Seizing a moment, Lily Carter leaned in with a mischievous smile and whispered, “Don’t look at me like that. I just think you’re really different from those servants. If you really want to thank me, just tell me a few more stories.”

John Smith smiled slightly. “You can listen to as many as you like.”

As a man, John Smith ultimately had to stay separately from the disciples of Xingyue Sect. Leading the way for him was a young girl who introduced herself as Sarah Miller. She had just been standing next to Grace, which showed she was also an important disciple in charge here for Xingyue Sect. John Smith didn’t try to chat up the girl; he simply followed her in silence to a small, standalone courtyard.

A small bamboo building made of green bamboo stood there, elegant and refined. The courtyard was filled with blooming, unknown little flowers, their fragrance delightful. John Smith immediately took a liking to the place, thinking to himself that no modern agritourism spot could compare to this fresh authenticity. The only regret was that there was no internet here, so the nights would surely be quite boring.

The girl Sarah Miller stopped and gave a slight bow. “Young master, we’ve arrived.”

After remaining silent the whole way, John Smith finally spoke. “Thank you, Miss Sarah Miller.”

Sarah Miller gently bit her lower lip, a hint of a seductive smile appearing on her face as she leaned in slightly, her fair and ample curves seemingly brushing against John Smith’s arm by accident. In a soft, sweet voice, she said, “The place is simple, I hope you won’t mind, young master…”

Soft fragrance and gentle words, John Smith turned his head slightly to meet Sarah Miller’s face, feeling a bit surprised inside—what is she up to?

This girl was only seventeen or eighteen, with an incomparably beautiful face. Perhaps it was due to years of cultivating Xingyue Sect’s techniques, but she carried a faint, hazy aura, very similar to the one that Emily Smith and Lily Carter occasionally revealed—a mysterious, elusive charm. It must be a trait of their sect: like stars, like the moon, dreamy and illusory—a very special kind of beauty, and a fantastical quality that John Smith would never encounter in modern society, something he had always admired.

But at this moment, Sarah Miller’s aura reversed. Her peach blossom eyes brimmed with spring, her sexy red lips slightly parted, a faint floral scent wafted to his nose, her breath as fragrant as orchids. The most primal desires of the human heart were drawn in by this sensory allure, as if a veil had fallen from the mysterious to the mundane, making one want to peel it back further and see more clearly.

John Smith was no stranger to women—on the contrary, he’d had plenty of experience—but even so, he still felt a surge of primal impulse welling up from deep inside, his eyes involuntarily drawn to the whiteness of her chest, wanting nothing more than to tear it open and bite down fiercely.

John Smith believed himself to be battle-hardened; no matter how beautiful the other party, he couldn’t possibly be so easily seduced. This must be the legendary charm technique at work, right? He sighed softly, stepped back half a foot, and smiled. “I’m very satisfied with this place. Thank you, Miss.” He pointed to the bathrobe he was wearing. “Could you help me find a change of clothes? I’d like to take a bath.”

Although he’d seen all sorts of strange outfits on the street, this bathrobe wasn’t exactly eye-catching, but walking around in it was still awkward. The first thing John Smith wanted to do after settling in was to change into something more normal.

Seeing how calm and unaffected he was, a barely noticeable look of surprise flashed in Sarah Miller’s eyes. She then gently stroked John Smith’s chest and said softly, “It’s a small matter. Why don’t I help you bathe, young master?”

John Smith smiled. “Miss, the charm techniques of your sect shouldn’t be used on your own people.”

Sarah Miller froze for a moment, her seductive smile finally fading as she stepped back half a pace. “Though you have no cultivation, young master, your willpower is extraordinary. It was presumptuous of me.” She paused, then smiled sweetly again. “I’ll take my leave. Someone will bring you clothes soon.”

With that, she floated away. As her graceful figure disappeared, the surging desire that John Smith had been suppressing instantly faded, and he thought to himself, so it really was a charm technique. This silent, subtle seduction was truly easy to fall for. She must have been careful not to hurt him and didn’t use her full power—otherwise, just a bit of inner force would have been enough to finish him off. Or if it had been some inexperienced young man, even this much would have been enough to make him lose his mind. Luckily, he was seasoned and not easily swayed by beauty.

New to this place, with his own future uncertain, how could he have the mind to chase girls… Besides, he wasn’t really Emily Smith’s relative, so where would he get the nerve to mess around? He wasn’t some idiot ruled by his hormones.

But why did she try to seduce him? And so impatiently, at their very first meeting?

Chapter 7: Different Paths, Same Destination

After a while, sure enough, a maid brought over some clothes. She glanced curiously at John Smith, covered her mouth with a smile, and asked, “There’s a bath barrel upstairs. Should I fetch water for you, young master?”

John Smith saw that there was a well in the courtyard and waved his hand with a smile. “There’s no reason to have a girl fetch water. You can go, I’ll do it myself.”

Perhaps Sarah Miller had told her not to cause trouble, so the maid didn’t insist and left with a smile.

Drawing water from the well in the middle of the courtyard, John Smith sank himself into the bath barrel, washing away his fatigue.

Why did she try to hook up with me… If it wasn’t a deliberate test, then there’s only one possibility—the sect leader’s relative, right? Isn’t that enough for the local disciples to curry favor? Maybe she was hoping to use this opportunity to become the person in charge here. She was just too eager—this was only their first meeting… The Demonic Sect is still the Demonic Sect; no matter how high their martial prowess, sometimes they really do make people feel a certain way…