As Gu Xiangzhu looked over, a chill shot up from Zhao Ci's tailbone straight to the crown of his head.
'This Demon Sect broad doesn't want any physical contact with me.'
But Zhao Ci had no intention of backing down.
'Let me be clear.'
'This has nothing to do with being a pervert. The main thing is, I really can't stand being wronged like this.'
'Damn it!'
'I transmigrate here only to find my real mother has been replaced by you people. That Evil Technique of Organ Replacement that old bastard Zhao Huan is practicing? You probably gave him that, too.'
'I'm all alone here. If I don't cop a feel, how am I supposed to vent my frustration?'
It was a bit dangerous, sure.
But the danger was limited. As long as Gu Xiangzhu believed her identity was exposed, she couldn't risk causing me any real harm.
For now, at least, the risk was completely manageable.
'Just look at her—there's not even a wish bubble above her head about wanting to kill me.'
So, he put on a sincere expression and said, "Seeing you so exhausted, Mother-Concubine, while I can't help at all... sometimes I feel so useless. Mother-Concubine! Please, just let me do what little I can to help!"
Gu Xiangzhu stared at him for a long moment. His gaze was as resolute as her own had been the year she joined the Demon Sect.
'It doesn't seem fake!'
'It must just be out of filial piety.'
'Fine.'
'It's just a shoulder rub.'
'What harm could it possibly do?'
So she gave a gentle smile. "Then I'll be troubling you, Ci."
"You're the one who works hard, Mother-Concubine!"
Zhao Ci smiled, washed his hands in a nearby wooden basin, and after drying them, walked over to stand behind Gu Xiangzhu.
His hands, empowered by the Rubbing Talisman, gently settled on her shoulders.
'So smooth!'
"Mmmph..."
Gu Xiangzhu let out an involuntary whimper, her body stiffening. Instinct urged her to spin around and deliver a karate chop to Zhao Ci's neck.
To knock out the person who was so profoundly disturbing her peace of mind.
But she managed to restrain the impulse.
She didn't understand why her senses had become so sharp.
It was merely skin on skin, yet it felt as if she could clearly perceive the very lines on Zhao Ci's palms.
'These hands... they're so warm. A warmth that makes me feel... itchy.'
'Something's wrong!'
'Something is very wrong!'
Zhao Ci's nerves were stretched taut. Fearing she might whirl around and strike him, he deliberately paused for a moment.
Once he was sure there was no immediate danger, he spoke softly, "You must be exhausted, Mother-Concubine. Please try to relax. Just leave everything to me. I took the time yesterday to learn some techniques for soothing the meridians, so I shouldn't make any mistakes."
'Learn? As if I'd ever learn that stuff.'
'If I have anyone to thank, it's all the high-class "establishments" from my past life. They helped me accumulate plenty of experience.'
"Mmm... I'm in your hands, Ci."
Gu Xiangzhu replied softly and closed her eyes.
Zhao Ci began to knead gently, the delicate texture of her skin transmitting through his fingertips.
His movements were slow and soothing. After pressing down, he would lift the pads of his fingers, lightly brush them against her skin, and slide to an adjacent spot to press down once more.
He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but after only a few moments, he felt as if the temperature of Gu Xiangzhu's skin had risen by several degrees.
'This texture...'
TSK!
'No wonder they sent her to go undercover as the Noble Consort.'
It had only just begun, so he didn't dare get too audacious, sticking to a proper massage of her neck and shoulders.
However, seeing that Gu Xiangzhu didn't react for a while, his mischievous side took over. His fingers slid stealthily behind her ear, and he "accidentally-on-purpose" brushed against her earlobe.
Gu Xiangzhu instantly trembled and shot upright.
"You..."
[Gu Xiangzhu's Current Wish]: I hope knocking this kid out doesn't leave any permanent side effects. He's being far too impudent. Wish Completion Reward: Comprehension Value +10, Fainting Talisman x1.
'Whoa! Side effects? She's planning to hit me hard!'
Panicked, Zhao Ci reflexively whipped out a Goodness Talisman and, with a soft SMACK, slapped it onto the back of Gu Xiangzhu's neck.
'Be good!'
He asked with concern, "Mother-Concubine! What's the matter?"
Gu Xiangzhu gave him a deep, searching look. The tingling sensation spreading from behind her ear still made her want to smack the hell out of him.
And yet, for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Still, she frowned and said, "Don't just press wherever you want!"
Zhao Ci quickly explained, "I'm not! It says in the medical texts that pressing this spot is the best way to relax the mind. Just trust me, Mother-Concubine!"
"I..."
Gu Xiangzhu felt an immense sense of resistance, but looking into his sincere eyes, she didn't know what to say.
After a tense moment, she could only nod. "You've worked hard, Ci. Please continue."
With that, she turned her head away and closed her eyes.
She looked for all the world like she was relaxing and enjoying herself.
But the arch of her silk slipper kept tensing and relaxing.
'I don't understand!'
'Why, on top of all my hard work and stress, must I also endure this form of torture?'
'Whatever!'
'Since I've taken on the identity of this Imperial Consort, I suppose this is all part of what I must bear!'
A long, long time passed.
"Phew..."
Zhao Ci let out a breath of relief. Safe landing.
'The takeoff was thrilling. I'll be back for another flight.'
He had pushed the limits with this test. Further "development" would have to be planned carefully. The Insult Talisman would have to gather dust for a while longer.
"Phew..."
Gu Xiangzhu silently breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally over.
She stood up and gently dismissed him. "You've worked hard, Ci. It's getting late. You should hurry back to your estate."
'See?'
'She's even thanking me!'
Zhao Ci looked a little sheepish. "Mother-Concubine! When I came out today, I was determined to spend quality time with you, so I told the cooks at my estate not to prepare dinner..."
Gu Xiangzhu shook her head in resignation. "Fine! Let's have dinner together."
With that, she waved a hand, signaling for Zhao Ci to be quiet.
She then went back to reviewing her documents.
She rested her chin in her hand, feeling that the heat in her skin still hadn't subsided.
Though her eyes were fixed on the book, not a single word registered.
'This is wrong!'
'This is so wrong!'
'This little bastard's effect on my state of mind is even worse than the Demon Realm's.'
'Having him pull these stunts on me from time to time is seriously affecting my efficiency in revitalizing the Demon Sect.'
She pretended to work for a little while longer.
Finally, the meal was served.
But one glance was enough to make Gu Xiangzhu lose her appetite. A flicker of imperceptible anguish passed through the depths of her eyes.
[Gu Xiangzhu's Current Wish]: This is utter slop. I'd love to taste the food from my hometown. Wish Completion Reward: Comprehension Value +100, Stealable Skill: Hundred Poison Secret Manual.
'Whoa! A red skill! That's rare!'
'But what's the connection here? She just wants to taste food from her hometown, so why does that lead to the Hundred Poison Secret Manual?'
'And you, Demon Sect broad, who knows where your hometown even is?'
'Subconsciously, he figured she was a "Xiang" girl, since her name was Xiangzhu.'
'But on second thought, just because her name has "Xiang" in it doesn't mean she's from Hunan. She might be from somewhere completely different, for all I know.'
He didn't dare accept the wish right away. Instead, he asked, "Why aren't you eating, Mother-Concubine? Is it not to your taste?"
Gu Xiangzhu replied flatly, "I have no appetite."
Zhao Ci mentioned casually, "Alright. By the way, Mother-Concubine, I used to be quite the hedonist and developed a bit of a passion for good food. When you have some free time, I'll cook for you."
"We'll see," Gu Xiangzhu replied dismissively.
Zhao Ci didn't press the issue. He finished his meal and made his exit.
Before he left, he mentioned wanting to borrow an Alchemist. Gu Xiangzhu didn't refuse, simply tossing him a jade tablet that would allow him to requisition an Alchemist from Xiang's Pill Workshop.
After Zhao Ci left, Gu Xiangzhu rubbed her temples, wondering why he had such a profound effect on her.
'The boy... he clearly has no wicked intentions!'
'Could it be that after more than a decade of disciplined solitude, I've simply become overly sensitive to a man's presence?'
'No!'
'I have to find an excuse to see him less often.'
...
「Leaving the Imperial Palace.」
Zhao Ci went straight to the Artifact Refining Workshop owned by the Xiang Clan. The Xiang Family's Divine Treasure was primarily Water-attributed with a secondary Metal attribute. While they couldn't match the Zhuge Family in refining delicate objects, they were still a first-rate artifact-refining clan.
Within a day, the Condenser Zhao Ci had requested was complete.
When Zhao Ci came to pick it up, the craftsman immediately destroyed the blueprints. He was one of Xiang Tiange's former subordinates. The only reason he remained in the Xiang Family's neglected Lingge enterprises was that seeing Xiang Tiange's sister and nephew living well gave him peace of mind.
After thanking the man, Zhao Ci left behind a bag of silver taels.
Zhao Ci returned home with his new device. The low-grade wine, quicklime, and Qi Nourishing Grass he'd had his servants procure had also arrived.
He took his equipment to the Practice Room and immediately launched into his alcohol purification experiments with great enthusiasm.
This "try" ended up taking seven days.
For seven days, aside from cultivating, Zhao Ci spent all his time as if he were back in his past life, slaving away as a research grunt.
Working day and night and running countless parallel experiments, he finally optimized the most efficient protocol for Medicine Extraction.
Now, Zhao Ci held a delicate white jade bottle in his hand. Inside was a clear, emerald-green medicinal liquid.
When he opened the stopper, a rich aroma of alcohol and herbs wafted out.
A wide grin spread across his face.
'I finally did it.'
'This should be my greatest asset for the early game.'
'But whether I end up as a simple alcohol supplier or carve out a niche in the pill market will depend on how I play my cards.'
'After all, I have no money, no connections, and no Alchemist.'
'Gu Xiangzhu has all of that.'
'She's a freebie of a mother. It'd be a waste not to take advantage of her!'
But reeling in this "lady in white" with an empty hook wouldn't be so simple.
Zhao Ci took a deep breath, strode out of his estate, and hopped onto his carriage.
Destination: the Pill Workshop.
Time to go fishing!