Chapter 21 : Awareness Against Deception

Chapter 21: Awareness Against Deception

Night spread across the sky, the river of stars hanging high above.

The room was filled with the soft, alluring scent of a woman.

The air was thick and clinging, as if it had truly taken shape, softly pressing against every part of the body, as though one had fallen into a tender land of women-filled beds.

What did a Yin Corpse feel like?

Fang Chang thought about it carefully.

From needing Fang Chang’s guidance at the start, to later completely taking the initiative.

Relying on the advantages of the dual cultivation technique Purple Scene Technique, Fang Chang had taken the lead in the earlier rounds.

But Zhao Yuntong was, after all, a cultivator who upheld unity.

Moreover, she was a rare woman with the golden trait 【Dual Cultivation Prodigy】.

No matter how skilled Fang Chang’s control was, he still lagged far behind in base attributes.

By the time the moon reached its zenith,

Zhao Yuntong had secretly learned the methods of the Purple Scene Technique and successfully reversed the overall situation.

And once someone from the Obsession Path became excited...

It could only be described as madness.

Fang Chang lost utterly.

He had escaped under the pretense of going to relieve himself.

In any case, he had used the opportunity to call her disgusting and forcibly confined her back into the coffin.

Hoo—

Escaping might be shameful, but it worked.

As for counter-extraction, Fang Chang needed to put in some effort.

After all, he was from the Corpse Refinement Path—what kind of situation was it for his own Yin Corpse to end up like this?

.

Golden Roc Inn had a rather nice viewing platform.

Fang Chang rested for a while and calculated the timing.

He had earlier squeezed himself a pot of orange-flavored fruit tea in the inn’s kitchen.

While squeezing it, he could not help but feel a bit sentimental.

He himself had just been “squeezed” too.

Walking along the corridor all the way to the end, turning a corner, the vast starry sky and gentle night breeze greeted him head-on, instantly dispersing the heat from his body.

Fang Chang sat down on a reclining chair by the railing.

With the wind blowing, fruit tea in hand, and the night view before him, he looked completely relaxed and carefree.

On the surface, he seemed to be resting and enjoying the scenery.

In reality, he was waiting for someone!

Facing the starry sky,

he opened the Corpse Refinement Path Class System.

【Bound Target: Cheng Hua (Second Realm · Spirit Preservation)】

【Soul-Linked Corpse Puppet: Zhao Yuntong】

【Currently Harvestable Feedback Cultivation: 12↑】

【Host Current Cultivation: 6/500 (First Realm · Qi Absorption)】

The feedback cultivation had risen from 3 points some time ago to 12 points now.

“Cheng Hua has started cultivating again, so the feedback cultivation jumped up quite a bit.”

Fang Chang smiled.

From his own perspective, Cheng Hua’s drop in realm had actually been a good thing.

At the very least, it made her advancement faster, which meant more feedback for him.

“The Purple Scene Technique is meant to balance Yin and Yang energy. Its dual cultivation effect is somewhat lacking—I practically drained myself, yet only gained 3 experience points.”

“In the end, Soul-Link only intercepts a small portion of the cultivation. The number of Yin Corpses needs to be increased.”

Fang Chang was still pondering.

Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly caught sight of a slender, graceful figure in white appearing not far from the viewing platform, holding a bag of nuts and looking at him with dissatisfaction.

The woman wore a red-and-white dress. Her chest was full and prominent, the skirt reaching her knees, and her snow-white, well-proportioned legs were wrapped in thin, cicada-wing-like ice silk.

Fang Chang smiled inwardly, thinking the timing was just right.

The one who came—

—Taiyi Talisman Palace, Lü Muxue.

This character had a distinctive trait.

As long as she appeared in a map or mission, and there was a starry night sky visible, she would hold snacks and appear on time at any structure within range where the stars could be seen.

Due to her quiet demeanor while stargazing at night, which contrasted sharply with her daytime willfulness,

this habit stemmed from her late mother.

Some players who liked this contrast would voluntarily record her stargazing appearances in various scenes and post them on forums.

She could be said to have built a small fanbase because of it.

“That is my spot.”

Lü Muxue’s voice was soft and tender.

Her well-pampered face always carried a healthy, faint flush, as if she had just woken up.

Her apricot-shaped eyes were lively and round, always holding a kind of justified brightness, as though she had never been wronged by life.

Fang Chang did not move. “Your name isn’t carved on the chair.”

Lü Muxue clearly had not expected to be questioned. Her brows lightly furrowed.

“I come here every day. That makes it my spot.”

Fang Chang fell silent.

The evening breeze lifted the corner of her skirt slightly. She did not leave, nor did she speak further—she simply stared at him.

After a moment,

Fang Chang put on an expression of defeat.

Shaking his head helplessly, he stood up and gave up the spot, placing the prepared orange fruit tea on the table beside it.

“Consider it an apology.”

After speaking, he no longer paid her any attention.

Putting on a dispirited expression, he walked to another reclining chair in the distance and sat down.

His whole body curled up, appearing lonely and weak.

This was not entirely an act.

Lü Muxue pursed her lips, watching his back.

She did not want it, yet found it hard to refuse.

Moreover, the refreshing scent of orange fruit tea lingered in the air, inexplicably reminding her of moments stargazing with her mother in the past.

Back then, her mother loved to admire the night scenery while sipping tea.

But she had been young and disliked the taste of tea, so her mother would personally make orange fruit tea for her...

“......”

She could not resist and used a talisman to check the fruit tea.

After confirming it was normal,

she poured herself a cup and took a light sip.

At once, a mist of longing drifted through Lü Muxue’s eyes.

.

Fang Chang did not keep up the act for long.

He soon heard approaching footsteps.

Looking up, as expected, Lü Muxue was standing quietly before him, tossing a bag of nuts onto him.

“Consider it a return gift.”

“You are too kind, Fairy.”

“Which sect are you from?”

“I am a cultivator without sect or affiliation.”

Lü Muxue’s brows slightly knit. “This year’s True Cultivator Assembly won’t be easy to get involved in. I advise you to leave early.”

Fang Chang looked puzzled. “I would like to hear the details.”

“Pure Yang Path’s Luo Yi has colluded with a skinner from the Skin-Peeling Path, killing eighteen cultivators in succession—you know about this, right?”

“I do.”

“In truth, that skinner was seriously injured during the process. At this True Cultivator Assembly, people from Medicine Master Manor have put up a Six-Turn Glaze Pill as a prize, said to be left behind after a Sixth Realm expert failed to break through. Luo Han will likely go for it because of this.”

“I see. Thank you for the reminder, Fairy.”

After saying that, Lü Muxue still did not leave.

The night breeze was slightly cool.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

And this young lady opened the conversation again.

“That fruit tea—where did you buy it?”

“It wasn’t bought. I made it myself.”

“Oh... do you have a recipe? I can pay—you can name your price.”

“It was made casually. There is no recipe.”

Lü Muxue lowered her head, her delicate brows tinged with loneliness, saying nothing.

Fang Chang paused. “If you don’t mind, you can come here again tomorrow night. I will make another pot and sort out the proportions along the way.”

Lü Muxue’s eyes lit up.