After she finished her prayer, the twin lotus flowers around them bloomed even more beautifully.
The pink-white lotus appeared delicate and pure.
Tantai Jin withdrew his fingers from between her legs.
Su Su, being inexperienced in such matters, was naive but could sense his deliberate intent. His slender fingers hadn't penetrated deeply, merely skimming the surface before retreating to touch her face.
Su Su's expression shifted dramatically.
He had touched there and now was touching her face. His fingers trailed downward, brushing against her lips, and Su Su feared he might force her to open her mouth next.
Was there anything he wouldn't do? There was nothing he wouldn't do!
His breath was erratic, his tone rising: "Beg me, hmm?"
There was a hint of threat and an inexplicable pleasure even he couldn't articulate. Su Su took a deep breath. From beside her discarded clothes, a white insect crawled out.
It was beautiful, its body emitting a pale glow.
Tantai Jin didn't notice it, but Su Su suddenly did. Her eyes lit up—it was the Gu worm Xiao Shan had given her. Could it break the Puppet Technique?
As if hearing her thoughts, the worm indeed moved closer.
Though it appeared small, it was surprisingly fast, reaching Su Su in an instant. A numbness spread through her body, and she realized her fingers could move again.
Soon, sensation returned to her entire body.
The worm couldn't break the Puppet Technique. The curved jade hadn't deceived Su Su—the Puppet Technique couldn't last long. What prolonged it was the fragrance in the room, a Yiyue tribe incense that assisted the Puppet Technique.
The worm could neutralize all poisons and Bewitching Incense.
Tantai Jin was unaware of it and hadn't seen it.
His speech was rapid, sounding somewhat neurotic: "You used to look at me as if I were despicable vermin on the ground. But see now? You can only beg for mercy beneath that vermin."
"I should kill you," he muttered to himself, then chuckled lowly. "But if you behave, I might spare you for now. I am the emperor..."
He paused, then said, "And I will be the emperor of Great Xia in the future. As long as you don't oppose me, like today, I can—"
"Like what? Like this?"
Lotus-root-like arms suddenly tightened around his neck.
Fortunately, they were in water. Without needing much strength, only technique, Su Su forced the young man underwater abruptly.
"Cough! Cough!"
She spun ashore, grabbed her dress, and swiftly put it on. With a flick of her finger, she hooked her shawl into her hand. As Tantai Jin surfaced, choking on water, she used the shawl to pull him to the edge of the pool.
His ink-black hair was soaked, and whether from coughing or something else, his pale skin flushed with a delicate peach-blossom hue.
Three parts pitiable, seven parts fragile and sickly.
Had it not been for his earlier actions, Su Su might have thought she was the one bullying him.
Kneeling by the pool, she met his deep, cold eyes.
Su Su said, "Your turn. Will you beg me?"
He sneered, and Su Su knew his answer. From her angle, she could see clearly underwater. The young man's slender legs curled slightly, unusually compliant as they pressed against the pool's edge. Su Su couldn't tell if he had reacted.
She pursed her lips, relieved not to have seen anything disgusting.
"You know, I hate it most when people I dislike touch me. Before your men arrive, how about..." Su Su leaned closer, her expression cold and furious, "I chop off that finger of yours?"The earlier frantic gasps faded from the youth as he grabbed the silk shawl with a backhanded motion, his voice filled with anger. "Ye Xiwu, you have some nerve."
Su Su retorted, "You talk too much!"
She freed one hand to cover her overly low neckline.
"If you won't kill me, then get rid of the Corpse Demon."
"In your dreams!"
She stared intently at the youth's handsome face before suddenly leaning in close. Tantai Jin instinctively tried to pull away, forgetting the silk shawl still wrapped around his neck.
How ironic—when she couldn't see him, he had freely toyed with her, his voice trembling with excitement. Yet when she examined him and drew near, he retreated.
The pearl tear in Su Su's bosom grew slightly warm.
With complex emotions, she gazed at the cold youth's flushed eyes and abruptly asked, "Do you like me?""
An eerie silence fell over the air. Tantai Jin lifted his head, a mocking smile playing on his lips as if watching some living joke.
He clearly favored Ye Bingshang.
The pearl tear in her bosom instantly cooled, making Su Su feel she had been presumptuous.
Tantai Jin coldly averted his eyes and noticed the white Gu worm by the pool. His expression turned contemplative, as if recognizing the creature.
Su Su hurriedly hid the insect Xiao Shan had given her. The current situation troubled her—she couldn't actually kill him, yet her rage remained undiminished.
She realized her present weakness made staying near Tantai Jin dangerous.
Since Tantai Jin constantly schemed to attack cities and kill, perhaps taking him away from Mohe River could ease tensions.
The more she thought, the more this seemed the only viable option.
"Get up, put your clothes on, and come with me."
After a moment, Tantai Jin emerged from the pool. He felt no shame in his nakedness—everyone entered the world in this state.
Not daring to release her grip, Su Su kept her "hostage" firmly in hand.
Inevitably, she saw his body.
The youth's form was excessively pale, likely from years without vigorous exercise or martial training. Though lacking bulging muscles, his physique possessed elegant lines, nearly fairer than her current vessel.
His legs were slender, and that particular part was quite conspicuous. In a way, a demon's body could be as perfectly magnificent as a God's.
Struggling to control her expression, Su Su mentally chastised him for his shamelessness.
Once Tantai Jin dressed, Su Su dragged him outward.
Mimicking her previous method with the fox demon, she attempted to silence him and secure their passage past guards.
But as she pushed open the door and reached the threshold, a translucent arrow pierced her shoulder.
Though she sensed its approach, the constraints of Ruoshui left her no room to evade.
Su Su's pupils contracted as she collapsed limply, consciousness fading.
Her grip on Tantai Jin loosened, and he caught her with expected ease, casually addressing the shadows: "Enough. Do you truly want her dead?"
Countless arrows silently retracted.
Tantai Jin gazed coldly at the girl in his arms for several seconds. He wouldn't be fooled twice in the same manner—he merely wanted to see if she truly lacked the resolve to kill him.
Clearly, he had guessed correctly, though the reason remained unknown.
The young emperor's black brocade robes billowed open as he held her, both seated on the threshold.
Outside, rain continued to patter down beneath a pitch-black sky.
Motionless, Tantai Jin wondered what this girl sought to gain from him now.He did not deliberately hold Su Su, nor did he push her away, allowing her to lean against his chest as he raised his eyes to watch the dense, continuous rain outside.
In the rain, the stern female official hurried over, her expression filled with terror.
"Your Majesty, has the ceremony been completed?" Before Tantai Jin, she dared not show the slightest trace of arrogance or harshness, appearing utterly submissive as she kowtowed along with the other ritual officials. "The ancient Gods will henceforth grant you longevity and ensure your reign remains unshaken."
He smiled mockingly. "Is that so?"
Unfortunately, the ceremony had not been completed. He thought to himself, nor would any ancient God ever bless him.
If these people knew the price of his birth, they would surely scream and faint.
Yang Ji, upon seeing Tantai Jin carrying someone over, quickly said, "Your Majesty, everything is prepared."
Tantai Jin replied, "Mm."
He placed Su Su into the Ruoshui. The Ruoshui now was only a shallow layer, just enough to submerge her body.
Her clothes remained dry, the white dress dazzlingly beautiful amidst the Ruoshui that shimmered like crushed silver, her soft cheeks exposed to the air.
He watched her for a while, his expression cold and unyielding.
An old Taoist in black robes bowed to Tantai Jin. "Your Majesty, rest assured, nothing will go wrong."
This old Taoist was the very one Su Su had killed at the riverbed.
In his youth, the old Taoist had obtained a spiritual artifact during his training, which barely saved him from being torn apart when he was drawn into the Soul Summoning Banner.
Later, Tantai Jin ordered the dredging of the Mohe River, and the Soul Summoning Banner was retrieved as well.
The old Taoist had witnessed with his own eyes how this seemingly frail young man released a horde of Evil Ghosts, swallowed them expressionlessly, and then turned his gaze toward him.
Trembling with fear, the old Taoist begged for mercy, offering to serve His Majesty.
Tantai Jin spared his life.
And indeed, the old Taoist came up with a sinister idea. He glanced at the young girl in the Ruoshui, his heart filled with resentment. If not for this little girl, his century of cultivation would not have been destroyed, forcing him to reside within the Soul Summoning Banner.
The curved jade sensed danger and awoke.
In truth, ever since the Puppet Technique was prolonged, it had begun to regret its decision. In a moment of inspiration, it released the Myriad Spirit Gu. Spiritual Power was precious—using it even once would prevent Su Su from returning to her original world. In the worst case, they might regress to a time before Su Su was even born, erasing her existence entirely.
It feared its young master's disappearance and the destruction of the Three Realms, which was why it hoped its young master could make Tantai Jin understand emotions. But its young master was unhappy.
Now, it shuddered with dread. Just as it tried to forcibly awaken Su Su, the next moment it was submerged in the Ruoshui.
The curved jade: "..."
In the Ruoshui, where nothing could thrive, Spiritual Power was unusable. Even the Conch Princess had no choice but to endure the pain to search for Ming Ye.
The curved jade could do nothing now. Unless it wished to dissolve in the Ruoshui, leaving its young master trapped here forever. As a jade bracelet, it could not even see or hear at this moment.
What was going to happen?
In Tantai Jin's palm lay a white worm.
Yang Ji exclaimed excitedly, "It's my clan's sacred object, the Myriad Spirit Gu! I absolutely cannot be mistaken, Your Majesty. How could it be here?"
Tantai Jin examined the Gu worm and replied nonchalantly, "I found it."
Yang Ji did not press further but instead explained excitedly, "The Myriad Spirit Gu is the mother of all Gu worms. Legend says it can neutralize hundreds of poisons and make one immune to all Gu."
Tantai Jin curved his lips into a smile, but no matter how Yang Ji looked at it, he felt a chill emanating from that smile.
Tantai Jin tightened his fingers, and sure enough, he saw Yang Ji's face turn pale, looking as though his heart was aching unbearably.The youth chuckled mischievously under his breath. "Just a joke."
Tantai Jin opened his hand, coldly examining the insect in his palm. He thought he knew who had given this to Su Su. She had actually met that person, and that person was willing to give her such a precious thing—what was their relationship?
No wonder the Spring Silkworm Curse on Ye Xi Wu hadn't taken effect; it was because of this little thing.
Unfortunately, once the Spring Silkworm Curse was planted, it would only end with death. The only antidote had been destroyed by him. Even the Ten-Thousand Spirits Gu could only prevent it from activating, not cure the curse.
"Will she come back?" the youth asked coldly.
The old Taoist replied, "Yes, this humble daoshi dare not deceive Your Majesty."
Tantai Jin placed the Ten-Thousand Spirits Gu into a jade box and tossed it back into Su Su's embrace.
Yang Ji exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty?"
The youth said, "Everyone, out."
Yang Ji hurriedly left, and the old Taoist slipped into the soul-summoning banner, flying into a dust-covered locustwood box. Only Tantai Jin and Su Su remained in the secret chamber.
Dawn had not yet broken; it had rained all night outside, carrying the fresh scent of damp earth.
Tantai Jin leaned against the edge of the Ruoshui pool, the secret chamber dim and lightless.
He was certain that no other person or Living Being would ever see him as he was in this moment.
Tantai Jin lifted Su Su's hand from the Ruoshui.
Neither of them had demonic bodies, so the Ruoshui did not harm them. Instead, it cascaded like scattered silver from the heavens, dripping from her fingertips.
Slowly, he placed her delicate palm against his own neck, his breath trembling slightly.
The youth—no, he should be considered a young man now. Yet he was excessively pale and fragile, and no one would regard him as a mature warrior.
He bit his lip hard, suppressing ragged gasps, pressing her slender fingers against his throat, mimicking her choking motion.
Only when he could no longer breathe did he slightly loosen his grip.
The fair skin of the girl's thumb webbing was flushed red from his roughness. He gasped for air, a faint, stifled moan escaping his throat.
He looked down at the unconscious girl, his fingers tracing her lips.
"Don't like it? There's nothing you can do."
His fingers probed into her petal-like lips. After a long moment, he let out a wicked, satisfied laugh.
In her dream, light and shadow flickered, and a voice kept calling Su Su.
She gasped as if suffocating, clutching her chest, instinctively calling out, "Curved jade?"
Curved jade quickly responded, "Little master, I'm here!"
Guilt washed over Curved jade like a tide. "It's my fault for not monitoring the situation continuously. We're now in a border town of Cangzhou. A kind woman found you and brought you back."
Su Su touched the jade bracelet and realized she was indeed in an unfamiliar place. The wooden bed was mottled, and it seemed the family was not well-off.
"We're no longer in Mohe City?"
Curved jade said, "By the time I regained consciousness, we were already here."
Curved jade explained the general situation, feeling deeply remorseful. "If you ever don't wish to be near the young Demon God again, I'll risk my life to help you, little master!"
Su Su shook her head. "It's not your fault."
She had been too stubborn. Her father, the Hengyang Sect, and all Living Beings across the Three Realms—none of them could come to harm. Curved jade hadn't done anything wrong; it truly couldn't recklessly use Spiritual Power to avoid her interactions with Tantai Jin.
Extracting the Evil Bone wasn't just Curved jade's mission; it was her primary task as well. She checked her belongings—the Ten-Thousand Spirits Gu and the Soul-Extinguishing Pearl Tears were still there.
She said, "Curved jade, you did nothing wrong. Continue resting."How could she rely on it entirely? Rushing recklessly to Tantai Jin's side only to be trapped by the Ruoshui rope bracelet was entirely due to her own lack of foresight.
Now the Ruoshui rope bracelet was gone, and her memory was a blank slate. She had no idea when she had left the Mohe River and arrived in Cangzhou.
Cangzhou bordered Yuzhou, which belonged to the territory of Great Xia.
Before she lost consciousness, Xiao Lin had been stationed in Yuzhou.
Su Su pushed open the door, and blinding sunlight streamed in. A woman with a floral scarf wrapped around her head was chopping pigweed in the courtyard.
Hearing the door open, her eyes instantly lit up.
"Young lady, you're awake!"
She wiped her hands on her apron, looking at Su Su as if she were a piece of prime meat.
Su Su could see greed radiating from her at a glance.
She touched her earrings and realized they were indeed missing.
Su Su remained silent and had no intention of confronting the woman.
"Auntie, what month is it now? How are things in Yuzhou and the Mohe River?"
The woman's lips tightened as she replied, "It's August. Yuzhou has fallen. That tyrant from the Zhou Kingdom is said to have created a horde of merciless monsters. Our Prince Xuan defended the city for a month but had no choice but to retreat to Cangzhou."
Her tone was bitter as she grumbled, "Fighting has broken out here too. My poor son is serving as a soldier in Cangzhou Prefecture. Who knows when he'll be devoured by that little tyrant's demons?"
Su Su hadn't expected that a month had passed in the blink of an eye after that transparent arrow struck her shoulder.
Tantai Jin had captured Yuzhou using Corpse Demons or other demonic creatures, forcing Xiao Lin to retreat to Cangzhou.
Her expression turned grave as she realized for the first time that Tantai Jin was far more cunning than she had imagined. He was such a skilled deceiver that now, looking back on their interactions, she couldn't distinguish what was real from what was fake.
He killed demons without batting an eye, yet at times he appeared excessively frail.
A cold sweat broke out on her back, sending a wave of retrospective fear through her.
She thought to herself that without sufficient strength, she must not go near him again.
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