Yu Nujiao thought of Mo Hua's pitch-black, deep, abyss-like eyes and felt a faint shiver in her heart. The fine hairs on her fair, jade-white skin trembled slightly. Caught between nervousness and excitement, she couldn't help wrapping herself in the blanket and rolling a few more times on the jade couch.
After rolling, she calmed down, lay quietly, and pondered her thoughts and schemes.
Before long, Yu Nujiao suddenly paused and sat up. She saw, standing by the bed, a plump, beautiful woman in red.
"Rui Niang, you're back." Yu Nujiao smiled.
This voluptuous beauty in red was Madam Rui.
Madam Rui looked at Yu Nujiao—delicate as a flower, clear as snow—and her expression was complicated and somewhat angry. "Who allowed you to play like that?"
Yu Nujiao said, "I wasn't playing."
Madam Rui gave her a slight glare. "Still talking back?"
Yu Nujiao giggled, stood up, wrapped her arms around Madam Rui's full waist, and rubbed her pretty little face against Madam Rui's soft, fair bosom, coquettishly: "Rui Niang..."
Madam Rui was furious, but seeing the charming way the girl begged, knowing full well it was an act, she couldn't get angry. She only said coldly: "Don't call me Rui Niang. You've grown up now. Not a single word I say do you listen to..."
Yu Nujiao said crisply, "I do listen!"
Madam Rui wished she could pull her ear. "You listen? Then how dare you provoke this Young Master Mo?" "He's a killing star, a fiend. You saw how he killed people at Dragon Pool back then. He's more monstrous than a monster, more evil than a demon. How could you dare..."
Yu Nujiao had indeed seen it. Even now, thinking about it made her tremble with excitement and obsession. She couldn't help speaking her heart's thoughts: "It's precisely by provoking a man like that that it's interesting."
Madam Rui choked with anger. "Then go provoke him yourself! Best to be shattered to pieces. I'll just pretend I never raised you as my Holy Maiden." With that, Madam Rui flicked her sleeve and turned to leave.
Yu Nujiao knew Madam Rui was genuinely angry, so she quickly grabbed her hand and coaxed her, pulling Madam Rui to sit beside her on the jade couch. "Rui Niang, I was wrong."
Madam Rui sneered. "You're the Holy Maiden. How could you be wrong?"
Yu Nujiao said sweetly, "Rui Niang, you said it yourself—Lian'er is the Holy Maiden of the Union Sect. Since she is the Holy Maiden, she naturally must seek benefits for the Union Sect."
Madam Rui was stunned. "What do you mean?"
Yu Nujiao's eyes shimmered. "Lian'er is thinking... of getting this Young Master Mo to join our Union Demon Sect."
The Flower Queen's boudoir could not be eavesdropped upon. Madam Rui had returned late and did not know what Yu Nujiao and Mo Hua had discussed. Hearing this, she was truly startled: "Girl, have you gone mad?"
Yu Nujiao said, "Why not? I've looked into it carefully..."
Wearing a thin gauze garment, she lay on the bed, her delicate white feet dangling and swinging over the edge:
"This Young Master Mo... is the pride of the Taixu Sect, the dual champion in Qian studies and formation dao, and the number one in Qian studies sword debate."
"Although for some reason he only has a low-grade core, in the demonic path, strength is what matters; we don't care about such things. Why can't our Union Sect win over a genius like Young Master Mo?"
"Moreover..." Yu Nujiao said with a smile, "this Young Master Mo is also so handsome."
Madam Rui thought of Mo Hua's appearance, and her heart trembled too.
But at the same time, what stirred her even more was Mo Hua's "heart as pure as ice," a nature unmoved by desire.
Madam Rui remembered very clearly: during the Dragon Pool incident back then, Mo Hua was only at peak Foundation Establishment, yet he could withstand her Crimson Pistil Desire-Refining Art's seduction and was completely unmoved by superior Union cultivation arts.
A gentleman like jade, a heart as pure as ice. This Young Master Mo might very well be an ultimate cauldron for refining love.
If that were truly so, then pulling him into the Union Dao became extremely necessary. Although the Love Sect within the Union Sect existed in name only these days, remnants of love-cultivation techniques still remained.
Even in the current situation, with the Union Sect sinking into desire, with this Young Master Mo's talent, once he entered the Union Dao, he would surely become an extraordinary figure in this path in the future.
And at the thought that this otherworldly Young Master Mo might practice Union cultivation arts and sink into lust— Not just Yu Nujiao, even Madam Rui's heart gave birth to a flicker of desire.
Seeing Madam Rui's expression, Yu Nujiao's eyes flashed with cunning, and she teased: "Rui Niang, you're not... moved too, are you?"
Madam Rui's face flushed, then she grew annoyed, pinched Yu Nujiao's waist, and gritted her teeth. "You little wretch, you dare make fun of me too."
Yu Nujiao laughed charmingly, her voice like silver bells.
After a while, when the two had finished their horseplay, Madam Rui pondered for a moment, then frowned. "It still won't do."
Yu Nujiao asked, "Why not?"
Madam Rui sighed. "This Young Master Mo has a blood feud with our demonic path. Don't forget—back then, Demon Dragon Mountain Lord, Ghost Child Hermit, and Silver Corpse Elder all died at this Young Master Mo's hands."
"These three were no small figures. They wielded great influence in the demonic path and had many disciples and followers. Sooner or later, these grudges will have to be settled."
Yu Nujiao laughed and said, "Rui Niang, you're confused. Demon Dragon Mountain Lord was the mountain lord of Ten Thousand Demon Mountain, Ghost Child Hermit was a hermit of Skeleton Cave, and Silver Corpse Elder was an elder of Yin Corpse Valley. What does that have to do with our Union Sect?"
Madam Rui was startled and felt there was some truth to it, but on reflection, she still shook her head, "Even so, if we pull Young Master Mo into the Union Sect, we might become a target for everyone and be coveted by other demonic sects."
Yu Nujiao said, "Even if we didn't win over Young Master Mo, wouldn't we still be coveted? What kindness is there between demonic sects? If the benefits aren't enough, they'll tear off all pretense anyway. If the benefits are enough, they'll forget old grudges."
Madam Rui frowned and thought for a while, feeling that what Lian'er said was not unreasonable. Since it was a demonic sect, doing everything by desire, why worry so much?
Madam Rui weighed Mo Hua in her heart for a while longer, then slowly formed an idea. She looked at Yu Nujiao and asked, "You already invited Young Master Mo earlier?"
Yu Nujiao nodded.
Madam Rui asked, "He didn't agree?"
Yu Nujiao said, "Of course not. How could he agree? Or rather, how could he agree so easily?"
Madam Rui said, "Then what do you plan to do next? What leverage do you have to make this Young Master Mo agree to join the Union Sect?"
Yu Nujiao bit her lip, looking thoughtful.
Madam Rui saw this, thought of something, and was alarmed. "Don't play with fire. Your body cannot be broken."
Yu Nujiao said helplessly, "Rui Niang, I know."
Madam Rui was relieved to see that Yu Nujiao truly understood. "I'm just afraid you'll play with fire and, if you slip, give your body away..."
Unexpectedly, Yu Nujiao said with an indifferent air, "If I lose it, I lose it. The yin essence I've nurtured for so long was never mine to begin with; sooner or later it has to be given to someone. Since that's the case, rather than letting it go to those rotten young masters of Kun Prefecture, those so-called high-born nobles of the other prefectures, or some old ancestor or great power in the demonic path, it might as well go to this Young Master Mo."
At least this Young Master Mo was clean, and it would be thrilling. Yu Nujiao thought to herself.
Hearing this, Madam Rui's face immediately turned white. She hurriedly reached out to cover Yu Nujiao's mouth and scolded softly: "Girl, do you want to die? Saying such reckless things!"
Yu Nujiao still giggled, her pretty face like a flower.
Madam Rui sighed helplessly. "Anyway, be careful yourself and protect your body. Otherwise, not only you, but I too will be blamed."
Yu Nujiao nodded. "Don't worry, Rui Niang. I understand."
Madam Rui was silent for a moment, then asked with some surprise, "You already have a plan, don't you?"
Yu Nujiao smiled but did not answer.
Madam Rui raised an eyebrow and sneered, "Fine. You've grown up and your mind is full of schemes. Since you won't tell me, I'll leave. If you stir up trouble, don't call me Rui Niang again."
Yu Nujiao hurriedly pulled Madam Rui back and said sweetly, "How could I hide anything from Rui Niang? It's just... it's not easy to say right now."
Madam Rui was confused. "What do you mean?"
Yu Nujiao thought it over. Since doing this matter could not be hidden from Rui Niang—a core elder with high status in the Union Sect—and she might even need Rui Niang's help, she said, "Rui Niang, this Young Master Mo has a treasure of our Union Sect on him."
Madam Rui was taken aback, then frowned. "So what?"
Over the years, the righteous and demonic paths had fought, and the demonic sects had also battled each other. Techniques and treasures were spoils of war.
It was hardly surprising that a Union Sect treasure had fallen into someone else's hands. Especially with someone like Young Master Mo—he could kill a few Union Sect elders and seize a few Union treasures easily.
Yu Nujiao, however, shook her head, her gaze hardening, and said in a low voice, "The treasure on him is different, because this Union treasure... was planted in his mind."
"Planted in his mind..." Madam Rui frowned at first, then something occurred to her, and her pupils slowly dilated, her face turning pale.
Any Union Sect treasure that could be planted in the mind was connected to a person's heart, spirit, desire, physical brain, and illusory sea of consciousness.
This was an ancient treasure, and very likely a lost ancient treasure of the Union Sect. And those who could plant such a Union ancient treasure in someone's mind were all ancient monsters with heaven-reaching cultivation. This ancient monster must have had profound mastery of the Union Dao of heart and desire.
Even the Union Sect's own ancestral masters might no longer be proficient in such means. They could plant it, but there was no guarantee of success. Very likely, before long, the person planted with the treasure would die when their sea of consciousness exploded.
Yet that Young Master Mo seemed to be living just fine. That was truly extraordinary.
Madam Rui's expression changed, and she hurriedly asked Yu Nujiao, "How do you know that a Union Sect treasure was planted in Young Master Mo's mind?"
Yu Nujiao smiled. "Sister Miao told me."
Madam Rui frowned. "Miao Niangzi?"
Yu Nujiao nodded.
Madam Rui's face turned cold. "Why did she tell you this?"
Yu Nujiao said, "I asked her about Young Master Mo, and she told me everything she knew. She didn't want to speak about the treasure at first, but I scared her with the Holy Maiden's title, and she spilled it all."
Madam Rui said coldly, "That little bitch Miao'er is no simple lamp either. She may not have told the truth."
Yu Nujiao nodded. "I know, so I personally probed this Young Master Mo myself."
Madam Rui frowned. "Probed?"
Yu Nujiao said, "Sister Miao only said that Young Master Mo might carry a supreme treasure of the Union Sect, and that the treasure's origin was significant. But even Sister Miao herself didn't know what the treasure was or where Young Master Mo had hidden it."
"I was curious, so during our meeting just now, I found the right moment and used my innate charm arts on Young Master Mo."
At this point, Yu Nujiao looked a little dejected. "Of course, most of it failed." This Young Master Mo really wasn't human.
But then Yu Nujiao smiled again. "But in the end, the charm arts did pry open a tiny crack in his mind. Although it was only for an instant, since I was close, I could sense that under the pull of the charm arts, Young Master Mo's mind was somewhat abnormal. Desire was eroding his psyche, so I roughly guessed that the Union supreme treasure was planted in his mind."
Madam Rui was stunned. Looking at Yu Nujiao, she was astonished and suddenly felt she was a stranger.
This girl she had watched grow up really seemed to have grown up. A girl changes greatly as she matures—besides being cunning, she had also become unfathomable.
Even a man that Madam Rui, a veteran of the Union Sect, didn't dare touch or approach, she actually dared to touch and probe. And she really did probe out some secrets.
She truly was a seed of the Holy Maiden of the Union Sect. And it wasn't just that.
Yu Nujiao's eyes grew brighter and brighter, as if she had thought of something. Her enchanting eyes were like threads, her cheeks flushed with excitement, "If it's really so, then it's easy to handle."
"Although I don't know what the supreme treasure is, or who planted it, but since the treasure came from the Union Sect, its usage methods must be hidden in some lineage of the Union Sect."
"If I can find the lineage methods of this supreme treasure, then it might be possible through these methods to regain control of this Union treasure. And since this Union treasure was planted in Young Master Mo's mind, that means I might be able to directly control this Young Master Mo—control his thoughts, his divine sense, and even his deepest desires."
At the thought that she could control this dangerous, handsome, heaven-like yet demon-like Young Master Mo—control his mind, control his reason, control his desires... Yu Nujiao bit her lip hard, her cheeks flushed, and her body began to tremble slightly.
Madam Rui's pupils also quaked; she was stunned speechless. This girl's boldness was really too great... so great that even Madam Rui, a Golden Core great demoness of the Union Sect, found it unexpected.
But what truly shocked Madam Rui was that Yu Lian'er's speculations might actually be true. At least according to ordinary logic, there was no problem.
If they truly could find this kind of ancient Union cultivation method and control the Union supreme treasure in Young Master Mo's mind, that would be equivalent to directly controlling this Young Master Mo.
Controlling this Taixu Sect pride, dual champion in formation dao, number one in sword debate, with unfathomable background, strength, and methods... Young Master Mo.
Controlling this unbelievable righteous-path fiend who, at early Golden Core, could face and slaughter three late-Golden Core or even peak great demonheads in a single exchange... even Madam Rui felt her breath quicken and her heart pound.
The two beauties of the Union Sect—one elder, one holy maiden—both blushed at the thought.
"Rui Niang, you have to help me." Yu Nujiao said softly, her eyes bright.
Madam Rui thought it over and found she couldn't refuse. The risk was enormous, but compared to the risk, the benefit was so tempting it was hard to refuse; it gave birth to an irresistible greed.
After all, it meant controlling Mo Hua.
Madam Rui took a deep breath and sighed, "Fine, I'll help you. But be careful yourself. Your opponent is that Young Master Mo. You have to be extremely cautious. Don't really slip and play with fire until you burn yourself."
When Yu Nujiao heard the words "play with fire and burn yourself," she only felt even more excited and thrilled. Her red lips parted slightly as she smiled, "Rui Niang, don't worry. I'm the Flower Queen, the Holy Maiden, protected by a Life-Bound Talisman. How could I possibly slip?"