I want to ravage you

The top floor of the Thousand Beauties Pavilion.

Led by the maid, Gu Chenfeng entered the west wing through a concealed side door.

He passed through a beaded curtain and entered the inner room.

A small solid-wood table and two meditation cushions stood in the room.

Su Wanyue sat upright on one of the cushions, dressed in snow-white robes with a light veil covering her face.

Holding a cup in her delicate hand, she stirred it with a tea whisk, raising a froth and preparing a fine cup of tea.

Only after she finished preparing the tea did her bright eyes, clear as an autumn pool, turn toward Gu Chenfeng.

"Young Master Gu, you're here."

Without waiting for her invitation, Gu Chenfeng casually sat down on the opposite cushion.

His gaze roamed brazenly over Su Wanyue.

Although a veil covered her face, her finely proportioned features and elegantly raised nose were still visible.

It was easy to see that this woman possessed a beauty that could topple kingdoms.

Even more remarkable was that, in an age without cosmetic procedures,

her seemingly slender figure was like a delicate branch bearing plump fruit, endowed with truly generous curves.

"Young Master Gu, do you intend to keep staring at me like that?"

Su Wanyue had initially sat there calmly, trying to ignore Gu Chenfeng's impertinent gaze.

But his eyes grew increasingly unrestrained.

He even began leaning forward, clicking his tongue in appreciation, until she could no longer bear it and spoke up.

At her words, Gu Chenfeng slapped his forehead.

"I almost forgot. This is a brothel.

"If you'd like to loosen your robes and let me appreciate you further, Lady Su, I certainly wouldn't object."

"Whew...!"

Su Wanyue drew a deep breath, suppressing the anger in her chest.

"Third Young Master, let's get straight to the point.

"You've taken my Lifebound Gu hostage and tracked me all the way here. What exactly do you want?"

"Want the truth?"

"Of course."

Gu Chenfeng's gaze grew even more scorching and intense.

"Actually, I want to capture you, ravage and torment you, and do whatever I please."

A cold glint flashed in Su Wanyue's eyes, and an invisible aura instantly enveloped Gu Chenfeng.

Gu Chenfeng grew alert, the hairs on his back standing on end.

The woman before him gave him an extremely dangerous feeling.

Her strength was unquestionably extraordinary.

Yet not a trace of fear appeared on Gu Chenfeng's face.

He picked up the exquisite teacup before him and gently rubbed its surface.

"Why haven't you attacked yet? Are your injuries too severe?

"Or do you know that even if you attack, you won't escape the Thousand Beauties Pavilion?"

At that moment, guards from the Gu Lineage were stationed around the Thousand Beauties Pavilion.

Several martial warriors even stood guard outside the room.

Every one of them was a martial warrior, and some had reached the Source Qi Realm.

Gu Chenfeng also cast a seemingly casual glance toward the pavilion's roof.

He could faintly sense a concealed fluctuation of aura there.

With his accompanying guards, the expert hidden in the shadows, and his own concealed cultivation,

as well as her Lifebound Gu in his grasp and her existing injuries, he had ample confidence to test her.

Sure enough, Su Wanyue's aura gradually dissipated.

She spoke first. "So you believe we sent people to assassinate you at the Great Wilderness Ridge that day?"

"Didn't you?"

Su Wanyue replied calmly, "Young Master Gu, we do come from the Northern Frontier, and we do practice gu arts.

"But the Northern Frontier is vast, with countless sects and innumerable practitioners of gu arts. Must we all belong to the same group?

"Besides, if we really had arranged the assassination, we would naturally have withdrawn the moment it failed.

"Why would we foolishly remain in the Imperial Capital, waiting for you to arrest us?"

Gu Chenfeng frowned slightly. He had already harbored some doubts about that.

"Perhaps you hoped to get lucky, or wanted to stake everything on another attempt against me."

Su Wanyue shook her head helplessly. "Young Master Gu, forgive my bluntness, but if we truly meant to harm you, we would have many ways to do it.

"At the very least, had I acted personally that day, you would never have survived.

"And if our sole purpose was to assassinate you, wouldn't bringing so many people into the Imperial Capital only make us easier to expose?"

This time, Gu Chenfeng did not deny it.

The points she raised were precisely the questions he had considered on his way here.

But he still replied impassively, "Two groups capable of gu arts appearing near the Imperial Capital at the same time is far too much of a coincidence.

"And you still haven't told me why you're hiding in the Imperial Capital."

Su Wanyue hesitated briefly before speaking.

"To be frank, we're hiding in your nation's Imperial Capital to carry out an important mission. We have no desire to grow new branches from an existing knot.

"When we received intelligence about your incident at the Great Wilderness Ridge, including signs of a Gu Master’s involvement, we were surprised as well and began investigating."

Gu Chenfeng's eyes flickered. "Oh... did you discover anything?"

Su Wanyue nodded.

"We did uncover some leads. We were already following the vine to its melon and were close to tracing the person behind it.

"But someone deliberately led your nation's officers to our hiding place, and others took advantage of the chaos to attack us.

"My subordinates were all killed, and a powerful expert attacked me as well. I suffered serious injuries, and even my Lifebound Gu went missing as a result."

Her tone darkened. "I suspect someone used this incident to frame us and turn us into enemies of the Gu Lineage."

Gu Chenfeng pondered for a long time before speaking.

"That makes some sense, but it's still only your side of the story."

"What will it take for you to believe me?"

"Find the true culprit behind my assassination and prove your innocence."

Su Wanyue's gaze turned icy.

"I don't need your reminder, Young Master Gu. I intend to do that regardless.

"After all, my companions cannot have died for nothing!"

Smack!

Gu Chenfeng clapped his hands.

"Since we share the same goal, we can cooperate for the time being."

"That was my intention as well!"

With enemies now turned allies, the coldness in her eyes gradually faded.

"Since we're partners now, Young Master Gu, could you return my Lifebound Gu..."

Gu Chenfeng cut her off.

"Miss Su, you should focus on recovering first. Until we find the real culprit, I'll take good care of this gu worm for you."

"Well..."

Su Wanyue hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.

"All right, then. Sorry for the trouble, Young Master Gu.

"To wish us a successful partnership, allow me to toast you with tea in place of wine."

As she spoke, she rose of her own accord and approached Gu Chenfeng with light, graceful steps, raising her cup in invitation.

Watching the beauty hold her cup, her lovely eyes shimmering,

and breathing in the enticing wisps of fragrance drifting from her body,

Gu Chenfeng's gaze wavered slightly. He casually lifted his teacup and touched it to hers.

Clink...!

The teacups met with a crisp sound.

Gu Chenfeng's wavering gaze became a haze of confusion, like a lake disturbed by ripples.

Su Wanyue's eyes flashed. She leaned her head close to Gu Chenfeng and whispered softly.

"Young Master Gu, please take pity on me and give back my Lifebound Gu. Won't you?"

Gu Chenfeng nodded blankly.

"Give it back... I'll give it back right now..."

Smack!

Before he finished speaking, a sharp, resounding slap rang through the room.

The smile of successful seduction on Su Wanyue's face vanished instantly beneath the burning pain that struck her buttocks.

"You...!"

Shocked and furious, Su Wanyue instinctively lashed out with her palm.

Crash!

The sound of a teacup striking the floor drowned out a pained hiss from between Gu Chenfeng's fingers.

Hiss!

In an instant, Su Wanyue's taut body reacted as though struck by lightning.

Her outstretched palm fell limply against Gu Chenfeng's chest.

He seized the opportunity to draw her soft, seemingly boneless body into his arms.

Though warm jade and sweet fragrance filled his embrace, Gu Chenfeng's expression remained cold, and his fingers continued tightening around the gu worm.

"It hurts... don't... don't squeeze!"

Her Lifebound Gu was linked to her blood, and Su Wanyue instantly felt a heart-piercing agony.

Her vision darkened, and she nearly fainted, an instinctive plea escaping her lips.

At the same time, the guards who had heard the teacup fall and were about to rush into the room,

and a dark figure that had leaped from the pavilion's roof to just outside the window, ready to burst through,

all stopped upon hearing that "moaning plea."

Strange expressions appeared on the guards' faces.

The dark figure outside the window also shook their head speechlessly.

Inside the room, Gu Chenfeng stared coldly at Su Wanyue in his arms and murmured menacingly.

"If you really want to cooperate with me, you'd better put away your little schemes.

"These pathetic hypnosis tricks don't work on me."

"I... I only wanted my Lifebound Gu back. I wasn't trying to harm you," Su Wanyue said weakly.

"If you had been, you would already be dead!"

Gu Chenfeng answered coldly, finally releasing her body and putting away the Lifebound Gu again.

Silence settled over the room, the atmosphere somewhat awkward.

Su Wanyue felt shocked, furious, and regretful.

She was shocked that Gu Chenfeng had managed to resist her hypnosis several times.

She was furious that he had pretended to be hypnotized and launched a sneak attack.

He actually hit me there, and even dared to hold me. How shameless!

Feeling the fiery sting coming from a certain part of her body, she guessed it was already swollen.

Had she known this would happen, she would never have tried to retrieve her Lifebound Gu. She had lost the lady and the troops besides.

Meanwhile, Gu Chenfeng maintained his cold exterior, but inwardly could not help savoring the sensations lingering on his chest and hand.

Good heavens, that feel, that bounce... it's going to be the death of me!

A moment later.

Gu Chenfeng said sternly, "Miss Su, there will be no next time!

"I hope we can cooperate properly. Once we find the real culprit, I'll return your Lifebound Gu."

With that, he turned to leave.

"Wait...!"

Su Wanyue stopped him.

"What else?"

"My current identity is that of a brothel courtesan, after all.

"You're the first guest admitted behind my curtain, Young Master Gu. We should exchange keepsakes," Su Wanyue reminded him.

As she spoke, she took an exquisitely crafted sachet from her waist.

Gu Chenfeng understood. This place was nothing like the modern world.

Exchanging keepsakes was the most common practice between men and women pursuing a relationship.

Since they were now working together, he would inevitably have to visit Su Wanyue again.

Having each other's keepsakes would not only make their visits easier, but also avoid arousing suspicion.

But aside from banknotes, Gu Chenfeng had brought nothing he could offer as a keepsake.

After a brief hesitation, he spoke.

"Miss Su, do you have a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone here?"

Su Wanyue nodded, then asked in some surprise.

"What do you need those for, Young Master Gu?"

"I came in a hurry and brought no keepsake to give you, so I'll compose a little poem as a gift instead."