Chapter 495 - 248: Madam’s Nightly Visit! Ouyang’s Praise

Chapter 495: Chapter 248: Madam’s Nightly Visit! Ouyang’s Praise

"My name is Chen Sheng. By the time you read these words, I..."

「In a guest room of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect.」

Chen Sheng stared at the "Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil" Celestial Book in his mind, where text had just appeared. His gaze sharpened, his eyes flashing with surprise and astonishment.

’The Phoenix Yin Gu King... one of the pair of Gu Kings Sun Yuzhi mentioned...’

’Is actually with Lady Lan?’

’And she just happened to tame it by a stroke of luck?!’

Looking at the clear message on the Celestial Book, Chen Sheng gazed out the window at the deep night, lost in thought.

He and Sun Yuzhi had made this special trip for one main purpose: that pair of Yin-Yang Gu Kings.

If he could refine them, they would not only enhance his aptitude and aid his cultivation, but also be of immense help for breaking through bottlenecks in the future.

But now, the situation had taken an unexpected turn.

The Dragon Yang Gu King was still available, but the Phoenix Yin Gu King already had a master.

Although, even without dual cultivation, the Dragon Yang Gu King alone would still be effective for Chen Sheng.

But it was a world of difference compared to the benefits of having Yin and Yang Complement Each Other.

For a moment, Chen Sheng’s mind was in turmoil.

He began to rack his brain, searching for a way to break the deadlock.

’Take it by force?’

’Not an option.’

’Once a Gu Insect recognizes a master, unless its owner voluntarily uses their essence blood to sever the bond, forcibly breaking the connection would easily lead to the Gu King’s death from the backlash.’

’This method is too risky.’

’Then... dual cultivation?’

Chen Sheng’s knuckles tapped lightly on the tabletop, his eyes narrowing slightly.

’When it came to dual cultivation, he certainly wasn’t opposed.’

’After all, her title as the number one beauty of Nanzhao was well-earned.’

’Lady Lan did exude a mature charm that was truly unforgettable, making one want to explore her mysteries further.’

’But the problem was, what would Lady Lan think?’

’He wasn’t confident enough to think he could just give a manly shudder and have the beauty throw herself into his embrace.’

’This matter required an opportunity, and even more so, the right touch.’

’Perhaps... I could find a way to make Lady Lan hand over the Gu King voluntarily.’

’Or exchange it for something she couldn’t refuse?’

Amid his tangled thoughts, the soft sound of the night watchman’s clapper drifted in from outside the window.

KNOCK KNOCK...

The soft knocking, exceptionally clear in the quiet night, pulled Chen Sheng from his complex thoughts.

He looked up to see a dark silhouette cast upon the door by the candlelight, its outline vaguely discernible.

"Lord Chen, it’s me."

A faint yet clear voice transmission, silent as a spider’s thread, slipped into the room. It was Lady Lan’s voice.

Chen Sheng composed himself, temporarily suppressing his turbulent thoughts, and said:

"Sect Leader Lan, please come in."

CREAK—

The door was pushed open gently.

A figure wrapped in a large black robe slipped in silently, then shut the door behind them.

The visitor was none other than Lady Lan.

It was just that her current attire was completely different from the magnificent palace gown she had worn during the day.

The black robe enveloped her from head to toe, revealing only a face that, despite wearing little makeup, was still stunningly beautiful. The graceful curves she had displayed during the day were now completely obscured by the robe.

This was, of course, Lady Lan’s intention.

After their conversation during the day and much internal struggle, she had finally decided to risk coming here to hear what brilliant plan Chen Sheng, the representative of the Nie Family, had for breaking the deadlock.

The Ten Thousand Poisons Sect was on the brink of ruin, and the Nie Family’s stance was her last hope.

But even though she had come, she couldn’t neglect necessary precautions and maintaining a certain posture.

Lady Lan had deliberately changed into this figure-concealing black robe.

First, she didn’t want to present herself in a way that might encourage any improper thoughts from Chen Sheng, signaling that she was here strictly for business.

Second, she didn’t want to be seen. After all, it was the dead of night, and a Sect Leader secretly meeting with an outside man—even for official business—would cause a massive uproar if word got out, giving the opposition within the sect ammunition against her.

"Madam, please sit."

Chen Sheng’s gaze swept over her before he calmly looked away, gesturing to a nearby chair.

His mind was currently preoccupied with the problem of the Yin-Yang Gu Kings, so he didn’t give Lady Lan’s deliberate concealment much thought, nor did he have any intention of prying.

Lady Lan sat down as bidden. Beneath her black robe, the rigid straightness of her spine betrayed her tension.

She immediately cut to the chase, her voice low:

"Lord Chen, I have come as promised. I implore you to grant me your guidance and show my Ten Thousand Poisons Sect a way forward."

Chen Sheng didn’t answer right away. Instead, he picked up the cup of lukewarm tea from the table and took a small sip.

Only then did he lift his gaze to meet Lady Lan’s eyes, which seemed particularly bright in the candlelight. The corners of his lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile:

"I may be able to offer some guidance... but how does Madam intend to thank me?"

The dagger was revealed.

Lady Lan’s heart went cold, and her fingers curled tightly within her sleeves.

’It’s here!’

’This was exactly what I was most worried about.’

’He was so direct about demanding payment. What would he ask for next?’

’Wealth? Resources?’

’It probably won’t be that simple.’

Lady Lan took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. She did her utmost to keep her voice steady:

"What is it that Lord Chen desires? As long as it is within my power and does not violate my basic principles, I... will not refuse."

This statement was the greatest promise she could make, while also drawing a clear line in the sand.

"Within my power" and "not violating my principles" were her tactful ways of preemptively rejecting any potentially unreasonable demands.

Chen Sheng acted as if he hadn’t heard the subtext in her words. He continued to look her straight in the eye and said in a calm, clear voice:

"First, I would like to enter your sect’s Poison Flame Cave for a look."

"The Poison Flame Cave?"

Lady Lan froze, sheer astonishment flashing in her eyes.

She had imagined several possibilities, even steeling herself for him to make some sort of veiled, improper demand.

But she never, ever expected that Chen Sheng’s first request would be... this.

"That’s right."