"Since Young Master Taishu Shen is willing to step in, the question now is where Ye Xuan is hiding and how we can find him."
"For that, we’ll have to ask our seniors," the City Lord of Three-Star City said, turning to Old Witch, who had remained silent.
Old Witch’s voice was cold. "Predicting a person’s future is a Forbidden Technique. It goes against the heavens. Every time we cast it, our lifespans are shortened by several years. Last time, we calculated the exact location, but your own arrogance led to the encirclement’s failure. What, do you expect us to sacrifice our lifespans again this time?"
"Senior, you won’t help? If you don’t step in, how will we know where that brat is?"
"Figure it out yourselves. We still want to live to sixty; we have no intention of dying young."
Sixty?
All the City Lords present were dumbfounded. Old Witch and his companions looked to be at least in their eighties or nineties. If they were powerful Cultivators, their true ages should be around two or three hundred years. Yet he actually said he wanted to live to sixty.
"Senior, may I ask how old you are?" one of the City Lords couldn’t help but ask.
"Forty-eight," Old Witch replied.
"What? Forty-eight?!"
The City Lords exchanged bewildered glances. Some of them were one or two hundred years old, yet they looked younger than Old Witch and his group. How could these middle-aged men look so incredibly ancient?
"Now you know why," Old Witch said. "By defying the heavens, we have lost a significant amount of our lifespans. Therefore, you’ll have to find a way yourselves this time. We need to rest and recover for a while."
With that, Old Witch led the other elderly men out of the conference hall.
After they had walked a good distance away, one of them spoke up. "Old Witch, why did you say we’re only forty-eight? Double that would be more accurate. Even if the Inference Technique goes against the Celestial Dao, it doesn’t shorten our lifespans that drastically. It’s not like we’re constantly predicting the future."
"If I didn’t exaggerate a little, they would think we could just cast our techniques on a whim," Old Witch replied. "They wouldn’t take our sacrifices seriously."
"That makes sense! We were so furious last time. When should we make our next move, then?"
"Let’s hold off for a couple of days. Everyone is exhausted from last time. We need to rest."
Meanwhile, in a quiet courtyard elsewhere, Liu Ruoxi and Liu Yan had taken up residence. After their defeat at the Ice Mountain, they hadn’t returned to Chasing Moon City. Instead, they moved into the Sun Family estate. They wanted to know what the City Lords planned to do next.
Bored of being alone, Liu Yan wanted to chat with Liu Ruoxi. "Are you there, Ruoxi? I’m coming in," she called out. "Hmm? No one’s here?"
She pushed the door open, only to find that Liu Ruoxi wasn’t in her room. It was a mystery where she had gone.
In the adjacent courtyard, Spiritual Qi lingered inside Taishu Shen’s small room, indicating that a barrier had been set up from the inside.
A woman in a red dress sat in the outer parlor. The dress was a dazzling crimson, but the woman’s brows were tightly knit. Her fingernails dug deep into her palms, revealing an intense inner anxiety.
After a long while, the door opened, and Taishu Shen walked in from outside.
"Shen, how did it go?"
"Don’t worry. I’ve already spoken with the City Lord of Three-Star City. Next time, I will personally make a move."
"That’s good. Shen, you promised me that I would be the one to kill Ye Xuan! Don’t go back on your word."
"I, Taishu Shen, always keep my promises. However, there is a problem right now."
"What problem?"
"I heard that the people from the Celestial Calculation Mansion are refusing to continue using the Celestial Calculation Technique. It seems that casting such Divine Techniques affects their lifespans. In other words, we don’t know where Ye Xuan is."
"That’s unacceptable! They must calculate Ye Xuan’s whereabouts as soon as possible. If we give him more time to grow, Shen, I’m afraid even you won’t be a match for him."
"I won’t be a match for him? Aren’t you overestimating that brat a bit too much? Even if the might of the Dragon Soul is incomparably powerful, I am absolutely certain I can defeat him!"
"Shen, I know how formidable you are; you’ve always been my idol. But I can’t shake the feeling that we must go all out against Ye Xuan. We can’t give him any room to breathe. Wait, I have an idea! If the seniors from the Celestial Calculation Mansion won’t help, we’ll just rely on ourselves."
"Oh? You have an idea? What is it?"
"Shen, come with me to a place."
"Where to?"
"Dapeng Town."
"Dapeng Town? That rustic little place? Why would we go there?"
"Shen, the members of the Gongsun Family are there. Since Ye Xuan refuses to show himself, we’ll just kidnap the Gongsun Family and spread the news of their capture far and wide. Based on what I know about Ye Xuan, there’s no way he’ll just sit back and do nothing. Even if he does, Gongsun Yanran definitely won’t. They won’t be able to stay in hiding!"
"That method is worth trying. However, I only agreed to step in because of your request. Shouldn’t you give me a little taste of sweetness first?"
Taishu Shen’s gaze suddenly turned wicked.
"Shen... what kind of sweetness... do you want?" Liu Ruoxi’s face instantly flushed red.
"What do you think? Didn’t you say that as long as I agreed to help, you’d do anything I asked?"
"I... I..."
Liu Ruoxi’s heart raced; she had absolutely no idea what to say. After a long moment, she finally nodded. Her bashful, hesitant demeanor added a unique and alluring charm.
In truth, she had always harbored feelings for Taishu Shen. Ever since she first heard his name, he had been the man she idolized. Taishu Shen was a Dragon among Men. As long as the experts of the Celestial Spirit Realm didn’t emerge, he could walk unhindered throughout the Moyue Kingdom.
"That’s more like it. I especially love it when you look so shy. Now, take it off."
"Shen... do I really have to take it off? I just can’t help but feel like I’m wronging Yan."
Taishu Shen, however, replied with a wicked smile, "Don’t you want to kill Ye Xuan anymore?"
"I do!"
"Then what are you hesitating for? Remember, you’re the one who begged me."
"Shen... but..."
"No ’buts’. Don’t you find doing this incredibly thrilling?"
Shedding his previously gentle and refined demeanor, a wild, predatory gleam—like that of a Wild Beast—shone in Taishu Shen’s eyes.
Liu Yan had always been cold and indifferent toward him. Deep down, he harbored a great deal of resentment over it. He was well aware of Liu Ruoxi’s feelings for him, and it would be a lie to say he hadn’t entertained thoughts about her.
Liu Ruoxi. The red dress, the red lips. Her arrogant gaze and her alluring figure. What man wouldn’t want to pin a woman like that beneath him?
Having lived for over thirty years, Taishu Shen had toyed with his fair share of women. Although Liu Yan was his fiancée, it didn’t mean he lacked other women on the side. How could an exceptional man ever lack female companionship? Countless women yearned for a brief fling with him. His rumored lovers were numerous throughout the three-star cities.
This was exactly why Liu Yan had no interest in him. Taishu Shen might be excellent, but he wasn’t the kind of man she wanted.
"Shen, please don’t say that. I just feel like..."
"Feel like what? Are you panicked? Is your breathing tight, yet deep between your legs, you feel a strange sensation? Liu Ruoxi, in truth, you’re a wanton woman."
With a wicked smirk, Taishu Shen took the initiative and closed the distance between him and Liu Ruoxi.