Chapter 28: The Unveiling of Propriety

Ye Qingfeng said triumphantly, “Having successfully consumed the Blood s*ave Pill, that old geezer should now be halfway convinced.”

“You actually ate it?”

Quan Haoqing furrowed his brow, watching Ye Qingfeng with deep concern.

“How do you feel now? Are there any signs of being controlled? Don’t lose sight of the bigger picture for a small gain.”

“Rest assured, I wouldn’t dare ingest such a thing if I wasn’t absolutely certain.”

Ye Qingfeng’s lips curved into a slight, confident smirk as she declared, “If I hadn’t swallowed the Blood s*ave Pill, that old geezer would have sensed it immediately. While the Blood s*ave Sect’s methods of control might seem somewhat crude, one must admit their effectiveness.”

“The parasitic larva within my Dantian and the old man’s parent worm form a connection, making him believe I remain under his control. After all, should the parent worm’s host perish, the larva would go berserk, gnawing away at the host’s Dantian. This would, at best, render the person utterly crippled, or at worst, lead to their immediate demise. This is precisely one of the reasons he’s willing to trust me.”

‘Within her Dantian?!’

Quan Haoqing’s expression turned grim. While the Dantian might not be a vital organ in the conventional sense, it was an absolutely crucial locus for cultivators walking the path of immortal cultivation. Any damage to it would essentially mean bidding farewell to their immortal journey.

His gaze swiftly dropped to Ye Qingfeng’s lower abdomen, as if he hoped to discern something with his naked eye, even through her clothes.

This was merely Quan Haoqing’s subconscious reaction; he possessed no means to penetrate the flesh and perceive the inner world of the Dantian.

Yet, staring intently at a woman’s particular region was hardly proper. Just as Quan Haoqing was about to avert his gaze, Ye Qingfeng’s next action utterly captivated his vision.

Ye Qingfeng, with an unreserved gesture, directly rolled up her upper garment, boldly exposing her smooth, toned abdomen to the open air. Her skin, as fair as snow, exuded a fatal allure. Quan Haoqing felt like a collector utterly obsessed with jade, who had just stumbled upon a breathtaking jade disc; his breath, for a moment, even quickened considerably.

Yet, what lay beneath proved even more tantalizing.

“If it were to hatch, its position would be roughly here.”

A slender, pale finger performed the very action Quan Haoqing yearned to do but dared not. It poked a spot on her lower abdomen, and after the supple, snow-white skin yielded a small indentation, it immediately sprang back to its original state, much like a slime.

“This is merely the periphery of the lower Dantian. The longer the Blood s*ave Worm remains within the human body, the deeper it will burrow into the Dantian, eventually settling in its very center, thereby gaining complete control over the host.”

Ye Qingfeng, much like a diligent teacher, used her slender fingers to trace the Blood s*ave Worm’s projected path across her lower abdomen, utterly oblivious to the profound stimulation her actions inflicted upon Quan Haoqing.

This was because, back at the Sky Philosophy Sect, the Senior Brother responsible for imparting this demonic knowledge had specifically used his own body as a demonstration to facilitate their understanding and deepen their impressions.

Ye Qingfeng was merely imitating him now, having completely forgotten her current gender and allure.

Having fully embraced the role of an instructor, and utterly unaware of the immense stimulation her actions caused the virginal Quan Haoqing, she lifted her gaze towards him. Discovering his face flushed crimson, his eyes tightly shut as if suffering from heatstroke, and his body swaying precariously, she inquired with astonishment, “Have you been poisoned? Your face is so red.”

‘No, I’ve merely been afflicted with an abnormal status effect.’

To prevent himself from succumbing to depravity and becoming a lust-crazed fiend, Quan Haoqing’s only struggle was to keep his eyes tightly shut.

“No, I’m just hot.”

Ye Qingfeng regarded Quan Haoqing with a peculiar gaze before turning her head to look out the window. Autumn winds carried maple leaves through the town’s streets and alleys, while tea drinkers in the teahouses had already donned long sleeves, brewing hot tea. The scorching white steam billowed from the teapots, clearly visible even from across the street.

“You couldn’t possibly have been poisoned, could you? How on earth could you get heatstroke in this weather?!”

She leaned closer, and before Quan Haoqing could react, her cool, small hand brushed against his forehead.

“It is quite warm, though. Do you have any other symptoms besides feeling hot?”

The unique, fresh scent of a maiden wafted into his nostrils. Even without opening his eyes, Quan Haoqing could feel how incredibly close Ye Qingfeng was to him at that moment. Should he desire, a sudden lurch forward would undoubtedly bring him into contact with that vermilion forbidden fruit.

‘This fellow remains so utterly unguarded around men.’

Quan Haoqing couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. ‘She’s so overly cautious in her dealings with others, yet so oblivious here.’

He firmly grasped Ye Qingfeng’s slender, smooth wrist, for Quan Haoqing felt that if he didn’t hold on tightly, it might slip away at any moment.

Reluctantly opening his eyes, Quan Haoqing pulled the startled Ye Qingfeng to sit beside him, disregarding her attempts to struggle and withdraw her hands. He then seriously inquired, “How do you perceive my current actions?”

“You perform such an impertinent act upon me, and then you dare to ask how I feel? Of course, the only fitting response is a death sentence!”

Had she not detected not a shred of hostility from Quan Haoqing, Ye Qingfeng would have already taught him a harsh lesson, turning him into a human ice sculpture!

Even so, being forcibly seated beside someone was hardly a pleasant sensation.

‘She truly doesn’t understand, does she?’

Quan Haoqing observed the subtle shifts in Ye Qingfeng’s expression, confirming a crucial fact: while she was indeed angry, her ire stemmed not from his unwarranted physical intimacy, but from being compelled into an action beyond her expectations.

While this particular facet of her was undeniably charming, he knew that if exploited judiciously, it could yield a bounty of benefits.

Yet, he was not a creature whose brain resided solely below his waist.

More critically, if things continued this way, wouldn’t Ye Qingfeng act similarly with others?

Just as founding emperors throughout history, upon achieving success, would spare no effort to seal off their own path to power, precisely to prevent others from emulating their methods and causing immense trouble for the dynasties they established.

Indeed, as a normal man, he did not wish for the possibility that Ye Qingfeng might extend such ‘benefits’ to other men.

If he possessed heaven-defying strength and influence, then he would willingly safeguard this captivating innocence and purity.

Regrettably, he did not; at least, not yet.

Therefore, he was compelled to take actions that would, paradoxically, harm others without directly benefiting himself.

“I am taking liberties with you, Qingfeng.”

Grasping both her hands and placing them on his knees, Quan Haoqing stared intently into Ye Qingfeng’s gem-like, azure eyes, uttering words that left her utterly dumbfounded.

Ye Qingfeng’s eyes widened, her turbulent gaze radiating a brilliant luster, as if a gemstone had just been polished to reveal its dazzling brilliance.

‘What a rare treasure, indeed.’

Quan Haoqing mused inwardly.

Ye Qingfeng remained unaware of Quan Haoqing’s appraisal of her eyes; his words still echoed within her mind.

‘I am taking liberties with you.’

Her gaze dropped to her hands, now captive in Quan Haoqing’s grip, and a chill of revulsion surged within her—a sensation entirely new and unprecedented.

“Did I mishear that? You merely held my wrists and placed them on your knees, didn’t you?”

Quan Haoqing nodded with utmost seriousness and certainty, replying, “Precisely. If we were both merely men, such an action might signify hostility, intimacy, or even a jest. However, for two individuals of differing genders, where we are neither siblings nor married Daoist companions…”

“For me, a man, to grasp your hands and place them upon my person without your explicit permission—such an act is inherently a transgression of propriety. Incidentally, unless our relationship had reached a certain level of intimacy, your sudden proximity and placing your hand on my forehead would also be considered an intimate gesture that ordinary women would not typically make.”

“Wh-What?! We were originally the same… Oh, right! Our genders are different! I’m a woman! You’re a man!”

Despite this being a glaringly obvious fact, Quan Haoqing utterly failed to comprehend why Ye Qingfeng uttered it with such grinding teeth.

Fortunately, the things about Ye Qingfeng he couldn’t fathom were legion, so he didn’t dwell on this minor detail.

Ye Qingfeng’s demeanor suddenly deflated. For an entire year, she had been diligently trying to mitigate the influence her changed gender had on her.

For instance, regarding her attire: the luxurious, precious, and highly functional magical garment left by her previous owner was not only impervious to dust but also invulnerable to blades, spears, fire, and water. Yet, Ye Qingfeng insisted on wearing simple, tasteless cloth robes that offered no protection whatsoever, but effectively obscured her gender.

Conveniently, her ‘pair of A’s’ perfectly complemented this ensemble.

Furthermore, her conduct and mannerisms remained identical to her male incarnation, precisely to prevent her spirit from feminizing along with her body.

Now, however, this cruel reality had been stripped bare by Quan Haoqing.

He even seemed intent on rendering all her efforts utterly futile!

‘Damn Quan Haoqing, truly my sworn enemy!’

‘He effortlessly found my weakness and delivered a blow that shook my very core!’

‘But thinking it over carefully, if he truly perceives me as a woman, then many of my previous actions were indeed highly inappropriate.’

‘In that case, it seems I’ve actually bestowed quite a few ‘benefits’ upon Quan Haoqing so far.’

‘Hiss… it might be more than just ‘bestowing benefits’.’

‘After transforming into this body, did I—naked, moving without reservation, even pressing close—fight Quan Haoqing?’

‘Because back then, I thought it was a battle of life and death, so I completely disregarded those details, and later I simply put the whole matter out of my mind.’

‘The more I think about it, the more horrifying it becomes!’

‘I was the ‘benefit-giving girl’ all along?!’