Lusting After My Body? / One Person Is All It Takes to Conquer the World ...

Xia Shang didn't believe it at all. "Impossible. I know some Chosen Ones can control minds, but there's absolutely no way anyone could evade my mental surveillance." Still unconvinced, she stepped forward to examine Zhang Mou. After confirming that Zhang Mou really had fainted from fright, she continued searching the area.

She was meticulous. The beautiful Xiangyi lying on the bed was nothing more than an empty prop to her. Xia Shang seemed to have no interest in Xiangyi whatsoever. Her own beauty, something she took pride in, seemed completely ineffective, making Xiangyi realize that winning Xia Shang over would be frighteningly difficult.

After a while, Zhang Mou finally woke up. She sat up in terror, shouting things like, "Blood!" Xia Shang stepped forward and touched Zhang Mou's forehead with her right hand. In just a moment, Zhang Mou calmed down.

"All right. Tell me everything that happened just now. Don't leave out a single detail," Xia Shang asked sternly. Zhang Mou's face turned a little red. "Every detail?"

Xia Shang confirmed again, "Yes, including everything you did in the room."

Even Zhang Mou became hesitant and evasive when discussing that.

"We just... took our clothes off... and then..."

Xia Shang, however, seemed very patient. Xiangyi couldn't help feeling that Xia Shang was doing this on purpose. She watched Xia Shang, trying to determine whether she was teasing them.

Zhang Mou kept speaking, her face now bright red. Though she was free to do as she pleased, she was embarrassed by the movements they'd made and didn't know what to do with herself. In the end, she could only look to Xiangyi.

Seeing how helpless Zhang Mou was, Xiangyi took over. "All right. Rather than explain it, it'll be easier if I show you."

With that, Xiangyi helped Zhang Mou over to the bed and reenacted everything that had just happened. Zhang Mou became even more flustered, but with Xia Shang watching, the two of them didn't interact intimately. They merely acted out what had happened.

"I was on top of Little Flower, and I was about to devour her. Then all of a sudden, flowers appeared everywhere around us. They were beautiful, but there were piles of corpses among them. I saw blood on my hands, and I was so terrified that I fainted." After Xiangyi acted it out, Zhang Mou found it much easier to explain.

Of course, her account was basically the same as Xiangyi's. Xia Shang listened, thinking for a few seconds, then asked, "Why do you both remember it so clearly? People can't have such complete memories when they're in a state of confusion."

Xiangyi was about to explain, but Zhang Mou had already managed a bitter smile.

"Professor Xia, have you ever seen hell?"

Xia Shang shook her head and adjusted her glasses. In her usual unhurried voice, she said, "I believe in science and magic, but I don't believe in any of this so-called cultivation and ascending to immortality."

Xia Shang worked as both a psychology professor and a scholar. The question concerned her field, so she answered with great formality.

Hearing that, Zhang Mou continued, "I haven't seen it either. But what I felt when I saw all that made me think I had. Maybe I can't describe it, but the chaos and despair weighed on me psychologically. I felt terrified and helpless. Then, when I happened to look to the side, I saw my husband's face."

Zhang Mou trembled in terror and confusion, but Xiangyi hadn't sensed anything unusual just now. She didn't know what exactly Huangquan had done, but that move had clearly had a devastating effect on Zhang Mou.

Xia Shang didn't look frightened at all. If anything, she seemed more interested and wanted Zhang Mou to recall even more details. Zhang Mou, meanwhile, grew more terrified as she sank into her memories. Her face grew paler and paler, and her breathing became labored.

Xiangyi began to realize something was wrong and wanted to stop Zhang Mou from continuing. Xia Shang had already walked over, slipping the glove onto her right hand. Her expression was solemn and meticulous. Every time she put on a glove, it was as if she were preparing for some kind of ritual.

"Mrs. Zhang, relax," Xia Shang said gently. With her glasses and refined, scholarly appearance, she had a deceptive air of elegance. Her approachable manner made people instinctively feel she must be easy to get along with. Her expression and movements were utterly natural, but there was still not a trace of unnecessary emotion in her eyes.

Xia Shang's character settings were those of a typical double high: high emotional intelligence and high intelligence. Her background was mysterious, and powerful forces were involved in it. She herself was the scheming, cold-blooded type. Even after just a few gestures, Xiangyi could feel her charm—and, even more strongly, a sense of wariness.

Someone like Xia Shang would undoubtedly be one of the hardest people for Xiangyi to win over in the future.

Just as Xiangyi was wondering how dangerous Xia Shang really was, Xia Shang's gaze abruptly swept over to her. The look made Xiangyi's heart skip, but she didn't look away.

"Carry her over to rest," Xia Shang ordered. Aside from touching Zhang Mou's head with her right hand earlier, she hadn't made any physical contact with her. Even now, Xia Shang seemed unwilling to touch her at all.

Xiangyi didn't know whether that was because of her ability or because Xia Shang had an extreme aversion to germs.

Xiangyi murmured in acknowledgment, then looked away and carefully carried Zhang Mou to the bed, covering her with the air-conditioning blanket. Zhang Mou's expression gradually relaxed in her sleep. Xiangyi took a deep breath, not daring to let her guard down.

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Are You After Her Body?

Only after Zhang Mou fell asleep did the real battle between Xia Shang and Xiangyi begin.

"Is Mrs. Zhang all right?"

"She's fine. The backlash from that illusion just caused her to suffer a second trauma."

Xia Shang answered meticulously, as if they were discussing an academic topic rather than someone's life. Xiangyi couldn't help looking into her eyes. Xia Shang met her gaze. One was as calm as ice; the other still seemed quite interested.

"Professor, you really live up to your title. You stayed calm through all that. I was almost scared to death just now." Xiangyi smiled, trying to change the subject by mentioning her own fear. But her fear hadn't come from Huangquan's illusion. It had come from Zhang Mou.

"But I couldn't tell that you were affected at all. Your mental strength is impressive, and you've improved a lot since I last saw you. I'm just curious: how did you improve so much in just a few days?" Xia Shang twirled her pen, trying to distract Xiangyi and make her let her guard down.

Xiangyi didn't even glance at the pen. She met Xia Shang's gaze again and said, "Professor Xia, I'm the victim here. Please don't question me like I'm a criminal."

Xia Shang stopped twirling her pen and naturally brought her knees together. She didn't seem to have any particular emotional reaction to Xiangyi's behavior. Only then did Xiangyi have time to notice what Xia Shang was wearing.

A simple shirt paired with a long skirt, with glasses to complete the look: she still had the air of a scholar. Her outfit was plain, but it suited her style very well. Xiangyi's gaze continued downward, until she noticed Xia Shang's shoes.

There was some soil on them, fresh enough that she must have stepped in it recently. Xia Shang had also gone upstairs a while ago, which made Xiangyi realize she'd been outside.

Perhaps she'd gone to look for clues nearby. Or maybe the atmosphere indoors had simply felt too stifling, and she'd stepped out for some air.

Xiangyi couldn't help smiling. She was nervous, so she could only smile. Xia Shang's appearance here wasn't a coincidence either. If they kept talking, Xiangyi might discover more.

"Had enough?"

After a few seconds of silence, Xia Shang finally spoke. She adjusted her glasses again and said, "I don't know what you're after, but if you don't want to spend the rest of your life in prison, you'd better behave."

Xiangyi immediately understood that Xia Shang hadn't found any evidence. She could only give her a warning.

"I've been behaving. Professor Xia is the one who should feel put out, showing up here in the middle of the night to investigate me." Xiangyi continued teasing her with a smile. Xia Shang stood up, seemingly too lazy to keep talking, and walked straight out of the room.

Xiangyi still didn't let her guard down. She looked at Zhang Mou, who was still asleep, closed the window, and turned up the air conditioner a little so she could sleep more comfortably.

But the room became stuffy, so Xiangyi wanted some fresh air. She went downstairs to walk around, only to discover that Xia Shang wasn't in the living room. The laptop on the table had disappeared too, and there wasn't a sound from the room. Xiangyi was surprised, but she didn't think Xia Shang would leave so easily.

When Xiangyi reached the entrance, she saw that the door had been propped open with a stone. She continued outside and, sure enough, spotted Xia Shang sitting in a tree, enjoying the breeze.

The breeze made Xia Shang's long skirt flutter. Sitting there, she gazed into the distance, as if watching something. The moonlight was perfect that night, as though it had been made just for her. Xia Shang looked like an elegant moon goddess.

Unfortunately, there was nothing friendly in the goddess's eyes. She noticed Xiangyi and asked, "Tell me, how powerful would someone have to be to kill with a leaf?"

Xia Shang's question made Xiangyi wary. She thought of how she'd plucked leaves earlier to scare Zhang Mou and Shuxuan. She'd been very careful, though. Even if she'd left any traces, they would probably only be on the tree.

In an instant, Xiangyi realized why Xia Shang was sitting in the tree. Seeing her remain silent, Xia Shang took a card case from her pocket and slowly pulled out a storage card. With a flick of her wrist, it turned into the laptop Xiangyi had seen earlier.

Xiangyi still said nothing. Xia Shang opened the laptop, and a simulated 3D image appeared at once.

In the image, a person dressed in black stood in the distance and threw a leaf toward the tree. The leaf should have been light and harmless, but it shot toward the tree like a gust of wind. The leaves went wild, creating the terrifying scene Zhang Mou had seen.

"Can a person really reach that level?" Xiangyi stared at the figure. Its height had been simulated too. Like a person's fingerprints, hair, and every other feature, it was unique. Given the person's position and the waves of power they'd released, modern technology could now analyze certain things in detail.

Height, weight—she watched as the virtual image was repeatedly adjusted and refined. All it needed was a face.

"Of course. In ancient times, Falling Leaves Plucking Flowers was a common skill. But in modern times, ancient civilization has been lost, and every technique has been simplified. Aside from grandmasters and above, no one should be able to pull off something like that."

Xia Shang began her analysis. Though she was a psychology professor, she seemed quite interested in cultivators too.

"So a grandmaster is trying to deal with Mrs. Zhang?" Xiangyi felt that Xia Shang was hinting that she was the grandmaster who'd used Falling Leaves Plucking Flowers. She couldn't keep pretending she didn't know.

"Perhaps they're after her beauty, her money, or her status." Xia Shang continued, then revealed the faintest smile. In the moonlight, it was especially captivating. Her beauty was already a perfect hundred, and now her charm seemed to keep pushing beyond its limits.

Xiangyi didn't look away. She smiled and said, "I didn't know Professor Xia had a sense of humor."

Xia Shang smiled, then jumped down from the tree and approached Xiangyi.

"If you're not after Mrs. Zhang's body, her money, or her beauty, what are you after?"

Xiangyi froze. She realized the previous question had been a trap. Her answer had told Xia Shang that she wasn't after Mrs. Zhang.

"Heh, heh, heh..." Xiangyi laughed, unable to hide her admiration for Xia Shang. Xia Shang really was the tool character she'd created: so clever that Xiangyi didn't know what to do.

The Fool Needs Only One Person to Rule the World

No matter what, if the other person took control of the conversation, Xiangyi would be at a disadvantage. She had to take the initiative, even if it meant talking nonsense and flirting.

With that in mind, Xiangyi took a step forward and looked at Xia Shang with interest.

"I like beautiful women." As she spoke, Xiangyi watched Xia Shang's expression, trying to make herself look like a wolf who lusted after beautiful women.

To make herself seem more intimidating, she moved closer to Xia Shang. She wanted to tease her, but Xia Shang didn't budge. Instead, she looked Xiangyi in the eyes and said, "Your eyes are too clear."

Xiangyi froze. She wanted to reach out, but she couldn't forget what kind of person Xia Shang was. If she went too far, she might end up dead before her time.

"Then what do you think I'm after?"

Xiangyi countered, standing close enough that their scents mingled, yet neither seemed to affect the other. Xia Shang made no move to look away. Xiangyi leaned closer, cautiously trying to kiss her.

Xia Shang didn't move at all. Her right hand, however, shot out with incredible speed. Xiangyi protected herself with true qi, but still staggered back several steps. Xia Shang looked at her hand and said, "Well, sorry. I acted in self-defense without thinking."

Xiangyi didn't mind. Their first encounter had gone terribly, and the second and third hadn't been much better. The identity of Hua Linglong clearly couldn't bring her any closer to Xia Shang.

But there was still some hope with Xiangyi's real identity. Of course, that was only if Xia Shang didn't find out that Hua Linglong and Xiangyi were the same person.

"It's fine. You're not my type anyway." Xiangyi's gaze swept downward. Xia Shang was extremely intelligent, and perhaps that was why her chest looked a little flat.

Though the attack on her body was barely effective, Xiangyi still felt a little better.

Xia Shang didn't answer. She collected the 3D image and headed straight for the warehouse. Xiangyi thought she moved far too naturally. She wanted to follow, but the door slammed shut right in her face.

Xiangyi stopped helplessly, then returned to the villa.

The downstairs was silent, with dim lights falling over everything. She didn't want to disturb Zhang Mou, who was still asleep. More importantly, she was afraid Zhang Mou would regret missing out in the morning and want to get some exercise first thing.

But Xiangyi couldn't go into the Flower God Ring to train either. With Xia Shang around, she didn't dare disappear for even the few short hours remaining. She turned on the TV and put on a random show to pass the time. The flower people suddenly appeared beside her.

"Were you really not disappearing on purpose just now?" Xiangyi was a little annoyed. She felt that the flower people were all addicted to electronic devices. Remembering that Hua Nu had deliberately stayed away when she'd kissed Zhang Mou, Xiangyi was furious.

"Of course not, Flower Master. We were welcoming the arrival of Golden Grass." Hua Nu smiled innocently and leaned against Xiangyi, using her body's assets to placate her.

Xiangyi got goosebumps and pulled her arm free. "Don't think I'll forgive you just because you're trying to seduce me. Hua Nu, if you want to watch this kind of stuff so badly, find yourself a partner and do it."

She gritted her teeth in frustration. Hua Nu gave an "Oh," then said, "I didn't realize the Flower Master saw me that way. Since Zhang Mou can't satisfy your needs, I'll just have to make a sacrifice..."

As she spoke, Hua Nu untied her red ribbon. Her black hair fell loose, complementing her stunning appearance. The beauty mark at the corner of her right eye was especially seductive. Yet there was still a playful glint in her eyes. She was clearly just making an excuse to tease Xiangyi.

"Enough. I'm serious. If you're that desperate, find yourself a partner... No, as you'd put it, find yourself a Dao companion."

Xiangyi moved away, grabbed the cushion from the sofa, and guarded against Hua Nu trying to seduce her again.

Hua Nu looked aggrieved and said, "Flower Master, have you forgotten? You activated the Flower God Ring, so you're our master. We can only belong to you."

Her expression was sorrowful, as though she hated her life now but had no choice but to accept it. Xiangyi froze and asked, "Can't you leave with Huangquan after she regains her strength, and let me enjoy the rest of my life in peace?"

Hua Nu burst into laughter. "Flower Master, you're hilarious. Do you know just how powerful the Flower God Ring is in the eyes of the Six Realms?"

Xiangyi was puzzled and waited for her to explain.

Hua Nu grew solemn. Her voice carried a hint of excitement as she said, "There's a saying: 'Obtain the Flower God Ring, and you can become the ruler of the Six Realms.'"

Xiangyi said, "Oh. I'm not interested in ruling the Six Realms." She waved her hand, and Hua Nu's voice grew more urgent. Her eyes burned with even greater fervor.

"The Flower God Ring contains not only Lady Huangquan, the most beautiful woman in the Six Realms, but also forty-eight flower people, big and small. With them, you'd have the greatest harem in the world. And if you were lucky enough to receive Lady Huangquan's guidance, you could become the greatest person in the Six Realms without lifting a finger. Beauty, power, and the wealth behind Lady Huangquan—who could resist such temptation? The Underworld King, even the Immortal Emperor—who could turn down the chance to rule the Six Realms?"

Xiangyi watched Hua Nu's animated speech, but she could only think of one thing.

"Hua Nu, you're standing too close."

She wasn't paying attention to Hua Nu's exaggerated talk of ruling the Six Realms. Hua Nu's looks and figure were simply too impressive, and while speaking excitedly, she'd crowded Xiangyi until there was nowhere left to escape. Xiangyi tried to keep her distance, worried Hua Nu might notice and stick a needle in her later.

But Hua Nu kept pushing. She seemed to love the tricks of the powerful, and her ambition was obvious.

Hearing Xiangyi's words, Hua Nu took a small step back and apologized without an ounce of sincerity. "Sorry, Flower Master. I overstepped." Even so, her eyes still burned with fervor, as if she couldn't pull herself away from her greedy fantasies.

"Anyway, once all forty-eight major flower people have been gathered and Huangquan regains her strength, what happens next will be up to you." Xiangyi returned to the topic. It wasn't that she wasn't tempted by those things. She simply knew that no matter how real and captivating this world seemed, it was all fake. Once this was over, she'd still have to return to her harsh reality.

"Flower Master... you..."

Hua Nu was upset and frustrated by Xiangyi's choice, but a moment later, she seemed to realize something and smiled again. "Still, the Flower Master had everything already, so of course you wouldn't care about any of this."

Hua Nu had mistaken Xiangyi for someone else again. Xiangyi couldn't be bothered to explain yet again that she had nothing to do with the powerful Ye family. She randomly pressed buttons on the remote and suddenly saw a program on TV.

It was a late-night show from Heaven City, broadcasting a world of glittering lights and revelry. The TV listed it as suitable only for viewers aged twenty and up. Xiangyi had thought it was an erotic film and had planned to watch it to pass the time.

But as she watched, she realized it was a documentary. Its subject was a Chosen One, and it recorded how he survived outside Heaven City. He ate the flesh of magical beasts and slaughtered them to obtain more resources.