Chapter 183 : True Person, I Will Not Resist
Chapter 183: True Person, I Will Not Resist
When the three of them strolled to the northern exit of The Village, Du Yiluo suddenly stopped, turned around, and revealed a sly smile at Long Tao.
“This, Long Tao…” She rubbed her hands together, her tone tinged with flattery. “I just saw you give Big Brother Xin a mid-grade spirit stone. I’ve been stuck in this wretched place for so long that I’ve almost forgotten what pure spiritual energy tastes like. I wonder if you could…”
“Mid-grade spirit stones are precious to me as well.” Long Tao immediately became wary. This was nothing like those meat buns from earlier.
“I understand, I understand.” Du Yiluo waved her hands repeatedly. “Of course I wouldn’t let you spend it for nothing. How about this—I’ll trade two more crucial pieces of information. Guaranteed to be worth more than the price. What do you say?”
Long Tao tilted his head toward True Person Mingzhu. After a brief moment of consideration, she nodded.
In a place riddled with danger, obtaining key information in advance was indeed the most cost-effective transaction.
Left with no choice, Long Tao reluctantly handed over a second spirit stone.
The instant Du Yiluo took it, she resembled a chain smoker who had gone half a month without cigarettes, eagerly absorbing the refined spiritual energy within. She narrowed her eyes in satisfaction and let out a long sigh.
“Ah… I feel like ever since I came here, I’ve been standing the whole time. Now… I can finally sit down.” She inhaled deeply, intoxicated. “Spirit stones from the Uncircumvented Heaven World really hit the spot! Sis isn’t inhaling spiritual energy—she’s inhaling loneliness…!”
Long Tao stared at this female Asura speechlessly, then glanced at True Person Mingzhu beside him. Considering that this wealthy woman possessed two spirit stone mines, she now seemed like the owner of a cigarette factory.
True Person Mingzhu herself looked embarrassed.
Throughout her long cultivation life, drawing spiritual energy from spirit stones had always been an elegant and composed act.
How did it become so… so vulgar when this Asura did it? Fortunately, she was at least a beauty. If she had been a grotesque male Asura, the scene would have been utterly unbearable.
After a moment, Du Yiluo drained most of the spiritual energy from the stone before reluctantly putting it away.
Radiant and refreshed, she turned to the two of them with a satisfied smile.
“Alright, I’m satisfied. Let’s talk business. First, about knocking on doors. Big Brother Xin should have told you that the village issues mandatory door-knocking tasks, right?”
When both nodded, she continued, “But there’s a detail he may not have mentioned. If you’re forcibly assigned by a task to knock, the villagers inside won’t reveal any valuable information.”
“What do you mean?” Long Tao and True Person Mingzhu frowned simultaneously.
“It means that only if you go voluntarily will the villagers share clues with you,” Du Yiluo explained. “When you first arrived yesterday and took the initiative to knock, the villagers you encountered should have provided useful information, correct?”
The two recalled their experience. Indeed, that eerie old woman and the blacksmith had behaved strangely, yet both had disclosed fragments of useful information.
“So if we’re forced by a task to knock, they’ll keep silent?”
“Exactly.” Du Yiluo nodded. “At that point, they’ll just greet you briefly, say ‘Got it,’ and no matter how much you press them, they won’t say another word.”
“Good grief, that’s forcing people to choose,” Long Tao clicked his tongue. “Do we use our precious knocking opportunities to gather intelligence, or do we give up the truth just to survive longer?”
“Precisely. But even knowing this rule, most people still refuse to knock voluntarily.” Du Yiluo sighed softly. “I understand them. The information villagers provide is fragmented and hard to piece together into a complete escape method. Living a few extra days feels more tangible.”
Long Tao and True Person Mingzhu exchanged a glance. This information was indeed critical and would directly affect their future strategy. How to balance it, however, required careful consideration.
Seeing that they had mostly digested the news, Du Yiluo delivered her second message.
“One more thing to watch out for—no matter who you hear speaking outside and knocking at night, never open the door.”
“Well… no one would open the door at night anyway, right?” Long Tao felt the information was somewhat watered down—hardly worth half a spirit stone.
“No, no, it’s not that simple.” Du Yiluo shook her head vigorously. “Right now you think it’s nonsense, that only a fool would open the door. But you’ll understand when the time comes.” She added gravely, “Take my advice. When you sleep at night, make sure to block the door with something heavy. It’s not to guard against what’s outside—it’s to guard against yourselves opening it in a moment of confusion.”
True Person Mingzhu took this warning very seriously and nodded solemnly.
As Du Yiluo prepared to leave, she suddenly remembered something and turned back.
“Oh, right. That spirit stone really was good quality, so I’ll throw in one more piece of information. Every time before returning to your house, be sure to confirm the nameplate at the door. Only the one bearing your names is your true ‘home.’”
The cryptic reminder left the two stunned. By the time they tried to ask more, Du Yiluo had already hummed a cheerful tune and walked away.
Just as the two stood hesitating at the village entrance, the strangely behaved Village Chief from yesterday suddenly stepped silently out of the shadows beside a house.
An excessively benevolent smile hung on his face, every wrinkle forming a fawning curve. Yet in this eerie village, such a smile only sent chills down one’s spine.
“Oh… aren’t these the newly arrived young couple?” The Village Chief clasped his hands behind his back, eyes narrowed to thin slits. “Good, good. Young people should be like this. Between husband and wife… you should take advantage of the daytime to walk around more and properly cultivate your feelings.” He paused meaningfully and let out a few dry chuckles. “This old fellow won’t disturb you any further.”
After delivering this seemingly ordinary advice, the Village Chief turned and vanished behind the houses.
Long Tao and True Person Mingzhu exchanged a look and hurried after him, only to find the narrow alley empty.
“What do you think he meant by that?” True Person Mingzhu asked with arms folded, frowning.
“Based on the information we’ve gathered,” Long Tao mused, “he was probably reminding us of the duties we must fulfill under the identity of ‘husband and wife.’”
“Duties?” True Person Mingzhu still showed resistance toward that title, her tone tinged with reluctance. “Do you mean we’re simply meant to wander the village during the day?”
“That’s likely it.” Long Tao gazed thoughtfully at the empty alley. “Compared to the others, what we have to do right now is rather easy.”
A trace of irresolvable conflict lingered between True Person Mingzhu’s brows. Her delicate lips parted several times before pressing together again.
After a fierce internal struggle, and seeing no one around, she finally voiced the question in a low tone.
“If… if it truly comes to the point where we must… consummate as husband and wife…” Her voice grew softer, a faint blush coloring the tips of her ears. “What… do you intend to do?”
Long Tao had not expected this cool and moonlike True Person to ask such a blunt question.
He froze briefly, then straightened with an unusually solemn expression, his tone firm as though making an oath.
“True Person, rest assured. If it truly comes to that step, as a disciple of the Heavenly Sect…” He deliberately paused, meeting her gaze with burning intensity.
“I definitely won’t resist. Please don’t pity me just because I’m a tender young blade of grass. Feel free to do as you please.”
True Person Mingzhu did not react at first. When her mind processed what he meant, her expression became extraordinarily strange, as though doubting her own hearing.
And Long Tao continued unabashedly.
“It doesn’t matter to me. It’s only a virgin’s body I’ve kept for over a decade. For your sake, True Person, I can relinquish it at any time. There’s no need to be polite or feel guilty.”
Choked speechless by his remarks, True Person Mingzhu could only sigh helplessly after a long pause.
“If we can return… I will definitely… definitely make Yuchen stay farther away from you.”
Just as Long Tao laughed and was about to say something more, a familiar reaction suddenly came from the pouch at his waist…
His first reaction was not excitement or joy, but disbelief.
That reaction… it was the small Xiangjianhuan mirror Saintess Yaxi had given him.
Could it be… that she was able to contact him even here?