Bai Qian, the celestial beauty of the cultivation world, spat her defiance like venom.

  "You are utterly shameless! Even in death, I will never let you have your way!" Her voice, though laced with fury, trembled slightly, a subtle crack in her otherwise flawless facade.

  The golden-armored brute, his face a mask of lecherous glee, responded with a snide chuckle.

  "Oh, little phoenix, you'll learn to enjoy our…dual cultivation. Haven't you noticed the changes in your exquisite self?" He drawled the last words, his eyes gleaming with predatory hunger.

  Xiao Jin, the Demon Sovereign, watched the unfolding drama with detached amusement.

  He leaned back against a gnarled tree, a sardonic smile playing on his lips.

  "Now this," he mused to himself, "is better than any opera."

  amusing.

  He almost felt like popping some spirit fruit and kicking back to watch the show.

  Bai Qian's eyes widened, a flicker of panic igniting within their depths.

  She became acutely aware of the frantic rhythm of her own heart, a frantic drumbeat against her ribs.

  Her skin felt flushed, feverish, as if an internal inferno was slowly consuming her.

  A strange, unfamiliar heat bloomed in her lower abdomen, a primal yearning that sent a jolt of shock through her system.

  What is happening to me?

  A forbidden thought slithered into her consciousness, unwelcome and shockingly vivid: a desperate craving for the touch of a man, for the intimate embrace of a lover.

  The realization hit her like a physical blow, stealing her breath and leaving her reeling.

  "What have you done to me?" she gasped, her voice barely a whisper.

  The man threw back his head and roared with laughter, a sound as grating as nails on a chalkboard.

  "Why, Bai Qian, my dear, haven't you figured it out yet? It was just a little…persuasion." He stepped closer, his shadow looming over her like a suffocating shroud.

  "A little dose of the Spring Bloom Dew," he purred, savoring each word.

  "A rare and potent aphrodisiac, brewed by yours truly. And judging by your flushed cheeks and rapid breathing, I'd say it's working wonders." He reached out, his greasy fingers reaching for her face.

  "You're practically begging for a man's touch, aren't you? Craving the sweet release only I can provide?"

  Xiao Jin watched, his expression unreadable.

  He idly twirled a strand of his dark hair around his finger.

  The woman's predicament was...

  intriguing.

  A part of him, the ancient, demonic part, relished the cruelty of the situation.

  Another, smaller part, felt a flicker of something akin to...

  pity?

  Nah, probably just gas.

  The man continued his lecherous rant, oblivious to the storm brewing within Bai Qian's heart.

  He gloated, reveling in her obvious discomfort.

  "Imagine it, Bai Qian," he whispered, his voice dripping with malice.

  "The most beautiful woman in the cultivation world, brought to her knees by a simple little potion. You'll be begging me for more soon enough."

  Bai Qian recoiled from his touch, her eyes blazing with a mixture of shame and fury.

  "You disgust me!" she spat, the words laced with venom.

  "Oh, I think we both know that's not true." His grin was wide and cruel.

  "Deep down, you want this. You need this." He reached out again, his fingers tracing the line of her jaw.

  Bai Qian's breath hitched.

  She could feel the power of the aphrodisiac coursing through her veins, weakening her resolve.

  She had to escape.

  She had to get away from this…this monster.

  With a surge of adrenaline, she summoned what little spiritual energy she had left, focusing it into a desperate burst of speed.

  She twisted away from his grasp, stumbling backward.

  "Trying to run away, my little dove?" the man sneered.

  He moved with surprising speed, cutting off her escape route.

  "Where do you think you're going? The fun is just beginning." He took a step closer, his eyes glinting with anticipation.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Bai Qian cursed inwardly.

  The drug was making her sluggish, weakening her.

  She had to think, and fast.

  But her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, of shame and desire, of fear and…a strange, unsettling curiosity.

  Xiao Jin remained a silent observer, a ghost in the shadows.

  He watched as Bai Qian's internal struggle played out on her face, a fascinating display of vulnerability and defiance.

  He wondered what she would do.

  Would she succumb to the effects of the drug?

  Or would she find a way to overcome this obstacle?

  He knew that he should intervene, but he couldn't bring himself to do so.

  Something about this situation was just too damn interesting.

  The man reached out and grabbed Bai Qian's arm, his grip like a vise.

  "You're not going anywhere," he snarled, his voice thick with lust.

  "You're mine now."

  Bai Qian glared at him, her eyes blazing with defiance.

  "I'd rather die than let you touch me," she hissed.

  The man laughed, a harsh, grating sound that echoed through the valley.

  "Such brave words," he mocked.

  "But words are meaningless. Your body tells a different story. Doesn't it, little phoenix?"

  Before Bai Qian could respond, he yanked her closer, his face inches from hers.

  "Let's see how long you can resist," he whispered, his breath hot and foul against her skin.

  Bai Qian's eyes narrowed, her expression hardening.

  "You'll regret this," she spat.

  "Oh, I doubt that," the man sneered.

  "But I have a feeling you will." He leaned in to kiss her-

  "How boring..." Xiao Jin murmured, his voice barely audible.

  "Isn't there a plot twist? "I'm starting to lose patience.”

  "How utterly predictable,"

  Xiao Jin sighed, a hint of boredom lacing his tone.

  He'd been watching this pathetic little drama unfold from the comfort of his secluded valley, expecting some grand twist, some exhilarating conflict.

  But no, just the same old tired trope of the damsel in distress and the lecherous villain.

  He was about to dismiss it entirely, return to his meditative state, when a flash of crimson caught his eye.

  A torn sleeve revealed a mark on the woman's arm, a swirling, intricate dragon tattoo… identical to the one etched upon his own chest.

  Suddenly, the boredom evaporated, replaced by a prickle of intrigue.

  He'd thought this was just another mundane squabble, a fleeting ripple in the otherwise stagnant waters of the cultivation world.

  But this… this was something different.

  With a casual flick of his wrist, he vanished from his perch and materialized between the struggling pair.

  The shift in air pressure, the sudden appearance of a figure seemingly out of thin air, startled the would-be assailant.

  He recoiled, momentarily stunned.

  This intruder, with his unassuming robes and seemingly weak aura, posed no threat, right?

  "Get lost, whelp!" the man snarled, his voice dripping with contempt.

  "This doesn't concern you."

  He leered at Bai Qian, his eyes glinting with predatory intent.

  Bai Qian's heart sank.

  Her initial flicker of hope, the thought that a powerful recluse might reside in this valley, was quickly extinguished.

  This young man, with his almost fragile appearance, seemed more likely to become another victim than a savior.

  "Run," she urged, her voice strained.

  "He's… he's dangerous. He'll kill you."

  Xiao Jin let out a low chuckle, a sound that vibrated with an unsettling power.

  "Dangerous?" he repeated, tilting his head slightly.

  "To me? My dear girl, you wound me." This… insect, this insignificant speck of dust, dared to threaten him?

  Xiao Jin, the Invincible Demon Sovereign, who had grown weary of slaughtering such pathetic creatures centuries ago?

  The sheer absurdity of it almost made him laugh.

  The man, enraged by Xiao Jin's dismissive tone, lunged forward, his hand crackling with malevolent energy.

  "You insolent brat! I'll show you what happens when you interfere with—"

  He didn't get to finish his sentence.

  Xiao Jin didn't even bother to raise a hand.

  With a mere flick of his wrist, a wave of invisible force slammed into the man, obliterating him in a flash of crimson light and a silent scream.

  Nothing remained but a faint wisp of smoke, quickly dissipating in the gentle breeze.

  The air, thick with tension moments before, now held an eerie stillness.

  Xiao Jin turned towards Bai Qian, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

  "Now then," he said, his voice smooth as silk, "where were we?"

  Bai Qian stared, utterly dumbfounded.

  The arrogant, leering man, just moments ago radiating such menacing power, was now nothing but a puff of smoke.

  Gone.

  Poof.

  Like a magician's cheap trick.

  She glanced at Xiao Jin, her mind struggling to process what she had just witnessed.

  This unassuming man, this seemingly fragile figure, possessed power beyond her comprehension.

  He had obliterated a cultivator, someone she perceived as incredibly dangerous, with less effort than it took to swat a fly.

  A shiver, not entirely of fear, ran down her spine.

  "Now then," Xiao Jin repeated, his voice a silken whisper that somehow cut through the lingering silence.

  "Where were we?" He tilted his head, his gaze falling upon the swirling dragon tattoo peeking out from her torn sleeve.

  "That mark," he said, his tone suddenly sharper, more focused.

  "Where did you get it?" He reached out, a finger tracing the intricate design.

  "Why do you bear this symbol?"

  Bai Qian didn't answer.

  She couldn’t answer.

  The world around her seemed to blur, to shimmer and distort.

  Her eyes, fixed on Xiao Jin, took on a hazy, unfocused quality.

  The heat bloomed within her, a searing, consuming fire that burned away all thought, all reason.

  The aphrodisiac, meant to break her will, was twisting her desires, amplifying them, turning them into a raging torrent she could no longer control.

  Shame warred with a desperate, primal urge, an overwhelming need for… him.

  This powerful, enigmatic man who had appeared out of nowhere and effortlessly erased her tormentor.

  She felt a pull, an irresistible magnetism drawing her towards him.

  "I… I…" she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

  The words caught in her throat, replaced by a gasp as she stumbled forward, falling against his chest.

  Her arms wrapped around him, her fingers digging into the fabric of his robes.

  "I… need…" she breathed, her body trembling.

  The heat intensified, burning through her like wildfire.

  Xiao Jin felt her weight against him, the tremors that wracked her body.

  He recognized the signs.

  The aphrodisiac.

  He could dispel it, neutralize the drug with a mere thought.

  But…

  "I… I need you…" Bai Qian repeated, her voice thick with desire.

  She fumbled with the fastenings of his robe, her fingers clumsy and desperate.

  Her breath hitched as she pulled it open, revealing the identical dragon tattoo etched upon his chest, mirroring her own.

  "Help me…" she pleaded, her eyes locked on his.

  "Please…"

  Five hundred years.

  Five centuries of solitude, of quiet contemplation, of abstaining from the petty squabbles and desires of the mortal realm.

  Five hundred years since he had last touched a woman.

  And now… this woman.

  Bai Qian.

  The most beautiful woman in the cultivation world, they said.

  And she was begging him.

  Offering herself to him.

  The embers of desire, long banked and dormant, flickered back to life, fanned by her proximity, her desperation, her undeniable beauty.

  He could feel the heat radiating from her, a palpable wave of longing that mirrored his own burgeoning desire.

  He scooped her up into his arms, her soft gasp against his ear sending a jolt of electricity through him.

  He didn’t speak, didn't offer platitudes or empty reassurances.

  Words were unnecessary.

  Her actions, her desperate pleas, had spoken volumes.

  He carried her through the valley, towards the secluded dwelling nestled amongst the ancient trees.

  Inside, the air was still and cool, a welcome respite from the burning heat that consumed them both.

  He laid her gently on the bed, her eyes never leaving his.

  The silence stretched, thick with unspoken promises and simmering desire.

  He leaned closer, his shadow falling over her.