The Villainess Always Tries to Seduce Me - Chapter 13

Back then, she would constantly pester her to tell her scandalous secrets about the prominent cultivators of the Qianyuan Realm. In her memory, she showed little interest in other cultivators, but whenever Sect Leader Mingcun of Mount Everlasting was mentioned, she would become animated, talking endlessly without stopping.

Even when Yun Chuanzhi grew tired of hearing about her, she never lost her enthusiasm, praising her to the heavens and back.

According to him, Sect Leader Mingcun of Mount Everlasting was the only person in the Qianyuan Realm who had glimpsed the Great Dao. She believed that all living beings were born extraordinary and held deep contempt for Immortal Cultivators who flaunted their noble birth and treated others with arrogance.

Because of this, Sect Leader Mingcun consistently taught her disciples to treat all living beings with kindness. She scoured the hundred and eight Immortal Mountains, finally discovering a piece of the Eastern Divine Stone, which she placed atop Mount Everlasting’s highest peak.

With a wave of her hand, she established three forbidden gates. Anyone fortunate enough to reach Mount Everlasting—whether slave, servant, or guest—could activate their Spirit Root using the Eastern Divine Stone, provided they passed through these three gates.

Whether or not one succeeded in activating their Spirit Root depended entirely on their innate aptitude.

With these thoughts in mind, Yun Chuanzhi stuffed the floating stone figurine into her sleeve, swiftly washed up, and changed into fresh clothes.

Just as she was preparing to attend to Bai Fenghuo before taking action, the wind chimes at the entrance jingled. Ling Shui’s voice drifted through the crack in the door: “The Sect Leader is unwell today and wishes to see no one. There’s no need for you to attend to him.”

It couldn’t have been easier. Bai Fenghuo’s illness had come at the perfect time. Yun Chuanzhi couldn’t suppress her smile as she tiptoed out of the room.

The wind howled fiercely, and the river ran cold. An hour later, she stood at the edge of a storm-swept cliff, silently grappling with her predicament.

The Mount Everlasting range comprised five peaks arranged from left to right. The first four peaks were closely connected, allowing easy travel between them by crossing the valleys. But the Kun Dan Sect’s Fifth Peak was different, like an abandoned child standing alone on the far side of the Flowing Abyss River.

Not only was it separated by the hundred-zhang-wide Flowing Abyss River, but also by a series of mountains and vast, uninhabited forests. If she set out today, she might not reach Mount Everlasting’s main peak before the year’s end.

She could see how deeply Bai Fenghuo was feared and resented, but what could she do now? Were there any other ways to awaken her Spirit Root?

Below her, the river surged relentlessly, its roar mingling with the birdsong in a discordant symphony. Yun Chuanzhi sat down dejectedly, and after a moment, she lay down completely.

Since that’s the case, I might as well sleep a little longer.

The sun peeked through the mountain peaks, its early spring rays already carrying a hint of warmth. Yun Chuanzhi lay on the grass as if cradled in a swaddling cloth, her consciousness quickly fading into slumber.

But she was jolted awake just as quickly.

“Who dares disturb my peace?” The voice that startled her still rang in her ears, gratingly loud. “Hey, wake up, you brat! Wake up!”

How can anyone disturb my peace while I’m asleep? Yun Chuanzhi shielded her eyes from the blinding sunlight, peering through the gaps between her fingers at the woman speaking. The woman’s temper seemed volatile; she even tried to kick Yun Chuanzhi’s rear mid-sentence.

Seeing this, Yun Chuanzhi rolled over, leaving the woman’s kick to land on empty air. “Ouch!”

“Who are you?” Yun Chuanzhi asked, rising to her feet.

The woman’s almond-shaped eyes widened. “An Immortal Servant dares question me? Who are you?”

The woman wore a crimson-orange round-collared robe embroidered with various precious floral patterns. Cultivation sashes were tied around her waist and sleeves, marking her as an Immortal Cultivator.

“I’m just a small Immortal Servant,” Yun Chuanzhi replied, sticking to vague, repetitive answers to avoid revealing her true identity.

“Nonsense! Of course I know you’re an Immortal Servant,” the woman snapped. “I’m asking which hall you serve in, your name, and your waist token.”

Realizing this woman wouldn’t be easily dealt with, Yun Chuanzhi began to fabricate a story. “Immortal Master, I’m Liu Dagou, an outer sect Immortal Servant of the Kun Dan Sect. I don’t belong to any particular hall.”

She had deliberately left her waist badge at home today, fearing recognition and further trouble.

“Liu Dagou? What a strange name.” The woman crossed her arms and sized her up. “If you’re not working at the sect during broad daylight, what are you doing trespassing on my territory?”

This is clearly the border between Fifth Peak and the main peak, Yun Chuanzhi thought, her mind racing. How did it become her territory? She smiled and replied, “I’m heading to the main peak of Mount Everlasting. I was just passing through and got lost.”

“Oh, you’re lost.” The woman didn’t press further. She pointed to the domed roof of Mount Everlasting’s main hall, visible through the clouds across the Flowing Abyss River. “Just fly across the Flowing Abyss River and through the Hundred-Zhang Cascade beyond the cliff. That will take you to Mount Everlasting.”

Yun Chuanzhi took two steps forward, glanced down at the Flowing Abyss River, which appeared as a ribbon of silk from this height, then looked across at the Hundred-Zhang Cascade, barely discernible in the distance.

Thank you, but I think I’ll pass for now. I’ll come back when I have more time.

She turned to leave, but the woman grabbed her by the collar and spun her around. “What? Can’t you fly?”

“Xiao Pu is merely a mortal, lacking a Spirit Root,” Yun Chuanzhi said, her toes barely touching the ground as she dangled her by her collar. She forced a wry smile. “To be honest, my purpose in coming to Mount Everlasting’s main peak is to seek the Eastern Divine Stone and attempt to cultivate some Immortal Arts.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than the woman burst into laughter, her grip loosening as she threw Yun Chuanzhi to the ground. “Do you even know how difficult those three gates are? The Eastern Divine Stone has stood here for centuries, yet only a handful of people have ever entered. Those few are now revered as enlightened masters.”

“And you, Liu Dagou, think you can approach the Eastern Divine Stone?”

She laughed until she was gasping for breath, tears streaming from her almond-shaped eyes as she nearly doubled over, pounding the ground in mirth.

Is it really that funny? Yun Chuanzhi watched her silently, her mind racing. Suddenly, she spoke: “It seems you don’t believe me. I thought an Immortal Master who secluded herself here would be a true hermit of great skill, but you’re just a half-baked novice.”

“Who are you calling half-baked?!” The woman’s laughter vanished instantly. She lunged forward, grabbing Yun Chuanzhi by the collar, her eyes blazing with fury.

She’s so easily provoked, Yun Chuanzhi thought, clearing her throat with a cough. “Since you can’t discern Xiao Pu’s exceptional Spirit Root, I was merely stating the truth.”

“Fine! I’ll show you exactly what kind of Spirit Root you have, daring to call Cheng Jinshu a half-baked novice!” The woman hoisted Yun Chuanzhi horizontally across her waist. Before the words had even left her lips, she shot into the sky.

Fifteen minutes later, Yun Chuanzhi stood at the entrance to Mount Everlasting, her stomach churning violently.

Behind him, the Hundred-Zhang Cascade roared, its spray soaking their clothes. Yun Chuanzhi stood frozen for a moment, her face ashen, before vomiting violently.

She was right. Cheng Jinshu was indeed a half-baked practitioner, barely able to control the Wind Manipulation Technique. The wild ascent and descent had nearly shaken her brains out.

Still, they had managed to reach the mountain before the year’s end. Yun Chuanzhi rinsed her mouth with the cascading water and gazed upward.

Cheng Jinshu, meanwhile, looked refreshed and invigorated. She patted her robes and pointed to the stone steps before them. “There you have it—the only path into Mount Everlasting. I’m truly curious to see how your little Immortal Servant plans to breach those three gates. Come, let me fly you up.”

“No need, thank you, no need!” Yun Chuanzhi shook her hands like a rattle drum.

Mount Everlasting lived up to its reputation as one of the three great sects. Beyond the narrow path lay countless magnificent gemstone staircases, winding upward across the mountain. These staircases crisscrossed the entire peak, leading to various jade pavilions and celestial palaces.

In addition to the palaces built into the mountainside, numerous structures called “Cloud Pavilions” floated around the peaks. They remained motionless in still air but drifted with the wind, returning at a wave of the hand.

Upon closer inspection, numerous immortal beasts could be seen soaring beneath these Cloud Pavilions, including vibrantly colored birds and fluttering butterflies.

Yun Chuanzhi had heard tales of Mount Everlasting’s grandeur and splendor back in Avici City, but witnessing it firsthand still left her awestruck. She gazed at everything with the wide-eyed wonder of a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time, finding novelty in every sight.

As they ascended the stone steps, Immortal Cultivators frequently passed by, each adorned in richly embroidered robes of various hues and carrying gleaming golden waist plaques—every one of them at the Nascent Soul realm.

While they paid Yun Chuanzhi no attention, their gazes invariably fell upon Cheng Jinshu, who swaggered beside her. Yet none dared utter a word, bowing their heads and brushing past in silence.

“Why are they staring at you?” Yun Chuanzhi asked, turning to the woman beside her.

“Mind your own business and go awaken your Spirit Root,” Cheng Jinshu retorted, ignoring her question. She casually slung a long staff over her shoulder, adopting the air of a pampered young master. “I haven’t seen a good joke in ages. I’m in the mood for some amusement today.”

Perhaps it truly was a joke. Yun Chuanzhi touched her hair, remembering that this body belonged to Cui Ergou. If her spiritual veins were indeed severed, all her past-life experience would be for naught.

After climbing for four hours, they finally glimpsed the main hall. A resplendent golden structure rose like a colossal tree, its rounded peak looming majestically against the clouds, vying with the sun for brilliance.

“This is Bright Existence Hall, where countless cultivators flock to worship,” Cheng Jinshu said, crossing her arms. She then twirled the long staff on her shoulder and pointed it toward the garden complex of stacked bridges nearby. “That’s One-Pillow Garden.”

“The Eastern Divine Stone you seek is located here.”

The Eastern Divine Stone was indeed deep within the garden, but what came into view wasn’t a stone at all. Instead, four clear blocks of thousand-year-old ice stood at the cardinal directions, surrounding a circular stone platform paved with gravel. Standing on this platform would summon the three gates.

Yun Chuanzhi was about to step forward when a sudden gust of sand blinded her. A soft scoff echoed through the air, and several youths in deep blue brocade robes materialized from the dust.

“Who dares approach the Divine Stone?” As the words left her lips, a longsword pierced through the dust, its blade pressing against Yun Chuanzhi’s throat with a sharp clang.

“Stop!” Cheng Jinshu called out from the side, her brow furrowed as she stepped forward and yanked Yun Chuanzhi back.

The speaker appeared quite young, and the patterns on her brocade robes differed from the others, suggesting a high status. She glanced at Yun Chuanzhi with a sneer before turning her gaze to Cheng Jinshu.

“Isn’t this Eldest Senior Sister? What’s this? After having half your cultivation stripped away, you’re not focusing on training properly? Instead, you’re mingling with the servants?” The youth grinned maliciously. “Bringing an Immortal Servant now? Could it be you’re trying to awaken your Spirit Root?”

He burst into laughter, and the surrounding youths joined in, their mockery clear.

“Oh, it’s Sect Leader Liao’s little junior brother from Second Peak! Last time I saw you was three years ago, when you blew up her alchemy furnace. The old woman stripped your pants off, hung you from the rafters, and whipped you. I was the one who pleaded for mercy on your behalf.”

“What, you’ve already forgotten your dear auntie so soon?” Cheng Jinshu retorted, her smile wide and sharp.

What kind of secret history is this? Yun Chuanzhi thought, nearly forgetting her purpose as she listened to the gossip, her eyes darting to the man’s trousers.

“Nonsense!” Unable to win the verbal sparring, the woman turned her gaze to Yun Chuanzhi, scrutinizing her from head to toe before grinning.

“Oh, a little slave girl,” she sneered, waving her hand toward her forehead. A long staff intercepted her strike mid-air.

“Li Tang, leave her alone!” Cheng Jinshu, despite her arrogant demeanor, was fiercely loyal. She stepped forward to engage Li Tang, but with only half her cultivation remaining, she was struck in the chest within moments, collapsing to one knee as the remaining youths surrounded her.

“Since our Eldest Senior Sister is so protective of you, I’ll make it my mission to torment you even more today,” Li Tang declared, sheathing her sword with a flourish and approaching Yun Chuanzhi with her hands clasped behind her back.

Why are there so many lunatics at Mount Everlasting? Yun Chuanzhi frowned and reached into her sleeve. Though the stone puppet was imbued with Bai Fenghuo’s spiritual energy, it was still just a puppet and likely wouldn’t withstand a single strike from these Immortal Cultivators.

“As a lowly slave girl, you should kneel before me at once,” the woman said, her chin raised arrogantly.

A few snickers echoed around them, followed by Cheng Jinshu’s shrill curses and vulgar insults. Yun Chuanzhi reluctantly slipped her hand into her sleeve.

I’ll have the puppet stall them while I grab Cheng Jinshu and run. But with her half-baked Wind Manipulation Technique, I doubt we can outrun these lunatics.

As she pondered this, the woman closed in, her hand sweeping toward her face. The Immortal Arts concealing her slave mark vanished, revealing the fiery crimson brand on her forehead.

“Kneel,” the woman commanded, her palm striking toward Yun Chuanzhi. But just as the wind from her strike brushed her cheek, Yun Chuanzhi’s body suddenly dissolved into empty space. She watched in disbelief as the man’s hand passed right through her face, nearly throwing her off balance.

Before her materialized Bai Fenghuo’s impatient, indistinct features, along with her signature, rich floral scent.