Chapter 85: Luca Dawnwick [R18]
Outer Sect, Ghost Shade Peak
An exquisite courtyard nestled against a shimmering pond, its surface dotted with purple and white water lilies and vibrant red-pink lotuses. Their petals glowed faintly, casting a soft rainbow sheen over the water, where exotic koi fishes glided beneath lotus leaves, lazy flashes of gold in the murk.
Lush grasses fringed the shore, blossoms bursting in fiery hues, and the air hummed with the delicate notes of a zither. What a stark contrast to the Abyss Pit Sect's true gloom.
Sun Elaine sat poised before the instrument, her fingers dancing across the strings with practiced grace. Her hair was swept into an elegant falling-horse bun, secured by a gleaming green jade hairpin, and her pale yellow lace dress draped over her like liquid gold.
Sun's slender fingers danced across the strings, coaxing out a melody that hung in the air—harmonious, tuneful. A dozen Outer Sect male cultivators circled her—some sprawled on stone benches, others leaning eagerly forward—their eyes glued to her, adoration naked in their stares.
The final note hung in the air, delicate and lingering.
Hugo Payne was the first to clap, his voice dripping with sycophantic praise. "Elaine-chan, your zither skill is unreal—pure mastery!"
Another male cultivator, unwilling to be outdone, chimed in, "Mastery? No—this is divine! Such music belongs in the heavens, not the mortal realm!"
The rest piled on, a chorus of fawning praise, each trying to outshine the last.
Sun Elaine's lips curved into a demure smile, her hand fluttering to cover it—charming, modest. Inside, she was rolling her eyes, boredom gnawing at her core. Behind the demure façade, her thoughts were razor-sharp, dissecting each admirer with cold precision.
"Fourth-layer Qi Refiner, fourth-layer. Another Fourth Layer Qi Refiner. And—ugh, another. Trash, all of them. Not one's worth my time." Her gaze flicked over them, cold and calculating. Then her gaze stopped lingering at the edge of the crowd. "What? A third layer Qi Refiner? Oh, right. This whelp—yeah, his uncle in the Inner Sect, bought me some cheap jewelry last month. Fine, I'll string him along, toss him a smile now and then."