chapter 43

A hand half-embraced her as it pulled her in.

Inside the red candle-lit gauze tent, purple mist enveloped the space. Zhan Shujing raised his gaze, and before him was only the young girl.

The girl straddled him, slowly removing her outer gauzy garment.

Under her rounded shoulders, a lotus-leaf-like bellyband adorned her. She lightly bit her lip, gazing at the man beneath her. "Young master, tell me, do you think I'm beautiful?"

As a cultivator with seven layers of spiritual veins, Zhan Shujing already sensed that something was wrong. But in the Nine Forgetting Mist, a person would act purely on desire, with almost no rationality remaining.

His eyes were dazed, but the last bit of his consciousness held on—he still remembered who he was, and who the person before him was.

No… this can't happen.

Their identities…

The girl chuckled lightly. "What's stopping you? Do what you want. We can stay here forever, growing old without ever leaving. No one will know."

She smiled sweetly, tilting her head. "Since your Yuan Yang is still intact, will you give it to me?"

Seeing the struggle in his expression, but noticing his actions didn't match, the woman's lips curved into a grin. Slowly, she undid Zhan Shujing's belt, her eyes full of longing.

As a thousand-faced fox demon, it had been a long time since she encountered such pure energy in a man.

This man was young and handsome, in the prime of his vitality. He harbored secret affections for her appearance, and she almost couldn't bear to consume him afterwards.

She could coax him into replenishing her a few more times; it wasn't out of the question. But she wasn't sure if the little foxes waiting outside would let go of this "tender meat."

The last remnants of Zhan Shujing's rationality told him this was wrong, but his disobedient body made his face flush with heat.

When the belt was undone and he heard the girl's soft laugh, he felt a rush of blood to his head.

It felt as though something he thought he had hidden well was suddenly exposed in front of others.

The girl leaned down, and just as she was about to touch him, her gaze suddenly became vacant. Zhan Shujing struggled to lift his head, and a slap landed on his face with a loud sound.

Zhan Shujing: "…"

The chaotic fog in his mind finally cleared a little. He grit his teeth, turning his gaze, only to realize that the figure before him was no longer a young girl.

It was an older woman, her face lined with deep wrinkles.

Behind her, five swaying tails flicked back and forth. Zhan Shujing kicked her away, swiftly tying his belt into a tight knot. A wave of disgust surged within him.

The fox demon stared vacantly, offering no resistance. She spoke in a dull, wooden tone: "My master asked me to wake you and bring you outside."

After a while, she stood up, pointing toward the door, as if to lead him out.

Pure white spiritual energy covered the entire mansion, and the purple mist dispersed. As Zhan Shujing was led outside, he immediately saw a young girl standing in the snow.

She was wrapped in a dark green cloak to ward off the cold, and amid the falling snow, she held an umbrella with one hand while the other was raised slightly. White spiritual energy flowed from her fingertips, and every fox inside the mansion seemed to be controlled, their movements like puppets being guided by invisible strings of power.

Tan Yunwei hadn't gone inside earlier; she wasn't skilled in close combat, and entering the mansion would've put her at a disadvantage. Spirit control techniques were designed to target weak-willed individuals. As fox demons had little willpower, she easily controlled them, using them to wake Zhan Shujing and bring him out.

What Tan Yunwei hadn't expected was that the fox demon's method of waking Zhan Shujing involved slapping him across the face.

"… Are you alright?" she asked him.

Zhan Shujing didn't care about the slap, or perhaps, he thought it was just right. Now that he saw her, he felt a little uneasy. "I'm fine."

Tan Yunwei hadn't gone in, so she didn't know what had happened inside. Curiously, she asked Zhan Shujing, "Since when do you have someone you care about?"

Otherwise, how could he have been so easily deceived? It seemed that, as his sister, she hadn't been paying enough attention to him.

Zhan Shujing gritted his teeth and, for no reason, shot her a glare.

Tan Yunwei didn't understand, but remembering that his parents had passed away and that their relationship had always been strained, she had decided to treat him a bit better in this life. So, she suggested, "If you truly have someone you care about, and if that girl feels the same, there's no need to be shy. Once we find my father, you can talk to him, and he'll propose on your behalf."

Zhan Shujing's head hurt. He glanced at her, "Good idea, sure."

Tan Yunwei thought he sounded somewhat sarcastic.

As they conversed, the ancient mansion seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Apparently, the foxes had realized they were up against a tough opponent and had fled.

With the mansion gone, a snow-covered path appeared before them.

Zhan Shujing also realized something was wrong. They were the only two left, with none of the other disciples in sight.

He recalled the "Connection Bell" that Tan Yunwei had swapped out for him before they left. Narrowing his eyes, he coldly said, "Did the old hag play some tricks?"

Tan Yunwei sometimes found his bluntness quite satisfying. She nodded. "It's probably better this way. We can find the honey ourselves."

The snow in the secret realm was growing lighter.

As they walked through the snow, Tan Yunwei said, "I've seen records in ancient texts about the Kun Yuan Secret Realm. Unlike the outside world, the secret realm has a cycle where three days count as one season. It looks like winter is ending, and spring is about to arrive."

The medicine called "flower honey" was said to be sweet and potent, but Tan Yunwei had never seen it, so she could only make an estimate.

If it truly was made by demonic bees, the bees would be in hibernation during winter, so they couldn't be found right now. She would have to wait until the secret realm's "spring" arrived.

That night, the rain began to fall. The strange rain seemed to drain away some of their spiritual power upon contact.

Left with no choice, Tan Yunwei and Zhan Shujing had to find a cave to shelter from the rain. Before entering, Zhan Shujing warily raised his eyes. He didn't step forward; instead, he swung his palm, and the silent killing formation on the ground flashed briefly.

A puzzled voice came from within the cave.

"Eh, is my killing formation this obvious?"

Tan Yunwei felt an odd sense of familiarity. After a moment, a figure walked out of the cave, and it turned out to be Fang Huai.

Fang Huai was also surprised to see them.

Tan Yunwei immediately felt uneasy. If Master Fang is here, then who's inside?

Zhan Shujing also sensed something was wrong. Although the people inside hadn't released any pressure, he could feel there were other strong individuals inside.

Who else could it be, if not that dog thief? Yue Zhiheng is even more dangerous than the other creatures in the secret realm. Acting decisively, Zhan Shujing didn't hesitate to speak: "Tan Yunwei, let's go."

Tan Yunwei formed a seal and set up a protective barrier around herself and Zhan Shujing. She pressed her lips together and turned to leave.

Fang Huai looked puzzled at the cave entrance. Was this an attempt to avoid him like a plague?

Inside the cave, a bonfire was burning, its flickering flames casting half-light and half-darkness on the face of the man sitting in front of it.

Qu Lanyue poked the fire, and seeing his indifferent expression, teased, "Why don't you go out? Aren't you worried about her getting drenched in the rain?"

Yue Zhiheng's tone remained calm. "What does that have to do with me?"

Qu Lanyue wasn't sure whether he was being serious, but Yue Zhiheng's perception was far sharper than Fang Huai's, so he must have already noticed Tan Yunwei and Zhan Shujing.

He'd noticed her, yet remained unmoved.

Could it be that he truly didn't care?

In fact, the current Yue Zhiheng was exactly the Yue Zhaoshì that Qu Lanyue knew. If this marriage had not been ordered by the Spirit Emperor to capture Pei Yujing, he wouldn't have agreed to it.

Now that the Spirit Emperor hadn't issued an order to force Yue Zhiheng to capture Tan Yunwei, how he acted was entirely up to him.

Qu Lanyue only speculated that Yue Zhiheng might have been somewhat moved. From the changes in the Yue household over the past few months, it was obvious that the things that had previously been used to deceive him no longer appeared in the house.

Yue Zhiheng had never liked returning to the Yue residence, but lately, even on rainy nights, he would leave the capital before curfew, returning to the gentle night of Fenhe County.

However, Qu Lanyue had never seen how they interacted, and she couldn't tell how deep Yue Zhiheng's compassion for Tan Yunwei was, or to what extent it had grown.

Fang Huai entered, shaking the rainwater off his sleeves. He glanced at Yue Zhiheng and inexplicably said, "They're not with Pei Yujing."

He didn't know what Pei Yujing was doing, but he was surprised that Miss Tan had ended up with someone as unreliable as Zhan Shujing.

Yue Zhiheng threw a piece of firewood into the bonfire without saying a word.

Zhan Shujing still felt he was quite reliable. Even though he couldn't enter the first cave, he quickly found another place to shelter.

The snow was melting, and the cold of the secret realm seemed to penetrate to the bone, impossible to resist with spiritual power. He glanced at Tan Yunwei, who was sitting in the corner. "Wait here. I'll go gather some firewood."

Tan Yunwei stopped him. "Don't go. Let's make do for tonight."

It wasn't worth expending spiritual power to go outside, and in any case, with such heavy rain, the firewood would certainly be wet. If they wanted to dry it, it would take a lot of effort.

She lowered her head and rummaged in her chest, pulling out a smooth, warm bead for Zhan Shujing to hold.

She also had one in her hand, and it felt warm to the touch.

Zhan Shujing couldn't help but glance at her. Enough, Tan Yunwei. Do you have any self-awareness as a spirit master? Who is taking care of whom, exactly?

He felt a mix of frustration and bitterness. Although he was reluctant to admit it, Tan Yunwei had been the one with more foresight on this journey.

Due to her status, Tan Yunwei rarely had the chance for real training, but for the first time, Zhan Shujing noticed that, somehow, she had grown. She was far more capable than anyone had imagined.

Even if he weren't here, she could walk alone in the wind and rain and probably still find what she was seeking.

Zhan Shujing felt conflicted. No wonder she didn't want Pei Yujing.

It seemed that Tan Yunwei had long been prepared to walk alone. He sat silently for a moment, straightening up. He moved closer to the cave entrance to shield her from the wind.

Before dawn, the rain finally stopped, and the sky cleared, washed clean.

Just as Tan Yunwei had predicted, the secret realm had undergone a transformation overnight, from the cold of winter to the arrival of spring.

Tan Yunwei packed away her cloak.

Zhan Shujing glanced at her. "You even brought a cloak?"

"It's not that," Tan Yunwei blinked and admitted, "I borrowed it from the fox demon earlier."

"…" Don't mention the fox demons.

Zhan Shujing made up his mind to be more useful from this point on, at least more so than Pei Yujing. He took out a blue-colored incense burner-sized spiritual tool from his chest. The tool was about the size of a fingernail, and he handed it to Tan Yunwei. "Try this. Think about what you desire."

Tan Yunwei glanced at it. It was an artifact from the Zhaochuan Pavilion.

Zhaochuan Pavilion was a renowned family of smiths in the empire. They had once produced brilliant works, but in recent years, they had been suppressed by Yue Zhiheng's Cui Ling Pavilion.

Because the Yue family had allied with the empire, the immortal sect hadn't had any outstanding toolsmithing families in years.

The fact that Zhan Shujing preferred to use something from Zhaochuan Pavilion rather than buy from the Yue family was a clear sign of his opinion.

Tan Yunwei took the item, silently focusing on her desired goal—"flower honey." A wisp of light smoke rose from the incense burner and flew in a particular direction.

Zhan Shujing spoke. "Follow it."

With no better options, Tan Yunwei followed the direction the smoke flew in.

After the snow melted, streams began to flow.

They set off early in the morning, and by evening, the faint smoke reached a stone tablet, at which point it finally stopped.

Tan Yunwei raised her eyes to look. The inscription on the tablet read:

"Outside the village, beside the ancient city. With a staff, walking slowly through the slanting sun.

Last night's rain at midnight, brings one more cool day in this fleeting life."

The poem carried a sense of leisurely enjoyment, as if to mirror the scene, a road slowly appeared before them, and faintly, they could see peach blossoms in full bloom, colorful butterflies fluttering about.

The inscription faded, gradually transforming into three words — "Taoyuan Village."

Zhan Shujing furrowed his brows. What could this so-called "Taoyuan" in the secret realm possibly be?

The more peaceful and tranquil a place appeared, the more dangerous it often was.

But with a purpose in mind, they had to go in and explore, even if it meant facing danger. Tan Yunwei paused for a moment and then said, "Let's go."

There was only one road ahead. They had walked only a few steps when Tan Yunwei turned back. Sure enough, behind them was a thicket of weeds; the path they had taken had turned into towering green mountains.

There was no way out now.

They could only move forward and see what strange things the village might hold.

Tan Yunwei had almost prepared herself for the possibility of it being full of妖物 (monsters or spirits). However, inside the village, there were only about ten or so houses, with flowers blooming all around, and the villagers were tilling the land, beginning the spring farming thanks to last night's rain.

As Tan Yunwei and Zhan Shujing entered, the villagers acted as though they didn't see them at all.

If not for the fact that everything around them was moving, Tan Yunwei might have thought she was inside a painting, where the people in it remained undisturbed.

Zhan Shujing exchanged a glance with Tan Yunwei and spoke, "Old man, could you tell us how to get to the village chief's house?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone working in the fields suddenly seemed to wake up, all of them lifting their heads to look at them.

Their gazes were slow and dull at first, but then gradually became more lively.

One man spoke, "It's been a long time since we've seen outsiders. You're looking for the village chief's house? I'll take you there."

With that, he rolled up his pant legs and came forward in a simple and hospitable manner.

Tan Yunwei's heart sank. She didn't sense any demonic energy from the villagers, but the more normal they seemed, the more suspicious it felt.

The villager looked up at the sky and said, "Guests, night is falling. You should find a place to stay before dark. Otherwise..."

His voice turned eerie for a moment, almost like a laugh, or perhaps as if he was waiting for something.

They quickly arrived at the village chief's house. The chief was an elderly man with white hair and a kind face. He sized them up and smiled, "You must be here to buy our famous peach blossom wine, right?"

"Village chief," Tan Yunwei asked, "Besides the peach blossom wine, does the village sell any flower honey?"

The village chief looked at her and replied, "Of course, we do. But if you want flower honey, you might have to wait a few days. We haven't started making it yet."

"Wait a few days? Where can we buy it now?"

This time, the village chief didn't answer but said, "It's getting late, and I can't keep you here. You should leave now."

Tan Yunwei looked up and realized it had gotten dark without her noticing. Recalling the villager's warning, she took out a hairpin and said, "Could we stay with you for one night?"

To her surprise, the village chief's expression changed. He quickly urged, "Go, go, go, hurry and leave. Outsiders are not allowed to stay in the village at night."

This was strange—no one in the village was willing to take them in, yet it seemed dangerous to stay outside at night.

Zhan Shujing frowned, understanding that they could no longer argue. He grabbed Tan Yunwei and began trying the doors of the village houses one by one.

As expected, the villagers who had been so hospitable during the day all turned them away once night fell.

The moon had risen.

Tan Yunwei looked up, about to discuss with Zhan Shujing about finding a place to hide, but when she turned around, she found that Zhan Shujing was no longer by her side.

The villager who had been so friendly during the day appeared behind her. He coldly said, "Miss, I told you it's not safe to stay outside after dark. Have you found a place to stay? If not, since you've paid, you can come to my house."

But when had she paid anything? Tan Yunwei took a step back, just about to use her spirit control technique, but she found that her magic didn't work. In this place, when night fell, spiritual power couldn't be used?

The villager grinned eerily at her. Tan Yunwei pressed her lips together, turned, and ran.

She dashed into an alley, but to her horror, there was no way forward. The footsteps behind her grew louder and closer.

A door beside her opened, and a hand reached out to pull her into the house.

She was startled, and the person quickly covered her mouth, stopping her from making any sound. She instinctively tried to bite him, to force him to let go.

When her lips brushed against his fingers, he paused for a moment, then gripped her chin and coldly said, "Let go."