Surely, it couldn't be a scheme. Lo Jik had already informed Feng Jin Huang about his blindingly quick marriage with Black Moon at Feng Jiu Ge's behest and yet he'd received a green light from the woman about their proposed refinement path duel. So, either Feng Jiu Ge's and Bai Qing's gifted offspring grew a second heart—similar to how Ren Zu's magical body kept pumping out new hearts out of nowhere—of love and virtue and wasn't scheming against Lo Jik or... his charms might have worked too well.
Thankfully, he only thought with his dick when he was alone and masturbating—so, never. Feng Jin Huang obviously wasn't pleased with Lo Jik but he also placed his goals above her. It wasn't like he loved her... and even if he did... well, he could always coax an irritated lover but no amount of sweet-talk could refine an immortal gu worm out of thin air.
However, Feng Jin Huang demanded a change in their refinement path duel. The earlier set-up was for the whole group to enjoy and momentarily relax after Qin Juan was done with the convention in Central Continent. Lo Jik didn't have to think about Shu Zhe because she wasn't participating in the first place.
Now, Feng Jin Huang wanted just the two of them to compete first.
It was a curious thing. Truly. She tried the same thing before while masquerading as Ge Qu. Feng Jin Huang was more than aware of the vast abyss dividing their refinement path experience, talent, and attainment. Yet, she always appeared confident for duels of this manner.
'She undoubtedly possesses a rather challenging gu refinement recipe.' Lo Jik guessed. 'But will her trump card be enough against a refinement path grandmaster?' He smirked playfully.
'Even if her trump card succeeds, is it even about refinement path anymore?' He was confident in cumming out on top of Feng Jin Huang.
The next few hours couldn't have passed quicker as Lo Jik's surroundings changed abruptly. He found himself in Feng Jin Huang's personal refinement chamber, still cross-legged and maintaining an undisturbed smile. Feng Jin Huang had ordered Little Hu to teleport him with nary a warning, indicating the hidden depths of her current mood even if the graceful woman greeted him with a warm smile.
"Oh, it's time for our refinement path duel, yes?" Feng Jin Huang stood before Lo Jik as she looked down on him. Her narrowed gaze observed him wholly before noticing an obvious bulge in his pants. Love Gu's intense rank 9 aura ensured Flying Bear Strength Gu wouldn't get its chance to shine. However, it still squirmed inside Lo Jik's pocket, something Feng Jin Huang noticed.
All Lo Jik informed her was the conclusion of the events. Only later on did Bai La inform her granddaughter about Lo Jik's illicit and shocking gains.
"It seems so," Lo Jik replied with an equally eager smile. His enthusiasm didn't go undetected. It would have been weird if the prospect of seeing her body without a single strip of fabric didn't excite Feng Jin Huang's loathsome sect brother, her disciple-in-arms. His anticipative gaze instantly roamed her curves, instinctively making her stand straighter in response.
"But we didn't even set the terms of my victory, Brother Lo Jik." Feng Jin Huang cautioned with a sweet smile as she took a few steps back to release several items from her storage gu worm.
"It's all about having fun and to become closer after a challenging task," he responded. "Of course, the penalty of loosing the duel is already set. But the condition demanded by the winning party must not go overboard."
As carefully pumped out by Lo Jik and Bai La, the rules of strip refinement duel were as simple as they came.
The duel ended when one party lost enough times to lose their outer, inner, and undergarments, allowing the winner to enact one predetermined condition.
Feng Jin Huang also sat on her cushion.
"We will be deciding what's overboard and what isn't, right?" Her blue eyes sparkled with a dangerously sharp intent. She adopted her grandmother's predatory expression, something Lo Jik was intimately familiar with by now.
"Exactly."
Feng Jin Huang nodded with a satisfied look before she requested calmly.
"What about a rank 6 immortal gu worm?" She met his unmoved gaze. "We both possess one immortal gu worm. Would you like to bet them?"
The corner of Lo Jik's lips curled up.
Every condition could be reasonable to him for the right and equally valuable bet. However, betting a strength path immortal gu worm he required for his immortal ascension against some mysterious gu worm that his opponent received through a fortuitous encounter wasn't it.
"Oh?" Feng Jin Huang tilted her head. "Would you like something else for an immortal gu worm?"
Her heart momentarily clenched with something far from terror as she felt Lo Jik's gaze turn scorching for a hot second. It wasn't hard to imagine that Feng Jin Huang was bold enough to put herself up as a reward to meet the bet of an immortal gu worm.
That was an immortal gu worm!
It didn't matter if it belonged to strength path or any other path. An immortal gu worm was unique!
She was prepared for such a bold demand. In fact, she hoped Lo Jik took the bait and asked for her instead of her immortal gu worm. It ensured her mysterious immortal gu worm did not change ownership in the impossible scenario of her losing this duel—that's it.
So, Feng Jin Huang waited patiently, afraid of making the slightest sound and disrupting Lo Jik's lurid thoughts and gaze alike.
He looked up and smiled brightly.
"How about you put up Little Hu Immortal against my Flying Bear Strength Immortal Gu?"
Feng Jin Huang scoffed derisively.
"Not at all. An immortal gu worm is valuable, but a blessed land is more important to us mortal gu masters. Gu immortals who possess a blessed land but not a single immortal gu would desire the latter, but we are different from them. Besides, Hu Immortal Blessed Land also has Dang Hun Mountain. How can a mere rank 6 immortal gu worm compare to a secluded domain of heaven and earth?"
She expected such a response. Lo Jik was never easy. He didn't shoot down the idea of betting immortal gu worms, which not even other gu immortals would consider, only to measure her response and discover her limits.
"Dang Hun Mountain will be yours." Lo Jik hummed. "It's only fair."
"Fair?" She sneered. "No. I won't place Little Hu up for bet."
The little land spirit would have heaved a loud sigh of relief had she been present. However, Feng Jin Huang sent her off to prevent any leaks in information.
He let out a huff at her obstinate reply. Falling silent, Lo Jik spent a few more minutes thinking with locked eyebrows until he clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"It's useless." He inhaled sharply. "Most bets would be unfair because of our differences, Sister Feng. Let's just commit to a more relaxed duel."
"Differences?" Feng Jin Huang blinked before chuckling. "Oh, yes. You're a gu immortal's consort now." She could barely veil her bitterness. After all, the longer she thought about Black Moon's earlier actions of keeping her cultivation a secret, the more ominous she felt. She simply did not want to think more about it, but Feng Jin Huang knew it was impossible. The fact her parents and grandmother only clarified such facts AFTER that masked whore convinced Lo Jik to be her consort left a terrible taste in her mouth and a grave premonition for her future.
"Huh?" Lo Jik frowned. "What's that got to do with anything, Sister Feng? I'm talking about you. To be precise, your background."
It was Feng Jin Huang's turn to frown and feel surprised as her heart briefly thumped again. She'd felt this hollowness and loss in her stomach the second she read Lo Jik's letter gu worm. It was a new and terrible sensation, which she opted out from sharing with her grandmother.
She never felt like this when she saw Lo Jik with Shu Zhe or Qin Juan. Even Sun Yao's attempt at being a modest and shy girl around Lo Jik only to spend a decent chunk of her time performing solo rituals in her bedroom made Feng Jin Huang more annoyed than... scared.
Black Moon represented a threat she never expected to face in Spirit Affinity House, not when Feng Jiu Ge dominated the competition single-handedly.
Feng Jin Huang was bright, brilliant, and fortunate—a perfect shining star. Everyone was attracted to her.
Now, however, a Black Moon eclipsed her glow with a terrible darkness, snatching what was supposed to be hers.
So, Lo Jik's fleetingly heated look left her body responding in a confusing manner. She'd only sit straighter in response if she experienced this provocative gaze a few days ago. But now she tried hiding her vulnerability under the pretense of unfaltering grace and elegance.
"I can't really demand the greatest possible prize without fearing a fierce repercussion from Lord Feng," Lo Jik explained with a tired sigh, his words managing to annoy her further. "Of course." He added with a look of staunch belief. "I would never dare be disrespectful towards Lord Feng or his family. I'm not a dog who bites the hand that feeds."
"Oh, you are a dog." Feng Jin Huang chuckled, her temper rising the further Lo Jik spoke.
"You don't get it, Sister Feng. You've never had to sit before the greatest prize... the greatest fortune of your life and watch it leave the grasp of your fingers because of your lacking background."
Her breath hitched.
She did know. She did!
While Feng Jin Huang refused to think any further what Black Moon's appearance and true cultivation meant... she could feel everything she held dear to her... all her ambitions she dedicated her life for...
Slip away.
"Honestly, it's not my usual method." Lo Jik admitted sourly. "I like the challenge of pursuit or the warmth of acceptance in circumstance lacking aforementioned challenge. But betting material wealth for something as profound as affection?"
He shook his head with a sad sigh.
"But wouldn't you say asking your forgiveness against an immortal gu worm to be less than fair?"
Feng Jin Huang's eyes widened.
"After all." He continued while still being 'lost' in his thoughts. "You never owned me. Why should I care about your forgiveness even if I was slightly worried about your response while forming a vow with Disciple Black Moon? You've got Lord Feng Jiu Ge as your backer. No, screw your forgiveness. Would it matter to me if I owned you instead?"
He looked at her with a mischievous smirk.
"And if I owned you, wouldn't I also own your great wealth and your backing? Of course, I'd let you lead occasionally."
She fell quiet, forcing Lo Jik to laugh out loud in response.
"What? Aren't you going to dress me down and beat me up again for my words, Sister Feng?"
Feng Jin Huang's lower lip briefly wobbled as she remained silent. She stared at the floor between them absently, experiencing a surge of emotions trying to fill the rapidly deepening pit in her core, only to fail.
"Oi?" Lo Jik blinked as he scooted forward. He leaned down and looked up to meet Feng Jin Huang's hollow gaze.
"Sister Feng? Feng Jin Huang?" He called out while offering an encouraged smile. "Come on. I might have just become Black Moon's consort but I can still let you get a few swings at me a couple of times... a month. No? What about a week?"
He gasped aloud at the lack of her retort.
"A couple of times a day? Are you sure you can handle that much?"
Lo Jik couldn't help but slow down the longer she remained silent. His smile faded and he sighed with matching gloom.
"I possess an extreme physique."
The quiet admission cut through all of Feng Jin Huang's dark and heavy thoughts as she instantly looked up with nearly bulging eyes.
"What did you say?" She demanded. "An... an extreme physique? It's impossible! You've been a peak stage rank 5 gu master for—"
Feng Jin Huang finally realized the implications of his admission—admittedly a little slow compared to wisdom path peers in the sect. And it was a massive secret indeed! Lo Jik had a way to prevent the explosive demise of gu masters possessing extreme physiques! With how long he'd stayed a rank 5 gu master, this method might not be a temporary measure researched by ancient sects and other super forces alike but something more profound.
"Why?" She demanded loudly. "Why did you tell me?" Flames of indignant fury licked her icy gaze.
"What do you expect by revealing such a secret to me?" She grabbed his collars with a snarl. "I see! Black Moon! Black Moon set you up for this. What does she want? Hasn't she already clawed enough?"
Lo Jik placed his hands on her fists clenching his collars. While his touch was far from cold and cruel, even going as far as gently covering her hands, his words were the complete opposite.
"Clawed enough? Black Moon? Why would I get in between your competition? Kill each other for all I care. I told this to you... to let you understand my need."
She froze. An answer clicked in her mind.
"Great Strength True Martial Physique," she whispered.
"That's why you agreed with Black Moon's conditions. No... that's the reason you sought her in the first place. You..."
"Either I would have blackmailed an immortal gu worm out of Black Moon and exchanged it for a strength path immortal gu from the sect or I would have just exposed what I knew about Black Moon and held this favor over your head until I forked out an immortal gu from you." Lo Jik grinned.
Feng Jin Huang's fists loosened.
"But why tell me all this?" She questioned softly as she heard him exhale deeply. After all, Lo Jik already obtained his goals. How did exposing such a secret profit Lo Jik? A glance in his direction let Feng Jin Huang observe the uncertainty veiling his rugged features.
"Is it because of Juan'er?" Feng Jin Huang suddenly chuckled without waiting for Lo Jik's response, too timid to hear the truth. She sniffled softly before clearing her throat in an attempt of regaining her composure only for Lo Jik to reach out and snatch her balled fists into his noticeable large and rough palms.
"All this..." He began. "Be it telling you the truth, setting this strip refinement duel, constantly provoking you, happily working for you, being nice towards you, laughing with you... and everything else... I did it because... truthfully, I wanted... you. The only thing I did without this objective in mind was to seek Black Moon. Heh... I even had a great plan of destroying Black Moon's reputation and help you become the sect's current generation fairy if not for my need."
Feng Jin Huang couldn't pull her hands back and it wasn't due to Lo Jik's brute strength or painful grip. Her fists had loosened in his palms again during his confession as her thumbs idly traced across his palms.
"What... plan?" She asked after hesitating briefly, trying her best to ignore the meat of the matter.
"Nudes."
"Nudes?" She blanked out as his grin turned dark and mischievous.
"Yeah. Black Moon tried lowering your reputation by setting us up together. The easiest way of getting back at her would be to simply create fake images of her being, for the lack of a better word, blasted through all fronts. Of course, others would know it's fake. But would that keep it from changing their opinion of Black Moon?"
She sputtered in shock.
"Are you crazy? Other elders wouldn't—"
"I don't give a shit." He shrugged. "And they know it."
Lo Jik sighed before looking down and staring at her hands, which froze in response.
"Anyway, don't tell others about my secret. Not even your parents."
"I cannot lie to them." She looked away and confessed with a sad sigh. "I wouldn't openly tell everyone but I refuse to deceive them. Of course, your secret's safe with me as long as they don't ask me anything specific."
"Good."
She felt her body pull forward as her instincts screamed at once to retaliate—and she did!
*Boom*
Lo Jik's body flew back before being embedded into the nearest wall. The formation in the chamber let out a soft glow in response. This chamber could handle more dangerous and violent reactions from failed refinement attempts compared to a simple attack from a rank 5 gu master.
"Lo Jik!"
Feng Jin Huang gasped in shock as she hurriedly rushed towards Lo Jik.
"Got it. No sudden movements..." Lo Jik groaned softly as he stood up while touching his chest. Too used to pain, he didn't even grimace as he chuckled wryly. "You're gonna die single and miserable if you keep hitting anyone trying to help you, Sister Huang."
"Help me?" Feng Jin Huang stopped, her non-existent tears all dried up. She pointed at Lo Jik and smiled coldly. "You got your just dessert, moron. As if I need your help."
"Looked like you did." He retorted with a mocking smile. "I'm here to win this duel, strip you naked, and make fun of your weird looking nipples—not to soothe your soul."
"My nipples?" Her eyes nearly popped out in anger. "Watch your mouth!"
"Oh, I'm going to watch more than just the mouth." He grinned as he stepped towards her. Feng Jin Huang nearly stepped back in response before standing straight yet again under his gaze. Somehow, the unending and infallible pit from before felt satiated as she managed to see beyond the possibilities of her fallen ambition.
Her life wasn't limited to her goals alone.
So, she refused to falter under the lecherous bastard's nonsense and that suggestive look in his eyes.
"Well?" He paused besides her. "Take your seat, Sister Huang. I get you once I win, is that clear?"
"Only a rotten fool bets for a maiden's heart." Feng Jin Huang snorted showing no indication of her heart nearly leaping out of her mouth.
"I did right by Juan'er and Zhe'er." Lo Jik smiled as he leaned down, his broad frame almost hugging the woman desperately holding onto her mask of dignity. "I suppose doing all the wrong deeds with you can be fun—just to get back at you for this sneak attack."
"It wasn't a sneak attack!" She scowled.
"Whatever." He drawled without a hint of anger. "I'm so angry that my rage nearly blinds me. Who cares about your background and sentiments? I might just give in to it once I win and ignore everything your father did for me."
He returned to his seat as Feng Jin Huang was left standing. She bit her bottom lip before turning around and returning to her seat, too.
"You don't have the galls to touch me." She provoked. "Get as angry as you'd like. I'll own you and the immortal gu... you chose over me!"
***
Alternate Title: Strike when dream is beautiful; Uncertainty; Lo Jik: Professionals have standards. *Also Lo Jik: Gaslights future venerable and prompts her to put herself on a bet*; Lo *Everything for Riz* Jik; Edward Elric's marriage proposal type shit; Truly an equivalent bet; Feng Jin Huang: Help me, my venerable fortune! It's horny Lo Jik we're up against *Venerable Fortune: And that's why you must learn mouth stuff*; Lo Jik's blinding rage; Fickle-hearted; Consoling Huang; Bai Qing: I hope my daughter maintains a good relationship with Lo Jik *Feng Jin Huang: Anyway… we did it five times*; Feng Jin Huang not letting Black Moon take everything indeed; Getting rights to Rizzler's balls; Lo Jik playing both the field; Lo Jik eventually provoking Feng Jin Huang and Black Moon into a hate-some (hate threesome) *Also Lo Jik: I see this as an absolute win*; Cuck Queen Nina and almost desperate Xin Cheng stuck in limbo and watching Lo Jik whore himself out for shit and giggles; A devious promise; A winner's resolve; Revealing the truth; Lo Jik to Shu Zhe: I'm an otherworldly demon; Lo Jik to Feng Jin Huang: I have an otherworldly physique; Meanwhile, Lo Jik to Qin Juan: I'm in love with you *Qin Juan won*; Exposed Sun Yao; Sun Yao thinking she's slick while being slick *Little Hu awa-awaing in blessed land omniscience*; Feng Jin Huang watching her sworn sisters get corrupted before… jumping right in; Love Gu chose well; Future biographers trying to get a peek on Lo Jik smut to describe sex scenes in his biography in as much detail as possible
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