Chapter 90: Gu Maiden (3)

Sanar’s body tensed slightly. From afar, he hadn’t noticed anything amiss, but as they drew closer, his nose caught a peculiar fragrance reminiscent of one typically found on women…

Lowering his gaze, Sanar’s eyelashes fluttered involuntarily. He unconsciously tightened his grip on the sword hilt, his entire body stiffening.

By avoiding eye contact, he could prevent himself from seeing her excessively alluring face. However, even with his eyes downcast, Sanar couldn’t help but notice the delicate and graceful feet peeking out beneath her flowing robes.

Her ankles were remarkably slender; with each subtle movement, the silver anklet chimed melodiously. Her tender, ivory-like feet were exquisitely beautiful, with nails seemingly as delicate as flower petals…

Realizing what he was thinking, Sanar hastily diverted his gaze and got straight to the point. “Regardless of whether you’re who I suspect, I will escort you. But if you truly are the priestess, I must ask—how did the Holy Cult meet its demise? How could Xie Xuefeng alone bring about its destruction?”

Sanar lifted his eyes again, his hand clamping onto her pulse like a hawk’s talon. “And… how did a priestess, devoid of any inner strength, survive Xie Xuefeng’s massacre? Why… didn’t he kill you?”

Hearing Sanar’s question, Tong Ling became certain that this young swordsman had deep ties with the Holy Cult. Despite having her pulse held, she showed no sign of panic and instead stepped closer to Sanar.

“Did you know, grabbing any woman at random can be quite dangerous?”

A sudden sense of impending peril made Sanar want to swiftly escape from this woman, but it was too late. He found himself frozen on the spot, unable to move a muscle.

He watched as the woman leisurely brushed his hand aside and wrapped her arm around his neck.

Sanar expected her to retaliate by choking him, yet unexpectedly…

Her alluring body pressed against him, filling his senses with her fragrance. Sanar heard her softly laugh, then…

His eyes widened incredulously, struggling to comprehend the gentle sensation on his lips.

This woman! What is she doing?!

He felt his heartbeat accelerate uncontrollably, especially when her tongue gently parted his lips. A thunderous rush echoed in his head, leaving him dazed and completely forgetting his original purpose.

His cheeks began to flush, feeling as if scorched by sunlight, and his entire body experienced a peculiar warmth. Tong Ling glanced sidelong at him with a hint of amusement in her gaze. Embarrassed under her mocking look, Sanar closed his eyes tightly, wishing he could faint on the spot.

“Such a little bunny.” Tong Ling extended a finger, gently playing with Sanar’s long silvery-white lashes, causing his body to shudder again.

A Gu woman should not be touched casually. With so many gu on Tong Ling, it was audacious for Sanar to dare touch her wrist. Naturally, she wouldn’t pass up such an opportunity, especially considering Sanar’s striking appearance.

Once the secondary gu entered Sanar’s body, he could no longer resist her touch. The secondary gu constantly seeks its counterpart, making any contact from her immensely pleasurable—so much so that his body readily responded…

Observing the young man’s mortified expression, Tong Ling smiled and asked, “How do you think I escaped Xie Xuefeng’s massacre?”

Sanar’s heart jolted. Could it be that the priestess had resorted to similar tactics to save herself from Xie Xuefeng?! A strange surge of anger welled within him, and he bitterly exclaimed, “Did Xie Xuefeng touch you?”

Realizing what he had blurted out, Sanar hastily closed his mouth. He felt utterly inappropriate, almost as if he were jealous of Xie Xuefeng!

“I had no choice; to survive, I had to do this.” Tong Ling stepped away from Sanar’s embrace, her lips curving slightly. “As it turns out, my method worked quite well.”

Only after Tong Ling moved back did Sanar gradually regain control over his body. He swiftly drew the curved blade at his waist but dared not point it at her. “What have you done to me? Did you…cast some sort of spell?”

Sanar now confirmed that the person before him was indeed the Holy Cult’s priestess. It was rumored that all the spells used by the Holy Cult were refined by the priestess herself. His lack of caution around her proved to be a grave oversight.

“Yes, why don’t you guess which spell I cast on you?” Tong Ling lightly tapped her lips with a finger. “If you’re correct, there might even be a reward.”

Involuntarily, Sanar’s gaze fell upon the woman’s vibrant red lips, recalling their delightful sensation. His eyes darkened, and he unconsciously swallowed. “What kind of spell made me unable to resist? Was it the Enslavement Gu?”

The Holy Cult’s most renowned gu was the Enslavement Gu. Could this woman have used it to immobilize him and make him react…in such a manner towards her? Was that why he experienced those unusual feelings?

“Wrong,” Tong Ling giggled. “It’s the Lust Gu.”

m577 exclaimed with surprise: [Just like that, you revealed it? Shouldn’t…shouldn’t this be kept secret?]

Tong Ling responded earnestly, “I never deceive others’ emotions.”

m577 rolled its eyes, […I don’t believe your lies.]

Sanar was stunned by Tong Ling’s revelation. “Lust Gu? H-how is that possible!”

Everyone knew how rare the Lust Gu was. It required the Gu shaman’s heartblood to create, allowing them to craft only one such gu in their lifetime. Such precious Lust Gus were typically reserved for their sole beloved…

Why would she use the Lust Gu on him?

Sanar couldn’t comprehend the priestess’s actions. Could it be that the priestess actually liked him? The thought made Sanar involuntarily feel elated.

Wait, why should he be happy?! Did he truly fall victim to the Lust Gu? His mind became a tangled mess, so much so that he didn’t even notice when the priestess approached him closely.

His body showed no resistance to her proximity, as if fully accepting her presence—and…

Sanar instinctively moved closer to the priestess, even feeling an intense urge to embrace her. This behavior was utterly abnormal for him!

If he truly had been afflicted by Lust Gu, what should he do?

There is no cure for Lust Gu; it can only be lifted with the death of the caster. However, just contemplating this woman’s demise caused Sanar immense heartache, making him wish he could follow her in death.

Oh no, it seemed he genuinely felt something for her…

“May I take a look at your blade?” Tong Ling asked.

Sanar cherished his sword deeply and never allowed anyone else to touch it.

“Certainly.” Sanar sheathed the blade before handing it to the priestess, careful to prevent its sharp edge from harming her delicate hands.

Tong Ling accepted the heavy curved sword, cautiously drawing it out. She was immediately struck by its striking appearance.

Initially, she thought the blade’s red hue was vibrant, but upon closer inspection, it resembled flowing blood. Even someone like her, with no martial training, could sense the menacing aura emanating from the weapon, sending chills down her spine.

This curved blade was no ordinary weapon.

The owner of such a sword must also be far from insignificant.

Sanar’s gaze remained fixed on the priestess, unable to tear his eyes away from her face. She was incredibly beautiful; it made sense why everyone called her Asharia. He couldn’t help but think that even if the true goddess Asharia appeared before him, she wouldn’t surpass this woman’s beauty.

“Why do you care so much about the Holy Cult?” Tong Ling asked. “What connection do you have with them?”

Sanar didn’t want to answer; it was personal, and he would never reveal his private matters to anyone! Yet, hesitantly, he replied, “The leader of the Holy Cult… is my father. Although he wasn’t a suitable parent, the Holy Cult has provided significant aid to our village. No one wants to see the Holy Cult disappear…”

Cursing inwardly, how did he reveal all that?! Sanar felt the urge to flee again, but found his feet rooted to the spot.

Tong Ling searched her memories for the demon cult leader’s appearance and compared it with Sanar, noticing a striking resemblance indeed. However, Sanar was undeniably more refined and handsome, with his white hair and red eyes adding a unique touch.

Did such a character exist in the original plot?

Unable to bear Tong Ling’s confusion, m577 provided a hint: [The demon sect leader’s surname is Meng.]

Tong Ling let out an “ah” and asked Sanar, “Are you Meng Chi?”

Among the various individuals who later pursued the female supporting character, there was a young swordsman named Meng Chi known for his exceptional blade techniques, causing her significant trouble.

So…Meng Chi was actually Sanar? His pursuit of her must have been driven by a desire for revenge on behalf of the Holy Cult, as it could be argued that Xi Ling had contributed to its downfall. It was rumored that even Xie Xuefeng suffered setbacks at Meng Chi’s hands, but with Xie Xuefeng’s multitude of tricks, he ultimately became the leader of the martial world, making it increasingly difficult for Meng Chi to challenge him.

It seems I’ve targeted the right person with this Lust Gu, Tong Ling thought, her smile widening slightly as she looked at Sanar.

Under the priestess’s gaze, Sanar felt a tingling sensation down to his bones. He cleared his throat softly, “How do you know that name? Did my oji tell you before passing away?”

Tong Ling maintained her composure, responding, “Yes, your oji entrusted you to me just before his death, instructing us to revive the Holy Cult together!”

m577: [What happened to not deceiving each other?]

Tong Ling countered, “And what about agreeing not to doubt my words?”

“I will be the next leader of the Holy Cult.” Tong Ling raised her hand and patted Sanar’s shoulder. “And you shall become its Left Protector.”

Sanar felt a tingling sensation where the priestess touched his shoulder. It seemed that even his father had entrusted him to her; no wonder she cast the Lust Gu on him… Was this akin to sealing their lifelong commitment?

At this thought, Sanar’s heart fluttered once more.

“Should I call you Meng Chi or Sanar?” Tong Ling blinked playfully. “After we reach the Central Plains, you’ll need to use the name Meng Chi, won’t you?”

“Just call me Sanar,” Sanar replied with a smile, momentarily abandoning his usual stoic demeanor. “Ah Mu gave me this name, and she said it means ‘sun’ in her tribe’s language.”

“It appears your Ah Mu deeply wished for you to experience sunlight,” Tong Ling said gently. “She loved you very much.”

A warmth spread through Sanar’s chest, and when he looked at the priestess again, his red eyes softened with affection. “Yes, she loved me dearly.”

“You…” Unconsciously, Sanar’s initial resistance towards the priestess had completely vanished. “And you learned about my inability to withstand sunlight from my Oji as well?”

“Yes, since your father entrusted you to me, he felt obliged to disclose such crucial information,” Tong Ling replied.

“W-What is your name?” Sanar now wanted to know more about the priestess. “Outside, they only refer to you as the Holy Cult’s Priestess. I didn’t know your actual name…”

“My name is Xi Ling.” Tong Ling returned the curved blade to him. “It’s time for you to escort me to the Central Plains.”

“Xi Ling…” Sanar repeated her name several times, finding it truly melodious!

“Don’t you want your sword back?” Tong Ling pressed the scabbard against the youth’s waist.

“Ugh.” Sanar let out a muffled groan; his physical arousal hadn’t subsided, and Xi Ling’s gesture left him feeling even more unsettled…

Sanar swiftly took the curved blade and secured it at his waist, whispering softly, “In the future, please don’t…touch me like that.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t happen again.” Tong Ling casually handed her luggage to Sanar as well.

Tong Ling wasn’t concerned; while she might refrain from touching him henceforth, it would ultimately be Sanar who suffers the discomfort. She remained patient.