Chapter 1485: An Old Acquaintance
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Chapter 1483: An Old Acquaintance
Miao’er’s expression shifted slightly. Her body twisted like a beautiful serpent, slipping nimbly from the man’s grasp.
But no sooner had she broken free than the Dao Court Officer skillfully closed in, wrapping his arms tightly around her. His large hands clamped down like iron tongs, one locking around Miao’er’s neck, the other gripping her slender waist.
Miao’er’s face flushed, her breath coming in gasps as she struggled. “You… you scoundrel… you’ve already taken liberties with me… and now you come to harm me again…”
The Dao Court Officer planted another light, teasing kiss on Miao’er’s cheek and chuckled softly: “Who told you to be the Demonic Elder of the Joyous-Union Sect? In my position, I have no choice but to capture you.”
Miao’er seethed inwardly, her breathing growing increasingly ragged, her cheeks flushing a deeper crimson.
As the man gazed upon Miao’er’s delicate, alluring face, a strange fire of desire stirred within him, and his eyes glazed over with infatuation.
But he was a seasoned player in such games. After a moment of dazed fascination, his instincts screamed that something was wrong, and his expression instantly changed:
“Something’s off… I’ve still had my yang energy harvested.”
Despite taking precautions, consuming a tonic to fortify his yang and vitality in advance, and sealing his yang gate with deer blood, he hadn’t anticipated that Elder Miao’er’s Plucking-Replenishing Dual Cultivation Technique had been refined to such a subtle level. It could harvest energy even through sealed gates, and in the end, a significant portion of his Primordial Yang had been taken.
He hadn’t noticed it when they first began grappling, but now, after a brief stalemate and further stimulation from Miao’er’s beauty, the Dao Court Officer suddenly felt his strength waning. The grip of his large hands on Miao’er loosened slightly.
Miao’er, who moments ago had been struggling to breathe with a pained expression, now regained her seductive demeanor and smiled coyly: “My dear husband, use your strength…”
“This little bit of force… Miao’er can’t feel a thing…”
The man’s face turned ashen. He wanted to exert his strength and lock Miao’er down completely, but with the loss of his Primordial Yang, the more he tried to muster his power, the more he felt an emptiness within, his vital energy diminished.
Seizing this opening, Miao’er once again slithered like a beautiful serpent, slipping slickly from the man’s restraint.
Seeing Miao’er about to escape, the man panicked. Recklessly, he reached out and seized one of Miao’er’s feet in a death grip.
Miao’er struggled for a moment but couldn’t break free. She glanced back at the man and said, “You dead man, still obsessed with this sort of thing.”
The man sighed. “I’m under orders to capture you. Don’t make this difficult for me.”
Miao’er laughed. “Then come and get me.”
The man, still holding her foot, tried to grab Miao’er again, intent on apprehending this Joyous-Union Sect Elder.
Naturally, Miao’er wouldn’t let him catch her. She used every trick at her disposal, engaging the man in close-quarters entanglement.
And so, the man and woman became entangled, their bodies pressed together as they began to fight.
It was a real fight, not that kind of “fight.”
One was an officer of the Dao Court Division, the other a demon of the Joyous-Union Sect.
Neither held back against the other. Because they were so close, neither had the space to summon their Magical Treasures, relying solely on physical combat. In their grappling and striking, their clothes were torn to shreds. The scene appeared dangerous, yet carried a hint of sensuality.
On the rafters above, Mo Hua and Bai Zixi silently looked down, watching this man and woman “fight.”
As he watched, Mo Hua couldn’t help but mutter softly: “Adult relationships are so messy…”
Especially these old men and women over a hundred years old, one moment they’re all lovey-dovey, the next they’re fighting to the death.
“Hmm.” Bai Zixi nodded gently.
The two of them watched the man and woman fighting for a while, then couldn’t help but turn their heads and glance at each other before silently averting their eyes again.
Amidst this subtle atmosphere between them, the deadly struggle below continued.
The Dao Court Officer and the Joyous-Union Sect’s Miao’er had been locked in combat for hundreds of rounds.
The longer the fight dragged on, the more severe the drawbacks of having his Yang energy secretly harvested became for the Dao Court Officer.
Miao’er, on the other hand, seemed nourished by it. With every smile and frown, her complexion grew rosier. Her seemingly delicate body now contained sinister strength and terrifying killing intent.
It appeared Miao’er had gained the upper hand and was about to strangle the man to death.
But as the fight continued, Miao’er’s face suddenly turned deathly pale. Realizing something, she stared at the man in disbelief: “You poisoned your Primordial Yang?”
Not only was Miao’er shocked, even Mo Hua was stunned.
You can poison Primordial Yang?
What kind of… chaotic nonsense is this?
The Dao Court Officer, who originally looked depleted, actually laughed upon hearing this: “How can it be poison? This is a great tonic. It just has some side effects for women like you who cultivate Joyous-Union Sect techniques.”
Miao’er gritted her teeth and spat out a curse, “Men in this world are truly vicious, despicable, and not a single one is any good.”
The man chuckled, “Is it appropriate for a female cultivator from the Joyous-Union Sect who practices dual cultivation harvesting to say such things?”
He then stopped being polite. Taking advantage of Miao’er being poisoned, he intensified his attacks. His large hands were truly like cast bronze and iron, possessing boundless strength.
This time, it was Miao’er who fell into a disadvantage.
The Dao Court Officer was somewhat depleted because his Yang energy had been secretly harvested.
Miao’er, however, was poisoned by Yang Poison, causing the energy within her body to become as faint as a wisp.
The two were evenly matched, but the man’s cultivation was clearly deeper than Miao’er’s, so the situation gradually began to reverse again.
After another thirty or so rounds of combat, Miao’er was subdued by the man. A slap to her waist left her unable to move.
The man used the wet ox tendon Miao’er had used to tie him up, wrapping it around Miao’er three times instead, firmly binding her.
The ox tendon pressed against Miao’er’s body, coiled three times, and was even woven into a pattern with several knots tied. Just looking at the technique, it was clear he was an old hand.
Bound and restrained, Miao’er turned to look at the man, filled with both hatred and anger: “You are an Archive Officer, I am a demoness. If you capture me, you’ll be in trouble too. Don’t forget, you’ve been intimate with me. If I implicate you, you won’t fare well either.”
The man sighed, “Investigating cases always involves taking risks and getting a little dirty. It’s unavoidable. My superiors will understand my difficulties.”
Seeing his shameless demeanor, Miao’er spat at him again.
The man, spat on his face, didn’t feel humiliated at all. Instead, he seemed to relish it.
Miao’er, annoyed by this sight, sighed softly and said in a gentle voice: “You’ve caught me, so what now? Do you really have the heart to send me, your humble servant, into the Dao Prison to suffer all kinds of torment from those rough men?”
A trace of inexplicable jealousy flashed in the Dao Court Officer’s eyes. He sighed, “This… I naturally can’t bear to, but… there’s something you must tell me.”
Miao’er asked, “What is it?”
The Dao Court Officer’s voice turned low, “Where is Liǔ Sān?”
Above the rafters, Mo Hua’s gaze sharpened upon hearing this.
It seemed the Dao Court had also discovered that Liǔ Sān’s disappearance was related to this Miao’er, hence they came to arrest her.
Why would the Dao Court go to such lengths to find this person named Liǔ Sān?
What secrets… did Liǔ Sān carry?
While Mo Hua was pondering, he heard Miao’er speak again, her voice tinged with confusion, “What Liu San? I truly have no idea who that is.”
The Dao Court Officer shook his head, “Miao’er, don’t lie to me. How could you not know who Liu San is?”
Miao’er sighed, “I really don’t know.”
The Dao Court Officer sneered, “This Liu San is your dear lover, sharing meals and living quarters with you, spending countless intimate days together. What? Now that you’ve turned against him, you claim not to know him?”
His tone carried a hint of jealousy and resentment.
Miao’er looked aggrieved, on the verge of tears, “Piao Lang, you truly wrong me. From beginning to end, my heart has only ever belonged to you.”
The Dao Court Officer’s expression turned complex: “Do you take me for a fool? You’re a woman of the Joyous-Union Sect. The men who have died because of you number at least eighty, if not a hundred. And you tell me your heart belongs only to me? What were those men before? Unlucky ghosts?”
Miao’er replied tearfully, “That was in the past. Miao’er had the misfortune of meeting men who were all unfaithful, one after another.”
The man asked, “What? Am I different?”
Miao’er nodded, her demeanor pitiful and moving, her eyes brimming with affection: “Piao Lang, you don’t know this, but the moment I laid eyes on you, I fell in love. You possess extraordinary bearing and are destined to become a great hero who stands tall between heaven and earth. In this world, only you treat me differently, and my heart belongs only to you.”
To others, these words might sound cloying.
But in the moment, the feeling was entirely different.
The Dao Court Officer, under Miao’er’s gaze, listening to these passionate sweet nothings and beholding her enchanting appearance, was momentarily stunned.
Yet, in that brief moment of distraction, he saw Miao’er, tightly bound by ox tendons, her figure curvaceous and alluring, flip her wrists, her body softening as she effortlessly slipped free from the restraints.
The man exclaimed in shock, “You…”
Miao’er smiled, “You used Miao’er’s own rope to bind Miao’er?”
The man cursed loudly, “A woman’s words are a devil’s deceit.”
He immediately reached out to grab Miao’er again.
But the opportunity was fleeting. Having already freed herself from the ox tendon bonds, Miao’er moved like flowing water or a delicate butterfly, gracefully drifting toward the door.
Her movement technique was unexpectedly exquisite.
“Not good!”
The Dao Court Officer was alarmed.
The Joyous-Union Sect was a Demonic Sect, and its cultivation methods were always bizarre and unpredictable. Once this female Demonic Cultivator escaped, it would be difficult to capture her again.
Moreover, this was the Jade Fragrance Pavilion. If a commotion broke out, who knew what fearsome figures it might attract?
But he had been unable to resist indulging in sweet talk with this woman, and in a moment of carelessness, he had missed his chance. Even if only for an instant, it would be hard to catch up now.
Miao’er’s movement technique was also extremely swift, seemingly a life-saving skill she reserved for critical moments.
Her movements were as intricate as a butterfly weaving through flowers, and in just a few blinks of an eye, she was already near the door.
But just as she was about to step through, the door swung open first.
A sharp wind blade, blooming like a cyan phoenix, slashed directly at Miao’er, the butterfly.
The wind blade was exceptionally keen. Miao’er’s clothes were torn open, and a bloody gash appeared on her body. She fell back into the room like a kite with its string cut.
The moment Mo Hua saw this wind blade, he couldn’t help but startle.
This dazzling wind blade was all too familiar to him.
“Could it be…”
Mo Hua’s heart skipped a beat as he quickly turned his gaze toward the door. There, he saw a tall, imposing man with a stern aura stepping out.
The man wore an iron mask, concealing his face, but his build, demeanor, and the ancestral Wind Blade Dao Art were unmistakable.
Even with his eyes closed, Mo Hua could recognize him, this was none other than Uncle Gù, Gu Changhuai, who had worked alongside him on numerous major cases and faced countless dangers back when Mo Hua was still a disciple of the Great Void Sect in the Qianxue Prefecture realm!
Behind Gu Changhuai stood two other men, also wearing iron masks. Their builds were identical, as if carved from the same mold.
Mo Hua recognized them at first glance as well.
These were Gu An and Gu Quan, the twin brothers of the Gu Clan.
Back when Mo Hua’s cultivation was still low, these two elder brothers of the Gu Clan had protected him.
They had lost contact since parting ways all those years ago.
Yet, to Mo Hua’s surprise, over a decade later and thousands of miles away in Kun Province, he had run into Uncle Gù and the others again.
Mo Hua’s eyes brightened, and a flicker of excitement stirred within him.
Sensing the shift in Mo Hua’s emotions, Bai Zixi whispered, “You know them?”
Mo Hua nodded with a smile. “Yes!”
Bai Zixi’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, her little junior brother truly knew a lot of people.
Meanwhile, after Miao’er was stopped by Gu Changhuai’s wind blade, Gu An and Gu Quan immediately stepped forward. They broke Miao’er’s limbs with spiked iron clubs and then pinned her to the spot with a peculiar-looking iron fork restraint.
Miao’er cried out in pain, her face twisted with hatred.
The Dao Court Officer who was acquainted with Miao’er trembled at the sight, seemingly unable to bear it, though he said nothing out of consideration for the situation.
Gu An and Gu Quan then swiftly produced iron shackles from the Dao Court Division and bound Miao’er.
Though Miao’er appeared delicate and frail, she was a female Demonic Cultivator from the Joyous-Union Sect and not to be taken lightly.
Gu Changhuai, still wearing his iron mask, strode closer to Miao’er, his gaze icy as he asked, “Where is Liǔ Sān?”
Miao’er gritted her teeth and spat bitterly, “I don’t know.”
Gu Changhuai flipped his wrist, drawing a long sword. He pressed the tip against Miao’er’s throat and said calmly, “Speak, or die.”
Miao’er suddenly let out a seductive laugh. “With three big men like you, I’m afraid I couldn’t possibly serve you all.”
Gu Changhuai’s expression remained indifferent as he thrust his sword forward, piercing her throat.
The wound was shallow, with only a few drops of blood seeping out.
Gu Changhuai was decisive in his actions and had never been one to spare the fairer sex. In his eyes, men and women were no different, if they violated the Dao Law, they were to be killed or captured without hesitation.
Seeing this, Miao’er turned pale, realizing that the iron-masked man before her was undoubtedly a cold and ruthless figure.
“Will you speak or not?” Gu Changhuai asked again, his gaze as sharp and cold as his blade.
Miao’er’s heart trembled. She knew that if she refused to speak, this man would likely show no mercy whatsoever.
But if she truly spoke…
Noticing her hesitation, Gu Changhuai shifted his sword and stabbed it into Miao’er’s shoulder, drawing fresh blood.
Without another word, he prepared to strike again.
Miao’er paled and cried out, “I’ll speak!”
Gu Changhuai halted his sword.
Miao’er pleaded, “I’ll speak, I’ll tell you everything, good sir. Please, don’t torment me any further.”
“Where is he?” Gu Changhuai pressed.
“In…” Miao’er hesitated for a moment. Seeing Gu Changhuai raising his sword again, she panicked and said, “Under my bed.”
“Under the bed?” Gu Changhuai’s pupils contracted slightly.
Mo Hua was also slightly taken aback.
The Liǔ Sān he was looking for was actually hidden under this Miao girl’s bed?
Gu Changhuai glanced at Gu An and Gu Quan.
Gu An nodded and walked straight into the inner chamber, toward the jade bed draped with pink gauze and red curtains. Lifting the bedding, he saw a smooth, seamless piece of jade beneath.
However, everyone present was a seasoned veteran of the Dao Court Division and could naturally tell that this jade bed was a mechanism.
Gu Changhuai asked again, “Where is the mechanism’s key?”
Miao’er was reluctant to say, but under the gaze of Gu Changhuai, the cold-faced judge, the situation was unfavorable, and she had no choice but to speak.
She could only say, “There is a jade box at my waist.”
Gu Changhuai didn’t even reach out to touch her. Instead, he used the tip of his sword to probe a few times and indeed fished out a jade box from Miao’er’s waist, which he then split open with a single sword strike.
Inside the jade box was an exquisite key made of white jade.
Gu An took the key, approached the jade bed, and indeed found a small mechanism groove at the head of the bed.
Inserting the white jade key into the groove and giving it a gentle twist, the sound of gears turning slowly echoed.
The white jade bed split in two, revealing a pitch-black hole that seemed to lead to an unknown place.
From within the hole came an even more cloying scent of cosmetics, along with a sinister chill.
Gu Changhuai frowned slightly, and the others exchanged uneasy glances.
Gu An asked in a low voice, “Young master, what should we do next?”
Gu Changhuai pondered briefly, then looked at the man beside him and said, “Archive Officer Piao, what do you think?”
The man addressed as ‘Archive Officer Piao’ was the Dao Court Officer from earlier. He smiled bitterly and said: “I have no objections. I will follow Magistrate Gu’s lead in everything. I only hope that Magistrate Gu will honor our agreement, let bygones be bygones, and leave me a way out.”
Gu Changhuai nodded, then said, “We must find Liǔ Sān. Let’s go down and take a look.”
Archive Officer Piao cupped his hands and said, “I will follow Magistrate Gu’s instructions.”
Gu Changhuai glanced at the pitch-black secret passage, thought for a moment, and then hesitated no longer.
Gu An and Gu Quan, meanwhile, escorted the severely injured and iron-bound Joyous-Union Sect Miao girl. Together with Archive Officer Piao, they all jumped one after another into the secret passage beneath the jade bed.
As their figures disappeared, the once noisy room fell silent in an instant.
Looking at the empty room, Mo Hua’s brow slowly furrowed.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that something about this situation was off…