Enchanting Dance

The crowd grew larger, pressing Qin Ran and the Chief Elder into the midst of the frenzied masses.

Qin Ran glanced back and saw that the Chief Elder had, at some point, become just as zealous as the others. He waved his arms excitedly, his eyes gleaming with desire, as if he wanted to devour someone—to devour women, to tear apart the black-veiled woman on the altar—the Holy Maiden—with ravenous hunger.

This was far from normal. Qin Ran felt a creeping sense of unease and fear.

At some point, likely when everyone had gathered, the woman on the altar suddenly began to move.

She seemed poised to dance, stretching her body gracefully. Her arms extended, swaying with allure; her legs unfolded, long and slender, her feet like golden lotus blossoms. Even this simple motion showcased the supple beauty of a woman’s form.

It was as if she were announcing to the crowd below—men and women alike—that the flawless woman on the altar was about to display her perfect body to them.

Huh?

Qin Ran jolted in surprise. He realized, belatedly, that his gaze had become entirely fixated on the altar.

While the Holy Maiden danced, he had meant to observe the people below, assessing their strength and condition, gathering information.

When?

When had his full attention shifted entirely to the Holy Maiden?

He hadn’t even noticed.

And what was even more terrifying—he found no desire to look away. He was content to devote his entire focus to watching her dance.

The Holy Maiden stretched her body and began to move. He watched as she started with her hands, then her feet, then her waist, hips, and back—her entire body swaying in rhythm.

She was dancing—a ritual dance.

Her movements were mesmerizing, each gesture carrying an otherworldly power that ensnared the mind and plucked at the heartstrings.

“There’s something wrong with this dance!” Qin Ran’s mind screamed in warning. “Enchantment… it’s a bewitching force! Either she has an innate seductive constitution, or she’s cultivated some kind of charm-infused dance…”

But knowing didn’t help. His will, his body, his eyes—none obeyed him. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from that exquisite figure.

The Holy Maiden on the altar swayed with an uncanny rhythm, her movements soul-stealing.

As she danced, she suddenly turned, facing directly toward him.

In that instant, the sounds around Qin Ran vanished. The world disappeared. All that remained in his existence was that one woman—the dancing figure on the altar.

She was still veiled in black gauze, her face obscured. He could only see a pair of enchanting, alluring eyes.

Yet, he was certain—she was incomparably beautiful. No woman in the world could rival her. Even Tushan Youyou’s beauty paled in comparison, seeming rustic beside her.

The woman on the altar danced, her eyes locked onto him. She swayed closer, step by step, until she stood before him.

She reached out, her gauzy sleeve brushing against his face, carrying a fragrance that seeped into his soul. As the fabric fluttered, he caught glimpses of her tantalizing figure—hinted but never fully revealed.

That body held an inexplicable allure, making him yearn to touch, to embrace, to possess. Desire surged uncontrollably within him.

She drew nearer, no longer just dancing before him. Now, she circled him. Her veils grazed his skin, sending shivers of longing through him. The warmth of her body seeped into his spirit, intoxicating him. The softness of her form brushed against him, teasing, maddening.

He reached out, wanting to seize her, to press her beneath him, to carry her into the crashing waves, to the heights of passion—to unite with her in the most primal harmony.

He had only seen her twice. No—she hadn’t even unveiled her face. He hadn’t truly seen her once.

But…

He couldn’t take it anymore!

Her dance seemed to draw even closer. She was already pressed against him—how could she get nearer?

She could.

She could slip inside him, take residence in his body, in his soul, dancing within the depths of his consciousness.

But—she couldn’t.

Just as she attempted to invade further, Qin Ran's body erupted in a radiant, multicolored glow, repelling her.

Divine Essence Condensation—evil spirits be banished!

In that instant, it was as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over Qin Ran’s head. His mind cleared, his spirit snapping back into place.

He looked down and saw his body bathed in shimmering light—the glow of Divine Essence Condensation.

Realization struck him. He lifted his gaze and saw the Holy Maiden of the "Fate" organization still dancing on the altar. She had never descended, never pressed against him.

…Or rather, she hadn’t just come to him. In the desires of every person below, she had entered each of them. Veiled in gauze, she danced on the altar, her movements elegant, her curves enticing—but no longer did she hold that soul-stirring, heart-stealing power over Qin Ran.

A profound sense of loss washed over him. He felt as though he had lost something vital, something irreplaceable. He regretted resisting her. He even resented Divine Essence Condensation—why did he possess it? Why couldn’t he have let the Holy Maiden dance within him?

“What ruthless enchantment!” Qin Ran muttered, his thoughts in disarray.

He looked up again and met the Holy Maiden’s eyes. They sparkled with amusement, affection, and approval—as if she were praising him for resisting her charm, and in doing so, had fallen for him. She seemed delighted.

“Terrifying!”

Qin Ran shuddered and quickly averted his gaze.

He scanned the crowd below the altar. Every single person—including the Chief Alchemist beside him—was staring wide-eyed at the dancing woman, their faces flushed with excitement, their eyes brimming with lust. They looked as though they were beholding the love of their lives, mouths agape, lips puckered, drooling. Lost in their fantasies, they were likely coupling with their deepest desires.

…Men and women alike.

“Tch.” Qin Ran sighed, closing his eyes to shut out the obscene spectacle. “So this is the Holy Maiden? This is the ‘Fate’ organization’s method? Using lust to erode the alchemists’ will to escape, their will to survive.”

Human energy was finite. These alchemists already had to expend their strength refining pills just to buy more time to live. Add the Holy Maiden’s influence, and with their minds consumed by carnal thoughts, they had no energy left to even consider fleeing.

An immeasurable time later, the dance concluded. The crowd below seemed satiated, their faces slack, their minds emptied—entering a state of post-desire clarity.

Qin Ran opened his eyes just as the Holy Maiden on the altar rose into the air, floating toward him. Clad in black veils, she looked like a celestial being, pure and untouchable. Under the gaze of countless eyes, she drifted before him, hovering cross-legged in the air.

She smiled at him—a smile that could topple kingdoms—then extended a fair, jade-like hand. Like God reaching for Adam, she leaned down and gently caressed his face.

She laughed and pretended to touch him, but Qin Ran felt nothing. Realizing it was just a feint, he reached out to grab her hand, but she had already withdrawn it.

With a playful giggle, she turned and flew back to the altar, then walked toward its center—step by step, until she vanished without a trace.

"Why did she 'touch' me like that?" Qin Ran couldn't make sense of it.

Then, as his gaze shifted, he saw the others' blood-red eyes, burning with murderous intent.