Chapter 65: Isn’t This Bullying?
The private chamber fell into complete silence.
Gu Ruoxi’s pale hand clutched the hem of her dress, and the seductive charm that usually adorned her beautiful face was gone—replaced by unease.
“You’re silent—so that means my guess is correct?”
After a moment, Shen Yanzhou gently rubbed the white jade ring between his fingers, his tone steady and sure.
“Yes.”
Gu Ruoxi bit her lip lightly and, meeting Shen Yanzhou’s gaze, could only force herself to reply.
“The teacup’s empty…”
Shen Yanzhou glanced sideways at the empty teacup before him.
Gu Ruoxi froze for a moment, her chest suddenly rising and falling sharply. What did he take her for—a servant girl to order around? She was an Immortal Officer of the Bureau of Immortal Inspection! After being humiliated by him just now, he still wanted her to pour tea?
Wasn’t this bullying?
Still, though she thought that in her heart, her actions remained obedient. She smoothed her skirt, stood up, walked to his side, and poured the tea.
After witnessing Shen Yanzhou’s terrifying strength firsthand, she dared not defy him again in such a private space.
“You’re rather obedient.”
Shen Yanzhou nodded slightly, raising the cup and blowing gently across the steaming surface.
Gu Ruoxi rolled her eyes ever so slightly.
Negative emotions from Gu Ruoxi +9 +10 +11 +14…
“Who ordered you to spy on me?”
Shen Yanzhou pretended not to notice her small reaction and continued asking calmly.
In the original plot, Gu Ruoxi didn’t have much presence. She was, at best, a background character—something like a “Divine Constable” archetype.
Even during the main arc of the True and False Heir, her involvement was limited.
What Shen Yanzhou remembered clearly was that Gu Ruoxi had, through bits and clues, uncovered the hidden secret behind the fire that struck the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion twenty years ago.
The supposed “truth” she found—that the Demon Suppression King, Shen Jingxiao, had deliberately staged the event to blame the Nether Cult—was, in fact, exactly what Shen Jingxiao wanted the world to believe.
Thus, the entire capital came to believe that twenty years ago, on the night the Princess Consort gave birth, the Nether Cult had seized the chance to attack and burn down the mansion.
At that time, Shen Jingxiao was on his way back to the capital, with a solid alibi.
During the attack, the cultists switched the real heir with a courtesan’s son—one who was supposed to have drowned in the filthy ditch along Vermilion Bird Street.
Gu Ruoxi’s role in the story was to uncover this so-called “truth,” but in truth, she had merely been a pawn in Shen Jingxiao’s grand scheme.
“It was one of my clan’s elders,” Gu Ruoxi confessed honestly, not daring to hide anything.
“Truly?” Shen Yanzhou asked.
She quickly nodded. “Truly. When that elder learned of the rumors about the True and False Heir spreading in the capital—and that we had already rescued you and were preparing to return—he instructed me to seize the chance to investigate.”
She still didn’t know whether the rumors were true or false.
Was Shen Yanzhou really the false heir?
Could a false heir possess such unfathomable strength? Had his years of idle, debauched behavior all been an act?
She didn’t dare think too deeply.
“In that case, tell the elder behind you this.”
“Shen Jingxiao intends to rebel. The true heir is someone else. My abduction was all orchestrated by the Demon Suppression King himself.” Shen Yanzhou’s tone was calm.
In any case, the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion had no choice but to shoulder this black pot.
“What?”
Gu Ruoxi froze, looking at him suspiciously. Was he planning to betray the Demon Suppression King?
No—that wasn’t right. If what he said was true, then he must already hate that household deeply.
But what if he was lying?
“As you see, I am indeed a false heir—a mere puppet substitute.”
“The Demon Suppression King’s Mansion abandoned me like a worn-out mule and now wishes to kill me. Isn’t it normal that I’d want revenge?” Shen Yanzhou said lightly, as though he could read her thoughts.
“You’re not lying to me?”
Gu Ruoxi still couldn’t believe it. If he were truly a false heir, how could he have reached such a terrifying realm of cultivation without the mansion’s resources or secret techniques?
If he really had done it on his own—then just how monstrous was his talent?
“Why would I lie to you?”
“Your Bureau has long been dissatisfied with the Demon Suppression King’s reach into the Southern Border, hasn’t it? I’m giving you solid evidence to impeach him—isn’t that exactly what you want?” Shen Yanzhou tapped the teacup.
Gu Ruoxi knew she had no right to doubt him now. After a moment of silence, she nodded. “Then I’ll report it as such to the elder.”
That elder held a high post within the Bureau of Immortal Inspection.
Seeing Shen Yanzhou nod in silent approval, she hesitated briefly before preparing to stand and leave.
This wretched little chamber—she didn’t want to stay here another moment.
“Wait.”
Shen Yanzhou’s voice suddenly sounded, freezing her mid-step.
Forcing a charming smile onto her face, she turned back. “What else does the Heir wish to command?”
Shen Yanzhou looked at her, amused. “You know my secret and still think you can just walk away so easily? Isn’t that a bit naïve?”
Gu Ruoxi instinctively covered her chest again, wary. It still ached from earlier.
“What must I do for you to let me go?”
“I can swear never to reveal any of your secrets. I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”
“But if you plan to force me into anything, then abandon that thought.”
“If something happens to me here—or any accident occurs—you’ll be the first suspect…”
“You’ve hidden yourself for years. Surely you wouldn’t want to expose all your disguises over a mere woman like me?”
She took a deep breath, trying to stay calm, as she would before interrogating a criminal.
“It seems your intellect has finally returned to your head.”
“If only you’d been this reasonable when you walked in,” Shen Yanzhou said, his tone faintly amused.
“…” Gu Ruoxi froze. Was he calling her stupid just now?
Negative emotions from Gu Ruoxi +13 +14 +15…
“I’m a very suspicious man. I don’t easily trust anyone—not even oaths.”
“Here’s a Ten-Thousand Gu Heart-Piercing Pill. Take it. Every half month, you’ll come find me for the antidote.”
“If, after half a year, you’ve proven yourself satisfactory, I’ll lift the poison.”
As he spoke, a black, bead-like pill appeared in his palm without warning.
The pill emitted a faint fragrance, though wreathed with wisps of mist resembling the Breath of Chaos, deep and mysterious.
Gu Ruoxi’s eyes fixed on it.
She hadn’t heard of the Ten-Thousand Gu Heart-Piercing Pill, but she knew of poisons like the Hundred Gu Devouring Pill and Life-Death Seal Pill—toxic concoctions that could seize control over a cultivator’s life. Once activated, the victim would suffer pain beyond death.
This pill… even more terrifying, perhaps.
Where had Shen Yanzhou obtained such a thing?
“If you don’t wish to swallow the pill, that’s fine. You can instead open your Sea of Consciousness and let me plant a slave mark.”
“Your choice.”
Seeing her hesitate, Shen Yanzhou remained unhurried, placing the pill on the table beside him.
Then, with a flick of his finger, a faint gray flame appeared—emitting a searing, soul-stirring heat.
Gu Ruoxi’s eyes widened. Slave marks were Daoist techniques. She had thought he was only bluffing—but he actually knew Daoist arts too?
That terrifying power from earlier already proved his martial cultivation was deep.
And now he could also wield Daoist arts?
That simple flame technique… why did it feel even more potent than one cast by a pure fire-spirit cultivator?
“I’ll take the pill.”
“I only hope you’ll keep your word.”
Gritting her teeth, Gu Ruoxi stepped forward, her face resolute, picked up the pill, and swallowed it.
She knew she had no choice. Even if she refused, Shen Yanzhou had countless ways to control her. With his mysterious methods, he could likely plant a mark within her Sea of Consciousness with ease.
Better to endure six months of suffering than lifelong enslavement.
The pill melted instantly in her mouth, flowing like a warm current through her limbs.
Her fatigue faded at once.
The sensation startled her—it felt suspiciously like the Rejuvenation Pill she had taken before.
Was he tricking her?
Shen Yanzhou seemed to read her thoughts. With a small motion of his finger—
“Ah—!”
“It hurts…”
Gu Ruoxi’s face turned deathly pale. Sweat beaded down her forehead as searing pain tore through her body, as if her organs were shattering.
“Don’t entertain lucky thoughts. I’m not joking.”
Shen Yanzhou withdrew his hand calmly.
“…Understood.”
The agony dissipated, and Gu Ruoxi stood again, though her face remained ghostly pale, her gaze filled with fear.
“You may leave. Remember to find me every half month,” Shen Yanzhou said, waving his hand dismissively.
The pill she swallowed had, of course, merely been a Rejuvenation Pill—a common medicine found in any apothecary.
It was something Shen Yanzhou had taken from Elder Mo earlier, knowing it might come in handy.
He had simply infused it with a trace of Primordial Qi.
Once that Qi entered her body, it merged seamlessly with her spiritual energy—imperceptible even to experts of the Martial Path or Daoist masters.
Within a certain range, Shen Yanzhou could manipulate that thread of Primordial Qi, effectively controlling her life or death.
And as his cultivation rose, so too would the range and precision of that control.
“This so-called flame control is nothing more than converting spiritual energy into elemental form.”
“The energy within my body exists in a Primordial State—encompassing all, birthing all five elements.”
“So even without the specific spiritual roots, I can learn any technique with ease.”
After Gu Ruoxi left, Shen Yanzhou lifted his hand. Streams of water coiled between his fingers, shifting into Wood Qi full of life, then Gold Qi sharp as a blade, then Earth Qi solid and heavy—cycling endlessly.
As the elements evolved, arcs of lightning began to flicker among them—forming attributes beyond the Five Elements themselves.
That earlier flame hadn’t been any Fire Control Technique. Shen Yanzhou didn’t even know such spells.
It was pure elemental transformation—authentic Five Elemental Qi, drawn from his own Primordial Essence.
“To spend basic attribute points on such arts would be wasteful.”
“But if I have time, I can still learn a few techniques and martial skills on my own. Now that the Primordial Embryo has formed, my talent in all areas should be above average.”
He had once thought diversifying too much would dilute his strength—basic points were too precious to waste.
But now his view had shifted slightly.
His martial and Daoist talents were both remarkable; it wouldn’t hurt to learn more means of survival.
After all, he wasn’t bound by the system’s so-called skill slot limitations. He could learn as much as he wished—mastery didn’t matter.
“Senior…”
With that thought, Shen Yanzhou rubbed the white jade ring again, summoning Lin Qingcang’s remnant will—hoping to extract a few martial techniques from him.
Aboard the Moon-Chasing Vessel, all the Immortal Officers and Chilin Guards watched as Gu Ruoxi entered Shen Yanzhou’s chamber. She stayed there for half a stick of incense before emerging—her complexion far from normal.
Normally, the outspoken officers would have teased her with lewd remarks.
But this time, none dared.
They only felt a pang of envy—sharing a room with such a stunning woman was every man’s dream.
And yet, Shen Yanzhou—the Heir of the Demon Suppression King, whose title now hung by a thread—still enjoyed such “fortune.”
“How did it go? Did you learn anything useful?”
Chu Dao approached Gu Ruoxi first, lowering his voice deliberately. His gaze, however, was tinged with curiosity and confusion.
He had worked with her long enough to know—no matter her emotions, she always maintained that alluring composure before others.
But now, her cold, expressionless face was a rare sight indeed.