Every man has his lustful thoughts.
Shui Miao was physiologically normal, so naturally, he was no exception.
“Pah!”
Suddenly, a sharp sound shattered the atmosphere, startling everyone. On the other side of the table, a red wine glass had fallen to the ground and shattered into pieces.
Perhaps someone had bumped into the table.
Shui Miao’s heart jolted, and he sobered up a bit.
“Hmph!”
Shui Miao abruptly stood up, suddenly feeling as if he had been struck by a thunderclap. The feeling came suddenly, inexplicably, yet very timely. Although on the surface it was just a broken glass, for Shui Miao, who deeply understood the Dao of nature, it was a premonition that something was off.
Once one reaches a certain level in the study of Feng Shui, one begins to sense the mysteries of nature.
For example, in ancient times, when an army raised its banners to march into battle, if suddenly a strong wind blew and tore down the banners, a master well-versed in the Dao of nature would know it was an omen of great misfortune. If the army ignored the warning and proceeded recklessly without resolution, it would surely suffer a crushing defeat, even total annihilation.
Nature is wondrous and mysterious. To go against it will surely bring warnings.
If one ignores these warnings, refuses to awaken, and insists on one’s course, one will inevitably suffer divine retribution and reap bitter consequences.
Struck by this warning, Shui Miao’s heart immediately filled with alarm.
Before anyone could react, Shui Miao said, “Take good care of yourselves. I need to find a quiet place to retreat for a few days. Don’t bother me; I’ll return when I’m ready.”
Shui Miao wanted to find a quiet place to meditate and reflect on his mistakes.
Lin Zhiling and Xiao Shuang were both startled, not understanding what had happened to prompt such a sudden decision from Shui Miao.
Lin Xue hurried out after him.
Shui Miao headed straight for the pickup truck. As he opened the door and climbed in, Lin Xue caught up.
“Shui Miao, what’s wrong with you?”
“I’ve made myself clear. You take care of them. From now on, you’ll be in charge here. There’s something I can’t figure out, so I need to leave for a while to think it through.”
Lin Xue grabbed his hand. “Shui Miao, you must have something on your mind. Explain it first before you go.”
“Lin Xue, what happened earlier was my fault. I shouldn’t have done that. Just now, when you all surrounded me, I suddenly realized I had done something wrong. I can’t drag you all down with me. If I get the chance, I’ll make it up to you. Right now, I just want to be alone, to think clearly about what I should and shouldn’t do.”
“Alright, go then.”
Lin Xue suddenly let go of his hand. “Shui Miao, remember, today wasn’t your fault. It was my impulsiveness. If anything, it was my mistake.”
Lin Xue was indeed a strong woman, bold enough to take responsibility.
Shui Miao fell silent, gazing at Lin Xue, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt. Following his heart, he said softly, “Don’t say that, Lin Xue. I just have some things I can’t understand right now. Please give me some time to calm down. Don’t worry about me. I’ll definitely be back in two or three days.”
“Take care…”
Lin Xue nodded, then pulled out a gun and handed it to Shui Miao. “Your spiritual powers are gone. There are many wolves on the grasslands. Take this for protection.”
“No need. I’ll stay in the car. Wolves can’t get me.”
Shui Miao refused the gun, for a simple reason: Lin Xue and the others were all women, and they needed the gun more than he did.
Shui Miao drove off.
Lin Zhiling and Xiao Shuang came out and joined Lin Xue.
Hearing footsteps, Lin Xue took a deep breath to calm herself, then turned around and said, “Nothing to worry about. He’s a cultivator. Cultivators are always like this—nervous and strange. He’ll be fine in a few days. Let’s not worry about him. Not long ago, he even disappeared for half a year in the mountains. From now on, the dairy group will be ours.”
Actually, up to this point, Lin Xue hadn’t developed deep feelings for Shui Miao. In her own words, she just thought he was a decent guy, and she had her own physical needs, so she acted on them.
Therefore, Lin Xue wasn’t particularly heartbroken.
But at this moment, a female ghost flickered and vanished behind the three women.
※※※
Fifteen miles away
Beside a winding little river, Shui Miao plunged into the water and sat cross-legged in it.
“I shouldn’t have treated Lin Xue that way… How did I become like this? If I can’t even control my own emotions, how can I continue cultivating in the future?”
“I even wanted to possess all of them…”
“Am I falling?”
“Why? Why do I feel so guilty? Isn’t it normal for men and women to love each other? Why can’t I do it?”
“No! I did nothing wrong. Following nature, uniting Yin and Yang—what’s wrong with that?”
“But no, no—if I did nothing wrong, why am I still so conflicted?”
Under the night sky, the river flowed quietly, but Shui Miao was shouting to himself, his heart in turmoil. The conflict between traditional teachings and reality made it hard for him to grasp the right direction in life. He was in great pain. He wanted to cast away all the messy, outdated ideas and do whatever he wanted, to possess every beautiful woman if he wished. Yet his reason kept reminding him not to act recklessly, or he would lose himself completely.
The dual cultivation with Lin Xue had given Shui Miao a taste of the rapid enhancement of power.
This sweet sensation, like a heart demon, quietly influenced Shui Miao’s thoughts.
Shui Miao wasn’t a saint. He could make mistakes, lose his way, feel conflicted, and have desires.
He knew life’s journey wouldn’t be smooth. Deciding who he should become and how to seek revenge troubled him greatly. Originally, he had wanted to live peacefully for a few decades, take care of his parents, and get along well with his friends, resolving worldly ties before resuming cultivation. But in just a short time, his heart had grown restless again. He couldn’t wait anymore.
It was precisely because he had found a way to rapidly improve his cultivation that he couldn’t wait.
Now, no one could make decisions for him. He had to choose for himself.
On one side were ancient grudges spanning many lifetimes; on the other, emotional bonds in the mortal world.
He knew clearly which was heavier.
Suddenly, Shui Miao made a decision. In the night, he spoke fiercely, word by word: “These mortal attachments can be abandoned. Whether I’m there or not, it makes no difference to them. How can I let love and hate distract me from my ancient grudges? Yes! It’s time to take a bold step. The hatred is clearly etched in my heart. How can I ignore it? Escaping won’t solve anything. I must face it, deal with it. After I’ve taken my revenge, I can return and take care of everyone just the same.”
Shui Miao made his decision—to cast aside worldly thoughts. Even if it meant falling into darkness, so be it.
“Haha, you speak truly!”
Suddenly, a woman’s voice rang out.
Before Shui Miao, in the river, a semi-transparent female ghost appeared. Her upper body emerged from the water, her figure extremely seductive—fair and tender, her full, firm breasts like perfectly ripened peaches.
“It’s you, Bai Erma!?”
Shui Miao couldn’t quite believe his eyes, but her appearance was unmistakably hers.
“Of course it’s me!”
Bai Erma smiled. “You must be wondering why my soul still exists. Truthfully, I’m confused too. I thought my soul had been shattered by you, but it must be because of our dual cultivation that my soul reassembled—and even became stronger.”
Dual cultivation was indeed miraculous. Shui Miao’s heart stirred. “Hmph. You’ve got some nerve. Your physical body was destroyed by me, yet you dare to come back? Don’t you fear I’ll destroy your ghost soul as well?”
“You won’t. Because you need me, and I need you.” Bai Erma approached Shui Miao, smiling seductively. “In fact, I’m also skilled in dual cultivation. I know your current state. Those women of yours can’t truly satisfy you. They aren’t cultivators—only slightly more Yin-dense than ordinary people. At most, they can help you gain a little power, but after that, they can’t help you anymore. If you continue to cultivate with them, the consequences will be dire. Eventually, you’ll drain them dry, leaving them aged and withered, just like me.”
Hearing this, Shui Miao’s heart trembled. “If that’s the case, then why would you come back to me?”
“Hehehe…”
Bai Erma laughed. “That’s different. I understand how to cultivate together, how to complement each other. We can both improve. They can’t. Most importantly, I truly like you. I want to help you take revenge… I heard everything you said just now.”
“In that case, what are we waiting for?”
Shui Miao reached for Bai Erma’s soul but grasped only air. Bai Erma smiled seductively. “So eager?”
“Of course…”
Shui Miao couldn’t quite figure out Bai Erma’s intentions, but he wasn’t afraid of her ghostly form.
Smiling sweetly, Bai Erma raised one finger and shook it gently, saying softly, “No can do. I must possess a woman’s body to cultivate with you. Since I’m just a soul now, how about we go back and find that girl Lin Xue?”
“…”
At this, Shui Miao’s heart jolted. He suddenly thought—if Bai Erma’s soul had possessed Lin Xue during the day, that might explain Lin Xue’s unusual behavior. If that were the case, Bai Erma was truly despicable.
“No! I don’t want to do that. If there’s no other way, then forget it.” Shui Miao shrugged indifferently. “After all, dual cultivation isn’t the only way for me to grow strong. I can become powerful without it.”
Seeing Shui Miao’s refusal, Bai Erma’s eyes flickered, and she quickly added, “Don’t be like that. I have another method, but it requires your soul to leave your body.”
“My soul leave my body?”
Shui Miao hesitated, feeling uneasy.
Before, he had the five stone tablets to protect him, so he had nothing to fear.
Now, he had nothing. If Bai Erma tried to trick him and take over his body, it would be a huge problem.
“Well, if you don’t know how, I can teach you.”
Bai Erma floated upward, standing naked before Shui Miao. Her alluring figure, with the dark patch of hair and the delicate crevice beneath, stirred a rush of blood to his head, making it hard to resist.
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