"Decent willpower, but your strength is lacking."
Hu Yirong offered her assessment.
Still, for her age, it was passable. Though Hu Yirong looked young, her true age was far older.
"It *is* lacking," Li Siyi admitted, knowing her own shortcomings, but she wasn’t ready to give up yet.
"I see the hunger for power in your eyes. How about it? Come with me to the Heavenly Demon Sect. I’ll make you stronger."
Suddenly, Hu Yirong found herself intrigued by Li Siyi. The girl’s potential was undeniable.
"Go on," Li Siyi said.
"Ever heard of the *Dual Cultivation Art*? You grow stronger through intimacy—pleasure and power entwined. As a member of the Heavenly Demon Sect, I practice it. The beneficiary would be you alone—draining men of their cultivation to fuel your own, with immense gains. Interested?"
Li Siyi fell silent.
"Oh? So you *are* tempted by power. Come, I’ll teach you." Hu Yirong’s voice dripped with enchantment, laced with a subtle spell to sway the will.
"Listen to me, and within a year, you’ll reach the Nascent Soul stage."
Hu Yirong pressed further.
Li Siyi finally spoke. "If there’s a technique to take from men… is there one to give to them?"
"Of course there is. But what are you implying?"
Battered and bruised, Li Siyi forced herself to stand, raising her sword again in defiance.
"If I ever fall so far—forsaking everything for power—I’d sooner give my cultivation away and throw myself off a cliff."
Her gaze never wavered. Not even a flicker of temptation remained.
She might steal opportunities using her diary, but Li Siyi didn’t consider that true wickedness. To commit evil for strength? That was unforgivable.
And unnoticed by anyone, a faint glimmer flickered within the rust of the iron sword in her hand.
Hu Yirong stiffened.
This answer? *This* was her answer?
"Hahaha! Fascinating. I’ve never heard such a reply before."
"What’s so funny?"
"Because I don’t believe you’ll hold to it."
"That’s none of your concern."
"Fine, fine. Let’s see what choices you make. No one refuses power forever. When the day comes that you fall, I’ll be there to celebrate you."
Hu Yirong tossed two jade slips to Li Siyi.
[**Dual Cultivation Art**]—Absorb the cultivation of men or women to empower yourself.
[**Sacrificial Robe Art**]—Transfer your own cultivation to another.
People change. And watching that transformation? Now *that* would be entertaining.
Li Siyi crushed the [Dual Cultivation Art] slip without hesitation, keeping only the [Sacrificial Robe Art].
Hu Yirong merely smirked. "I’ll remember your defiance now. But that hunger in your eyes? I know regret will find you. When it does, seek me out."
"Never."
Just then, Su Luo and the others sensed the disturbance and rushed toward them.
Hu Yirong moved to kill the rest—sparing only Li Siyi—before making her escape.
But Li Siyi wouldn’t allow it. She raised her sword to block.
In her current state, though, stopping Hu Yirong was impossible.
Enter Su Luo.
His arrival froze Hu Yirong mid-action. She hadn’t expected to see him here. "Su Luo? What are you doing here?"
Li Siyi was equally stunned. She’d been about to use her master’s life-saving treasure against Hu Yirong. "Su Luo! Why are you here?"
"We’ll talk later. First, we handle this."
Hu Yirong chuckled. "Right, right. I’ll deal with the others. Your little lover is all yours."
A test—probing for reactions, hoping to uncover the nature of Su Luo and Li Siyi’s relationship.
Su Luo frowned at the term "little lover," but priorities came first. "What I meant was—handling *you*."
He drew his sword and advanced.
Hu Yirong paled. "Su Luo, don’t joke. We’re both of the Heavenly Demon Sect."
"I know. And I’m not joking."
With every step he took, terror coiled tighter around her.
Watching him from afar before, she hadn’t grasped his true strength. Now? The disparity was crushing.
*I’ll die.*
Desperate, she lashed out with illusion magic.
Useless. Such petty tricks couldn’t touch him.
Her eyes darted to Jiang Ningshu—the one who’d arrived with Su Luo. If she could take her hostage, there might still be a chance.
Hu Yirong unleashed a ranged spell, then lunged.
Jiang Ningshu met her with a single glance.
An overwhelming pressure crashed down.
*This… will also kill me.*
Regret flooded Hu Yirong. She should’ve fled sooner.
But there was no undoing it now.
Su Luo’s blade flashed.
And she was gone.
It was over.
"Good thing you showed up, Su Luo."
"This isn’t the place to talk."
Su Luo dispelled the illusions on the others, ensuring they’d sleep safely within a protective formation.
After briefly tending to Li Siyi’s wounds, he led her away to a quieter spot.
Relief and joy lit Li Siyi’s face—especially at seeing Su Luo.
"Su Luo, how *did* you get here? Are we just that in sync?"
"Passing by coincidence. But I’m glad you’re alright. By the way, why did Hu Yirong call you my ‘little lover’?"
"Pfft. She’s just foul-mouthed."
Li Siyi’s cheeks warmed. She couldn’t very well admit that under the illusion’s influence, she’d been screaming his name and confessing her feelings.
Too embarrassing.
And with others present, no less.
…Others?
The figure in the oversized black robe—gender unclear, but knowing Su Luo? Ninety percent chance it was a woman.
(If Su Luo knew she thought that, he’d be furious. *Why not one hundred?!*)
"Are you… Xiao Yu?" Li Siyi ventured.
Jiang Ningshu shook her head.
Li Siyi turned back to Su Luo, sweetness laced with lethal intent. "*Dearest Heavenly Demon*, would you care to introduce her?"
"Just a friend. Introduce yourself," Su Luo deflected, leaving it to Jiang Ningshu.
Her current identity was… complicated. Best to let the Demon Monarch decide her own cover.
"I’m Shu."
That was it?
"And your relationship with Su Luo?" Li Siyi pressed.
"Traveling companions."
Jiang Ningshu had questions of her own for Su Luo, but now wasn’t the time. Those could wait.
Seeing Jiang Ningshu’s reticence, Li Siyi backed off. Pushing further would seem like picking a fight.
*Fine. Probably nothing major anyway. I’m overthinking it.*