My Arch-Nemesis is the R-Rated Male Lead - Chapter 7

Lu Rong strained to stand on tiptoe, extending her scarlet tongue to part his lips.

Everything in his mind was beyond Zhou Li’s control now, entirely dictated by Lu Rong. She even imagined he would lower his head and meet her lips!

Impossible.

Absolutely not.

Zhou Li pulled his hand back, cutting off her fantasy, finding it utterly absurd. Was she only like this recently, or had she always been this way?

His ears grew hot. “Get out.”

He had no desire to argue with her, but this time Lu Rong wasn’t letting him escape so easily. She quickly grabbed him.

“I’m injured.” Lu Rong looked up at him pitifully.

[I want him to lick my wounds… starting from my neck and all the way down to my ankles.]

Zhou Li: “…” She was truly filthy.

Lu Rong tried to gather strength again, but she could already feel the spiritual energy in her dantian shifting once more.

A sudden gust of wind swept across the sky, dark clouds gathering on the horizon with faint traces of hidden lightning.

“A lightning tribulation? Who’s about to break through?” Qiu Ling’s voice drifted over.

Lu Rong’s heart leaped with joy. 

It really worked!

“You’re about to break through.” Zhou Li looked at her calmly. “Should I call your master, or should I protect you?”

“You!” Though she and Zhou Li were mortal enemies, her trust in his ability was absolute.

“Mhm.” Zhou Li glanced at the dark clouds overhead. “Then wait here.”

“Wait for what?” Lu Rong asked, confused.

“Lightning.” Zhou Li finished speaking and flew off, taking Qiu Ling with him.

“Huh? Aren’t you going to protect me? Where are you going?” Lu Rong called after him anxiously.

Zhou Li simply wanted to distance himself. Otherwise, once the protection started, the filthy thoughts in her head might make him slap her straight into the earth.

“Go wipe the sword,” Zhou Li said softly.

“Hey! So you’re abandoning me!” Lu Rong stood alone under the tree, her face flushing with anger as she looked upward, remembering how the lightning during Zhou Li’s breakthroughs rained down like scattered blossoms.

Generally, the stronger a person’s talent and ability, the harsher the tribulation. For a small fry like her, a token lightning strike would be more than enough.

She silently prayed for it to end soon so she could attend the Spring Banquet tomorrow.

“Steady your mind. Draw the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into your dantian.” Zhou Li’s gentle voice echoed from all directions.

Lu Rong hurriedly sat down to meditate, trying to pull the drifting spiritual energy into her body, but she simply couldn’t manage it.

A vague, rising heat even spread through her whole body.

“Clear your mind. Stop thinking about dirty things.”

Lu Rong: “I wasn’t thinking anything dirty!”

What kind of nonsense was going through his head? As expected of you, Zhou Li—the male lead of a restricted novel!

Zhou Li let out a cold laugh, making his disbelief abundantly clear.

He was only far away; if he were any closer, who knew what kind of filth he would’ve heard.

Now he finally saw her true nature for what it was.

Lu Rong truly wasn’t thinking about anything improper this time. The strange sensation sweeping through her body made hot sweat break out everywhere, sliding down her jaw and gathering at her pointed chin.

Thunder boomed across the sky, heralding the arrival of the tribulation.

The air around her turned into a vast surge of spiritual energy, hot enough to scorch.

Lu Rong felt as if she’d been tossed into a pill-refining furnace.

But since Zhou Li hadn’t said anything, it should be fine… probably.

She held her breath and focused, trying to sense the changes within her dantian.

Zhou Li wiped his sword and glanced toward the sky, his brows knitting slightly.

Something was wrong.

Sure enough, nine bolts of purple lightning fell from the horizon.

This was exactly the same tribulation he had endured when reaching the Golden Core stage.

But Lu Rong was nothing like him. He was a demon; she was human. She couldn’t withstand this.

Qiu Ling, waiting outside Wuhui Ravine, saw the nine streaks of purple heavenly lightning. She had only ever seen lightning like this when Zhou Li advanced.

Qiu Ling was stunned. “Could it be that Lu Rong is also a genius?”

The purple lightning bolts crashed down in an instant, making Qiu Ling’s heart leap. With these nine bolts, Lu Rong would surely be blasted into nothingness.

She was about to rush forward to shield her, but the next moment her eyes widened in shock.

She saw Zhou Li leap into the air and catch the nine lightning bolts, powerful enough to pierce the earth, with his bare hands.

Under the restraint of a powerful force, the nine bolts twisted and writhed, even resembling nine snakes that bound Zhou Li.

Two overwhelming forces collided in mid-air, exploding into a web of lightning that tore across the sky as a dark gale surged in.

The Xuan Yang Sect was instantly plunged into darkness so complete that one couldn’t see a hand before their face.

Overwhelmed with worry, Qiu Ling was about to call someone to protect Lu Rong when she turned and saw the sect leader and other elders rushing toward them.

“Who broke through?” Lu Wen asked, excitement shining in his eyes. From the tribulation alone, it was clear the person was no ordinary cultivator.

“Hurry and tell us, A’Ling!” Qiu Manyue urged eagerly.

Qiu Ling replied, “It’s Rongrong.”

Everyone was stunned. Everyone knew Lu Rong was the most useless person in the entire sect!

“Rong’er?” Lu Wen’s expression shifted to worry. He instinctively looked toward the place overflowing with spiritual energy.

Before he could rush over to protect his daughter, Zhou Li had already shattered the nine bolts of lightning.

A powerful protective barrier sealed off the entire Wuhui Ravine, isolating everyone else outside.

Every plant and tree inside remained unharmed, including Lu Rong.

Everyone held their breath and stared in both directions, thinking that with Lu Rong’s cultivation, nine heavenly lightning bolts were already the limit.

But the tribulation in the sky didn’t stop. One bolt after another descended, making Qiu Ling tremble. This didn’t look like a Golden Core tribulation at all.

She was genuinely afraid that Venerable Jian, hovering in the sky, would be struck to death first.

Cut off from the outside world, Lu Rong felt as though she had been thrown into purgatory.

The flames there seemed determined to burn her alive, scattering her soul and leaving her in unbearable agony.

When the eighty-first bolt descended, and the danger was finally at its lowest, Zhou Li withdrew the protective barrier, allowing the lightning to fall on Lu Rong. Only by enduring the tribulation could one successfully break through.

Lu Rong felt her body, scorched by the fire, suddenly electrified, and she seemed to hear a sizzling sound from her body. 

She… was completely charred…

The world fell silent. The dark clouds in the sky dispersed, and a gentle spring breeze caressed her face. There was no trace of the danger from before.

Lu Rong was struck by lightning and turned into a tiny black figure, collapsing to the ground with a thud, white smoke billowing from her mouth. Her eyes looked at the person who had landed beside her, and she politely raised her middle finger.

That bastard, he really doesn’t know how to guard properly!

Before completely losing consciousness, she shakily pulled out her two jade pendants, cleared all their contents, and then closed her eyes and peacefully passed out.

Zhou Li wanted to explain, but looking at the ‘tiny black figure’ with her middle finger still stubbornly raised, he found it inexplicably comical. Why didn’t she protect him at all?

Helplessly, Zhou Li reached out and lifted her up, looking at her hair, which was a mess from the lightning strike, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.

This is the consequence of having only obscenity in one’s mind.

“Rong’er!” Lu Wen flew down and called, looking at the dark figure Zhou Li was carrying, then fell silent.

The other elders stepped back in fright when they saw Lu Rong.

“Sect Leader, is… is she alright?”

“She’s fine,” Zhou Li said, then took her away.

Lu Wen hadn’t even reacted before his daughter, charred by lightning, disappeared.

The others glanced at Lu Wen, then in the direction Zhou Li had left, whispering: “Sect Leader, have you forgotten these two are mortal enemies? Aren’t you afraid Venerable Jian will take advantage of her?”

“What’s there to be afraid of? Venerable Jian isn’t the type to take advantage of others in distress.” Lu Wen pointed at them and left nonchalantly.

Once out of sight, he hurried to find Zhou Li.

Zhou Li brought Lu Rong straight to the top floor of Wuhui Tower, where a room actually belonged to her.

When she was a child, Lu Rong had been so naughty that whenever she misbehaved, Lu Wen would make her face the wall in this very room to reflect on her mistakes.

Incidentally, Zhou Li was instructed to keep a close watch on her and not allow her to leave.

This was one of the reasons Lu Rong disliked Zhou Li. In her young mind, he had been her father’s accomplice in bullying her.

As she grew older, she learned how to appease her father, and the room became free.

Mainly, she didn’t want to be in the same place as Zhou Li.

Zhou Li placed her on the bed, straightened, and released a wisp of spiritual energy from his palm to envelop her.

Lu Wen arrived shortly after and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Zhou Li tending to Lu Rong’s injuries.

“How is Rong’er?” he asked, worried.

“She’s fine,” Zhou Li replied coldly, as usual, something Lu Wen was accustomed to.

He knew his prized student was a cold-hearted person.

“That lightning tribulation just now was exactly the same as when you broke through to the Golden Core stage at seven,” Lu Wen said, his concern evident. “Rong’er’s cultivation is still far behind yours at that age.”

Zhou Li found this strange as well. “Perhaps the reason she broke through is related to me.”

“Related to you?” Lu Wen’s eyes widened in shock. “Could it be that you, you… cultivated together?” he asked nervously.

Zhou Li: “…” No wonder Lu Rong’s mind was so filthy.

“Impossible.” Zhou Li had no interest in matters of men and women.

Lu Wen breathed a sigh of relief. Although he often criticized Lu Rong, he still didn’t want to see his daughter taken by another man.

Zhou Li had nothing to say and turned back to continue healing Lu Rong.

As he stared at her face, he suddenly recalled that he could hear her thoughts.

That must be it.

She was using the bond formed by her thoughts to break through her cultivation level. In doing so, the cultivation she gained came from him, and correspondingly, she had to endure everything he had once endured.

No wonder she had felt burning when she broke through earlier. She was experiencing the same agonizing hellfire he endured.

Every time he had broken through, he underwent this trial, and with each breakthrough, the burning intensified exponentially.

This was punishment for a demon.

On the day he ascended, he would either succeed in stepping into the Celestial Palace or be completely consumed by hellfire.

Of course, this is the fate of a demon.

She is human; she will not die.

Zhou Li channeled a stream of spiritual water from his fingertips, covering Lu Rong’s body. In moments, the dark-skinned little black figure transformed back into a beautiful woman with a face as radiant as a lotus, her features even more ethereal.

“Alright,” Zhou Li withdrew his hand. “Master, shall you take her back?”

“You help take her back. We have guests arriving today, and I rushed out because of the unusual celestial phenomena.” Seeing that Lu Rong was safe, Lu Wen didn’t linger and hurriedly left.

For a moment, only Zhou Li and the sleeping Lu Rong remained in the room.

Zhou Li thought about how Lu Rong would surely be thinking about those indecent things again once she woke up, and he felt a headache coming on.

He reached out to lift her, but it was difficult while she was lying down. He could only summon Bing Lie: “Take her back.”

Bing Lie dragged her up and waited for his master to accompany him.

Zhou Li hadn’t wanted to go, but since Bing Lie was waiting, he flew directly towards Zhuiyu Tower.

Xue’er was pacing back and forth in the courtyard, worried about her master. Before she could react, she met a pair of cold eyes and a long sword.

She trembled in fright, quickly lowering her head and calling out, “Venerable Jian.”

Zhou Li’s gaze swept over her, ignoring her, but he pushed open the door and said to Bing Lie, “Put her on the bed.”

Bing Lie, who had only ever killed people, was momentarily speechless.

Zhou Li, who usually left immediately after putting someone down, asked, “You don’t know how?”

Bing Lie tapped the hilt of his sword.

Zhou Li was speechless again.

“Venerable Jian, please come in with me,” Xue’er said cautiously, leading Zhou Li inside.

Zhou Li didn’t want to enter a woman’s boudoir, and Bing Lie, following his master, stayed at the doorway.

Reluctantly, Zhou Li went in, walked to the bedside, and deftly placed Lu Rong on the bed.

He turned to leave, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw an open scroll. His eyes narrowed slightly—it was a painting of him again.

This time, he was naked.

Xue’er noticed Zhou Li’s gaze and quickly tried to put away the painting Lu Rong had drawn the night before.

But Zhou Li reached out first, took the scroll, glanced at it, and asked, “Any more?”

Xue’er didn’t know why she felt an inexplicable fear whenever she encountered Venerable Jian.

She instinctively glanced at the tightly closed studio.

Zhou Li strode over, pushed open the door, and entered the sun-drenched room.

Everything was impeccably arranged. Long scrolls hung on the walls, all depicting handsome men, beautiful women, and intertwined couples.

Zhou Li averted his gaze, drawn to the large wooden screen placed in the center.

He immediately noticed the four paintings in the very middle.

This time, it was unmistakably his face, no longer just a vague resemblance.

Even the small, dark mole at the corner of his right eye was clearly depicted.

Taking the paintings in his hands, Zhou Li’s anger turned into a bitter laugh. Lu Rong had actually dared to fill an entire room with erotic illustrations.

Bing Lie, standing beside him, let out an astonished cry, only to be flicked away by Zhou Li’s finger.

Xue’er felt utterly defeated and tried to explain, but Zhou Li simply walked away coldly.

It was as if what he had seen wasn’t a room full of erotic pictures, but a collection of sword manuals—and he left with a chill in his heart.

Of course, he also took those four erotic pictures that belonged to him.

Xue’er patted her chest. “Thank goodness, they weren’t all burned.”

She had just breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Zhou Li come in again, walk to the bedside, and do something.

She saw her once fair-skinned master instantly transformed into a little black figure.

Zhou Li withdrew his hand and coldly turned to leave.

Xue’er: “???” Venerable Jian is… taking revenge?

Rongrong was right; Venerable Jian’s desire for revenge was indeed very strong.

***

When Lu Rong woke up, it was already evening. When she sat up, her whole body felt unblocked and relaxed, with a sensation as if all her meridians had been cleared.

Especially within her dantian, she could faintly sense a round object forming.

But for now, she could only sense the phantom of the Golden Core.

She only needed to overcome the final inner demon tribulation to truly obtain the Golden Core, and then she would be able to possess her own sword.

Ideally, it should be like Bing Lie, sculpted from ice, sparkling and exceptionally beautiful and grand.

She eagerly opened her palm, only to see a patch of pitch black.

Lu Rong: “Ah??! Why am I so black?!”

Xue’er, hearing Lu Rong’s voice from outside, rushed in, seeing her master’s blackened face, and suppressed a smile.

“Oh no, oh no, what kind of monstrous appearance have I been struck by lightning?” Lu Rong hurriedly got off the bed and ran to the glass mirror to look at herself.

When she saw that she was completely black from head to toe, only the whites of her eyes and teeth remained white.

Lu Rong: “Wait, other people’s broken mirrors don’t look like this!”

She looked at Xue’er with a sense of existential doubt: “Can this be wiped off?”

Xue’er had already tried, and it really couldn’t be wiped off.

She didn’t dare complain about Venerable Jian and could only shake her head.

Lu Rong, utterly dejected, wiped her face, but it really couldn’t be wiped off.

“Waaah~ My stunning beauty!” Lu Rong was about to cry.

“Why don’t you go ask Venerable Jian for help? He’s the one who brought you back today.” Xue’er could only say so much.

Lu Rong: “I’m like this because of him! He said he’d protect me, and he even got me struck by lightning! How awful!”

She suddenly realized something was wrong and slapped her forehead: “No, I was too nervous and forgot to protect myself.”

She knew that those who break through the realm must be struck by lightning; otherwise, they couldn’t truly break through.

She slapped her forehead a few more times: “I think I even gave him the middle finger, and I called him a dog.” Lu Rong wore her mask of pain again.

She always embarrassed herself in front of Zhou Li.

“What was his expression when he brought me back today?” Lu Rong asked.

“No expression. He brought you here, and then took…” Xue’er pointed to where she had put the scroll, “that painting.”

Lu Rong: “…I’m going to fight him!!”

Her guilt always seems to crumble around that dog!

Lu Rong, her face smeared with blackened grime, angrily tried to snatch back her painting, but her father arrived at just the right time.

Lu Wen, having finished dealing with the guests, rushed to see Lu Rong, only to be met with a masked figure of a little black man upon arrival.

Looking at Lu Rong’s masked appearance, he took a step back in fright: “Ouch!”

“Father,” Lu Rong said angrily, “It’s me!”

Lu Wen couldn’t help but laugh at her pouty expression: “What? Why are you so dark again?”

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

“Didn’t Li’er make you fair?” Lu Wen asked, still confused, as he channeled a wisp of spiritual energy to cover her.

After a while, the blackness on Lu Rong’s body faded, revealing her original pale skin.

“Did you upset your senior brother again?” Lu Wen shook his head helplessly.

“Hmph, he’s the one who provoked me!” Lu Rong turned back, thinking that since he protected her today, she could let that slide, and besides, he only took a small sketch, something she could redraw in no time.

“He protected you. You should thank him.”

“I’ll bite him to death.” At this moment, Lu Rong truly wanted to sink her teeth into Zhou Li.

Her mind drifted to his thin lips, biting them until they broke, would be just right.

Lu Wen tapped her on the head. “Tomorrow, you must bring something and visit him to thank him.”

“I know.” Lu Rong thought to herself that Zhou Li hated people showing up at his doorstep. He disliked everyone. He wasn’t close to anyone.

“Then, Father, now that I’ve reached the Golden Core stage, can I go down the mountain to play?” she asked hopefully.

“Where to?”

“Luo City. I want to go with Qiu Ling and Senior Brother Lin.” Lu Rong tugged carefully at her father’s sleeve. “Let me go, Father. I haven’t gone out in so long.”

This time, Lu Wen didn’t refuse. Instead, he agreed readily: “Go ahead.”

Lu Rong’s face brightened into a smile. She stood up and smoothed out her pretty little dress. “But you must thank Li’er before going out to play!”

“I know!”

Lu Rong was even willing to do as she was told and kiss Zhou Li the next day—because tomorrow meant going outside to play. Excited, she spent the whole night drawing, finishing even faster than the last time. By the time she stepped out of the studio, Xue’er had already drawn her a bath and styled her hair with care.

“Use that little peach blossom hairband,” Lu Rong said, taking out the newly purchased ribbon. Xue’er smiled and fastened it gently. Lu Rong admired her reflection for a moment, satisfied, then picked up the food box and set off for Wuhui Ravine to thank Zhou Li.

Wuhui Ravine was steeped in early morning stillness. Lu Rong landed in the same spot as before, eyeing the barrier that surrounded the ravine. She considered using the Bailidun technique but decided against a secret approach—gratitude should be offered openly. “Zhou Li!” she called out.

Inside Wuhui Tower, the first floor lay shrouded in dim light, thick with a cold, heavy aura. A long black tail was coiled tightly around something unseen. Zhou Li’s pale face carried a faint flush—the woman in his dream had been relentlessly vivid.

In the dream, she sat in his lap, slender arms hooked around his shoulders, her body soft and yielding against him. His lips and breath wandered the curve of her neck and the hollow of her collarbone. Skin met skin, heat building between them, damp and clinging.

The woman in his arms seemed to tremble, bracing against his shoulders as if to pull away, but Zhou Li held her firmly in place. Perhaps she whispered something—maybe a plea, maybe a sob. His own voice came out rough, strained, as he murmured against her mouth, “Don’t stop.”

He had drawn the dark ribbon from her hair, winding it around her delicate wrists, binding her resisting hands behind her waist.

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