Fangyuan frowned slightly. Relying on his intuition and five hundred years of life experience, he caught the scent of a conspiracy.
A cold glint flashed through his eyes and vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and his brow smoothed out. "I happen to be hungry. You've come at the right time. Bring it in."
Outside the door, Shen Cui, clutching a food box, sneered with disdain upon hearing this. However, by the time she pushed the door open, her face held only a look of docility.
"Young Master Fangyuan, the food smells so delicious. I could smell it even through the box," she said, her voice cloying and sweet, layered with an air of seductive charm.
She placed the box on a small table and meticulously arranged the dishes. Indeed, the meal was a feast for the senses. She then took out two cups and poured the wine.
"Come, Young Master, sit." She smiled like a blooming flower, walked to his side, and boldly took his hand, pulling him to a stool by the table.
She then sat directly on his lap, leaning her lithe body against his chest. Like a helpless bird, she whispered into his ear, "Young Master Fangyuan, I’ve always liked you. No matter your talent, I want to be with you, rely on you, and comfort you. Tonight, I want to give myself to you."
She had dressed up for the occasion. Her lips were rouged a cherry pink, and as she spoke pressed against his ear, her youthful, feminine scent teased his earlobe. Sitting in his lap, she pressed her full body against him, making her soft curves, slender waist, and supple chest impossible to ignore.
"Young Master, let me feed you the wine." Shen Cui picked up the cup, took a sip, and held the liquid in her mouth. With eyes swimming like water, she fixed her gaze on Fangyuan, her cherry lips slightly parted, as she slowly leaned in toward his.
Fangyuan’s expression remained indifferent, as if the girl sitting on his lap were nothing more than a statue.
Shen Cui felt a flicker of unease at his expression, but when her lips were only a finger’s width away from his, she grew confident, inwardly sneering, *Still putting on an act.*
Just then, Fangyuan let out a cold laugh, his tone dripping with contempt. "So, this is nothing more than a honey trap."
Shen Cui’s expression stiffened. She swallowed the wine and feigned a pout. "Young Master Fangyuan, whatever do you mean?"
Fangyuan’s eyes glinted with a ghostly, cold light. He stared into her eyes while his right hand clamped onto her fair neck, slowly tightening its grip.
Shen Cui’s pupils contracted, and her voice turned panicked. "Young Master, you’re hurting me!"
Fangyuan didn't answer; he only increased the pressure of his hand.
"Young Master Fangyuan, I’m scared!" Shen Cui was already struggling to breathe, her face a mask of chaos. Her delicate hands instinctively reached up to pry his fingers away, but Fangyuan’s hand was like an iron clamp—there was no moving it.
"So, Uncle and Aunt sent you to seduce and frame me? I suppose that means there’s an ambush waiting downstairs, then," Fangyuan sneered contemptuously. "But what are you, to think you could trap me? With nothing but those two piles of trash on your chest?"
As he spoke, his left hand climbed to her chest and viciously squeezed, causing the soft flesh to distort violently.
A sharp, stabbing pain shot through her chest. Shen Cui’s eyes widened, filling with tears of agony. She tried to scream, but her throat was choked by his hand, leaving her only able to emit weak whimpers. She began to struggle violently—if she didn't, she would truly suffocate!
Just then, Fangyuan slowly loosened his grip.
Shen Cui gasped, greedily inhaling air. She breathed so frantically that it triggered a bout of violent, dry coughing.
Fangyuan chuckled softly. He reached out to gently stroke her cheek and said in a leisurely tone, "Shen Cui, do you think I can kill you?"
If Fangyuan had roared and raved, Shen Cui might have resisted fiercely. But hearing him speak with such a low, gentle laugh, asking if he could kill her, a genuine, bone-deep terror took hold.
She was afraid!
She stared in horror at the boy who was beaming down at her. In that moment, Shen Cui swore she would never forget Fangyuan’s eyes. They were devoid of any emotion, dark and profound, like an ancient pool concealing a terrifying beast. Under that gaze, she felt as though she were standing naked in a frozen wasteland.
The person before her absolutely dared to kill her, and was capable of it…
*God! Why did I ever provoke such a devil?!*
Shen Cui’s heart was filled with regret; she wished she could turn and flee this instant. But as she sat in his lap, she dared not run, nor did she dare make a single move. Her muscles were rigid, her delicate body trembling, her face pale as paper. She couldn't utter a single word.
"Considering you’ve served me as my personal maid for so many years, I won't kill you this time. If you want to leave your status as a slave, go find my brother. He is, after all, both foolish and naive." Fangyuan stopped smiling and patted her cheek, his tone as flat as water.
He let out a sigh and finally said:
"Get out."
Shen Cui stood up, stunned, and scrambled out like a wooden puppet. She was utterly dazed, having no idea how she had managed to escape from the devil’s side. The men hiding in the shadows watched her emerge and looked at each other, confused.
"To think they’d set up a seduction trap—it’s actually more creative than in my past life. Heh, Uncle and Aunt, I have etched this favor deeply into my heart!"
***
Not long after Shen Cui left, Fangyuan stood up and stepped out of the room. Regardless of the circumstances, he could no longer stay in this residence. A gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall, and a devil even less so. Without sufficient strength, only a fool stays in harm’s way.
"Innkeeper, do you have any rooms?" Fangyuan asked for the price at the only inn in the village.
"Yes, yes, we have fine rooms on the second and third floors. Not only are they affordable, but they are also kept very clean. The first floor is the dining hall; you may eat there, or have our staff bring meals directly to your room," the innkeeper said, fawning over him.
This was the only inn in the village, and business was poor, leaving it rather desolate. It only bustled with life when trade caravans arrived at Qingmao Mountain each year.
Fangyuan was truly hungry, so he tossed two pristine Primeval Stones to the innkeeper. "I'll take a fine room to stay in. Also, prepare two jars of wine and three or four side dishes. Keep the change."
"Right away, sir." The innkeeper took the stones and asked, "Would you like to eat in your room, or stay in the main hall for a bit of company?"
Fangyuan looked at the sky; the rain had stopped, and it was nearing dusk. Deciding to eat in the hall and then head straight out of the village to explore the Flower Wine Monk’s legacy, he said, "I'll eat in the hall."
The first-floor dining hall held a dozen square tables, each surrounded by four long benches. Thick pillars supported the inn, and while the floor was paved with marble, it remained damp, unable to hide the mountain moisture.
There were three tables occupied. Near the window, an old man sat drinking alone, watching the sunset over the mountains. In the center, five or six hunters sat in a circle, loudly recounting their hunting exploits, a pile of pheasants and hares lying at their feet. In the corner sat two young people, seemingly whispering in secret. Their figures were swallowed by the shadows, making it impossible to distinguish their features or even their genders.
Fangyuan chose a seat near the door, and soon his wine and food were served.
"With my Grade C talent, I must use Primeval Stones to refine the Moonlight Gu. If I’m lucky and the Moonlight Gu’s will isn't stubborn, it will only take five. If it’s stubborn, it will be troublesome—I'll need at least eight."
Gu worms were living creatures and naturally possessed a will to survive. Some had strong wills and would resist the Gu Master’s refinement to the end. Others had weak wills, and would surrender in despair as the refinement progressed; once their will to resist was gone, the process was effortless.
"I only have six Primeval Stones on me. I already gave two to the innkeeper, leaving me with only four. That’s not quite enough."
In this world, Primeval Stones were hard currency with significant purchasing power. A common family of three could live on a single Primeval Stone for a month. But for a Gu Master, the consumption was immense. Like Fangyuan, refining even a single Gu worm required an average of seven stones. And that was just for the Moonlight Gu; if he were to find the Wine Worm, refining it with his talent would cost at least a dozen more stones!
"In other words, the current situation is—even if I find the Wine Worm, I might not have the stones to help me refine it. But I must continue to explore, because the Flower Wine Monk’s legacy likely contains a large number of Primeval Stones."
This was not hard to deduce. The Flower Wine Monk was a Rank Five Gu Master and a famous demonic path expert; how could he not have Primeval Stones, the essential resource for a Gu Master’s cultivation?