?” The enchantress teased but didn’t withhold the truth.
An ancient battlefield had been sealed there, nurturing something extraordinary—during the great calamity, it had directly clashed with the Upper Realm, shocking all major sects.
“What? It dared to clash with the Upper Realm?” Shi Hao was stunned.
“It might be related to the Supreme Treasure Vault, or perhaps the ruins of the Supreme Hall,” the enchantress said.
Shi Hao’s heart stirred. The Supreme Treasure Vault was a subject of mixed feelings—he had heard of it countless times. According to the Willow Deity’s judgment, it might be a deadly trap.
And now, here it was again—this time beneath the Fire Nation’s capital, seemingly real. Otherwise, how could it possess such overwhelming power to clash with the Upper Realm?
“Your little sweetheart might have fled, leaving this realm. The Fire Nation’s capital is in ruins,” the enchantress informed him.
“You said the Supreme Treasure Vault might be connected to the Supreme Hall—are they in the same place?” Shi Hao asked.
He remembered clearly—the Supreme Hall had only one heir per generation, destined to become a Supreme. It was a mysterious ancient sect from beyond this domain. How could it have entered the Barren Domain?
“Speculation suggests they are closely linked, originating from the same place. Both move, never fixed to one domain,” the enchantress revealed.
Shi Hao pressed for details and was startled to learn that just two days prior, someone had witnessed a massive claw emerging from the ruins outside the Stone Kingdom’s capital, tearing through the clouds.
Hearing this, Shi Hao’s heart clenched. That sounded like the terrifying beast he had once seen in the wilderness beyond Stone Village—the very one the Willow Deity had warned was part of the deadly trap, the colossal tortoise.
Could it be that the real and fake Supreme Treasure Vaults had converged? If so, someone was about to make their move—mixing truth with deception to ensnare the Upper Realm’s great figures!
The heavens and earth were shifting—the killing game was about to begin. Shi Hao had a premonition that the Barren Domain was on the brink of a cataclysmic upheaval.
“I came to invite you to enter the Supreme Hall together. Who knows? You might obtain an unparalleled inheritance,” the enchantress said with a playful grin.
Shi Hao shook his head firmly. If his suspicions were correct, even gods would be insufficient to fill that abyss.
“I’ll wait. I’ll decide later.”
“Oh? That aligns with my plans. Do you know something?” The enchantress looked surprised, as if realizing she might have let something slip. She smiled enchantingly.
Shi Hao’s heart raced. Did the enchantress know the truth too? Was this a test? But how could she know—unless she had someone like the Willow Deity behind her?
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind. He shuddered, recalling her earlier words—that her sect had descended solely to oppose the Heaven-Mending Sect, with no ill intent toward the Lower Realm’s inhabitants.
A possibility struck him—could this ancient trap have been set by the Severing Heaven Sect’s master?
But if so, the enchantress shouldn’t know either—unless her status was shockingly exalted, unless she too hailed from the Upper Realm, connected to that terrifying figure.
“You wouldn’t happen to be the young daughter of some Upper Realm magnate, sent here for training, would you?” Shi Hao’s gaze deepened as he studied her.
“Young man, you’re overthinking. The one I love is simply in the Upper Realm,” the enchantress replied breezily, her words impossible to verify. She deftly changed the subject.
“But I can tell you this—Lunar Grace truly is a noble lady from the Upper Realm, her status far beyond your imagination. If this were revealed, it would shake the heavens.”
Shi Hao remained expressionless, saying nothing.
The enchantress, however, laughed and lifted Lunar Grace’s chin with a delicate hand, teasing like a rogue. “Sister, you’re so radiant—utterly captivating.”
Then she turned to Shi Hao, mocking him for not having consummated the marriage yet, clearly delighting in Lunar Grace’s misfortune.
“I prefer to take my time with training,” Shi Hao said shamelessly, unfazed by the question.
“Let me help you train her, then. Look—she won’t even serve tea. Not very becoming of a fairy, is it? Too proud.”
The enchantress lingered, discussing various matters with Shi Hao, proposing collaboration. She speculated on what the Upper Realm might be seeking, emphasized the importance of the Supreme Hall’s legacy, and even hinted at divine artifacts capable of forging true deities.
Two days later, as they conversed, Lunar Grace glided over gracefully, serving tea with ethereal poise.
This was entirely the enchantress’s doing—her presence was far more intimidating than Shi Hao’s, forcing Lunar Grace to comply, lest she provoke further mischief.
The enchantress smirked. “This is just the beginning. Later, you’ll massage my shoulders.”
Shi Hao shot her a sidelong glance. “Are you a man in disguise? Why steal my maid? If anyone’s getting a shoulder rub, it should be me.”
“I’m helping you train her, aren’t I?” The enchantress giggled, utterly unbothered.
“No need. I’ll handle it. Lunar Grace, stand behind me—don’t go to her,” Shi Hao grumbled.
Lunar Grace gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing. Though she appeared as serene and composed as ever, her heart had long been in turmoil. She would gladly fight the enchantress to the death if given the choice.
She would rather massage Shi Hao’s shoulders than yield to the demoness. The sight of her rival made her gnash her teeth in frustration.
With light steps, her slender jade-like form swaying, she moved behind Shi Hao, standing opposite the enchantress.
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