Chapter 24: Please Accept My Virginity

Hou Congmeng’s eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.
This was the most comfortable sleep she’d ever had—no worries, no pain. Even if it cost her the time spent sleeping, she was willing, because it had been a decade since she last slept so soundly. That unforgettable figure and her cool, fragrant scent seemed to linger before her.
Wait, she was actually here…

“Is… is it you? Pretty Lady?”
When her gaze locked onto the veiled figure so close, her voice trembled slightly. She raised a hand, yearning to lift the veil, but hesitated, just as she had ten years ago. Her hand fell, missing the chance again.

Pretty Lady?
The title dazed Bai Zhou for a moment. She quickly searched her memory, recalling that, ages ago, this girl—then a tiny thing—loved calling her “Pretty Lady.”
To be clear, her memory wasn’t faulty. Over nearly three centuries, she’d met countless people with potential, but almost none met her standards. Over time, she developed a habit of forgetting the unremarkable.

Still, she vaguely remembered a few who came close to the mark, even if not instantly. With the right keyword, she could recall them.
Like Hou Congmeng. At their first meeting, Bai Zhou was struck by her fortune, thinking she might be the one. But she fell just short, destined for a “key supporting role”—in a novel, she’d be a solid member of the protagonist’s team.

“You still remember me. The little one from back then has grown into quite the beauty.”
Bai Zhou’s voice carried a sigh, her gaze resting on Hou Congmeng’s face.

Hou Congmeng’s breathing quickened, her eyes reddening instantly. She struggled to sit upright, her voice trembling:
“It’s really you… Pretty Lady, can I see your face again?”

Bai Zhou paused, considering the task ahead and the girl’s unsteady emotions. With a soft sigh, she raised a hand, slowly untying the veil’s cord and lifting the wide-brimmed hat that hid her face.
A breathtakingly divine face appeared before Hou Congmeng.

Jet-black curls framed skin as pale as frost, her molten gold eyes with dark golden traces swirling in their depths, gazing indifferently at the world. Yet her stunning beauty blended into a languid divinity, perfectly matching the figure from memory.
Hou Congmeng’s breath hitched. Her Pretty Lady was truly a goddess!

Years of longing, mixed with gratitude for being saved again, shattered her rational defenses.
“Sister!”
With strength from nowhere, she wrapped her arms tightly around Bai Zhou’s waist, burying her face in her neck, greedily breathing in her scent.

Even if this might anger her, she believed the fragrance would reach her before any slap!
“It’s okay now.”

Caught off guard by the embrace, Bai Zhou stiffened, her eyes falling on the trembling girl. Centuries of restraint made such closeness unfamiliar, but she didn’t push her away. Instead, she raised a hand, awkwardly patting Hou Congmeng’s back, her movements stiff but tightening the girl’s hold.

The moment didn’t last long. Bai Zhou gently pried Hou Congmeng from her arms, her voice returning to its usual coolness, softened slightly:
“Reunions can wait. We have urgent matters to address.”

Still savoring the moment, Hou Congmeng nodded obediently, though Bai Zhou tried to ignore her gaze, diving into the issue:
“I’ve forced the蛊 bug in you into dormancy, but I can’t kill it remotely.”

Hou Congmeng’s face paled, the joy of their reunion overtaken by the crisis of the蛊 bug. She asked nervously:
“Is there a way to keep it asleep forever?”

Bai Zhou’s brow furrowed slightly but explained patiently:
“Mortals breathing too much oxygen—er, air—can poison and knock them out. I used a similar method to sedate the蛊 bug, but once conditions normalize, it will wake.”

Hou Congmeng didn’t grasp the “oxygen poisoning” part, but she understood that without action, the蛊 bug’s awakening was inevitable.
Recalling the nightmare of being controlled, feeling her vitality erode helplessly, her face turned ashen.

“It must be removed before it wakes. I have two methods.”
Hou Congmeng’s heart raced, her eyes fixed on Bai Zhou.

“But I must tell you, the蛊 bug is lodged in your spiritual palace.”
Bai Zhou’s voice was factual, yet chillingly cold.

“Spiritual palace?!”
Hou Congmeng slumped against Bai Zhou. As a cultivator, she knew the spiritual palace’s importance—the cradle for a future Golden Core, the foundation of Foundation Establishment.

“The first method is the most direct and effective: open your abdomen. I can ensure precision, avoiding damage to your foundation. After removing the蛊 bug, your abdomen will heal without a scar.”

Hou Congmeng trembled just hearing it, her hand instinctively clutching her stomach, shaking her head, eyes full of fear:
“No… no… Sister, is there another way? I… I’m scared…”

She’d seen how the蛊 bug burrowed into her, its teeth tearing her flesh. If not for the Blood Soul Sect elder wanting a pristine puppet, that horrific wound would’ve marked her belly forever. She couldn’t face that terror again.
Bai Zhou saw her fear, a trace of helplessness in her eyes. In later eras, surgery was routine, but in this world, cutting open a body to heal was terrifying.

“There is.”
Hou Congmeng’s eyes lit up.
“Really?”

Bai Zhou nodded slightly, her expression hesitant. After careful thought, she ventured:
“Do you know how babies are born?”

Hou Congmeng froze, the leap from surgery to childbirth so vast she shook her head in confusion.
“I can use spiritual energy to enter your spiritual palace, pinpoint the蛊 bug, wrap it in fine spiritual energy, and guide it out of your body.”

Hou Congmeng’s eyes flickered with doubt:
“Out of my body? From where…”
Her thoughts wandered, and her cheeks flushed, even her ears turning pink. Her legs pressed together, her voice barely audible:
“Sister, you… you mean… from… there…”

Too shy to finish, she looked at Bai Zhou with panicked, helpless eyes.
Bai Zhou offered no explanation, only a slight nod:
“The second method can significantly reduce your pain.”

Hou Congmeng lowered her head, understanding the implication—and that Bai Zhou understood it too. Yet the option was still offered…
She stole a quick glance at Bai Zhou, now unveiled, her divine beauty amplified by childhood idolization. For a moment, her resolve wavered.
If it’s her…

Her heart raced, not entirely from fear but mixed with an indescribable thrill. To be touched by such a goddess-like sister… it might…
Shocked by her bold thoughts, she trembled, her fear of surgery ultimately overcoming her shame.

“I… I choose the second.”
Her voice shook but held a resolute gamble.

Summoning courage, she lifted her flushed face, her gaze shy yet determined:
“If it’s Sister… please accept my virginity.”
She paused, her voice dropping to a murmur, yet clear to Bai Zhou:
“Besides… it’s not like it’s someone else…”

The words out, she wished she could vanish into the ground, burying her burning face in her hands, only her blood-red ear tips visible.
Bai Zhou’s eyes flickered faintly, and she went silent for a moment.

“What are you talking about?”
Her tone carried exasperation:
“I meant your mouth.”

“Huh?”