The moment the flirtatious words left his mouth, Zhang Yuanqing felt like a delicate sixteen-year-old girl facing a sleazy older man. That feeling became especially pronounced when Bloody Mary sashayed forward, swaying her hips, and shoved him down onto the soft, spacious bed.
At that moment, Zhang Yuanqing lay sprawled on his back. Bloody Mary braced herself on the bed with one hand while the fingertips of her other hand wandered over his chest, then slid along the curves of his muscles down to his abs.
She curled her scarlet lips, her tone full of satisfaction:
“Not bad. You've been training your muscles properly lately. Your build isn't too bulky or too skinny—just right. You used to be a scrawny mutt.”
Zhang Yuanqing felt deeply ashamed, but once again the words that came out of his mouth were not what he meant:
“Baby, as long as it's your request, I'll do everything in my power to satisfy it. I will always be your devoted slave at your feet.”
As he spoke, Mr. Bill's words when introducing the Flawless Human Skin surfaced in Zhang Yuanqing's mind:
“Put it on, and you can transform into anyone's appearance. You will fully take on everything belonging to the target and act in accordance with the target's personality, habits, manner of speech, and so on. You won't reveal the slightest flaw—even those most familiar with them won't be able to see through you.”
Taking on the karma was mandatory.
While maintaining the identity of the Jade-Faced Gentleman, he could not resist the karma. He could not retrieve items belonging to Yuanshi Tianzun, nor use Yuanshi Tianzun's skills.
Because he was the Jade-Faced Gentleman now.
Of course, once he removed the Flawless Human Skin, that state of bearing the karma would end.
But Zhang Yuanqing couldn't remove the Flawless Human Skin yet. He had to lure Bloody Mary into the living room; if he unfurled the Yin-Yang Robe there, the Yin-Yang formation would be confined to this apartment.
No one outside would see the strange phenomena caused by the formation, and the building's residents wouldn't be affected.
The bedroom wouldn't do. It was in a corner, with only a wall separating it from the neighboring apartment, and the formation would extend beyond the window.
Bloody Mary straightened up, walked to the round table, and took a three-legged censer from her inventory. She lit a red incense stick as thick as a finger.
As wisps of blue smoke curled upward, a sweet, cloying fragrance filled the room. It wasn't strong, yet it lingered long enough to make the blood race and uncontrollably conjure thoughts of bedchamber pleasures, stirring a craving for carnal love.
Then Bloody Mary took off her jacket, her T-shirt, and her trousers, standing in black lace lingerie as she deftly lit the candles.
Holding a candle in one hand and a small leather whip in the other, she said with a smile:
“Lowly male dog, where do you think I should whip you first?”
Ma'am, calm down. Let's talk this through. Zhang Yuanqing couldn't act yet and could only relieve his awful mood by complaining inwardly.
He raised his head and looked at her. Bloody Mary stood at the edge of the bed in black lace lingerie, her pale body dazzling under the light. Her proportions were excellent—curvy in all the right places—and her face was strikingly beautiful. She was indeed a first-rate beauty.
Otherwise, the Demon Lord would never have taken a liking to her. If she hadn't been beautiful, he probably would have killed her on a whim.
“Baby, whip me wherever you like,” Zhang Yuanqing dutifully said, speaking in a way that befitted his identity.
Then, before Bloody Mary could draw her whip, he said:
“Darling, I suggest we play in the living room. It's more spacious there, and we can enjoy ourselves more.”
Those words also fit the Jade-Faced Gentleman's persona.
Bloody Mary curled the corners of her lips in a smile both contemptuous and amused. “Looks like making you crawl like a dog last time left you hooked? Fine. I'll satisfy you.”
You two really are having fun. Zhang Yuanqing immediately got up and obediently gathered the props on the round table, carrying them one by one into the living room.
During this, Bloody Mary pulled a lady's cigarette from her leather jacket, lit it, and leisurely blew out white smoke as she watched her kept man bustle about.
Once her kept man had packed everything up and carried it to the living room, Bloody Mary casually tossed the cigarette butt on the floor, stubbed it out with her bare foot, and walked into the living room.
The living room was brightly lit. The coffee table was covered with props, and the kept man in the sailor suit sat on the sofa, his eyes holding lust and a trace of fear.
He seemed to know what kind of humiliation was about to befall him.
Bloody Mary loved seeing men make that expression; it gave her an intense sense of conquest.
She had whipped countless men. Apart from the period when the Demon Lord had treated her like a bitch, she had mostly been the one inflicting the abuse.
And that humiliating experience she could not bear to recall had not changed her tastes. Instead, it had made her even more brutal and even fonder of trampling men underfoot.
“Let me think—should I drip candle wax on you first, or whip you first?” Bloody Mary came over with a sexy sway of her hips, bent down to pick up a metal ring from the coffee table, and said with a smile:
“Oh, right. Let's put this on you first. Unless you stay hard for two hours tonight, I won't let you take it off.”
Two hours? Have mercy on my prostate—are you trying to kill me? Zhang Yuanqing reluctantly took the metal ring, the thought flashing through his mind—a thought belonging to the Jade-Faced Gentleman.
Then, looking at the metal ring in his hand, a thought of his own flashed through his mind:
Why am I taking it? I've already lured this woman into the living room!
At that thought, he stopped pretending. His fingers dug into the skin on his chest and tore hard, like Spider-Man tearing off the evil black suit.
A layer of human skin was ripped off with one forceful yank.
It happened too abruptly. Bloody Mary froze for a moment, then clearly saw that handsome face—unfamiliar yet familiar.
Yuanshi Tianzun?!
Without a second thought, she turned and bolted for the bedroom, intending to escape by breaking the window.
She wasn't afraid of Yuanshi Tianzun. As a peak Level 5 Saint, in a one-on-one fight, she was confident she could crush Yuanshi Tianzun, who had only just entered the Saint stage.
But this was Songhai. If Yuanshi Tianzun was here, it meant the authorities had come as well.
Evil classes could wage guerrilla warfare against orthodox classes, but in an all-out battle, the authorities were still the authorities. Even the Gu King might not dare intervene to save her.
Unhurried, Zhang Yuanqing took out the Houtu Boots, the Unyielding Visor, the Gale Gloves, and the Purple Lightning Shield. Finally, he pulled out the Yin-Yang Robe and flung it overhead.
The Yin-Yang Robe abruptly fixed itself to the ceiling.
Just then, Bloody Mary, who had just reached the bedroom, ran head-on into an invisible wall.
The yin-yang fish on the back of the robe poured down streams of illusory water and spewed scorching tongues of fire.
The water spread through the living room without soaking the furniture, but the flames ignited the sofa, the curtains, and everything else combustible.
Bloody Mary's heart sank. A ghastly layer of bone swiftly covered her luminous white skin like armor made of white bone. At the same time, she pulled out a robe covered in bloodstains and threw it on.
Once armed, Bloody Mary clenched her fists and pounded the barrier with her bone-covered fists.
Duang! Duang! Duang!
Three punches in a row, and the barrier shook violently, rapid ripples spreading across it as if it might shatter at any moment.
But as Zhang Yuanqing put on the Houtu Boots, the nearly shattered barrier instantly steadied, giving off a heavy halo.
No matter how Bloody Mary pounded it, she could no longer shake it.
The Yin-Yang Robe alone could no longer trap a Level 5 Saint. Fortunately, with the Houtu Boots' enhancement, the set effect was triggered, causing the quality of both items to leap forward as a whole.
That was the power of a set.
“Fuck!”
Bloody Mary swore furiously. She couldn't understand why she had been targeted. She performed a Fortune Blessing every day; if entering Yushui Bay was a death trap, she would definitely have received a revelation.
Besides, she kept the Jade-Faced Gentleman here, and he rarely went out. The authorities couldn't possibly be watching an inactive evil class.
“Heh heh heh, you stinking bitch, so you're Bloody Mary? A worn-out whore the Demon Lord used up—you think you're fit to whip me?”
From the blazing fire rose a crimson clay figure. It gripped a purple-gold round shield in one hand and a crimson fire blade in the other, with a brass chest mirror strapped to its chest.
On the other side, in the surging area of illusory water, another black clay figure also rose. It wore azure fingerless gloves on both hands and issued a cold rebuke:
“Shut up. Don't mention the Demon Lord, you brainless fool.”
Without giving Bloody Mary a chance to react, the black clay figure swung its right hand.
“Woo~”
A shrill howl echoed through the living room as a three-meter-long wind blade screamed, swept up flames, and slashed at Bloody Mary.
Bloody Mary, wrapped in her bloodstained robe, ducked low and rolled aside.
“Bzz!”
The wind blade struck the barrier, carving out a sharp ripple before breaking apart into a gust of wind and dispersing.
Before Bloody Mary could get up, the flames beside her burst with a bang. The crimson clay figure appeared in the firelight and, without a word, brought its searing fire blade down on her head.
Bloody Mary gave a cold snort and reached out to grab the fire blade, showing no fear of the intense heat.
Bang!
She casually crushed the blade formed of flame. Her other sleeve fluttered as her fist clenched, and she threw a vicious cannon punch at the clay figure's head.
With the bone bug's enhancement, her fists were the best weapons—indestructible, able to punch through steel plate.
The fire clay figure raised its shield to block.
Clang!
Her fist slammed into the shield with a deafening sound.
Crackle! The Purple Lightning Shield, having been struck, shot out dense arcs of electricity that struck Bloody Mary, scorching the white bone black and freezing her body, her pupils going slightly unfocused.
After transforming into gu form, the white bone cuticle covered eighty percent of her body surface, but her knees, elbows, lips, and other areas were left unprotected.
Seizing the opportunity, the round shield in the crimson clay figure's hand “melted” into purple-gold molten metal, then condensed into a small 50-centimeter hammer that came smashing down.
Just then, Bloody Mary recovered from the paralysis. Confident in her defense, she raised both arms to block.
Thud!
With a dull impact, both her arms went numb. She felt every cell in her arms vibrating at high frequency, every piece of flesh wailing in agony.
The bloodstained robe flashed with light.
Damage reflected.
A dim earthy yellow glow suddenly lit the crimson clay figure's body as the chest mirror blocked the 50 percent of the reflected damage.
The reason he hadn't used the Thunderstorm Cannon was that its firing had a short delay and its projectile speed was slow, giving a Level 5 Saint in peak condition a fairly high chance of dodging. On top of that, each ball lightning took three days to accumulate.
So when he unfurled the Yin-Yang Robe, Zhang Yuanqing changed his plan: first, badly wound Bloody Mary with the Purple Lightning Hammer, and if he could kill her in the process, all the better.
If not, he would finish her off with the Thunderstorm Cannon.
That was why he had taken out the Unyielding Visor. Combined with the clay figure's own toughness, it was enough to block several instances of the Robe of Curses' reflected damage.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The crimson clay figure swung the purple-gold hammer again and again. Finally, on the fourth blow, blood mist burst from Bloody Mary's arms, and both arms were blown off.
At the same time, the Unyielding Visor's light screen shattered.
With a stifled grunt, Bloody Mary saw the fifth hammer coming. She made a split-second decision, dropped to her knees, and prostrated herself beneath the clay figure.
Thud!
The crimson clay figure's swing inexplicably veered. The little hammer grazed Bloody Mary's body and struck the floor, but because the formation confined the force, it effectively protected the floor, so the concrete floor did not collapse.
Bloody Mary rolled with the momentum, tumbling toward the area shrouded by the illusory water.
By comparison, she judged the black clay figure, which had only one item, to be easier to deal with and safer.
She had just rolled into the water formation's domain and hadn't yet risen when she saw the black clay figure raise its left hand. She saw a streak of purple-gold molten metal rush over with a howl, wrap around the clay figure's palm, and become an oversized 30-centimeter hand cannon.
“Zzz.”
Purple lightning gathered in the wide, pitch-black muzzle.
Damn! Bloody Mary's heart sank. She hadn't expected that item to switch seamlessly between the two clay figures. She was about to keep rolling, but the black clay figure's hand that wasn't holding the cannon clenched into a fist first.
In an instant, a fierce wind whipped the illusory water into raging waves that crashed against her.
The force was strong, but it shouldn't have posed a threat to her. Yet with both arms severed, Bloody Mary had no way to brace herself against the surging tide. She could only watch as her roll was interrupted.
The next second, the muzzle spat out a blinding purple orb, electric arcs dancing across its surface.
“Boom!”
A violent shockwave swept through the living room, carrying the illusory water and flames up to the ceiling. Everything within a dozen or so meters of the blast center became a vacuum.
Bloody Mary's severed limbs and chunks of flesh splattered everywhere; she died without leaving a whole corpse.
The two clay figures staggered back under the raging blast.
[Ding! You have killed a Spirit Medium and gained 120 Reputation points.]
The Spirit Realm's notification sounded right on cue.
After a dozen or so seconds, the living room returned to calm.
Ah, the Thunderstorm Cannon's biggest flaw is that it's too powerful—it didn't leave a single item behind. The Reputation reward is quite good, though. Not bad, not bad. Zhang Yuanqing felt both pleased and regretful. He ended the formation, put on the Yin-Yang Robe, and first used his water control ability to extinguish the flames. Then he pulled out his phone and called Queen:
“It's done. Send someone to clean up.”
Then he turned into starlight and vanished from the room.
The next day, Jinshan City.
At first light, Human Blood Bun, just about to head out to deliver takeout, received a text from the President:
“Blood sacrifice!”
Human Blood Bun froze for a moment, then his heart stirred. He hurried back to his bedroom, took out a bronze bowl carved with gu bugs and gu beasts, slit his wrist, and let the blood flow into the bowl. Soon it had accumulated to a little under half a bowl.
Then he lit black incense and chanted an incantation.
Blood-red smoke rose from the bowl and condensed into a face with blurred features.
“President!”
Human Blood Bun prostrated himself.
“Bloody Mary is dead. Yuanshi Tianzun killed her.” The Gu King let out a furious roar:
“Try to use that Kou Beiyue at the Wuhen Hotel to find out where Yuanshi Tianzun lives. I want to kill him with my own hands. Also, investigate how Yuanshi Tianzun traced Bloody Mary's movements.”
Bloody Mary is dead? Yuanshi Tianzun did it?!
Human Blood Bun's heart pounded wildly. He remained prostrate, not daring to lift his head, afraid the President would see the wild joy on his face.
“Understood!”
The Gu King gave a grunt, and the face formed from the blood mist dispersed.
Human Blood Bun pinched out the incense and put away the bronze bowl. He was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly burst into elated, unbridled laughter.
“Good riddance, good riddance, ha ha ha!”
After laughing, he didn't take the Gu King's orders seriously at all; such things could be brushed off however he liked.
What excited Human Blood Bun was this: perhaps he could use Kou Beiyue to maintain a long-term, tacit understanding with Yuanshi Tianzun, turning him into a butcher's knife he could wield as needed to eliminate those free classes who were eyesores, personal enemies, or obstacles in his path.
Chapter 384