At that realization, Mo Shen's heart tightened, and his reaction came almost on instinct.
He lowered his head even further, his posture turning more respectful than before as he cupped his hands properly.
"This disciple greets Martial Aunt Yue. I was careless and allowed my thoughts to wander, which led to this offense... I ask for Martial Aunt's forgiveness."
His voice was quite calm, though the caution within it was clear.
Qing Yue did not seem bothered in the slightest.
"There is no need to trouble yourself over such a small matter," she said as she waved her hand lightly, as if brushing away something insignificant.
She lifted the tobacco pipe to her lips and took a slow breath, before exhaling softly. The thin stream of smoke curled upward between them, carrying that same faint orchid scent.
For a small moment, her gaze rested on him.
"More importantly," she continued calmly, "you came here for the Beast Festival. Are searching for a suitable beast to form a bond with?"
Mo Shen hesitated for a second, then nodded.
"Yes… this disciple has been looking around."
His hand moved unconsciously to the back of his neck, scratching lightly as he spoke, giving her a small wry smile.
Qing Yue hummed softly.
"No results so far?" she asked.
Mo Shen gave a faint, helpless smile.
"I have seen quite a few, but none of them truly fit what I am looking for."
"And what is it that you are looking for?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Mo Shen paused for a moment, then answered honestly.
"A beast that has poison, but does not rely on direct confrontation," he said slowly. "It should be able to conceal itself well, preferably something difficult to detect. Strength is currently not my priority… control and adaptability are more important."
Qing Yue listened without interrupting.
When he finished, she let out a quiet breath, the smoke from her pipe drifting lazily through the air.
"…That kind of beast is not so easy to find," she said after a moment.
Mo Shen nodded.
"I am aware."
Silence followed briefly.
Then Qing Yue spoke again.
"There are a few that come to mind."
Mo Shen's eyes shifted slightly, though he did not raise his head fully.
Before he could say anything, Qing Yue continued.
"Some time ago, I came across an egg of a rare serpent species," she said in a calm tone.
"That kind of creature would suit your requirements quite well. It is small, carries a potent toxin, and possesses a natural ability to conceal its presence."
Mo Shen's heart skipped a beat as the image of such a beast formed clearly in his mind.
It really fit him... almost perfectly.
And yet, he did not speak immediately.
Instead, his thoughts turned elsewhere.
'Do not make contact with anyone from the Hehuan Pavilion.'
Fengwu Yao's cold voice echoed in his mind.
A faint chill ran down his spine.
Mo Shen lowered his head slightly more.
"This disciple appreciates Martial Aunt's kindness," he said respectfully, "but such a treasure is far too valuable, and I don't dare to accept it lightly."
Grip...!
At his words, a soft yet cold hand reached out, and grabbed his wrist forcefully before he could react.
Mo Shen's body stiffened instantly.
A cold voice followed, quiet yet carrying a sharp edge that pressed directly against his mind.
"…Are you declining something I have personally chosen to bestow upon you?"
The words were calm.
Yet beneath them lay something that could not be ignored.
Mo Shen felt his heartbeat quicken.
The pressure was not overwhelming, yet it was enough to make his whole body to scream in complete fear.
After a brief pause, he lowered his head further.
"This disciple would not dare," he said at once. "Since Martial Aunt has given it, I will accept it with gratitude. In the future, I will certainly repay this favor."
The grip on his wrist instantly loosened up.
Qing Yue studied him for a moment longer, then gave a small nod, as if satisfied.
"Mhm."
She withdrew her hand slowly.
"That will do."
'Phew...'
Mo Shen let out a quiet breath inside, though his expression did not change.
But before he could relax, Qing Yue spoke again.
"Since you wish to repay me…"
Qing Yue's voice suddenly dropped into a soft, velvety murmur that seemed to caress the air itself, directly stunning Mo Shen.
Her beautiful eyes, half-lidded and shimmering with a faint, intoxicating glow, slowly traveled over Mo Shen's body, from the top of his lowered head, down the line of his neck, across his shoulders, and all the way to his feet, as if she were savoring every inch of him like a rare delicacy.
A delicate pink tongue slipped out, wetting her full, cherry-red lips in a slow motion, as the the faint orchid scent around her suddenly grew heavier, sweeter, almost dizzying.
"…there is no need to wait for the future."
Mo Shen's body tensed.
A faint chill crept up his spine.
"You can repay me... right now~"
She stopped directly in front of him, so close that the warmth of her breath brushed against his ear.
One slender finger gently lifted his chin, forcing his eyes to meet hers.
Her lips curved into a bewitching smile, both innocent and wicked at the same time... and for the first time, she actually looked like a true fairy seductress of the Hehuan Pavilion.
Mo Shen forced himself to stay calm, but Qing Yue still pressed on.
"Look at me, little disciple," she cooed softly, her thumb tracing a light, teasing line along his jaw.
"Such a tense body… so cautious~. Are you afraid of your dear~ Martial Aunt?"
Her other hand trailed lightly down his chest, fingertips barely grazing the fabric of his robes, yet sending sparks of strange, tingling warmth through his skin.
Thump, thump, thump!
Mo Shen's heartbeat thundered in his ears. Cold sweat broke out along his back as he fought to keep his voice steady.
"This disciple… is somewhat lacking in ability at the moment," he spoke through gritted teeth, not daring to raise his tone.
"If Martial Aunt requires something of importance, I fear I may not be able to meet your expectations right now. It would be more appropriate to repay you once I have grown stronger."
He lowered his head slightly again.
'If this turns into something related to dual cultivation… I might as well dig my own grave…' Mo Shen swallowed hard.
A faint trace of cold sweat formed at his back.
'Master would kill me without a second thought…'
Qing Yue stared at him for a long moment.
Then, she let out a soft huff, the seductive aura around her vanishing in an instant as she returned to her usual cold and indifferent persona.
"Hmph."
Without another word, she reached into her spatial ring and took out a fist-sized, pitch-black egg with faint crimson patterns swirling across its shell.
A faint, dangerous aura leaked from it, making Mo Shen's scalp tingle.
She tossed the egg toward him casually.
Mo Shen instantly caught it with both hands.
"This disciple thanks Martial Aunt Yue for this generous gift," he said humbly, bowing his head before her.
"I will cherish it and make good use of it."
Qing Yue did not respond.
She simply turned around and walked away. After only a few steps, her figure blurred and completely dissipated from his view, as if she had never been there.
Mo Shen stood frozen in place, staring at the empty space where she had vanished.
'...What the hell was that?'
He felt even more confused than before.
One moment she was trying to seduce him like a proper Hehuan Pavilion elder, and the next she was cold again and simply left.
He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it any longer. Thinking too much about the actions of powerful cultivators was never a good idea.
Ignoring the strange encounter, Mo Shen turned and headed toward a random inn nearby.
He quickly paid for a simple room on the second floor and locked the door behind him the moment he entered.
Only then did he sit cross-legged on the bed and bring out the black egg.
He took a deep breath, pulled out a small dagger, and cut his finger.
Drip... drip...
A few drops of fresh blood fell onto the surface of the egg, instantly being absorbed by the shell.
Then, Mo Shen closed his eyes and slowly began reciting the incantation from the Soul Beast Manual.
The spiritual energy in the room stirred.
[Ding!]
A faint system notification sounded in his mind the moment the contract took hold.
Crack…!
The egg suddenly cracked open with a sharp sound.
A small black serpent with glowing red eyes slithered out from within. Its body was slender and sleek, no longer than his forearm, yet it carried an ancient and dangerous aura.
The little serpent looked around for a moment before its red eyes locked onto Mo Shen.
Without hesitation, it slithered up his arm and coiled gently around his left wrist, its cool, smooth body pressing against his skin.
Then, to his surprise, the small serpent stuck out its tongue and began licking his arm lovingly, as if showing affection.
Mo Shen looked down at the tiny creature with a faint smile.
"...Looks like I've got myself a partner now."