"The cost of this item is that it puts you into sage mode—and not the post-nut kind..."
Drawing on his experience using the Ghost Mirror in the slaughter trial, Zhang Yuanqing explained, "It makes the wielder wiser and indifferent to fame and wealth. It grants immense willpower to resist all manner of desires, as well as enough wisdom to perceive the essence of desire on a philosophical level."
In short, it was an enhanced version of lying flat.
Guan Ya gripped the Ghost Mirror delightedly, her bright eyes darting back and forth. Suddenly furrowing her brows, she asked, "How long does the item's cost last?"
"In theory, as long as the illusion doesn't break, you'll be considered its bearer, and the Great Sage state will continue indefinitely. Besides, even if the duration expires, I still have ways to suppress the set's side effects." Zhang Yuanqing urged, "Hurry up and use it. You reek—don't you want to take a shower first?"
Hearing that, Guan Ya hesitated no longer and immediately activated the illusion in her hand.
She created an illusion identical to the hundred-and-thirty-square-meter apartment. Illusion and reality overlapped, not hindering the normal movement of anyone inside the room in the slightest.
Once the illusion was formed, Guan Ya's expression turned detached. The sultry allure of a mature beauty faded away, replaced by the serene peace of a stunning Buddhist nun.
In an unhurried, flat tone, she said, "The state is quite good. I feel I possess enough wisdom and willpower to withstand any desire."
With that, she took off the vine armor, greaves, and bracers, returning them to Yuanshi Tianzun.
The moment the set left her body, two blooms of blush rapidly rose across Guan Ya's lovely cheeks, and her gaze gained a hint of coquettish warmth.
Her body instantly grew hot, and her limbs turned somewhat weak.
*This feeling is only slightly more intense than after watching an erotic film. It's tolerable...* Guan Ya thought it over and felt she could endure it.
Her desires hadn't diminished, but the Great Sage cost brought by the Ghost Mirror allowed her to rely on sheer willpower to suppress the surging lust within her.
"Sit for a while. I'm going to take a shower. If you have things to do, you can leave first."
Guan Ya rose and walked toward the bedroom.
She hadn't bathed in three days. Having rolled around in the primeval forest, sat on the ground in the ruined city, and fought fiercely in the downtown park, her body certainly had an odor.
Even though the Great Sage mindset allowed her to face the grime on her body with equanimity, that didn't conflict with wanting a shower.
Zhang Yuanqing lazily sank his weight into the sofa, watching Guan Ya enter the master bedroom, his heart suddenly pounding with nerves.
In truth, the Ghost Mirror's cost only lasted two hours.
What he had just told Guan Ya was a lie, taking advantage of the fact that she had never used the item before.
Two hours from now, Guan Ya would let out a soft moan, collapsing limply onto the bed, ripe for the picking.
Handing over the Ghost Mirror was both a way to disarm Guan Ya's vigilance and a means to shorten the duration of the cost.
Guan Ya had worn the set for at least sixty hours. At the cost of five minutes of heat per hour worn, she would be burning with lust for five full hours.
—*Even if I used the Endurance Spray, I probably couldn't handle that.*
Zhang Yuanqing's nervousness stemmed from being single since birth for twenty-one years. Rich in theoretical knowledge, zero in practical experience.
He wasn't a stallion like the Demon Lord, nor a playboy like Ling Jun; he hadn't even kissed a girl's lips.
Nerves were inevitable.
*Foreplay first, can't just cut straight to the chase...* he mumbled to himself, like a novice monk learning to chant mantras.
He waited and waited. More than ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye, yet Guan Ya still hadn't come out.
Zhang Yuanqing thought, *Women taking baths is so damn annoying. My aunt also takes at least twenty minutes. If she doesn't come out soon, I'll have finished reviewing all my high school material...*
Lying on the plush yet supportive high-end sofa, the residual fatigue in his body gradually welled up. Drowsiness overcame him, and before he knew it, he drifted off to sleep.
He didn't know how much time had passed when Guan Ya shook him awake.
"Didn't you sleep for a whole day and night in the dungeon? Are you really that exhausted?" the sultry mixed-race beauty snapped, cheeks flushed with crimson.
She wore a long white women's shirt that covered the tops of her thighs, paired with silky little shorts no longer than the shirt's hem—likely pajama shorts.
Skilled in combat, her physique was practically flawless. Aside from her bust, she carried no excess body fat. Her thighs were rounded, fair, and sculpted with smooth, graceful contours.
Those long, fair legs were nothing short of works of art.
"Didn't get enough sleep!" Zhang Yuanqing said as he scrutinized Guan Ya. "How long did I sleep?"
"About an hour and a half..." Guan Ya's delicate eyebrows knit slightly.
From Yuanshi's gaze just now, she had discerned four words: "up to no good."
However, Guan Ya didn't pay it much mind. She knew the kid had improper designs on her, and she knew full well how alluring she looked dressed like this.
It was only natural for Yuanshi's imagination to run wild.
"I cooked noodles. Have some with me."
Saying this, Guan Ya walked toward the black crystal long table opposite the kitchen.
Zhang Yuanqing sat up and looked over. On the black crystal dining table reflecting the lamplight sat two bowls of noodles, topped with fried eggs and sprinkled with chopped scallions.
The noodles weren't particularly delicious, though passable enough to eat—clear evidence that a wealthy young miss like Guan Ya rarely cooked, having all three daily meals settled at high-end restaurants.
A pendant lamp hung above the table, illuminating the refined features of the mixed-race beauty seated beneath it.
A true feast for the eyes.
Zhang Yuanqing ate his noodles at an unhurried pace, glancing at his phone now and then, waiting for the Ghost Mirror's cost to expire.
*Almost time.* The clock reached 8:30 in the morning—precisely two hours.
At almost that exact moment, Guan Ya, who was nibbling noodles across the table, suddenly let out a soft moan. The chopsticks in her hand clattered onto the tabletop.
She abruptly bent forward, slumping half over the dining table, pressing her right hand over her lower abdomen.
"Yuan... Yuanshi... The sage state is gone... You lied to me?!"
As she spoke, Guan Ya's eyes grew hazy and alluring, her cheeks burning like fire, her body squirming restlessly.
Inside her, an unbearable heat accumulated higher and higher, threatening to erupt.
As someone in the Saint stage, she relied on her own willpower to forcefully suppress the sudden wave of lust.
Zhang Yuanqing had been waiting for this very moment. Rounding the dining table, he moved close to her. "Sister Guan Ya, let me help you back to your room to rest."
"Don't... don't touch me..."
Guan Ya instinctively reached out to push him away. The moment her hand touched Zhang Yuanqing's arm, her delicate body shuddered violently, and her breathing quickened.
Taking the opportunity, Zhang Yuanqing leaned down, slipped his arm behind Guan Ya's knees, and scooped her up into a princess carry. Guan Ya let out a whimper as faint as a mosquito's hum.
Through his arm, he felt the touch of her thigh skin—cool, silky-smooth, and tender as congealed fat.
Carrying Guan Ya, he walked across the living room and entered the master bedroom.
The decor of the master bedroom was distinctly different from the living room. The vanity beside the television was covered in jars and bottles typical of a woman's toiletries, but the light grey and pink bedding, along with the constellation plushies covering the soft king bed, exuded a girlish romance.
Zhang Yuanqing lowered his arms, and the voluptuous beauty sank into the plush mattress, bouncing gently a couple of times.
He took a deep breath, fixing his eyes on the mixed-race beauty on the bed:
Raven locks sleek and fine, jade combs gleaming cold,
A wanton grace best savored when pillow-folds unfold;
Brows kissed with coquetry, eyes alive with desire,
Hazy as a drunken dream, swelling with longing's fire;
Rouge paints a lovely blush across her visage fair,
Parted lips still breathing jasmine on the air;
Who can know the sweetness of such delight,
Bestowed upon her lover deep within the curtained night?
"Hah... hah..."
Guan Ya panted heavily, her cheeks scorching, and Zhang Yuanqing's breathing also grew ragged.
The room fell silent for a moment, leaving only the sound of their heavy breathing.
"Sister... Sister Guan Ya..."
Zhang Yuanqing swallowed hard.
Guan Ya only looked at him with languid, sultry eyes, her gaze hazy like a drunken beauty.
Zhang Yuanqing lowered his head and captured her lips. Guan Ya let out a soft moan, her voice melting to the bone, yet her consciousness suddenly snapped awake, her glazed eyes regaining a sliver of clarity.
Once more displaying immense willpower, she suppressed the surging lust inside her, placing her limp hands against Zhang Yuanqing's chest and trembling as she said, "Yuanshi... no..."
Her hands pushed limply, resisting yet inviting, both reluctant and passionate.
Just like Guan Ya's conflicted heart at this moment.
By now, Zhang Yuanqing couldn't hear a thing. Lowering his head, he kissed her face, her lips, and her crystalline earlobes in detail, panting, "Sister Guan Ya, be my girlfriend. The Fu family won't object."
He wanted to bid farewell to his bachelor life.
"No, Yuanshi, please... don't be like this..."
This time, her voice carried a hint of a sob, though it was unclear whether she was pleading with him or begging her own willpower.
Ling Jun had been right: all of this woman's prowess was in her mouth. When it came to actual practice, she chickened out faster than anyone.
Not a shred of her mature, dominant bearing remained.
Ling Jun had also said that Guan Ya hailed from an elite family and possessed outstanding personal capability, yet remained single—which proved she was a very conflicted woman.
On one hand, she dreaded an arranged marriage from her family and didn't dare date casually, fearing her romance would be torn apart and end in heartbreak.
On the other hand, she vehemently resisted arranged marriages, proving she still harbored dreams of a Prince Charming, yearning for a sincere and pure love.
Hence, women like her were the hardest to court. Even toward a man she favored, she would maintain a distance—neither too close nor too far—longing for intimacy yet terrified of truly starting a relationship.
At such times, special measures were needed to catalyze the bond—such as cooking the raw rice into porridge.
Zhang Yuanqing propped his hands beside Guan Ya, looking down at the flushed cheeks and sultry eyes of the mature beauty. Burning emotions brewed and churned inside him, his gaze growing increasingly scorching as he murmured, "Sister Guan Ya, do you really not want to?"
Guan Ya's breathing turned heavy, as though she were intoxicated, her fair skin flushed with an intoxicating blush. She neither agreed nor refused, only panting heavily in what seemed like silent consent.
Just as Guan Ya closed her eyes and resigned herself to fate, she felt the weight lift—the young man pressing on her had pulled away.
She opened her eyes, somewhat dazed.
Besides cooking the raw rice into porridge, his life mentor had given Zhang Yuanqing another option: knowing when to stop.
Guan Ya was an independent woman with a distinct personality who longed for a beautiful romance. Her view on love was gradual progression—progressing through wonderful dates and romance until finally blending into one and meeting skin to skin.
Therefore, a half-forced encounter didn't align with her values on love, even if she would ultimately accept the reality.
A thorn would always remain in her heart.
However, if he stopped right at the brink, their relationship would still take a massive leap forward, jumping from ambiguity to qualification as lovers—after all, they had already shared physical intimacy reserved only for lovers—without violating her view on love. Looking back later, she might even view it as an enchanting, passionate flirtation.
The only sacrifice was the awful sensation of loading the gun without firing.
So between "cooking the rice" and "knowing when to stop," it came down to whether he followed his own lust or respected Guan Ya.
Zhang Yuanqing chose the latter.
He genuinely liked Guan Ya; he didn't view her as a mere fling.
"You..."
Guan Ya murmured, feeling a surge of relief that was simultaneously tinged with reluctance.
As Zhang Yuanqing put on his T-shirt and trousers, he said, "Bear with it for a moment. I have another way to resolve your desire."
At that moment, something deep inside Guan Ya seemed to be touched. A tender seed quietly took root and sprouted, only to be swallowed by fierce lust a second later. Trembling, she said, "I... I'm afraid I can't hold out..."
Her gaze began to haze over again, her breathing heavy.
Zhang Yuanqing snapped, "Hold out even if you can't! My head feels like it's about to explode and I'm holding back, so why can't you? Aren't you just someone who wants to date without taking responsibility? Even if you can't bear it, bear it anyway!"
*There's plenty of time ahead. The goal has been achieved anyway, and today's courtship was a huge success...* He strode out of the master bedroom, returned to the living room, and dialed the bunny girl's number, asking her to bring Blood Rose over.
Ten-odd minutes later, just as Guan Ya was thinking that she might as well graze on young grass for once—she wouldn't be losing out anyway—the bunny girl arrived in a light trench coat, leading Blood Rose, whose eyes were sharp yet lacked soul.
"Thanks!"
He watched the bunny girl leave, closed the security door, and returned to the master bedroom with Blood Rose.
By this time, Guan Ya had little reason left. Staring blankly at the ceiling, she lay sprawled out on the bed.
Zhang Yuanqing took out the Flawless Human Skin from his inventory and tossed it toward Blood Rose. The cicada-wing-thin membrane covered the yin corpse's body, squirming against her surface. Moments later, Blood Rose transformed into Guan Ya's likeness.
This was Zhang Yuanqing's solution.
The Flawless Human Skin could take on a target's karma. Going into heat, like aggro, fell under the category of karma.
Blood Rose wasn't a living person; she was a corpse. A corpse couldn't experience "desire." Even with lust placed upon her, she wouldn't react in the slightest.
Sure enough, as soon as Blood Rose turned into Guan Ya, the real Guan Ya's mind cleared rapidly.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yuanqing felt an intense fondness and love welling up for the Guan Ya that Blood Rose had become.
His head started swelling again.
Conversely, he lost all interest in the authentic Guan Ya lying on the bed and panting.
The karma had been transferred.
"Sister Guan Ya, this item lasts for one hour, and its cooldown is also one hour. I'll come back in an hour. Get some rest." Fearing he might do something unmentionable to the yin corpse, Zhang Yuanqing left the master bedroom immediately and returned to the living room.
The Ghost Mirror had suppressed Guan Ya's lust for two hours. Of the remaining three hours, Blood Rose endured one hour of the torment for her. An hour later, once the human skin was taken off, Guan Ya plunged back into the burning state.
Because the skin's cooldown was equal to its wear time, Guan Ya had to suffer through that hour on her own.
During that time, Zhang Yuanqing used various methods such as knocking her unconscious, tying her up, and possessing her to help suppress her lust.
Whenever he knocked Guan Ya out, she would wake up parched in less than ten minutes. Tying her up worked even worse—she would harm herself and scream shrilly. Possession, on the contrary, worked best.
When the hour was up, Zhang Yuanqing tossed the Flawless Human Skin onto Blood Rose with immense relief. Guan Ya curled up on the bed in complete exhaustion, drenched in sweat, soaked through again and again.
*It felt like keeping an addict company through rehab...* Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the soaked bedsheets, thinking to himself that this older sister had suffered total social death today. Still, their bond had deepened.
A woman always treated a man differently if she favored him and had shared physical intimacy with him.
***
Wuhen Hotel.
Kou Beiyue sat bored behind the front desk. A lock hung on the hotel's front door.
After returning to reality, he had excitedly hurried downstairs to look for Xiao Yuan, eager to share the wonderful news that he had advanced to Saint and placed fourth on the leaderboard.
Like a child who scored a hundred on a test, he desperately wanted his mother's praise, yet his mother wasn't there.
*That woman Xiao Yuan doesn't care about me at all. Doesn't she know I return today? Ever since she met Yuanshi Tianzun, she's changed...*
Kou Beiyue sat cross-legged behind the desk, grumbling resentfully in his head.
Just then, he saw a white sedan drive up and park outside the hotel entrance. Kou Beiyue recognized Xiao Yuan's car at a glance. His eyes immediately lit up, a delighted grin appearing on his face before he quickly reined it in, putting on a stern expression.
The car door opened. Xiao Yuan, dressed in light-colored jeans paired with a dark T-shirt, stepped out. Walking toward the hotel, she fished keys from the red handbag slung over her shoulder.
Her features were radiant and poised, her demeanor cool and restrained—resembling a powerful female CEO in the business world, or a matriarch presiding over an ancient noble household. It was hard to imagine that she was merely a receptionist at a small hotel.
*Click!*
Amid the faint sound of the U-lock popping open, Xiao Yuan pushed the hotel door open and saw Kou Beiyue sitting boldly in her seat.
"You're back?"
Kou Beiyue stared at the ceiling at a forty-five-degree angle, ignoring her.
Xiao Yuan gave him a look, calmly rounded behind the front desk, placed her bag into a locker, slipped off her sandals, and changed into stiletto heels.
Kou Beiyue couldn't hold back and snapped in annoyance, "You're not happy at all."
"I am happy."
"Do you look happy?!" Kou Beiyue grew even more vexed.
"No one feels surprised over something that was expected all along." Xiao Yuan hoisted Kou Beiyue up from the chair in one go. "Out of the way!"
She pulled open a drawer, took out a makeup kit and a vanity mirror, and began shaping her eyebrows and applying eyeliner.
Her already radiant features grew even more exquisite and striking.
"Where did you go?" Kou Beiyue interrogated.
"Uncle Zhang ran into a bit of trouble; I just went to see him." Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, Xiao Yuan continued doing her makeup. "Injured by people from the Five Elements Alliance, but nothing serious."
Uncle Zhang was one of their companions, cultivating under Master Wuhen in an attempt to redeem his evil profession.
Kou Beiyue tilted his chin up. "In the future, just leave this sort of thing to me. I'm already a Saint."
Xiao Yuan lightly sketched her eyebrow shape, saying flatly, "What rank did you take on the leaderboard to talk so big?"
Kou Beiyue had been waiting for that exact question. He raised his chin even higher. "Fourth!"
Xiao Yuan's eyebrow pencil paused. She let out an "Oh" and went on drawing.
"I'm not lying to you," Kou Beiyue frowned.
"I know," Xiao Yuan said calmly. "It's nothing more than lying low in the evil camp as an undercover traitor, then killing a few evil classes at the critical moment with Yuanshi Tianzun's cooperation."
"..."
Kou Beiyue was speechless. While slightly off the mark, the core was basically accurate.
Xiao Yuan pursed her thin lips as she drew her eyebrow, asking in a seemingly casual tone, "Yuanshi Tianzun took the top spot on the leaderboard, right? What was his total score?"
Kou Beiyue waved his hands repeatedly. "Not that much, just a tiny bit higher than mine."
"How much?!" Xiao Yuan emphasized.
"1,628 points."
Xiao Yuan's pencil slipped, skittering from the corner of her eye into her temple, drawing a deep streak.
She whipped her head around, staring at Kou Beiyue for several seconds. Then, propping herself up on the counter, she stepped forward in her high heels and strode swiftly into the depths of the hotel.
"Hey, what are you doing? Aren't you putting on makeup? Your eyebrow is crooked!" Kou Beiyue shouted at her back.
"I'm going to see Master Wuhen." Xiao Yuan swayed her slender waist, clicking her heels as she stepped into the elevator.
Kou Beiyue felt intensely sour inside.
***
"Sister Guan Ya, are you all right now? Are your legs still weak?" Zhang Yuanqing called into the master bedroom from the doorway.
He had been kicked out by Guan Ya. The ostensible reason: tidying up the room and taking a shower.
The real reason: acute embarrassment, too mortified to face anyone.
"I'm fine. Go back first, I want to rest," Guan Ya's voice came from the bedroom, somewhat muffled, as if her head was buried beneath the blanket.
"It's lunchtime now. Let's have lunch together."
"Not eating!"
"Skipping lunch is fine, but come out and drink some water. You need to rehydrate."
"Get lost! Brat, get the hell out of here right now!" Guan Ya bristled inside.
"Remember to change your underwear and bedsheets."
"Zhang Yuanqing!!!"
Guan Ya rarely called him by his full name.
*The veteran driver is humiliated into fury...* Zhang Yuanqing mused, figuring it really wasn't a good idea to hang around any longer today. She needed time to cool down. So, taking Blood Rose with him, he left Tianchen Apartments.
***
12:00 PM.
The official forums of both the Five Elements Alliance and Taiyi Sect posted an announcement simultaneously:
#Transcendent Stage Slaughter Trial: Evil Camp Wiped Out; Yuanshi Tianzun Smashes All-Time Score Record#
Chapter 285