Turns Out I'm the Real Monster?!

The bliss of having so many women?

At least, Jiang Mu wasn’t enjoying it. He just felt exhausted.

Shangguan Luoxue took a deep breath. She wanted to push the man away but reminded herself that she was trying to prepare mentally and forced herself to adapt.

’Forget it. I’ll just endure it.’

Just then, Jiang Mu suddenly spoke.

"Look, if our dual cultivation is just us hugging like this, we won’t see any results for decades. Can we take this a step further? I really don’t want to waste any more time. This is completely pointless."

Shangguan Luoxue frowned. "How do you propose we take it a step further?"

"Hands on."

Jiang Mu was a man of few words and direct action.

A hand landed on the front of her robes.

"BAM!"

The next second, he was sent flying backward.

Since this was all happening in their consciousness, he wasn’t injured, but his head was ringing.

"Are you trying to die?!"

The peach blossom petals around Shangguan Luoxue’s body erupted, swirling like countless sharp blades and revealing the woman’s current fury.

Jiang Mu rubbed his head, a look of exasperation on his face.

"Then you could at least do *something*, right? What’s the difference between hugging like this and hugging a log? If you think I’ve overstepped, then fine. We can just drag this out and see who gives in first."

Shangguan Luoxue stared at him for a long time, her chest rising and falling unevenly.

But gradually, she calmed herself.

’He’s not wrong.’

’If we keep progressing this slowly, my injuries won’t heal for who knows how long.’

’Besides...’

’This isn’t my real body anyway.’

After a moment of silence, she closed her eyes and said through gritted teeth, "Then... do as you wish. Just don’t go too far."

’So dramatic,’ Jiang Mu grumbled to himself before walking over again.

This time, both of his hands, without any hesitation...

...landed right on her chest.

Shangguan Luoxue’s body shuddered. Her eyes were squeezed shut, eyelashes trembling.

She struggled to even her breathing.

The fierce peach blossom petals that had been swirling around her gradually softened and subsided, following the change in her state of mind.

’Adapt.’

’I have to adapt.’

’I can do this!’

Shangguan Luoxue silently repeated the words in her mind, giving herself a pep talk.

And Jiang Mu... began practicing Tai Chi.

"BAM!"

The man was sent flying backward once again.

...

...

An unknown amount of time passed. When Jiang Mu’s consciousness returned to his body from the Purple Mansion Divine Realm, the familiar feeling of exhaustion washed over him again.

He opened his eyes to find that Ji Hongyuan had already finished feeding.

She was currently sitting in a chair, chin in her hand, humming a little tune. She exuded a lazy, bewitching charm.

A single scarlet high-heeled shoe dangled from the tip of her toes.

It swung back and forth, looking as if it might fall at any moment.

Beneath the shoe, the arch of her foot, clad in black silk stockings, was tensed into an alluring curve.

"Aren’t you going to return to your real body to channel the energy back?"

Jiang Mu asked.

Ji Hongyuan glanced at him and smiled.

"I’ve already channeled it back. I took a little too much this time, so I’ll need to rest a day before we continue. What, feeling drained already?"

Jiang Mu lay on the bed. "I’m going to sleep, then."

The mattress beside him dipped slightly.

Ji Hongyuan had flitted directly onto the bed and was now lying on her side next to him.

She propped her head up with one hand, her black hair cascading down as she looked at him with a grin. "Little one, I’ve suddenly realized... you seem to be hiding a big secret."

With his eyes still closed, Jiang Mu said faintly, "Everyone has secrets."

’He was starting to miss Bai Xiang.’

’I wonder if that impossibly self-assured girl misses me.’

’She probably does.’

Seeing the gentle expression on his face, Ji Hongyuan’s sixth sense kicked in, and her eyes narrowed.

"You’re thinking about another woman?"

"Yeah."

Jiang Mu admitted it freely.

Ji Hongyuan was incredulous.

’There’s a stunning, flesh-and-blood beauty lying right beside you, and you still have the audacity to think about another woman?’

’Are you even a man?’

When Jiang Mu remained silent, Ji Hongyuan leaned in and blew softly on his cheek.

He remained completely still.

That was enough to trigger Ji Hongyuan’s damned competitive streak.

She rolled onto her side, pressed a hand against his chest, and once again closed her mouth over his neck.

Jiang Mu thought she was about to drain his energy again.

Instead, a slick, wet sensation spread across his neck, like a slippery loach slithering over his skin.

A shiver ran through Jiang Mu. He snapped his eyes open and shoved her away.

"What are you, in heat?!"

Ji Hongyuan, who had been feeling a bit chagrined at her own childish behavior, was stunned for a moment. Then, she sneered.

"Plenty of others wish I would come on to them, but they’re not even worthy."

"And you? You’re actually disgusted by it?"

As she spoke, something occurred to her, and she suddenly let out a snort of laughter that grew louder and louder.

She was laughing so hard her body trembled, her chest rising and falling like surging waves.

Jiang Mu frowned.

"Could you keep it down? Do you want to attract everyone here?"

Wiping a tear of mirth from her eye, Ji Hongyuan said between laughs, "Relax, they can’t hear. From now on, when I’m with you, no one but you will be able to see me."

Jiang Mu was surprised. "You’ve become a ghost?"

Ji Hongyuan didn’t answer. Instead, she retorted, "Kid, tell me honestly. Are you a eunuch?"

Jiang Mu froze, then his anger flared.

He whirled around and lunged at her.

But he pounced on empty air.

The woman was still lying on the bed, but her form had become transparent. She continued to look at him with a teasing, playful grin.

"Just a minor spell for Ghost Cultivators."

Ji Hongyuan taunted, "But you’re even willing to go for a zombie? You have some pretty extreme tastes, don’t you?"

Jiang Mu sneered. "All talk and no game."

Ji Hongyuan’s expression changed, but she didn’t say anything, merely letting out a cold snort.

"I’m done messing with you."

Her arm suddenly became solid and shoved Jiang Mu away.

Her body then solidified completely, and her expression turned grave.

"When I arrived just now, I sensed a demonic aura in this place."

"It was very faint and dissipated quickly, but I suspect..."

"...that a Demon has infiltrated your group. And it’s one with a high Cultivation Level."