A Record of Pleasure

Chapter 20

"It's just breaking the formation, nothing more," Baili Liushang said seriously. "There's nothing else attractive about the Netherworld Valley." His gaze shifted, and he immediately spotted Tan Huan hiding in the distance. He smiled and waved to her. This girl is still alive.

Bashehuai said, "So, after you break the formation, why aren't you leaving?"

"I can't walk anymore. I'd like to rest here for a few days and recover from my injuries." Baili Liushang was well aware of the rules of Youming Valley. "I'll pay for it."

Ba Xiehuai nodded. Even now, killing Baili Liushang wouldn't be easy. The Corpse Array existed to prevent outsiders from entering, but its removal didn't mean others would dare enter the Netherworld Valley at will. The Netherworld Valley's deterrent power didn't rely on the Corpse Array. Therefore, rather than fighting Baili Liushang here, it was better to squeeze as much money as possible out of him. "How much is Palace Master Baili willing to offer?" The address immediately changed from Baili Liushang to Palace Master Baili; the Netherworld Valley still treated its guests with respect.

"Palace Master, why should we give them money?" Zeng Lun emerged from his hiding place and said indignantly, "I'll take you to rest."

Baili Liushang glanced at him indifferently, "Did I order you to leave the palace? Go back now!"

Zeng Lun dared not speak, yet he refused to leave.

"Didn't you hear me? Go back now." Baili Liushang's tone was calm. "I already said in the palace that no one is allowed to follow me. You disobeyed my order. How do you think this should be resolved?"

Zeng Lun lowered his head, "I'll leave it to the Palace Master to decide."

Baili Liushang sighed; he was truly exhausted. "As long as you go back, I won't hold it against you."

"yes."

After Zeng Lun had walked away, Baili Liushang spoke to Ba Xiehuai again, "Ten thousand taels of silver."

Tan Huan was astonished. It turned out that this demon was just as rich as Du Suizhi. Couldn't he have seen that?

Ba Xiehuai shook his head, "This is just the price of a Thousand Mountains Dense Rain Needle. Does Palace Master Baili look down on people?"

Baili Liushang had no intention of getting entangled. "Then it'll be twenty thousand taels of silver." He had as much silver as he wanted, and if he really didn't have enough, he could just rob someone.

Bashe thought for a moment, "Then let's leave it at this price for now."

Baili Liushang smiled and pointed, "I need to rest now. Can this girl serve me?" The person he pointed to was none other than Tan Huan.

He was stuck in a rut, unsure whether to leave or stay.

Ba Xiehuai said, "This girl is not from Youming Valley, so I can't make the decision. Palace Master Baili should discuss it with her himself. As long as she agrees, I have nothing to say."

Baili Liushang sat lazily on the ground and beckoned to Tan Huan with his finger, "Come here."

He thought she was summoning a puppy! Tan Huan inwardly cursed and scorned him, but considering his martial arts skills and narrow-mindedness, she slowly walked over and said irritably, "What are you doing?"

"I'm injured, would you take care of me?"

"No." Tan Huan slowly smiled. "Last time I got close to you, I lost my martial arts skills. This time, if I get close to you, I might even lose my life. As long as I have a normal mind, I will not get close to you."

"Is that so?" Baili Liushang said casually. "I don't know what the consequences will be if you get close to me, but I can tell you what the consequences will be if you don't get close to me."

Tan Huan's expression froze, and he instinctively wanted to back away.

"Actually, I'm a pretty good person." Baili Liushang smiled after seeing Tan Huan's little actions, lying through his teeth. "I know what you want. If you serve me well, I might just grant your wish on a whim." Baili Liushang's smile seemed to have a magical power, his thin lips opening and closing in the sunlight. "In all the world, only I can give you what you want, can't I?"

That hit the nail on the head! Tan Huan was tempted, extremely tempted, and just as she was about to give in, Pei Jin popped into her mind again. Tan Huan remained silent for a long time, then asked, "Do you really have a way to restore my martial arts?"

Baili Liushang's laughter flowed like a river, and it took a while for him to stop. He reached out to Tan Huan, "I'm very tired. Help me to rest first."

"Fine, it's not like I'm becoming his disciple, it's just taking care of a patient. Pei Jin knows he shouldn't be angry." Tan Huan resignedly pulled him, but he didn't move. She pulled again, still no movement. Embarrassed, she rubbed her head. "You know I don't have internal energy, I can't exert any strength." She brought it on herself; who told you to ruin my martial arts back then!

"Sigh, so useless." Baili Liushang glanced at her, then with a sudden pull, Tan Huan fell right onto him, her chin accidentally hitting his knee with a "crack." She winced in pain. "Get lost! Why are you pulling me like that?!" This guy definitely did it on purpose!

"I told you you were useless. You can't even compare to me when I'm injured." Baili Liushang exerted himself, and blood flowed from his arm again, bright red, but he didn't seem to care and felt no pain at all. He put his hands on Tan Huan's shoulders and swayed as he got up. "Oh well, you're still a person after all. I'll just have to make do with you."

Hearing him speak makes her furious. What does "make do" even mean? Tan Huan felt like she had never gotten along with anyone so badly before. Although Wu Qingfeng was annoying, he was never her match in a verbal battle, so she didn't take him seriously. But she couldn't ignore this devil in front of her. He was a ruthless and vicious character. She didn't even dare to talk back; she could only kill him with her eyes.

"Oh right, I'm covered in blood, all sticky." Baili Liushang thought for a moment, then turned his head. "Bring me a basin of hot water, I want to take a bath."

Die, die, die! Kill him with your gaze! This kind of demon is a huge menace just by his existence!

Baili Liushang thought for a moment and then added, "The bath water only needs to be seven-tenths hot, so you can heat it up a bit more."

He was so engrossed in pleasure that he almost vomited blood.

From that day on, Tan Huan began her life as a maid, devoid of freedom and dignity.

Baili Liushang was no good host; he was always finding fault and nitpicking, and he also enjoyed watching her make a fool of herself. One minute he was bringing her water and tea, the next he was dressing her and giving her a massage. It had only been a day and a half, and Tan Huan was already fed up. Sigh, compared to this, she really did live the life of a young lady in the Wu family. "Baili Liushang, was it like this in Zhengyang Palace too?" How did they manage to endure it?

Baili Liushang shook his head, and what he said almost made Tan Huan furious: "You're rather special."

Tan Huan was shocked. "What's so special about it?" To her, this question was not a compliment, but a disaster.

"It's quite amusing to watch you vent your anger; it's much more entertaining than a theatrical performance," Baili Liushang said honestly, pointing with a smile. "Look, your expression right now is quite amusing."

She hated Tan Huan so much she wanted to trample him underfoot! Unfortunately, that was all she could do. Those lacking strength had no right to complain in front of the powerful. She gritted her teeth and said, "You can keep those thoughts to yourself; you don't need to say them aloud to me!"

Baili Liushang smiled and said, "I'll be more careful next time."

Although she disliked this person and never wanted to take care of him, Tan Huan strangely found that she didn't want to leave at all. Staying by this bastard's side gave her a very strange feeling, like worshipping a strong person.

Why were you unwilling to become my disciple back then?

Suddenly, Baili Liushang asked this question. Tan Huan was stunned for a moment, then said disdainfully, "How many people in this world would be willing to become your disciple?"

Baili Liushang ignored her question and continued, "I originally thought you were unwilling because you considered yourself a righteous person, but now it seems that's not the case. Your behavior is not like that of a righteous person."

"How is it not similar?" Tan Huan retorted, unconvinced. To be worthy of Pei Jin, her behavior had already become extremely righteous. To give a simple example, her willingness to go to great lengths to care for this demon was commendable in itself!

"Heh, no righteous sect would be like you. You can't even distinguish between good and evil," Baili Liushang said calmly. "Tell me, what's the reason?"

Could it be because of Pei Jin? Tan Huan thought for a moment and said, "Going to Zhengyang Palace will definitely not bring any good. One wrong step and you will regret it for eternity. If I become your disciple, I will be hunted down by various sects in the future, like a rat crossing the street. It's too dishonorable. I don't want to." This was the truth.

"Ignorant brat." Baili Liushang's gaze was calm, so calm it sent chills down one's spine. "Have you ever seen anyone come after me?"

Someone once wanted to hire the Netherworld Valley to assassinate Baili Liushang. The Netherworld Valley pondered for a long time and quoted an astronomical sum, which frightened the righteous cultivators into backing down. Others, seeking fame, also tried to assassinate Baili Liushang, but all of them never returned. They killed one if someone tried, killed two if someone tried; no matter who they were, anyone who dared to step into the Zhengyang Palace had to be prepared to die.

Tan Huan said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Just because I haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist." She calmly looked back into his eyes, "Baili Liushang, I know you are highly skilled in martial arts, and no one in this world can kill you. However, no matter how skilled you are, they can still treat you like a rat. When the evil path is mentioned, the entire martial arts world thinks of you."

Baili Liushang didn't say a word, just stared straight at her. After a long while, he chuckled softly, "You're very bold," he paused, "but what you said makes a lot of sense."

What kind of twisted logic is this? Every word is the truth. Tan Huan, utterly lacking in ambition, dared not refute it. Being skilled in martial arts had many advantages; no one would dare to defy him when he swaggered around. "You and Pei Gu Mo are both considered top-tier martial artists, but Pei Gu Mo is the universally respected leader of the martial arts world. And you? Have you never been jealous of him?"

“Pei Gumo does have some strength, but if I live to his age, my martial arts cultivation will definitely be above his.” Baili Liushang disagreed. “I don’t need other people’s respect; it’s enough that they fear me.”

This person is so shameless, Tan Huan smirked, "He's just saying the grapes are sour because he can't have them."

Baili Liushang reached out and covered her head. Tan Huan froze, too frightened to move. Baili Liushang smiled and patted her head, "What's so good about being the leader of the martial arts alliance? You're restricted in everything you do. In comparison, Zhengyang Palace is much more interesting. You can do whatever you want and live life however you want."

Indulging in pleasure in silence.

Baili Liushang turned her head and laughed, "Do you think I'm right?"

Tan Huan looked up, realizing she had recklessly ruined others' lives because of her own willfulness, killing and robbing at will. She didn't consider herself a good person, but as long as others didn't provoke her, she wouldn't do anything. So, Tan Huan shook her head, "No..."

Before the word "No" could be uttered, and before the shaking of the head was even halfway done, Tan Huan immediately saw Baili Liushang's cold eyes—eyes devoid of any emotion or desire. Tan Huan was startled; she had almost forgotten that the person before her held the power of life and death over her. When Baili Liushang's face was devoid of a smile, his ruthlessness was chilling.

Tan Huan, fearing the consequences, quickly changed his tune, saying, "You're right."

Baili Liushang laughed heartily, “See? If others admire me, I have to listen to things I don’t want to hear at all. But if others fear me,” he said with a smile in his eyes, “they will be like you.”

Tan Huan fell silent again. In this martial arts world, in this realm, strength speaks volumes.

"You should understand this principle too. You've waited for me for so long just to regain your martial arts skills, right?" Baili Liushang lifted her chin. "Alright, I can give you another chance. Do you want to become my disciple?"

Two years later, the same question arises again.

That one moment felt like an eternity.

Tan Huan smiled bitterly and shook her head again, "I want the martial arts, but I don't want you as my master." If she became his disciple, it would truly be impossible for her and Pei Jin to be together.

"Ambitious." Baili Liushang's gaze was dangerous. "I don't like people who are too honest. So, have you decided to give up martial arts?"

Tan Huan replied matter-of-factly, "Of course I want martial arts skills..."

"You just don't want me as your master, right?" Baili Liushang finished the sentence himself, sizing her up. "Do you think I would be kind enough to let you recover your inner strength? You're lucky I didn't kill you."

"You absolutely won't help me?"

"Won't."

Even if it's impossible for me to beg you, I'll kneel down and do it.

"It's no use."

Tan Huan sighed deeply, his lowered eyes flashing with a sharp light. "Then there's nothing we can do."

One glance up, one face to face.

With a flick of the finger, a miraculous illusion appears.

When Baili Liushang came to his senses, he was already unable to move. He was stunned, utterly stunned. Wasn't this girl supposed to have lost her martial arts skills? No, she hadn't lost her skills, just her internal energy. He had underestimated her. Baili Liushang smiled slightly, "You're quick." In the end, he had actually been defeated by a girl. If the princes in the palace knew, they would laugh their heads off.

Tan Huan accepted his praise without hesitation, feeling that she had acted quickly. "Thank you for the compliment." She paused, "I know that acupoint strikes without internal energy can only last for a short time on you. Although you are seriously injured, I still want to be cautious."

Baili Liushang praised, "Caution is a good habit. What do you plan to do next? Kill me?"

"Killing people is no fun. I just want to recover my inner strength." Tan Huan huffed and puffed as she climbed onto the bed, and without batting an eye, she began to strip him of his clothes, one piece after another, from the outside in, leaving Baili Liushang completely bewildered. Finally, Tan Huan stripped him naked from head to toe, leaving him without even a pair of pants, and made him sit naked on the bed.

Tan Huan grabbed the clothes and ran outside. "Go ahead and chase me if you dare." She slammed the door shut, and her voice came from outside, "Unless you stay in here forever, you'll have to restore my inner strength if you want me to give you the clothes."

A blatant threat.

Baili Liushang couldn't help but chuckle; this was the first time he'd encountered such a tactic. His gaze swept around the room; the curtains were gone, the bedding that was there yesterday was missing, and there wasn't even a cloth to cover himself. A soft laugh escaped his throat. It seemed this girl had been planning this for a long time.

“There are pens and paper in the room. If you make a decision, write it down on the paper and then throw it out,” Tan Huan said. “There is also food and water in the room, but it will only last for a few days. That is to say, you have three days to make a decision, or you will go hungry.”

"He's actually quite kind; he even prepared food for me." Baili asked curiously, "Why didn't you kill me just now?"

Afraid of retaliation from Zhengyang Palace? Could she say that? Besides, if she couldn't kill him with one sword, she would be the one to suffer. Tan Huan felt deeply that sparing his life was a way of doing him a favor. Although whether Baili Liushang would admit it was another matter, he would at least show some leniency, right? Tan Huan thought this with little confidence, "There is no need to kill you."

"Heh, the Netherworld Valley probably wants you to kill me, right?" Baili Liushang's mind worked quickly; knowing one thing, he could connect it to other causes and consequences. The Netherworld Valley, a place obsessed with money, would definitely make a fortune by taking his life; they wouldn't let such an opportunity pass them by.

Tan Huan nodded, ruthlessly betraying Youming Valley to highlight his own kindness. "That's right, look how good I've been to you, so you should restore my inner strength even more."

Baili Liushang chuckled, "Your idea of 'good' is taking people's clothes off?" He paused, "Or do you really think you have the ability to kill me?"

Tan Huan's confidence waned, "Are you going to restore my martial arts or not?"

"...Do you think I'm a person of my word?"

Tan Huan froze, unsure what to do. She hadn't thought that far ahead. Her mind was in a whirl, and she stammered, "You...you're at least...a master of your caliber..."

"What does martial arts skill have to do with integrity?" Baili Liushang asked, puzzled.

Tan Huan took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling, "You've lived to this age, you can't keep going backwards! Don't you feel ashamed for deceiving a girl?"

Baili Liushang laughed again, "Fine, I promise you, I can restore your martial arts. But even if I say that, will you really return my clothes? Do you believe me?"

Tan Huan remained silent, asking himself honestly, she didn't believe him.

Baili Liushang was in a good mood. Hearing the expected silence outside, he smiled and said, "How about this, I'll think about it some more and give you an answer within three days. But right now, I want to eat peaches. Go and get me some."