Volume One: Tiandu Arc

Chapter 1: The Fallen Cauldron

　　At midnight, a waning crescent moon hung slantwise in the sky, a few stars flickering in and out. At the foot of the mountain, a cold pool reflected the stars and moon, and the occasional chirp of cicadas made the tranquility by the pool even more serene and quiet.

　　A caravan slowly passed along the mountain path, the wheels rippling and breaking the stillness of the moonlit night.

　　This caravan looked somewhat different from ordinary ones, mainly because all the guards seemed to be women.

　　The light curtain of the carriage window lifted, revealing the tender yet beautiful face of a young girl. Her bright, sparkling eyes stared curiously at the pool for a while, then she suddenly asked, “Master, master, is that the Wending Pool?”

　　Her voice was as crisp as an oriole’s song, suddenly ringing out in the night, startling the roosting birds into a flurry of flight.

　　Beside the girl was a young married woman with her face veiled in light gauze. She had been reclining with her eyes closed, dozing, but upon hearing the girl’s question, she opened her eyes a sliver, glanced outside in a daze, and sighed softly, “That is the Wending Pool.”

　　The girl asked curiously, “Isn’t this supposed to be a sacred pool, always guarded? I don’t even see a single ghostly shadow.”

　　“Sacred pool? That’s just talk.” The woman sneered, “There used to be guards, but only because when the cauldron fell and formed the pool, the water was infused with the spiritual energy that overflowed from the World-Suppressing Cauldron. Soaking in the pool was good for cultivation, and the royal family took it over. After more than a thousand years, the spiritual energy has dissipated, and now it’s just an ordinary pool. The royals have lost interest and haven’t managed it for nearly a hundred years.”

　　The girl seemed a bit unwilling: “Is there really not a trace of spiritual energy left?”

　　“None at all.” The woman glanced at her, amused, and said, “You just like the look of the pool and want to take a bath, don’t you?”

　　Her thoughts exposed, the girl giggled, “Master, you really understand me. We’ve been traveling for a whole day and night, and I feel all sticky…”

　　The woman replied in exasperation, “With your cultivation, you’re untouched by dust—where’s the stickiness coming from?”

　　The girl’s eyes spun mischievously, and her smile took on a hint of seduction as she leaned against her master: “I’m sticky because I miss men…”

　　The girl was at most thirteen or fourteen, still childish, but in that instant her aura shifted, a latent allure faintly emanating—such charm absolutely didn’t belong to someone her age. Not to mention, what she said was definitely not something an ordinary girl would say. Yet the woman only chuckled, not the least bit annoyed, and instead said, “Fine, you’re just naturally fond of cleanliness. Hmm… let’s rest for a bit, I’ll go with you.”

　　If outsiders saw this, they’d know these two were definitely not from any proper family.

　　The caravan stopped, and the female guards scattered, quietly securing all the paths leading to the pool. Master and disciple, barefoot, stepped out of the carriage. In the moonlight, their robes fluttered, and the two slender, beautiful figures seemed to tread upon the moon, exuding a dreamlike beauty.

　　Light gauze fell onto the grass, and two delicate bodies, as flawless as mutton-fat jade, slowly entered the pool. Even though a day’s journey wasn’t tiring for them, the coolness of the water seeping into their skin still made both master and disciple sigh in comfort.

　　“Master…” The girl gently stroked her jade-like arm and whispered, “The Nine Cauldrons have suppressed the world, and the land has been at peace for a thousand years. Can we really achieve our goal?”

　　“A cauldron is just a dead thing. If it were truly so stable, the current situation with the major sects wouldn’t be so unmanageable.” The woman replied calmly, lifting her veil and casually rinsing it in the water, revealing a face of stunning beauty.

　　In fact, the so-called master was still young—her jade-like face looked at most twenty-six or twenty-seven, but she had a mature charm her disciple lacked. Having experienced the blood and fire of the martial world, bearing the responsibilities of a sect leader, and coming from the demonic sect, her heroic, noble, mysterious, and seductive aura blended perfectly, forming a truly unique presence.

　　The girl looked on enviously: “Master, you’re so beautiful. I bet lots of men went crazy for you in the past, right?”

　　“Heh… Men are all wretches. They only go crazy for what they can’t have. So, Lily, remember: feelings are just toys—play with them, but never take them seriously, or you’ll be the one who goes crazy.”

　　No matter how clever the girl was, she was still too young to fully understand.

　　“What’s more, seducing men is something for the underlings to handle. You and I bear the weight of the sect—there’s no need for you to get involved personally.” The woman smiled slightly, brushed her disciple’s creamy chest, and continued, “Anyone who dares look at you, gouge out their eyes—that’s what you should do.”

　　Before she finished speaking, she suddenly sensed something and jerked her head up to look at the sky.