Demonic aura surged like wild vines, climbing up Ji Rong's legs.
Just as it reached her knees, it halted.
Gu Baiyi stopped her movements because those slightly aloof eyes were now quietly fixed on her.
Staring into Ji Rong's gaze, Gu Baiyi felt something close to madness.
The demonic aura was an extension of herself, and wherever it passed, she could also feel that silky, almost tender sensation.
She very much wanted to let the aura slowly erode and claim that pristine, untouched domain.
But seeing Ji Rong's clearly unwilling expression, Gu Baiyi held herself back. She asked patiently, gently, "Senior Sister, may I?"
Ji Rong lowered her head, staring at the vine exuding black mist.
Her scalp prickled on instinct.
Then, she firmly said, "No."
In truth, Ji Rong really wanted to sit Gu Baiyi down and have a long, heart-to-heart.
Damn it, don't mimic those outrageous tactics from certain Tang Novels! You're the dignified heroine of a proper MMORPG story!
And yet, this so-called proper heroine was now biting her lip, eyes drifting to Ji Rong's fair, delicate ankles.
Suppressing the agony of the seventh layer of Red Lotus, along with the restless, surging desire she could no longer dispel, Gu Baiyi finally looked up. With a wave of her hand, she released the restraining spell and gave Ji Rong a soft smile.
"If Senior Sister is unwilling, I naturally won't force you."
But in her tone, there was a clear trace of disappointment.
Ji Rong: "..."
It wasn't that she was truly unwilling, who wouldn't want to snuggle up with a beauty?
It was just… she hadn't figured a lot of things out yet, especially not her own feelings.
Also, the heroine's preferences seemed a little too intense.
Vine play? Was that really necessary?
She was a villainess from Jinjiang Literature City, not some character from Certain Tang!
After the restriction was lifted, Ji Rong started moving her legs, mumbling under her breath.
Then suddenly, she saw Gu Baiyi furrow her brows sharply, clutch her chest, and cough up blood.
She blinked, stunned. What just happened?
Blood spilled from Gu Baiyi's lips, soaking her robes, trailing down her long, graceful neck.
The silver trim of her clothes was stained bright red like plum blossoms blooming in the snow.
Watching the flicker of pain between Gu Baiyi's brows, Ji Rong felt her heart seize, as though gripped by an invisible hand and slammed back down again.
She paused for a moment, recalling a certain setting.
Then asked softly, "Is it the seventh layer of Red Lotus acting up?"
When one cultivated the seventh layer of Yufei, the Red Lotus would flare up at midnight, reversing the flow of meridians and tearing the heart vein apart.
Ever since Gu Baiyi had broken through to the Stepping on the Moon Realm, the nightly Red Lotus flare-ups had reduced to once every seven days.
Today just so happened to be the seventh day.
Gu Baiyi's frown deepened. She raised her sleeve to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth.
Once it was gone, she endured the pain and said quietly, "Yes."
Ji Rong, meanwhile, was thinking: In the game, once the heroine mastered the eighth layer, Departing Flame, the Red Lotus no longer erupted.
So why hasn't Gu Baiyi broken through yet?
That question lingered in her mind, and so she asked aloud, "Why haven't you reached the eighth layer?"
Though the bleeding had stopped, the pain of her torn heart vein came crashing in like a tidal wave.
Gu Baiyi's face was pale as paper. She raised her head and gave Ji Rong a faint smile.
Then, lifting her blood-stained hand, she pointed at her own chest.
Still smiling, she whispered, "Because it refuses to let go."
Ji Rong hesitated. "You mean… a heart demon?"
Gu Baiyi exhaled slowly, then nodded.
Ji Rong pressed, "Why is it unwilling?"
The two of them stared at each other in silence for a long while.
Finally, Gu Baiyi let out a helpless smile and said softly, "Because… it still desires you."
Ji Rong froze.
Gu Baiyi met her eyes directly, then sighed again. "Of course, the heart demon is born from my own desires. Whatever it wants is just a reflection of what I want."
Ji Rong: "..."
She looked at the sweat glistening on Gu Baiyi's forehead, then sighed like someone resigned to fate. "Fine."
Gu Baiyi narrowed her eyes. Before she could fully grasp what that "fine" meant, she saw Ji Rong step closer, looking down at her with calm eyes.
Ji Rong lowered her gaze and untied the jade sash around her delicate silk robe.
Then she raised her hand and cupped Gu Baiyi's face, gently pressing her down onto the bed of phoenix petals.
The sash slipped to her ankles, and her long, slender legs now pressed firmly against the cold, dark robes beneath her.
Ji Rong moved her fingers gently, brushing away the bloodstains on the swirling cloud patterns of Gu Baiyi's robe.
Infused with pure spiritual energy, her touch wiped away the blood wherever it passed, restoring the garment to pristine cleanliness.
She pushed aside a few strands of Gu Baiyi's hair, lowered her head, and kissed her brow, then her long, narrow eyes, and the lips drawn into a faint pout.
Within the lingering contact, Ji Rong caught the scent of phoenix flowers.
Then, lifting her head slightly, she squinted and noticed two ghostly flood dragons swimming behind the heavy curtains.
Huge shadows loomed and twisted, drifting like specters in the gloom.
Ji Rong felt a strange sense of déjà vu, she was certain she'd seen these creatures before.
Meanwhile, Gu Baiyi looked up at the woman above her, graceful, peerless, like an illusion she had seen a thousand times in her dreams.
And now, that very woman frowned in distaste and muttered, "So… is it still desiring now?"
Gu Baiyi stared back at her with a smile that was all exasperation.
Senior Sister… you're the one who started this.
Her voice was low and hoarse, like a phoenix blossom drifting in the haunted halls of the demon palace.
Softly, she said, "Whether it still desires… Baiyi doesn't know. But right now, Baiyi is… truly at her limit."
As the final word fell, the demonic aura around Gu Baiyi surged uncontrollably.
The dense black demonic aura twisted into dozens of chains, tightly binding Ji Rong's body and flipping her over.
Ji Rong stared at the dark aura restraining her, then glanced at the smile creeping onto Gu Baiyi's face.
She couldn't help but feel that the heroine's expression looked utterly deranged.
Only then did Ji Rong realize that her earlier actions were no different from playing with fire.
So… was it too late to put the fire out now?
She tried her best to put on a serious expression and said to Gu Baiyi, "No. You can still hold back."
Gu Baiyi leaned down, letting her long black hair fall over Ji Rong's body.
She lowered her head, bit Ji Rong's lips, and, tasting blood, smiled as she said, "No, Senior Sister. I can't hold back anymore."
…
In Ji Rong's imagination, unrequited longing was something one chased but could never reach.
But the world had changed. Morality was in decline, inner demons wanted too much, it was like an endless pit of desire.
The heavy curtains blurred in Ji Rong's vision, and it felt as though a mist had drifted into her eyes.
Once her vision was clouded by that mist, it began to waver and sway.
Gu Baiyi's fingers brushed over Ji Rong's eyes, and felt something wet.
She gently wiped away the tears, her voice patient and soft. "Does it hurt, Senior Sister?"
Ji Rong caught her breath, then shook her head under Gu Baiyi's gaze.
It didn't hurt. Not really. But there was a problem.
Tears still shimmered in her eyes as she looked at Gu Baiyi and gritted her teeth, asking, "I understand the situation. But why am I not the one on top?"
After wiping her tears, Gu Baiyi retracted her hand, feigning surprise. "So Senior Sister likes being on top?"
Ji Rong thought, Who doesn't want to be the one in control?
She nodded solemnly.
Gu Baiyi smiled thoughtfully. "I see."
Then, she rolled over, and just like that, Ji Rong got what she wanted and ended up on top of her.
Yes, her body was on top.
But Gu Baiyi's fingers were still inside.
Ji Rong: "..."
Somehow, this new position only made her feel more embarrassed.
Damn it. That's not what I meant.
Without realizing it, Ji Rong muttered the words out loud.
Gu Baiyi was busy adjusting their posture and gently guided Ji Rong's wrists to loop around her neck.
She didn't quite catch the "damn it" part, and asked gently, "Then what did you mean, Senior Sister?"
"I meant…"
Ji Rong's words cut off abruptly, almost failing to suppress the moan that slipped between her teeth.
Shit.
Her vision darkened, and in her mind, the word "shit" echoed on repeat like a broken chant.
As she was pushed and pulled, Ji Rong slumped against Gu Baiyi's shoulder, clutching at the luxurious yet cold silk beneath her.
Even the fingers brushing over her skin felt cold.
Gradually, her gaze began to drift. Her body lost strength.
Her legs trembled slightly, and before she realized it, Gu Baiyi had picked her up and shifted positions again.
In the most unbearable moment, Ji Rong panted lightly, reached out, and wrapped her arms around Gu Baiyi's waist.
This was a small world, where the setting shifted with Gu Baiyi's will.
In the blank whiteness before her, Ji Rong thought she saw plum blossoms drifting like snow in the wind.
Those petals landed over fields of blooming phoenix flowers, vivid as blood, almost melting into them.
She wrapped her arms around the person before her and tilted her head slightly to gaze into that face.
Long lashes framed Gu Baiyi's eyes, red lotus marks creeping up half her cheek, as bewitching as a spirit.
Cool fingers brushed against Ji Rong's lips. Gu Baiyi sighed softly. "Senior Sister, even though I'm this close to you now, why do I still miss you so much?"
Ji Rong muttered a curse under her breath.
Damn it. We're practically merged together and you're still thinking about eating the peach?
But before she could say anything more, Ji Rong was already too tired to speak.
If she couldn't curse aloud, she could only cup Gu Baiyi's face and bite down hard on her lips.
As emotions surged, Ji Rong's consciousness blurred.
In a daze, she saw the Wanjian Sect's disciple initiation ceremony, and the thousand plum blossoms fluttering like rain.
A faint fragrance wafted through the air as a girl in purple robes approached another and offered a slight bow. "I'm Gu Baiyi. Greetings, Senior Sister Ji."
She lifted her gaze. Her features were like a painting, lips curled in a smile.
The other woman's expression was calm as she nodded slightly. "Junior Sister Gu. A pleasure."
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