Chapter 85: The Poisonous Widow Body.
'So this the Saint Grade Palace Artifact Treasurer Meng talked about?' Su Mu's right hand rested on the thin, golden barrier ahead of him. He injected his True Qi into the barrier to inspect its condition and commented, "It seems like the Artifact Refiner who created this was rather skilled. There aren't any obvious flaws in its formation…"
Su Mu had tried to inspect the insides of the barrier, but in the first attempt, his Divine Sense bounced off the surface, only succeeding in his second attempt after seeping through the small openings within the barrier.
That was why he complimented the one who made this artifact.
"Of course. The one who created it was one of the best Artifact Refiners in the Tomg Xuan Realm. Even at full power, this Old Master cannot easily break the barrier…"
Meng Wuya landed behind Su Mu, followed by Xia Ning Chang, and the two of them gazed at the barrier in front of them, which held a decently large house inside it.
It was the place where Meng Wuya had imprisoned Shan Qing Luo.
While the Beguiling Demon Queen surrendered without trouble after the Tyrannical Force King and Thunderbolt Beast King's deaths, she was still a 1st Order Transcendent Realm Cultivator.
Meng Wuya couldn't suppress her cultivation base with his current strength, at least not without her cooperation, so he had no choice but to use his Palace Artifact to hold her inside this house.
There was no way for someone from this small world to break through it. Meng Wuya was confident that even the Demon Lord couldn't do anything against his artifact.
"Are you sure you don't want this Old Master to accompany you inside?"
"It's alright, Treasurer Meng."
Su Mu didn't even think twice about denying Meng Wuya's offer, which made the latter sigh.
"Be careful, brat… Shan Qing Luo can't escape from this artifact, but that doesn't mean she's an easy target. Don't end up getting seduced and do something that Chang'er wouldn't like…"
While Su Mu resisted Shan Qing Luo's seduction techniques before because she wasn't targeting someone, Meng Wuya knew that it would be a whole different story to face something like that head-on.
"I only want some information about the Ash Grey Cloud Evil Land and the Demon Lord, Yang Bai…"
If someone knew about Yang Bai's goals and plans, it'd be Shan Qing Luo. Not to mention, she could also tell Su Mu whether he could find numerous resentful spirits within the Ash Grey Cloud Evil Land or not. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to refine the Heaven's Cave Inheritance before reaching the Saint Realm.
"In that case, I'll open the barrier for you."
"It's fine…"
Meng Wuya seemed confused at Su Mu's words, but he didn't explain further, knocking on the barrier in front of him as if it were a door, and the moment he did—
"What?!"
Meng Wuya's eyes widened as the barrier in front of them flickered, opening a path wide enough for a single person to walk inside.
"What's wrong, Treasurer Meng?"
Su Mu turned around and looked at Meng Wuya with a smile. Now that the old man knew of his capabilities and how he was the 'inheritor' of the Demon God from the Tong Xuan Realm, Su Mu didn't need to hold back too much.
'To break an artifact that even the strongest cultivators on the Tong Xuan Realm can't...'
Meng Wuya was at a loss for words, so much so that he couldn't even form a reply. If the inheritor of a Saint King Realm cultivator could do things like that, he couldn't even imagine what kind of powers the original Demon God once held.
{These surprises aren't good for Master's heart…}
Xia Ning Chang's telepathic message rang inside Su Mu's head, and he walked inside the open barrier with a small laugh.
While the Saint Grade Palace Artifact didn't have any obvious flaws, there were bound to be some errors in its formations, and all Su Mu did was utilize them to his advantage.
No matter how well-built an artifact was, there was no way an Open Heaven Grade Artifact Refiner like him wouldn't be able to find and extort a few flaws in it.
{I'm sure Treasurer Meng will get used to it eventually…}
{Let's hope so. Take care, Brother Su…}
{Yes. I'll be back soon.}
As those words ended, the barrier behind Su Mu closed, and he gave her a small nod before walking inside the house.
.
.
.
'This is…'
As soon as Su Mu walked inside the house, a sweet lingering aroma entered his nose.
The scent was neither heavy nor light, but it was similar to a pleasant bouquet, one that carried a hint of an aphrodisiac effect.
'For her scent to have an aphrodisiac effect while cultivating even with the meager cultivation of 1st Order Transcendent Realm…'
Su Mu's eyes landed on Shan Qing Luo, who sat down cross-legged on the ground not far away. Her True Qi surged, and her eyes closed as she circulated her Secret Art.
From how it looked, rather than wasting her time, she decided to use this opportunity to cultivate her Secret Art in silence instead.
'It seems like even before inheriting the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider's Source, Shan Qing Luo possessed a Special Physique that lets humans have traces of Monster Race's bloodline…'
Su Mu could tell that much after witnessing Shan Qing Luo circulate her Evil Secret Art.
The Special Physique probably allowed her to inherit the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider's Divine Spirit Source without much trouble.
'Maybe her appearance is also part of her Special Physique?'
Looking at Shan Qing Luo again, Su Mu had to admit that she was beautiful even without her Seduction Techniques, not to mention extremely attractive. Every part of her seemed to scream the word 'seductive,' especially the tiny tear-shaped mole under her eyes.
But her appearance wasn't what interested Su Mu the most right now.
"I know you're awake; stop pretending to be in a trance…"
Shan Qing Luo's eyelids twitched slightly at his words, and she slowly opened her eyes, gazing at Su Mu, who stood a small distance away from her.
Although she tried to hide it behind a sweet smile, she couldn't conceal the traces of fear in her eyes, and despite appearing to be relaxed, she secretly gathered her True Qi to defend herself in case something happened.
"You aren't my opponent in battle, so I'll advise you not to get any strange ideas. I only came here to talk..."
"How did you…" Shan Qing Luo visibly flinched at his words, unable to contain her surprise. 'I haven't even properly gathered my True Qi yet…'
However, Su Mu didn't care much about her reaction, walking over and sitting cross-legged in front of her.
Both of them knew what he said was true.
After what happened during the battle at the Hidden Cloud Peak, it'd be stupid if Shan Qing Luo still had the guts to face him head-on.
"Is there any place in the Ash Grey Cloud Evil Land that I can collect a lot of souls from? It doesn't matter if they're resentful spirits…"
Shang Qing Luo didn't understand why he would ask such a question, but she nodded.
"There's the Evil Cavern located in the Profound Yin Ghost King's territory."
"Evil Cavern?"
"Yes. Many evil spirits live inside the Evil Cavern, and every year, many people obtain numerous benefits from them, but even more people die from them. The deeper one goes, the more powerful those Evil Spirits become."
"And what exactly are those Evil Spirits?"
"They are a partial solidification of Demonic Qi and Evil Qi, which makes them difficult to cope with. They possess no sentience but are incredibly aggressive, and as long as they sense living creatures, they'll attack."
Su Mu didn't reply, quietly waiting for her to continue.
"Besides obtaining and cultivating some special Martial Skills, after someone defeats one of those Evil Spirits, they'll leave behind some of their essences. This essence can be absorbed and refined, allowing one to increase their cultivation. It is for this reason that the Evil Cavern, despite its dangers, continues to draw many cultivators who want to gain life experiences to strengthen themselves. Not only disciples from the Ash-Gray Cloud Evil Land's sects, but even many outsiders also disguise themselves and come here, hoping to gain some advantages."
Shan Qing Luo didn't conceal anything, explaining everything she knew about the Evil Cavern.
"Another thing one can obtain is a type of essence that strengthens a cultivator's Divine Soul Strength. Quite a few people have come across such things and had their Divine Soul Strength enhanced greatly."
'Those Evil Spirits should be good enough to refine a false artifact spirit for the Heaven's Cave Inheritance. If I mix them with some souls, it'll be more than enough…'
After hearing everything Shan Qing Luo had to say about the Evil Cavern, Su Mu rested his chin on his palm, pondering about what to do next.
'Refining the Heaven's Cave Inheritance would take a few years of work, so it'll be best to do it after the Demon Lord dies, but there's no problem in collecting the Evil Spirits now and preparing them…'
"Long ago, I once heard from my mother that the Evil Cavern connects to another place…" Shan Qing Luo continued with a small smile, which made it obvious she wasn't taking this anecdote too seriously.
"Where?"
"The Demon World…"
'Demon World… Could there be a Void Corridor in the Evil Cavern that connects to the Demon Territory in the Tong Xuan Realm?'
That sounded possible. After all, there was no such place as the 'Demon World' in this small world.
"I see…" At Su Mu's deadpan reaction, Shan Qing Luo seemed slightly disappointed, but he continued without pause. "Then, tell me about the Demon Lord Yang Bai."
Shan Qing Luo nodded, explaining everything that recently happened within the Ash Grey Cloud Evil Land, from Yang Bai's sudden appearance to how he effortlessly conquered the Six Evil Kings within a few days.
'From what she said and his action until now, there's no doubt Yang Bai plans on attacking the Central Capital… Maybe his final goal is to create a Void Corridor within the Earth Vein and travel to the Tong Xuan Realm?'
If that were the case, Su Mu could use Yang Bai's ambitions to his advantage.
He didn't know if the Earth Vein under the Central Capital was strong enough for the Asura Sword, but if someone artificially enhanced it to create a Void Corridor, it would be enough for the refinement.
"Is there anything else you wish to know?"
At Shan Qing Luo's question, Su Mu lightly shook his head. "No. That's more than enough…"
"Then, since I answered everything honestly..." Shan Qing Luo gave Su Mu a flirtatious smile, resting her hands on the floor before leaning toward him, giving him a marvelous view of her alluring figure. "Can this Elder Sister also ask something from Junior Brother?"
"Go ahead…"
"Is there any way for me to escape from this place?" Shan Qing Luo crawled seductively towards Su Mu, placing her hand on his chest and bringing her face near his. "In return for that information, I will do anything to please you…"
As her words finished, the scene around Su Mu changed suddenly. The room now had a floral fragrance as flower petals appeared around the room, and a luxurious bright red carpet covered the entire floor.
A burst of giggles suddenly tickled his ears. Looking around, he quickly discovered a dozen thinly clad young girls. These girls only had their most precious places covered by sheer silk cloth, which added to their delicate and enticing charm.
As rhythmic music came from afar, a dozen girls smiled radiantly and invitingly toward Su Mu, making sure to sing and dance around him, almost as if they were desperate to please him.
The amorous scene before him seemed to be able to dig out the hidden desires buried deep within one's heart, causing a person to lose their ability to reason and devolve into a beast.
At the center of this enticing scene was Shan Qing Luo, dressed in a near-transparent blue lingerie that half covered her seductive body.
Shan Qing Luo's eyes glimmered affectionately as she gently placed her hands on Su Mu's shoulders and slowly undid his robes. Her cheeks blushed as if she were slightly intoxicated, appearing both shy and eager at once.
Shedding her thin silk dress next, Shan Qing Luo let out a light sigh. Her breath became quick, and she gently bit her lip, lightly swaying her hips as she lowered them slowly.
Letting out a small laugh, Su Mu smiled at Shan Qing Luo. "This is quite the Seduction Technique. Your proficiency is higher than I expected…"
When she heard those words, Shan Qing Luo's eyes widened, and she stepped away from him.
Even since their conversation began, she had been slowly casting her technique, and the moment Su Mu looked the most relaxed, she activated it without hesitation.
She knew she couldn't beat him in a fight, but if her seduction technique worked even for a few minutes, it would've given her enough time to escape this place.
However, she severely underestimated her opponent's resistance to such techniques.
"Why… You were affected by my technique…"
"Please. No level of Seduction Techniques can overpower my will…" Su Mu chuckled, leaning back against the several beautiful women behind him. "I only allowed you to enchant me because it brought back some memories…"
When Shan Qing Luo initiated her technique, Su Mu remembered the time she tried to seduce him in his original timeline, so he decided to play along with her for a while.
Even back then, her techniques failed, and it didn't seem like the results would be different now despite her cultivation being much higher than his.
"Allowed me to?"
"Yes..." Su Mu snapped his fingers and shattered Shan Qing Luo's technique, causing the situation to return to normal. "While such techniques don't affect me, it is a pleasant experience nonetheless…"
Their eyes met, and Shan Qing Luo felt a shiver run down her spine.
'I thought he came here because he was interested in me, but…'
She now understood that the man she tried to enchant wasn't like the countless fools who lost themselves after glancing at her beauty, from the Demon Lord to the other Six Evil Kings.
She could feel it, even though he was almost a decade younger than her… He was a predator who would devour her whole the moment she let her guard down.
"What's wrong?" Su Mu smiled at Shan Qing Luo, tilting his head towards the left. "Your face is pale…"
"N-Nothing…"
"No. It might be because of the backlash from your technique, so…" Su Mu moved towards Shan Qing Luo, gently caressing her cheek and bringing his face closer to her, and with a smile, he continued. "I'll show Elder Sister how to use a Seduction Technique properly…"
As his words finished, Shan Qing Luo's eyes became slightly dazed as a small moan escaped her mouth, and Su Mu pressed his lips against hers.
The Dao of Dual Cultivation and the Dao of Enchantment were closely linked, and even though he didn't use the latter much, his mastery of them was unparalleled.
The reason he didn't use it much was simple.
"Haah… Haah…"
Shan Qing Luo's breathing became heavy, and her face flushed red as Su Mu separated their lips before he pushed her down.
Whenever he used Seduction Techniques, it made everything too easy.
'They said women were poisonous, but I never thought I'd see it for myself…'
Although it was only for a moment, Shan Qing Luo's saliva managed to slightly lower Su Mu's senses, something that caught his attention.
'What's happening to me…'
Meanwhile, Shan Qing Luo was barely holding onto her sanity. As her body grew hotter, her breathing became hectic, and her large breasts heaved up and down roughly in his arms.
She knew she needed to straighten her mind, but she couldn't do anything as Su Mu pushed her down to the ground and pinned her hands above her head, with his other hand resting on her waist.
Su Mu brought his mouth near her ear and slowly whispered. "There's no need to resist. I won't hurt you…"
His voice sounded extremely enchanting to her ears, and coupled with the light breath she felt over her earlobe, it sent shivers down Shan Qing Luo's spine.
"Give your body to me; surrender to the pleasure…"
It sounded like the devil's whisper.
'No. If this continues, I'll lose my mind…'
The more she heard his voice, the harder it became for her to focus.
She knew it was a trap, but she couldn't resist.
"All you have to do is let go…"
Shan Qing Luo felt goosebumps all over her body, and it felt like she'd melt in Su Mu's arms as he brought his face right above hers.
Even though her vision was blurry, she could see Su Mu's face clearly, and looking at him made her wonder… Was this how everyone who saw her felt—being completely mesmerized and unable to look away?
"It's alright… You don't have to think so much about it. Let go of all your worries…"
Su Mu smiled at Shan Qing Luo, lowering his head and kissing her once again, which caused the last thoughts she had about resisting to vanish into thin air.
.
.
.
"Mmh~!"
Shan Qing Luo suppressed a loud moan, slowly opening her eyes. Her vision and mind were blurry, and she could barely think.
'That's right. I did it… with that bastard.'
She remembered everything that happened between her and Su Mu, which made her wonder what happened to him.
Considering the fate that Shan Qing Luo's Poisonous Widow Body had in store for her partner, Su Mu's end most likely wasn't good.
At least, that was what she thought until…
"Oh. You're awake…"
A small, mischievous chuckle came from above her, and Shan Qing Luo's eyes widened, only to find Su Mu sitting on a chair in front of her.
"Don't mind me…" Su Mu held back a laugh while looking down at her with a small smile, his eyes slowly descending to her body. "As you were…"
Shan Qing Luo then looked down at her body, only to realize that she was completely naked, her left hand massaging her breasts while her right hand went in between her legs, vigorously pleasuring herself.
"You've been pleasuring yourself for almost an hour. Why stop now?"
At those words, Shan Qing Luo's dizziness vanished almost instantly, and her face flushed bright red in embarrassment. She hurriedly covered her voluptuous breasts with her left hand and tightly shut her legs, glaring at Su Mu with tears in her eyes.
A Transcendent Realm Cultivator like her, one of the most feared existence in this small world, and someone the entirety of Ash Grey Cloud Evil Land admired… Pleasuring herself for almost an hour in front of someone else?
The mere thought made her want to dig a grave and bury herself in it.
"For an enchantress, you sure know how to act like an innocent maiden…"
Su Mu couldn't help but laugh out loud at her reaction, which made Shan Qing Luo even more embarrassed.
"Hey…" Su Mu rested his elbows above his knees and leaned forward, looking into Shan Qing Luo's eyes. "How about we make a deal?"
"What kind of deal…?"
"Your Special Physique grants you traces of Monster Race's bloodline, right?"
"How did you know?"
Shan Qing Luo's eyes widened. Not even the Demon Lord, someone whose cultivation surpassed the limits of this world, couldn't tell that.
"Here's my offer. I'll give you a Cultivation Technique that will not only purify your bloodline the more you cultivate it but also let you control the downsides of your Special Physique…"
The fact that he mentioned her Special Physique's downsides meant he knew a lot more about her than she imagined.
"And what do you want in return?"
She knew it wouldn't be anything good, but her heart dropped when Su Mu continued in a solemn voice. "Willingly let me place a brand on your soul…"
'Willingly, he said…'
Shan Qing Luo understood the meaning behind those words. Su Mu was more than capable of forcefully implanting a soul brand inside her Knowledge Sea if he wanted to.
"What if I denied that offer?"
"Then…" Su Mu stood up from his chair and unsheathed the sword hanging on his waist, placing the tip of its blade next to Shan Qing Luo's neck. "I'll have no choice but to behead you as someone loyal to the Demon Lord…"
She could tell from the look in his eyes. One wrong move and her head would go flying before she could even surge her True Qi to defend herself.
"I originally planned on offering a contract for you to cooperate with me against Yang Bai in exchange for letting you escape, but when you tried to seduce me, I changed my mind…"
Gulp!*
The blade moved closer to her neck, and Shan Qing Luo unknowingly gulped.
At this point, she had no choice but to submit.
However, there was something she couldn't bring herself to say after noticing the look in Su Mu's eyes—something only she knew.
Thanks to what happened earlier, her Poisonous Widow Body had marked the man in front of her, someone who was ready to behead her at a moment's notice, as her sole lifelong lover.
---
Words: 3639
I know I kinda fucked up the last two or three chapters, but I won't rewrite them and follow along with the story. Let's use them as a life lesson for Mc to put some effort into cultivation.
Right. He isn't nerfed. He can (and will) make up for the lack of foundation in the upcoming chapter.
Anyway, now I know what y'all want. Here we go again.
About this chapter: The last part is from Shan Qing Luo's POV, so don't take everything at face value.