Xing Yuan smilingly accepted Mo Li Yue's seal of approval, but… faced with such beauty, how could she remain unmoved!
So, she kissed back.
"Alright, we'll have plenty of time later. Let's focus on what's important now!" Xing Yuan's expression turned serious as she rejected Mo Li Yue's attempt to escalate things.
Mo Li Yue's brows drooped in disappointment, looking like a cute, dejected big dog.
Normally, she could take the lead, but in this situation, Mo Li Yue couldn't force Xing Yuan. All she could do was gaze at her with innocent, big puppy eyes, looking pitiful.
Xing Yuan swallowed hard and shifted her gaze away. This was simply testing her already weak willpower!
"A Yuan~ Sister~ Pretty please? Just this once." Mo Li Yue seductively batted her eyelashes at Xing Yuan.
If Xing Yuan could still endure this, she wouldn't be Xing Yuan.
Xing Yuan grabbed Mo Li Yue by the waist and half-carried her to the room. "Fine, but make it quick!"
"Okay!" Mo Li Yue smiled, triumph gleaming in her eyes.
Upon entering the room, Mo Li Yue's previously submissive demeanor vanished instantly. She smiled enchantingly, like a blooming rose shedding its vibrant petals to reveal its sharp thorns within.
Xing Yuan went along with it, half-resisting, half-yielding. Her sister was rarely this proactive, so why should she dampen her enthusiasm!
After all, in the next world, who knew what kind of personality her sister would have. (ಥ_ಥ)
However, once such matters began, their conclusion was uncertain.
The next day, both of them yawned as they supported each other into the carriage.
Xing Yuan shot Mo Li Yue a resentful glare, seemingly complaining about her broken promise.
Mo Li Yue rubbed her nose and looked back, retorting righteously, "Didn't you not refuse either?"
Xing Yuan was speechless, as she indeed hadn't actively stopped it.
Mo Li Yue's predicted turn of events was almost perfect, but it wasn't just the Demonic Cult; some smaller sects also seemed to want to seize this opportunity to elevate their status.
However, despite the Demonic Cult's notorious reputation, they had a vast number of followers, many of whom were forced to join out of desperation. Now that they heard the Saintess intended to legitimize the cult, they were naturally very enthusiastic.
Those who do good deeds without leaving their name are saints, but they were not. They were simply seeking recognition.
While the Demonic Cult members diligently worked to clear their name, the righteous sects were internally dealing with their own conflicts.
Due to a previous imperial decree, some disciples, elders, and even leaders had actively defected to the court. Although an understanding had been reached between the two sides, traitors were unwelcome anywhere.
Even knowing that these individuals wouldn't be heavily relied upon by the court, for them, it was a thorn in their side, a thorn proving that their internal unity was not as harmonious as rumored.
This meant that the years of effort they had put into maintaining a facade of peace were completely shattered, revealing their dirty and sordid underbelly. This was naturally unacceptable to them.
Therefore, even though they had heard some whispers from the outside, they had no spare time to deal with them, focusing instead on handling the traitors.
Selected martial arts elites infiltrated the capital to assassinate the traitors who had already attained official positions.
This time, they had learned their lesson. They impersonated individuals with no sect affiliation, posing as their enemies seeking revenge.
Although the court harbored suspicions, they lacked evidence. They themselves held no affection for those defectors and couldn't afford to focus all their attention on these "reckless individuals," so the matter was eventually dropped.
By the time they had purged their own ranks, more than three months had passed.
But during these three months, the Demonic Cult members had not been idle. With a total of over a thousand members, Mo Li Yue issued relevant commands from the main headquarters to the various branches, even assigning them specific regions to carry out her plans.
When the righteous sects began to become active in the martial world again, the Demonic Cult had already changed its name to the Shun Xin Cult.
All things, follow the heart!
This was the original intention behind the establishment of the Demonic Cult. Though the name changed, the intention remained.
Their actions among the common folk were quite effective. After all, when someone helps you and then loudly proclaims their name, in a situation of being alone and lost, they were the only ones willing to help.
So, who would think these people weren't good?
Even if these individuals were once truly wicked, as long as they mended their ways now, in the hearts of the people, they were thoroughly good.
The righteous sects still wanted to suppress them, but they no longer had a valid reason. Moreover, while many of them were outwardly righteous like hypocrites, they weren't completely wicked.
All those who were thoroughly wicked, such as those who practiced dark arts, went mad, and killed indiscriminately, were also purged during this period.
Mo Li Yue had also made contingency plans, but these individuals were very sensible, and she saw no need to force a life-or-death confrontation with them. Thus, an uneasy peace prevailed, and the martial world surprisingly welcomed a period of relative harmony.
Mo Li Yue stayed with the Demonic Cult for another three months, until she forced Mo Li Yan to learn how to manage the cult's affairs. Then, on a moonless night, she packed her bags and, with Xing Yuan, went off to wander the world.
How to put it? Isn't a younger brother meant to be a tool? She had painstakingly raised him, and now it was his turn to bear his responsibilities.
As for whether he was willing or not, Mo Li Yue didn't care. After all, no one had asked her if she was willing back then, and she had been forced into it, hadn't she?
They were, after all, born of the same mother. Favoring one over the other was not a good behavior.
Mini-theater: In the carriage, Xing Yuan looked up at Mo Li Yue and said, "Sister, are you sure your brother won't be sad that we're leaving like this?"
"He won't be! He should have grown up long ago, and besides…"
Mo Li Yue's eyes sparkled as she looked at Xing Yuan, "A Yuan wasn't waiting for this day? Sister can't disappoint you."
"Mmm~"
"No, we're traveling!"
"Okay~ Then let's go to an inn!"
Their remaining lives were long, and no matter where they went, they would be together, after all… the蛊虫 (gu worm) was still there! (￣y▽￣)~*