In the study, a man and woman, strangers to each other, exchanged a smile. The atmosphere was faintly ambiguous.

Tang Mengru surveyed the magnificent furnishings and said in a gentle voice, "Fellow Daoist is truly extravagant. This Celestial Room is specially prepared by Tianya Sea Pavilion for Late-stage Life Talisman Cultivators. An ordinary early-stage cultivator without significant wealth wouldn’t dare to lodge here."

Fang Cheng, intending to test the power of the Tier Two Love Gu before meeting the Third Young Master, had fully activated it the moment Tang Mengru arrived.

He let out a hearty laugh and lavished her with praise. "In the presence of a Jade Person like you, a beauty capable of toppling nations, even the finest rooms in the world seem crude by comparison."

Tang Mengru let out a light laugh. Her gaze, soft as water, swept over him as she replied with a feigned pout, her lovely face flushing slightly. "I wouldn’t have thought a man as burly, imposing, and handsome as you would have such a talent for spouting nonsense."

Fang Cheng stared at the beautiful woman’s delicate, fair face, his eyes shining intently. He said with a serious expression, "Everything I’ve said comes from the heart. I wouldn’t dare utter a single falsehood in your presence."

His intense gaze made Tang Mengru blush. Her eyes slid away, and her eyelids lowered as she asked, as if by chance, "I am Meng Ru, from the Tang Family of Divine Pillar Mountain. Might I ask for your esteemed name, Fellow Daoist?"

Fang Cheng replied, "I am Li Feiyu, a Loose Cultivator from Yun Country. With no fixed abode, I roam the world. My friends in the Cultivation Realm often call me the Fierce Tiger Taoist."

Tang Mengru nodded. ’So he’s a Loose Cultivator,’ she thought. ’No wonder he has such a wild, untamable aura.’

"Please, have a seat. Allow me to prepare some tea for you," Fang Cheng said, inviting Tang Mengru to sit down as he personally brewed the Spirit Tea.

Her eyes shimmering, her expression a mixture of delight and bashfulness, Tang Mengru began to chat idly with Fang Cheng while sipping her tea.

At first, their conversation remained proper and polite, revolving around the trade of the Second-Order Magical Artifact.

Gradually, the topic drifted to cultivation, their personal experiences, and amusing anecdotes from the Cultivation Realm. Their conversation grew relaxed and cheerful.

Fang Cheng was a font of witty remarks, constantly teasing Tang Mengru with harmless jokes and playful banter. He drew forth peal after peal of charming laughter from the beautiful woman, and the distance between them closed imperceptibly.

As the sun set and night enveloped the city, the soft, enchanting light of luminescent pearls filled the room, making the atmosphere even more intimate.

Seizing the moment, Fang Cheng sat down next to Tang Mengru, their shoulders touching. On the pretext of leaning in to speak, he suddenly wrapped an arm around the alluring woman’s slender, supple waist.

"Fellow Daoist Li, please don’t... I already have a Daoist partner," Tang Mengru murmured, struggling weakly.

"The night is long, my friend. We felt like old acquaintances from the moment we met, and our hearts are both filled with joy. How could we possibly let such a perfect moment go to waste?" Knowing her protests were half-hearted, Fang Cheng leaned close to Tang Mengru’s perfectly shaped, lustrous ear and whispered.

"It’s getting late, I should go..." Tang Mengru twisted to stand up, but Fang Cheng caught her slender wrist and pulled her into his lap.

She landed sideways on Fang Cheng’s lap. The magnificent purple dress she wore instantly pulled taut, outlining the full, perfect curve of her peach-like, rounded bottom.

Breathing in the alluring fragrance from her body, Fang Cheng slowly leaned his face toward her flawless cheek.

"Fellow Daoist Li... You... Stop this insolence."

The Beautiful Shopkeeper twisted her body, trying to pull away, but after a few struggles, she found her efforts were in vain.

A mix of shame and vexation washed over her. She pinched Fang Cheng in frustration, and then her beautiful eyes began to glaze over.

In the next moment, she completely lowered her guard. She threw her arms around Fang Cheng’s neck and began to respond with fiery passion.

...

Inside the magnificent and elegant Celestial Room.

A torn purple dress, patterned with smoky clouds and butterflies, lay strewn before the study door.

A few steps further lay a pair of embroidered shoes in disarray, along with snow-white stockings.

And a few steps beyond that, a moon-white, elegantly embroidered bodice...

Next came a wide brocade robe and trousers belonging to a male cultivator. This trail of scattered clothing led all the way from the study entrance to the bedroom door.

The bedroom of the Celestial Room was undeniably luxurious and comfortable. In its center stood a magnificent bed, a magical artifact at the Tier One Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact Level. Curtains were drawn low all around it, and from within came the soft, whispered conversation of a man and a woman.

...

「A long time later.」

Tang Mengru, her expression one of languid satisfaction and her eyes holding an alluring, coquettish charm, draped a silken gown over herself and walked slowly to the dressing mirror.

"Leaving already, my lady?"

The burly, well-built man on the bed asked in a relaxed tone.

The beautiful woman glanced back at him and sighed softly. "It is not convenient for me to stay overnight. How about I come back to be with you tomorrow?"

"Do you really have a Daoist partner?" Fang Cheng asked curiously, leaning against the headboard.

The beautiful woman nodded gently as she picked up a comb and began to brush her long hair.

Recalling the woman’s earlier moans—so lost and plaintive, as if she were sobbing—Fang Cheng couldn’t help but ask, "If that’s the case, then why...?"

Tang Mengru froze. In the mirror, her exquisitely beautiful face revealed a trace of shame, vexation, and conflict.

After a moment, she said softly, "If I were to stay the night and word of it got out, I fear it would bring disaster upon you."

Fang Cheng said regretfully, "I recently acquired a Dual Cultivation Secret Method. I was hoping we could explore its wonders together, my lady. What a shame."

The blush had yet to fade from Tang Mengru’s cheeks. Her eyes, soft as water, gazed at Fang Cheng’s reflection in the mirror as she said with deep affection, "I never imagined... this could be so wonderful. Today, for the first time, I have tasted true pleasure. I wish we could be together like this often, but... that person... he is possessive, and his status and Cultivation are both far above ours. If he were to catch wind of this, I fear it would mean your death."

With that, she finished getting ready, put her dress back on, and turned with a small smile. "It is better to let a stream flow long and steady than to indulge in a momentary flood."

Fang Cheng nodded. "I will not go anywhere tomorrow. I shall wait here for you, my lady."

With that said, he picked up the Jade Pendant and channeled his Magical Power into it. A white light surged forth, enveloping the Beautiful Shopkeeper.