The Big Senior Brother sat on the table, nibbling on a small yellow croaker from a porcelain dish, while Zhan Zhaozhao sat beside him, blowing on a roasted sweet potato to cool it down. Annoyed by his slow pace, the Big Senior Brother took a nip at his wrist.
Song Yin was a picky eater; she held a bowl of pork rib and corn soup, nibbling only the meat off the brittle bone. She didn’t like the gristle, so she ate the meat clean and spat the white cartilage aside.
Jiang Zuilan, looking every bit the sorrowful, sickly beauty, let out a series of loud crunches as she snapped a large marrow bone with her teeth, swallowing both bone and meat together.
Sikong Lan held the rulebook issued by the Immortal Alliance, studying how to exploit the loopholes to the maximum to earn some points.
“We leave for the Zhuque Province tonight.”
The Zhuque Province (Vermilion Bird Province) was about to host the Young Disciple Exchange Competition, also known as the “Zhuque Province Youth Disciple Friendship, Cultural Exchange, and Learning Promotion Social.”
“First, you must participate in this competition and secure a top ranking to add to our sect’s comprehensive score for next spring’s Great Sect Competition.
“Second, the mission grades in the Zhuque Province are quite high. Take on as many missions as you can to boost our total score.
“Third, the medicinal herb I need, the Phoenix Feather Sunflower, is the grand prize of the competition. We must obtain it.”
Countless avian tribes resided here. Since birds excel at flying, height was the mark of status in this land.
The markets and terraces were built upon high platforms atop tens of thousands of steps, with birds circling overhead.
The terraces were shrouded in mist and clouds. Many members of the avian tribes appeared in their original forms, stretching their wings and trailing long tails as they wove through the white fog, letting out occasional, resonant cries.
Because the Youth Exchange Competition was being held here, the current Zhuque Province was not only filled with local residents but also swarmed with youth from other tribes, making it incredibly lively.
The competition was divided into different categories.
There were dedicated sessions for Alchemists, Sword Cultivators, and Talisman Masters. Each profession was grouped into a specific section for categorized exchange and sparring.
This ensured maximum fairness. After all, nobody wanted to see a Sword Cultivator pitted against an Alchemist; it wouldn’t make for a good fight, and it wouldn’t be fair to anyone.
The herb Sikong Lan sought was the Phoenix Feather Sunflower. Compared to other elusive herbs, this one was easy to locate. It was a specialty of the Zhuque Province, guarded by the nobility. It was rare and precious, with only one stalk maturing every few years, serving as a local cultural symbol. Every few decades, it was awarded as a prize during the cultural exchange meeting.
According to past traditions, the first-place winner of each category would receive a Phoenix Feather Sunflower.
Sikong Lan had immense confidence in her disciples.
She patted Jiang Zuilan on the shoulder, her eyes full of encouragement: Go on, give the cultivation world a little shock!
Or rather, it was time to wash away the cultivation world’s prejudice against demon cultivators!
The Qunxian Sect had been there for a few days, and Jiang Zuilan had already won several arena matches.
Jiang Zuilan hadn’t registered as an Alchemist or a Physician.
She was a Physical Cultivator.
In the first few matches on the opening day, some people were deceived by Jiang Zuilan’s delicate, “sickly beauty” appearance. They even harbored prejudices, approaching the match with a playful, mocking attitude.
Upon entering the stage, her opponent stood sloppily, whistling at Jiang Zuilan in jest: “Little girl, you’re so tender and fair. Why register as a Physical Cultivator? Come here and give me a hug instead.”
Jiang Zuilan remained quiet and refined, her willow-leaf brows slightly furrowed. Then, she threw a punch that shattered her opponent’s jaw, ensuring he would never say another word.
After a few more punches, those rumors turned to dust along with the shattered jawbones. No one dared hold prejudices against this fragile-looking woman anymore; instead, they prayed they wouldn’t run into her during the preliminary rounds.
Because the competition in the Zhuque Province focused on “exchange and sparring,” the screening process wasn’t very strict, and the Physical Cultivators here often played dirty.
In a match two days ago, Opponent A hid iron filings between his fingers. Jiang Zuilan snapped his wrist and discovered he even had iron slivers hidden under his fingernails.
There was another similar one, Opponent C, who hid lime powder in his palms, throwing it to blind his opponent at crucial moments. Jiang Zuilan held her breath, broke his finger bones, and stuffed the handful of lime back into his mouth.
Then there was Opponent G, whose methods were sinister and low-class, lunging with two fingers directly for her eyes. Jiang Zuilan was faster; before he could reach her, she tightened her brass knuckles and hammered a punch squarely into his face.
The opponent in yesterday morning’s session was equally shameless.
When Opponent H stepped onto the arena, Jiang Zuilan thought she had walked into the wrong place and was looking at one of the “Eighteen Bronze Monks” of the Buddha Cultivators.
He was coated from head to toe in golden oil—slippery as an eel and completely impossible to land a solid hit on.
After several rounds, Jiang Zuilan’s hands kept slipping. Every time she applied force, she slid off. The opponent clearly intended to exhaust her stamina.
Fortunately, Jiang Zuilan was no pushover. Since her hands couldn’t grab him, she released flying needles. Sharp, long needles were hidden between her fingers. She aimed her Bone-Dissolving Needles directly at his pressure points.
A Physical Cultivator who knew medicine—truly terrifying.
After several matches, Jiang Zuilan grew more courageous with every fight, becoming a favorite to win the title.
Today’s match was against a young disciple.
The little tricks Jiang Zuilan encountered every day were like opening blind boxes—full of “innovation.” She never knew what underhanded move her opponent would pull.
She couldn’t help but lament that the era of Physical Cultivators competing honorably was over; moral standards were truly in decline.
The young disciple stepped onto the stage, handsome and youthful, with a pair of bright, spirited eyes that constantly sought out Jiang Zuilan’s gaze.
From time to time, he would pretend to lock eyes with her “accidentally,” his expression seductive.
Jiang Zuilan instantly understood what the young disciple’s skill was. She was far too familiar with it.
Charm Arts.
When a Physical Cultivator encounters Charm Arts, it is usually a dead end.
In the common records of the cultivation world, control techniques always countered physical techniques. Physical Cultivators were usually strong but straightforward, simple-minded and easy to control. They feared Charm Arts and Puppetry most. Not only would they lose, but they were also easily manipulated into becoming a weapon for the enemy.
This young disciple had won eleven matches in a row, just waiting to use Jiang Zuilan as a stepping stone.
People in the crowd below were placing bets and shouting.
“Ah, a total counter! This match is over. I even bet on the Qunxian Sect to win!”
“Hahaha, twelve consecutive victories are in the bag!”
“A Physical Cultivator? Just a toy for Charm Arts! Come on, I’m raising my bet!”
“Does someone really think they can beat Charm Arts with physical techniques? Her family will have to start a new page in the genealogy book for her!”
“I bet fifty taels that in less than the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, this one from the Qunxian Sect will fall! Hurry, place your bets before the odds drop!”
The young disciple grew more arrogant, his face full of seductive charm. His pupils were light-colored, indicating that his Charm Arts were of a high level.
Jiang Zuilan’s lip twitched.
The young disciple thought she was afraid. He laughed triumphantly and threw another seductive glance, thinking that within three moves, he would definitely make her fall from the high platform.
Instead, he saw Jiang Zuilan suddenly look up, staring directly into his eyes without a trace of being bewitched. Her eyes were as cold as ten-thousand-year-old black ice.
Then, she delivered a massive slap to his face.
The thunderous sound of the slap plunged the high platform into silence.
The opponent was dazed, his head whipped to the side. His face swelled instantly, a large, greenish palm print appearing as his eyes went blank.
Jiang Zuilan was exceptionally merciless. She raised her hand high, her azure sleeve sliding down, and delivered a barrage of slaps, venting her frustration with a cold sneer.
We have a fox spirit and a charm demon in our sect—and you try to use Charm Arts on me?
I serve tea and water to those two every day. What seductive tricks haven’t I seen? And you dare use Charm Arts on me?
The more she hit him, the more energized she became, and the angrier she felt.
In the years since Jiang Zuilan joined the sect, she was woken up every morning by the smiling Eight-Tailed Fox Spirit to practice. In the dead of winter, before dawn, she had to hold her Big Senior Brother—who was as heavy as a boulder—and temper her body under an icy waterfall.
The waves, carrying crushed ice, surged down from the cliff, blinding her. A layer of frost would form on her face, and her hair would freeze solid if it touched the water.
The Fox Spirit would be nearby brewing tea, the warm, fragrant steam drifting about. Jiang Zuilan, shivering as she held the cat, would say, “Master’s Husband, I don’t think I can keep this up.”
The Fox Spirit would reply gently, “It’s alright. I can use hypnotic charm on you. Your consciousness can fall asleep briefly, letting you forget the pain of the body.”
Jiang Zuilan thought that didn’t sound too bad; her body would still be under the waterfall, so it would still count as training.
She said “Yes, please” with great hope.
The Fox Spirit added slowly, “But I can’t control when you wake up from the hypnosis. If you don’t wake up and a wave knocks you into the river, it’ll be dangerous if I can’t save you in time. Tsk, I suppose a mermaid won’t drown, though?”
Jiang Zuilan’s teeth chattered as she said sensibly that she shouldn’t trouble the Master’s Husband. She could still hold on. And so, she continued to temper her body under the cold water with a clear mind and outstanding willpower.
At night, after Jiang Zuilan finally finished a day of hellish training, she would barely have a cup of hot tea and touch her seat before the naturally seductive little Charm Demon would lean in, shaking her arm and begging her to help clean the spiritual plant garden.
The spiritual plant garden was Master’s territory—half medicinal herbs and half bizarre plants. It was vast, and cleaning it was incredibly tedious and physically draining. There were also many freshly killed giant beasts that had to be buried in the soil as fertilizer.
The moment Jiang Zuilan hesitated, the little Charm Demon would look piteous, her almond eyes glistening with tears. By the time Jiang Zuilan snapped out of it, she would be finishing the cleaning with a sore back and aching limbs.
The little Charm Demon would wrap her arms around her waist, rubbing against her and saying, “Third Sister, you’re so good. Next time I’m punished with cleaning the garden, I’ll come find you again.”
Before the junior brother, Zhan Zhaozhao, joined the sect, Jiang Zuilan was the only “honest” person. She worked like a beast of burden and had seen ten thousand uses of charm abilities. Her heart was locked tight, and she was immune to all seduction.
On the arena, the more Jiang Zuilan looked at this opponent, the angrier she got.
Jiang Zuilan gritted her teeth. I, your grandmother, have maintained my Dao heart in such a top-tier trial environment and achieved the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage. And you, a little fledgling, think you can play Charm Arts with me? Who do you think you’re looking down on!
Smack! Thwack! Pow! Several of the young disciple’s teeth flew out.
The silent crowd below finally reacted, some trying to mediate and others trying to pull her away. The judges hurriedly struck the gong to announce the result, attempting to stop this one-sided slaughter.
“Jiang Zuilan, victory!”
“Jiang Zuilan! Victory! Stop hitting, stop hitting!”
“The Qunxian Sect has won! We’ll give you all the stakes, just don’t kill him!”
The Physical Cultivation matches came to a temporary close.
Jiang Zuilan had firmly secured a spot in the top ten of the Physical Cultivation group, earning a wealth of points.
She exchanged some rewards and went out to roam the streets and eat candied haws with Song Yin.
The Zhuque Province was high in altitude and the weather was hot. The candied haws melted quickly, and one moment of carelessness would leave your hand covered in sticky syrup. Fortunately, the ice water shops nearby had cooling arrays; passing by them provided a refreshing chill.
“Third Sister is so amazing.” Song Yin quickly licked the melting sugar.
As she spoke, she stepped onto the stones inscribed with the magical array, casually tapping her embroidered shoe to modify one line of the array. The cooling range instantly doubled, and the temperature dropped several times over.
Song Yin hadn’t participated in any competitions. Theoretically, she could have entered the Array Cultivator matches, but Sikong Lan wanted to keep her as a secret weapon, only to be revealed during the Great Sect Competition.
Furthermore, Sikong Lan was extremely confident that her method of solving and setting arrays through mathematics was unique in the cultivation world. Song Yin had learned sixty percent of it—enough to tower over her peers.
Besides, not many powerful disciples from Array Sects had come to this exchange meeting, so there wasn’t much point in Song Yin competing.
Jiang Zuilan, on the other hand, could gain experience by fighting different styles and studying her opponents’ tactics to stay prepared.
Song Yin’s cultivation relied purely on mathematics. Solving a math problem required a moment of inspiration and the application of formulas; you either knew the math or you didn’t. There was no need for her to observe others’ progress.
Of course, this was only part of the reasoning Sikong Lan used to coax the girl.
Mainly, Sikong Lan noticed that the Sword Sect had taken this exchange meeting very seriously, sending almost all of its elite disciples. These sword cultivators all wore high ponytails and fluttering white robes, riding their swords with youthful handsomeness.
She worried that given Song Yin’s mischievous nature and her Charm Demon constitution, she would cause a heap of trouble at the exchange meeting ahead of schedule.
So, she simply let Song Yin play in the spectator seats, staying far away from the sword cultivators.
Sikong Lan herself was half a sword cultivator, but she held a prejudice against the Sword Sect. God only knew if those straightforward sword cultivators had “straight” brains as well. What if they were seduced by some twisted logic about “killing one’s wife to prove one’s Dao” and took her second disciple to “prove” themselves?
Though it was hard to say who would be fooling whom between a sword cultivator and Song Yin, the mere thought of the possibility made her unhappy. Thus, she only let Song Yin play around and told her to stay away from brainless cultivators.
“Third Sister,” Song Yin said. She had nothing to do but eat and drink; her biggest expectation was for the Qunxian Sect to take several first-place titles.
“Do you have any formidable rivals?” Song Yin wanted to contribute to the Qunxian Sect’s victory.
“Third Sister, whoever you hate, I’ll go charm them and shatter their Dao heart!”
Jiang Zuilan had just finished the last hawthorn. Furrowing her willow-leaf brows, she actually thought of one.
“There’s a sword cultivator named Li Jing. I’m a bit wary of him.”
Since this grand event was called an “Exchange Competition,” it naturally couldn’t just be pure categorized exchange. In the finals week, which the Lord would attend, there was a competition that all professions could join.
It was called the “Zhuque Province Friendship Trial.”
In this match—nominally a “friendship” game but effectively a massive free-for-all—the top scorers of each group would fight together. Sword Cultivators, Physical Cultivators, Alchemists, Beast Tamers, and Puppeteers would all be on the same battlefield.
And Jiang Zuilan was a bit worried about the current leader of the Sword Cultivators.
Li Jing was originally an inner disciple of the Sword Sect. Previously undistinguished, he had suddenly “awakened” this past year, his cultivation progressing by leaps and bounds, soaring up the points leaderboard.
The Sword Sect was a sect of bitter cultivation. Others used Li Jing as an example of a “late bloomer,” which encouraged many slow-moving sword cultivators.
Work hard, and with one moment of awakening, the Transformation Stage is within reach!
“Li Jing, right?” Song Yin quickly noted the name.
As the leader, his abilities shouldn’t be bad. She wondered if his “Primal Yang” was still intact.
She said with full confidence: “Good! I’ll go take him down right now!”
At the same time.
The flying ship of the Medicine Sect arrived in the Zhuque Province.
Helan Tan was a guest of this exchange meeting and a partial sponsor. However, he had been busy handling various matters of the Medicine Sect over the past few days and couldn’t find the time to leave.
He had taken a moment to visit the Qunxian Sect on Tianyun Mountain, hoping to find Song Yin, but the place was obscured by layers of arrays, and there was no sign of anyone.
Tangled in various trivialities, he only arrived in the Zhuque Province today.
Helan Tan was chatting with a friend, his words revealing the treacherous undercurrents of the Medicine Sect.
“The old thing is still alive and can still control me.”
Helan Tan played with his wine cup, his gaze violent and cold, making no effort to hide his loathing for his uncle.
His friend across the table, Shi Qiu, let out a shudder. “You drug your old man, your old man drugs you… you people in the Medicine Sect play rough.”
Those who dealt with medicine really handled internal strife differently—it was always life or death.
The Sect Leader, Helan Haowen, knew two types of Heaven-grade pills, which was enough to earn the respect of the cultivation world. If Helan Tan wanted to usurp the position, he had to possess a Heaven-grade pill of his own to convince the masses.
Shi Qiu asked cautiously, “How many Heaven-grade pills do you know now?”
If Helan Tan didn’t have even one, he had to speed up his refining. The “Heaven-grade Dispel Confusion Pill,” which he currently had the best chance with, was of paramount importance—it was his lifeline and bargaining chip. He had to seize the opportunity firmly.
Helan Tan remained silent.
This was a secret, and Shi Qiu didn’t ask further.
Shi Qiu was well-read in poetic scriptures and secret manuals. He thought of another path: “I’ve recently heard of a secret manual that briefly boosts one’s cultivation, though it has restrictions on the practitioner. One must be a virgin. If your Primal Yang is still intact, you could give it a try.”
Helan Tan was silent for half a beat before saying coolly, “My Primal Yang is already gone.”
Shi Qiu was stunned but reacted quickly. He was very close with Helan Tan and spent a lot of time with him. He had seen Song Yin grab someone else while he was escorting Helan Tan to deliver medicine, and then saw him leave hurriedly at the Falling Moon Tower. He understood the whole story in an instant.
“Was it that little Charm Demon?”
“Mm.” Helan Tan was honest. His tone actually rose slightly, and he unconsciously tilted his neck, looking somewhat proud of himself.
He cherry-picked details about how Song Yin had bewitched him and forced him into dual cultivation multiple times.
“She said with her own mouth that she liked me, and she used such force. It seems the tricks of a Charm Demon are truly superior. I tried to break free several times but couldn’t, so I had no choice but to give in to her.”
He summarized: “Charm Demons are indeed skilled at bewitching the hearts of men.”
Shi Qiu didn’t agree with him after listening. Instead, he frowned in thought, his throat bobbing several times. After much deliberation, he looked up quickly at Helan Tan and said cautiously, “There’s just one thing I don’t understand.”
He looked at Helan Tan, very puzzled.
“You are at the high level of the Golden Core stage, nearing Great Perfection and about to break through. That girl is at the middle level of the Golden Core stage. There’s such a vast difference between the grades of the Golden Core stage; you shouldn’t have been unable to beat her. You are so tall, and she’s so petite, only reaching your shoulder.
“Whether in terms of cultivation or physique, you tower over her. How exactly did she manage to pin you down?”
Shi Qiu was completely baffled.
Helan Tan waved his hand dismissively. “You wouldn’t understand. She’s very powerful.”
The little Charm Demon had so many schemes; she was incredibly powerful. He feared she targeted him specifically, as he was bewitched every single time.
Shi Qiu truly didn’t understand. After thinking it over, he asked again, “Well, fine, let’s say the first time you were caught off guard. But for such a long time and so many instances after that… could you really not escape?”
Helan Tan said decisively, “She’s very powerful. Her technique attacks the heart. You don’t understand.”
Ever since he met Song Yin, he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Now, after being apart for several days, he thought of her day and night.
Shi Qiu had spent his life immersed in the library, memorizing countless monsters and ghosts.
Naturally, he believed his good brother Helan Tan’s account, which only made him more confused. His eyes blinked constantly as he tilted his head, frowning in deep thought, trying to recall his studies.
Shi Qiu was dumbstruck. “Makes you think of her day and night? There’s no such thing as a Charm Demon like that. A Charm Demon’s skills are all one-offs! They’re released and dissolved on the spot. Most skills can’t even last for the duration of a few incense sticks!”
Helan Tan trusted Shi Qiu’s knowledge. He concluded, “Then it seems she is indeed an incredibly powerful Charm Demon.”
Shi Qiu said no more, only gripping his wine cup and shaking his head in amazement.
To think such a Charm Demon exists.
So strange. Truly strange. Unheard of.
Helan Tan gazed out the window.
He really hadn’t seen Song Yin in a long time, and he couldn’t help but miss her.
It was all because she was a Charm Demon. This was the tactic of a Charm Demon: playing hard to get. It had to be.
He had fallen for it.
It didn’t matter if he had. Once he refined the Heaven-grade Dispel Confusion Pill in the future, everything would be easily resolved.
But even though he had already fallen for it and was willing… why did she still not come to find him?