Chapter 36: The Decadent Crucible and a Deadly Scheme

The apocalypse was a crucible, a hellish forge where all sins, all darkness, and all filth would erupt like a volcano. Shui Jingxuan had emerged from that world; even if he was once as pure as a blank sheet of paper, he had long since been stained a deep, heavy black.

He had experienced a period of decadent life, taking both men and women. At this moment, with his skin pressed against Ji Wushuang’s scorching body, and the musky scent of post-coital desire filling his nostrils, he couldn’t help but feel a stir of arousal.

“It felt wonderful!” Ji Wushuang grinned, then pointed to his lower abdomen, his voice husky with a hint of seduction. “However, it’s starting again now.”

Seeing a crimson glint flash in his eyes, Shui Jingxuan’s heart tightened as he followed Ji Wushuang’s finger.

“Master, are you feeling much better now?” Catching his breath, Shui Jingxuan pulled away from Ji Wushuang’s embrace, his clothes disheveled and his face flushed as he softly asked.

The instant his beloved disciple left his arms, a cold, empty sensation enveloped Ji Wushuang. He frowned, forcefully pulling Shui Jingxuan back against his chest.

“Much better,” he mumbled, “but what about next time?”

“Next time, find a woman,” Shui Jingxuan suggested earnestly, patting his shoulder reassuringly.

“Find a woman? Absolutely not!” Ji Wushuang’s brows furrowed deeply, and just as he was about to speak, Ji Wushuang’s twin sister shrieked in protest. “Little brother cannot find a woman!”

For the first time in his life, Ji Wushuang felt extremely pleased with his conjoined twin’s neurotic possessiveness. He lowered his eyelids slightly and said in a deep voice, “When those women see me, they either scream repeatedly or try to avoid me. Every time, it makes me want to kill them. How am I supposed to find one?”

Shui Jingxuan, realizing his blunder, quickly amended, “Then use your hand.”

“I can’t,” Ji Wushuang stated coldly, pursing his lips.

“I helped you twice just now; how can you say you can’t?” Shui Jingxuan distanced himself slightly, his tone tinged with helplessness.

“If I go berserk and lose all reason, how am I supposed to handle it myself?” Ji Wushuang squeezed his beloved disciple’s fair, rounded shoulder, retorting self-righteously. ‘Perhaps I can go berserk a few more times in the future,’ he thought.

Shui Jingxuan sensed a change in his attitude, but he attributed it to Ji Wushuang’s first taste of desire, especially since he was the object of it, making him inevitably somewhat obsessed and unable to control himself. In any case, Shui Jingxuan was a dying man; what harm would it do to indulge him?

With this thought, Shui Jingxuan ignored a fleeting pang in his heart and slowly said, “Then, when Master can no longer control your inner demons, send someone to call for me. Your disciple is tired and will take his leave first.”

With that, he directly pushed Ji Wushuang away, climbed out of the bath, donned his outer robe, and strode away.

Ji Wushuang watched his retreating back for a long time, then stared at the gradually spreading white turbidity in the water, a look of profound satisfaction gracing his lips as his eyes shifted.

Ji Wushuang’s twin sister lazily tilted her head back, sighing, “That was truly comfortable! So, joining together is such a wonderful sensation. No wonder men and women can’t get enough of it. We must find the boy more often in the future.”

Though their reasons for affection differed, the siblings were surprisingly in sync when it came to Shui Jingxuan.

***

Afterward, Ji Wushuang’s mood was remarkably buoyant for several days. Even upon hearing that the Eight Great Sects had colluded, intending to strike at the Demonic Cult first, he merely frowned slightly before quickly relaxing.

“How many people have gathered, and what are their backgrounds?” Ji Wushuang asked calmly, seated sideways on the large main chair.

“Reporting to Sect Master, over a hundred people have arrived and are stationed outside the valley,” the secret agent from the Intelligence Hall reported respectfully, his face etched with worry.

“They are all elite disciples from the Eight Great Sects, led by Zhuo Yihang, the senior disciple of Wudang.”

These hundred-plus individuals were not like the Tartars. Each of them was a renowned young master from the Eight Great Sects, long famous in the pugilistic world.

While fighting a hundred might be an exaggeration, fighting ten was certainly not. The Demonic Cult would not have an easy time against them.

The scout pondered for a moment, recalling how he had inadvertently witnessed the Left Protector utterly defeat Wolf Girl in two moves the day before. His worries vanished, and he cupped his hands, saying, “They are no match for the Left Protector!”

Praised for his beloved disciple, Ji Wushuang smiled with satisfaction and spoke with disdain,

“Hmph, Zhuo Yihang and my disciple are as different as clouds and mud; he isn’t even worth a single hair on my disciple’s head! It’s good they’ve come!

Kill them all, and the Eight Great Sects will have no one left to use. As for the old fogeys, this Venerable One will personally cut them down, one by one!”

The scout was intimidated by the Sect Master’s murderous aura, a fine sheen of sweat breaking out on his forehead. He quickly nodded in agreement.

Seated in the guest seat, Wolf Girl heard Ji Wushuang’s assessment of Zhuo Yihang. Although she knew he was indeed inferior to her junior brother, she still frowned in annoyance.

Seeing Ji Wushuang turn to look at her junior brother, about to speak, she knew he would surely instruct her junior brother to lead the cult members to assassinate Zhuo Yihang.

Her heart tightened, and she immediately stepped forward, cupping her hands. “Master, your disciple is willing to lead her tribesmen to kill these villains.”

Ji Wushuang raised an eyebrow, surprised, having never seen Wolf Girl volunteer for cult affairs before.

“Hmph, you actually volunteered for a task, that’s quite rare!” Ji Wushuang’s twin sister sneered. “Are you up to something?”

Ji Wushuang’s twin sister had merely made a random accusation, yet she had inadvertently spoken the truth. However, she could never have imagined that the simple-minded, straightforward Wolf Girl was, this time, harboring ulterior motives.

Upon hearing this, Wolf Girl’s eyes flickered. She lowered her head slightly and mumbled, “This subordinate would not dare!”

Ji Wushuang scrutinized her for a moment, then turned to his beloved disciple, asking with a gentle expression, “Disciple, what do you think?”

Considering that the assassination would mark Wolf Girl’s official defection, Shui Jingxuan’s smile deepened. He slowly began,

“Since Senior Sister has requested it, let Senior Sister lead the team, and your disciple will assist from the side. Since these people want to catch us off guard, why don’t we seize the initiative? Tonight, we will infiltrate their camp and wipe them out.”

“Good, we’ll do as my disciple suggests!” Ji Wushuang found no fault with his beloved disciple’s strategy and agreed with a wave of his hand.

The elders once again recognized the Left Protector’s cunning and grew even more wary of him.

The cult members, however, revered the Left Protector, thinking him a young hero of boundless wisdom and exceptional martial arts. They believed the Eight Great Sects’ plan would surely end in utter defeat.

Wolf Girl’s original intention in volunteering was to keep her junior brother within the cult, preventing him from clashing with Zhuo Yihang.

However, she had not expected him to insist on accompanying her and even propose a venomous scheme. Wolf Girl closed her eyes, struggling to suppress the panic in her heart.

“Senior Sister, tonight we must cooperate fully to annihilate these villains.” Shui Jingxuan, catching a fleeting glimpse of anxiety in Wolf Girl’s eyes, gave in to his cruel amusement. He stepped closer to her, his tone chilling.

Herrified by the palpable killing intent in his words, Wolf Girl’s heart trembled uncontrollably. She licked her dry lips, attempting to speak but finding no words, too nervous to utter a sound.

Shui Jingxuan playfully admired her stiff expression. Seeing her unable to respond, he threw his head back and laughed heartily before sauntering away.

Wolf Girl stood rooted to the spot, staring at his departing figure, her expression constantly shifting.

“Senior Sister, tonight we must cooperate fully to annihilate these villains.” Shui Jingxuan, catching a fleeting glimpse of anxiety in Wolf Girl’s eyes, gave in to his cruel amusement. He stepped closer to her, his tone chilling.

Herrified by the palpable killing intent in his words, Wolf Girl’s heart trembled uncontrollably. She licked her dry lips, attempting to speak but finding no words, too nervous to utter a sound.

Shui Jingxuan playfully admired her stiff expression. Seeing her unable to respond, he threw his head back and laughed heartily before sauntering away.

Wolf Girl stood rooted to the spot, staring at his departing figure, her expression constantly shifting.

“Senior Sister, tonight we must cooperate fully to annihilate these villains.” Shui Jingxuan, catching a fleeting glimpse of anxiety in Wolf Girl’s eyes, gave in to his cruel amusement. He stepped closer to her, his tone chilling.

Herrified by the palpable killing intent in his words, Wolf Girl’s heart trembled uncontrollably. She licked her dry lips, attempting to speak but finding no words, too nervous to utter a sound.

Shui Jingxuan playfully admired her stiff expression. Seeing her unable to respond, he threw his head back and laughed heartily before sauntering away.

Wolf Girl stood rooted to the spot, staring at his departing figure, her expression constantly shifting.