Shameless

The Medicine Slave called Li Si regained consciousness only briefly. Soon he was mumbling like a sleepwalker, head bowed and body motionless.

The Gu Children only dared watch from a distance. They still didn't dare approach.

While they were still recalling how the Medicine Slave had looked like an octopus moments ago, two figures arrived, one behind the other.

"Fourth Senior Brother is here."

The Gu Children recognized the newcomers at a glance. The one in front was Liu Feng, followed by the Gu Servant who had gone to summon him.

Shen Yushu showed no hostility. In a calm voice, he said, "Fourth Junior Brother, take the Medicine Slave to the valley entrance with Third Junior Brother. I'm going to see Master. Once I'm back, I'll set out with you."

Liu Feng nodded. He hadn't expected them to set off immediately after the Medicine Slave woke.

Zhu Li stepped forward and handed him a dark, ink-black Gu worm. "This is a Nightmare Gu Larva. It can guide the Medicine Slave. Each of the three of us will carry one. This one's yours."

"The carriages are ready at the valley entrance. I'll explain the arrangements for this journey as we go."

Liu Feng took the Gu worm and casually tucked it into his robes before following Zhu Li.

They talked as they walked. Zhu Li's account was concise and clear, with hardly a wasted word.

As it turned out, this journey would be quite dangerous. Their opponents were a group of Daoist priests from the White Sun Sect.

The conflict seemed to have been started by Eldest Senior Brother Pang Gang, who had seized some important item and drawn the White Sun Sect priests' pursuit.

The last place the two sides had clashed was Shao Mountain, between Shuiliang County and Xishou County, in Danhe Prefecture.

The plan was clear: first, investigate the place on Shao Mountain where Eldest Senior Brother had last been seen. If they found no useful clues, they would seek out disciples of the Moon Refining Studio to divine his whereabouts.

Several dozen yards away, Leng Qiuyue and Li Xiang'er stood beneath a tree.

When Liu Feng passed by, Leng Qiuyue's little face flushed, as if she had remembered what happened in the Stone Chamber two days earlier.

She gazed at Liu Feng's face from afar, unconsciously straightening her clothes and smoothing the hair beside her ear.

"What are you doing? He isn't even looking this way, and he's already gone." Li Xiang'er knew perfectly well, but still teased her in a sarcastic tone.

Leng Qiuyue's expression hardened. "You may be lousy at cultivation, but you've sure got a sharp tongue. One day, your Gu worms will devour you."

"Every day, loads of Gu Children bring me Insect Medicine, and Gu Servants even teach me personally. The Gu worms I raise are bound to be more obedient than yours..."

As the two girls bickered, a Gu Child exclaimed excitedly, "Look! The Young Miss is coming. Is she going to join us on this trip, too?"

At the news that Lu Yao, the Insect Valley Young Miss, had appeared, all the male Gu Children hiding nearby swallowed almost instinctively, their throats bobbing as they gulped.

They had been in Insect Valley for nearly a month and had seen the Young Miss appear a few times.

Whenever Lu Yao showed up, her unrestrained, alluring manner always stirred these young men's desires.

With everyone's eyes upon her, a tall figure in a flower-embroidered long dress strolled toward Third Senior Brother and Fourth Senior Brother.

Unlike the girls who were still growing, the Young Miss was in her early twenties, and her graceful figure was beyond comparison.

Lu Yao was alluringly beautiful and made no effort to conceal her revealing clothes. As she walked, glimpses of fair skin showed here and there. Her eyes brimmed with smiles, and she was utterly bewitching.

"Third Senior Brother, Fourth Junior Brother, how about taking me along?" Before she had even reached them, Lu Yao made her intentions clear.

Hearing her, Zhu Li and Liu Feng, who had already reached the valley entrance, kept walking with the Medicine Slave, Li Si. They didn't want to get entangled with Young Miss Lu Yao.

"Wait! Do you think you can run away?" Lu Yao furrowed her delicate brows and strode after them with long, light steps.

Before they could leave the valley entrance, Zhu Li and Liu Feng were stopped by the Young Miss.

"We can't make that decision, Third Junior Brother Zhu Li said, shaking his head.

Liu Feng had meant to stay quiet and let Zhu Li handle it. After all, he had only just become the Fourth Disciple and barely knew Lu Yao.

But Lu Yao's gaze shifted, and she swayed closer with a smile. "Junior Brother Liu, I want to see what the White Sun Sect is capable of, too. You're so impressive—make the decision and take me along."

"My abilities are limited. I can't make that call, and if anything happens, I can't bear the blame." Liu Feng hurriedly waved his hands.

A smile appeared on Lu Yao's charming face. She came a step closer, caught the hem of Liu Feng's robe with her slender hand, and leaned her red lips to his ear to whisper.

Zhu Li didn't intervene. He was long accustomed to Lu Yao's behavior, leaving Liu Feng awkwardly on his own.

A Fourth Senior Brother and the Insect Valley Young Miss, acting so intimately together—it immediately set the distant Gu Children whispering among themselves.

"Shameless," Leng Qiuyue spat under her breath.

In her eyes, the Insect Valley Young Miss dressed indecently and behaved without the slightest regard for the difference between men and women. She was simply shameless.

Besides, Liu Feng was only sixteen, while the Young Miss was in her early twenties, several years older. She was practically teasing a young boy.

Li Xiang'er hurriedly warned her, "Do you want to die? I heard from a Gu Servant that the Young Miss only seems easygoing. In truth, she's incredibly ruthless."

The onlookers wore knowing smiles, all assuming the wanton Insect Valley Young Miss was whispering sweet nothings to Liu Feng.

Lu Yao leaned close to Liu Feng's ear, her breath sweet as an orchid. "I heard Father say you're the most impressive one in years. You were inside for less than half an incense stick, and you even acted alone."

Liu Feng's heart jolted at her words, and his body stiffened. He felt no joy at the praise.

He had deliberately tried to buy some time, but that girl surnamed Chen had noticed something amiss, leaving him no choice but to strike hard and early.

"Please don't make things difficult for me, Young Miss!" Liu Feng gave her a perfunctory reply and simply backed away several paces.

Lu Yao showed no sign of anger. The smile on her charming face grew wider, and her gaze toward the young man grew more interested.

"Fine, I won't make things difficult for you. Liu Feng, I'm giving you this on Father's behalf. When you return, remember to bring me something nice."

"Of course." Zhu Li cupped his hands.

"Certainly." Liu Feng took the wooden box Lu Yao handed him and managed a smile.

Watching Lu Yao's swaying figure disappear into the distance, Liu Feng's hand holding the wooden box turned cold, and his heart grew unbearably heavy.

He opened the box just a little and his pupils contracted. Inside lay an Insect Crystal, translucent and lustrous!

"Is she rewarding me on her own behalf, or on Lu Huai's?"

"If Lu Huai put her up to this, why would that old devil give me an Insect Crystal?" Liu Feng's thoughts raced as he considered what clues he might have left behind.

"What are you standing around for? Get in the carriage. We're going to settle accounts with those fiends from the White Sun Sect." Shen Yushu strode over.

Zhu Li's gaze was deep as he turned to Liu Feng, who stood there holding the wooden box. "Fourth Junior Brother, get in the carriage first."

Outside the Poisonous Miasma, the carriage and driver were all ready. The driver was a hunter from beyond the mountain.

"Gentlemen, please get in. Everything's been cleaned out inside. It's a long journey, so my grandson and I will drive you this time."

"Just call me Old Huang. This is my grandson, Little Fuzi. Don't you know to pay your respects to the four gentlemen..."

The three of them and the Medicine Slave entered the carriage.

The people in Insect Valley watched the carriage depart. The Poisonous Miasma at the valley entrance slowly closed, cutting off their view.