He had only been curious, but now that he felt like he was being baited—and by someone audacious enough to use an Apprentice to fish for a Tai Chi realm cultivator—Zhang Deming had no intention of biting.

Whether he was overthinking it or not, his current plan was to lay low and not get involved.

He left the gathering, returned to his Cave Mansion, and continued to keep a low profile. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

「...」

Several more days passed in a flash. He had already been in Celestial Spirit City for over half a month; it was time to show his face back at the Sect.

So, Zhang Deming left Celestial Spirit City and headed toward the Sect.

However, just as he was halfway there, Zhang Deming’s brow furrowed, and he came to a sudden halt.

Spiritual Light flickered in his eyes. After scanning his surroundings for a long while, he looked back in a particular direction and said:

"My friend, you’ve been following me for quite a while. Aren’t you going to come out and chat?

Or do you plan on escorting me for the entire journey?"

Zhang Deming’s words drifted down the empty road, but no one answered. It was as if he were talking to himself.

Zhang Deming’s brow furrowed. He suddenly spun around and, instead of continuing forward, started heading back toward Celestial Spirit City.

"I’ve been lying in wait for over half a month, and not once did you step outside. You wouldn’t even take the bait.

Now that I’ve finally caught you on your way out, why are you turning back before we’ve even had a chance to say hello?"

The moment Zhang Deming moved, a figure appeared in his path and spoke in a casual tone.

Zhang Deming halted and looked at the person. The moment he got a clear look at their face, he froze.

’Isn’t this the guy from a few days ago who tried to lure me away by claiming he’d found a ruin and wanted to show me?’

Zhang Deming’s brow furrowed as he studied the person. They looked to be in their twenties, with androgynous features.

He wore a faint smile as he strolled forward.

He had a wicked air about him... no, that wasn’t right. It was more of a devilish charm.

Sensing Zhang Deming’s wariness, Guann Zhenxiang stopped at a safe distance.

Looking at Zhang Deming, he smiled and extended his hand. "Hello. We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Guann Zhenxiang."

Zhang Deming’s expression faltered. The moment the man smiled, he suddenly felt that this person before him was incredibly handsome and kind, and he had an overwhelming urge to become his ’friend’.

"Hey there! I’m Zhang Deming. You can call me Mingzai, or even Brother Ming. My friend, it’s a real pleasure to meet you!"

Behaving completely out of character, Zhang Deming enthusiastically stepped forward and grabbed Guann Zhenxiang’s hand, beginning to knead it with both of his.

Guann Zhenxiang’s expression twitched, but he didn’t pull his hand away. He allowed Zhang Deming to continue kneading it, and said with a smile, "A pleasure to meet you, too!"

"My friend, your hand is so... very... soft..."

As Zhang Deming squeezed Guann Zhenxiang’s hand, his gaze grew increasingly strange, verging on lecherous.

Just then, the Spiritual Shield Rune within his body vibrated abruptly. The expressions of both Zhang Deming and Guann Zhenxiang, who had been about to speak again, changed simultaneously.

Before Zhang Deming’s expression could become completely lecherous, it changed in a flash, turning utterly dark and ugly to the extreme.

’Charm: Ruyan!’

’Vine: Thorns!’

The two of them struck at almost the same instant. Even after the rune’s vibration snapped him back to his senses, Zhang Deming didn’t immediately release the hand he was holding. Instead, his grip tightened, clamping down with all his might.

Countless Jade Vine Spikes erupted from the front of his body, making him look like the back of a porcupine.

Each one glinted with a cold light, like a steel needle, and instantly shot toward Guann Zhenxiang.

The hand clutched in Zhang Deming’s grasp received special attention.

The jade-like spikes instantly ran Guann Zhenxiang through, turning him into a human pincushion.

Before Zhang Deming could even breathe a sigh of relief, Guann Zhenxiang’s entire body dissolved into a puff of pink smoke and drifted away.

With a thought, Zhang Deming was instantly enveloped in his Spiritual Shield.

The pink smoke didn’t envelop him as he had expected. Instead, it drifted backward some distance before re-coalescing into a human figure.