The great hall of Azure Heaven Sect shone with warm lantern light, their golden glow bouncing off jade pillars and intricate carvings. Rows of sect elders, disciples, and honored guests lined either side, the air thick with the scent of wine and roasted pheasant.
At the center, Li Wei walked forward in spotless white robes, each step calm, measured, almost divine. The jade crown in his hair gleamed under the hall's light, his posture straight and dignified.
Inside, his heart pulsed with exhilaration. Leader at twenty-three… I really do outshine them all.
Outside, his lips curved into the gentle smile of a saint.
"Elders, seniors, I am humbled to inherit the leadership of Azure Heaven Sect. I will dedicate my life to the righteous path."
The crowd erupted.
"Leader Li Wei, may the heavens bless you!"
"To take the mantle at such a young age… truly a genius blessed by the heavens!"
He accepted their praise with the practiced nod of a man who seemed above worldly pride. Inside, he savored every syllable — each flattery feeding the hunger in his chest.
As he took his seat at the head table, his gaze slid to the right.
There, across the feast, sat Su Xinyue — the Su family's treasured young lady. Her robes were pale blue silk, her hair tied with a simple jade pin, and her fingers moved delicately as she lifted a morsel of steamed fish to her lips.
Li Wei's eyes lingered. Pretty… delicate… unused to hardship. She'd look good kneeling by my side.
Later that night…
The banquet wound down. Laughter faded into the distant sound of closing doors as guests retired to their rooms. The courtyard outside was quiet, the moon spilling silver light over the stone paths.
Li Wei stepped into the courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back. The air smelled faintly of night jasmine.
Across the courtyard, Su Xinyue appeared, carrying a guqin in her slender arms. She paused when she saw him, then offered a polite bow.
"Leader Li, you're still awake?"
"I couldn't sleep," he replied smoothly. "The moon is too beautiful tonight."
He gestured to the two chairs beneath a blossoming plum tree. "Join me."
She hesitated, but then nodded. They sat — the distance between them just enough to be proper. She began to tune her guqin, the soft plunk of strings blending with the whisper of wind.
The melody she played was gentle, flowing like a stream over smooth stones. Li Wei leaned back, eyes half-lidded, watching her more than listing.
When the last note faded, he spoke.
"Your music… exquisite. You have talent, Miss Su. Such skill deserves to be cherished."
She smiled politely. "You flatter me, Leader Li."
He tilted his head, the moonlight catching a glint in his eyes.
"I wonder… would you consider becoming my mistress?"
Her fingers froze on the strings.
"…I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me." His tone was casual, almost conversational, as if discussing the weather. "Your beauty and grace… wasted on anyone else. I can give you everything — status, wealth, protection."
Su Xinyue's face paled. "Leader Li, I… I am not—"
He leaned forward slightly, his smile warm on the surface, but his gaze sharp and cold beneath.
"If you refuse me… I'll have to consider whether your Su family truly stands with the Azure Heaven Sect. You know what happens… when a family falls out of favor."
Her lips parted in shock. "You… you would threaten—"
"I don't threaten, Miss Su." His voice lowered, almost tender. "I promise."
The night wind stirred the plum blossoms, carrying their fragrance between them. Su Xinyue's hands trembled on the guqin strings, the music long forgotten.
Li Wei sat back, smile still in place — the picture of a righteous leader under the moonlight.
Inside, he was already imagining her on her knees.
The night air was cool, the moonlight spilling silver over the plum blossoms above them. Su Xinyue's breathing was shallow, her hands tightening on the guqin strings until her knuckles whitened.
Li Wei's earlier words still hung in the air like a blade.
She lowered her eyes, voice trembling but soft.
"Leader Li… I am… useless to you. I have no cultivation worth mentioning. The Su family… is not strong enough to make enemies of the Azure Heaven Sect, much less the Li family. Everyone knows… both stand above all others in the three human realms."
Li Wei tilted his head, studying her with calm, unreadable eyes. Inside, he was savoring the way her fear trembled through every word.
Then, as if a cloud passed over the moon, his smile softened. He leaned forward slightly, voice warm and low — the kind of tone that could make a stranger think him gentle.
"Xinyue… you misunderstand me."
Her eyes flickered up at him, uncertain.
"I'm not here to threaten you," he continued, his gaze locked on hers. "I… love you. From the moment I heard your music, I knew I could listen to it forever. Imagine it — you and I, nights like this… your guqin, the moonlight, just us."
Her lips parted, but no words came.
"You think you have nothing to offer," he went on, a faint chuckle escaping his lips. "But you're wrong. The Su family may not match the Li family or my sect in power… but you are still wealthy, respected, and influential. Together, you and I could make your family untouchable. No one would dare look down on them again."
He leaned back in his chair, posture relaxed, yet every movement calculated.
"You'd live in comfort, surrounded by silks and jade. No fear. No struggles. All I ask in return… is you by my side."
Su Xinyue's gaze flickered over his face — the strong jawline, the clear, dark eyes that caught the moonlight like deep water, the faint curl of a smile that seemed both tender and unshakable.
He looked… perfect. Handsome in a way that made the heart stumble, cool and confident in a way that made resistance feel impossible.
Her pulse quickened in spite of herself. Any woman, looking at him under this moonlight, might have blushed.
Li Wei, watching the subtle change in her expression, smiled inwardly