After Cutting Off Love And Emotions, I Was Pestered By The Demon Sect’s Enchantress - Chapter 23

The Xie Family (Part II)

The clothes she had been holding scattered onto the floor. Unexpectedly, Zhu Shengxi met A-Xu’s gaze.

Steam swirled around them. A-Xu’s porcelain-white face was flushed with a rosy hue, and her eyes were not as clear as usual, looking as though they were veiled in a layer of mist.

Zhu Shengxi hurriedly lowered her eyelashes, not knowing where to fix her gaze.

“What are you… doing?”

“You haven’t answered my previous question. Do you like me?”

The hand gripping her wrist was scorching. Zhu Shengxi struggled slightly, wanting to withdraw her hand.

“Let go first. We will talk after you finish your bath.”

More excuses, more avoidance. A-Xu’s eyes dimmed, and she slowly released her grip.

“You don’t have to answer. I already understand. I won’t… disturb you again.”

Her voice was low, carrying a faint sense of loss. Catching a glimpse of those darkened eyes, Zhu Shengxi’s heart suddenly tightened, and she spoke subconsciously: “It’s not like that.”

“Not like what?” A-Xu raised her eyes again to look at her, wanting a definitive answer.

“To me, you are not a disturbance. I… I also do not wish for you to distance yourself from me,” Zhu Shengxi replied, her lips parting softly.

Not only did she not want to distance herself, she couldn’t help but want to draw closer to this person. Zhu Shengxi couldn’t say for sure if this counted as love, but the feeling of her heart blooming like a flower every time A-Xu approached was certainly not fake.

After a moment of silence, there was no response from the other woman. Just as Zhu Shengxi was feeling puzzled, a sudden softness touched the back of her hand.

Warm lips kissed her repeatedly, moving from the back of her hand to her slender knuckles, leaving behind a moist sensation.

A-Xu sat in the bathtub while Zhu Shengxi stood beside it; the subtle difference in height added a layer of ambiguity to the atmosphere.

Zhu Shengxi looked down at her, then suddenly turned her wrist slightly. Her fingertips brushed over the other’s reddened lips, her voice turning slightly hoarse: “Stop kissing.”

A-Xu looked up to meet her gaze and found that Zhu Shengxi’s eyes had darkened. The calloused fingertips rubbed against the edge of her lips, bringing a faint itch.

This version of Zhu Shengxi was somewhat unfamiliar. A-Xu turned her face away uncomfortably, and then she heard the other woman ask softly:

“Have you ever kissed anyone else like this?”

A-Xu froze for a moment, then answered her: “No. I have only ever kissed you.”

Hearing these words, something seemed ready to burst forth from the depths of her heart. Her wrist had long been released, making the subsequent actions easier. Zhu Shengxi placed her hand on A-Xu’s cheek, leaned down, and slowly drew closer.

A-Xu subconsciously closed her eyes. The other woman’s breath drew nearer and nearer. After waiting for a moment, the expected kiss did not arrive.

Had I misunderstood?

Thinking of this possibility, A-Xu felt a bit embarrassed. Just as she intended to open her eyes, she heard Zhu Shengxi ask once more:

“Then… have you kissed Xiao Hua?”

Realizing what she was asking, A-Xu almost laughed out loud. She desperately suppressed the smile at the corners of her mouth and denied it: “No.”

Having received a satisfactory answer, Zhu Shengxi no longer hesitated. She lightly lifted A-Xu’s chin and kissed her soft lips.

It was an extremely clumsy kiss; Zhu Shengxi only knew how to press against the other’s lips. But even that gentle contact was enough to make her heart sway.

After a moment, their lips parted slightly. Zhu Shengxi gazed at A-Xu; her eyes, which usually held coldness and detachment, were now filled with tenderness.

A-Xu wrapped her arms around her neck, half-coaxing: “Come into the bathtub, alright?”

“Alright,” Zhu Shengxi responded softly. At this moment, no matter what request A-Xu made, she would likely grant it.

Her outer robe was shed, revealing a snow-white inner garment. Ripples spread across the surface of the water in the tub, reflecting their profiles.

As her body submerged into the water, a wave of warmth followed. Zhu Shengxi felt confused and asked, “Why is this water still hot?”

“I put a piece of Warm Jade in it; the water won’t get cold,” A-Xu explained softly, stepping forward to wrap her arms around her neck.

Their two bodies pressed tightly together, stirring an inexplicable restlessness. Zhu Shengxi gazed at the person before her without blinking, her heart drumming like a mallet.

A-Xu drew closer to her, and their lips met once again. Unlike the previous gentle touch, A-Xu parted her teeth and lips, continuously deepening the kiss.

The moment their tongues touched, Zhu Shengxi felt as if her entire face was on fire. She couldn’t help but tighten her hold on the other’s slender waist, touching nothing but soft, smooth skin.

For some reason, she felt hotter and hotter. Zhu Shengxi’s gaze gradually lost its clarity, and an unknown longing deep within her was being magnified. She didn’t know what it was; she only felt that a simple kiss was no longer enough.

She wanted more…

At that moment, a hand slowly untied the sash of her inner garment. The inner robe was shed, followed by her undergarments. Contrary to her usual self, Zhu Shengxi said nothing, allowing the person before her to proceed.

With their bodies pressed tightly together without any barrier, both could feel the softness of each other’s frame. A-Xu’s lips moved from her earlobe to her collarbone, kissing gently and leaving behind trails of ambiguous red marks.

Her hand followed, resting on her waist. A-Xu opened her eyes to look at Zhu Shengxi; that jade-like face was now entirely flushed, and those eyes were no longer clear, long since occupied by desire.

Seeing her like this, A-Xu’s movements faltered for a moment, and a pang of pain spread through her heart.

No, I cannot go soft-hearted.

Zhu Shengxi noticed that she had stopped and was somewhat bewildered. The next moment, she felt that hand move all the way down, brushing against the skin of her inner thigh.

“Is it okay?” A-Xu asked softly.

What was okay? Zhu Shengxi didn’t quite understand, but the desire in her heart was clamoring, a restless heat and discomfort she couldn’t describe. She rubbed her neck against A-Xu’s neck and let out a soft “mm.”

Did you hear that? She agreed. She has feelings for me.

A-Xu convinced herself in her heart and then continued with the next step.

Ripples rose on the water’s surface. Zhu Shengxi’s face was faintly red, her beautiful brows slightly furrowed, her hands unconsciously clutching the other’s shoulders tightly.

Fingertips explored and probed lightly; the sound of water splashing softly echoed in the bathtub. The warm, moist sensation was extremely vivid. A-Xu gazed intently at her somewhat dazed eyes, a sense of unprecedented satisfaction rising in her heart, and she couldn’t help but call out softly:

“Sheng-sheng.”

Hearing that tenderly whispered call, Zhu Shengxi’s body trembled, and she began to respond both clumsily and proactively.

Outside, the daylight was bright. A ray of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the window into the room; it was a bit piercing. Zhu Shengxi frowned slightly and woke up.

The sticky feeling on her body was gone, and the bedsheets had been changed to clean ones. Zhu Shengxi looked down at her clothes; her attire had also been changed by someone.

The scenes from last night replayed in her mind. Aside from the heat in her face, she felt it was even more absurd.

She knew very well that she had developed feelings for A-Xu, but initially, she only wanted to kiss the woman. How did it progress to that point…

The wooden door gave a “creak.” A-Xu spotted the person on the bed and said softly, “You’re awake.”

Zhu Shengxi looked at her with a complex expression and parted her lips: “Come here.”

Zhu Shengxi’s expression was a bit strange. A-Xu hesitated for a moment before following the instruction and sitting by the bed.

Unexpectedly, what she heard was not cold words, but a gentle question: “Are you willing to go to the Guiyun Sect?”

What did that mean? A-Xu was stunned and looked at her in bewilderment.

Zhu Shengxi said warmly: “If you are willing, I can give you a Guiyun Sect token directly. After going to the Guiyun Sect, I can teach you the orthodox techniques. Orthodox techniques focus mostly on breathing and meditation, which is good for the body—much better than evil arts.”

A-Xu did not state her position but asked instead: “If I go to the Guiyun Sect, where will I live?”

A warm smile appeared in Zhu Shengxi’s eyes: “Naturally, you will live with me.”

A-Xu’s lips twitched slightly as a suspicion began to form in her mind. With a hint of disbelief, she asked, “You want to become Daoist partners with me?”

Zhu Shengxi looked at her intently: “We shared skin-to-skin intimacy last night. Shouldn’t we become Daoist partners?”

A-Xu frowned slightly, feeling a rare sense of being at a loss. She completely hadn’t expected Zhu Shengxi to say such a thing; becoming Daoist partners was not in her plan at all.

After a moment of silence, she declined coolly: “I am just an anonymous cultivator. I have no great ambitions, nor do I have the conviction to eliminate demons and defend the Dao. Going to the Guiyun Sect would truly be a waste of a disciple’s slot.”

Zhu Shengxi: “You don’t need to worry about that. I am taking you to the Guiyun Sect not as a disciple, but as my Daoist partner.”

Hearing this, A-Xu lowered her eyes, for a moment not knowing what to say. Her refusal had already been stated so clearly—had Zhu Shengxi not heard it?

Did she really have to refuse straightforwardly and tell her she didn’t want to be her partner?

She didn’t want to say such heartless words, so she could only remain silent.

Seeing A-Xu’s silence, Zhu Shengxi seemed to understand something and asked tentatively: “You are unwilling to be my Daoist partner?”

A-Xu avoided her gaze. “Correct. I am unwilling.”

At this, Zhu Shengxi was stunned for a moment, unable to say a word. Why was she unwilling? She had repeatedly said she liked her, and they had even done such an intimate thing.

Seeing her eyes suddenly dim, A-Xu felt a pang in her heart. She came up with a random excuse, saying: “You are the Northern Hall Master of the Guiyun Sect, of noble status, while I am but a nobody. Your two senior sisters and the other disciples would certainly not agree to us becoming partners.”

Zhu Shengxi didn’t care. She said firmly: “Who I like is my business. Who I want to be partners with is also my own business. Why should I need anyone else’s consent?”

Faced with such serious and firm words, A-Xu couldn’t help but feel a tremor in her heart. After a pause, she changed her tune: “Let’s talk about it after we find the Remaining Jade.”

Hearing her change her mind, Zhu Shengxi’s eyes brightened slightly, her expression full of tenderness as she replied: “Alright.”

A-Xu forced a smile, but her heart felt inexplicably heavy. Now everything was going as she wished; Zhu Shengxi had fallen in love and her heart was full of her. At this point, taking that thing would be easier than ever.

Yet, she didn’t feel the slightest bit of relief at the impending completion of her plan. A-Xu couldn’t help but think: When that day comes and Zhu Shengxi discovers that all of this was a lie, will she be very sad?

Her heart began to ache faintly. A-Xu closed her eyes and pushed the thought away, unwilling to think further.

“Those things you did last night… where did you learn them from?” Zhu Shengxi’s eyes wandered, looking somewhat embarrassed.

A-Xu gave her an unexpected look, then took an unbacked book from her storage bag, placed it by her hand, and teased with a light smile: “See for yourself.” Having said that, she turned and left the room.

Zhu Shengxi picked up the unbacked book and flipped to a page at random. She saw that it was filled with drawings of naked women, entangled bodies, and various unsightly positions.

She immediately slammed the book shut, her face burning. No wonder there were so many “varieties” last night; it turned out she had been reading this kind of pulp literature.

Regaining her composure, Zhu Shengxi thought for a moment. Finally, she wrapped the book in a piece of black cloth and put it into her storage bag.

She had been a quick learner since childhood. Once she mastered these, she would definitely return everything from last night.

That night, the two walked slowly along the long street. A-Xu brushed against the back of Zhu Shengxi’s hand and frowned slightly.

Why was her hand so cold?

“Wait for me here a moment.” A-Xu left those words and walked toward the other side.

Zhu Shengxi watched her retreating figure and waited in place as instructed.

Pedestrians hurried past, and she overheard a few whispers:

“Hey, did you know? All the cultivators who took on that Xie family matter have never returned.”

“Didn’t Yao Zhixin of the Kunchen Sect come back safely?”

“Who told you she came back unscathed? She was heavily injured and unconscious; she was rescued by the people of the Kunchen Sect!”

“Ah? Even someone from the Kunchen Sect was heavily injured. Are there still cultivators willing to take this on?”

“Who knows.”

Yao Zhixin was heavily injured and is unconscious?

Hearing this, Zhu Shengxi was a bit surprised. She had fought Yao Zhixin before; Yao Zhixin’s strength was not low, and as the personal disciple of the Kunchen Sect Leader, she certainly had protective treasures. Yet even she had stumbled.

Since Yao Zhixin was injured because of the Xie family, the Kunchen Sect would definitely send people to investigate later. This was good; they wouldn’t have to waste effort investigating themselves.

As Zhu Shengxi was thinking, A-Xu had already returned and stuffed something into her hand.

It was a brown, circular cloth bag that emitted bursts of heat when held in her palm.

“What is this?” Zhu Shengxi asked curiously.

A-Xu pointed to a spot nearby. “I bought it over there; it can be used to warm your hands.”

Zhu Shengxi carefully held it in her palms. The warmth it provided soon made her hands cozy.

“Thank you.”

Seeing her careful and precious manner, A-Xu’s breath hitched. She said hoarsely, “It’s just an ugly hand warmer. You throw it away when you’re done with it. Why are you treating it with such importance?”

Zhu Shengxi looked at her, a gentle smile in her eyes. “Because you gave it to me.”

What a fool.

A-Xu hid the emotions in her eyes and spoke calmly: “It’s getting late. Let’s go back.”

The two walked back side-by-side. Zhu Shengxi held the hand warmer, glancing at the person beside her from time to time.

A-Xu kept her eyes lowered, her brow slightly furrowed as if she were contemplating something.

When A-Xu was with her, she was usually smiling or joking around with a lively expression. It was rare to see her in such expressionless deep thought.

Zhu Shengxi looked at A-Xu, a sense of oddity flashing through her heart. She felt that A-Xu seemed different today, but she couldn’t say exactly what was wrong.

A-Xu would still care for her and show her smiles, but beneath those smiles, something seemed hidden, giving off an unreal feeling.

Zhu Shengxi took the initiative to hold the other’s hand and started a conversation: “I just heard someone say that Yao Zhixin was injured in that forest and was unconscious, and was later taken away by the Kunchen Sect people.”

A-Xu was somewhat distracted. “Oh, she has the Kunchen Sect to protect her; she’s lucky to be alive.” After saying this, the two fell into silence again.

Seeing this, Zhu Shengxi couldn’t help but ask: “Do you have something on your mind?”

A-Xu forced a smile and shook her head. “No.” It was still just a one-sentence response.

Zhu Shengxi gave her a worried look and temporarily suppressed the doubt in her heart. They remained silent until they reached the small house.

Just as they were about to enter, a clear, cold voice rang out behind them: “Junior Sister.”

Zhu Shengxi froze and turned around, looking in astonishment at the person not far away. “Eldest Senior Sister?”

A-Xu followed her gaze. The woman not far away wore a blue outer robe and had an upright posture. Just standing there, she exuded a subtle majesty. A wooden hairpin was tucked into her hair with no other ornaments, yet it could not hide her extraordinary temperament.

The cold phoenix eyes first looked at Zhu Shengxi, and then her gaze fixed on A-Xu.

Zhu Shengxi had called her Eldest Senior Sister, so this must be the Sect Leader of the Guiyun Sect, Jiang Lixu.

Jiang Lixu’s expression was indifferent. Her gaze shifted downward, and when she caught sight of their joined hands, her brow suddenly furrowed. Her voice carried a hint of chill:

“Junior Sister, who is she?”