The illusion continued.

Time lost all meaning…

Inside Granny Wang’s Teahouse.

Qi Yuan lounged lazily, his arm wrapped around a body as soft as jade and warm as spring. His expression was one of utter, smug satisfaction.

In his embrace, Ji Chan’er’s face was flushed with bashfulness. Her eyes were glazed and misty, rippling like a pool of spring water.

After a moment of tender intimacy, Ji Chan’er gently nudged Qi Yuan’s arm and spoke in a weak, trembling voice.

“My Lord… I feel that what we are doing isn’t quite right. Isn’t it… isn’t it a bit too fast?”

“You know perfectly well that I’m not fast at all.”

Qi Yuan chuckled teasingly, scraping her flawless, creamy white cheek with his finger. He then offered a grinning guarantee.

“Little Lady, put your heart at ease. Tonight, this Lord will send a grand sedan chair with eight bearers to carry you through my doors. From then on, you shall be the Seventh Mistress of my household.”

Just then, a raucous clamor erupted from outside the room, followed by a furious roar that drifted through the walls.

“Old Hag Wang! Get the hell out of my way! I’m going in there to find my wife! I want to see exactly what kind of shameful, dirty business this pair of adulterers is up to!”

Hearing this shout, the color drained from Ji Chan’er’s beautiful face. She panicked, completely flustered.

“Oh no! It’s Wu Da…”

Suddenly, Ji Chan’er sensed something was wrong. Although her memories told her she was a married woman, she had absolutely no recollection of this so-called “husband,” aside from the name “Wu Da.”

Even stranger… wasn’t she a virgin just a short while ago?

In an instant, countless inconsistencies floated to the surface of Ji Chan’er’s mind, fueling her suspicion.

A terrifying realization struck her, causing her face to turn deathly pale.

Could it be…

BANG!

With a deafening crash, the wooden door was smashed to pieces. A short, stout man charged in from the outside.

The next moment.

Like a shattered mirror, the surrounding scene instantly dissolved into nothingness. Her consciousness snapped back to reality with a jolt.

After a wave of dizziness, Ji Chan’er felt her mind muddled and her body limp. But when she realized her current physical state, she froze completely.

How could this be?!

Ji Chan’er’s beautiful eyes widened in disbelief. It wasn’t until she felt a biting chill against her skin that she truly reacted.

“Get off… Get away from me!”

She struggled violently to break free from the man’s embrace. Enduring waves of tearing pain, she grabbed her dress from the floor and frantically put it on.

It took a long while for her to regain her composure. Dragging her weak, trembling body, she stumbled over to Qi Yuan with messy steps and gritted her teeth in hatred.

“You reckless fool! I originally thought you had exceptional temperament and considered you a talent worth molding. I intended to introduce you to the Saint Sect and grant you a heavenly opportunity.”

“I never imagined your demonic nature ran deeper than even mine! You commit evil without the slightest restraint! With a pitiful Qi Refining cultivation, you not only stole my ten-thousand-year spirit herb but dared to defile my pure body!”

“Even if the Demon Ancestors of old were reborn, none would be as audacious or unruly as you! For what you’ve done, dying ten thousand times wouldn’t be enough to atone for your sins!”

Amidst her monstrous rage, an indescribable, complex emotion welled up in her heart, making her flustered and unsettled. The murderous intent she had just mustered slowly began to recede.

Wait…

This little thief’s cultivation is pitifully low. How could he possibly have the ability to steal a ten-thousand-year spirit herb?

There must be something fishy about this!

Even a thousand cuts wouldn’t be enough to vent my hatred for this stinking man. I can’t let him die so easily. At the very least, I must force him to reveal the location of the Phantom Star Herb!

Having temporarily convinced herself, Ji Chan’er stepped back to her original spot. She stared coldly at Qi Yuan, who was still trapped in the illusion, and said nothing.

…

Thump! Thump! Thump!

After casually beating “Wu Da” to a pulp, Qi Yuan’s body shuddered as he broke free from the illusion.

He rubbed his nose groggily, his eyes still unfocused. Seeing Ji Chan’er beside him, he blurted out instinctively:

“Jinlian, where are we?”

Watching Ji Chan’er’s face turn an iron-green shade, he snapped awake instantly. A loud “What the f*ck” nearly escaped his lips.

Damn it! I wasn’t careful and actually fell for the trap too!

That bear of a child reads indecent smut like ‘The Golden Vase’ all day long. I really shouldn’t have expected its illusions to be anything remotely wholesome…

The thought that he had just roleplayed the infamous lecher “Ximen Qing” gave him the urge to vomit blood. He wanted nothing more than to string up that delinquent little grass spirit and give it a beating.

What was even more absurd was that, just looking at Ji Chan’er’s expression, he knew exactly who had played “Pan Jinlian.”

No wonder the tactile experience was so realistic… it was actually her.

Perhaps due to the chaos in her mind, Ji Chan’er had let her disguise spell lapse, revealing her true appearance.

Her figure was graceful and curvaceous, her skin radiant as snow. Her features were exquisitely carved, and beneath her arched brows lay a pair of peach-blossom eyes that rippled like autumn water, adding a touch of soul-stirring seduction to her look.

She looked exactly like the “Little Lady Jinlian” he had seen in the illusion.

Crap!

Recalling the various “tricks” and “positions” he had employed in the illusion, Qi Yuan felt his old face heat up. While frantically pulling up his pants, he decided to play dumb to the end.

“Miss, may I ask who you are?”

Logically speaking, he shouldn’t recognize the undisguised Ji Chan’er. He couldn’t address her as “Senior Sister Zhen” or he’d expose himself immediately.

Sure enough, upon hearing Qi Yuan’s question, Ji Chan’er frowned. She spoke in a cold, flat tone.

“Zhen Yuyan is merely an alias. My true identity is Ji Chan’er, a Legacy Disciple of the Nether Fiend Sect.”

“You have two choices now. First, explain clearly why you are here and honestly confess the whereabouts of the Phantom Star Herb.”

“Second, I will personally perform a Soul Search on you. That will also provide the answers I seek…”

Truly worthy of a Demonic Sect Legacy Disciple. Ruthless enough.

Just moments ago she was sweetly calling me “My Lord,” and now that she’s put her skirt back on, she acts like she doesn’t know me.

Though he roasted her internally, Qi Yuan cooperated fully and chose the first option.

“Fairy Ji, it’s a long story. It all started with the theft of a certain Formation Spirit’s cave abode…”

…

“In short, I’m just here to investigate the case. This matter has nothing to do with me. It was the Formation Spirit itself—that old senior—who demanded the Phantom Star Herb be released.”

“Who knew that little grass spirit was such a sneaky bastard? It was clearly a ten-thousand-year spirit herb, yet it pretended to be an immature seedling. The moment the Spirit-Suppressing Talisman was removed, it bailed immediately. It even played a dirty trick on me before it left.”

“If I ever see it again, I’ll beat it up every single time…”

Qi Yuan grew more indignant as he spoke, painting himself as the victim.

“Is that the truth?”

Ji Chan’er narrowed her eyes, her tone softening slightly. She seemed somewhat convinced by Qi Yuan’s explanation.

When he spoke, his gaze was calm and his spiritual soul was clear—he didn’t look like he was lying at all.