Chapter 97 097 "Lan Sheng, please help me."...

His palm touched a warm, soft spot, and it felt as if his palm was being burned by a tongue of fire. Duan Lansheng's eyelashes trembled, and he abruptly withdrew his hand.

This bold move seemed to have exhausted Lu Yuanyuan's courage as well. She looked even more flustered than him, glancing nervously at his reaction.

Duan Lansheng composed himself and silently exhaled a breath from his chest: "How exactly are you feeling unwell? How long has it been?"

Lu Yuanyuan slowly lowered her head: "From the first time I started cultivating, I noticed that after each cultivation session, my body would feel sore and weak, and my skin would have some red marks. Especially this area, it would be a little red and swollen, and it would be uncomfortable to sit in a chair."

Duan Lansheng seemed somewhat taken aback, and slowly, his brow furrowed: "Is there anything else?"

"And... the same goes for the top." Lu Yuanyuan bit her lower lip shyly, her voice so low it was almost inaudible: "...it's also a bit red and swollen. It's uncomfortable when I soak in hot water in the bath or when it rubs against my clothes. That's why I asked you for some topical medicine to remove the marks. It's not irritating when you apply it, and the redness and swelling go away faster."

After she finished speaking, she looked up.

Duan Lansheng looked at her, seemingly pondering the reason. Then, as if thinking of something, his expression turned somewhat unpleasant, and he asked, "When was the last time you cultivated?"

"It was the night before we set off for Dingchan. I don't know what was wrong with me, so I subtly asked Yuanjun if I had unconsciously done anything while I was cultivating. Yuanjun said no, and told me to focus on my cultivation. I was afraid that I was overthinking things, and I didn't want Yuanjun to think that I was a strange person, so I didn't ask any further."

Lu Yuanyuan slowly took a step closer, bringing the already close distance even closer. She looked up, stood on tiptoe, leaned on his shoulder, and whispered in his ear, "Lansheng, please help me."

Duan Lansheng's Adam's apple bobbed silently: "...How do you want me to help you?"

"I'll practice that technique once tonight. You stay by my side and watch over me. If anything seems wrong, tell me immediately. You're the person I trust most, and your judgment is definitely correct."

.

The night rain pattered, and in the quiet room, even the candlelight had been moved away. Beside the window stood a wooden bench, with a small, square table in the center—but now, the table had been moved. Two people sat facing each other, two meters apart, at opposite ends.

This wasn't the first time Duan Lansheng had cultivated with her in the same room, nor was it the first time he had acted as a supervisor for someone else. From this vantage point, he could clearly and intuitively observe her condition, allowing him to correct any abnormalities in a timely manner.

He watched as Lu Yuanyuan sat upright in front of him, closed her eyes, placed her hands on her knees, and began to cultivate earnestly.

Her cultivation posture was exactly the same as that taught by the Shu Mountain Sword Sect. The only difference was her breathing—at first glance, it seemed erratic, but in reality, she was exhaling and inhaling in a way and rhythm he had never seen before.

Is this what she brought out from the Yong Kingdom Imperial Mausoleum?

She said that after each practice session, she would feel discomfort in two areas...

In an instant, the lingering warmth in his palm flashed through his mind, as if he had seen it in a dream. Duan Lansheng unconsciously rubbed his palm. Realizing his action, he stiffened slightly, quickly loosened his fingers, and pressed them against his knee.

She trusted him, so she asked him for help. At a time like this, he should be doing his job; how could he be distracted by other things?

Duan Lansheng took a deep breath, and to clear his mind, he slowly closed his eyes and began to meditate.

Although they cannot see, once a Golden Core cultivator enters the state of oneness with the divine, their senses of touch, hearing, and smell become more acute, and they no longer need to rely on their eyes to perceive the slightest movement in the outside world.

Time slipped away silently in the stillness, the wick hissed as it burned, and the melted wax solidified into a pool of viscous liquid at the base of the candlestick. A night breeze stirred, and the shadows on the wall seemed to move as well.

In that silent moment, a slight, unusual sound suddenly rang out in the air.

Duan Lansheng suddenly opened his eyes and saw that the person who had been sitting in front of him had slumped down and curled up on the stool, with strands of hair sticking to his rosy cheeks and making a series of uncomfortable and indistinct sounds in his throat.

A look of surprise flashed across Duan Lansheng's face, but he immediately reacted and moved closer.

He grabbed her shoulders, intending to help her up. But to his surprise, as soon as his hand touched her, she let out a soft moan of pleasure, gripping his hand tightly and rubbing it against her flushed cheek.

Duan Lansheng's figure stopped moving, and his hands immediately forgot to move.

But this was not enough to alleviate her unfulfilled desire. As if driven by an instinctive yearning, she was delirious, her eyes half-closed, and slowly propped herself up, clinging to his arm, and step by step snuggling into his embrace. Her hot, moist breath swished against his chest, like a decadent flower blooming around him.

Seemingly dissatisfied with his lack of response, she climbed into his arms, nuzzled his body with her head, and whimpered uncomfortably. The next second, a pair of hands suddenly gripped her shoulders, stopping her from nuzzling him any further.

Duan Lansheng's breathing was somewhat erratic, and his voice was a little hoarse, but what he said was still restrained and calm: "Yuanyuan, something's wrong with what you're cultivating. Wake up, I..."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his Adam's apple.

Seemingly annoyed that he pushed her away, she tilted her head back and bit his Adam's apple. Her teeth were a bit sharp, and she bit down quite hard, but soon it turned into a gentle peck, her breath sweet as orchids.

Treated like this, Duan Lansheng's breath hitched, his fair face flushed crimson, and a complex, unreadable emotion flickered in his dark blue eyes. The next second, he closed his eyes briefly, grabbed her shoulders again, and forcefully pulled her head out of his embrace, pinning her against the bench.

He was about to steel himself and find something to restrain her, to stop her from scratching and groping him. But as if because of this movement of being pressed down from behind, she suddenly let out a muffled breath and slowly and deliberately lowered her waist.

It was as if it were muscle memory; I had become accustomed to being treated this way in such situations. So, even though I was being suppressed, I subconsciously made the next move.

As if doused with cold water, Duan Lansheng stared at her movements, his five fingers gripping her wrist loosened slightly, then suddenly tightened again.

...

At the end of the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), Lu Yuanyuan woke up on a bench. She was placed in a proper position and covered with a blanket.

It was still dark outside, and Duan Lansheng sat on a chair nearby, seemingly lost in thought, motionless like a statue.

Lu Yuanyuan rubbed her eyes sleepily and slowly sat up: "How did I end up lying here? Did I fall asleep at the end of my cultivation?"

A hand grabbed her arm, supporting her with considerable force. Lu Yuanyuan felt a little pain and looked up.

Duan Lansheng's expression was indescribably complex, stiff and suppressed, as if a storm was brewing but he was holding it back. After staring at her for a long time, he said, "Write down this set of mental techniques and let me see it."

Lu Yuanyuan was taken aback. Seeing his solemn expression, she didn't ask why, but obediently dipped her fingertip in some tea and began to write on the wooden chair.

It wasn't random writing; it was a few pages from the second half of "The Three Arts of Seduction," which she specifically chose.

Duan Lansheng's expression grew increasingly grim as he watched her write. When she began writing the third movement of the cultivation technique, he suddenly grabbed her wrist, stopping her from continuing. He wiped the water stains with his sleeve and said clearly, word by word, "From today onwards, you are no longer allowed to practice this technique, whether you are alone or when others are watching you."

"Why?" Thinking of something, Lu Yuanyuan became a little nervous, moved closer to him, and asked in a low voice, "So, is there really a problem with this mental cultivation method?"

Without hesitation, Duan Lansheng uttered a single word: "Yes."

Lu Yuanyuan looked at her body and muttered to herself, "I think this training session felt the best. Those two places didn't hurt much, which is completely different from when I was in Shu Mountain... Speaking of which, Lan Sheng, did you see me do anything strange while I was training?"

Clearly, she didn't know she would lose her mind and do that kind of thing to the person around her during her cultivation. But from what just happened, he probably already knew why those two places were so red, swollen, and painful that it was hard for her to talk about.

When this speculation first came to him, he thought it was absurd.

After all, that person was also a woman. But if we go back from the conclusion and recall the various scenes from the past, we will realize that the person's attitude towards her was full of ambiguous clues.

But all of this is just his speculation and inference, without any solid evidence.

Duan Lansheng was agitated and turned his head away: "I can't say for now. But you absolutely cannot cultivate anymore."

"So that means he is? That's strange. That's not what Yuanjun said. Do you mean he's lying? I'll have to ask him when I see Yuanjun."

Just as she was about to get out of bed and put on her shoes, her wrist was grabbed and pulled back.

Duan Lansheng's gaze darkened: "Don't ask."

Before she could respond, he added, "From now on, you can no longer be her servant."

"Why are we suddenly talking about servants? The Empress has been so good to me, how can I just quit like this?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt the hand gripping her suddenly tighten, and Duan Lansheng's expression changed. But in the blink of an eye, that hint of ferocity vanished completely; perhaps it was just her imagination.

He withdrew his hand, pulled her a little closer, and said, "I can't say for now. I'll talk to Yuanjun after we come out of the Spirit Treasure Realm. Until then, Yuanyuan, trust me and promise me you won't be alone with her."

Lu Yuanyuan hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing: "...Okay, I promise you."

Duan Lansheng frowned, still seemingly uneasy, but he had no better way to restrain him, so he could only repeat, "You promise?"

"I promise……"

Just then, the light in the room suddenly changed. There was clearly no night breeze, yet the candle by the window suddenly went out.

Lu Yuanyuan's fingers trembled, and she suddenly looked out the window.

There was clearly nothing there. If there had been, Duan Lansheng would have noticed long ago, not to mention her.

She looked away.

Perhaps this is what happens when you feel guilty.

Before dawn, while Fu Xinguang was still asleep, she returned to her room, filled a glass with cold water, rinsed her mouth and washed her face, nervously wiping her lips repeatedly with her sleeve.

She knew, of course, that getting to this point so quickly was both too fast and too risky.

But the people from Shushan will arrive in Dingchan tomorrow, and tonight is her last chance.

Once the Lingbao Secret Realm dungeon is cleared, her and Duan Lansheng's fates will undergo a dramatic change. Therefore, she isn't worried about Duan Lansheng saying he'll "talk" to Yin Xiaozhu later; that no longer threatens her.

When someone is driven to the edge of a cliff by flames, even if there is only a steel cable in front of them to escape, everyone will try it.

The original story presented her with a dead end, but she refused to submit. She would rather fall into the abyss and be shattered to pieces than foolishly wait until the flames started burning up her legs before regretting not having fought back.

The sect wanted to use the rule of "breaking the precept against sexual misconduct" to drive Duan Lansheng away, but only if Duan Lansheng was willing to join the group.

If he doesn't even accept the challenge, then no matter how beautifully she sets up the stage or how many audience members she invites, it will be meaningless.

If Duan Lansheng is willing to accept the challenge, but can only accept it to the point of letting her hold his hand, then it still does not constitute a conviction.

The chance to reveal the true colors only comes once. Regardless of success or failure, there are no second chances.

Therefore, she had to do a despicable rehearsal before the gears of the original plot came down.

You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub. After trying it out, she finally realized that Duan Lansheng's tolerance for her affectionate behavior far exceeded her expectations. Because she was his "friend who needed help," he could even tolerate her putting her hand inside his clothes.

That's more than enough.

Seeing the possibility of the fish taking the bait, she had no reason to back down.