295: Chapter 296 Phoenix Gu!

The young girl sat quietly for a long time.

After a long while, she sighed softly.

The sigh was very light, almost inaudible, yet it carried a weight that didn't match her age.

She lowered her head, her gaze falling on her plain white silk socks.

The socks were woven from the finest silk, pure white like snow without a single blemish. She reached out and gently slid the socks off her feet, her movements slow and meticulous, as if performing some kind of ritual.

As the socks were removed, a pair of small and lovely lotus feet were revealed.

Those feet were tiny, barely a handful; her toes were as round as jade, the tops of her feet fair and delicate with faint blue veins visible. The arches were graceful, and the soles were slightly pink, like early spring peach blossoms, tender and soft.

The young girl set the socks aside and then carefully dipped her feet into the lake water.

The lake water was slightly cool.

The moment those small feet touched the surface, the girl couldn't help but let out a soft "hiss," her toes curling slightly as if startled by the cold. But she didn't pull back; instead, she bit her lip and slowly submerged her entire feet into the water.

The icy lake water wrapped around her ankles, bringing a refreshing sensation.

The girl's toes gently spread out in the water and then playfully curled back, as if testing the water or playing.

She looked down at her fair little feet in the water, watching them flicker in and out of sight in the shimmering lake. The heavy sorrow in her heart seemed to dissipate slightly with the coolness of the water.

However, deep within those clear eyes, a trace of indelible worry still remained.

Shen Li sighed softly and lifted her feet from the lake water. Droplets slid down her fair skin and dripped onto the bluestone, making a faint sound.

"Little Li'er!"

A voice, tinged with a bit of laziness and a bit of charm, came from behind her.

Shen Li paused her movements and looked back.

She saw a woman rounding a bluestone not far away and walking toward her.

The woman wore a purple dress with a trailing hem. The fabric was light and soft, swaying gently with her steps and outlining her breathtakingly exquisite curves. The purple dress wasn't made of ordinary material but woven from a special silk that shimmered with a faint purple luster under the sun, making her already fair skin appear even more like lustrous jade.

She had a slender figure and a thin waist, yet her chest was surprisingly full, heaving slightly with her steps. The magnitude of that movement was enough to make even Shen Li, a woman herself, unable to look away. Her long black hair wasn't tied up but draped casually over her shoulders, with a few strands falling over her chest, adding to her lazy and charming appearance.

Her face was stunning, her features exquisite to the point of being almost demonic. Her eyebrows were like distant mountains shrouded in mist, her eyes like autumn waters, and the corners of her eyes tilted up slightly with a natural allure. Her lips were full and bright red; even without makeup, she looked ravishing.

It was indeed Nangong Zili.

After being nurtured by Ye Changge recently, her complexion was significantly better than before. Her face, which had been somewhat pale due to long-term cultivation of Gu arts, now had a faint blush. Her skin was fine and smooth, like a peeled egg, delicate enough to break at a touch.

Those autumn-water eyes held more shimmering light than usual, and between her glances, there was an indescribable charm.

That charm wasn't forced but came from within her bones. Every frown, smile, and movement carried a natural enchantment that made it impossible to look away.

Nangong Zili walked to Shen Li's side, looking down at her with the corner of her mouth slightly curved.

Shen Li snapped out of it and hurriedly pulled her silk socks back onto her feet, her movements a bit flustered.

She put on her shoes and socks, stood up, and looked at Nangong Zili with concern in her eyes:

"Revered Master! Have you recovered?"

Hearing this, Nangong Zili crossed her arms. This action made her already full chest even more prominent, heaving slightly. She gave a light snort, her tone somewhat nonchalant:

"I've recovered about seventy to eighty percent. Trying to fully recover here would take too much time."

As she spoke, a fair hand unconsciously moved to her lower abdomen, gently stroking it.

There were no visible changes there yet.

But she knew that a small life was growing inside her day by day.

Nangong Zili lowered her eyes to her flat stomach, her thoughts churning.

She couldn't afford to waste any more time here. As the fetus grew, it would inevitably affect her combat strength. If they encountered pursuers from the Qingshui Sword Sect again, how could she protect herself and Little Li'er while injured and pregnant?

Only by returning to the Five Gu Sect, back to the Sect, could she feel at ease giving birth to this child.

And—

Nangong Zili's eyes flickered.

Only within the Sect could this child have a head start in life.

Although the Five Gu Sect was called a Demonic Path by the outside world, in terms of resources and heritage, it was not inferior to those great righteous Sects.

Within the Sect, there was a specialized Nursery, the top-tier Spirit Medicines for conditioning, and experienced Elders to teach personally. As soon as this child was born, they would be seen as the continuation of the Gu Emissary Bloodline and receive the best upbringing.

Furthermore—

Nangong Zili's gaze fell upon the Sect Contribution List.

On that list was something she had coveted for a long time.

An Earth Rank rare Gu: the Phoenix Gu.

This Gu was extremely special and could only be used once in a lifetime. Its effect: to wash away all impurities and achieve Rebirth through Nirvana.

No matter what Gu poison or curse one was afflicted with, using this Gu would allow one to be completely transformed and thoroughly cleared of all negative states.

Including that damn Thousand Silk Love-Binding Gu.

At this thought, an uncontrollable surge of anger rose in Nangong Zili's heart.

That bastard Ye Changge!

She gritted her teeth as his handsome face appeared in her mind—sword-like eyebrows, eyes like stars, a face as fair as jade, always wearing a gentle and harmless smile.

It was that seemingly gentle and harmless man who dared to humiliate her in such a way!

Pressing her down, acting willfully, and trampling on her dignity over and over again!

Remembering that experience, Nangong Zili's cheeks involuntarily flushed, but a murderous intent emerged in her charming phoenix eyes.

What was even more hateful was—

She actually felt a sense of goodwill toward that bastard.

Even... developing feelings of love.

Nangong Zili bit her lower lip, feeling both ashamed and angry.

She, Nangong Zili, could fall in love with a man.

But it could never be in this way!

Feelings controlled by a Gu insect and catalyzed by drugs—what kind of feelings were those?

What she wanted was to love someone while sober and of her own volition, not to be led by the nose by a tiny Gu insect.

Therefore, she had to obtain the Phoenix Gu.

Nangong Zili took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in her heart and forcing herself to calm down.

Although the plan to invade the Zhao State had failed, the fault did not lie with her.

To be precise, it was the two Nascent Soul True Lords who lost to True Monarch Xuanjian. She, a mere Core Formation Stage Gu Emissary, was only following orders; the mission's failure could not be blamed on her.