Gu Junshi indeed had this goal.
Her current persona was that of a beautiful, strong, yet tragic figure, aiming to win the sympathy and affection of Xiao Chenmu.
She couldn't perfectly replicate the dynamic between Xiao Chenmu and Mu Nanxue, nor did she need to. From her observation, it wasn't clear that Xiao Chenmu had developed romantic feelings for Mu Nanxue.
After all, their time together was too short, and Xiao Chenmu harbored a deep-seated prejudice against demons, viewing them as fundamentally different. He would never accept a demon as his Dao companion.
Therefore, his feelings for Mu Nanxue were more akin to an inescapable sense of responsibility. The Void Sect Master had entrusted her to his care, and Mu Nanxue, initially unyielding, had confided in him due to her trust.
However, he had betrayed Mu Nanxue's trust. Under the Void Sect Master's orders, he had abandoned her, leading to her eventual death. This undoubtedly fueled his immense guilt and self-recrimination.
So, whether love was present was secondary. What mattered most was her extreme suffering, which could stir his sympathy. Moreover, based on Gu Junshi's understanding of human nature, beauty was an inherent advantage in garnering pity.
Humans were inherently drawn to beauty; it was a matter of innate genetic predisposition.
This demonic body was undeniably that of a rare beauty. Compared to Mu Nanxue's youthful, radiant loveliness, she possessed a more alluring, pure, and unconsciously seductive charm. Even if he wasn't moved by her, he should at least feel a sense of favor.
In a spacious, dimly lit inner chamber of a cave, underground spring water bubbled and gurgled with a chilling sound, forming small streams that permeated the entire room. The damp and cold environment offered little comfort. A slender woman with delicate arms was shackled to a rugged stone wall.
As the "Minor Competition" of the Newcomer Rankings had not yet concluded, Tai Xuan had only ordered her, a demon, to be strictly guarded, without issuing any further directives regarding her fate.
During this period, some had interrogated her. However, the disciples of the Void Sect generally adhered to the principles of righteous cultivation and did not mistreat their captives arbitrarily.
Except for one.
One day, a middle-aged man entered the chamber. He was of medium build with a square face, and his tri-pronged eyes, with more white than pupil, appeared fierce and malicious.
He immediately began interrogating the captured demon. However, his method differed from the previous disciples; he showed no mercy, even appearing to vent his frustrations upon her.
Maintaining her persona, she naturally could not make a sound, choosing to endure the abuse passively.
This demonic body was essentially a corpse. As long as she withdrew her divine consciousness, physical torture was of no consequence.
However, she remembered this face.
Compared to the physical torment of the "Ten Great Punishments" of the Qing Dynasty, cultivation realms offered far more varied methods of interrogation. Using spiritual whips to lash the soul, inflicting dual agony, or stimulating the spiritual roots and bone marrow with Ice Marrow Needles—in short, after going through this middle-aged man's ordeal, the suffering she endured even exceeded Gu Junshi's desired level of beauty, tragedy, and resilience.
Several days later, the results of the Newcomer Rankings' "Minor Competition" were announced.
It was then that the Void Sect Master finally remembered the matter of the demon. Just as in the original plot, he summoned Xiao Chenmu to handle it.
Her slender arms, bearing countless whip marks, hung limply, and she collapsed against the wall, a bloody figure with her head bowed. Her damp, disheveled hair clung to her prominent chest. Her waist was slender, and her legs were crossed at an angle. Blood flowed from her body into the pooling water on the ground, resembling a blooming blood-red lotus.
This was the scene Xiao Chenmu encountered upon entering the inner chamber. The intense smell of blood assailed him.
He furrowed his brows. His already stern features, when etched with a slightly more serious expression, could send shivers down one's spine.
"Who did this?" his deep, cold voice echoed.
A guard outside shivered and cupped his fist in response. "Reporting to Uncle-Master, it was Pavilion Master Hu Qi. He... said that there's no need to be soft-hearted with demons."
Pavilion Master Hu Qi?
Xiao Chenmu paused, recalling something, then solemnly instructed, "My Master has entrusted this matter to me for handling. From now on, no matter who comes, they must first obtain my permission."
"Yes."
Xiao Chenmu slowly approached the unconscious demon. Her breath was faint, and only the slight rise and fall of her chest indicated she was still alive. He suspected she was close to death from the torture.
Staring at her for a long moment, he produced a "Revival Pill." This was no ordinary pill; it was a miraculous healing medicine, extremely precious. However, if he didn't treat her now, she likely wouldn't last much longer.
Xiao Chenmu lifted his robes and knelt. His broad, warm fingers gently lifted her chin, revealing a face of exquisite, captivating beauty.
Her face was small, not even as large as his palm. Lacking color, her lips were pale, her complexion sickly. Her long, thick eyelashes were cast down. In her unconscious state, the inherent allure and enchantress-like demeanor of a demon were absent; she appeared as a girl of perhaps sixteen, quiet and serene.
Xiao Chenmu remained unmoved by such a beautiful face. His gaze was still cold and calm. He fed the pill into her mouth. The pill dissolved instantly upon contact, so there was no concern about an unconscious person being unable to swallow it.
After administering the oral medicine, he, with no outward emotion, observed her blood-covered body. The ceaseless bleeding was the effect of the spiritual whip.
He then produced a pill for external wounds and, without complaint, crushed it piece by piece, sprinkling it onto her numerous injuries. She had too many wounds, those exposed, those beneath her clothes, and even some in private areas...
Given the inconvenience, he set aside the more private areas for later, focusing on the visible parts first.
One might expect some sensual or ambiguous emotions when tending to the wounds of a stunning beauty with torn clothing. However, with Xiao Chenmu, such feelings were entirely absent. In his eyes, a patient was a patient, regardless of gender; he was simply treating an injured body.
As he meticulously applied the medication, he suddenly sensed something. He looked up and met a pair of dark, luminous eyes, like a cold moon's glow, but they instantly shifted to the distinctive purple of a demon.
He hadn't realized when she had woken up.
She gazed at him with an expression of inquiry and confusion, devoid of hostility, resentment, or hatred, but rather a detached indifference to her own life and death.
"Aren't you going to hit me?"
Her voice was somewhat dry from lack of moisture, but her tone was calm.
Xiao Chenmu had not anticipated that this demon would wake up with such a placid demeanor.
But undeniably, this demeanor lessened his prejudice and aversion toward her demonic identity, leaving him unsure how to proceed with the interrogation.
He had been prepared to deal with a hysterical demon, but he didn't know how to handle a demon who was indifferent to her own fate.
He continued his task of applying medication. "No."
Curiosity flickered in her eyes as she encountered something she didn't understand. "Why are you treating a demon? Don't human cultivators detest people of the demonic path?"
Xiao Chenmu lowered his deep, stern gaze and replied in the same steady tone, "You are injured."