At the entrance of the Water Moon Sect, in a dark corner, Li Nan clutched the silk scarf he had stolen from the celestial-like woman, the faintly yellow viscous liquid on it still not fully dried.
"Young Master, this little slut has actually become a Holy Maiden. Staying here any longer might not be wise. Let's switch sects! The Xuantian Continent isn't the only place with the Shuimian Sect." The burly guard bowed and said.
"No, this only makes me want to join the Water Moon Sect even more." Li Nan gave a lecherous smile, his mind wandering to something, causing his lower body to swell once more.
"The higher and more powerful a woman is, the greater the sense of accomplishment I'll feel when she eventually submits to me, kneeling at my feet and fawning over me.
I've told you, she'll eventually end up beneath me, moaning and writhing in pleasure."
…
On the testing disk, the light faded away. Earlier, I only felt my body wrapped in a warm object, making me feel incredibly comfortable all over. After the light faded, I felt refreshed, as if I had been reborn. My skin became even whiter, I could see farther, and the sounds around me became clearer. Paying attention, I heard someone below saying:
"This little beauty has become a holy maiden? I don't see anything special about her. She's just tempting, but she'd be perfect for pleasure beneath me." A short man with an indistinct face spoke lewdly.
His words made me blush with shame, and I could no longer bear to listen.
However, the short man suddenly flew into the air. The black-robed master of the sect raised his hand, and the short man was lifted into the air.
With a loud bang, the short man exploded into a cloud of blood, splattering his family's guards.
"The words of this sect master are final. Those who offend the Holy Maiden are as guilty as those who offend the sect master." The sect master remained expressionless, showing no remorse for having just killed a member of a prominent family.
Instantly, the numerous clan members below dared not utter another word of insult.
"If there's nothing else, follow me back to the sect. Bring your maid with you." The sect master turned to me and said.
I nodded slightly, called Xiao Lan over, and the sect master swept his sleeves, releasing a gray mist that enveloped me and Xiao Lan. In an instant, we vanished.
A sensation of weightlessness swept over me, and in the blink of an eye, Xiao Lan and I had appeared in a different location.
This was a grand hall, with a long wooden table in the center. Beside the main seat stood a golden statue, which was the statue of the sect master.
"Sit wherever you like," a voice tinged with fatigue echoed. The sect master turned and sat casually on the main seat, while the statue beside him faintly glowed.
"I have recently done something that may have been detrimental to you. As compensation, I am bestowing upon you three top-grade treasures of the highest quality, which will protect you on your path to enlightenment." The sect master spoke with his eyes closed.
I was puzzled. Hadn't the sect master just granted me an immense opportunity? How could he say he had done something detrimental to me?
"Appointing you as the Holy Maiden is the first time in the Water Moon Sect's hundred-year history that we have established such an image. Imprinting your soul blood on the Mountain and Sea Scroll signifies that you will share life and death with the sect.
Your potential is extraordinary; you will one day surpass even this sect master. This is my personal wish. The small Water Moon Sect is not worthy of keeping you. I hope that when you achieve great success in your cultivation, you will return as the sect's final trump card.
My time as sect master is nearing its end. Without a great stroke of fortune, I will pass away within half a decade. I hope you can understand the wish of a man on the brink of death.
Seeing the look of confusion on my face, the sect master sighed.
"Enough. It is still too early to discuss these matters with you now. When you reach the Yuanling stage of cultivation, you will understand what I have said."
With that, the sect master waved his left hand, and a sword shrouded in light appeared. It emitted a blue glow, had a delicate design, and bore a pattern on the hilt, resembling a weapon used by a woman.
"I see that your sword is merely an ordinary earthly weapon. Therefore, this is my compensation, the first treasure I bestow upon you. The Beauty Sword was once the weapon of an old friend of mine. I hope you will... treat her well." The sect master's gaze fixed on the Beauty Sword, as if he were not looking at a weapon, but... a person.
With a gentle flick of his wrist, the Beauty Sword transformed into a streak of light, piercing into my head. Remarkably, I felt no discomfort at all.
"It will remain in your spiritual sea. Until you reach the Foundation Establishment stage in your cultivation, it will stay there to nurture itself," the sect master explained calmly.
Before I could thank him, the sect master waved his hand again, and this time a precious hairpin of noble design appeared.
"This was obtained during my early years of training when I defeated a wave of demonic creatures. It can help you increase your spiritual energy absorption speed, transforming it into purer spiritual energy to nourish your meridians. Additionally, it is a spatial artifact with a hundred square feet of space inside, sufficient for your use. Since you are a young lady, I took the liberty of transforming it into a hairpin."
Once again, the hairpin transformed into a streak of light and entered my head. I forced myself to remain calm as I waited to see what the third gift from the sect master would be.
The sect master waved his hand again, and this time a lightweight silk robe appeared, with a white sash and a belly band on the inner layer. Seeing a woman's garment in the sect master's hands was somewhat embarrassing. Seeing the sect master holding a girl's garment, I blushed and lowered my head slightly.
The sect master, however, paid no heed, saying, "This is a treasure given to me by a female immortal when I ascended to heaven to study the divine scriptures and entered the True Immortal Sect for training. It is a sea-green silk robe, crafted from the purest soul blood of the sea-green beast, and contains an array that can withstand the attacks of a Nascent Soul cultivator within the span of a single incense stick. Female cultivators have no use for such garments, so take it."
The sea-blue silk robe transformed into a streak of light and entered my spiritual sea. Though I couldn't use them yet, I understood that these three treasures would be of utmost importance for my future path to immortality.
I rose again to bow in respect, but was stopped by the sect master.
"There is no need to bow to the sect master. We have each taken what we sought. My request will become clear to you in time.
After being cleansed by the Mountain and Sea Scroll, all the mundane impurities within your body have been purged. Regarding your mother's matter, I will dispatch a True Immortal to investigate and issue a high bounty. As long as your mother is still on the Xuantian Continent, she will not disappear.
Now, you may leave. There is a female True Immortal outside the hall; she will be your temporary master to guide your cultivation. Go."
After speaking, the sect master did not wait for me to act, but instead released a gray mist and vanished. Seeing this, I could only take Xiao Lan out of the hall to meet the female True Immortal.
In just half a day, I had transformed from a defenseless young woman into the sacred maiden of the Water Moon Sect. The stark contrast left me unsettled, but it also made me realize a truth. If I did not strive for improvement and diligently cultivate, failing to reach the level the sect master deemed acceptable, I would fall even harder. The consequences then would not be something that could be dismissed with mere words.
And that Li Nan who humiliated and abused my body at the mountain gate... Recalling that shameful and enraging scene, anger once again surged within me. If he were to join the Water Moon Sect, I would make him wish he had never been born!
Outside the hall.
A middle-aged woman dressed in purple silk robes stood outside the hall. Upon seeing me emerge, she strode forward to greet me.
"You must be our Holy Maiden. The sect master has already informed me of your arrival. I will not inquire about your past or how you convinced the sect master to appoint you as the sect's Holy Maiden. All you need to know is that, as fellow Water Spirit Roots, I will be your best master."
The woman's voice was gentle and refined, exuding the grace of a noble lady. Combined with her kind features, I couldn't help but feel a warm regard for her.
"This humble maiden is Fang Ling. Please accept my bow as your disciple."
I did not hesitate, immediately kneeling down to perform the discipleship ritual. Seeing this, the middle-aged woman smiled approvingly and waved her hand to help me up.
"Master's title is Su Shui Zhenren, but that is merely a monastic name. My real name is Lin Su'er, and I prefer others to call me Su'er." After Su Shui Zhenren helped me and Xiao Lan to our feet, a pink mist formed beneath our feet, lifting us toward another direction within the sect.
It was my first time flying in the sky, and Xiao Lan clung tightly to my shoulders out of fear, but soon became excited, looking left and right with great delight!
However, I had no heart to admire the scenery of the sect. My doubts and concerns kept me from paying attention to anything else.
"Master, how should I cultivate? And... what does the Holy Maiden represent?" Seeing a woman who had left a favorable impression on me, I couldn't help but ask the biggest question I had since entering the sect.
"I will impart to you the Ice-Pure Jade Scroll, which is most suitable for women with water-type spiritual roots.
I have heard that your spiritual root may evolve into Heavenly Ice. At that time, this scroll will also grow stronger alongside your spiritual root. Heavenly Ice is a type of Heavenly Spiritual Root, the purest and coldest form of ice, capable of freezing anything in the world. Heavenly Spiritual Roots have not appeared on the Xuantian Continent for hundreds of years."
"As for the Holy Maiden, it is the sect master's arrangement, and I will not interfere. As for what the Holy Maiden needs to do, I am unaware. However... I can sense that your cultivation path will not be smooth." Su Shui Zhenren looked at me with an enigmatic expression, glancing over my graceful figure.
"As the Holy Maiden who suddenly appeared within the sect, there will naturally be many disciples who are dissatisfied with you. At that time, you will inevitably have suitors and challengers, especially someone as beautiful as you..." Su Shui Zhenren did not finish her sentence, but I already understood her meaning.
I had always believed that the path of an immortal would be arduous and perilous; such difficulties were inevitable.
"I, Lin Su'er, have never taken a disciple before. You are the first.~ Don't let me down." Suishui Zhenren looked at me with a hint of teasing.
"Your disciple will not disappoint you!" As a woman, I knew Su Shui Zhenren was teasing me, but I still gave a proper response.
Seeing my earnestness, Lin Su'er lost interest in teasing me.
"There is one thing I must tell you. The Ice-Pure Jade Scroll is indeed the most suitable cultivation technique for women with water-type spiritual roots, but... it is also the most suitable cultivation technique for men..." Lin Su'er spoke without emotion, her tone tinged with anger, and the atmosphere grew oppressive.
Before I could express my confusion, Lin Su'er continued:
"If you ever fall into the hands of someone with evil intentions, and I am unable to save you... I will only advise you to destroy your divine soul as soon as possible.
Women who cultivate the Ice-Pure Jade-Clean Scroll have the most gentle and easily absorbed spiritual energy. If you fall into the hands of evil people, you are highly likely to be used as a vessel, to be played with and have your cultivation absorbed by others.
Additionally, due to the unique nature of the Ice-Pure Jade-Pure Scroll, upon contact with a male organ, it automatically divides its pure spiritual energy to nourish and serve the other. In other words, others need not cultivate that obscene scripture; they only need to... engage in intimate union with you...
Additionally, your meridians will become exceptionally supple, making you ideal for being cleansed and drained of essence by a man's vital energy. Within your soul resides a thread of divine consciousness from the Mountain and Sea Scroll, which will protect you from death and allow you to recover from even the most severe injuries... You are the most suitable vessel I have ever encountered!
Even if you encounter someone practicing a special cultivation technique unable to absorb your cultivation, they will sell you at a high price to the Shadow Auction House. You must know that the cultivation world has not seen a woman as suitable for a furnace vessel as you, who practices the Ice-Pure Jade-Pure Scroll, in many years.
After speaking, no one said a word. The oppressive atmosphere made it hard for me to breathe.
As I imagined the scene Lin Su'er had described, I felt my delicate body tremble, and a thread of fear began to surface...
Of course, I shouldn't have harbored such naive thoughts about the path of cultivation. This world is one of the survival of the fittest, and as a woman with a special purpose, my journey would be infinitely more arduous than that of male cultivators...
"What is the Shadow Auction?"
"It's the most mysterious organization on the Xuantian Continent. Legend has it that a Heavenly Sovereign resides there. To contact them, one must participate in their internal auction. Those who attend are unknown even to us. The items they auction… are mostly things that cannot see the light of day." When mentioning the Shadow Auction, Lin Su'er's breathing grew slightly irregular, but she quickly regained her composure.
"If you ever enter as a buyer in the future, it would be acceptable. However, I hope you never end up as an auction item there... Even I, as your master, have no confidence in being able to stand against that organization."