The biggest difference between the Zhengyi Sect and other sects lies in the endless variety of venomous insects, especially Gu insects. Through generations of ancestors’ development, they have become increasingly bizarre and unpredictable, beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Every year, the sect allocates a large budget exclusively for research on these matters.
“Holy Maiden, would you like to see our newly improved Forget-Sorrow Gu?” The hall master, rubbing his hands together, spoke with a mix of nervousness and excitement.
Hua Yan looked at the slender, hair-like Gu insects in the jar and casually asked, “What’s special about it?”
“The previous Forget-Sorrow Gu would devour memories, making one forget their past completely and irreversibly. But this one is different; it has a short lifespan and its effects are temporary, fading away in a few days, allowing memories to be restored to their original state. Moreover, it is extremely stealthy, even ordinary Gu Kings would find it hard to detect. I’ve already had other disciples test it, and there are absolutely no issues! If you don’t believe me, Holy Maiden, you can find someone else to try it!” The hall master continued rubbing his hands, his face full of ingratiation. “… If you find it interesting, could you perhaps discuss with the leader about allocating more funds to our hall?”
Hua Yan pondered for a moment, touching her chin, and then said, “Let me study it.”
***
Lu Chengsha returned from tempering his sword intent at the training ground as usual. The members of the Zhengyi Sect had already retreated three paces away, looking at him with curiosity, fear, or inquisitiveness, but Lu Chengsha didn’t care.
He walked leisurely back to Hua Yan’s courtyard.
Usually, at this time, she would either be taking a nap on a very comfortable soft couch in the courtyard, or reading a storybook, or checking out the evening’s menu in the small kitchen, or… Lu Chengsha pondered where she might be as he stepped into the courtyard.
Sure enough, she was lying on that beauty couch, shaded by a canopy. Hua Yan was lying on her side, her dress light and soft like clouds, one leg slightly bent, and a book covering her chin to her collarbone, probably the chivalric tale she had been reading recently.
Not wanting to wake her, Lu Chengsha walked even more quietly, making sure not to make any sound even from his clothes brushing against each other.
He approached carefully, one hand holding the spine of the book and the other pressing the pages, intending to take the book off her. However, as soon as he took the book away, Hua Yan woke up with a hum.
When Lu Chengsha turned his head, their eyes met.
Usually, she would stretch out her arms for a kiss, or pull him onto the couch to cuddle for a while, or chatter on about the plot of the story she read that day.
But now, she didn’t do any of those things. Instead, she looked at him with a very unfamiliar and wary gaze and asked, “Who are you? Why are you here?”
Lu Chengsha: “…?”
His eyes showed slight confusion, but Hua Yan had already scrambled to her feet.
She pulled out her fine steel fan and held it defensively in front of her, asking, “What are you here for? You… don’t look like one of our sect.”
It wasn’t surprising that Hua Yan thought this way. The young man in front of her, dressed in black with black hair and deep black eyes, stood with a straight posture, carrying a long black iron sword on his back. His whole body exuded a fierce sword aura, and just by feeling it, one could tell his martial arts were not weak. If there was someone like him in their sect, she would definitely know!
However, his gaze towards her was very strange.
Not only did it lack any hint of hostility, but it also appeared deeply confused, with a trace of grievance.
“I came to find you…” He even held the storybook she had just been reading in his hand.
Hua Yan followed his words, asking, “…To borrow a book?”
He shook his head.
“Then why are you here? You can’t be here to kill me, can you?” Hua Yan felt a bit uncertain. He really didn’t look like someone from their sect. Instead, he looked more and more like someone from the righteous path. People from the righteous path always had a deep hatred for their demonic sect, and with such strong martial arts, he could very well be here to…
As she spoke, she cautiously took another step back, gripping her fine steel fan even tighter.
Unexpectedly, the young man in front of her looked even more aggrieved. He placed the book aside and walked towards her.
He really is here to kill her!
Hua Yan immediately leapt into the air, disregarding him, and fled in panic—she suddenly felt her qinggong (lightness skill) had improved significantly, but that wasn’t important, escaping was!
The young man in black indeed pursued her closely, his qinggong even better than hers.
This was absurd!
Hua Yan thought she was already fleeing very quickly, but the young man soon intercepted her. When she turned around, he blocked her path from another direction. She shot poisoned darts, which he easily dodged.
She couldn’t help but exclaim, “What exactly do you want?”
He seemed to realize something then and said to her, “…You don’t remember me?”
His voice, slightly cold, carried a hint of hurt.
There was something about his voice that made Hua Yan’s heart skip a beat. She was stunned for a moment, and the young man had already approached her closely. She quickly used her fan to block his way.
She had been bewitched by his voice!
Could it be that he also knew the art of captivating sound?
Hua Yan immediately warned, “I’m warning you, don’t come any closer… or I won’t be polite!”
The young man stopped just in front of her, separated only by her fan.
“…We are married, and this time it’s real.”
Hua Yan was utterly bewildered upon hearing this.
“Stop talking nonsense. When did I get married? How come I don’t know about it? And how could I possibly marry you? I have a fiancé…”
The young man’s eyes turned slightly cold at her words, and he said, “…Are you talking about Yu Ye?”
Hua Yan exclaimed, “Oh, you know…”
He suddenly seemed angry and said, “He’s long gone.”
Hua Yan instinctively asked, “Where did he go?”
In that brief moment, he suddenly closed the distance between them, completely ignoring the fan she used to block him. Logically, he should have been injured, making it easier for her to escape later, but subconsciously she didn’t want to hurt him, and her wrist moved to close the fan.
Before she could regret it, the young man had already grasped her wrist.
Startled, Hua Yan lifted her leg to kick, but his other hand swiftly reached out and held her knee.
In an instant, their bodies were very close.
Hua Yan had never been so close to a man before; she could even smell a faint scent of ice and pine needles from him. Seeing his facial features so near made her face turn red. She struggled and kicked while saying, “Let go of me…!”
The young man said, “…There is no him, only me.”
His voice was close, softly brushing against her ear, sounding almost bewitching, making her blush even more.
“Where exactly are you from, you demon? Are you from the Wan Gu Sect?” Hua Yan racked her brains, initially thinking he was from the righteous path. But aren’t people from the righteous path supposed to be gentlemen? How could one be so touchy and even try to bewitch her!
Hearing her words, he was taken aback.
Hua Yan assumed she was right.
“Did Yin Xiangsi send you?”
The more Hua Yan thought about it, the more she found Yin Xiangsi despicable, sending such a person to bully her, a demoness who hadn’t even left her sect—who knows where she found such a highly skilled villain. She felt even Xie Yingxian might not be able to defeat him.
While she was pondering, the young man seemed to grit his teeth and said, “No, I am not a demon, I am your…” He paused, “husband.”
Hua Yan couldn’t believe the audacity of this man!
“You say you’re not from the Wan Gu Sect, yet you speak such nonsense, tarnishing my reputation.” Hua Yan felt anger rising within her but was cautious not to act rashly. She could only glare at him with a fierce look.
However, the “demon” seemed even more aggrieved than she was.
“I’m not lying. You’ve forgotten. We are married, and…” A slight blush appeared on his handsome face, “we’ve consummated our marriage.”
“Lies!”
Hua Yan’s face turned bright red with anger. Although she had heard such things in the sect, she had no real experience; it was all just theoretical.
“I’m not lying.”
“When did I ever consummate… nonsense!”
Even though their sect didn’t place much importance on chastity, she was still a young woman with a fiancé. She immediately wanted to escape again, but he was still holding her wrist tightly.
She forced herself to calm down a bit and secretly released a Gu insect.
However, a black, round Gu insect rolled out from his sleeve and devoured the one she had just released in one bite.
It was a Gu King.
“You really are from the Wan Gu Sect!”
The evidence was irrefutable!
“No…”
“You still want to deny it!”
Hua Yan grabbed onto this flaw triumphantly, but then the man suddenly leaned in. She was startled and tried to push him away, but he captured her lips precisely and unerringly. Her mind went blank as his kiss, initially cool, quickly became scorching and intense. He held her wrist with one hand and caressed her back with the other, skillfully parting her lips and invading her mouth.
His kiss was fervent, and her entire mind seemed to explode.
She was being forcibly kissed!
And he even had the audacity to use his tongue!
Despite herself, her body seemed to instinctively soften. Regaining some composure, Hua Yan tried to push him away with all her might, even using her inner strength to hit him. Unfortunately, her limbs felt weak and she couldn’t muster much force. The man remained unmoved and kissed her even more deeply.
She whimpered helplessly, her hairpins jingling, completely overwhelmed by his kiss, her mind going blank.
The strangest thing was that, despite being forcibly kissed, she easily accepted it. When their lips and tongues intertwined, she felt immense pleasure and excitement, her whole body uncontrollably heating and softening.
Hua Yan couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.
Could it be that she really was a bad woman?
Or perhaps… she raised her eyes in suspicion, looking at the man who didn’t seem capable of such a terrible act. Maybe her memory was jumbled, and Yu Ye never existed, and this person truly was her husband?
“Who exactly are you?” she asked, her voice hoarse.
His voice was also slightly hoarse, “…Lu Chengsha.”
She probed, “…From the Wan Gu Sect?”
“From Tingjian Manor.”
Hua Yan’s mind went blank again.
She struggled hard and managed to break free from his embrace. “If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable! How could someone from Tingjian Manor marry me! I’m from the demonic sect, you must be a liar!”
Lu Chengsha: “…”
Hua Yan pretended to run again.
Finally, Lu Chengsha sighed in resignation, “I won’t chase you, just don’t run.”
Hua Yan said, “How can I trust you?”
Lu Chengsha glanced at the sky and said, with a mix of helplessness and grievance, “…It’s time to go back and eat.”
The statement was so natural, so domestic.
Hua Yan was still doubtful, “…How do you know when I eat?”
Lu Chengsha said, “You usually wake up at the hour of Si, fully awaken at noon, and have lunch in the afternoon…” He spoke clearly and accurately.
Hua Yan was stunned, “You’ve been spying on me!”
Lu Chengsha: “…”
Hua Yan crossed her arms and analyzed, “Are you secretly infatuated with me, trying to deceive me—yes, you even forcibly kissed me.” She suddenly got a bit angry, unable to control herself, “You’re so skilled at it, have you forcibly kissed many people?”
Lu Chengsha immediately said, “No, only you.”
“How can you be so skilled at it!”
Lu Chengsha was at a loss for words. Unsure of what had happened to her and feeling a bit desperate, he said, “…Because I’ve kissed you before.”
Hua Yan blushed, “You’re lying again!”
Lu Chengsha whispered a few words into her ear.
She immediately widened her eyes and stepped back, hugging herself, “How do you know that…”
“Because…” Lu Chengsha sighed, helplessly, “I really am… your husband.”
Two days later, the effects of the Forget-Sorrow Gu finally wore off.
The Gu worked remarkably well. Hua Yan could clearly remember everything that happened while she was under its influence. She had forgotten all the events that happened after stepping into the Jianghu, including Lu Chengsha.
Lu Chengsha sighed with relief, almost believing it would last forever.
Hua Yan patted him, feeling a bit embarrassed, “Ahem, I was just testing it… I didn’t expect this outcome. I thought I’d only forget for a year or two at most, and everything would be fine in a few days anyway…”
Forgetting a year or two would have taken her back to the time when she and Lu Chengsha couldn’t see each other, which was interesting to think about, but still, ahem…
Lu Chengsha still looked somewhat aggrieved.
Hua Yan cautiously suggested, “How about… you try this new Forget-Sorrow Gu too? We each take a turn, that would be fair, right?”
Lu Chengsha thought for a moment, then shook his head, “…Better not.”
Even though she managed to partially convince him later, the initial realization of being forgotten made him feel quite forlorn.
As they were talking, a hall master in purple excitedly walked in, “Holy Maiden, how’s the new Forget-Sorrow Gu? About our funding…”
Before he could finish, he felt a cold gaze from the black-clad man beside the Holy Maiden, as if saying, “So it was you.”
The hall master shuddered and quickly turned on his heel, “Uh, maybe not… I’ll be going now…”