Translator: CinderTL
"You're finally here..."
Chang Fangmu seemed to have been waiting for him for ages, a mysterious smile playing on his lips as he gently bit his lower lip, striking a seductive pose.
Xu Sanyan felt a throbbing in his temples, utterly stunned that he was experiencing this—being seduced by a man?
Chang Fangmu's expression was hazy as he murmured, "I've been waiting for you so long..."
"Waiting for your ass!"
Xu Sanyan had never felt such rage. He lunged forward, appearing instantly at Chang Fangmu's bedside, his hand clamping around the man's neck. His eyes burned with fury, as if he wanted nothing more than to strangle him.
"Ugh... you're... you're hurting me..."
Chang Fangmu felt the grip on his neck tighten, making it hard to breathe. His hands flailed uselessly. Still half-conscious, he remained lost in his chaotic thoughts, mistakenly believing Xu Sanyan enjoyed this kind of game.
"I'll fucking kill you!" Xu Sanyan gritted his teeth, his grip tightening further.
Chang Fangmu finally realized something was wrong. His thoughts slowly returned to him, his eyes gradually clearing. Looking at the furious Xu Sanyan before him, he understood completely:
This man wasn't interested in men at all!
He had completely misread the situation.
"Uhm... misunderstanding... spare me..."
Chang Fangmu felt the hand gripping his throat tighten, nearly crushing his windpipe. He tried to struggle, but the gap in their strength was like an insurmountable chasm. He had no chance of fighting back, only managing to gasp out a plea for mercy.
"What are you doing?!" Xu Sanyan demanded, his voice dripping with fury.
"Uhm... spare me..." Chang Fangmu choked out, feeling himself suffocating. The intense lack of air made his eyes roll back, leaving him no choice but to beg for mercy.
Xu Sanyan struggled to suppress his rage. After a moment's thought, he threw Chang Fangmu to the ground, gritting his teeth as he said, "You'd better have a damn good explanation for this!"
"Cough... hack... ugh..."
Chang Fangmu lay sprawled on the ground, coughing violently and retching dryly. A red mark circled his neck—if Xu Sanyan had squeezed just a little harder, he would have snapped his neck.
"Cough, cough... Brother Lin, it's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding..." Chang Fangmu gasped, recovering slightly and hastily explaining, "We meant no harm. This is how the Chang Family treats its guests. Yesterday, my younger sister offered to serve you, but you refused. So we assumed..."
Xu Sanyan's eyes narrowed, a fierce glint flashing within them. "So you assumed I prefer men?"
"Uh..."
Chang Fangmu didn't dare answer, but his expression said it all.
"Get out! Don't let me see you again!" Xu Sanyan snorted coldly, turning and striding back into his room.
If he hadn't been unsure of the Chang Family's true strength, he would have killed Chang Fangmu right then and there.
"Cough, cough... Thank you, Brother Lin. I'll take my leave now." Chang Fangmu, still half-naked, scrambled to his feet and fled.
"Hah..."
Xu Sanyan suppressed his inner turmoil, the memory of Chang Fangmu's earlier screams like a thorn in his heart.
He immediately circulated the Subduing the Heart-Ape Method, purging the intrusive thoughts and finally finding some relief.
"Damn it! Hospitality? What kind of host offers their own children to guests?"
Xu Sanyan struggled to understand the Chang Family's customs.
While he wasn't particularly picky about food, this man had truly crossed a line.
At the very least, he could have dressed up a bit, put on some makeup, or even styled his hair into twin ponytails. But just a burly old man lying naked on the bed? How could Xu Sanyan bring himself to touch him?
Outside the courtyard,
Chang Fangmu vigorously rubbed the red mark on his neck. For a moment, when Xu Sanyan had his hands around his throat, he genuinely thought he was about to die.
Fortunately, Xu Sanyan had spared him at the last moment.
"Hah..."
Chang Fangmu took a deep breath. Truth be told, that near-death experience had been strangely exhilarating.
The heart-pounding thrill of facing death, the primal fear that shook him to his core, and the overwhelming relief of escaping with his life—all these sensations had left him feeling strangely invigorated.
He... actually wanted to experience it again.
Suddenly, an aged voice echoed from the depths of the darkness: "Why are you out here?"
Chang Fangmu turned to see his father, Old Master Chang, emerging from the shadows.
"Father, the intelligence was flawed. He doesn't like men at all. I nearly got killed."
"Hmm? Doesn't like men?" Old Master Chang paused, puzzled. If he didn't like men, how could he have rejected Chang Yinu?
The Soul-Summoning Incense was incredibly potent, far beyond what willpower alone could suppress. Even the most virtuous gentleman would be helpless once enveloped by its effects.
Unless...
He had another method!
Old Master Chang's cloudy eyes flashed with insight in the darkness, his mind racing with possibilities.
"Father, he attacked in a rage. If he hadn't held back at the last moment, I would be dead," Chang Fangmu repeated, hoping his father would take action on his behalf.
"Hmm?" Old Master Chang turned to him, his tone a mix of disappointment and exasperation. "If you want revenge, focus on your cultivation. This man reached the Soul Refining Realm at just forty years old. Look at you—nearly sixty and still stuck in the Dao Seeking Realm, wasting your days on women instead of cultivation. You're squandering your life!"
Chang Fangmu lowered his head, daring not to argue.
He wanted to cultivate diligently, but the practice was too arduous and monotonous. Years of fruitless meditation had become unbearable.
Besides, it wasn't just women he indulged in; occasionally, he indulged in men too...
"Summon Yu Lian," Old Master Chang ordered. "Stop trying to seduce him. Just keep him under surveillance." He had given up on Xu Sanyan. Let him stay here for a while, then release him.
"Yes," Chang Fangmu replied, turning to leave.
"Ah..." Old Master Chang watched his retreating figure, shaking his head and sighing, feeling lost about the Chang Family's future.
He had three sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Chang Linmu, was reliable and mature, but his cultivation talent was too poor; he was still stuck in the Mid Stage of the Dao Seeking Realm.
His second son, Chang Fangmu, had decent talent but couldn't endure the loneliness of cultivation, becoming hopelessly addicted to fleeting pleasures and unfit for serious responsibility.
His third son, Chang Tiemu, was promising—talented, mature, and the obvious choice for the next clan head. Unfortunately...
His heart wasn't in it. He preferred wandering the world, and even his own father didn't know where he was now, or even if he was still alive.
As for his daughters, Chang Yulian was steady but overly cunning, with a deep, selfish nature. She always prioritized her own interests above the family's, making her unsuitable for leadership.
His youngest daughter, Chang Yinu, genuinely cared for the family's welfare, but...
She was too twisted. Even her own father found her disturbing. She constantly invented new, bizarre games, some of which Old Master Chang had never even heard of.
Any prey that fell into her hands suffered a truly horrific fate.
In the Chang Family, a clan of eccentrics, Chang Yinu had surpassed them all, outdoing even her elders in depravity.
(End of the Chapter)
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