18. The Matriarch’s Secret

Simen Feng, a reclusive cultivator, delved into forbidden arts. His path led him to seek a rare essence—a chilling energy that could only be absorbed from a specific body type. The legends whispered of its potency, but the cost was steep: the essence drained the life force of its host.

Two decades ago, the matriarch possessed a unique gift—a moon body specialty. Her cultivation potential was unparalleled, and she was hailed as a rare genius. Yet fate twisted her destiny. Forced into marriage with the sect leader, she unknowingly became the vessel for his insatiable greed. He siphoned off her essence, leaving her cultivation stagnant while his own power surged. Now, he stood at the pinnacle of the fifth level of nature chi, wielding both wind and water styles.

Liu Fan, a wandering cultivator, stumbled upon the matriarch deep in the forest. Despite her forty years, she radiated otherworldly chi, her beauty undiminished by time. One day, he witnessed her bathing in a secluded spring, her skin aglow with moonlight. Their eyes met, and Liu Fan felt a strange connection—an inexplicable pull toward this mysterious woman.

The matriarch's voice trembled as she confided in him. "Even my cultivation has limits," she said, her face flushing. "I've been used, drained by the man I married. But you…you're different. Your touch awakened something within me."

Liu Fan understood. He had unwittingly broken her bottleneck, allowing her cultivation to surge forward. Guilt gnawed at him; he had been the catalyst for her transformation. She vowed not to kill him, but her warning was clear: secrecy was their pact. He must pretend ignorance, or face her wrath.

Yet Liu Fan couldn't forget her. She was his first, and he felt a sense of responsibility. "I won't leave," he declared. "When I am strong enough, I'll take you as my wife openly. Until then, our secret binds us."

And so, amidst the ancient trees, their destinies entwined—a forbidden love, a hidden power, and a promise waiting to be fulfilled.