Chapter 157: Chapter 156: Xiao Ya Chooses to Join

The pity in their eyes stunned Gu Zhao. "What’s with that look?"

"It’s a shame you were born in the wrong era!" Jiang Shishi said with a wistful expression. "If you’d been born in ancient times, wouldn’t you have earned the title of a Land Immortal?"

Even Xiao Ya nodded. "Like the National Martial Arts Masters of the Republican era. They were so powerful, but in the end, they still couldn’t stop a bullet."

"What are you two thinking about!" Gu Zhao waved a hand in front of their faces. "It’s the twenty-first century. You have to believe in science!"

Jiang Shishi asked, "You call this science?"

Gu Zhao retorted, "Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi is just a type of energy. When it encounters sinister, malevolent qi, it gets triggered. It’s like a fully charged detector encountering its target and reacting. If that’s not science, is it metaphysics?"

Jiang Shishi was left speechless.

Xiao Ya, however, wasn’t so easily fooled. "But your ability can’t be replicated, and it’s beyond the understanding of the average person. No one would believe you if you called it science."

Gu Zhao smiled. "Do you two believe me?"

Xiao Ya and Jiang Shishi glanced at each other. Even if they wanted to disbelieve, they couldn’t!

"With your skills, if you were in Siam, you could wipe the floor with that Mongkha," Jiang Shishi said. "And that White Dragon King, the one so hyped up in Port City, would definitely be no match for you either."

Gu Zhao laughed. "The White Dragon King is famous because he can offer guidance to those who are lost, not because he’s capable of Exorcising Demons and Evil Spirits."

Jiang Shishi and Xiao Ya both understood the implication of that statement.

"So you *can* perform Exorcising Demons and Evil Spirits," Xiao Ya said with a smile. "Especially against bad people like Yin-Yang Masters and Black Magic Masters."

Jiang Shishi again expressed her regret. "There aren’t any bad people like that in the country anymore. Doesn’t that mean your skills will go to waste?"

Gu Zhao couldn’t help but laugh. "Are you saying you wish there were?"

The two women shook their heads in unison. "Of course not!"

"Well, there you go." Gu Zhao nodded, then said to them, "I didn’t realize how dangerous it can be abroad. You two might have more overseas performances in the future, and who knows if you’ll run into a similar situation again.

The Celestial Spirit Talismans from this time have been used up. I’ll find some time to make a couple of bracelets for you. Not only can they protect you from danger multiple times, but they’ll also look more natural."

Both of their eyes lit up. Xiao Ya couldn’t help but look at the bracelet on Gu Zhao’s wrist.

She had seen Gu Zhao’s bracelet long ago but hadn’t thought much of it at first. Later, after a Talisman she’d asked for cured her grandfather, she learned that these Talismans could also heal illnesses and promote good health.

But it wasn’t until three days ago that she realized she had still underestimated the effects of the Spirit Talismans. They did more than just heal and promote health—they could even exorcise evil and protect the wearer!

"Knowing you is the best luck I’ve had in eight lifetimes!" Jiang Shishi leaned in close to Gu Zhao and kissed him on the cheek.

"Ahem!" Gu Zhao cleared his throat. He met Xiao Ya’s gaze, which was a mixture of teasing, jealousy, and anticipation, with a hint of impulse. He raised his chopsticks. "Let’s eat, let’s eat."

...

"Let’s go, let’s go home!" Jiang Shishi’s eyes were a little unfocused.

Xiao Ya looked at Gu Zhao. "We should call for a driver, right?"

Gu Zhao shook his head. He circulated the True Qi in his body, expelling all traces of alcohol. "I’m fine now."

Jiang Shishi hugged Gu Zhao’s arm again, slurring her words slightly. "We brought you presents from our trip. We’ll show you when we get home."

Xiao Ya licked her slightly dry lips, stared at Jiang Shishi for a moment, then bit her lip and said nothing.

The three of them then got into Gu Zhao’s car. The drive was smooth, and they soon arrived at the apartment complex where the two women lived, parking in a temporary spot on the side of the road.

After parking the car, Gu Zhao saw Xiao Ya struggling to support Jiang Shishi, so he took her other arm. "I’ll help you get them upstairs."

Feeling the softness pressed against his arm, Gu Zhao’s mind began to wander.

He was at an age of vigorous virility, and his unorthodox Daoist heritage had never imposed any vows of celibacy. Having only recently lost his virginity to Zhuo Qingyan, he was now at a point where he had tasted forbidden fruit and craved more.

Jiang Shishi was leaning almost half her body weight on him. It would have been abnormal for Gu Zhao not to feel a stir of arousal.

Gu Zhao and Xiao Ya helped Jiang Shishi upstairs to their apartment. Jiang Shishi seemed to sober up a little, but as she let go of Gu Zhao, her gaze held a profound, hidden meaning.

Kicking off her shoes, Jiang Shishi pulled a suitcase out from a corner of the living room. "Come and see! These are all the presents we brought for you!"

Seeing that Jiang Shishi was sober, Xiao Ya didn’t overthink it and helped her open the suitcase to show him the gifts they had prepared.

Besides souvenir crafts from various countries, the two women had also brought Gu Zhao local specialty snacks and quite a few clothes. They casually opened some snacks for Gu Zhao to taste and even had him try on the clothes right then and there.

And just like that, they spent time trying things on until it was almost eleven at night.

"Don’t leave tonight," Jiang Shishi said with a wave of her hand. "It’s not safe to be out late. Just crash on the sofa for the night. I’ll get you a new toothbrush and towel."

"Hm?" Gu Zhao raised an eyebrow.

Then he saw Xiao Ya nod in agreement. "It’s true, it isn’t safe to be out late. I’ll get you a new blanket; we have extras here."

Gu Zhao: ???

Gu Zhao’s eyes darted between Jiang Shishi and Xiao Ya. Seeing that neither was giving him a chance to refuse as they went about their preparations, he couldn’t help but take a sharp breath.

’No way... Are they being this forward?’

’Should I agree? Or should I agree? Or... should I agree?’

So, Gu Zhao nodded and said to the backs of the two women, "In that case, I’ll take you up on your offer."

A moment later, Jiang Shishi had prepared toiletries for Gu Zhao, and Xiao Ya had gotten him a pillow and blanket. Then, the two women slipped into the bathroom together.

"It’s settled then. We both leave our doors open. Whoever’s room he goes into, the other one automatically loses."

"A deal’s a deal, no backing out!"

Having agreed on the rules, the two women came out, said goodnight to Gu Zhao, and returned to their respective rooms.

Gu Zhao looked at the two bedroom doors, both left ajar with a gap two or three fingers wide, as if they were afraid he wouldn’t notice. He was speechless.

’Couldn’t you two just find a time to approach me separately? Why throw this dilemma at me? How am I supposed to choose?’

Resigned to his fate, he could only lie down on the sofa, showing no intention of getting up.

’I should have just gone home,’ he thought. ’Qingyan is still waiting for me.’

Just as Gu Zhao was thinking this, he noticed one of the bedroom doors being pushed open gently. A figure crept silently to his side, tugged lightly on his hand, and blew a soft breath against his ear.

"I thought about it, and the sofa is just too uncomfortable. Be quiet and come with me."

Feeling the soft body within his reach, Gu Zhao was sorely tempted.

Just then, the other door was pushed open, and a resentful voice drifted out. "Jiang Shishi, you launched a sneak attack!"

"Have you two ever considered my feelings in all this?" Gu Zhao sighed, pulling Jiang Shishi into his arms. He then shared what those feelings were. "When faced with a provocation, a disciple of the Taoist Sect generally prefers to vent their ’Qi’ on the spot."

A moment later, Xiao Ya bit her lip and, unwilling to be left out, chose to join them.