Peach Blossom Paradise

After Qi Xianqing left, Yan Jue’s heart was fluttering.

She had never realized Qi Xianqing liked to drag things out this much.

Why couldn’t she just say it all at once?

What Yan Jue feared most was that Qi Xianqing would turn her down on the grounds that she was trying to steal her master’s skill.

But since Qi Xianqing hadn’t shut the door completely, Yan Jue was still very happy.

No matter what, she would go take a look tomorrow.

Yan Jue hadn’t forgotten her real business. She took the six sleeve arrows and went to the Refining Hall.

The tips of those six sleeve arrows had originally been tempered with the five-element runes of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

But because she had used up the runes in her fight with the monkey demon, Yan Jue planned to have them tempered again here.

The Refining Hall disciple stared at Yan Jue’s sleeve arrows for a long time, then said with an awkward look, “Sorry, we’re not taking orders recently.”

Yan Jue blinked. “Why?”

The Refining Hall existed specifically to forge magical implements for Five Dragons Sect disciples.

That was also its only source of income.

No longer taking orders meant no money.

Under normal circumstances, wouldn’t they only stop taking orders if the sky were falling?

When the disciple looked up again, his expression was even firmer. “Mm, sorry, we’re not taking orders recently.”

Just then, a youth in a jade-gray Daoist robe walked in from outside.

He handed the axe in his hand to the Refining Hall disciple. “Please add some intermediate poison attributes to this axe.”

The disciple accepted the axe and smiled. “Of course. Our usual turnaround is one day; you can come pick it up then, or leave an address and we can mail it to you.”

After putting the axe away, the disciple looked back at Yan Jue. “Sorry, we’re not taking orders recently.”

Yan Jue: “…”

This was the equivalent of slapping her in the face in public.

Was he not taking orders, or not taking her order?

Yan Jue then took out the black iron from her bag. “Then can you temper one more rune into this piece of black iron?”

The disciple : “We’re very sorry. That’s the rule from above. If it can’t be done, it can’t be done.”

Yan Jue: “…”

After Yan Jue left the Refining Hall, the more she thought about it, the stranger it felt.

If the Refining Hall was acting like this, then either it was targeting her, or it was targeting Watercloud Sect.

But Watercloud Sect was huge and powerful; being targeted seemed unrealistic.

That left only one possibility.

They were targeting her.

The Refining Hall was Five Dragons Sect’s own business, and it was directly tied to the Five Dragons Immortal Sect. How could it be targeting only her?

Had she offended someone recently?

Yan Jue thought and thought, and finally concluded that she really might have offended someone lately; someone important enough that even the Refining Hall, which belonged to the Five Dragons Immortal Sect, would obey him.

In theory, that shouldn’t have been the case…

She had always stayed down the mountain. She shouldn’t have offended anyone up there.

As Yan Jue walked, she suddenly heard a few dog barks ahead.

She froze and looked up, instantly breaking out in a cold sweat.

Last time she had practiced at Cold Pool on Qiwu Peak, she had run into a vicious dog demon.

Yan Jue knew exactly what it looked like; the scar on her shoulder was still there from where that dog demon had bitten her.

But now, that dog demon was actually right in front of her, led on a leash by someone.

Yan Jue looked up, and her expression slowly darkened.

The person leading the dog demon was Li Hao, whom she had seen before at Drunken Spring Pavilion.

Li Hao wore the bright purple Daoist robe reserved for Jingang Sect inner disciples. He was brimming with self-importance, gripping a metal chain tightly in his hand.

The dog demon bound by that chain was staring at her with golden eyes.

Seeing this scene, Yan Jue understood everything.

So that dog demon… was that person’s pet.

Yan Jue had said so; how could it have been such a coincidence that a dog demon just happened to appear while she was practicing that day?

Li Hao stood there, looking at her provocatively. “What’s wrong? Were you thrown out by the Refining Hall?”

Yan Jue said nothing, only gave him a cool glance.

Li Hao clicked his tongue and swept his gaze over her outer sect Daoist robe.

Watercloud Sect outer sect robes were jade-gray; compared with Jingang Sect’s flashy purple inner sect robes, they looked much plainer.

But this was not just a difference in color.

It was a gulf in talent, status, and qualification.

Li Hao smiled and said to the people beside him, “Our Refining Hall has to conserve resources. We’re moving toward a smaller, more refined model lately. As for outer sect disciples like these who don’t strive to improve, the Refining Hall isn’t willing to waste any resources or time on them.”

Li Hao spoke leisurely, while the big dog beside him stared unblinkingly at Yan Jue.

Its eyes were a ferocious golden yellow; its sharp fangs flashed dazzlingly in the sunlight, and around its neck hung a glaring wolf-tooth collar.

Yan Jue suddenly froze and noticed something was off.

The dog was… wagging its tail at her?

She vaguely found it strange, but didn’t think too much about it.

After all, a dog wagging its tail didn’t only mean happiness; it could also mean nervousness, fear, and other emotions.

Li Hao stared straight at Yan Jue, his gaze unfriendly.

Behind him was the immortal sword Benevolent Thunder Earl, tempered by fifty-six heavenly lightning strikes.

As long as Yan Jue lost her temper and came closer, he would recite his heart incantation and strike this little slut dead!

Five Dragons Sect did not allow disciples to brawl, but it always took the right of self-defense very seriously.

Li Hao was not afraid to kill this little slut; as long as Yan Jue showed hostility toward him or made an attacking move, he could just say the other side had started it.

Among the four tiers of heaven, earth, mystery, and yellow, heaven was the highest.

His immortal sword was already a top-tier mysterious-grade magical implement among the heaven-earth-mystery-yellow ranks. Even a cultivator at the great completion of the first major realm, the Enlightenment Realm, could not withstand a direct hit from it.

Li Hao watched Yan Jue slowly approach, and murderous intent rose in him.

Who knew Yan Jue only gave him a blank look, then turned and left.

“…"

Yan Jue did not want to bring trouble on herself.

She knew the cultivation world looked calm on the surface, but underneath it was already surging with hidden currents.

She only vaguely felt that the Refining Hall matter just now was also related to Li Hao.

Yan Jue was a little surprised.

Li Hao’s status and position were actually high enough that he could make even the Refining Hall obey him?

“…"

The youth beside Li Hao looked at her reaction and couldn’t help laughing. “Big brother, she’s scared of you.”

Li Hao spat and looked at Yan Jue’s retreating back, his face dark.

She didn’t even get angry?

“Big brother? What is it?”

Li Hao came back to himself. “Do you think I’ve got her completely under control? A lowly outer sect disciple like her should only be kneeling when she sees me. What right does she have to think she’s better than I am?”

Before he could finish, the Hellhound beside him suddenly began wagging its tail excitedly and barking loudly in Yan Jue’s direction, its golden eyes flashing with a faint light.

Li Hao lashed it with a whip. “What are you doing?! Be quiet—”

Before he could finish, the Hellhound suddenly charged out, as if it wanted to chase after Yan Jue.

Li Hao was yanked off his feet and slammed hard to the ground.

“Big brother!!!”

-

Yan Jue left Buzhou Peak and stepped onto the bridge leading back to Watercloud Sect, all the while turning things over in her mind.

If the Refining Hall wouldn’t temper her implements, what was she supposed to do in the future?

In this world, apart from one’s own cultivation, magical implements were the most important thing of all.

Five Dragons Sect disciples normally did not go down the mountain easily; if she wanted anything refined, the Refining Hall was the only place to go.

But she had never expected Li Hao to actually have the power to make the Refining Hall obey him. This was truly…

bad.

Among all of Five Dragons Sect, the most looked down on were outer sect disciples.

If she were an inner sect disciple, then when Jingang Sect’s Li Hao bullied her, she could still ask her master to step in.

But she was an outer sect disciple without even a master.

Yan Jue only wanted to stay alive, yet after just transmigrating into the book, she had already run into such a huge stumbling block with Li Hao.

Someone suddenly patted her shoulder.

“Yan Jue.”

Yan Jue turned around and slightly froze.

Duan Luxi wore a light green gauze dress, its hem fluttering elegantly in the wind.

She had no idea when she had come over, and asked with a smile, “Are you deaf? I called you so many times just now and you didn’t hear me.”

Yan Jue smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I was thinking about something.”

Duan Luxi sighed. “It’s only been two days since we last saw each other, but why do I feel like it’s been so long? Life down the mountain is really unforgettable.”

Yan Jue froze, then excitement suddenly lit up her eyes.

She abruptly raised a hand and pressed it on Duan Luxi’s shoulder. “Duan Luxi, do you know how to forge swords?”

Duan Luxi made a startled sound, not quite reacting in time. “Forge swords?”

“I remember you said last time that if I had any magical implements that needed refining, I could come find you, right?”

Duan Luxi : “Yes! If you have any magical implements, you can bring them to me to practice on… no, wait, you can bring them to me, and I’ll definitely help you refine them properly.”

Yan Jue said excitedly, “That’s great.”

Duan Luxi paused, then honestly admitted, “But I’m only an amateur hobbyist when it comes to refining. I definitely can’t compare to the Refining Hall’s professionalism. As long as you trust me, you can come to me.”

Yan Jue patted her shoulder. “I trust you!”

Duan Luxi stood there stunned as Yan Jue pulled a small box from her Qiankun bag.

Inside the box lay six glittering golden sleeve arrows.

The patterns on the sleeve arrows were crude, but they were unlike anything she had ever seen. At first glance, they were still quite beautiful.

Yan Jue : “Do you know how to temper runes? Can you help me temper runes onto these sleeve arrows? Nothing else; just the basic metal, wood, water, fire, and earth kind will do.”

Duan Luxi hesitated. “I’ll try.”

She was a little moved. She was just an amateur hobbyist in refining, and yet no one in the sect dared to let her try their magical implements.

After all, in this world, a magical implement was a cultivator’s life. What if it broke in Duan Luxi’s hands?

But Yan Jue was actually willing to hand over her own things to be refined…

Duan Luxi was so moved she felt like crying. “Yes! If you don’t mind me, then just leave them with me. Even if I don’t take your money, I’ll still refine them for you.”

Yan Jue was also moved to the point of tears, gripping Duan Luxi’s hand. “I don’t mind!”

-

Now that the matter of tempering the magical implements had been settled, Yan Jue naturally wouldn’t let Li Hao’s little interruption ruin her mood.

After all, Li Hao only dared to do little things behind her back; she didn’t think he would dare come kill her openly.

That night, after Yan Jue returned to her room, she removed the demon-binding ring, and a surge of demonic energy rolled through her chest.

She closed her eyes; the things before her gradually grew larger.

When Yan Jue opened her eyes again, she had already become a small fox.

Yan Jue stared at herself in the mirror for a while, dazed.

The little fox’s tail was very fluffy.

That first tail, which a few days ago had still been as thin as a scallion, had actually grown out.

Yan Jue flicked her two fluffy tails.

She knew very well that she was no longer an ordinary little fox.

She was now a two-tailed fox. Having one more tail did not reduce her beauty; it made her even prettier.

Two tails like flames swayed in the air, graceful and light, like a divine beast in a painting.

Yan Jue felt the demonic energy in her body surging wildly, so she simply jumped out the window.

She wanted to go to Cold Pool.

For Yan Jue, the spiritual energy at Cold Pool was undoubtedly the most comfortable.

After several interactions with Qi Xianqing, Yan Jue had discovered that Qi Xianqing at least had no murderous intent toward her.

It was all thanks to the demon-binding ring around her neck, which jingled as she walked.

Perhaps because of that, Qi Xianqing had treated her as some other person’s spirit pet.

Besides, whatever kind of demonic creature you were, as long as you had not yet taken human form, you probably weren’t considered a big problem.

Animals growing up in these spiritual mountains would inevitably carry spiritual energy all over their bodies.

Over time, that spiritual energy in animals would become demonic energy.

All the malice this world held toward demons was reserved for those that had already taken human form and committed countless evils.

On the way, Yan Jue thought that tonight, she probably would not see Qi Xianqing by the lake.

After all, Qi Xianqing had agreed to meet her tomorrow morning; by now, she should already be asleep.

When Yan Jue arrived at Cold Pool, she crouched habitually in the grass.

And there, not far away, she actually saw Qi Xianqing’s figure!

Qi Xianqing was leaning lazily against a tree, dressed in a pale-cloud-colored wide-sleeved layered dress with crossed lapels. Her exposed collarbones were slim and delicate, and her jet-black hair was loose over her shoulders.

She had her head lowered, with a small grill set up in front of her.

Qi Xianqing was slowly roasting something; the scent of grilled meat spread all around Cold Pool.

Yan Jue stopped in her tracks and couldn’t help blinking.

Qi Xianqing had always given off the impression of an untouched immortal who did not touch the mortal world. Even her clothes, when she wore them casually, tended to be plain in color, and she especially favored light, narrow sleeves.

Wearing something like this now, she was so beautiful it was as if an immortal had descended from the heavens.

Yan Jue took a few steps forward; the soles of her paws made faint rustling sounds on the ground.

The smell of grilled meat was simply too tempting; Yan Jue felt her fox instincts beginning to stir again.

Qi Xianqing seemed to have already heard her footsteps. She looked up at Yan Jue and said in a slow, lazy voice, “You’re here. Come eat some meat.”

Yan Jue had originally wanted to hold out a little longer, but that thought lasted only an instant before it collapsed on its own, because that vicious woman had actually picked up a skewer of sizzling, fragrant grilled meat right in front of her and started eating it slowly and carefully.

Her instincts began roaring wildly in Yan Jue’s head. She found she couldn’t quite suppress the fox’s nature.

Anyway, if the little fox wanted to eat, what did that have to do with her?

Yan Jue hopped over, her big tail fluttering behind her, and clung her front paws to Qi Xianqing’s leg, whimpering nonstop.

Qi Xianqing : “Little glutton.”

Her voice was very soft, with a slight nasal tone, especially gentle; it stabbed right into Yan Jue’s ears.

Yan Jue stared at her, and her large black ears twitched.

Qi Xianqing gave her the grilled meat, and Yan Jue began eating.

Qi Xianqing really was smart. The last time she had given Yan Jue bones and found that Yan Jue didn’t like them, she started looking for ways to feed her human food instead.

Yan Jue was eating when her whole body suddenly stiffened; her hind legs tensed reflexively.

Qi Xianqing was touching her tail again, very seriously lifting one of her tails to look at it, then patting the base of the tail.

Yan Jue’s whole body trembled. She hadn’t fully adapted to this fox body yet, and with Qi Xianqing touching her like that, the innate desires and instincts within her roared up again. Before long, even her legs went weak, and she slowly lay down on the ground, fluffy paws stretched out in front of her.

A completely helpless, at someone’s mercy kind of look.

“Just as I thought,” Qi Xianqing murmured. “A two-tailed spirit fox.”

This was a world full of spiritual energy.

In this world, animals having two tails was not strange at all.

Spirit foxes could have two tails, or three.

Some spirit foxes grew as many as six tails; that was already incomparably rare.

If six-tailed spirit foxes were rare, then at the very top of the spirit fox hierarchy were the legendary nine-tailed foxes.

Nine-tailed foxes were naturally intelligent. If they didn’t take the crooked path and instead cultivated diligently, breaking through the barrier of the seventh realm was only a matter of time.

It was just that nine-tailed foxes had been brutally slaughtered by the immortal sects a thousand years ago, and they were now almost extinct.

It… probably wasn’t one, right?

After Yan Jue finished the chicken leg, she saw Qi Xianqing stand up. “You’re full. Let’s go for a walk; look how fat you’ve gotten.”

Yan Jue: “?”

Was it really polite to call a girl fat?

Qi Xianqing walked in front, and Yan Jue hopped after her.

She was still cautious, keeping a certain distance from Qi Xianqing.

Qi Xianqing led her in a walk around the lake, and before long, they came to a small courtyard by the shore.

Yan Jue froze.

This courtyard, bathed in moonlight, was enclosed by a fence; in the distance stood a delicate wooden house.

Closer in, row after row of peach trees were neatly arranged.

The elegant fragrance of peach blossoms drifted to the tip of her nose, pure as a dream on ice.

Petals turned and fell in the moonlight, blooming into a gorgeous pink in midair, extraordinarily beautiful.

Yan Jue had also gone to admire peach blossoms in the modern world, but no matter where she went, it was always packed shoulder to shoulder with people.

This was the first time she had seen such a quiet scene, with the bright moon overhead.

How strange…

Usually she also came to Cold Pool often, but never once had she noticed this courtyard.

As Yan Jue crossed into the courtyard, she could feel a faint fluctuation of spiritual power in her body.

There must have been some kind of concealment formation set up outside this courtyard, which made it difficult for others to see.

Qi Xianqing : “These are ice peach trees. They bear fruit once every ten years. By mortal reckoning, that would be once every thousand years.”

So Five Dragons Mountain was truly a famous immortal mountain under heaven; time there differed greatly from time in the mortal world.

A few days in the mountain could mean a thousand years on earth.

Ten years on Five Dragons Mountain often meant that a thousand years had passed in the mortal world.

Qi Xianqing : “My uncle-master, the Sect Master, asked me to help take care of these trees. They should bear fruit next year.”

Yan Jue suddenly understood. No wonder she often saw Qi Xianqing at Qiwu Peak.

So the girl often came here to help the Sect Master, the Daoist in the Woods, water the peach trees.

The whole area was filled with a light floral fragrance, soothing to the heart.

Yan Jue sniffed it and felt a little drunk. Her amber, narrow phoenix eyes were clear and bright, and her two fluffy tails kept flicking.

Fruit next year, then…

She wondered whether Qi Xianqing would graciously let her have a taste.

Qi Xianqing’s next sentence crushed that fantasy before it could even take root: “These ice peaches are nurtured with jade nectar. They absorb the cold spiritual energy of Cold Pool day and night. A mortal only needs to eat two to awaken a spiritual root; one is enough to open the meridians throughout the body. Ordinary birds and beasts only need one to transform into human form.”

“It’s also a delicacy at the Myriad Immortals Assembly.”

The Myriad Immortals Assembly?

Yan Jue listened and blinked.

The Myriad Immortals Assembly; wasn’t that just like the Queen Mother’s Peach Banquet?

Qi Xianqing explained to her that the Myriad Immortals Assembly was the grand gathering held once every seven years by the so-called six great immortal sects.

At this gathering, South Tower, which belonged to the Imperial Court, would also participate, and the Imperial Court would send people as well. Each sect would display its best skills or present rare treasures from their respective regions to the royal family. The spectacle was enormous.

Yan Jue froze.

A few days in the mountain meant a thousand years on earth.

Even if it wasn’t quite that exaggerated, one day in the mountain could still mean one year on earth.

Once every seven years… wouldn’t that be several thousand years in the mortal world?

Qi Xianqing : “It’s a pity I was too young when I attended. I don’t remember much.”

Qi Xianqing had also attended the Myriad Immortals Assembly?

Yan Jue remembered that when she had read the novel, all her attention had been on the soap-opera plot, and she hadn’t paid much attention to Qi Xianqing’s childhood.

She remembered that Qi Xianqing’s childhood… seemed to have been quite miserable too.

It seemed Qi Xianqing had gone up the mountain very young and had always stayed by the side of Yun Zhenzi, the Thunderflame Sect Master. She was the undisputed first disciple of Thunderflame Sect.

That was probably why Qi Xianqing was so untouched by worldly dust, and why she had the title Immortal Lady Qi.

Perhaps because mortals live in the dusty mortal world, they inevitably become tainted by impurity; but Qi Xianqing had grown up on the mountain, eating, wearing, living, and using things all filled with spiritual energy, and that was why she was so clean.

The night was quiet, so Yan Jue began to wander through the peach grove.

Qi Xianqing walked behind her at an unhurried pace, hands clasped behind her back.

One person and one fox, with peach shadows swaying; unexpectedly harmonious.

As Yan Jue walked, she couldn’t help sniffing here and there beneath the big trees.

Then she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach.

No wonder; she had just eaten so much grilled meat. How could her stomach not hurt?

Yan Jue felt that at the moment she still could not overcome, or perhaps should not say she could not overcome, the fox’s nature. After spinning around a few times where she stood, all the fur on her body stood on end.

Qi Xianqing saw her reaction and froze. “What’s wrong?”

Yan Jue’s face turned green, and her nose wrinkled.

Forget it; little foxes didn’t understand anything.

She yowled at Qi Xianqing in a fluster, then hopped off to the back of the farthest peach tree, intending to relieve herself.

Peach blossoms fell soundlessly. Yan Jue even turned back warily to scan her surroundings, because a fox was most vulnerable when defecating; if some natural enemy suddenly appeared and bit her to death, she wouldn’t even know how she died.

After the little fox finished, its hind paws began furiously scraping at the dirt.

But there wasn’t much loose soil on the ground to begin with. No matter how long she scratched, it was still useless.

Qi Xianqing understood what she was doing at a glance and didn’t find it strange.

This little fox seemed especially intelligent.

No, rather, a two-tailed spirit fox really was intelligent.

Qi Xianqing walked over, picked her up, and stroked the fur on her back. “It’s fine. Don’t be nervous.”

The little fox lay in her arms like an innocent infant, her amber eyes staring at her in terror.

Qi Xianqing’s palm gently brushed the silly tuft of hair atop her head, silently soothing her, then she took out a handkerchief from her robes.

A whole series of question marks suddenly exploded in Yan Jue’s head, and then a tingle ran up her spine; her whole body went limp.

Qi Xianqing gently wiped the fur behind her buttocks, then set her on the ground.

The little fox was wiped clean and sprang away, leaping several feet high to hide behind a tree.

Qi Xianqing held the handkerchief and walked to the big tree where Yan Jue had just relieved herself. She bent down, picked up that pile of droppings, and tossed it into a waste basket.

In Yan Jue’s mind, Qi Xianqing had gained a new title.

Expressionless Senior Sister of Shoveling Shit.

TL Note:

A few days in the mountain could mean a thousand years on earth (山中方数日，地上已千年) = a saying that time in the immortal mountains passes far more slowly than in the mortal world.