“Chapter 103”

"Chapter 103"

"The next day, Shen Wang woke up feeling refreshed and clear-headed."

"Yet, despite his clarity and vigor, he felt like he had forgotten something."

"Shen Wang wracked his brain, replaying the night, from attending the banquet, being challenged, defeating Ugly Drink and Dao Chunyan, to recalling Gu Dongting standing up for him unconditionally..."

"Later on? Shen Wang tried hard to remember, recalling that after learning the wine on the table was worth thousands, he almost single-handedly drank a whole bottle to take advantage."

"After finishing it, he still wasn’t satisfied and went to others for more wine... And then?"

"His memory stopped there."

"How did he leave the banquet? How did he return to the hotel? And how did he end up in bed? He had forgotten everything completely."

"'Nothing serious must have happened, right?' Shen Wang muttered to himself, hoping for the best."

"The only thing Shen Wang vaguely remembered now was the blurry dream he had last night."

"Maybe it was because he saw Ugly Drink and Bai Fuchun being affectionate with each other that it shocked his mind, leading him to think about it during the day and dream about it at night."

"In his dream, he seemed to have had an intimate encounter with another man."

"In his sleep, he felt like he was back at the lively banquet, in a secluded corner where two indistinct men embraced each other, intimate as intertwining cranes."

"With just a blink, Shen Wang found himself one of the men in the embrace."

"He gazed deeply at the man opposite him, whose face he couldn’t make out, only sensing that their heights were similar."

"Shen Wang thought clearly in the dream: 'Even in a dream, I should be dreaming of a beautiful woman, why am I dreaming of a faceless man?'"

"The next second, his attention was drawn to the man’s lips."

"The man’s lips weren’t full, slightly thin, seemingly a bit nervous as they were pursed, exuding a coldness. Yet, their color was a beautiful, unostentatious pale red, like a delicate petal."

"Leaning in closer, he could smell a faint, somewhat familiar fragrance."

"Before he could recall why the fragrance was familiar, Shen Wang was lost in a kiss of intertwining lips and teeth, feeling his heart pounding like thunder, his head dizzy as if intoxicated."

"Shen Wang, trying hard to remember the dream: '...'"

"That was like being drunk, wasn’t it."

"The memory of the dream was no longer clear, but upon waking up, Shen Wang still felt a tingling sensation in his heart, unable to let go, lingering and unforgettable."

"After recalling every detail several times, Shen Wang sighed wistfully: 'Pity, it was just a dream.'"

"The palpitations from the dream lingered, but outside of it, he was already awake."

"Sighing again, Shen Wang tidied up and left the room."

"There were always two days of rest after each competition, and since all the competitors had a banquet yesterday, there was no gathering today."

"In the hotel, only a few competitors were in groups outside; most were resting in their rooms, preparing for tomorrow's rematch."

"Looking around and seeing no acquaintances, Shen Wang casually went to the hotel's restaurant for some food, receiving an unusually warm welcome and was fed a lot of good stuff."

"After eating and drinking his fill, Shen Wang left satisfied, heading straight to knock on Gu Dongting’s door, feeling inexplicably guilty as he knocked."

"Guilty about what? Shen Wang was both confused and clueless; he hadn’t done anything to wrong Gu Dongting."

"The hotel's soundproofing was excellent. After waiting a while with no response, just as Shen Wang thought Gu Dongting might not be in his room, the door slowly opened."

"Gu Dongting was dressed no differently than when he was outside, still in white, with a crossed neckline tightly covering his neck, conservative and ascetic."

"The only difference was that Gu Dongting’s long hair wasn’t tied up as usual, but let down, flowing like ink behind him."

"The long hair softened Gu Dongting's overly cold demeanor, adding a touch of gentleness. In the dim hotel corridor light, his contours seemed softer, like a spirit from an ancient painting."

"Shen Wang always knew Gu Dongting was exceptionally handsome, but this was the first time he felt the captivating power of Gu Dongting’s appearance."

"The idea of him using the Hehuan Sect's Soul-Capturing Method flashed through Shen Wang's mind so quickly that he barely noticed it himself."

"Gu Dongting lifted his eyelids, giving Shen Wang a faint glance, his tone cold: 'What is it?'"

"Shen Wang immediately noticed that Gu Dongting seemed to be in a less than pleasant mood."

"Despite knowing he shouldn't, Shen Wang couldn't help but notice how clear and bright Gu Dongting’s eyes were, the charming way he lifted his gaze, his eyes shining and glinting, both reproachful and angry, paired with unusually red lips..."

"Red lips? Shen Wang was taken aback and asked directly, 'What happened to your lips? Why are they so red?'"

"Gu Dongting did not answer, just silently gazed at Shen Wang, his expression a mix of confusion and anger."

"Shen Wang could only guess: 'Did you eat something spicy yesterday? Are you not used to spicy food?'"

"Gu Dongting looked deeply at Shen Wang again, asking in an indescribable tone, 'How much do you remember about yesterday?'"

"Shen Wang honestly replied, 'I just remember going to the next table to find more drinks.'"

"'...And you forgot everything that happened after?'"

"Shen Wang nodded, still not understanding."

"Gu Dongting: '...'"

"The two stared at each other for a while, and Shen Wang finally realized that his answer was not satisfying to Gu Dongting. He tried hard to recall, but couldn't remember anything, and asked cautiously, 'What happened yesterday?'"

"Shen Wang was usually carefree and unrestrained. This was the first time since Gu Dongting had known him that he showed such a puzzled, confused, and cautious demeanor."

"Like a puppy unaware of its mistake, gazing eagerly at its master."

"Gu Dongting suddenly let out a very light, faint sigh, curving his lips slightly: 'It's nothing.'"

"After speaking, he fell silent for a few seconds, then added, 'Nothing happened.'"

"It was just... a misunderstanding."

"With his demeanor, yet saying it's nothing, he's fooling no one. Shen Wang was a hundred percent unconvinced and was about to inquire further when Gu Dongting interrupted him: 'What did you come to see me for?'"

"After hesitating for two seconds, Shen Wang decided to prioritize business, asking, 'Do you know where the leader of the Yugu Dao resides?'"

"Hearing the words 'Yugu Dao', Gu Dongting understood what Shen Wang intended to do, and directly told him the room number, adding a reminder, 'If you’re looking to deal with those contract-bound spirits, seeking out the Yugu Dao leader won't be very effective.'"

"After all, most sects in the metaphysical world have simple methods of controlling spirits, and Yugu Dao just specializes in it. Their actual spirit control is not extensive and can’t compare to the whole metaphysical world."

"Seeing that Gu Dongting had guessed his intention, Shen Wang thought for a moment and mysteriously smiled: 'The mountain man has his own plan.'"

"Having said that, he cordially invited Gu Dongting: 'Do you want to come with me?'"

"Expecting no refusal, Shen Wang was surprised when Gu Dongting actually shook his head: 'I need to continue my cultivation, I won’t accompany you this time.'"

"...And he says it's nothing!!!"

"Shen Wang was certain that something must have happened yesterday that upset Gu Dongting greatly, but since he couldn't recall it, he could only sigh deeply: 'Then I won’t disturb your cultivation.'"

"As he turned to leave, Shen Wang narrowed his eyes, trying to find clues to the previous night's memories."

"Gu Dongting watched Shen Wang's receding figure until he turned a corner and completely disappeared from view, then slowly closed the door."

At the entrance of the hotel was a wardrobe with a mirror door, allowing guests to tidy up before leaving. Gu Dongting, looking at his reflection, suddenly became lost in thought.

He had been practicing swordsmanship since the age of three, training rigorously through the coldest winters and hottest summers, never slacking off... It was this relentless training that made him a formidable force in the world of mystical arts.

Even seniors with far more experience couldn't easily defeat him, let alone launch a surprise close-quarters attack.

Yet, last night, he was unexpectedly pinned down by Shen Wang.

Admittedly, part of it was due to Shen Wang's sudden actions while drunk, catching him off guard. But more importantly, it was because he had no defenses up against Shen Wang.

Without any guard, as a sword cultivator skilled in close combat, Gu Dongting would normally have reflexively broken the arm of anyone who tried to overpower him in an instant.

But never had Gu Dongting imagined that Shen Wang would... would kiss him.

By the time he finally pushed the drunkard away, Gu Dongting's hair was disheveled, his usually immaculate clothes wrinkled, and his neck to chest exposed, his lips showing the flushed marks of being ravished.

His appearance was such that anyone could guess what had happened.

Leaving Shen Wang's room, Gu Dongting was anxious, fearing discovery. He felt an inexplicable nervousness all the way until he safely entered his own room, and only then did he realize.

Why didn't he just knock out the drunkard instead of lying powerlessly on the bed, struggling like an ordinary person?

He knew at least three hundred ways to incapacitate a drunkard, with at least a hundred of them ensuring no harm to the drunkard.

Yet at that moment, it was as if he was under a spell, unable to recall or use any of them.

Disturbed by this question, Gu Dongting couldn't sleep that night, nor did he practice his cultivation. He just sat by the window, staring at the neon-lit streets outside, lost in thought.

Until his room door was knocked.

...The very person who had unsettled his mind stood there with a confused and innocent face, claiming to remember nothing.

Gu Dongting slowly closed his eyes, then let out a soft sigh.

When he opened his eyes again, a black longsword appeared in his hand. Gu Dongting examined the sword, his gaze complex, "Your previous master was truly heartless."

The longsword vibrated slightly in response to its master's emotions, as if acknowledging them.

Gu Dongting's gaze softened, then quickly turned bitter, as if seeing through the sword to its former owner: "Why am I the only one who remembers? Why does he get to forget?"

The black sword hummed gently, its spiritual light shining brightly.

The sudden closeness of last night, the entwined breaths hot with passion, the shared scent of alcohol faint in their nostrils... Such unprecedented intimacy replayed in his mind countless times.

Gu Dongting's ears reddened, his usually steady hand trembling as he held the sword, now awkwardly curling in upon itself.

"How can he forget?" A faint red glimmered in Gu Dongting's eyes, but he murmured to the sword, "He was just drunk, it wasn't intentional... just a trivial misunderstanding."

He had heard that some people did embarrassing things when drunk, kissing anyone in sight wasn't uncommon.

Being kissed by a friend wasn't a big deal, not something to dwell on.

Gu Dongting comforted himself, and when he looked up again, the red on his earlobes had vanished, his usual unapproachable, cool demeanor restored.

After storing the black sword back into his dantian, Gu Dongting was about to leave when his gaze paused, carefully examining his reflection in the mirror.

Unbeknownst to him, a tiny red mole had appeared on his flawless face, right below the corner of his right eye.

This mole, a standard tear mole, so small it was almost invisible, would have gone unnoticed by anyone who wasn’t a cultivator with exceptional vision like Gu Dongting.

A red tear mole, signifying a life of loneliness, upheaval, and difficult emotional trials...

Gu Dongting frowned slightly and gently rubbed the corner of his eye, causing the mole to appear even redder.

Shen Wang, following the room number given by Gu Dongting, found the room of the leader of the Ghost Dominance Sect and knocked on the door.

The sect leader quickly answered, and upon seeing Shen Wang, his first instinct was to immediately close the door.

But Shen Wang, quick and timely, slipped inside, saying, "We're old acquaintances, no need for formalities."

The sect leader's eyelids twitched, and he asked irritably, "You wouldn't visit without a reason. What brings you here?"

Last time, Shen Wang caught Lin Yinyang, a long-fleeing traitor of the Ghost Dominance Sect, and used the opportunity to swindle the sect leader out of millions, nearly emptying the sect's coffers.

Because of this, the Ghost Dominance Sect had to scrounge for work everywhere, desperately trying to make money.

Once, when they lent out a minor ghost for an entrance exam, a fierce ghost unexpectedly appeared, almost killing all the examinees.

Another time, they lent a ghost for a Mystical Arts competition, but Shen Wang, through sheer verbal prowess, subdued all the minor ghosts, becoming the most unconventional contestant in the history's competitions.

These two incidents made life particularly difficult for the Ghost Dominance Sect recently, with others casting strange looks at them.

The leader of the Ghost Dominance Sect inwardly lamented, feeling that Shen Wang was inherently at odds with them, bringing trouble whenever he appeared.

Shen Wang, seemingly oblivious to the sect leader's tone, wandered around the room and expressed his surprise, "You all share one room?"

Although the room had decent lighting and layout, it was much more cramped and modest compared to his own accommodations.

The sect leader, at a loss for words, asked, "Did you come here just to criticize my living conditions?"

After all, the Ghost Dominance Sect was only a mid-sized faction; having a room was already quite an achievement, not to mention the many smaller sects that didn’t even have rooms.

Shen Wang touched his nose and stopped nitpicking, revealing his purpose, "During the competition, didn’t I promise those minor ghosts to get them Gathering Yin Talismans and fight for their social security benefits?"

The sect leader of the Ghost Dominance Sect was taken aback, "Are you serious?"

"Of course, do I look like someone who doesn’t keep promises?" Shen Wang rolled his eyes and continued, "That chubby leading ghost, isn’t it one of your Ghost Dominance Sect’s?"

Since the competition, Shen Wang had been busy creating Gathering Yin Talismans, and now that he was ready, he had come to see the sect leader.

Upon hearing this, the leader of the Ghost Dominance Sect paused briefly: "I'll have them brought over."

"When the master of the Ghost Control Sect saw Shen Wang deceiving the audience with his flamboyant rhetoric during the live broadcast, he didn't take it seriously, thinking that Shen Wang was just unscrupulously trying to win by fooling the ghosts."

"To his surprise, Shen Wang was serious."

"Knowing that both people and ghosts would be attending in significant numbers, Shen Wang simply borrowed a large conference room from the hotel manager, setting the meeting place there."

"After notifying others in the group, the master of the Ghost Control Sect saw people gradually arriving at the conference room."

"Each ghost floating in the air was extremely excited, showing faces full of surprise, while their contractors varied in expression - some shared their little ghost's happiness, others looked impatient."

"‘My ghost, none of your business! Why should someone threaten me over it?' a dissatisfied practitioner grumbled."

"Scanning the people and ghosts present, Shen Wang took out a stack of thick talismans and placed them on the long table in the conference room: ‘These are the talismans I promised. Bring ten little ghosts, and you can have one.'"

"‘We'll round to the nearest whole number, collect them in the order of registration.'"

"The ghosts erupted into a buzz of excitement, eagerly crowding forward, overjoyed: ‘I knew it, Master, you wouldn’t deceive us!’"

"‘Master Shen, you’re such a good person. Do you need any more ghost servants? I want to follow you!’"

"‘Master, you’re much more generous than other Taoist priests!’"

"The ghosts initially agreed to follow Shen Wang's instructions partly for the grand promises he made, though most didn’t really believe in these lofty assurances."

"More so, the ghosts were just there for the excitement, not wanting to obediently serve as mere tools, eager to stir up trouble with Shen Wang and let loose for a while."

"Although they were scolded by their contractors after the competition, the joy was worth it."

"Unexpectedly, there was an added bonus!"

"Those few who believed and enthusiastically persuaded other ghosts were now ecstatic, eagerly stepping forward to receive their own talismans, some so impatient they began absorbing yin energy on the spot, utterly delighted."

"The rich and pure yin energy in the talismans made the other ghosts envious, clamoring, ‘Master Shen, what about us? What about us?’"

"‘You wouldn’t let us come all this way for nothing, would you?’"

"‘Without us, you couldn’t have held that auction... Your success is partly ours too!’"

"The ghosts who previously didn't believe now deeply regretted their skepticism, wishing they could go back to the day of the competition and recruit every ghost they could."

"The ghosts clamored and jostled into a group, flocking to Shen Wang's side, leaving their contractors forgotten in the background."

"With a piercing gaze, Shen Wang flicked away a ghost trying to take advantage of the chaos, and said calmly, ‘I've called you here for a second matter.’"

"Hearing his words, the ghosts quieted down, their eyes filled with anticipation."

"‘I promised you employment benefits, providing you with basic security,’ Shen Wang said with a slight smile, ‘So, I’m here to discuss this matter with your contractors.’"

"Instantly, both the ghosts and the living were abuzz with surprise."

"The ghosts were unanimously thrilled, some floating up to the ceiling, others rolling around the room excitedly: ‘Really! Master Shen, you are my hero!’"

"Their contractors, however, looked displeased, their faces stern, in stark contrast to the ghosts' excitement: ‘Who are you to meddle in our family matters?’"

"‘Indeed, how to avenge our little ghosts is our own concern, what's it to you?’"

"‘Mind your own business. You’d better worry about your own competition instead.’"

"Their words, however, dissatisfied the ghosts: ‘Even though we are ghosts, why should we be your cheap labor?’"

"‘Taking advantage of the fact that we don’t have a labor bureau, are you just going to exploit us like this? Humans are truly insatiable.’"

"‘I’m not asking for much, just the necessary yin energy to maintain normal activities. Before this, I was actually expending my own yin energy to work for you!’"

"The ghosts and Taoist priests soon started arguing, with the situation escalating rapidly."

"After listening for a while, Shen Wang realized that the core conflict between the two sides was still related to interests."

"Life wasn’t easy for the ghosts, but the Taoist priests weren’t much better off."

"In this era of declining mysticism, the cultivation of Taoist priests became increasingly difficult, their spiritual power barely enough for their own practices, let alone to support ghosts."

"Shen Wang was listening with interest when suddenly, someone directed their criticism straight at him."

"‘Who do you think you are? How dare you try to change the rules of our metaphysical world just like that!’"

"The speaker, the practitioner who had looked dissatisfied earlier, glared fiercely at Shen Wang, accusing loudly, ‘Just with a word from you, you decide for us? You want to help these ghosts, why don’t you do it yourself? Why make us foot the bill!’"

"His words were incendiary, and immediately the surrounding people echoed: ‘Exactly!’"

"‘We’re struggling with our own cultivation, why should we listen to you!’"

"‘You’re so charitable, why don’t you contract more ghosts yourself? Forcing us to decide, I think you’re not benevolent, but hypocritical!’"

"Shen Wang, suddenly berated, was speechless: ‘…’"

"He cleared his throat, interrupting the argument, trying to explain his plan: ‘If you’re willing, you can join my security plan, like a union, providing basic protection for the employed ghosts…’"

"The dissatisfied person scoffed coldly, interrupting Shen Wang: ‘What security plan, you’re fooling ghosts, who wants to listen to you!’"

"Shen Wang paused in his speech, held back his frustration, and continued, ‘We can sign a contract…’"

"That person retorted again, ‘A contract? Do you think this is the mortal world where you get arrested for not honoring a contract? You're too naive, truly ignorant of life and death.’"

"Shen Wang, holding back his temper, finally couldn’t restrain himself any longer. He slammed his hand on the table and said coldly, ‘Those who agree to join my plan, I will publicly disclose the method to create a Yin Gathering Talisman. Once you master it, collecting yin energy will become much more efficient.’"

"At this, both the ghosts and the living fell silent, staring at Shen Wang in astonishment."

"A Yin Gathering Talisman... Although they had never heard of this talisman before, everyone present had witnessed its power. All the living people couldn’t help but feel their hearts stir with eagerness."

"Although the Yin Gathering Talisman lacked offensive power, mastering another technique was certainly appealing!"

"Those families and sects holding secret traditions guarded their knowledge tightly, not allowing anyone to even glimpse it. Others couldn’t even take a second look, yet Shen Wang was about to disclose a talisman’s creation method for free!"

"In the silence, someone stubbornly argued, ‘Even if we learn it, what then? Treat those ghosts like deities and enshrine them?’"

"Others: ‘…’"

"Shen Wang: ‘…’"

"A free gift was being offered and yet, this person complained, truly a professional at arguing for the sake of it, shameless indeed."

"Shen Wang, not indulging him further, tapped his fingers on the table to draw everyone's attention, and then spoke slowly, ‘Since you don’t want it, I’ll accommodate you.’"

"‘Added to the blacklist, you're barred from participating in my activities—any activities.’"

"As he emphasized the last four words, Shen Wang’s voice took on a heavier tone. He looked at the persistent contrarian with a half-smile, asking softly, ‘Are you satisfied now?’"

"The other's face turned sour, his mouth twitching as he retorted angrily, ‘It's just a scheme to exploit us, I don’t care for it! And have you reported this activity to the special department? Have you registered it?’"

"After saying this, his eyes suddenly lit up, thinking his idea was brilliant."

"He believed he had the right to command his ghost as he wished; why should Shen Wang interfere? Others being tempted by the Yin Gathering Talisman was their problem, not his."

"The man glanced at his own ghost, a gaunt figure hiding among the crowd, its eyes fixated on Shen Wang with fervent admiration."

"Feeling even more irritated, he thought Shen Wang must have used some kind of bewitching spell on the ghosts. Without hesitation, he decided to call the special department to report Shen Wang for illegal assembly, illegal gathering of ghosts, and illegal participation in social activities..."

"With so many charges, one of them was bound to land Shen Wang in trouble!"

"Just as he dialed the number, the conference room door burst open and several people walked in. The leading man and woman, both dressed in plain, professional attire, had serious expressions: ‘We're from the Capital's Special Department headquarters, did someone here call us?’"

"The man, holding his phone with the dialed but not yet called number, looked stunned. He glanced at his phone, then at the Special Department team, and back at his phone, about to raise his hand."

"Someone beat him to it, raising their hand first: ‘Unless I'm mistaken, that would be me?’"

"Shen Wang greeted Lu Tingchun and Feng Ju with a cheerful smile."

"Man: ‘???’"

"Wait, what's going on here???"