Chapter 77: Seduction

Fortunately, Hu Mo was accustomed to such provocations. The moment he heard that tempting voice, he regained his composure almost instantly. Huang Sheng, on the other hand, was less resilient; as soon as the voice reached his ears, his expression went blank for quite a while. If Hu Mo hadn’t given him a hard pinch, he might have remained in that daze indefinitely.

Turning around, Hu Mo found himself face to face with Zhu Xinluo, who wore nothing but a sheer gauze robe over a crimson corset. It had to be said—her attire was utterly alluring.

She bore a certain resemblance to Zhu Xinyue. Although she wasn’t as otherworldly beautiful as Cang Ling, she was still enough to make anyone stare in awe for a few seconds. Those with less self-control might have suffered a nosebleed on the spot, but for Hu Mo, who had long been tempered by battle, such reactions were a thing of the past.

His gaze drifted lower, and the view became even more captivating. Her ample bosom, slender waist—truly, a figure perfectly balanced. Her skin was so fair and delicate that any man would long to touch it; just looking at her, it seemed as if a single press would draw out dew.

Hu Mo simply couldn’t understand why such an exceptional woman would be drawn to women. No matter how liberal the customs of the Empire of Heavenly Fire, as a princess she ought not be involved in such things. It simply made no sense.

Huang Sheng pinched his own thigh hard, forcibly suppressing the lascivious thoughts swirling in his mind. Once, he might have considered such feelings natural, but now he felt they were disgraceful. How could someone destined for greatness be so easily swayed by temptation? Such weakness was unacceptable.

After this incident, Huang Sheng engraved the lesson deep in his heart, and his willpower was much strengthened because of it. Many years later, thinking back on this moment, he would find himself grateful to Zhu Xinluo for the lesson.

“I didn’t expect to disturb Your Highness the Princess. I truly beg your pardon,” Hu Mo said apologetically, his gaze fixed politely on Zhu Xinluo’s face, without lingering on her stunning figure.

A shadow of disappointment flickered in Zhu Xinluo’s eyes. She hadn’t expected that after dressing so provocatively, she would fail to achieve the desired effect. To her, this was a bitter defeat.

“Heh, Young Master Hu, you’re too formal. I was just about to get up anyway, so it’s hardly a disturbance. The gathering hasn’t started yet; if you have time, would you care to come in for a chat? There are some things I’d like your advice on.” Zhu Xinluo smiled sweetly, and the way she licked her lips made Hu Mo uneasy at heart.

“Surely she’s not planning to feed again…” Both Hu Mo and Huang Sheng had the same thought. Zhu Xinluo’s reputation was truly terrifying—even a seasoned warrior like Situ Feng had been left a husk after crossing her path. Who could possibly withstand her?

Moreover, if he entered her room under these circumstances, rumors would surely run wild—stories of Zhu Xinluo acquiring a new male favorite and so on. If that happened, not even washing himself in the Yellow River could cleanse Hu Mo’s name.

Yet, he had come precisely to sound her out. If he didn’t even dare step through her door, what was the point? This dilemma left Hu Mo inwardly cursing, and Huang Sheng was sweating for him as well. Had it been his choice, it would’ve been even more difficult; this wasn’t a matter of courage.

“Big sister, what are you doing?” A cold, hard voice suddenly rang out at the end of the corridor. Zhu Xinyue stood there with Cang Ling and Lin Nan, all three of them gazing intently ahead, their stares sharp enough to kill a man ten thousand times over.

Hu Mo wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or worried. Their arrival had saved him from a predicament, but their unfriendly looks made him uneasy. Zhu Xinyue and Cang Ling being displeased was understandable, but why did Lin Nan look so fierce as well?

Seeing the others, Zhu Xinluo toned down her seductive demeanor and offered a gentle smile. “So it’s you, little sister. Didn’t I say I’d be there soon? Why are you in such a hurry to come looking for me?”

As the saying goes, one doesn’t strike a smiling face. Seeing Zhu Xinluo’s radiant smile, Zhu Xinyue swallowed her harsh words.

“It’s nothing. The guests are almost all here, so I came to hurry you along. I hope I haven’t interrupted you,” Zhu Xinyue said, her displeasure written all over her face despite her polite words.

Zhu Xinluo shook her head. “Of course not. I just heard that Young Master Hu had come looking for me, so I hurried out for a chat. Nothing important. Oh, by the way, who are these two? Such handsome young men—like they were sculpted from dough, hehe…”

Hu Mo broke into a cold sweat. Zhu Xinluo was a master of words; in just a few sentences, she had distanced herself from any scandal and subtly offered an olive branch to Lin Nan—albeit to the wrong person.

Zhu Xinyue shot Hu Mo a glare, then smiled faintly. “These are my friends, Sister Cang Ling and Brother Lin Nan. I invited them to the social gathering. Big sister, please hurry and get ready; without you, I can’t hold the floor.”

As she spoke, Zhu Xinyue quietly slipped up beside Hu Mo and gave him a stealthy pinch so painful he nearly cried out.

Huang Sheng was wide-eyed with shock. He couldn’t fathom when Hu Mo had gotten so close to their most powerful nemesis.

Zhu Xinluo, naturally, noticed the exchange; Zhu Xinyue’s little gestures could hardly escape her eyes. She remained gentle as ever. “Very well, you go ahead. I’ll prepare and join you soon.”

With that, she turned and returned to her room, the enchanting scene vanishing from Hu Mo’s sight.

“Why, can’t bear to look away?” Cang Ling, who had been silent, suddenly smiled, making the awkward moment even more uncomfortable.

“Master!” Huang Sheng, upon seeing Cang Ling, suddenly dropped to his knees and bowed. “Disciple greets you!”

Cang Ling was startled and sidestepped quickly, chiding, “When did I become your master? You’ve got the wrong person.”

Huang Sheng grinned. “Master, you’re not mistaken. I’m calling you, and no one else! Last time, you said you didn’t take on useless disciples. I thought about it carefully and finally understood the deep meaning in your words.”

His tone grew earnest, his expression solemn.

Hu Mo was amused by his antics. In fact, Huang Sheng’s performance eased the tension considerably.

“So, Huang Sheng, what deep meaning did you discover? Tell us,” Hu Mo laughed. Zhu Xinyue, not understanding, was nonetheless intrigued by Huang Sheng’s serious demeanor.

“Senior Brother, every word from Master is full of wisdom, and I have benefited greatly,” Huang Sheng said, now cheekily addressing Hu Mo as ‘Senior Brother’.

“Master said, ‘Our sect does not take in fools.’ The deeper meaning is, as long as you’re not a fool, you’ll be accepted. After much soul-searching and hard effort, I can say with certainty that I am no longer a fool. So, doesn’t that make you my master?” Huang Sheng beamed, his logic leaving Hu Mo momentarily speechless. Indeed, such a leap of reasoning was beyond the reach of any ordinary fool.

Cang Ling could only cover her forehead as she listened. For some reason, this fellow always made her want to hit someone, and after hearing this speech, her hands itched terribly—she wanted nothing more than to give him a good slap.

Huang Sheng continued to grin at her, secretly pleased with his own wit. In his view, every word he’d uttered brimmed with the light of wisdom. If a fool could speak like this, then all the fools in the world were geniuses.

Hu Mo, noting the look on Cang Ling’s face, began to pray for Huang Sheng. He sighed inwardly—this fellow was truly courting disaster. To play clever tricks in front of Cang Ling was nothing less than poking a tiger’s whiskers—a pure, unadulterated act of folly.

“Little Nan, go pat his head for me, would you?” Cang Ling turned to Lin Nan, exhaling impatiently.

Lin Nan’s expression shifted slightly. With a soft “Mm,” he walked up to Huang Sheng. Under Huang Sheng’s blank stare, Lin Nan patted him once on the head and then quickly cleansed his hand with water magic.

Hu Mo closed his eyes with a long sigh and thought, “Huang Sheng, you’re done for.”