Chapter 41

Yue Qing played a short segment of "Fishing Boat Evening Song," and heard the man with the small braid outside reporting to Wei Fengniang in the courtyard. Wei Fengniang casually dismissed him, and only after the music inside stopped did she enter the room.

Yue Qing saw that she was wearing a dew-receiving lotus leaf skirt, with a pink, gold-trimmed hàn dàn silk blouse on top. Her hair was styled in a beauty bun, with a jade step-shaking hairpin slanted in it. She walked in with small, graceful steps and said, "Wei Xiaomei, it's been over ten years since we last met. You seem to be living a more luxurious life. Guarding such a palace, keeping a group of men, and ruling here like an empress outside the world."

Wei Fengniang came over and poured a cup of tea for Yue Qing, holding it in her hand and presenting it to him with a mix of sorrow and coquettishness, saying, "Isn't it because Brother finds Fengniang unworthy and refuses to accept me? Otherwise, this entire Green Snail Palace would belong to you."

Yue Qing ignored her advances, took the teacup, and sat down in a chair. He took a sip and praised, "This tea is quite good."

Wei Fengniang's eyes twinkled, and she glared at him before sitting down on the arhat bed opposite him. "This is our Green Snail Immortal Tea, best steeped with mountain spring water. It has a refreshing, icy-cold flavor that leaves one feeling serene and refreshed after drinking it."

Yue Qing took another sip. "I heard that you and Bulu Yin from the Dianxi Demon Sect harmed Master Guangming?"

"What could I do? My master came all the way from the Boketashan in Xinjiang to clean up the sect. She was so rigid in her beliefs that I couldn't reason with her. To protect myself, I had to resort to such a desperate measure." She then looked at Yue Qing with a sorrowful expression. "If Brother had been by my side, with your cultivation, it wouldn't have come to this."

Yue Qing waved his hand. "I couldn't defeat that old nun! Besides, she had a legitimate reason. You said you were gathering disciples to expand the sect, but you only ended up with the Eight Demons of West Sichuan, a bunch of scoundrels and good-for-nothings."

Wei Fengniang didn't argue or get angry. "Brother, after the death of the Great Master Taibai Hanyuan, the situation of the Wutai Sect has been declining. Now, there's only the Golden Body Arhat Fayuan left on Wutai Mountain. Even Xu Feiniang has reformed and joined the Emei Sect. If you ask me, you should come and join me, and help develop the Green Snail Valley. With just a word from you, I'll dismiss all the men here and deal with the disciples as you see fit, and you can be the Master of the Green Snail Palace..."

"Enough!" Yue Qing interrupted her. "I cannot forget the great kindness of my master and will never change my allegiance."

As they spoke, Di Sha reported from outside the door, "The food and wine are ready in the Phoenix Pavilion."

Wei Fengniang led Yue Qing to the Phoenix Pavilion, a two-story building, half hidden by wutong trees and the other half facing the garden. Wei Fengniang sent Di Sha away and strictly ordered no one to enter. Then she returned and sat down with Yue Qing to drink together.

They talked about their experiences over the years. Yue Qing asked her about her future plans, but Wei Fengniang showed no ambition. She was satisfied with the current state of the Green Snail Valley and wanted to continue living like this.

Yue Qing said, "After my master's death, the Emei Sect has become the dominant force in the world. Over the past few decades, they have grown even stronger and have been ruthless in eliminating their enemies. You, who betrayed your master and are so debauched, are exactly the kind of person they use to build their reputation. If you continue like this, within ten years, this place will become a branch of the Emei Sect."

Wei Fengniang replied, "It won't be that easy for the Emei Sect to kill me!" She then poured another cup of wine and offered it to Yue Qing. "I still mean what I said earlier. If Brother is willing to take charge of the Green Snail, I will do whatever you say."

Seeing her like this, Yue Qing knew that after harming her master, Guangming, she had become even more arrogant and reckless, not taking the Emei Sect seriously. However, she did have astonishing magical powers, and it would be a pity if she were to die at the hands of the Emei Sect in the future. As he pondered, Wei Fengniang spoke in a soft, seductive voice and kept offering him wine.

Wei Fengniang had practiced many spells to seduce men and absorb their yang energy. She had used them in the Cloud Lock Cave on Mount Heng in the past, but they had all failed. Now, she didn't dare to try again, only continuously urging him to drink and making suggestive gestures to tempt Yue Qing.

Disappointed, Yue Qing didn't say much more. He drank every cup offered, and Wei Fengniang slowly came over and sat on his lap, wrapping her white arms around his neck. She said in a soft voice, "Yue Xiaoge, do you remember the first time we met?"

Yue Qing nodded. "I remember. I was bathing under a waterfall, and you came to steal my clothes, and I hit you with a Five Elements Divine Thunder."

It was at that moment that Wei Fengniang called him "Yue Xiaoge," and he called her "Wei Xiaomei," and these nicknames have been used ever since.

Wei Fengniang placed his hand on her chest and stroked his lips with her slender fingers. "You, my dear, were really ruthless. If it had been anyone else, they would have been killed by you that day."

Yue Qing laughed. "Anyone else wouldn't have just taken a stranger's clothes."

Wei Fengniang hugged Yue Qing. "How could they be strangers? You are a famous figure in the Wutai Sect, and I recognized you long ago. Do you know, Brother, I haven't forgotten that day in the past hundred years. Every time I'm with another man, I think of you." She leaned close to his ear, her breath like orchids, "Back then, you said your Taibai Xuan Dan wasn't complete, so you wouldn't be with me. Now that you've reached the Immortal Realm, will you pity your sister?"

Yue Qing looked at her. "I heard you obtained a pre-Qin version of the 'Suna Jing' and used the Suna's method to harm many people's cultivation. A few years ago, I met my junior fellow disciple Feitian Yecha Ma Jue, who said you took his master's essence and even dissolved his Two Instruments Inner Dan, causing him to commit suicide in shame."

"Brother, don't worry. Even if I have such methods, I wouldn't use them on you." She undid his belt. "You are my nemesis, from many lifetimes ago. I only want to cultivate with you and share the blessings of immortality." She slipped her left hand under his shirt and grabbed the wine bottle with her right hand, took a sip, and kissed Yue Qing's lips.

Yue Qing looked into her eyes, and suddenly his pupils flashed red. Wei Fengniang shivered and fainted in his arms.

"Unfortunately, I cultivate the Taibai Xuan Dan, which requires me to remain a virgin to nurture the yuan ying. Otherwise, I would only be a scatter immortal and would have to start over." He pinched her face. "Besides, I'm not a garbage dump, taking in anything!"

The next morning, Wei Fengniang woke up in the Phoenix Pavilion and heard the soothing sound of a qin. She sat up and saw Yue Qing, dressed in white, sitting under the wutong tree, playing a piece of "High Mountains and Flowing Water," which left her feeling refreshed. She tidied her clothes, covered her mouth, and giggled as she walked out. "The Ten Demons Scripture of the Wutai Sect is a secret classic of the Northern Demon Sect. It is said that among the Five Demon Sects, the Northern Demon Sect was the strongest, and the Ten Demons Scripture is as powerful as the Nine Heavens Secret Demon Scripture of the Central Demon Sect." She walked up to Yue Qing and smiled. "I guess Brother has been focusing on cultivating the Taibai True Interpretation and has neglected the demonic path." She blinked. "Your Heart Stealing Great Spell wasn't effective. I broke it."

Yue Qing looked at her. "Is that so?"

"Of course! The Heart Stealing Great Spell is just a minor technique valued by mortals, used to make someone fall in love with you completely. Besides practicing the secret Vajra Dharma taught by my master, I obtained a fragment of a celestial book on the top of Mount Tian and cultivated the Yaochi Immortal Dharma. I also obtained a demon scripture in West Kunlun. I am proficient in the three teachings, so how could I be trapped by such a simple spell?" She leaned in. "Actually, Brother, you don't need to use any tricks. A hundred years ago, my heart was already stolen by you." She reached out to grab his hand again.

Yue Qing didn't pull his hand away, letting her hold it. "I heard you recently obtained a Daoist scripture from Guangchengzi?"

Wei Fengniang was astonished. "How did you know?"

Yue Qing said, "You hid the scripture in the underground palace beneath the Green Snail Valley?"

Wei Fengniang's eyes nearly popped out. "Did you use magic to make me tell you last night? Impossible! Absolutely impossible! If we had a real fight, I might not be your match, but in terms of magic, you are no match for me, and it's impossible for you to do it without me noticing..."

"Don't overthink it. I calculated it." Yue Qing patted her white hand. "Come, take me to see it."

Wei Fengniang looked at the man in front of her, hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded. "Alright, Brother, please follow me!"