’This female cultivator is too much.’

’He can’t handle her.’

’A honey trap.’

’This has to be a honey trap.’

’He can’t fall for it.’ 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

At the night market.

Plenty of people recognized him.

"Hall Master, is this your lady?"

"Brother, is this your lady?"

Damon Grant blushed and grew awkward.

"No."

’No, no, really, she isn’t.’

But no one believed him.

’He shouldn’t have come.’

Rowan Forrest, on the other hand, was perfectly at ease beside him. She even greeted the men. "Hello, everyone! Your Hall Master is the man I love, and I’m currently pursuing him."

’You sly dog, Rook, playing it all cool! Getting chased by a female cultivator... When’s it gonna be our turn for something so good?’ Words couldn’t express their envy.

Someone even whistled.

"Hey, sister-in-law, want some roasted leg of lamb? My treat today."

"What’s so good about lamb leg? Sister-in-law, come over here! Have some grilled Spiritual Medicine. It’s great for your complexion."

"How about some seafood? My treat, sister-in-law."

Soon, Rowan Forrest’s arms were full of bags, big and small, all gifts from the Demon Cultivators. When she couldn’t carry anymore, she handed them to her beloved at her side.

"That’s enough, that’s enough! I can’t possibly eat all this. Thank you all."

"Don’t be so formal, sister-in-law. We’re all family here."

’They were dying of envy today.’

’Rook even has a wife now, and she’s so beautiful. Where did we go wrong?’

Damon Grant pointed at them.

"What nonsense are you all spouting? We’re not in that kind of relationship!"

"Hall Master, look at you, getting all worked up. It’s just a matter of time."

Rowan Forrest nodded.

"Mm, that’s right."

Damon Grant looked up at the sky, speechless.

’Right, my ass.’

’What did I even come here for?’

They walked until they were out of the night market.

Neither spoke. After they had walked a good distance, Rowan Forrest finally turned around to face him.

She stopped walking.

"Brother Rook, does this mean we’re together now?"

The moment she spoke,

her words were stunning.

Hearing this,

Damon Grant took a step back.

"Wh-what nonsense are you talking about? I’m leaving."

’What does she mean, "together"? When were we ever together? This is slander! Pure slander! Could this be a new tactic from the Immortal Sects?’

His mind went blank, and just like last time, he wanted to flee in a panic. But Rowan Forrest was quick. She reached out and grabbed his clothes.

"Wait, don’t run! I’m a woman, and I’m not scared. You’re a big guy, what could I possibly do to you?"

’She kind of has a point.’

"Who said I was running?"

’Can’t lose face.’

Damon Grant stood his ground. "If you have something to say, say it. What do you really want?"

Rowan Forrest gripped his clothes tightly. She glanced at him and gestured with her hand.

"Crouch down and I’ll tell you."

’As expected.’

’This female cultivator definitely has an agenda.’ He was full of suspicion, but his body reacted faster than his brain, and he subconsciously obeyed, crouching down.

Seeing him crouch down so readily, Rowan Forrest paused for a moment. ’He’s this obedient?’

’Then she couldn’t be blamed for what came next.’

Rowan Forrest moved closer to him.

She reached out, cupped his face, and kissed him directly.

Before her were the male cultivator’s wide eyes and shocked face.

’So soft.’

Damon Grant was so startled he stumbled backward and fell, landing right on his butt.

He propped himself up with his hands, pointing a finger at her.

"You... Why did you kiss me?"

’My innocence is gone.’

"You’re provoking me."

"Of course not. It’s because I like you."

Rowan Forrest lightly touched her lips, her face red as she looked at him. "Brother Rook, you kissed me, so you have to take responsibility. Otherwise, you’re a heartless scoundrel."

’It can be counted like that?’

At this moment, Damon Grant’s mind was reeling. He pointed at himself. "I kissed you? It was clearly you..."

The tips of his ears were red, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to say. "You’re completely unreasonable."

Rowan Forrest leaned down slightly, staring at him.

"You came, so now you’re my man."

Hearing this,

Damon Grant belatedly blushed.

"Are you crazy? Did you hit your head or something? Who’s your man?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he scrambled to his feet and fled in a panic once more.

Watching his disappearing figure,

Rowan Forrest smiled.

’Mom was right. You have to bravely chase the one you like, or you won’t even get the scraps.’

’And look at her, she was already getting the good stuff.’

Thinking this, she took out her phone and sent him a message.

"I’ll miss you."

"Brother Rook, love you."

「Meanwhile, in the sky」

Damon Grant, who was flying on his sword, took out his phone to glance at it. Not watching where he was going, he flew off course and crashed straight into the cliff face opposite him.

"Honey traps... so terrifying."

’Stay away.’

’He had to stay away.’

In reality, meeting once led to a second time, and then countless more. One date led to countless more. Giving in once led to countless more.

Each time, he would warn himself, ’She’s just playing with you, she’s not serious. You can’t fall for it.’ But every time, his body would react faster than his brain. A single message or a single phone call from her, and he’d be gone.

Even when he was out drinking with his brothers, if he heard she was in danger, he would rush to save her at a moment’s notice, abandoning his drink. And just like that, he ended up with a female cultivator from an Immortal Sect.

「Three months later.」

It was once again the season of blossoming peach trees.

A misty rain shrouded the entirety of Bloodfiend City. It had been a rainy period.

A gentle breeze carried the scent of peach blossoms through the air.

「At this moment, deep within the South Mountain Mines.」

Jocelyn Grant was holding a small pickaxe issued by the mine, digging and digging away inside a cave.

Three months. She had been here for three months already.

Now, looking at the bottomless mine shaft, Jocelyn Grant’s face was filled with resentment.

She swung her pickaxe with all her might, digging for Spirit Stones.

"Celeste Grant."

’You little bitch.’

’Why don’t you just die.’

’When I get out of here, I’m going to kill you.’

This place was no place for a human. After being thrown in here, she worked day and night. She couldn’t even activate her Teleportation Treasure to escape. Her cultivation was sealed, and now, with nothing but brute strength, there was no way out.

Now, all she did was dig for Spirit Stones. If she dared to slack off, the foreman’s whip would find her as if it had eyes of its own.

Just then, someone walked in.

It was the person in charge of this entire mining area.

"All of you, pick up the pace! If we don’t make the shipment tonight, none of you are resting!"

"Winston Warren! Who is Winston Warren?"

Hearing his name called, a man from a short distance away came running. "M-me... Foreman, I’m Winston Warren."

The Demon Cultivator in black robes, holding a roster, tore out his page and said, "You can go. Someone has paid your ransom."

"Really? I knew my Senior Sister wouldn’t abandon me."

Here, not only did you do hard labor, but you also got beaten.

Seeing someone leave,

the other cultivators who were still working were extremely envious. When would their Sects come to ransom them? They really couldn’t stand it anymore.

The man cupped his fists.

"Brothers, I’m leaving."

"I believe you all will be able to leave soon, too."

The people brought here to mine included Demon Cultivators, members of the Immortal Sects, and even some Loose Cultivators. In short, without exception, they were all people who had opposed The Demonic Sects and been captured to serve as forced labor.

In recent years, cultivators who fell into the hands of Demon Cultivators weren’t killed, but it was incredibly humiliating. They were all treated the same: tossed into various mines to dig, waiting for their Sects to come and ransom them.