Chapter 1454: Thoroughly Socially Dead

Yan Xuehen and the other two women glanced sideways, thinking to themselves, "This guy's death-seeking nature really hasn't changed."

Even Zu An was ready to flee at any moment, lest Mo Xi suddenly turn hostile.

To their surprise, she glanced at him, then suddenly smiled enchantingly, "Master~" Her voice was truly soft and sweet, melting everyone who heard it.

Zu An finally understood why Mo Xi was recorded as the first femme fatale in Chinese history. No wonder King Jie of Xia had doted on her so much, leading to the downfall of his kingdom. She was truly a bewitching succubus who could charm people to their doom without paying a price!

Yan Xuehen and the others were also taken aback by this sudden change, staring in astonishment. Yun Jianyue was the quickest to react, spitting, "Another one skilled in charm magic!"

Zu An also regained his composure, subconsciously reaching out to touch Mo Xi's forehead, "You're not sick, are you?"

Mo Xi subtly evaded his touch, a faint smile playing on her lips. "First, I received your generosity in giving me a spear, and then your life-saving grace. It wouldn't be an exaggeration for your humble servant to work like an ox or a horse for you, so what's wrong with calling you 'Master'?"

"Work like an ox or a horse?" The three women beside her immediately eyed Mo Xi warily.

Zu An thought, *I don't believe a word of it. The last one who trusted you is lying soul-shattered in a distant pit.* He cleared his throat. "Alright, alright, I'm not some old pervert like King Jie. You don't need to play these games with me. Don't worry, I'll protect your physical body while you recuperate."

"Thank you, Master," Mo Xi said, smiling sweetly at him. "If Master wishes to do anything strange with my body, you can awaken me, and I will serve you well."

Yan Xuehen: "..."Yu Yanluo: "..."Yun Jianyue: "..."

Zu An naturally knew the woman was speaking falsehoods, but understanding that she was merely concerned about her safety during her slumber, he didn't mind. "I don't need you to work like an ox or a horse. Just help me undo the puppet curse mark on me. I've already fulfilled my promise to you, so don't go back on your word."

Mo Xi hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "No problem, it's a small matter." From the memories of her previous body, this guy's character was decent, and he had been very good to her. He seemed like a trustworthy person. In any case, she only needed to use him for a while. Once she fully recovered, she could simply sever the soul contract with him. However, since he was under a puppet curse mark, if he were controlled by others, she herself would be in great danger, which was why she agreed.

Zu An was startled; he hadn't expected her to be so accommodating this time. Seeing her agree to help Zu An lift the puppet curse mark, the three women also became relieved and no longer dwelled on her previous attempts to deliberately seduce Zu An. As Mo Xi spoke, a glowing, ghostly image of a pair of scissors formed in her hand. She then made a cutting motion towards Zu An, as if severing something invisible with a 'snip'.

Far away, the Demon Emperor suddenly froze, his expression immediately turning grim. The Golden Crow Crown Prince quickly asked, "Father Emperor, what's wrong? Have you sensed Qiongqi's aura?"

They had already found the place where Qiongqi was sealed, according to Dan Zhu's description. It was a grotto that they initially thought was small, but upon entering, they discovered an endless expanse of space within, accompanied by numerous traps and mechanisms. Had it not been for Wu Liang, who was skilled in this area, some of them might have already been injured. In such a perilous place, his father's sudden reaction made him extremely nervous.

Wu Liang, who was nearby, also became vigilant. His previous experiences had made him acutely aware of how formidable these legendary Four Fiends were, and he didn't want to accidentally get swallowed.

The Demon Emperor shook his head slightly. "No, it's Zu An's puppet curse mark that has been undone."

"How is that possible!" the Golden Crow Crown Prince exclaimed. Even Wu Liang cried out. He also understood the puppet curse mark very well, and it had been placed by the Demon Emperor himself. In this world, besides the Demon Emperor himself, even Human Emperor Zhao Hao might not be able to undo it. How could Zu An possess such an ability?

The Demon Emperor's face was grim. "It seems he's had some fortunate encounter in here. Be careful when we meet him next."

When he first entered this unknown land, his mindset had been extremely arrogant, confidently believing he could traverse this secret realm with ease. As a result, he successively encountered beings like Tao Tie and Tao Wu. Although they were powerful, they were still slightly weaker than him, so despite minor setbacks, he remained composed. It wasn't until the ten suns appeared in the sky recently that he sensed several auras not weaker than his own, which made his mood grow even more solemn. Then, a golden light descended from the sky, and the Sun-Shooting Bow in his son's hand was snatched away from a distance. On one hand, he was excited to witness truly greater power, but on the other hand, he was genuinely panicked, realizing that he and his son might perish there if they weren't careful.

Zu An certainly couldn't have undone the puppet curse mark on his own; he must have received help from a powerful expert or acquired some formidable artifact... However, as a great figure of his generation, he quickly calmed down, knowing he had only one last step. As long as he broke the seal, he would obtain the elixir of immortality and gain access to higher-level powers. At that point, it wouldn't matter whom Zu An sought for help.

"Continue forward! Find the fierce beast Qiongqi as quickly as possible!" he said, his face resolute, as he continued to explore deeper into the cave.

Meanwhile, Zu An distinctly felt the terrifying golden crow eye that had been dormant in his mind being cut apart by a pair of golden scissors, and the horrifying oppressive feeling vanished. He couldn't help but feel fortunate to have encountered Mo Xi's soul form this time, as it would have been utterly impossible to undo this puppet curse mark with the Valkyrie body he had previously drawn.

"Is that good enough? Then I'll go back to sleep now." Mo Xi yawned. She was already injured, and severing the puppet curse mark had further depleted her strength.

"Wait," Zu An quickly called out to her. "I have another contract on me. Please help me sever that too."

Yun Jianyue and Yu Yanluo nearby were utterly confused. What other contract did he have that needed Mo Xi's power to sever? Only Yan Xuehen's heart skipped a beat. She, of course, knew exactly what Zu An was referring to.

Before, she had constantly longed to break the "Love as Strong as Gold" bond with Zu An, but now that the moment had truly arrived, she felt an inexplicable sense of apprehension. She couldn't even tell if she felt anticipation or a sense of loss. *It must be the "Love as Strong as Gold" bond at play. Of course, I want to undo it!* In the end, rationality prevailed. She kept murmuring to herself internally, solidifying her resolve.

Mo Xi closed her eyes. Because she had already re-signed a contract with Zu An, she could naturally sense the condition of his body.

"Oh, Master, you have quite a few contracts on you, and they're all with women? Which one should I sever?" she said, as she explored.

"Contracts with many women?" Yun Jianyue and Yu Yanluo immediately perked up their ears. Yan Xuehen, on the other hand, was full of suspicion, wondering, *This guy couldn't have used 'Love as Strong as Gold' on other people too, could he?*

"It's the one between me and... her... Don't cut the wrong one," Zu An hastily communicated with Mo Xi mentally. He had soul contracts with Mi Li, Qiao Xueying, Daji, and others, and it would be a huge problem if she accidentally severed one of those.

"Oh, it's her," Mo Xi said, glancing at Yan Xuehen with a very peculiar smile. Without delay, she conjured the ghostly image of the golden scissors in her hand again. At that moment, many visible red threads suddenly appeared between Zu An and Yan Xuehen, densely intertwined.

Yun Jianyue and Yu Yanluo's eyes widened instantly. They had wanted to hear gossip, but never expected the gossip to be right next to them? Especially Yu Yanluo, why did she feel as if her home had been invaded?

Yan Xuehen's face burned with shame; she wished for a crack in the ground to crawl into. *It's over, it's over, I'm completely socially ruined!*

Mo Xi complained as she cut, "Why are there so many red threads? Are you sure this is purely due to a contract?"

Yun Jianyue's eyes darted about, seizing the opportunity to ask, "What kind of contract do they have?"

Mo Xi subconsciously replied, "What, you don't know? Between them, it's a love..."