Chapter 330 - 135: So This Is Baring It All?

Chapter 330: Chapter 135: So This Is Baring It All?

The first rays of dawn pierced the night, creeping silently through the early morning and spilling through the window.

Zhao Ci lay on his side, his left arm curled into a pillow, his right arm resting lightly on Gu Xiangzhu’s graceful waist.

He looked at her, his eyes filled with hope.

She looked back at him, her smile a blossoming flower.

Her breath was quiet and carried a faint, sweet scent.

She seemed prepared, ready for him to pluck.

Zhao Ci felt his blood surge, desperate to join with her in life’s grand union.

But the ever-changing subtitles above her head quickly doused his passion...

Ultimately,

He only planted a light kiss on Gu Xiangzhu’s lips. "Of course I want your body. I dream about it. But I don’t just want your body, I want all of you!"

Gu Xiangzhu: "..."

She laughed in spite of herself.

By now, she was completely unable to tell which of Zhao Ci’s words were true and which were false.

But surprisingly, her resentment was nowhere near as heavy as it had been yesterday.

She smiled and asked, "If ’all of me’ doesn’t include my body, would you still want me?"

Zhao Ci: "..."

Huh?

’All of you doesn’t include your body.’

’You’ve got to be kidding me.’

’If you don’t give yourself to me completely, I can’t trust you completely either!’

He was furious.

But then he glanced at the subtitles above Gu Xiangzhu’s head.

He sensibly reined in his anger.

Seeing his silence, Gu Xiangzhu wasn’t angry. Instead, she snuggled closer, curling up like a kitten in an impossibly comfortable position in Zhao Ci’s arms, listening quietly to the beat of his heart.

[Gu Xiangzhu’s Current Wish: To have a frank conversation with Zhao Ci. Reward for Completion: Insight +100, Honesty Talisman x1.]

Zhao Ci: "..."

’Well, this is going to be fun.’

’A human lie detector.’

After a long pause,

Gu Xiangzhu spoke. "If I were to stay by your side for the rest of our lives, on the sole condition that you never touch my body—though I would permit you to marry other women—would you agree?"

Instead of answering, Zhao Ci asked, "Why?"

Since this was her wish, he wanted to understand what she was really thinking.

Gu Xiangzhu asked softly, "Do you remember the Empathy Technique?"

"I remember!"

Zhao Ci nodded. That was the Magic from the Bronze Jade Scroll, capable of severing all of a target’s emotions.

It preserves their mind while severing their emotions.

It was a truly sinister technique.

Gu Xiangzhu smiled and asked, "What do you think this Magic is for?"

"To control puppets?"

"It only severs emotions, it doesn’t change their thoughts. How could you control puppets with it?"

"Then it’s..."

"It... is the most crucial step to fulfilling our Holy Sect’s age-old dream!"

"Hm?"

Zhao Ci was slightly taken aback. Although she was the sect’s Saintess, she usually called it the "Demon Sect"—even in her wishes.

For a sect’s followers to call themselves the "Demon Sect" was brazen enough, but for its Saintess to do so was even more so.

But this time, she had, uncharacteristically, called it the Holy Sect.

’There seemed to be a whole story behind that.’

He was silent for a moment, then held her tighter. "Can you tell me about the Holy Sect? I want to hear about your past."

"My past..."

Gu Xiangzhu looked a little wistful. "I don’t really have much of a past. It’s just the story of a little girl who lost her family and was taken in and raised by her master.

"From that day on, the Holy Sect’s age-old dream became my own. Everything I’ve done since has been an effort to achieve it.

"That includes cultivating demonic arts, becoming an imperial consort, and even standing here with you.

"That’s the truth. Does hearing it make you angry?"

Zhao Ci shook his head. "This world is full of things that don’t go your way. If you got angry at every little thing, how could you go on living?"

Gu Xiangzhu seemed to be lost in thought, then continued her story quietly. "Our Holy Sect also originated in the previous dynasty. Too many historical records in the ruins were destroyed, leaving only fragments. We only know its original name was the Sword-Hanging Pavilion, a power that stood aloof from the imperial court, above even imperial authority."

Zhao Ci couldn’t help but say, "That’s quite a boast, isn’t it?"

’Above imperial authority.’

’That’s striking at the very root of a feudal dynasty.’

’How could an organization like that possibly exist?’

"Whether it’s true or not is unknown, but that’s what is written in the fragmented records."

Gu Xiangzhu didn’t rush to argue, just calmly explained, "It’s just like the Great Yu today. At its founding, the eight great families were all loyal and heroic to a man. But do you think their later development helped or hindered the Human Race Dynasty?"

Zhao Ci mulled this over for a moment. "Without selfish motives, they naturally would have helped more."

The second half of that thought went unsaid.

’Selfishness is inevitable.’

’Anyone who reaches the upper class wants to pull up the ladder behind them.’

The Imperial Family and the seven great Merit Clans did indeed have illustrious military records.

But the core cultivation resources were never shared externally, and each clan’s Divine Pattern was a closely guarded secret. The only legitimate way to obtain them was to exchange merit points during the Prefecture Competitions.

’Not that this is unreasonable.’

’But it certainly hinders the nation’s progress to a large extent.’

’The entirety of history, even in his past life, was just a struggle between the offense and defense of vested interests.’

’Viewed that way, an organization like the Sword-Hanging Pavilion was indeed necessary.’

Gu Xiangzhu continued, "’Cut down the powerful when they are unjust. Cut down the law when it is flawed. Cut down imperial power when it is greedy.’ That was the Sword-Hanging Pavilion. But you must also understand, the Pavilion’s power was immense, so..."

Zhao Ci subconsciously finished her thought, "So it placed extremely high demands on the character and abilities of its own members?"

"Exactly!"

Gu Xiangzhu sighed softly. "But every last one of us is only human, and all humans have selfish desires. That is where the Empathy Technique came in."

Zhao Ci understood.

When an organization brings together a group of prodigies, full of ideals and ambition, and a group of sages with incredibly sharp insight...