Eternal Temptation: Awakening Sinful Desires

At that moment, Asher felt Scarlet glaring daggers at him from behind his back and couldn't help but feel amused by her behavior.

"My, my. It seems that little Scarlet is unhappy about something. Could it be that she feels neglected because she isn't receiving enough attention from me? Is that it, dear Scarlet?" Asher teased her, flashing her a playful smile.

Scarlet scoffed and averted her gaze away from him, not bothering to respond to his remark.

"Hahaha. That's adorable." Asher chuckled and shifted his attention back to Lei Liwei, whose expression remained bright and cheerful throughout their brief exchange.

"It seems your lover got angry seeing you flirt with me." Lei Liwei observed, casting a sidelong glance at Scarlet.

"Hm? Oh, that? Well, I guess I might have to work harder to appease her later." Asher remarked with a shrug of his shoulders.

Lei Liwei giggled and replied, "I won't ask what you mean by that, but I can imagine that you have quite the appetite for females if you already have two of them with you, and you still want more, huh?"

Asher smirked and gave her a wink while replying, "You have no idea how big my appetite is, Liwei. Hahaha."

"Ah, the nerve! How bold!" She gasped and placed a hand over her chest, pretending to be shocked by his shameless statement.

Asher shrugged and continued, "A man must always strive for perfection in every aspect of life. Even if it means tasting all the delicacies the world has to offer, including the female kind."

Lei Liwei burst into a fit of laughter upon hearing Asher's words. Her amusement was evident by how hard she struggled to catch her breath after a few moments had passed since she began laughing.

"Pfft... I can't believe you just said that, hahaha." Lei Liwei spoke between breaths, wiping away tears that formed in the corners of her eyes due to how hard she laughed. "I think I may have to rethink my opinion of you, Asher. You're more of a womanizer than I first thought, haha."

"Well, what can I say? A woman's heart is a mysterious thing, Liwei. To earn her favor, one must appeal to her desires and curiosities. Sometimes she wants comfort and security, sometimes adventure and excitement, and sometimes passion and romance. To satisfy her heart, one must know how to strike at the right moment." Asher explained with a carefree attitude.

"Hehe. Indeed. Women are fickle creatures with varying tastes and preferences." Lei Liwei agreed, nodding her head in agreement.

"Speaking of which, what kind of woman are you, Liwei?" Asher asked while glancing at her face as he waited for her answer.

"Oh my, you are already asking me about that? Aren't we getting a little bit ahead of ourselves?" Lei Liwei teased. "But I guess you might have to figure that out for yourself, Asher. Hehe. Let's continue this conversation after the trial ends, shall we?" She suggested.

"Hahaha. Sure thing." Asher laughed and nodded in acceptance of her proposal. "Now that I think about it, it's almost time for the trial to start, isn't it?" He questioned, turning around to scan the surroundings for any sign of activity.

"Yes, I believe so too." Liwei agreed with a nod of her head, observing the area alongside him.

At that moment, a mesmerizing voice rang throughout the entire space, reverberating across every nook and cranny of the area, capturing the attention of everyone present, including Asher, who gazed toward the center stage, where a stunning woman in green cheongsam stood tall. Her long, dark green hair swayed in the wind, giving off a majestic appearance that captivated those around her.

She had emerald-green eyes that shone with a hint of seduction, exuding a mystical aura that emanated from within her body.

Her gaze swept across the crowd as she introduced herself, "Welcome to the recruitment trials of the Twilight Mist Sect. I am Katrina Everhart, Core Elder of the Twilight Mist Sect, and I will be the judge of these trials."

"Damn it, how did she become the judge of this trial? Couldn't they assign someone else other than her? This is going to be troublesome." Elder Harrius muttered under his breath as he stared at the woman standing on the stage.

"Is there a problem, Elder Harrius? You seem upset." Asher asked.

"Erm... Nothing. It's nothing serious." Elder Harrius denied it with a forced smile, waving his hands in denial as he spoke. "Don't mind my ramblings, Young Master Asher. It is just that this Elder Everhart is a rather troublesome character. She likes to play with the emotions of men, seducing them before crushing their hearts without mercy." He explained.

"Oh? How so?" Asher inquired.

"Well, the truth is that Elder Everhart is quite the seductress. She loves to mess with men's minds and play games with them, trying to see how far she can push them until they become infatuated with her beauty and charm. Once they fall in love with her, she will make them regret their actions and shatter their hopes by rejecting their affections outright.

She has a long list of broken hearted lovers following her, and every single time she breaks someone's heart, rumors about her spread. So her being a part of the selection committee is a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, it benefits the sect by attracting young men, yet on the other, it does little good for the poor souls who end up suffering from the aftermath of her deeds, whether they pass the trials or fail."

"You mean she loves to sleep with men and break their hearts? What a cruel woman." Asher commented.

"NO! NO! Not like that." Elder Harrius refuted with a vehement shake of his head. "Elder Everhart does not do that kind of stuff. Even though she is the Hall Master of the Dual Cultivation Hall, she never slept with any disciples or men. She just loves to play around with men's minds and test their character, mental strength, and resolve.

And once they fail her test, she would shatter their hopes and dreams without hesitation. She is a very unforgiving woman. That's why I wish they had assigned someone else to become the judge of this trial instead of her."

"Dual Cultivation Hall? You mean the sect has a hall dedicated for dual cultivation? Isn't dual cultivation something that is frowned upon by the righteous cultivators?" Asher raised an eyebrow in surprise, not expecting to hear that there was a whole faction devoted to a practice that was seen as taboo in many places.

Elder Harrius nodded his head and replied, "Indeed. Many consider dual cultivation to be an immoral and shameful act, which is why it's often ignored or viewed with disdain by those who follow the path of righteousness. However, this does not change the fact that dual cultivation provides immense benefits to both parties involved if done with mutual consent between two people.

Not only does it strengthen their relationship, but it also enhances their overall spirit essence density and improves their cultivation base. Moreover, it has been proven that dual cultivation helps cultivators achieve higher realms faster than usual. And the sect has plenty of techniques and resources for the purpose, hence the existence of the Dual Cultivation Hall."

"Huh, interesting." Asher mused, filing this information away for future reference.

The Elder then added, "Also, unlike some people who condemn dual cultivation as something lewd, the sect sees it as another path of cultivation that doesn't conflict with the traditional methods. Besides, most of the dual cultivation techniques are gentle and mild in nature, as they focus on improving both partners' cultivation rather than fulfilling the selfish desires of one party.

Hence, the sect permits the practice of dual cultivation as long as it doesn't hurt anyone and brings prosperity to the sect and its disciples."

"I see. However, you mentioned that the Elder Katrina Everhart is the Hall Master of the Dual Cultivation Hall, right? Then how is it that she has never practiced dual cultivation with anyone before? Why is she allowed to teach these techniques despite not using them herself?" Asher asked with curiosity.

"That's simple," Elder Harrius replied. "She is an expert in healing arts, knows in and out about the human anatomy, and is thus proficient in the various forms of medical treatment that involve healing injuries and diseases caused by abnormalities within the body.

Since dual cultivation involves harmonizing the spirit essence of two bodies, it also requires one to possess a deep understanding of human anatomy. So if someone with a lack of experience in dual cultivation is allowed to practice it, they could cause permanent damage to their partner or even themselves.

That's why we have Elder Everhart supervise all those who use these techniques, ensuring their safety and preventing them from making mistakes that can ruin their health forever. Not only that, but she also possesses excellent judgment skills.

Therefore, she can spot those who are dishonest and have ulterior motives from miles away, protecting the disciples from being harmed by others' malicious intent."

"Hmmm... I suppose that makes sense." Asher pondered over the Elder Harrius' explanation before nodding in agreement.

Elder Harrius then concluded, "Anyways, I hope you don't get disillusioned after learning all this about Elder Everhart. She may seem like a seductive beauty whom you could have your way with, but in reality, she's quite a sly and cunning individual who can manipulate people without them even realizing it. It is best to avoid her as much as possible."

"Hahaha... Why does it sound like you know this from experience?" Asher chortled as he listened to the Elder Harrius' warning.