Once Han Weiliu was exhausted, he truly fell into a deep sleep.
After all, not only had he just been pushed down by someone, but during the process he had also been forced to fight himself. It had taken a toll on both his mind and body.
Even someone as peerlessly skilled in martial arts as he was had begun to feel weary in both body and spirit. He had no idea how long the aftereffects of this latest bout of inner turmoil would last.
The last time things had been this serious was back on the island, when the two of them had disagreed over how to practice their martial arts and ended up fighting fiercely within his consciousness.
He had lain there for a full three days. Neither of them had been able to convince the other, so in the end, they had simply gone their separate ways and practiced as they pleased.
At the time, Han Weiliu had even worried that he might go berserk and suffer qi deviation. Unexpectedly, although he and his alternate personality had been in serious disagreement, they had somehow stumbled into a whole new realm.
Han Weiliu had realized that there was something unusual about his family’s inherited cultivation technique, but by now, there was no way for him to investigate it. Even someone as sharp-witted as Pei Liang could never have guessed the truth.
There had also been the time when they had impersonated Situ Zhuo and returned to the Sacred Flame Cult to receive the Old Cult Leader’s power.
Before accepting the transfer of power, they had learned that if the recipient did not practice the Sacred Flame Cult’s own martial arts, the true qi would be incompatible with their body. Not only would they be unable to receive the other party’s decades of cultivation, but the most likely outcome would be that their body would explode and they would die.
Han Weiliu had already prepared to take advantage of the opportunity to kill the Old Cult Leader. Yet the instant the power entered his body, he instinctively sensed an attraction between the inner forces.
The Old Cult Leader had died without ever realizing that his son had been replaced. In fact, he had even looked gratified that although Situ Zhuo had been raised apart from him for so many years, he had still managed to master such exquisite demonic techniques.
He had proclaimed that the demonic cult would have a worthy successor.
Since the Old Cult Leader himself had said so, Situ Zhuo’s position naturally became all the more legitimate and secure.
Even now, Han Weiliu still found the whole affair absurd. Perhaps he had used up all the good luck he would ever have in his life on that one incident.
By the time Han Weiliu awoke, it was already early the next morning.
Pei Liang was not in the bed, and Han Weiliu breathed a sigh of relief.
He truly no longer had any confidence in himself. What good was possessing peerless martial prowess? He had still been overpowered by her.
She had given him no chance to react at all. If she were still here, he might well be muddled into letting her—
Even if he retained some measure of reason, with that stubborn, unyielding alternate personality making trouble, he would only be the one to suffer.
Han Weiliu still found it difficult to accept the current situation. Things had come to this, as though he had already agreed to the deal they had made back then.
He still needed to find an opportunity to make everything clear to her. But next time, he absolutely could not let it happen in such a confined place.
Han Weiliu rose, put on his clothes, and then heard a knock at the door.
“Come in!”
The moment he spoke, the door opened. The two maids, Hongxiu and Qingyi, entered, each carrying a large tray.
They bowed to Han Weiliu. Their faces were expressionless, and their voices were dry and mechanical as they said, “Young Master Han is awake? These are things Miss prepared for you. Please enjoy them.”
With that, they began laying out the items from the trays.
Hongxiu had brought clothes and accessories. Han Weiliu cast them a glance and clicked his tongue inwardly.
He was a pampered young master from one of the four great clans and eight major sects. The Han family was wealthy and prestigious—what fine things had he not seen since childhood?
People often said that one should travel well even if one came from a poor household. Han Weiliu had been on the road since he was young. Though he had endured plenty of hardship, his expenses had never been lacking.
That was thanks to the Han family’s upright and generous traditions. After spending these past few months in the Demonic Cult, he had seen even more of its extravagance. Ordinary goods truly could no longer astonish Han Weiliu.
The Pei family alone seemed almost unimaginably wealthy, as one could tell simply from the items the two maids brought in.
The quality and craftsmanship of the fabrics were entirely different from anything found in the modern world. Even the accessories were priceless, while the smallest cleaning implements had been designed with remarkable ingenuity. At a glance, it was obvious that they were far more convenient than anything ordinarily used.
These details might have been minor, but even the emperor’s possessions in the palace were probably not so exquisitely made.
They had already made inquiries into the Pei family’s businesses. In recent years, the family had indeed seized the market almost overnight with one novel invention after another and unmatched competitiveness.
Their products had even made their way to the Western Regions, though naturally they were luxuries that only the princes and nobles there could afford.
Yet none of the goods seen on the market could compare with the items in Pei Liang’s private treasury within Moon-Slaying Manor.
Han Weiliu had been a bedraggled mess before going to bed, so at this point he could only make the best of things.
After washing up, he still refused when the two maids offered to arrange his hair.
He had disliked staying at home since childhood and had rarely allowed maids to wait on him. He was accustomed to doing everything himself, and was quite capable of tending to his own appearance.
Once he had tied up his hair, he saw Pei Liang walk in from outside wearing training clothes.
A fine sheen of sweat covered her body, making it clear that she had already completed a round of practice.
For a moment, Han Weiliu felt somewhat ashamed. He did not know whether he was embarrassed to see her, or ashamed that she could remain so disciplined and practice her martial arts at this hour while he had slept until so late.
Pei Liang’s gaze fell upon him. In the original host’s memories, Han Weiliu’s clothing had always been rather colorful.
He was handsome enough to carry off any shade, and his flamboyant, carefree nature made him easy to like.
But Pei Liang had arrived after the Han family’s destruction. From the moment she first saw him, Han Weiliu had dressed in subdued, understated colors. Even when he had infiltrated the manor and disguised himself as a maid, he had dressed the same way.
Of course, the Moon-Slaying Manor had only recently suffered a devastating loss at the time, and no one there dared to dress in bright colors. His appearance had fit right in.
When he returned yesterday, he had also been dressed entirely in black. Three years had passed, and Han Weiliu had completely shed his former youthful innocence, becoming steady and mature.
This suited her as well.
Perhaps from the day after the massacre, he had no longer been able to see the colors he once loved—or the things that ordinary people considered useless but that had once filled him with enthusiasm.
Pei Liang had no intention of forcibly changing his preferences, so she had his clothes prepared in the same profound black he had chosen to wear.
And now, seeing him like this, she found him undeniably handsome and imposing. His deep, solemn presence alternated between aloof refinement and wicked arrogance, lending even a single, uniform color a distinctive charm.
At the sight of him, Pei Liang immediately felt like kissing him.
But Han Weiliu dodged away. The tips of his ears reddened as he said in a low voice, “Don’t—don’t do that!”
Pei Liang assumed he was embarrassed because Hongxiu and Qingyi were still there.
She smiled. “Don’t worry. The two of them are utterly loyal. There’s no one you could trust more.”
Indeed, that was true. Had this fellow never considered what these two maids felt toward him?
It was only fortunate that Pei Liang was a woman. If she had been a young master instead, the two maids would have already done everything in their power to climb into her bed.
How could they possibly have left her with the energy to spare for thoughts of anyone else?
At the thought of this, Han Weiliu grew even more depressed. What, exactly, was he dissatisfied with?
In the end, he could only mutter sullenly, “In any case, don’t act so frivolously in front of other people.”
Han Weiliu found Hongxiu and Qingyi irritating, while the two maids were practically itching to spit in his face.
Had this brat become spoiled by the young mistress’s favor, taking an inch and demanding a mile?
Did he really think that just because he had attended to their young mistress last night, his position was secure?
They had only just begun! And he already dared to throw a tantrum at their young mistress and act offended. Was he trying to establish his dominance over her?
The jealousy in Hongxiu and Qingyi’s eyes deepened as they looked at Han Weiliu.
Han Weiliu felt as though he had been choked by an invisible force, as if he were engaged in some wordless confrontation with the two maids.
He did not want things to turn out this way, but there was nothing he could do about his secondary personality’s complete intolerance of provocation.
At that moment, the other personality directly surfaced and said to Pei Liang, “Come here. This lord’s hair is tied crookedly. Redo it for me.”
Pei Liang smiled fondly. “All right!”
She stepped forward and pulled out his hair ribbon. His black hair cascaded down like a waterfall.
Pei Liang threaded her fingers through it and gently combed it with her fingertips, in no hurry to tie it up.
She lightly massaged his scalp, applying more or less pressure at the acupoints and occasionally channeling a trace of inner force into them.
Han Weiliu had only meant to put on an imposing front, but now he wished he could grow right out of Pei Liang’s hands, humming with pleasure.
Taking advantage of the moment, Pei Liang kissed him. He did not say anything, merely opening his eyes and shooting her a sidelong glance through the mirror.
His expression clearly said, “This lord is only rewarding you because you served him well.”
Pei Liang asked, “Does it feel good?”
“Mmm~ It’s not bad!”
Pei Liang smiled. “I learned this technique from Hongxiu.”
It was not as though she had deliberately studied it. Pei Liang practiced martial arts now, so she was naturally well versed in the human body’s acupoints and skilled with her hands.
After enjoying this treatment so many times herself, she had long since learned exactly how much pressure to apply to each acupoint. And, out of pity for the beauties, she had occasionally massaged the two maids as well.
At first, Hongxiu and Qingyi had been overwhelmed by the honor, repeatedly insisting that they dared not accept such treatment. Pei Liang, however, had paid no heed to their protests.
So how could anyone blame them for giving their hearts entirely to Pei Liang? Aside from their own young mistress, they had never in their lives experienced such genuine care and tenderness.
Now, seeing Han Weiliu looking so smug and enjoying himself as though it were his due, Hongxiu and Qingyi’s eyes burned with jealousy.
If Han Weiliu had been in control, he would naturally have pretended not to notice.
But Situ Zhuo was, in essence, a baby who had only been born three years ago—barely three and a half at most.
For a moment, he immaturely shot the two maids a glance, making no effort to hide his smugness.
See? This woman wouldn’t dare disobey this lord.
Through the mirror, Han Weiliu saw the smug expression on his own face and felt so mortified that he wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.
Still, he had to admit—the massage really did feel wonderful.
By the time Pei Liang finished tying his hair, the entire Moon-Severing Manor was beginning to awaken.
The moment they stepped out of the courtyard, they could clearly hear the sounds of martial training coming from the practice grounds.
Han Weiliu looked down. The ordinary disciples’ training ground was an open area newly cleared halfway up the mountain.
It was quite different from three years ago. He had not taken a close look yesterday, but now he noticed that the layout of Moon-Severing Manor had changed considerably since then.
The training grounds were so vast that they could easily have accommodated ten times as many people.
Rows of tiered seats had been built all around them, rising from low to high, while the grounds themselves were marked with numerous straight and curved lines in orderly patterns.
Seeing Han Weiliu’s curiosity, Pei Liang explained, “Practicing martial arts every day can get rather tedious, so the Zhan Yue Manor often organizes activities like cuju. Those seats are for spectators.”
So that was what they were!
Training at the grounds seemed to have just ended. Quite a few people were already gathering in groups to relax and play. Besides cuju, there were many other novel games as well.
If this had been three years ago, Han Weiliu would probably have been thrilled. He would have gone down to ask about everything and eagerly played with them for half the day.
Smoke curled up from several places within the Zhan Yue Manor. Han Weiliu knew that the various kitchens were preparing breakfast.
On their way to the dining hall, they passed an indoor training room.
The older of the Pei family’s children born to concubines had already gone down to practice alongside their senior and junior fellow disciples at the training grounds.
The girls born to concubines, along with the younger children under ten, remained in the training room atop the mountain.
A stern martial arts instructor paced through the room. Though several of the younger children were still small, none of them made a fuss, and even the young girls wore resolute expressions.
Han Weiliu was somewhat moved. The future of any sect depended on its disciples’ promise. In the past, although he had pursued Pei Liang, insisting that he would marry no one else, he had never particularly liked the Zhan Yue Sect.
He had visited several times, and that was not to say the sect had been lax back then. On the contrary, under Sect Leader Pei’s harsh rule, competition among the disciples had been even fiercer.
Sect Leader Pei had always liked to dangle a piece of meat in front of everyone, making them tear one another apart until the victor could claim it.
He had considered his own governance exemplary, taking great pride in the martial prowess, ruthlessness, and absolute obedience of the disciples he promoted.
But Pei Liang’s management was entirely different.
Han Weiliu could feel it.
It was a sternness tempered with warmth. There was no need to drive people forward through cruelty; everyone would still fight with all their might to protect the beauty of the life they had now.
The Zhan Yue Sect was a good place now.
Even though Han Weiliu and the Zhan Yue Sect had a blood feud between them, he had to admit that Pei Liang had managed it exceedingly well.
It was unlike any other sect in the martial world—frank, generous, warm, and guided by its own judgment and principles.
If all the sects in the martial world were like this, the remnants of the Fentian Sect would never have had the chance to stir up trouble.
And neither the Han family nor the Qiao family would have suffered tragedies like those before.
Not long after they arrived at the dining hall, Pei Liang’s younger half-siblings, along with her nieces and nephews, finished their practice and came over as well.
The concubines did not eat breakfast with them, so there was only one table.
It was easy to see how dependent and attached the entire family was to Pei Liang.
The moment they came in, they began chattering excitedly as they showed off their progress. The youngest was only five years old and fought his way into the middle of the group before scrambling onto Pei Liang’s lap.
“Sister, Sister! I stood in horse stance even longer than yesterday!”
Pei Liang praised them one by one, and only then did everyone sit down to eat, completely satisfied.
Then every gaze turned toward Han Weiliu.
His entire body tensed. If he could have faced everyone’s attention calmly yesterday, after what had happened, sitting here all of a sudden made him feel inexplicably guilty.
The older ones understood perfectly well. Even if they themselves did not, their mothers certainly did, and they would naturally explain things to them when they returned home the night before.
Only the younger children remained innocent and clueless. They asked Han Weiliu, “Brother Han, did you spend the night in Sister’s courtyard?”
How was Han Weiliu supposed to answer that? Under the children’s clear, guileless gazes, he felt his entire body heat up with embarrassment.
When he failed to answer, one of the children pouted and complained, “Why can Brother Han stay in Sister’s courtyard whenever he wants, while we’re only allowed to do so on our birthdays?”
Then, acting spoiled, the child added, “I don’t care. I want to come tonight too.”
That would be nothing short of corrupting a child. Even Pei Liang felt awkward now.
Fortunately, one of the older children hurriedly covered the younger one’s mouth and scolded him. “Do you still want to eat chicken wings?”
With that, nearly everyone at the table tacitly understood what was going on.
Han Weiliu’s vision went dark.
No. This really wouldn’t do.
He had to make everything clear today, or he would truly become nothing more than a pretty boy who had delivered himself to her doorstep.
Thus, after finishing the meal, Han Weiliu rose and said, “Sect Leader Pei, I have something important to discuss with you.”
Pei Liang smiled. “All right!”
As she spoke, she took his hand and lightly scratched his palm.
Han Weiliu was already on edge. The lingering aftereffects of last night’s recklessness had yet to fade—how could he possibly withstand her teasing?
He hurriedly pulled his hand free. “S-Sect Leader Pei, please don’t do that. I truly have something important to discuss with you.”
He even emphasized, “Why don’t we find a proper, spacious council chamber?”
Pei Liang had only just pushed him around, so what else could possibly be occupying her mind besides lewd thoughts?
No matter what Han Weiliu said, she filtered it through her own perspective and interpreted it as something provocative.
So she really did take him to a square, open room suitable for discussion.
The moment Han Weiliu entered, he was dumbfounded. He turned to Pei Liang in disbelief. “Why is this a bathhouse?”
Pei Liang pointed at the bathing pool. “It’s square!”
Then she pointed around the enormous bathing hall. “And spacious!”
Finally, she gestured toward the massage chairs, chaise longue, sauna, and comfortable sofas in the well-equipped bathhouse. “And it’s suitable for discussion!”
She truly had not lied. Pei Liang had entertained quite a few female business partners here before, and every time, the results had been twice as effective with half the effort. Afterwards, they had all been left thinking about the place longingly.
Han Weiliu, however, only felt that he had fallen into an endless series of traps. He drew a deep breath.
He could not delay any longer, so he spoke directly. “Sect Leader Pei, I came here for only two reasons.”
“First, I want to clarify what happened back then. At the time, when you proposed that transaction, I—I rashly agreed. I was young and hot-blooded then, and I spoke without considering the consequences. I hope Sect Leader Pei won’t take what I said seriously.”
“Second, I want to exchange information with you. However, you know far more than I expected, and the intelligence I possess doesn’t seem sufficient for an equal exchange. If Sect Leader Pei has any conditions, you may state them freely.”
Pei Liang was somewhat baffled. She had never heard of anyone who, after sharing her bed, continued agonizing over it again and again. If he truly wanted to refuse, given his martial prowess, could she really have forced herself on him?
Still, his mercurial temperament was precisely one of the qualities that had attracted Pei Liang in the first place, so she naturally did not take offense.
She grabbed him, and the two of them tumbled into the water together.
The warm spring water soaked through their clothes. It was not unpleasant, but the garments, now clinging to their bodies and weighing them down, were certainly no longer comfortable.
Han Weiliu was startled. He had no idea what Pei Liang intended, but when he looked up, he saw that her wet clothes clung to her body, outlining her full, graceful curves.
She was truly beautiful, living up to her reputation as Xi Shi Beneath the Moon.
Her features were breathtaking, but her body was even more alluring. Though he had marveled at her the night before, the sight of her thin, gauzy clothing plastered to her skin carried an entirely different kind of charm.
The lingering sensations from the previous night were immediately stirred within Han Weiliu. His reason cried out that this was wrong, but his body was no longer under his control.
He hurriedly retreated. “Sect Leader Pei, I’m discussing this with you seriously. Don’t—don’t tease me any further.”
Pei Liang drove him back against the edge of the bathing pool. Bracing one hand beside him, she gave a soft laugh. “I’m responding to you seriously as well.”
“Whether you are Han Weiliu or Situ Zhuo, I have no interest in anything external to you. The only thing I want is you yourself.”
“Didn’t I say so back then? If you were willing to give yourself to me, I would share with you all the resources, connections, and intelligence network of Slaying Moon Manor, as well as the results of my analyses.”
As she spoke, her finger brushed across his face and came to rest on his lips. She traced a circle over them, then slipped inside and stirred his mouth.
Han Weiliu once again felt as though he were being brought completely under her control. His lips parted slightly, moisture gathering in his eyes as an unbearable, yearning sensation continued to rise within him.
He had to summon every ounce of self-control merely to keep himself from making any humiliating sounds. He had no spare strength left to push her away.
Besides, he had more or less realized the truth: even when his mind issued an order, his body would not obey. And even if his body did obey, his alternate personality would emerge to cause trouble—stubbornly refusing to admit anything while his body honestly allowed her to do as she pleased.
If even one link in that chain had held firm, he would not have been pushed around by her the night before.
Han Weiliu had even begun convincing himself that he might as well accept his fate. But then the finger in his mouth suddenly withdrew.
The abrupt change caught him completely off guard, and an immense emptiness flooded his heart.
Han Weiliu looked at Pei Liang, only to see her sigh. Her expression dimmed as she said, “Very well. I, Pei Liang, am not someone who takes advantage of another’s helplessness.”
“If you truly do not wish it, then leave.”
Then she added, “As for the clues you want, I will provide them to you. We can communicate by letter when the time comes. In any case, that does not mean there is no room for cooperation with the Sacred Flame Cult.”
With that, she turned and began climbing the steps out of the bathing pool.
Han Weiliu was somewhat stunned. Though he had repeatedly insisted that he wanted to refuse, using those very words to rebuke his alternate personality again and again—
now that things had truly come to this, he found himself restless and tormented.
Pei Liang’s answer did not bring him relief. Instead, it felt as though something had lodged in his chest, leaving him intensely miserable. At this moment, he even began hoping that his reckless alternate personality would emerge, seize control of his body, and continue committing the mistake.
Only then did Han Weiliu realize that he was, in fact, despicable.
While he complained about his other personality’s ridiculous antics, he was also enjoying the results of the trouble it caused. After all, that gave him a perfectly good excuse to remain here and commit the mistakes he himself never should have made.
So, just as Pei Liang was about to step outside, Han Weiliu caught hold of her.
He reached around from behind and covered her eyes with one hand. With his arm hooked around her, Pei Liang fell back into his embrace.
Then Han Weiliu covered her lips with his own, shamelessly and self-deceivingly breaking yet another promise.
What he did not know was that beneath the hand covering her eyes, Pei Liang’s gaze held exactly the slyness she had expected.
How well did Pei Liang understand a man’s body? After teasing him to this point, there was no way he could simply pull away and leave. Anyone with a body like his would have done the same.
For all that he was awkward and contrary, his body was the most honest thing about him.
And tormenting him was naturally tremendous fun.
Before long, the two of them were completely naked. In the warmth of the hot spring, it became an entirely different kind of experience.
Since Han Weiliu had been the one to take the initiative this time, Pei Liang let herself go completely, teasing him even more wantonly than she had the night before. How could Han Weiliu possibly outplay her?
Before long, he was powerless to resist. His entire body was under Pei Liang’s control—she could make him live or die with a thought.
Han Weiliu not only had to endure Pei Liang’s teasing; he also had to struggle to suppress his other personality from emerging and making trouble.
But the harder he tried to suppress it, the angrier the other personality became, and the more violently it battered against him.
Han Weiliu’s mind was filled with the other man’s jeering:
“Didn’t you say you wanted to keep yourself pure and blameless? What shameful thing are you doing now?”
“If I had known you were so incapable of holding yourself back, I would never have endured your temper for all these years.”
“Get out of my way. You’re useless—inept and incompetent, letting this woman lead you around by the nose. Just thinking about it embarrasses me on your behalf. Let me take over.”
“Yesterday, I was caught off guard and let her gain the upper hand. This time, just watch how I deal with her.”
Han Weiliu was enduring the unbearable pleasure while listening to that fool prattle on inside his head. As a result, he became even more guarded and vulnerable, making it all the easier for Pei Liang to toy with him.
A flash of white passed before his eyes. He bit his lower lip, but a sound still escaped him.
His mind went blank for an instant, and a tiny breach appeared in his mental defenses. The other personality seized the opening and forced its way through.
But even the other personality was of no use. He and Han Weiliu shared the same senses; until he seized control, he could only passively experience everything.
And even after taking control, he could struggle for a while at most before being toyed with all over again.
Having just emerged and still feeling the lingering aftereffects, his legs were so weak that he could not gather enough strength to launch a counterattack.
But what sort of person was their Cult Leader Situ?
He had been born cruel and ruthless—the kind of man who, back then, could face even a pathetic nobody with barely three moves to his name and still dare to threaten slaughter.
Even now, though his legs were weak from being tormented, he refused to concede defeat with his mouth.
He gave a cold laugh. “What? Is that all you’ve got? That’s nowhere near enough to impress me.”
Pei Liang had originally felt sorry for him and wanted to let him rest for a while. She could not understand why he seemed so exhausted after every time. He was clearly robust and highly skilled in martial arts; by all rights, he should have had incredible stamina.
Yet after every encounter, he seemed mentally drained. That did not stop him from performing, however, so Pei Liang concluded that he was simply too sensitive.
But since the other party had put it that way, how could Pei Liang possibly let him down? She merely smiled and said, “As you wish!”
And then Situ Zhuo began questioning his entire existence.
No—this lord was highly skilled in martial arts. His presence was overwhelming. He had already suffered at this woman’s hands once and had made more than enough preparations this time. So why, in the end, was he still being toyed with in the palm of her hand?
She—where had she gotten so many new tricks? They were completely different from yesterday’s, too!
Situ Zhuo was held against the enormous mirror, forced to watch his own humiliated expression in its reflection. He was so furious that he burst into tears.
The corners of his eyes were red, his expression strained, and clear tears slid down his cheeks. The sight only made Pei Liang even more merciless.
And so Situ Zhuo was treated even more harshly.
The worst part was that, even after being reduced to such a pitiful state, he still refused to yield.
All because Pei Liang shamelessly teased him:
“You really are going to be the death of me.”
“I’m going to die on you sooner or later.”
“You’re too good. I admit defeat.”
“How am I supposed to live without you?”
Situ Zhuo hiccuped through his tears. Though his voice was choked with sobs, he still tried to maintain his arrogant air as he said to Han Weiliu, “D-did you hear that?”
“She’s already been beaten into submission by me.”
“Unlike an incompetent fool like you, I’m the one who conquered her.”
Han Weiliu: “……”
Looking at his own disgraceful appearance in the mirror, he wanted nothing more than to hang himself on the spot.
Yet he could not deny that seeing all three of them reflected together, taking in one another’s every expression, sent his reason crumbling away and left behind only a raw, instinctive desire.
So this time, he took the initiative. The two personalities clashed several times, and at least this round ended in an even split.
By the end, Han Weiliu was sitting in the bath, both arms braced against the stone ledge behind him, his head tipped back. He had been thoroughly worn down and no longer had the strength to put up a fight.
Taking advantage of his dazed state, Pei Liang asked, “That day, when you appeared in Situ Zhuo’s form, you were wearing a veil, but there didn’t seem to be any trace of disguise.”
“How did you manage that?”
Han Weiliu was still somewhat muddled. Not wanting to suffer at her hands again, he obediently circulated his inner power. “I created a technique of my own. It can alter the structure of the bones and the shape of one’s features without relying on any external aid.”
As he spoke, the contours of his face and the shape of his features began to change. Two breaths later, he had transformed into Situ Zhuo.
One had to admit that this man truly was the chosen one of the entire world. At least in terms of martial talent, it seemed that the limits of what this world could produce had all been gathered in him.
Otherwise, with only three years at his disposal, Pei Liang—who had possessed skills honed to perfection in her previous life—had been able to make such terrifying progress only because she could draw upon her past experience, learn by analogy, and integrate everything together.
But Han Weiliu was a native of this world. He had only so many years of age and experience behind him.
Even though the peerless martial arts he wielded now had been bolstered by the decades of inner power inherited from the Old Cult Leader, his own progress over these three years alone was already enough to place him among the ranks of first-rate experts.
Who would have thought that, beyond martial arts, he could even invent such a convenient technique?
At the sight of it, Pei Liang nearly laughed herself senseless. She had assumed that, now that they were completely unguarded before one another and Han Weiliu had no tools on him, he would be unable to disguise himself.
She had not expected him to be so forthcoming.
And now, looking at Han Weiliu—or rather, Situ Zhuo!
His appearance was entirely different from Han Weiliu’s. That was probably the only thing about him that could be considered an advantage.
What kind of figure had the Old Cult Leader of the Sacred Flame Cult been in his day? He had commanded the strongest faction in the world of martial arts, and it had taken the combined forces of the entire martial world to bring him down.
One could imagine just how breathtakingly beautiful the woman he had kept outside the marriage must have been.
And so, as the son born to such an unparalleled beauty, Situ Zhuo was naturally peerless in appearance.
Unfortunately, having grown up among the common folk, he had picked up quite a few bad habits. At heart, he was nothing more than a low-class thug. The intelligence Pei Liang had received contained no mention of anything particularly remarkable about him.
Instead, that handsome face had been placed on Han Weiliu, whose bearing and refinement were in an entirely different league. Whether he was cold and distant or wild and willful, it was Han Weiliu’s presence that had given those fine features their true allure.
Pei Liang’s heart began to itch again, and Han Weiliu noticed something was off.
After all these encounters, how could he fail to recognize what that look in Pei Liang’s eyes meant?
Thus, he exclaimed in disbelief and fury, “You—you actually—”
Pei Liang realized she had made a mistake and hurriedly tried to smooth things over. “Don’t misunderstand. No matter what you look like, I’m fond of you.”
“What about this, then?” Han Weiliu asked in a low voice, and his appearance changed once again.
He had not come into contact with many people over the past three years, and the people who had left the deepest impression on him were naturally those in the Demon Cult. As luck would have it, he casually transformed into Protector Jing’s appearance.
Pei Liang clenched her hands, desperately concealing her excitement. She was practically ecstatic.
She had only just said yesterday that keeping one was the same as keeping a whole group, yet things had turned out to be even easier than she had imagined.
Where could she find another treasure like this? She absolutely could not let him be angered into leaving.
Han Weiliu saw that she still wore the same expression, utterly unmoved by his change in appearance.
Only then did he finally believe Pei Liang’s nonsense.
But now that matters had progressed this far, Han Weiliu accepted his fate.
When it came to this matter, he had never been as firm in his resolve as he had imagined. Since he had exposed himself, there was no point in continuing to deceive himself.
Once he had thrown caution to the wind, Han Weiliu settled into the Pei residence with perfect peace of mind.
It was as though a bewitching consort had entered the imperial harem overnight, taking hold of the emperor and keeping him from attending court—only here, she was driving everyone in the Pei family half-mad with exasperation.
With Pei Liang’s current status, there was naturally no need for her to be wary of anything.
She had no intention of hiding the matter. Han Weiliu’s appearance at the Pei residence had been highly conspicuous, and at least some of the people in the martial world who had been searching for him learned of his return on the very day he showed himself.
After a few more days, everyone else knew as well.
Everyone knew that the missing young master of the Han family had returned after three years, only to walk straight into the home of his former fiancée—and had remained there for half a month without coming out.
The people of the Pei family were tight-lipped. They were not the sort of household with lax standards that went around broadcasting every private affair within their gates.
But Pei Liang herself was so unconcerned that she freely went in and out with Han Weiliu, behaved intimately with him, and made no effort to avoid the eyes of those within the family.
With so many people in the Moon-Slaying Manor, it was only natural that not a single rumor would escape.
Soon, the news spread throughout the entire martial world.
Who was Pei Liang? She was one of the leaders of the Four Sects and Eight Schools, a woman, and the youngest sect leader among them all.
When the Demon Cult had issued its challenge, she had been the only one who had managed to preserve her dignity. At such a young age, she had already displayed extraordinary martial prowess. Although everyone in the martial world was now on edge, Pei Liang’s performance back then had still prompted them to adjust their stance toward the Moon-Slaying Sect.
For a time, while the major clans were mired in internal strife and unable to extricate themselves, the Moon-Slaying Sect unexpectedly became the most powerful sect in the martial world after Shaolin and the Beggar’s Sect.
Then came the news that Sect Leader Pei had rekindled an old flame with her former fiancé.
But wasn’t she still engaged to someone?
Her fiancé was none other than Jiang Xun, the martial world’s favorite scoundrel, whose exploits had inspired countless storybook writers and storytellers.
The fiancé had romanced his way through the entire martial world, and his fiancée was no less audacious. She had gone so far as to reunite with her former fiancé while refusing outright to mention breaking off her current engagement.
What an incredible scandal!
For a time, while the entire martial world remained on guard against the Demon Sect, everyone suddenly found themselves energized by the juicy gossip.
The Jiang family was furious. Sect Master Jiang personally brought Jiang Xun’s two younger brothers to the Pei residence to demand an explanation.
When the Cao family heard the news, they were terrified as well.
Their original support had been the assumption that Han Weiliu was probably dead somewhere. Now that he had reappeared and was entangled with Pei Liang, the situation had changed completely.
That meant the concern Jiang Xun had mentioned earlier—that the Pei family might be implicated—no longer existed.
After all, if Han Weiliu, the wronged party, was willing to stand behind her, what right did anyone else have to use that excuse to make trouble?
The only question was what condition Han Weiliu was in, and whether he knew that the destruction of his family had been carried out by the three families.
Yet when they went to the Pei residence, Han Weiliu had already left.
When asked where he had gone, Pei Liang merely said she didn’t know. This left both families even more uneasy, as though one foot were dangling in midair with nowhere to land.
Sect Master Jiang spoke in a deep voice. “Then tell me this: Are the rumors that you and Han Weiliu are carrying on an affair true or false?”
“True, of course.” Pei Liang replied carelessly.
“You—” Sect Master Jiang’s face turned livid with rage. “If it’s true, how dare you act so shamelessly? Is this how your father raised you?”
Pei Liang looked at Sect Master Jiang in utter disbelief. “Uncle Jiang, that’s a very unreasonable thing to say. You make it sound as though you raised Jiang Xun particularly well.”
“He’s romanced half the martial world, and I never carved him into pieces over it.”
Indeed, Jiang Xun’s existence meant that no member of the Jiang family had the moral high ground to criticize anyone else’s private affairs.
After saying this, Pei Liang changed her tune. “My apologies. I shouldn’t say that Uncle Jiang failed to raise Jiang Xun properly. Everyone has their own talents, and everything has two sides. As long as one makes good use of what one has, even its flaws can become advantages.”
“Jiang Shixiong is currently working for me, after all. It would be inappropriate for me to speak that way.”
Sect Master Jiang nearly ground his teeth to dust. “You know that, do you?”
In the end, however, he still failed to get anything useful out of her. The Jiang and Cao families frantically tried to track Han Weiliu’s movements in secret, only to discover that after leaving the Pei residence, he had once again vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, in a small town within the sphere of influence of the Wangqiu Sect—
Jiang Xun, who had been racking his brains over how to seduce his mission target, also received the news that his fiancée had been cheating on him.
