My Arch-Nemesis is the R-Rated Male Lead - Chapter 28

“What are you looking at?” Zhou Li noticed Lu Rong’s gaze and asked, puzzled.

Lu Rong instinctively looked away. “Nothing.”

[I’m looking at your… positive and upward-facing area.]

[That should be every man’s most sensitive spot, hehe.]

[But would touching it for three seconds make me seem a little perverted?]

[Hehe, perverted it is. No one will know anyway.]

Listening to the nonstop hehe noises echoing in his head, Zhou Li glanced sideways at her and felt her complexion growing more and more sallow.

How did she manage to be timid on the outside but filthy-minded on the inside?

He shot her a look, walked straight ahead, brushed the flower off her shoulder from a distance, and crushed it beneath his foot.

Then he continued on alone, as if he had merely happened to pass by and run into her.

Seeing the surroundings, Lu Rong hurried after him. “Hey, why are you walking so fast?”

Without turning his head, Zhou Li said, “Weren’t you looking for Senior Brother Minhui?”

Something about his tone felt odd to Lu Rong, and she quickly explained, “I came in with Senior Brother Minhui, but I don’t know how we got separated. Did you see him when you came over?”

Of course Zhou Li had seen Minhui. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to separate them using a formation.

But he had no intention of revealing that, only replying indifferently, “Didn’t notice.”

Given Zhou Li’s personality, Lu Rong figured he truly wouldn’t pay attention to others. She followed closely behind him. “I’ll contact him with my jade token.”

She lowered her head, took out the jade token, and tried to send a message, but it wouldn’t go through. “Why can’t I send anything?”

“To stop the spread of the vine demon, I set up a restriction,” Zhou Li said casually, lying through his teeth. In truth, he had simply trapped Minhui in another formation, making any communication impossible.

Lu Rong recalled what he had said earlier. “What did you discover just now? Why did you suddenly come over?”

And he really hadn’t applied any medicine to his lips, he came out openly bearing the obvious bite marks.

For a moment, Zhou Li didn’t know what to say. He didn’t even know why he had come.

He almost never went anywhere without a purpose.

“Hm?” Lu Rong looked at him, clearly curious.

“I sensed something unusual.” Zhou Li’s words were always this concise. “Be careful—”

Before he could finish, Lu Rong nearly tripped over a vine. She instinctively lurched forward, and familiar arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.

Her chest collided with his broad torso. The spot that had been rubbed raw again yesterday was struck once more, and she sucked in a sharp breath of pain.

Zhou Li lowered his gaze to her expression. “Where did you hit?”

“Nowhere.” Lu Rong pushed him away and walked straight ahead.

Zhou Li’s mind began buzzing again.

[I slammed right into my chest! It hurts so much! It’s all his fault for wrapping around me so tightly yesterday, he rubbed my skin raw.]

[He really is nothing but brute strength!]

Zhou Li looked at her slender back, memories of last night’s chaotic scenes surfacing. He had indeed held her too tightly. Her skin was so delicate, it must have broken.

Following behind her, listening to her grumble and curse him in her thoughts, his previously restless mood inexplicably began to ease.

He quickened his pace and walked beside her, shoulder to shoulder.

Lu Rong asked, “Are we trapped?”

“Keep going,” Zhou Li replied calmly. Seeing how unbothered he was, Lu Rong relaxed as well.

She glanced around and asked softly, “Zhou Li… why does the Ancient Vine Forest seem to have changed so much?”

She still remembered that the Ancient Vine Forest hadn’t been this terrifying before.

“The Shiba Chong has always been full of demonic beasts, variables are only natural,” Zhou Li said. Yet deep down, he vaguely felt it might have something to do with the demonic fire burning within him.

Ever since the demonic fire inside him reignited, the number of strange figures around him had increased. The man in black back in Luo City, Lu Fang, and now even the vine demon.

When he had come to the Ancient Vine Forest as a child, the demonic aura here hadn’t been heavy at all. The ground had even been covered with beautiful flowers.

Now, however, not a single blade of grass grew. All that could be seen were the vein-like patterns of vines on the exposed earth.

The spiritual energy of this place had already been completely drained.

After hearing him say this, Lu Rong didn’t think much of it. The two of them continued forward aimlessly. Lu Rong couldn’t help wondering what exactly he had come here for. For some reason, she had the strange illusion that they were taking an after-dinner stroll together.

With the surroundings so dark, it could practically be called a rendezvous.

But in such a dangerous place, their leisurely, stroll-like rendezvous felt a little wrong.

As she mulled it over, she unconsciously widened the distance between them. The next moment, her back collar was tugged, pulling her a step backward. She looked up at him in confusion.

“Be careful,” Zhou Li said in a low voice.

Hearing him say that, Lu Rong immediately nodded obediently, like a little kitten reacting to danger. “Oh, okay.”

“Is there a bad demon watching us?” she whispered instinctively, her hands clutching tightly at his sleeve.

Seeing her pressed so close to him, Zhou Li thought that in the entire Shiba Chong, there was no demon more terrifying than himself.

He was the demon who most wanted to devour her.

Perhaps because of his warning, even a sudden gust of wind in the vine forest turned Lu Rong into a startled bird.

She was so frightened that she wished she could cling to Zhou Li, her voice trembling as she said, “Let’s go.”

Seeing how timid she looked, Zhou Li led her forward. Lu Rong kept her eyes and ears open, watching and listening in all directions.

She couldn’t help thinking that somehow, being beside Zhou Li felt even more dangerous.

She belatedly realized that this guy was a terrifying demon too.

Zhou Li couldn’t help but chuckle at her mutterings.

How could she be so slow?

Lu Rong was walking close to Zhou Li when the jade pendant at her waist lit up.

She quickly grabbed it and glanced at it, immediately seeing a message from Qiu Ling.

[A’Ling: Rongrong, where are you? Are you safe?]

[A’Ling: Reply as soon as possible.]

Surprised that she could receive a message from Qiu Ling, Lu Rong quickly replied that she was safe.

Confused, she asked Zhou Li, “Why can I send a message to Qiu Ling but not to Senior Brother Minhui?”

Zhou Li: “…I don’t know.”

Lu Rong thought Zhou Li was really strange, today he didn’t seem to know anything.

She didn’t care, though, as Qiu Ling immediately sent her a ‘video call’.

“Rongrong? Who are you with?” Qiu Ling asked worriedly.

“I’m with Zhou Li,” Lu Rong said. “I’m fine, what about you?”

“Venerable Jian?” Qiu Ling was a little surprised. “Wasn’t Venerable Jian not coming? Did he come specifically to protect you?”

Hearing Qiu Ling’s question, Lu Rong subconsciously looked at Zhou Li, who was standing protectively in front of her.

She was a little uncertain. Could he really have come specifically to protect her?

But Zhou Li’s personality shouldn’t allow him to do such a thing.

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Lu Rong quickly retorted. “It was just an accidental encounter, and I even got separated from Senior Brother Minhui.”

“Senior Brother Minhui?” Qiu Ling didn’t react at first, then thought for a moment. “Is that Senior Brother Minhui you used to hug when you were little and say you wanted to marry?”

Lu Rong blushed. “I didn’t say that!”

“You did say that,” Zhou Li suddenly said out of nowhere.

Lu Rong stared at him in astonishment. “When did I say that?”

“When you were seven, your father slapped your hand, and he came to comfort you. You hugged him and said it,” Zhou Li said matter-of-factly.

Lu Rong was speechless. How could he remember it so clearly? Was he crazy?!

“That was something I said when I was little,” Lu Rong said dismissively, continuing to Qiu Ling. “Anyway, it’s Senior Brother Minhui. Have you seen him?”

“No, I’m with Senior Brother Lin. I was worried you might be in danger alone, but now that Venerable Jian is here, you should be fine.” Qiu Ling ended the conversation immediately, showing that she trusted Zhou Li even more than she did.

She put away the jade token and glanced sideways at Zhou Li’s profile, thinking, this person is the most dangerous.

No, she was dangerous too.

After all, she still had a mission to complete. But what if she really touched Zhou Li? Would he kill her?

Probably not, since he seemed quite pleased when he pressed against her lower back earlier.

It’s not like the magistrate can do whatever he wants while the common people are forbidden even to light lamps.

Her thoughts were racing, and Zhou Li’s mind was a mess too. He pictured Lu Rong hugging him tightly from behind, her hand sneakily sliding down his waist.

Zhou Li: “???” Where was she trying to touch?

He looked down at her. Lu Rong noticed his gaze. The image in her mind froze and instantly turned into a panicked scream.

[Ahhhhh, why is he looking at me? I feel like he caught me red-handed.]

[Wait, I haven’t touched him yet! If he keeps looking, I’m going to be ruthless!]

Zhou Li: …What strange words?

He instantly turned back nonchalantly and said, “Don’t things we said when we were little count for anything?”

“Huh?” Lu Rong didn’t react immediately, then realized he was still thinking about the innocent words she’d said to Senior Brother Minhui when they were children.

“What you said when you were little doesn’t count. What would a little kid know?” Lu Rong said dismissively. “You probably said you wanted to marry someone when you were little too.”

“No.” Zhou Li possessed all his memories and wouldn’t talk about marrying anyone. He strode forward, and Lu Rong hurried to keep up with him.

“If you didn’t, you didn’t. Slow down!” Lu Rong lifted her skirt and ran over. “Zhou Li, wait for me!”

Zhou Li slowed down helplessly.

Why was she so affectionate?

They walked for a while longer, and Lu Rong got tired. Just as she was about to ask if they could fly on a sword, Zhou Li suddenly grabbed her wrist and propelled her backward.

A vine suddenly lashed out, like a menacing octopus, rushing toward them.

Zhou Li didn’t even blink. With a powerful wave of his hand, he shattered the vines that tried to entangle them.

The vines fell to the ground in pieces, instantly transforming into the shapes of several Xuan Yang Sect disciples.

Lu Rong’s face paled. “Are they all dead?”

“Yes.” Zhou Li remained calm, almost expressionless, as if the dead weren’t even human.

“Weren’t my father and the others monitoring them?” Lu Rong asked, puzzled.

“It’s no use. These vines killed people from the start, then transformed into their likenesses and blended into the crowd. The vines absorbed everything from them, so your father and the others couldn’t distinguish them.”

Lu Rong now understood what Zhou Li meant when he warned her to be careful of her companions. “Can these dead people come back to life?”

“Find the main vine and kill it, then these dead people will be resurrected.”

After Zhou Li finished speaking, Lu Rong heard Qiu Ling’s voice.

“Rongrong!” Qiu Ling and the other two flew over swiftly on their swords. Lu Rong hadn’t expected to meet them here and excitedly raised her hand. “A’Ling! Senior Brother Lin!”

As another person approached, she realized it was Senior Brother Minhui.

The three landed quickly. Qiu Ling looked at Lu Rong standing next to Zhou Li and chuckled, “We were almost attacked just now. Luckily, you came and saved us from death.”

“What do you mean?” Lu Rong asked, puzzled.

“The vines here attack those who are more dangerous,” Senior Brother Minhui explained, his eyes instinctively glancing at the young man standing next to Lu Rong.

Zhou Li had underestimated Senior Brother Minhui’s abilities. He hadn’t been slow in getting out either.

Lu Rong also looked at Zhou Li, thinking that he was indeed the most powerful and dangerous among them.

“Venerable…” Qiu Ling and Senior Brother Lin were about to call for help when they looked up and saw the wound on Zhou Li’s lip. Qiu Ling stopped speaking, but Senior Brother Lin asked with concern, “Venerable Jian, how did you get hurt?”

“I was bitten…” Lu Rong’s eyes widened upon hearing this. She quickly covered Zhou Li’s lips with her hand, glaring at him warningly.

[Don’t say it! Don’t say it!]

[He’ll die!]

Zhou Li, seeing her nervous expression, smiled knowingly.

She hurriedly told Senior Brother Lin, “He bit himself and hurt himself.”

Senior Brother Lin: “???”

Zhou Li didn’t deny her words, but simply pulled Lu Rong’s hand down, though the lingering scent of her palm still remained in his nostrils.

His eyes swept over the three people opposite him, his gaze landing on Minhui, before he withdrew and vanished without a word.

Lu Rong hadn’t even reacted, only watching him disappear into thin air, confirming once again that he had indeed been acting somewhat neurotic and unpredictable lately.

Appearing suddenly and disappearing just as suddenly.

Senior Brother Minhui seemed thoughtful. The boy he had just seen didn’t appear hostile; instead, he exuded a chilling killing intent.

He had murderous intent toward him, but why didn’t he make a move?

“Rongrong, who was that just now?” Senior Brother Minhui asked curiously.

“He’s the Sword Master of the Xuan Yang Sect, Lu Rong’s mortal enemy,” Qiu Ling said loudly, leaning closer.

“A’Ling!” Lu Rong grabbed Qiu Ling, preventing her from speaking.

Qiu Ling smiled meaningfully and whispered in her ear, “Did the Sword Master bite himself, or were you the one who bit him?”

“Get lost! Who bit him?” Lu Rong blushed, not daring to admit it, and quickly changed the subject. “Let’s go find the main vine now. Zhou Li said that if we find and kill the main vine, the dead will come back to life.”

“Senior Brother Minhui said the same thing just now,” Qiu Ling winked at Lu Rong.

Lu Rong kicked her, feeling that she was really just stirring up trouble.

The four of them set off together, killing many vine demons along the way, but still finding no trace of the main vine.

As darkness approached, Lu Rong subconsciously looked up at the sky, trying to find Zhou Li’s whereabouts, but after looking around several times, she couldn’t find him.

He appeared inexplicably and disappeared inexplicably.

“Rongrong, why don’t you send a message to Venerable Jian and ask him to give us some more information?” Qiu Ling, exhausted from searching, suggested.

Senior Brother Lin echoed, “If we can’t find it, we won’t be able to get out.”

The Ancient Vine Forest was vast, and the four of them, having fought through vine demons, were covered in a foul stench.

Lu Rong looked at their disheveled state. “Asking might not be of any use.”

“Let’s try. The longer we drag this out, the more people will die,” Qiu Ling said, feeling that Lu Rong had underestimated her standing with Zhou Li.

Lu Rong hesitated, taking out her jade token to contact Zhou Li. Under the gazes of the three men, she felt uneasy. It seemed like asking for help could easily be misunderstood as a close relationship with him.

She held the jade token between her fingers, still undecided, when the already dim sky darkened completely.

The ground began to tremble, and Lu Rong saw a roar erupt from the silence. Instinctively looking up, she saw the icy shadows of a sword.

“There! Zhou Li is there!” Lu Rong excitedly pointed in the direction the sword light came from.

The group hurriedly flew towards it on their swords, and in the dim light, they saw a colossal creature—a tree demon.

The tree was covered in white flowers, which fluttered down under the sword light.

“No one can stop my growth, hahahaha!” the tree demon let out a sharp, arrogant laugh, followed by a deluge of vines that swept toward them.

Qiu Ling hurriedly set up a barrier with her sword, but her power was no match for this thousand-year-old tree demon.

The barrier shattered, and the four were scattered by the vines. Lu Rong, sword in hand, was swept hundreds of meters away, and just as she was about to crash to the ground, a force caught her steadily.

She smelled Zhou Li’s scent as her body was pulled up.

Zhou Li’s voice reached her ears: “Fire overcomes wood.”

Lu Rong couldn’t see him, and even Bing Lie that had enraged the tree demon had disappeared. It seemed he had only told her the location of the main vine.

But she hadn’t asked him.

Lu Rong had no time to think. She ascended again on her sword, gazing at the tree demon’s dense vines, which seemed to coil like thousands of snakes, ready to devour anyone at a glance.

She hastily drew a fire talisman in mid-air and charged forward. The blazing flames surged ahead, but the same deadly vines met her head-on.

“Overestimating yourself!” the tree demon roared. The flames were pierced by the vines, and Lu Rong retreated. A sword aura struck first, cleaving the tree demon in two with a single stroke, the sword light piercing the darkness.

The ground cracked open with a deafening roar.

Lu Rong stared in astonishment at the icy fissure blocking her path. Before she could rejoice, she saw the tree demon rapidly regenerate.

“It will regenerate as long as there’s soil!” Lu Rong said to Qiu Ling and the other two who had flown back.

“But the entire Shiba Chong Mountains are all soil,” Senior Brother Minhui said, frowning at the rampaging tree demon.

“Can we drown it with water?” Lu Rong asked.

“We can try,” Senior Brother Lin nodded. “Senior Brother Minhui will protect you, and A’Ling and I will burn the vines.”

“Okay.” Lu Rong wasn’t really confident. She had never used the Yin-Yang Spring before, and she wouldn’t have used A’Miao’s Yin-Yang Spring if it weren’t for saving the Xuan Yang Sect disciple who had died.

Senior Brother Minhui protected Lu Rong from all sides. She was pondering how to operate the Yin-Yang Spring when a surge of power flowed through her. Before she could react, a ribbon of water flew from the horizon, circling her once.

“Go and drown that tree demon.” After she spoke, the ribbon of water surged toward the demon. The previously dry ground instantly became a vast ocean. At first, the tree demon was unaffected, but soon it emitted painful roars.

Senior Brother Lin and Qiu Ling’s flames trapped the struggling vines.

Time passed second by second. Lu Rong controlled the Yin-Yang Spring, her spiritual energy being consumed frantically.

Large beads of sweat dripped from her chin. She bit her lip, persevering.

Senior Brother Minhui looked at her worriedly: “Are you alright?”

“No.” Lu Rong’s pupils contracted. She tried to retreat, but it was too late. A vine suddenly pierced toward her heart.

She thought it was over. Her heart skipped. A figure reached her first, grabbing the vine in his palm. The once murderous vine shattered completely in Zhou Li’s hand in a second.

“Useless!” A cold voice rang in her ears. Lu Rong’s long eyelashes fluttered as she saw Minhui being sent flying by the hilt of Bing Lie’s sword.

Zhou Li glanced down at her. Perhaps things had gone too far. She saw obvious fear in his eyes.

But it was only fleeting. The next moment, Zhou Li gripped Bing Lie with his bloodied hands, turned, and flew toward the tree demon. His features were sinister, and Bing Lie transformed in his hands, exuding murderous intent.

Zhou Li always dealt with threats swiftly. Lu Rong had never seen this before; witnessing it firsthand, she froze.

With a single swing, the arrogant tree demon exploded into dust. The vines on the ground twisted in the water and transformed into living people.

Lu Rong was completely dumbfounded. How could he… be so powerful?

Zhou Li sheathed his sword and approached Lu Rong, coldly saying, “Put away the Yin-Yang Spring. Don’t let anyone see.”

He directly grasped Lu Rong’s hand to withdraw the Yin-Yang Spring. She felt warm blood flowing from his palm and looked at him worriedly: “Are you alright?”

“Yes.” Zhou Li withdrew his hand coldly, seemingly distrustful of everyone, and led her straight out of the ancient vine forest to his father.

Lu Wen had seen everything. Fearfully, he grabbed Lu Rong and said to Zhou Li, “Those vines were covered in the tree demon’s poisonous flowers. If they enter your body, they’re harmful. I’ll detoxify you now.”

“It’s nothing.” Zhou Li said indifferently and left.

Lu Rong didn’t even get a chance to check his hand. She asked her father, “What effect do those poisonous flowers have on a person?”

“If the body is healthy, they cause unconsciousness and confusion. If the body has abnormalities, it will be worse.”

Lu Rong thought, Oh no… Zhou Li is in heat. That must make things worse. His palm was really burning when he held mine.

Ignoring her disheveled state, she wanted to find Zhou Li, but her father held her back, insisting on healing her wounds.

Every second felt like an eternity. She continuously sent messages to Zhou Li via her jade pendant,

[Lu Xiaorong: Are you alright?]

[Lu Xiaorong: Zhou Li, if you feel unwell, soak in cold water. Soaking in cold water won’t hurt as much.]

[Lu Xiaorong: Wait for me… I’ll come help you.]

Inside Wuhui Tower, frost and ice trapped the extremely agitated Zhou Li in the dim room.

The wounds on his palms were repeatedly torn. He tried to use the pain to sober himself. Blood dripped from the countless tears in his palms, pooling into a small puddle.

The dark jade pendant kept lighting up as he read Lu Rong’s messages. Seeing the last one, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He knew she’d take the bait.

———————– 

Author’s Note: 

Scheming Zhou: Ready to feast.