Chapter 12: The Water of Oblivion

Chen Yuyi frowned and put away his phone. Shen Zhuyun hadn’t given him any chance to speak; after just one sentence, she’d hung up directly. With a helpless sigh, Chen Yuyi could only return to the villa at once.

He had barely stepped inside when a wave of fragrant air swept over him, and a soft, blazing form pressed tightly against him.

“Chen Yuyi, remember this—what happened today must never be told to anyone!” Shen Zhuyun’s cheeks were flushed, her breathing heavy, as if she were desperately clinging to her last shred of consciousness.

But soon her gaze turned wild, and her lips, red as melted wax, grew bold, sealing his mouth with her heavy breaths.

For a moment, Chen Yuyi felt the world spin, but he quickly recovered his senses. This was not the Shen Zhuyun he knew; her burning skin was clear proof that something was terribly wrong.

“Chen Yuyi, ha! You lucky devil—it seems fortune has truly smiled upon you!” A sudden voice boomed in his mind—the Flood Dragon King had awoken at some unknown moment, laughing raucously.

“Flood Dragon King, what’s going on? She seems… off.”

“You simpleton, can’t you see she’s been poisoned with some kind of aphrodisiac? She’s using you to cure herself. Tell me, isn’t this a blessing falling from the heavens?”

Had this been the old Chen Yuyi, he might already have been lost to Shen Zhuyun’s charms, drowning in passion. But the present Chen Yuyi had a will and self-control forged to unprecedented strength.

“If I, Chen Yuyi, was destined to embark on the path of cultivation alongside you, Flood Dragon King, how could I stoop to taking advantage of someone in distress? When my cultivation succeeds, what need will I have to covet fleeting pleasures? Beauty and fortune will come without effort—what is there to greedily long for?”

“Ha! As expected of the one I, Flood Dragon King, have chosen! Indeed, what are women and wealth compared to the heights you’ll reach? Your clarity of mind truly pleases me—truly!” The Flood Dragon King burst forth, swirling around Chen Yuyi and exhaling a frosty mist in deep approval.

Meanwhile, Shen Zhuyun’s movements were growing ever more desperate, her undergarments already half-removed.

“Flood Dragon King, do you have any way to cure her?” Chen Yuyi asked.

“Knock her out first,” came the reply.

“Uh?” Though surprised, Chen Yuyi’s finger had already pressed gently against Shen Zhuyun’s neck.

She collapsed limply into his arms.

“This isn’t an ordinary aphrodisiac. Most likely, it was concocted by one of your so-called worldly ‘masters,’ with a touch of sorcery woven in. If this girl didn’t have such a strong will, she wouldn’t have lasted this long. Now, the poison runs deep—should a man not help her, her very life is in danger!”

Chen Yuyi was at a loss for words. Holding the nearly unclothed Shen Zhuyun, he couldn’t deny being stirred.

“But since you spoke so righteously before, I’ll think of another way for you, heh heh…”

Chen Yuyi suddenly felt as if he’d missed something. Had he known the poison was so severe, perhaps sacrificing himself to save her wouldn’t have been so wrong.

“So, what do you suggest?” he pressed, feeling Shen Zhuyun grow ever hotter in his embrace, her pale skin flushed as the blood beneath threatened to burst forth.

What truly made Chen Yuyi’s heart pound was the sight between her thighs—nothing was left to the imagination. He was astonished: who would have guessed that the queenly CEO would have such girlish taste?

“If only I’d recovered even a ten-thousandth of my energy, one breath from me would restore her in an instant!” the Flood Dragon King sighed as he circled above them.

“This isn’t the time for lamentation. If we don’t act soon, she’s in mortal danger!” If the Flood Dragon King didn’t find a solution, Chen Yuyi feared he’d be forced to “cure the poison with his own body.”

“Carefree and heartless, free from desire and longing; in the Sea of Forgetfulness, all is transformed to emptiness!” The Flood Dragon King began to chant, and between his horns a droplet of water condensed, floating in the air.

“What’s that?” Chen Yuyi asked.

He watched as the droplet flew to Shen Zhuyun, rippling before sinking into her brow.

Shen Zhuyun shuddered, eyes tightly shut, as a watery mist spread from her brow and enveloped her. Soon, layer upon layer of filth oozed from her pores, like oil being drawn out.

“That’s a single drop of Forgetfulness Water, condensed from the Sea of Forgetfulness where I once dwelled. Sadly, even such a small drop drains me, and I’ll need a long rest to recover.”

“The Sea of Forgetfulness?”

“Indeed. In that sea, all emotions and worries are dissolved, and its capacity is boundless. I haven’t the strength to explain its mysteries now. But with this drop in her body, the poison is purged to the bone, and even her constitution will be transformed—making her an ideal partner for dual cultivation with you in the future.”

“What? Dual cultivation?” Chen Yuyi’s eyes widened in shock.

“Don’t make a fuss. On the path of cultivation, what’s so strange about dual cultivation? I’m exhausted now; the rest is up to you.”

With that, the Flood Dragon King sank back into Chen Yuyi’s body.

“Dual cultivation? Am I really destined to practice it with her?” Chen Yuyi looked down at the recovering Shen Zhuyun, her perfect form and the words “dual cultivation” swirling in his mind like a fire dragon.

“Chen Yuyi, what are you thinking? You didn’t take advantage of her a moment ago, and you shouldn’t now. Even if you are to be partners in dual cultivation, it won’t be like this. If it comes to that, it will only be with her willing heart.”

He swept aside all stray thoughts. He considered carrying Shen Zhuyun to the bathroom to clean her up, but decided against it—not wishing to stir his own desires further, nor to face awkward explanations when she awoke.

So, he carried her straight to the bedroom, settled her comfortably, and left the room drenched in sweat.

Just then, he heard a faint commotion outside.

Now at the sixth level of body refinement, his senses were preternaturally sharp—he could sense movements within a five-mile radius as if they were in the palm of his hand.

“Master Lan, it should be here. Look—Shen Zhuyun’s car is parked right there.” Outside the villa, two impeccably dressed young men descended from a Range Rover. One pointed to Shen Zhuyun’s red Porsche.

“I see it. So, even after being dosed with my ‘Convergence Powder,’ she managed to get home. But where can she run?” The one called “Master Lan” was elegantly handsome, yet his face wore a sinister smile.

“Master Lan, you go ahead. I’ll keep watch outside. I made sure—Shen Zhuyun doesn’t live with her family. She should be alone inside,” the other said with a suggestive grin.

“Hmph. That powder is no joke—without a man, her meridians will rupture and she'll die. Even if her family were home, she’d beg me to save her!” Master Lan sneered, hands clasped behind his back.

“Of course, Master Lan. As Trueman Zhong’s personal disciple, your skills are unmatched. After this, do you think you could introduce me to him?” the other man asked obsequiously.

Master Lan raised an eyebrow. “Bai Lang, do you think my master is so easily met? Still, since you’ve shown such eagerness, I’ll mention you when I return. But whether he’ll see you is another matter.”

“With your word, I’m at ease. I’ll be sure to find more beauties for you in the future—please put in a good word for me with your master,” Bai Lang replied with feigned humility.

“Good. Stand guard out here. When I’m done, you can have your turn. After all your chasing, it’s my powder that does the trick!” Master Lan flicked his sleeve disdainfully and strode toward the villa.

Bai Lang looked after him with a flash of resentment. If not for Trueman Zhong’s legendary abilities, he wouldn’t be so eager to offer Shen Zhuyun to Master Lan.

He was the scion of a corporate group. Ever since meeting Shen Zhuyun at a gala, he’d been obsessed, but all his efforts to win her had failed. Recently, he’d befriended this Lan Sihao and been awed by his dark arts—especially when he learned that Lan’s master, Trueman Zhong, was even more formidable, said to bring the dead back to life and cure any disease with a talisman dissolved in water. Many wealthy men had failed to secure his tutelage. Bai Lang reasoned that with just a taste of Zhong’s skills, he could rule his world.

So, he considered it a fair trade. After all, Master Lan had promised him a turn as well. What did it matter who went first? As he recalled all the things he’d done for Shen Zhuyun only to be spurned, resentment seethed within him—he was determined to “repay” her well.

But then his gaze froze.

He saw Lan Sihao, as if seized by a phantom, lifted off the ground by his throat and hurled toward him with tremendous force.

“Ah!”

Bai Lang felt his bones crack under the impact, with Lan Sihao sprawled atop him, paralyzed with terror.

“How dare you lay a finger on my wife!” a voice thundered.

Through blurred vision, Bai Lang saw a figure—even if he couldn’t make out the face, he recognized a young man. Though there was no wind, the youth’s robes billowed as if in a storm.

Crushed by the overwhelming aura, Bai Lang’s limbs went limp and his chest tightened until he could barely breathe.