It had rained in the latter half of the night. The air was filled with the damp scent of dust, and Mist-Shrouded Mountain was wreathed in clouds and fog. The half-moon in the sky had vanished, leaving only the dawning sun to carefully nibble through the canopy of the heavens, casting down slivers of light that added an ethereal, otherworldly grace to the mountains.
But a faint scent of blood also lingered in the air.
The source was a red fox corpse held in the hand of her Junior Sister, Yun Qi. As she passed by the Ice Soul Secret Realm, she called out to Jiang Chunai, “Senior Sister!”
Jiang Chunai heard the voice and, as if waking from a long dream, glanced over at her and smiled. “Hello, Junior Sister.”
Neither of them said another word about the red fox’s body.
The Bright Snow Sect was the leader of the righteous path among immortal sects. As such, slaying any demons and evils they encountered was an unwritten rule in the hearts of all its cultivators, whether they were from the outer or inner sect.
“Senior Sister, is it your turn to guard the secret realm today?” her junior sister asked. “Why are you here so early?”
On Mist-Shrouded Mountain lay the Ice Soul Secret Realm, a forbidden ground of the sect. Though everyone was curious about it, no one dared to provoke the powerful by defying the sect’s prohibition and rashly breaking in, especially since the realm was guarded in shifts by powerful cultivators.
Senior Sister Jiang Chunai was one of them.
When Yun Qi had first joined the Bright Snow Sect, her senior sister was already a cultivator at the Spirit Transformation Realm.
She had heard from others that Senior Sister Jiang had been brought back from the mortal realm by Immortal Lord Yang Nian, who had taught her with great care. The bond between master and disciple was exceptionally strong.
Although Jiang Chunai was not one of those once-in-a-millennium geniuses, to have reached such a level of cultivation at her age was still extraordinary.
In response, Jiang Chunai said, “It rained last night, and I’m a light sleeper, so I woke up early and came up the mountain. What brings you to Mist-Shrouded Mountain today, Junior Sister?”
Her junior sister pouted, lifting the red fox corpse in her hand. “I chased this damned fox for three days and three nights across three major peaks. If my cultivation wasn’t so weak, I would have killed it long ago. I almost lost it, too! If anyone found out I let a fox demon get away, can you imagine how many dirty looks I’d get?”
After speaking, she scratched her head and pleaded with Jiang Chunai, “Senior Sister, you can’t tell anyone about this! If you do, they’ll definitely laugh at me again!”
Jiang Chunai unconsciously tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and forced a smile. “Demons and evils should be slain. It’s the thought that counts. As for improving your cultivation, that can be done slowly. Don’t you worry, Senior Sister will keep your secret.”
“If you run into another troublesome demon next time, just let me know.”
Having received her senior sister’s promise, the shyness on the junior sister’s face vanished, and she became cheerful again, chattering for a while about the hardships of hunting down the fox demon.
Jiang Chunai kept a smile on her face, humouring her junior sister. Just when she thought the younger girl was about to leave, the latter suddenly moved closer, startling Jiang Chunai, who flinched back. “What is it?”
A look of confusion appeared in her junior sister’s eyes as she looked at her senior sister’s neck. “Senior Sister, are you hurt?”
Jiang Chunai instinctively covered the red mark on her neck. “I ran into some mosquitoes on my way here this morning…”
Her junior sister gave a thoughtful “Oh,” and, without suspecting anything, started talking about other things.
Senior Sister Jiang Chunai was a very good person. She was diligent in her cultivation and never complained about her duties. In addition to the tasks required of a sect cultivator, she would also sacrifice her free time to help her peers. Whether it was giving guidance at the sword hall or helping refine spirit stones, her presence could always be seen.
Perhaps her senior sister had woken up too early today, as her face looked a bit weary.
But just now, when her senior sister had made her promise, she had looked the same as always:
Her light-colored pupils were bright, like glass beads. When the light of dawn struck them, they shimmered with a magnificent, colorful radiance that made her words impossible to disbelieve.
Senior Sister Jiang Chunai will definitely help me get rid of demons. I’ve never met anyone more righteous, more rule-abiding, or more honest than her.
And yet, such a person had just told her first lie.
It was also the first time she had shown mercy to a demon—and had even been intimate with the demon inside the Ice Soul Secret Realm.
That demon was none other than the one she had long admired: her Great Senior Sister, Han Xiao.
As her junior sister’s figure disappeared into the faint mist, the hand Jiang Chunai used to hold her sword went weak. With a clang, her longsword fell to the ground. Jiang Chunai nearly collapsed, slumping down onto the ground and slowly pushing up her sleeve.
Her skin, normally covered by her Daoist robes, was naturally as white as jade, but now it was starkly marked with vivid red fingerprints, a testament to what had happened last night.
The half-moon jade bracelet on her wrist… it had dug painfully into her skin last night.
But the pleasant ache in her body was a potent reminder of everything she had experienced.
A sound of overflowing pleasure seemed to echo in her ears.
She suddenly felt her face flush with heat.
The effects of the Passion Lure had not yet faded, and she had no idea when they would.
Next to where Jiang Chunai sat, there was an undried puddle of water. She saw a rosy blush fly across her face, spreading all the way to the tips of her ears.
When I stumbled out of the secret realm this morning, she thought, this puddle might have been reflecting a sky full of stars.
That was right. She hadn’t come from her own residence to start her shift this morning. She had fled from the secret realm.
A clap of spring thunder seemed to boom in her mind. Jiang Chunai closed her eyes, trying desperately to calm her breathing.
She truly did like to help others and would grant any request made of her.
Guarding the Ice Soul Secret Realm was a thankless task. Unless absolutely necessary, almost no one would voluntarily approach this place. Even her junior sister, upon her rash arrival, had made a point to explain why she was there.
The Ice Soul Secret Realm was chillingly cold, and its aura made the entire Mist-Shrouded Mountain damp and heavy, which was of no benefit to cultivation. Thus, most of the cultivators who came to stand guard held grievances, the only difference being whether they voiced them or not.
Some people just complained, but others simply didn’t want to come at all—her Senior Brother, Zeng Jun, was one of them. This time, he had once again asked Jiang Chunai to cover his shift for an extra day.
He was supposed to be on duty for five days, but Zeng Jun only showed up for one. He neither came for the remaining four days nor gave Jiang Chunai a clear explanation, because the next shift belonged to her anyway.
He knew his junior sister’s temperament, and it wasn’t the first time he had asked her to cover for him. This time was just a bit more egregious, but so what?
He was the eldest disciple!
None of the disciples in the sect liked being on duty at the Ice Soul Secret Realm, except for Jiang Chunai. Therefore, no matter whose turn it was in the rotation, Jiang Chunai always ended up standing guard more often than anyone else.
As expected, Jiang Chunai didn’t leave. She simply stayed near the secret realm, waiting for her own shift to begin.
It’s fine if I do a little more, she had thought. Maybe Senior Brother ran into some urgent matter.
But trouble had brewed on the very eve of the shift change.
At that time, Jiang Chunai was sitting cross-legged before a stone statue, cultivating in her sea of consciousness. Suddenly, a white light flashed into her mind, and a voice seemed to whisper in her ear, tempting her to do something.
The low voice told her to enter the Ice Soul Secret Realm.
For some time now, a woman’s soft whisper would occasionally appear in her sea of consciousness, guiding her to do things. Jiang Chunai didn’t find it strange. She knew her bloodline was different from others’—when her master was still alive, she had told her that this bloodline could save her life at a critical moment.
After her master passed away, Jiang Chunai’s feelings toward the voice in her sea of consciousness gained a new layer of respect and remembrance for her late teacher. So she obeyed, and as if possessed, she stepped into the Ice Soul Secret Realm.
The Ice Soul Secret Realm truly lived up to its name. The moment Jiang Chunai stepped inside, she felt an intense cold.
Inside the secret realm was a vast valley where the mountain wind howled with a startling chill. Even for a cultivator like Jiang Chunai, who had reached the Void Comprehension stage, a bone-deep coldness seeped into her limbs.
The voice in her sea of consciousness enticed her, showing her the way.
Under the moonlit night, the vast, empty valley was filled with damp air. Jiang Chunai suppressed her pounding heart, kept her lips tightly sealed, and concealed her aura, closely following the directions of the voice.
Relax. This isn’t your first time here. The monsters here are no match for you.
The voice was like a demonic whisper in her ear, but Jiang Chunai trusted its guidance, because her master had known of its existence.
In a way, Jiang Chunai saw it as an extension of Immortal Lord Yang Nian herself.
The four corners of the dark blue sky pressed down low. As far as Jiang Chunai’s eyes could see, there was only a tiny space.
Her eyes became useless in the darkness, so her other senses were magnified tenfold—the ground beneath her feet was freezing over, inch by inch, a cold that pierced to the bone.
It was as if it wanted to freeze her in place, turning her into a small ice sculpture.
Jiang Chunai was suddenly alarmed and immediately wanted to draw her sword, but the voice in her sea of consciousness soothed her, telling her not to make a fuss.
This is the Ice Soul Secret Realm. Of course it’s going to freeze.
Jiang Chunai steadied her nerves, sheathed her sword, and continued forward.
The further she went, the thinner the air became, and the mist, too, was as thin as a sheet of rice paper.
Her vision was no longer limited to a small square. Instead, she could see dots of ghostly fire, burning on the ice under the dark blue moonlight.
Though they were burning, Jiang Chunai couldn’t feel any warmth. A raw coldness seeped into her bones and flesh.
Relying on her years of experience slaying demons and defending the righteous path, she knew she should draw her sword in this situation. But right now… she didn’t know where the demon was.
Mist. A thick fog she couldn’t see through.
“Hiss…” Jiang Chunai suddenly felt a sharp pain in her wrist. Looking down, she saw crimson-black threads sprouting from her wrist, wrapping around it in a dense web. Under the blue light of the ghostly flames, they looked even more sinister and terrifying.
Horrified, she circulated her spiritual energy, trying to force this poison out of her body. As their energies clashed, Jiang Chunai was certain: this was a demon.
But what kind of demon? Before Jiang Chunai could think further, a “creak, creak” sound came from not far away, followed by a rich, sweet fragrance that flooded her lungs.
It was a flower demon.
Its head was a cluster of cold, fresh red flowers, with a pair of hollow eyes faintly visible in the center, glowing with an eerie blue light. Its limbs were vines and branches extending from the flower cluster, twisting and coiling, as flexible and dangerous as a slithering snake.
The flower demon’s mouth opened and closed, making a creaking sound. “What’s wrong, Chunai? Have you forgotten me? You finally decided to come see me…”
“Demon—!”
Without a second thought, Jiang Chunai immediately drew her sword. A streak of sword energy as brilliant as sunset clouds slashed toward the twisting flower demon. The Snow Camellia Sword’s energy was like a rainbow—it was one of the swords once used by Immortal Lord Yang Nian—and in an instant, it turned the creaking flower demon to dust.
Its unfinished words vanished into the air.
“Chunai, the gu poison is gone from my body… I was very obedien—”
Jiang Chunai steadied her mind, pushing the flower demon’s rambling out of her thoughts. It was common knowledge that flower demons were masters of illusion, fond of feigning familiarity while leading people to their deaths.
Moreover, this was the treacherous Ice Soul Secret Realm; she absolutely could not let her Dao heart become unstable.
Besides this flower demon, there might be other monsters.
On Mist-Shrouded Mountain, there were all kinds of demons. It wouldn’t be surprising to encounter anything.
After the flower demon turned to dust, Jiang Chunai’s heart pounded like a drum. She slowly approached its remains, squatted down, and prodded the red and blue glowing powder with her sword.
A Ghost-Holding Flower Demon?
The scent in the air changed in an instant. By the time Jiang Chunai realized it, she suddenly felt a wave of lust rush to her head.
It felt like her very lifeblood had been blocked by something.
In a flash of insight, Jiang Chunai immediately realized she had been hit with a lust poison.
But in this Ice Soul Secret Realm, where could she possibly go to neutralize it?
The mist had now dissipated. Her vision was no longer limited to a tiny square but a vast expanse, bathed in an eerie blue light.
Jiang Chunai bit her lip, gripping her sword tightly. So what if I’m poisoned? I am a cultivator of the Bright Snow Sect. I cannot just casually couple with someone here!
If she returned to her residence and used a talisman or two, this lust could be relieved.
Besides, she had entered the secret realm as if possessed. If anyone discovered her, the consequences would be dire.
She had to go back.
Her sea of consciousness was a chaotic mess. No one was guiding her now. She could only walk alone through the eerie blue light.
Suddenly, she saw a tall, slender shadow intrude harshly into the blue expanse, a stark white that split the scene apart.
Is it a person?
…Not a person.
Behind that figure, several snow-white tails were clearly visible, swaying indistinctly.
It was a fox demon.
Jiang Chunai didn’t know how wide the paths were in the dark secret realm. Right now, there was only a swirling mix of black, blue, and the pale white of the moon. But when this fox demon appeared, it immediately became the most suffocating white.
This white presence seemed to press in on Jiang Chunai’s vision, making her breath quicken.
A demon. It’s a demon!
Jiang Chunai’s heart tightened. She prepared to draw her sword, ready to form a hand seal and eliminate the demon at any moment.
She was extremely cautious, planning to take the fox demon’s life when it was off guard.
Although Jiang Chunai had a gentle nature, she had never shown mercy to demonic beings.
No cultivator of the Bright Snow Sect would spare a single demon within the borders of Mount Shu.
What’s more, Chunai’s master was Immortal Lord Yang Nian—and her master had died because of a demon.
Jiang Chunai silently recited a mantra, and spiritual energy surged into her sword.
The Snow Camellia had slain thousands of demons and evils. This time would be no different.
A continuous stream of sword energy, a white rainbow, dispersed the blue mist in the secret realm as it shot fiercely toward the fox demon.
But the fox demon seemed to sense her arrival and suddenly turned around. Chunai’s pupils dilated abruptly.
Her eyes, as light as glass beads, reflected a face that could not be more familiar:
Han Xiao—her most elegant and noble senior sister—now had a shimmering crimson blush at the corners of her eyes, her thin lips parting and closing restlessly.
It was a sign of the love gu taking effect.
Beneath her eye was an extremely fine, crimson-black line.
It was identical to the threads that had just wrapped around Jiang Chunai’s wrist.
In the sky, a pale white half-moon still hung frozen, waiting for the dense dark clouds to gather and release a torrential downpour.
With a clang, the Snow Camellia swerved, missing the fox demon’s body and plunging into the stone wall beside it.
Oh it started with this