Chapter 32: The Temptress
Being alone in a room with a temptress… This reminded Mingyan of Tang Sanzang in “Journey to the West,” constantly targeted by demons for his flesh… and that particular episode, the Kingdom of Women.
He felt the Huang family was like the Kingdom of Women, and he was Tang Sanzang facing this trial… It was truly agonizing…
But perhaps it was a good thing. If he could withstand this temptation, his self-control would be greatly enhanced…
Another night passed. Mingyan had given his bed to Huang Junyi and meditated beside it.
Huang Junyi, having drunk quite a bit, was flushed and alluring. Her form-fitting palace dress accentuated her curves, making it difficult to look away. Mingyan hadn’t dared to glance at her… well, perhaps a few unavoidable glances. He had endured a long and restless night.
Huang Junyi, although seemingly asleep, had been observing him. He had only looked at her a few times and then avoided her gaze for the rest of the night. She found this both amusing and admirable. But she also began to doubt her own charm. Was she truly an old woman now? Unable to even entice a sixteen-year-old boy?
She had once been a renowned beauty in the Eastern Continent, although not as famous as her elder sister, Huang Junru. The three Huang sisters had been known for their beauty, and despite everyone knowing they wouldn’t marry, they had never lacked suitors.
But that was many years ago. Now, she was old and faded, not even able to charm a sixteen-year-old.
As she was lamenting this, she sensed two women approaching outside and, with a slight frown, vanished from the room.
Mingyan, still meditating, heard a knock. “Excuse me, is Young Master Ming there?”
That voice… An Ran? He opened his eyes, surprised, and instinctively looked at the bed. The alluring “sister” was gone, likely hiding. Relieved, he went to open the door.
An Ran and her maidservant, Yu Zhu, stood outside.
An Ran wore her Ice Silk Gauze dress, her face slightly flushed, seemingly embarrassed. Today, she wasn’t wearing a veil, revealing her full beauty.
Mingyan remembered Huang Junyi’s assessment of An Ran: besides her beauty, she had nothing to offer due to her illness…
She was indeed exceptionally beautiful…
He had only seen the upper half of her face before, partially hidden by the veil, and had thought her features were delicate and poetic. Now, seeing her full face, he sighed inwardly. With such beauty, even with her short lifespan, wouldn’t someone want to marry her? Just looking at her was a pleasure.
An Ran wore no makeup, her expression slightly fragile, her face flushed, her lips pursed nervously. She resembled a celestial maiden from a painting, her beauty captivating.
Although frail, her figure beneath the dress was alluring. If not for her illness, she would surely be adored by many…
“Miss An…” Mingyan, having endured the trial of a temptress, maintained his composure and nodded slightly.
“Young Master Ming, Yu Zhu and I caused you some trouble yesterday. Eldest Miss Huang has confirmed you’re not the one who stole my veil. We’re here to apologize. Yu Zhu…” An Ran’s face flushed slightly with embarrassment, and she looked at her maidservant.
Yu Zhu bit her lip and lowered her head reluctantly. “I apologize… Young Master Ming. I offended you yesterday…”
“It’s fine.” Mingyan looked at Yu Zhu, noticing nothing unusual, then smiled. “It was natural for you to suspect me, Miss Yu Zhu, given the circumstances. I don’t mind.”
“That’s good… Young Master Ming, I made these peach blossom cakes this morning. I hope you’ll accept them. It would ease my conscience.” An Ran seemed relieved and had Yu Zhu hand him a bamboo basket. She blushed again. “I made them myself. I hope you don’t mind.”
Mingyan accepted the basket after a moment’s thought. “Thank you for your kindness, Miss An. Would you like to come in and sit for a while?”
An Ran shook her head quickly. “No, no… I… Yu Zhu and I should be going. I’m glad you accepted the cakes.”
Mingyan nodded, and An Ran and Yu Zhu left.
He closed the door, set the basket on the table, and Huang Junyi appeared beside it. She opened the basket, revealing beautifully crafted cakes with a delicate peach blossom fragrance. They looked delicious.
Huang Junyi examined them with her spiritual energy, then looked at Mingyan. “There’s nothing wrong with the cakes. You can eat them without worry… Did you notice anything unusual just now?”
Mingyan shook his head. “Nothing. Yu Zhu seemed slightly resentful, which is consistent with her earlier behavior. There were no inconsistencies.”
“Do you think she would try again, if she was the attacker?” Huang Junyi sat down, smiling at him.
Mingyan shook his head. “If I were the attacker, I wouldn’t try anything again so soon. They know I informed the Huang family. Although they might not know what I mean to the Huang family, they wouldn’t be so reckless. So, you should be safe for now.”
“I agree. But to protect our family’s hope, I’ll stay here.” Huang Junyi winked. “It’s almost time for the blood extraction… Little brother, everything depends on this. If your blood truly awakens my sister, I’ll reward you handsomely.”
Mingyan shook his head. “Sister… the Huang family has already rewarded me. I can’t accept anything more.”
“This is a personal reward from me, unrelated to the Huang family.” Huang Junyi shook her head, her expression serious. “If you ever need my help in the future, I’ll be there without hesitation, not because of your relationship with Feiyan, but in my own name.”
Mingyan started to speak, “Actually, I don’t…”
Huang Junyi placed a finger on his lips, her fragrance intoxicating. He quickly collected himself.
“I mean what I say. You don’t have the right to refuse.” She smiled gently. “You only have the right to accept. I want to hear you say ‘thank you, Sister,’ not ‘I don’t need it,’ alright?”
This temptress was quite domineering… But perhaps this kind of domineering wasn’t so bad?
Huang Junyi withdrew her finger, her eyes filled with anticipation. He couldn’t refuse and nodded. “Then… thank you, Sister…”
Huang Junyi smiled, satisfied. “That’s better.”
Had he been ensnared by a demoness? He felt strange. Huang Junyi had emphasized that she would help him even if he wasn’t friends with Feiyan…
Mingyan looked at the peach blossom cakes in the basket, picked one up, and took a bite. The soft, fragrant cake was delicious. He hadn’t eaten normal food much since he started cultivating. The spirit herbs and fruits were a special case, meant to nourish his body.
The cake was truly delicious. An Ran must have put a lot of effort into making them.
“Would you like to try one, Sister? They’re quite good,” he offered.
“This was made for you by another woman. Are you sure it’s alright for me to eat it?” Huang Junyi’s smile was mischievous. This woman was truly unpredictable, her smile shifting between seductive and playful… Alluring in every way…
“Of course. She gave them to me, so they’re mine now. And Sister can have anything that’s mine.” Mingyan missed the underlying meaning in her words. She was teasing him. Seeing his innocent reaction, Huang Junyi chuckled. This boy was truly interesting. No wonder older men liked young girls. Teasing an innocent boy was quite enjoyable. She picked up a cake and took a bite…
“My younger sister also makes peach blossom cakes… But hers aren’t this good.” Huang Junyi looked at the cake in her hand. “She loves anything related to peach blossoms. So, the previous Queen Mother of the West from Yaochi Sacred Land gifted her a peach tree from the Peach Garden. That tree carries a bit of immortal energy, and my sister adores it… Hehe, did you know this room used to be our secret hideout?”
“Secret hideout?” Mingyan shook his head. “Feiyan didn’t mention this.”
“You’re the first man to stay here in many years. Feiyan doesn’t know about this. Did Eldest Sister arrange this room for you? There’s a secret passage in the inner courtyard that bypasses the formations and leads here. We three sisters dug it to sneak out and play without our mother knowing. Qingfei always loved to drag me out of the inner courtyard during peach blossom season and stare longingly at that tree outside the window…”
Huang Junyi took out a jar of peach blossom wine and poured herself a cup, then glanced at Mingyan, smiling playfully. “You’re not old enough to drink yet…”
I wasn’t planning to… Mingyan thought, his expression neutral.
She took a sip of wine and another bite of cake. “Actually, Mother always knew about the secret passage. She even helped us dig it. Otherwise, with our strength back then, we couldn’t have done it… And she knew about Qingfei’s love for the peach tree… When Qingfei and I were here admiring the blossoms, Mother must have been watching us secretly… I wonder how she’s doing up there…”
Huang Junyi’s voice was filled with sadness. Mingyan remained silent, not wanting to interrupt her reminiscing…
“Mingyan, what do you think is the purpose of cultivation?” Huang Junyi rested her chin on her hand, looking at him intently.
Her sudden seriousness made him uncomfortable…
“Perhaps it’s different for everyone?” Mingyan didn’t think there was a single answer. Everyone had their own reasons.
“Yes, it’s different for everyone… We Huang family women are born to cultivate, not just to continue our bloodline, but also to protect our family’s interests. But does cultivation itself have any meaning? We can’t achieve immortality. Our lives are still finite. We still experience the pain of loss, the loneliness of being left behind… Does cultivation bring glory? Longevity? Or just prolonged solitude?”
Mingyan pondered her words. Huang Junyi smiled faintly. “Just consider it drunken rambling… Don’t take it to heart…”
Mingyan was silent for a moment, then said, “Perhaps I need to reach your level of cultivation, or even higher, to find the answer. For now, I have a clear purpose. You don’t need to worry about me being lost, Sister.”
“Good. I look forward to hearing your answer when you find it. If… I’m still alive then.” Huang Junyi smiled and nodded.
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