The guest quarters were located on an isolated mountain peak, facing the sea and offering a panoramic view of the entire island, second only to the two main peaks in elevation, with picturesque scenery and a tranquil atmosphere.
Under Yue Huan’s guidance, Meng Qi and Ying Ning arrived at the entrance of the guest quarters. Just then, Ying Ning stuck out her tongue, looking slightly embarrassed as she said, “Master, I was just bewitched by the image of the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire, and only now have I finally regained my senses. I forgot that there was still a matter from our sect I needed to report. Please go inside and rest first, I’ll be right back.”
After Meng Qi nodded, she hurriedly turned around and returned to the Great Joy Palace, prompting Yue Huan to stifle her laughter.
The guest quarters were peaceful and neat. Meng Qi dismissed Yue Huan, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began contemplating his next move. Tomorrow he would meet the current Bodhisattva of Joy, so tonight he must ensure the “Poisonous Hand” disappeared. However, if he suddenly vanished, people might suspect his purpose in coming to Li Hua Island and summon masters to lay a net, searching inch by inch.
Should he feign dissatisfaction with the earlier test, pretending to fear the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire had ulterior motives, thus deciding to flee the island immediately?
That explanation could barely work. Meng Qi’s eyes half-closed, his sharp gaze hidden within. After the “Poisonous Hand” vanished, he would first transform into creatures like mice or other small animals to avoid detection by spirit beasts, quickly descending the mountain and becoming a beggar on the street.
Only beggars would likely escape being used for cultivation practices!
If he turned into a “snack,” there was no telling when he might be called upon for intimate company. He wasn’t experienced in such matters, and in bed, he could easily reveal his true nature. However, as a beggar, if he hid well and didn’t actively seek intimacy, he could stay safe for a while. Then, he could quietly observe the town, listen for news, and search for a male disciple with the potential to comprehend the Overlord’s Ultimate Blade Technique!
Meng Qi quickly settled on this simple plan without adding intricate details. Sometimes, the more elaborate and interdependent the plan, the more likely it was to go wrong.
Before long, Ying Ning returned and, seeing Meng Qi in meditation, quietly exited to rest in another room.
As night fell, the breeze was gentle and the moon bright. Meng Qi waited for the opportunity to “escape” when suddenly a faint moan drifted from the Great Joy Palace. It was filled with seduction, enchanting and soul-stealing. Even from afar, it was vaguely audible, as if echoing the deepest desires of his heart!
“The Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire!” Meng Qi’s heart skipped a beat, sensing a slight disturbance in his spiritual essence, his mind racing with wild thoughts.
As the sound faded, moans erupted from the town and all over the mountain peaks—some low and soft, others light and melodic, some seductive, others pained, some as ethereal as flute notes, others as heavy as hidden daggers. They made one’s face flush and were impossible to resist.
In an instant, Meng Qi felt as if he were submerged in an ocean of bliss. His nose was filled with indescribable fragrances, his ears with endless, sensual female voices. His body seemed to be soaked in warm water, comfortably warm, his pores opening, a tingling sensation running from his feet to the tips of his hair.
No good!
As his mind began to blur and heat up, Meng Qi suddenly felt a sense of danger. He quickly activated the A-nan Blade cultivation method, visualizing the true meaning of the “Buddha’s Palm,” manifesting the unchanging Primordial Unity within, suppressing the restless body and spirit.
“Hmm, Master, beware of the formation,” Ying Ning’s voice came from the neighboring room at this moment. But her voice seemed soaked in water, as soft as a feather brushing against bone, as smooth as autumn water brimming with affection, extremely seductive, making Meng Qi feel a bit of tingling on his scalp.
“What formation?” Meng Qi struggled to control himself.
Ying Ning stumbled in, opening the door: “The Heavenly Maiden’s Descent Formation. It’s not directed at you, but rather uses the pleasure and temptation to allure you, making you lose control and indulge in carnal desires.”
Her breathing quickened, as if also influenced by the formation, seeking solace. Her eyes, dark and luminous, were mesmerizingly alluring, tempting.
Meng Qi took a deep breath, suddenly extended his right hand, and bent his finger to tap Ying Ning’s forehead. She let out a soft moan and fainted, her spiritual essence sealed.
This formation’s temptation was even stronger than the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire’s image. If there were still a beautiful woman nearby, he might not be able to control himself!
In his spiritual perception, people on the town streets and mountain paths were engaging in intimate acts. The entire Li Hua Island seemed to transform into a “pure land” of desire, giving a strange, evil sense of “ultimate bliss”!
“Poisonous Hand, won’t you try it?” The Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire’s voice pierced through layers of mountains, clearly ringing in Meng Qi’s ears, reaching the peak of sound and silence.
Meng Qi felt a tingling sensation at the base of his spine, heat rising. It took great effort to maintain his composure.
This was the opportunity! Meng Qi took a deep breath, determined to seize this chance to escape from Li Hua Island. That way, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire would likely think he was too weak to resist temptation and fled in panic!
Suddenly, a brilliant sword light flew from the other main peak, slicing through the cliff near the Great Joy Palace. A clear, melodious female voice echoed from afar:
“It’s the middle of the night, disturbing my peaceful dreams!”
The continuous moans immediately ceased. The Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire withdrew her power, and the ocean of bliss vanished abruptly. The bright moon shone low, a gentle breeze brushed the hills, and everything became serene and peaceful.
“Dear Sister Shangshui, why are you so angry? Could it be that you’re alone in bed, hearing the joy on my side, unable to sleep, tossing and turning, lonely with your pillow?” The Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire spoke with a voice of pity and sympathy, but Meng Qi could detect her hidden fury. “After all, your husband has just died, there’s no need to remain faithful to anyone. Why not come to my side? There are various men to choose from, and they’ve long been yearning for you. Every time they see you, they can’t help but admire your slender waist…”
“Hmph!” Xiangshui Fairy let out a cold snort, interrupting the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire’s verbal assault, and said nothing more.
The Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire calmed her emotions and turned to Meng Qi with a smile: “I apologize for disturbing your rest during the night. This is just a custom of our Li Hua Island.”
“At least it’s just for one night,” Meng Qi intentionally revealed a hint of anger.
The Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire let out a soft exclamation: “I forgot to tell you earlier, the Su Nu Immortal Realm has replied. The Sect Leader Bodhisattva is in retreat, and it will take half a month before she emerges. Please be patient.”
Was that true or false? Upon hearing the news of the Su Nu Immortal Realm, Meng Qi felt a slight excitement, but quickly suspected it might be a deliberate omission by the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire, giving herself enough time to continue her seduction.
He couldn’t be careless!
“Hmph!” Meng Qi said nothing more, deciding to stick to his original plan. The earlier temptation had only increased the stakes!
With Xiangshui Fairy’s interruption, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire couldn’t continue, and the night finally became quiet, only the chirping of insects could be heard.
Meng Qi sent Ying Ning back to the neighboring room, sat cross-legged again, waiting for the deep of night.
Just past the third watch, a figure rose from above Meng Qi, while he instantly vanished, like a bubble bursting.
This figure wore a blue robe, with frosty temples, scholarly and aged, clearly still Meng Qi transformed into the “Poisonous Hand Demon Lord”!
The “Poisonous Hand Demon Lord” concealed his aura, merged into the void, and quietly headed toward the sky, attempting to leave the island.
When he rose ten zhang above the main peak, Meng Qi suddenly froze, sensing a vague danger hidden, as if there were terrifying undercurrents.
“Indeed, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire has activated the hidden formation to prevent my escape. However, perhaps fearing I might detect it in advance, the formation is restrained and not fully operational. I should be able to break through it in one go!” Meng Qi took a deep breath, stepped forward with the Somersault Cloud technique, waiting for the opportunity.
Suddenly, the dark void beside him split open, and a clear blade of light flew out, directly striking the hidden formation!
Bang!
The formation became visible, violently shaking, its light spilling out, revealing a gap. Meng Qi stepped hard, flying straight out.
Just as he flew out, Meng Qi’s figure suddenly vanished, a single strand of hair appearing in its place, burning spontaneously without wind, instantly turning to ashes. This was the “Flesh and Blood with Spirit” clone. The real Meng Qi, who had slashed the blade, was still within the formation.
Half a breath later, the figure of the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire, draped in white gauze, appeared here, her face no longer showing pity, only anger.
She looked around, finding no further clues, her breathing became heavy, as if she were struggling to suppress a raging fire about to erupt.
“You were too hasty, you scared him away!” A voice sounded beside the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire, not Xiangshui Fairy, but the sealed Ying Ning!
The Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire turned sharply, furious: “Wasn’t it you watching him? Who suggested hiding for half a month?”
“How was I to know you couldn’t wait until tonight? To avoid suspicion, I was truly sealed! And he acted decisively, without hesitation. Even if I hadn’t been sealed, I couldn’t have stopped him in time!” Ying Ning pouted, looking both angry and wronged.
Meanwhile, during the formation’s fluctuation that drew attention, Meng Qi quietly descended into the forest, transforming into a rat to avoid spirit beasts, slowly and steadily sneaking toward the town.
Everything went relatively smoothly. The spirit beasts were all frightened by the formation’s dazzling light, unable to hunt, allowing Meng Qi to reach his destination safely. He transformed into a beggar covered in mud, pretending to be near death, hiding in a corner, trying not to be seen.
In the following days, Li Hua Island was under a tense atmosphere. Every disciple and furnace knew the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Desire was in a rage, having already killed several people in anger. Therefore, no one had the heart to give alms to beggars.
Meng Qi’s spiritual sense extended over the nearby streets, eavesdropping on the disciples’ conversations and filtering out useful information. For instance, which male disciples of the Joyful Sect possessed greater talent and might comprehend the Overlord’s Ultimate Blade Technique, without being overly cultivated. He also discovered that the Xiangshui Fairy had recruited numerous young men and boys with promising potential—partly to send them to comprehend the Overlord’s Legacy, aiming for quantity over quality, and partly to select suitable dual-cultivation partners for her female disciples.
“From the looks of it, infiltrating Xiangshui Fairy’s group would be safer and provide more opportunities. As long as I don’t draw too much attention, I won’t be selected by the female disciples,” Meng Qi thought to himself. When a male disciple under Xiangshui Fairy was alone, Meng Qi approached, knocked him unconscious, and threw him into the Shanshe Map. Even without activating this secret treasure, the disciple couldn’t escape with his sixth sense ability!
With a wave of his hand, Meng Qi transformed into this unremarkable man, in his twenties, thin, fond of wearing white clothes, carrying the purchased items, and ascended the mountain of Xiangshui’s sect.
After a few days of “eavesdropping,” he roughly knew where the male disciples lived. When he reached halfway up the mountain, he turned directly, entering a courtyard of blue bricks and black tiles.
There were many couples nearby, lovingly practicing cultivation together, causing many single male disciples in the courtyard to look on with envy and jealousy, wishing they could replace them, occasionally muttering curses.
Seeing Meng Qi enter, someone immediately laughed: “Xi Ge’er, did you manage to get alms from the female Bodhisattva in the town today?”
“Ah, the female Bodhisattvas are in a bad mood, who has the mood,” Meng Qi shook his head and sighed. From previous eavesdropping, he knew this body was named Guo Xi, who often boasted about going to the town to seek alms from the female Bodhisattvas, but was too timid to actually do it for fear of being disliked by the Xuan Nu Sect, always making excuses.
The male disciples, stimulated by the outside affection, burst into laughter, feeling much better. Indeed, people’s happiness often comes from comparison!
Meng Qi’s face turned “red,” sniffing his nose, distinguishing his own scent from the various smells in the air, and walked toward the room where it was strongest.
He took out the key, opened the door without error, and entered without any ripple—this was only natural.
Just as he was about to close his eyes to sense his surroundings and get familiar with the place, suddenly outside became silent, so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
“All male disciples who have not found a dual-cultivation partner, come out,” a clear female voice entered each room.
Meng Qi slightly furrowed his brows, sensing Xiangshui Fairy’s presence outside, his heart filled with suspicion and unease. He opened the door and stepped out slowly.
At this moment, several male disciples passed by, unable to hide their surprise as they whispered:
“The Fairy herself has come, could it be that she’s going to…”
“She’s just lost her husband, she must be looking for a new dual-cultivation partner, gulp…”
“The Fairy is not only beautiful and powerful but also exudes womanly charm. If I could become her husband, it would be the blessing of ten lifetimes, a sudden rise to prominence!”
“Ha ha, those who already have partners must be regretting it to death!”
Hearing their beautiful fantasies, Meng Qi couldn’t help but sneer. Xiangshui Fairy was an ultimate expert; her dual-cultivation husband should at least be an Outer Scene expert unless she could patiently cultivate someone from scratch?
Arriving at the courtyard, the male disciples were already gathered. Three women stood in front, but all eyes and attention were drawn to the one in the middle.
She looked young, around twenty-two or twenty-three, with a heart-shaped face, fair and tender skin that seemed ready to burst, a small nose that wasn’t particularly prominent but added a touch of cuteness and loveliness, balancing her overall cool and ethereal demeanor. Her eyes were lively and water-like, her white dress pure and flowing, her chest full and shapely, truly a beauty beyond compare.
All the male disciples stood tall, silent, their eyes filled with expectation and longing.
Xiangshui Fairy coldly scanned the crowd, her voice like flowing water: “Everyone else, leave. Guo Xi, stay here.”
“Me?” Meng Qi felt as if he were in a dream, instantly alert, ready to fight or flee.
Why would Xiangshui Fairy choose “him”?
“A Guo Xi?” A chorus of sharp intakes of breath sounded in disbelief. No one believed Xiangshui Fairy would choose Guo Xi!
Could it be that the Xiangshui Fairy had been influenced by the Joyful Sect’s wickedness, developing a penchant for pitying and aiding the unfortunate?
Under disbelieving gazes, they still dared not disobey the order and quickly dispersed.
“Go to your room,” Xiangshui Fairy’s eyes flickered, her coldness tinged with a hint of shyness.
“This…” Meng Qi was stunned. Could it be that in this vast world, there were indeed a few people with peculiar tastes?
Should he attack once inside? No way would he let himself be taken by a widow! Meng Qi’s thoughts were complex and hard to express. He led the way to his room door, opened it, and let Xiangshui Fairy enter first.
He lowered his head and followed into the room, turned to close the door. Before he could turn around, Xiangshui Fairy’s voice suddenly turned cold and sharp:
“Su Meng!”
What? Meng Qi’s hair stood on end, almost feeling his soul flying out. He was about to attack immediately.
Just then, Xiangshui Fairy’s voice softened, filled with laughter and familiarity:
“Husband, it’s truly fate that brought us together across thousands of miles.”
Meng Qi’s pupils immediately contracted into pinpricks, as if in a dream.
Gu Xiaosang, the enchantress!
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