“Ruyan, it’s been too long.”
Yun Zeng struggled to hide his elation. His pursuit of Liu Ruyan had been arduous, a relentless climb to this very peak. He knew well how many formidable cultivators in the Fallen Star Sea coveted Liu Ruyan. The unattainable always stirred the heart, and Liu Ruyan possessed the legendary Primordial Yin Body, making her an even greater prize.
He gazed at Liu Ruyan. Bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, her thin gown barely concealed the alluring curves of her body. Her long, slender jade legs shimmered, appearing utterly perfect, and her full, rising breasts stirred a primal hunger within Yun Zeng. He yearned to peel back every layer of her being.
‘I love Ruyan; her body is only part of the reason,’ he told himself, a flimsy justification for his overwhelming desire.
Moments later, Yun Zeng, clad in brocade robes, descended from his Cloud Ship. Though he tried to remain composed, Liu Ruyan noticed the subtle tremor in his body—a tremor of sheer excitement.
Liu Ruyan’s expression remained serene, but a faint smile played on her lips internally. In the presence of a peerless beauty like her, a woman of divine grace, even the most powerful men would feel a sense of inadequacy. And once a man felt inferior, she held the reins of his control.
She was a master of Charm Arts, further refined by the secret techniques of the Supreme Fox Clan, and had long since perfected the art of manipulating men’s hearts. To her, Yun Zeng was just a boy playing at power.
Of course, tonight, she would play along and indulge this ‘boy.’
Yun Zeng stood before Liu Ruyan, his folding fan tucked away, his hand still trembling. The anticipation was overwhelming. Was he finally about to achieve the desires he’d harbored day and night? The Primordial Yin Body would soon find its ultimate destination in his embrace!
Liu Ruyan gently took Yun Zeng’s hand, her soft lips brushing close as she smiled. “Is the Star Sea too cold?”
Yun Zeng blinked, momentarily stunned. “Yes, yes, it is.”
Liu Ruyan invited Yun Zeng into her cave dwelling, guiding his hand to rest lightly on her firm, silky-smooth hip. It felt exquisitely soft and delicate.
Yun Zeng secretly channeled his spiritual energy, probing to confirm if this was Liu Ruyan’s true body. ‘It is her true body,’ he concluded swiftly.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Upon entering the cave dwelling, Yun Zeng, unable to wait, swept his sleeve, unleashing countless seals and restrictions to lock down the space.
Liu Ruyan’s heart was as clear as a mirror. The more impatient Yun Zeng became, the calmer she felt. Her life had been a tightrope walk, rising from a humble background in the Southern Wilds to become an Elder of the Charm Sect, and now, embraced by the Sixth Prince of the Shenwu Empire. What trials had she not endured? How many men had she encountered? How many had she shared a bed with? Her experience was vast, her mastery over men absolute. Every subtle movement, every fleeting expression, revealed their innermost thoughts to her. Yun Zeng was simply too naive.
She’d heard Yun Zeng was vying for the Crown Prince position against his brothers, a struggle he’d only entered because he’d stumbled upon an ancient Dragon Vein. If she had his lineage, those princes would be nothing more than gnats, and she was confident she could even depose his father, the Shenwu Emperor Tianye. Yun Zeng was simply too weak.
Yun Zeng lifted Liu Ruyan into his arms and carried her towards the Star Profound Bed deeper within the cave dwelling. Overcome with excitement, he showered kisses upon her snow-white neck.
Liu Ruyan feigned a shy, alluring expression, though her heart remained utterly unmoved. Her jade hand subtly shifted, and Yun Zeng was now completely within her grasp.
Soon, the beaded curtains fell.
Yun Zeng eagerly pulled Liu Ruyan down onto the bed, and she let out a delicate moan.
At that very moment, the voice of a Charm Sect Old Ancestor echoed in Liu Ruyan’s mind. “Ruyan, quickly activate your Charm Arts to control Yun Zeng! We can’t hold this much longer!”
Indeed, all the Charm Sect Old Ancestors were currently channeling their power into a terrifying array: the Steal Heaven, Exchange Sun. Yun Zeng, however, detected no anomaly.
After a few breaths, Yun Zeng’s body began to tremble. Just as he felt he was about to reach the pinnacle of pleasure, his face suddenly contorted with terror. He sensed an immense, life-threatening danger!
It was the Dao pattern on his arm, gifted by his advisor, Ju Shou, to protect him from peril, now flashing wildly. He was plummeting, like a drowning man, yet there was nothing to grasp. The surrounding power was too immense. He was merely a One-star Myriad Phase Realm cultivator, but many Myriad Phase Realm experts were fueling this terrifying array!
“An illusion! This must be an illusion!” Yun Zeng’s face was deathly pale, twitching with disbelief. “Ruyan, why would you deceive me?!”
Threads of power were forcibly invading his mind, attempting to seize control of his Sea of Consciousness. Charm Arts! He hadn’t expected Liu Ruyan to lay such an illusion, intending to control him!
Just as Yun Zeng plunged into despair, Liu Ruyan’s gentle voice suddenly broke through. “Yun Zeng, wake up! We’ve fallen into an illusion!”
Yun Zeng froze. His hand touched something soft—Liu Ruyan’s body—but the surroundings were a phantom space conjured by the illusion. Two clear streams of tears flowed from Liu Ruyan’s eyes as she cupped Yun Zeng’s face with her jade hands. “Yun Zeng, listen closely, I don’t have much time left!”
“Yun Zeng, I’m sorry. The Charm Sect wants to control you, to use you to ascend to the First Star Ring. I’m just their pawn.”
“I’m only a One-rotation Star Venerate, forcibly boosted to Six-rotation Star Venerate by them! They only want to control you. If I hadn’t brought you here, I would have died.”
“I’m sorry I tricked you into coming to the Charm Sect. Now, I will burn my soul to tear open a corner of their Charm Arts space. I hope you can break through the Charm Sect’s defenses. I am destined to die, but I beg you, destroy the Charm Sect and avenge me!”
With that, Liu Ruyan’s body burst into flames! Yun Zeng watched in horror as blood began to seep from her jade legs, then from her entire body.
“Ruyan, you… you are already my woman!”
“No! Don’t die!”
“No! No…”
He couldn’t tell if this was reality or illusion. “I can’t tell! I can’t tell!” Yun Zeng roared, his hair disheveled.
It was precisely at this moment that Yun Zeng’s Sea of Consciousness churned, and Liu Ruyan’s Charm Arts, formless and traceless, subtly drifted into its depths. This was her true killing blow.
Her initial agreement to cooperate with the Charm Sect had been a deception! The Charm Sect was merely her stepping stone! And Yun Zeng was also her stepping stone!
But to achieve this plan, she had to sacrifice the Charm Sect. In this moment of life-or-death crisis, when Yun Zeng trusted her most, she would plant the flower of Charm Arts deep within him. Yun Zeng’s defenses were weakest not during the initial life-or-death peril, but when he completely dropped his guard for her.
This was the real opportunity! And she had to enrage Yun Zeng, to make him destroy everyone in the Charm Sect! Otherwise, her plan would be exposed.
Yet, at this very moment, Liu Ruyan’s burning soul was real! A faint smile touched her lips. What was the pain of a burning soul compared to her ambition? She was destined to rise above all!
She naturally knew the flaws in the Charm Sect’s terrifying illusion array, but she had only revealed one small crack. The rest was up to Yun Zeng. As the son of the Shenwu Emperor, he couldn’t possibly fail to break free.
Liu Ruyan completed her task and then collapsed, her aura rapidly fading.
At this, Yun Zeng held Liu Ruyan, falling to his knees, his eyes turning bloodshot. “You harmed the woman I love! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!”