Chapter 98: Gu Maiden (11)

“Shameless!” Xie Xuefeng’s lips trembled. “Utterly shameless!”

He could hardly believe that Xiling, once as pure as untouched snow and deeply devoted to him, would utter such disgraceful words.

“Look at yourself,” Tong Ling cooed, “rejecting such a charming and captivating wife is truly a waste of this auspicious moment.” She gently removed Meng Lianzhou’s phoenix crown with her own hands, stroking Meng Lianzhou’s hair tenderly. “Since you can’t fulfill your duty, I’ll step in for our wedding night. This way, Miss Meng won’t be neglected.”

Meng Lianzhou obediently bowed her head and sweetly called out, “My husband, tonight I shall serve you well before bed!”

“With a wife like this, what more could a man desire?” Tong Ling was immensely pleased by Meng Lianzhou’s understanding and cooperation.

Xie Xuefeng, consumed with rage, couldn’t even speak, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

As if not satisfied with the provocation, Tong Ling stood up and said, “Madam, help undress your husband.”

“Yes, my lord.” Meng Lianzhou reached for the ties on her silk skirt, gracefully removing Tong Ling’s garments with poise.

Seeing the woman’s fair skin about to be exposed, Meng Lianzhou hastily placed her red veil over Xuefeng’s head, saying, “Nearly allowed some unknown voyeur to glimpse your body, my fault indeed.”

“Adulterous scum! You filthy—”

Before Xie Xuefeng could finish his curse, his mute acupoint was struck, rendering him speechless. He vigorously struggled, trying to break free from the bedposts.

He must kill these despicable lovers! Absolutely, he had to slay them both!

“Now there won’t be any barking,” Meng Lianzhou’s lips curled slightly, but overwhelmed by excitement, he couldn’t suppress another bout of coughs, causing his body to sway twice.

Tong Ling steadied Meng Lianzhou and teased, “With such delicate health, Madam, can you truly serve your husband well?”

Meng Lianzhou effortlessly lifted Xiling into his arms, smiling, “This is my first time; I humbly plead for my lord’s gentleness.”

Xie Xuefeng’s eyes nearly bulged with fury. How dare this pair of shameless wretches commit such indecency in his bridal chamber, right beside him!

His entire body felt like it would burst from the excruciating pain, as if his head might split open at any moment.

Shameless, shameless, utterly shameless… Xie Xuefeng cursed relentlessly in his mind.

The woman’s intoxicating scent filled the room, her sweet voice echoing in his ears. Xie Xuefeng closed his eyes, consumed by anger, wishing desperately to block out all sound around him!

As the man’s voice rang out, Xie Xuefeng gritted his teeth and began violently slamming himself against the bedpost behind him.

However, amidst the commotion, no one took notice of his struggles.

Xie Xuefeng dared not relax his vigilance for a moment, fearing that if he lost focus, he would swiftly become the slave of that demoness Xiling.

In this relentless struggle, Xie Xuefeng endured until dawn arrived.

M577 closely monitored the male lead’s condition, astonished by his unwavering determination: [I-Impressive! Is this the power of fury? Despite being pushed to the brink, he held firm—what extraordinary control!]

M577 couldn’t help but recall a phrase: [Minotaurs never surrender!]

“Pfft, ha-ha.” Tong Ling, initially intending to lie down longer, burst into laughter at the system’s comment, feeling instantly invigorated.

“What is it?” Meng Lianzhou embraced Xiling, tenderly kissing her rosy lips with affectionate eyes. “Something so delightful?”

Tong Ling wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes, her gaze sparkling with amusement. “I just remembered a joke; I couldn’t resist laughing.”

Meng Lianzhou smiled as well. “I thought your joy was because of me. Seeing you laugh brings happiness even to me now; I never imagined my life could be this joyful!”

After years of torment from his illness, Meng Lianzhou seemed to truly come alive only now. Gazing at the woman beside him, he said, “Ling-er, though uncertain about my lifespan, for you, I will endure and live on!”

These were the most heartfelt words of affection Meng Lianzhou could muster.

However, Tong Ling had little interest in such sentimentality. She gently nudged Meng Lianzhou, signaling that it was time for him to rise.

“Fetch water; I wish to bathe,” Tong Ling requested.

Meng Lianzhou promptly got up, eager to attend to his “husband’s” needs without delay.

Since this was Xie Xuefeng’s wedding night, no one from the Xie family dared to disturb them.

Once they both refreshed themselves, Tong Ling suddenly remembered she hadn’t yet checked on the male lead. She approached Xie Xuefeng and lifted his veil, feigning surprise as soon as she saw his state. “Aiya, what happened to you, Xie Lang?”

Xie Xuefeng appeared disheveled, with messy hair, bloodshot eyes, tear-stained cheeks, lips bitten raw until bleeding, his face pale, and breaths shallow—looking as if he had endured unimaginable torment. Gone was the spirited demeanor he’d displayed during the wedding ceremony earlier.

Xie Xuefeng deeply despised this demoness, but he lacked any strength to retaliate. He barely managed to lift his head and open his mouth before collapsing back helplessly.

“Oh dear, how forgetful of me—I forgot Xie Lang can’t speak right now.” Smiling brightly, Tong Ling called out to Meng Lianzhou, “Madam, please hurry and release Xie Lang’s acupoints.”

Meng Lianzhou plucked a pearl from the phoenix crown and tossed it at Xie Xuefeng with precise control, careful not to truly harm him.

Xie Xuefeng coughed sharply twice before speaking, his voice raspy and strained, “Shameless…”

“Such unpleasant words from Xie Lang; no wonder even Madam couldn’t bear to be with you,” Tong Ling’s face turned cold as she scolded him. “You useless man, have you no sense to step down yourself? Spare Madam the tarnish on her reputation!”

Xie Xuefeng trembled all over, waves of excruciating pain pulsing through his head. He knew this agony was due to the enchantress’s command; until he complied, the torment would never cease.

“You must understand, Madam left precisely because of your inadequacy. How dare you, Xie Xuefeng, presume to marry the world’s most beautiful woman?” Tong Ling continued relentlessly.

The tension that had been building within Xie Xuefeng throughout the night finally snapped.

His eyes lost their clarity entirely as he slowly turned towards the purple-clad woman before him. “Yes, I am inadequate. I do not deserve to wed Miss Meng…”

Tong Ling nodded approvingly. “Good. Clean yourself up properly. Once presentable, go to the Meng family to seek forgiveness.” She then instructed Meng Lianzhou, “Lianzhou, untie him.”

Meng Lianzhou scrutinized Xie Xuefeng from head to toe and sighed, “I now understand just how miserable it must be to offend your man.”

“Lianzhou, are you sympathizing with him?” Tong Ling raised her eyebrows slightly.

Meng Lianzhou burst out laughing. “No, I think you’ve done brilliantly!”

“Xie Xuefeng was once your lover,” Meng Lianzhou lowered her gaze, concealing the ferocity in her eyes. “My only fear is that you might not have been ruthless enough. If you show him any mercy, it would only bring me more suffering.”

Stepping closer to Xie Xuefeng, Meng Lianzhou prepared to untie the belt binding his hands. However, as she approached, the unconscious Xie Xuefeng reflexively retched, spewing a mouthful of blood and acidic fluid.

“Ew…” Meng Lianzhou swiftly jumped aside, expressing disgust, “This Xuezhu-gongzi has no manners whatsoever.”

Tong Ling shook her head helplessly, “It seems you’ve left too deep a psychological scar on him.”

With a petulant glance at Tong Ling, Meng Lianzhou huffed, “If even my beauty can’t impress him, then clearly he lacks taste.”

“Yes, yes, indeed,” Tong Ling soothed her, smiling. “Now hurry up and untie him; watching him hang there, filthy like this, is tarnishing our bridal chamber.”

This time, Meng Lianzhou didn’t approach Xie Xuefeng directly; instead, he plucked a jeweled ornament from the phoenix crown and used it to cut through Xie Xuefeng’s bindings.

Tong Ling had never seen such resourcefulness on impulse. “You’re ruining that phoenix crown.”

Meng Lianzhou leaned close to Xiling, softly saying, “What does his phoenix crown matter? If you like, I’ll provide you with the most exquisite one!”

Tong Ling glanced sidelong at the agitated youth and declined, “No need, keep it for yourself.”

“I can prepare one in advance,” Meng Lianzhou persisted, “whenever you’re ready, it will be yours.” He understood that Xiling’s refusal meant she wasn’t interested in marrying him, and their night together was merely that—a single encounter. However, this did not deter Meng Lianzhou from planning for their future.

While they chatted casually, Xie Xuefeng obediently fetched water, washed his face, changed out of the wedding attire, and groomed himself into a dapper gentleman. Then, turning to Tong Ling, he said, “I’ll now go to the Meng residence to offer my apologies.”

Tong Ling observed Xie Xuefeng; although disheveled, his underlying elegance remained intact, making his appearance still presentable. With a wave of her hand, she allowed him to leave.

“You may return to the Meng family now,” Tong Ling said to Meng Lianzhou. By making Xie Xuefeng take full responsibility, she hoped at least to grant Meng Qing some freedom.

From the start, Meng Lianzhou had no intention of going back. “I want to stay with you.”

“I don’t require your assistance here for the moment,” Tong Ling replied mildly. “Besides, even if you wish to follow me, you must first go and restore Qing-er’s true identity.”

Meng Lianzhou fell silent, feeling as though he were being discarded once his use was exhausted—surely not just his imagination.

Tong Ling picked up her veil and pushed open the window, gazing outside.

As expected, Sanar, whom she had dismissed earlier, hadn’t actually left. He lay on the roof of the neighboring courtyard, staring at the sky. Hearing the window creak open, he swiftly leaped over and knelt before it, saying, “Xiling…”

“Didn’t I tell you to go back? Are you disobeying me?” Tong Ling asked, frowning.

Sanar shook his head. “I feared you might be in danger.” After a moment, he added, “I’m very obedient.”

Sighing, Tong Ling reached out, and Sanar instinctively lowered his head beneath her hand. She gently stroked the young sword wielder’s hair, then opened her arms and said, “All right, carry me back home.”

Sanar’s lips curved slightly as he gently lifted the priestess into his arms, paying no heed to the others in the room. With a swift leap, they departed from the scene.

Meng Lianzhou watched their retreating figures, his expression growing more somber. “I never thought a dog would have better chances with her…”

As Xie Xuefeng walked away from the Xie residence, servants and attendants along his path offered congratulations, but he ignored them all, heading resolutely towards the Meng estate.

Behind him, faint whispers could be heard:

“Xie-gongzi seems rather off today.”

“Why is he leaving alone on the first day of marriage instead of staying with Miss Meng?”

“Should we inform the master? Something about Gongzi appears strange…”

For a long while, Xie Xuefeng remained oblivious until a sharp rebuke jolted him back to reality amidst a throbbing headache.

“Xuefeng! Have you gone mad?” Xie Changyue slammed his hand on the table, causing the redwood surface to splinter loudly. “You…you!” Clearly incensed, Xie Changyue’s usually gentle face turned beet red, veins bulging on his forehead. “How dare you utter such disgraceful words!”

Xie Xuefeng pressed his hand to his forehead, struggling to force out words from his throat. “What’s wrong with me?”

“How dare you ask what’s wrong?” Xie Changyue panted heavily. “If you were incapable, why didn’t you tell me earlier instead of waiting until after the marriage was arranged and she’d already been brought home? By subjecting Miss Meng to such humiliation, we’ve not forged a bond between our families but sown seeds of enmity!”

By the time Xie Changyue received news, his so-called “good” son had already gone to the Meng family to “divorce” himself. If not for Xie Xuefeng’s shocking explanation—along with his willingness to endure punishment without retaliation—the Mengs might have retaliated on the spot.

Imagine marrying their lovely young daughter only to discover her husband was impotent; wasn’t this…wasn’t this utterly humiliating?!

At the thought of that “Miss Meng,” Xie Xuefeng felt another wave of disgust. “It wasn’t Meng Qing—it was a man! Father, this entire marriage has been a deception from start to finish!”

“Nonsense! What do you mean ‘a man’?!” Xie Changyue roared angrily. “How could parents fail to recognize their own daughter? The jianghu clearly saw it as a union between two families. Are you suggesting your bride is actually male? Has your mind become deranged?!”

Xie Xuefeng clenched his fists tightly. Yes, everyone believed he had married Meng Qing. Even though he knew it was actually a man masquerading as her, there was nothing he could say.

Whether deceived into marrying another man or witnessing that man and Xiling together in his room… He couldn’t reveal any of it.

These humiliations were ones Xie Xuefeng could only bear alone; if anyone found out, he would never be able to hold his head high again! Having endured such extraordinary disgrace, naturally, Xie Xuefeng sought revenge. But at present, what mattered most was…

“On me…” As Xie Xuefeng tried to explain about the gu on his body, a stabbing pain pierced through his head, like needles drilling into his skull. He realized this must have been Xiling’s enchantress work, forbidding him from disclosing the curse. Yet, despite the agony akin to living hell, Xie Xuefeng persisted—this was still Xie Xuefeng after all—and managed to speak, “I’ve been afflicted with Servant Gu. A demoness from the cult cursed me, setting a trap that ruined my marriage to Meng Qing. I—I am not impotent…”

The thought of his supposed impotence spreading throughout the jianghu turned Xie Xuefeng’s face ghastly, a sickening pallor overtaking him.

“Servant Gu?!” Xie Changyue had already noticed something amiss with his son’s condition—what man would publicly admit to such… So someone had actually bewitched his own son?!

“The demon cult… Didn’t you eradicate them all?” he hastily asked. “What happened with that enchantress?”

“That enchantress is named Xiling; it was my mistake for not killing her when I had the chance…” Xie Xuefeng deeply regretted his momentary soft-heartedness. How could he have fallen for the tricks of a demon cult member? That woman…

The mere thought of her incensed Xie Xuefeng, causing him to collapse, trembling uncontrollably.

Xie Changyue hurriedly supported his son and checked his pulse. Seeing that Xie Xuefeng bore fresh injuries, he swiftly summoned servants to bring a physician.

“Servant Gu…” Xie Changyue harbored deep hatred for poisons and gu curses. When the demon cult still thrived, these malevolent spells were a constant menace. He never imagined they would now afflict his own son!

Few individuals in the jianghu specialized in dispelling gu curses. Among them were the Medical Sage from Medicine King Valley, Buddhist Monk Chengming from Fanjing Temple, and the retired sect leader of Hua Jian Sect.

Meeting the sect leader of Hua Jian Sect was unlikely, while Medicine King Valley was far away, and inviting their sage would be no easy task. Thus, the only remaining option was…

Xie Changyue instructed the Xie family attendants to keep a close watch on Xie Xuefeng, ensuring he couldn’t leave at will. Fearful that the gu might compel further involuntary actions, he couldn’t risk another incident. Meanwhile, Xie Changyue himself employed lightness martial arts to hasten towards Fanjing Temple, determined to personally request Buddhist Monk Chengming’s assistance!