'She's definitely trying to seduce me,' he thought as he glanced at Zi Mo who was sitting in front of him in a manner that pushed her ass in his direction, and gave him a good view of the swell of her breasts. Breasts that he was only now coming to realise, were far larger than had any right to be for being able to fit those robes.
He tried to glance down at the scenery below them or at the beautiful night sky above them as the ship sailed through the sky. But no matter how much he tried, his gaze would eventually drift back to Zi Mo's enchanting figure as if pulled over there by some mysterious force.
"Junior brother. Are you comfortable back there?" Zi Mo's soft, melodic voice reached his ears, her words carrying a hint of teasing and he his face flushed from lust and annoyance. The woman knew what she was doing. And she was enjoying this.
"Yeah. Just… just fine." He said, breathing heavily as his body heated up from arousal. His member rising up at full mast just from the sight of the vixen in front of him. It was through his lust addled mind that he finally noticed something that he had somehow missed before. Or something that hadn't existed there before. A deep purple halo above her head, shining just as brightly as it had above Qin Ling's head.
He already had a guess as to what it was, but took a look regardless. And the vision unfolded in front of him. In that vision, the lust would overcome his senses, and he soon approach Zi Mo. But instead of killing him for his transgression, or even pushing him back, she would simply life her robes over, revealing her pink peach and welcome him within herself as he claimed her virginity.
Hours of carnal pleasure later, when he's left too weak to do much else, she would destroy the Qin main estate on his behalf, and then return back to the Li family where she would announce their union. And him, not wanting to be the kind of person who pumps and dumps... would accept this marriage without any fuss.
A few years later, through the many opportunities he gained and shared with her, Zi Mo would rapidly climb through the minor realms of Golden Core until she finally breaks through to Nascent Soul realm, becoming the fourth such powerhouse within the Nine Peak Sect. And from there, she would only continue to rise higher and higher alongside him.
The dream broke, and he didn't even bother to question why she was trying to seduce him for he already knew. Cultivation, for all the bragging about 'going against the heavens' and all that, was mostly just about gaining more strength and living a longer life. And the more you have of one, the easier you can gain the other. And Zi Mo must've realised that he had ways to either find or create Lifespan improving items. Even if she didn't know much else about him, that information alone was enough for her to desire him for herself.
Except, she knew about his talent with formations. She also knew the extent of his Sword Intent thanks to his duel with Qin Long. And she knew of his character thanks to Rou Lin, as well as from her own observations of him ever since he returned home. And that information was seemingly enough for her to act.
She never cared about helping him destroy the Qin family. That was not the reason she joined him in this trip. No. She joined this trip with the sole intent of seducing him. And judging by his current lust addled mind, she was going to succeed sooner or later. Unless he did something. Except, did he even want to do something? Why would anyone ever refuse a beautiful, powerful woman like her?
Is it not every man's desire to claim a woman like her for himself. He had seen the vision and knew that she would not refuse him should he approach her. So why hesitate? Before he even knew what he was doing, he got up, and found himself moving toward her. His body unwilling to go against its most basic desires even as his mind tried to fight off the fog covering it.
Just as he was about to reach her and take her for himself, a loud voice rang out from the deepest part of his mind. "No." He jerked and backed off, his thoughts clearing long enough for him to use Spirit Residue Following Technique. And through that technique, he saw her releasing some kind of Qi from her body.
Qi that then drifted through the rest of the flying ship, confined within its boundaries by the formation around the ship, and eventually, entering his body through every breath he took and through all the pours in his body.
The shock of witnessing this further woke up him and he immediately release his Sword intent and cut down the energy that had already permeated his body. He did not even know that he was capable of cutting something within himself without destroying his own body. But in that moment of panic, he moved instinctively and succeeded.
A moment later, the haze from his mind lifted, and he became fully aware of himself and his surroundings. He was panting hard, his body covered in sweat, and his member was hard as steel, though it softened quickly as the last bit of that strange Qi dispersed from his system.
He glanced up and saw that Zi Mo had finally turned to face him and was looking at him with an appreciative gaze. She was also no longer wearing her veil, and the vision of her face almost made him fall for her right then and there. Almost, until he used his sword intent to cut through any of such budding feelings within him. If only temporarily.
Once again, he had no idea that sword intent could do such a thing. And once again, he had succeeded by just working with his instincts.
He glanced at Zi Mo and while she was still indescribably beautiful, making the models and celebrities from his past life look like ugly ducklings in comparison, he no longer felt any love or lust toward her.
"You pass the test!" Zi Mo said suddenly, her lips quirking up in a smile.
"What test?" He asked, gritting his teeth in anger. It was not even as if he would've minded being with her. But what he did mind was for the entire thing to happen against his will or consent. What he did mind was becoming slave to his own lust.
Surprisingly enough, if she had just told him of her intent to get together with him, then he would've likely accepted her. Because unlike Qin Ling, she was his ally and he had a very good impression of her till now. But by trying to force their union, she had instead managed to push him away instead.
"I wanted to test if you would be able to survive in the Snow Peak." Zi Mo replied. "That place, it is filled with beautiful women whose Yin energy manifestation changes the very world around them. Any man who so much as gazes at them falls deeply in love with them. If you cannot even withstand my Yin Qi, then you definitely cannot enter Snow Peak."
He gazed at Zi Mo for a moment. Just watching her spew such bullshit as if it was truly her intention. And if not for his halo, then he would've definitely been fooled by her. By the vision of him thrusting inside her with wild abandon as she embraced him and cried out in joy was still clear in his mind.
There were so many things he wanted to say to her. To confront her about his duplicity. To call her out on using such underhanded means to seduce him. To point out the betrayal. But, in the end, he simply scoffed and turned back to take his seat before he closed his eyes to meditate.
"Do not do it again." He said simply. Channeling his intent through his voice to make it clear that he would not tolerate such an attempt.
The only reply he got in return was a disappointed sigh before the ship picked up speed.
—————
'Is there something wrong with me?' he wondered as he studied the 2nd Tier Surveillance formation that covered the Qin family main estate. It seemed that word of the declaration of war from Li family had not reached them yet. Or they would've definitely raised their Defensive formations.
'Why is it that every time a girl tries to seduce me, I end up botching the entire thing?' He thought as he found the node he was looking for and used his Sword intent to make a cut through it. Opening the barrier for a few seconds. Enough time for him to enter the estate undetected. And enough time for Zi Mo to follow behind him.
'This body is not secretly gay, is it? Is that why I'm rejecting all the girls that approach me?' He wondered as he activated his Spirit Residue Following Technique and followed the Qi residue of the few Foundation Establishment cultivators he could see in the estate.
'Or maybe I'm just crazy. I mean, I certainly do not think I am. But how would a crazy person even know he's crazy in the first place?' He wondered as he entered a large, luxurious courtyard, passing by the guards without any fuss thanks to Veil of Borrowed Heaven
The building was covered in another formation. But this was the most basic 2nd tier Defensive formation and it took him only a few seconds to break it and turn its control over to himself. And then, the Fox was in the chicken coop.
'Is it that my standards are too high? After all, who the fuck rejects a Golden Core waifu? A sugar mommy in all but name.' He thought, lamenting over his foolishness as he arrived in front of the chamber where his Spirit Residue Following Technique took him.
A few cuts in the latch and he entered the place with only a slight creak to the door. Inside, he found an old man sleeping in a large round bed, surrounded by a harem of beauties. The sight was like a dagger to his heart. As if the world itself was mocking him.
Look, this old man with no future ahead of him is still surrounded by such beautiful women. While you, despite all your power and incredible potential, are maidenless. Maidenless. Maidenless. The word echoed in his mind.
'I really am going crazy.' He thought as he sent out his sword intent and cut of the Foundation Establishment cultivator's brain into pieces from within. Killing him without anyone so much as realising what had happened. By morning, these women would learn that they had spent an entire night with a corpse, and probably be traumatised. But he was currently in no mood to care about that such a thing.
Zi Mo followed behind him as he left the room, using her own technique to hide her form from others. She gave an amused hum as she looked at the room inside and at his displeased face before she followed behind him.
The fact that his Veil of Borrowed Heaven did not work on a Golden Core cultivator did not surprise him as he picked up another powerful spirit residue and started tracking it. Only for Zi Mo to place a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"Follow me." She whispered, her hot breath tickling his earlobes. "I can sense all the Foundation Establishment cultivators in this place. It'll be faster that way."
He grudgingly nodded and followed behind him. And only then realised his folly as the woman swayed her hips enticingly with each step she took in front of him, once again getting him hard as steel.
'Why heaven? Why are you testing me?' He thought, wondering once again why he bothered to hold himself back. What has this sigma bullshit ever given him. Might as well just lose himself in those milky white breasts of her, in those pink, succulent lips of her as he thrusted within her hot depths, listening to her cries of pleasure as–
"We're here." Zi Mo said, stopping abruptly enough that he almost crashed into her. If she noticed his hard on, then she made no mention of it. Though the slight quirk of her lips definitely told him that she was enjoying this outing far more than he was.
He ignored her and broke through the three layered formation covering this place before entering the building.
Unlike the previous cultivator, this guy was still in his youth, and thus, cultivating seriously. The cultivator was also able to sense the breaking of his formations despite his best attempt, and tried to attack him as soon as Li Yuan entered his abode.
It was not enough to save him. And soon, Li Yuan placed the corpse within his Spatial ring, intending to feed it to his Stele later on when Zi Mo wasn't studying him like an interesting specimen.
"Where to next?" He asked Zi Mo who suddenly adopted an innocent look.
"You forgot to add Senior Sister Zi Mo at the end." She said teasingly.
"Where to next, Senior Sister Zi Mo?" He asked in a deadpan.
"Hm. Follow me." She replied and started walking once again, swaying her hips side to side and… did she just change into a different robe while he wasn't looking? Because this one seemed even more tighter than before, clinging to her body and showing off all her curves with each step.
'Just kill me already.' He thought, remembering his past world's quote regarding such a happenstance. Some men die of thirst while others die of drowning. So how was he dying of both at the same time? What even was this situation?
'I must be a masochist.' He finally realised as he followed the woman who would give herself to him in a heartbeat and yet somehow, he just wouldn't take her. 'Yes. I must love torturing myself. Because nothing else makes sense here.'
They arrived at an even more luxurious courtyard this time. It was surrounded by a large garden, filled with koi ponds that shimmered mesmerisingly under the stars, and a fifty feet golden statue of someone he didn't care to know about.
A series of 2nd Tier formations covered this place, and he was shocked to find that he was unable to break them this time. He frowned for a moment, and then glanced at Zi Mo. "Please wait here for a moment."
Saying that, he entered the Ancient Spatial Ring and summoned his Stele. Looking at the bottom of his status page, he saw that he only had 797 points. Not enough. So he fed the corpse of the Foundation Establishment cultivator he just killed and brought it up to a total of 1342.
'Good enough.' He thought and added 400, and then 800 points to the 2nd Tier Formation Breaking skill, taking it from 4/400 (Moderate Accomplishment) to 4/1600 (Perfection), with only 142 points left over in his account.
With that done, he dismissed the Stele and then stepped out of the Ancient Spirit Ring. Even with his improved knowledge, it took him almost half an hour to break through the series of Formations, showing just how secure this place truly was.
"So… junior brother, how come you're still an Outer Sect disciple with such talents?" Zi Mo asked as she leaned against a wall on the side, crossing her arms under her heavy breasts in a deliberate way too show them off.
"Please let me focus." He said as he used his sword intent and destroyed the last formation without anyone so much as being aware of the change.
To her credit, Zi Mo didn't disturb him anymore as he entered the large corridors of the mansion, and used his Spirit Residue technique to find the chamber where he could sense the Qi of two Foundation Establishment cultivators.
"Would you lend me your aid, Senior sister Zi Mo?" He finally asked and Zi Mo raised an eyebrow.
"Of course, junior brother. It would be my pleasure. Lead the way."
"If possible, then please capture the Gu within." He asked. Because if not for trying to capture those Gu alive, then he could do this on his own. He probably still could but it would be safer with Zi Mo's aid.
He used his Sword intent to cut a hole into the door and then placed that part within the Spatial ring. Then, he entered the door, only to get instantly attacked by a giant Serpent with the power of a 2nd Tier Spirit Beast. Only, this was not a Spirit Beast but instead a Gu. One that was raised by the Qin clan head's favoured concubine. The Gu mistress.
This Gu and another such combat Gu, were one of the reasons why he wasn't able to defeat the Gu mistress in their first fight in that vision. Of course, back then he still hadn't figured out Sword Intent so her successful escape made sense. But now, he has become far stronger than he had been in that first vision fight.
Except, he did not even need to fight in this instance as a giant spectral hand came out from behind him and caught the Blackvein Serpant Gu as well as the Ironback Scorpion Gu right behind it before the it dragged them away inside a jade box in Zi Mo's hand.
'What a handy item.' He thought with amazement before he focused and immediately attacked the Qin clan head as well as his mistress, both of whom had already woken up by now.
The Gu Mistress attacked first. Launching a series of Wind blades at him, each of which was powerful enough to cut this entire mansion in half. And judging by the rates at which she was releasing them, she seemed to have no interest in holding back or conserving any energy.
Having faced her once before in the vision and having learned about this offensive technique, he immediately dodged to the side before launching a powerful Qi blade laced with his sword intent at her.
A powerful barrier emerged to block the attack, only to get sliced in half as soon as the Qi blade struck. Then, another barrier appeared, then another. A total of seven barriers appeared. And all were cut down in an instant before the somewhat diminished Qi blade finally reached her, only for a Lifesaving Talisman to substitute her with a nearby vase.
The vase split in half without any resistance, and the Gu Mistress stared at it in disbelief in fear before her gaze fell upon him. "Wait, I surrend–" Another blade took her head off and before the head could even fall, and before her body could even realise that it had died, or Gu insects within her could take the chance to escape, he quickly placed her corpse within his Hibernation Pouch.
Finally, he turned to face the Qin family head. And saw that the family head, and two 2nd-grade Corpse Puppet under his control had all been pinned to the ground by Zi Mo's aura, who did not even look like she was trying.
'So this is the strength of a golden core cultivator.' He thought as he glanced at the two Corpse puppets with narrowed eyes.
That was definitely a Demonic Path creation. And while the use of Corpse puppet itself wasn't banned in the empire, as many families turned the corpses of their ancestors into corpse puppet as a last line of defence, it was still something that others tended to look down upon.
Still, with these two corpse puppets, and the two Tier 2 Combat Gu used by the Gu Mistress, didn't the Qin family had a total of 11 Foundation Establishment combatants? And here he'd been under the assumption that his Li family had finally caught up yo them.
'Just goes to show that you should never underestimate your enemy.' He thought as he cut the Qin family head in half without any further ado. The corpse puppets stopped moving instantly after, letting him place them within a spatial ring.
Then, he turned to Zi Mo and cupped his hands before bowing to her. "Thank you for your aid, Senior Sister."
"No problem. It was a small thing." She said before she waved the Jade box artefact in her hands. "I assume you would want those two combat Gu as well?"
He gulped, wondering what kind of price she would ask for but nodded nonetheless. Giving these two combat Gu to his parents would definitely improve their safety as well as increase the strength of his clan. Something they would need if they intend to rule the Ashen Ridge Mountain Range in the future.
"Senior Sister is correct."
"Then take them. Consider it a gift from your senior sister." She said, throwing the Jade box artefact at him and he caught it with a small grimace. So it's the most expensive price then. A hidden favour.
"This junior thanks his senior sister." He said before he suddenly sensed multiple Qi Condensation Realm cultivators, and a Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator moving in their direction. The last one was likely the Qin family Grand Elder.
The Grand Elder was the last Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Qin family. Aside from Qin Long and Qin Ling that is.
"Well, how do you want to deal with them junior brother?" Zi Mo asked.
"Like this." He said and sent a powerful Sword Intent toward the last Foundation Establishment cultivator that had just come into view.
Once again, multiple barriers formed, and to his surprise, the last barrier actually managed to stop his attack, making his eyes go wide in surprise.
'That's a 3rd Grade defensive artefact.' He realised, having no idea where that old man had gotten his hands on such a thing.
The old man also seemed alarmed that all but the last of his defensive artefacts had been destroyed. But before he could so much as react, two more Sword Intent blades slammed against his 3rd Grade Defensive artefact, one of them leaving a crack in the artefact, while the other increased that crack even further.
The old man quickly turned around, intending to run when two more Sword Intent blades caught up to him. One of them finally destroyed his 3rd Grade barrier, while the other slashed at him, only for him to vanish into a mist and appear some distance away, safe and sound.
Li Yuan's lips twitched as he watched the Qin family grand elder run away in the distance. These cultivators were like cockroaches. Each more difficult to kill than the last, even with such overwhelming strength. At least the 3rd Grade Defensive Artefact turned out to be flawed. Otherwise there's no way he would've destroyed it so easily.
Just as he was about to chase after the Qin family grand elder, Zi Mo stepped forward and spoke up. "Let your senior sister handle this."
With that, she pointed her finger in the distance where the Qin family Grand Elder had run off, and sent out a small laser of Qi. A moment later, the Grand Elder, got a brand new hole in his head and fell over, dead.
He sighed and cupped his hands at Zi Mo once again. "This junior is under your debt."
"Haha. Why are you suddenly talking about debts between us Junior brother?" Zi Mo asked as she turned to face him, a pleased smile on her face. "Is it that you have something you intend to give to your Senior Sister?"
"I don't know. Is there something you want, Senior sister?" He asked, not even caring for the several Late or Peak Stage Qi Condensation cultivators who had surrounded them by now.
Zi Mo waved her hand, and all the cultivators surrounding them suddenly turned to ice from inside out. Their flesh, their bones, and even the Qi within their meridians was frozen solid. They did not even realised what was happening before they died.
Zi Mo stared at him, and her expression finally became serious as she spoke up. "Once we return to the sect. Come with me to the Snow Peak and kowtow three times to the Snow Peak Mistress, Elder Wu Yuechan, taking her as your Teacher."
He thought on it for a moment and then nodded. "Deal."