Chapter 1
Among the five demonic sects of the Canglan Continent, the Hehuan Sect primarily focused on dual cultivation techniques, relying on the act of dual cultivation and the absorption of others’ admiration to advance in their practice. As a result, most of the sect’s disciples cultivated seductive arts. Consequently, the Hehuan Sect was filled with Hehuan trees, known for their aphrodisiac properties.
It was currently the blooming season for the Hehuan flowers, and the entire mountain was ablaze with their fiery, passionate blossoms. However, near the training grounds, a single parasol tree stood tall, its branches thick and sturdy. A woman lay fast asleep on one of these branches.
A few meters away from the parasol tree, two disciples were locked in a passionate embrace, on the verge of taking things further.
Finding the noise disruptive, Heng Yu slowly opened her eyes. She reached out, plucked a parasol leaf, and held the stem in her mouth as she sat up on the branch. Plucking another leaf, she channeled her spiritual energy and flew towards the two disciples, halting their amorous advances.
Perched on the branch, she said with a smile, “You’re disturbing my sleep. Please find somewhere else.”
After watching the two dishevelled disciples leave, Heng Yu leisurely lay back down on the branch.
A month ago, she had transmigrated.
Yes, transmigrated.
This transmigration had even been planned. The only unplanned aspects were the world she arrived in and the identity she assumed.
She was originally the head of the Research and Development Department at the Time and Space Administration, responsible for system development and interdimensional travel. Due to her support for reforms within the Administration, her plans were exposed, and she was nearly purged. However, she was a step ahead and used her contingency plans to successfully implement the reforms.
Afterwards, weary of power struggles, she requested to retire to a different time and space.
While selecting her destination, Heng Yu initially intended to choose a modern world for a peaceful retirement. However, due to the intensity of the previous conflicts, the Time and Space Administration’s main system malfunctioned, throwing her into a cultivation world and into the body of a female cultivator who had died from Qi deviation.
This cultivator was named Luo Heng Yu, a direct disciple of the Hehuan Sect’s Grand Elder. Exceptionally talented, her cultivation was considered outstanding among the younger generation, and she was known as one of the ten young masters of the Hehuan Sect, along with nine others. Therefore, the disciples usually addressed her as “Master Luo.”
Adapting to the situation, Heng Yu remained calm. She spent a month familiarizing herself with how to utilize spiritual energy and cultivate. However, she abandoned the seductive arts that the original body specialized in.
It wasn’t that she disliked seductive arts; she simply preferred being a sword cultivator.
As Heng Yu was lost in thought, another pair of disciples, kissing passionately, walked towards the woods below.
Heng Yu was just about to channel her spiritual energy to shoo them away so she could continue sleeping, when—
A resounding bell echoed throughout the entire sect.
Once, twice, thrice…
Nine chimes in total.
This number of chimes only occurred when the Hehuan Sect initiated inner sect missions. However, inner sect missions were typically held every fifty years, and the next one was still a full decade away!
Due to this unexpected event, all the disciples on the training grounds looked up towards the main peak of the sect. Figures also appeared in the sky above the Hehuan Sect, high-ranking cultivators emerging from their caves to investigate the situation.
“What’s going on?”
“Why has the inner sect mission been activated early?”
“This is quite rare. I recall reading in the ancient texts that this happens when the Sect’s Foundation Stone issues a warning, startling the Sword Spirit and causing it to awaken prematurely.”
The discussions below reached Heng Yu’s ears.
From their conversations, Heng Yu gradually understood the situation.
The Sect’s Foundation Stone was a sacred artifact of the Hehuan Sect. Whenever a major disaster or significant event was imminent, the stone would issue a warning. The Sword Spirit they spoke of was the spirit residing within the spiritual sword used by the founder of the Hehuan Sect. After the founder’s death, the Sword Spirit merged with the sect’s grand formation and would only awaken once every fifty years to preside over the inner sect missions.
“It seems the Sect’s Foundation Stone has issued a warning, hence the chimes,” Heng Yu murmured.
“But what kind of warning would it issue?”
Just as she finished speaking, a blinding golden light erupted from the main peak.
After the golden light subsided, a line of words appeared in the sky—
[The Undying Sect’s Buddhist disciple, Liao Wu, has broken through to the Buddha Realm and seeks to overcome his tribulation of love.]
These words lingered in the sky, refusing to dissipate.
Everyone was stunned at first, then a clamor erupted from the training grounds, spreading throughout the entire sect.
“What does this warning mean?”
“Buddhist disciple Liao Wu, tribulation of love… Could it be what I think it is?”
“I think so, hahaha. It seems this inner sect mission will be interesting. I wonder who will be assigned to it?”
“Among the ten young masters, Master Mu has the highest cultivation level, so I think she’s the most likely candidate.”
“I think Master Mei is more likely; her seductive arts are astonishing.”
“Why hasn’t anyone mentioned Master Luo?”
“Master Luo doesn’t specialize in seductive arts and hasn’t seduced anyone before. I think she’s the least likely candidate.”
Hearing these discussions, Heng Yu raised an eyebrow.
She looked at the golden words, her eyes narrowing slightly.
The Hehuan Sect truly lived up to its reputation as a demonic sect. They intended to interfere with the Buddhist disciple’s tribulation of love, causing him to fail.
Such a wicked deed. It was just as well if it didn’t fall on her; she came to this world seeking a peaceful retirement.
With this thought, Heng Yu settled back onto the branch and yawned languidly.
Just as her yawn ended, a whooshing sound pierced the air beside her.
Heng Yu reached out and caught the thrown Wuhuan fruit.
The Wuhuan fruit was pink, half the size of a fist, and had a crisp, sweet, and sour taste.
Heng Yu wiped it briefly with a handkerchief before taking a bite.
Resting one hand behind her head, she lazily looked at the voluptuous woman beneath the tree. “Something the matter?”
The woman in red below was Wu Mei, a direct disciple of the Enforcement Elder and one of the ten young masters, known as “Master Mei.”
“Seeing you lying here, I wanted to ask your opinion on the task of seducing the Buddhist disciple,” Wu Mei said with a coquettish smile. True to her mastery of seductive arts, every gesture and expression exuded captivating charm.
Her attire was revealing, with sheer fabrics draped over her body, covering only key areas and leaving much of her fair skin exposed.
Heng Yu took another bite of the Wuhuan fruit and said decisively, “I’m not interested in this task.”
“Truly not interested?” Wu Mei curled her lips, her voice soft and slow, as if whispering and panting in Heng Yu’s ear. “Doesn’t Master Luo want to see that self-disciplined, abstinent, and devout Buddhist disciple fall in love, consumed by desire, and come to know the worldly greed, hatred, and delusion? Wouldn’t it be kind to fulfill his desires, help him become a true man, and experience the ecstasy of love between a man and a woman?”
Heng Yu plucked a parasol leaf and imbued it with spiritual energy, transforming the soft leaf into a hardened blade.
She then used the leaf as a sword, striking towards Wu Mei.
Wu Mei reacted swiftly, dodging the attack, her expression turning cold.
In the next instant, Heng Yu closed the distance between them, grabbing Wu Mei by the collar. Leaning close, she lifted a strand of Wu Mei’s hair, a slight smirk playing on her lips. “I don’t appreciate others using their seductive arts on me.”
With that, Heng Yu released Wu Mei’s collar.
She took two steps back, stretched, and said sarcastically, “I’ve heard that the Undying Sect selects four Buddhist disciples every thousand years. These four disciples travel the world, spreading the teachings of Buddhism. Buddhist disciple Liao Wu is among the most outstanding, possessing an innate Buddha Bone, hailed as the light of Buddhism and the most likely candidate to become the next sect leader of the Undying Sect.”
“His resolve is stronger than mine. Master Mei, you can’t even beguile me, yet you wish to beguile a Buddhist disciple?”
“You—” Wu Mei’s expression shifted.
Heng Yu tilted her head, looking at Wu Mei with a smile. “Is there anything else?”
Wu Mei flung her sleeves and stormed off, leaving behind a lingering sweet and extravagant fragrance. Her voice drifted back to Heng Yu.
“In ten days, the Artifact Spirit will open the Scripture Pavilion, allowing disciples to enter and be assigned inner sect missions. I had looked forward to personally seducing that radiant Buddhist disciple, but now, I’m even more eager to see Master Luo receive the task and attempt to conquer that lofty flower.”
“Because Master Luo’s seductive arts are even worse, and your admiration value is even lower than many outer sect disciples—with your abilities, you’re destined to fail the mission and face punishment!”
Heng Yu smiled faintly.
Hearing the term “admiration value,” she retrieved an exquisitely crafted jade pendant from her storage ring.
The front of the pendant was engraved with intricate and strange patterns, while the back featured a carved relief of a Hehuan flower.
Heng Yu infused the pendant with spiritual energy. In the blink of an eye, numbers appeared on the previously blank surface.
1012.
This was Heng Yu’s current admiration value.
This admiration value was a unique feature of the Hehuan Sect. The formation on the jade pendant could connect to people’s hearts, allowing Hehuan Sect disciples to absorb admiration value when they captivated others. Disciples could use this admiration value to exchange for various cultivation techniques, pills, and even…
…break through realms!
The higher the cultivation level of the person captivated, the more admiration value they contributed. At the same level of cultivation, righteous disciples generated significantly more admiration value than demonic disciples when they fell in love.
It could be said that the Hehuan Sect’s demonic nature was blatant and lived up to its reputation.
The original body had been engrossed in secluded cultivation for years, rarely bothering to seduce others. While other young masters had admiration values exceeding ten thousand, hers had barely broken one thousand, mostly contributed by fellow disciples.
“This jade pendant is quite interesting.”
Heng Yu murmured, then hung the pendant on her waist. Without the infusion of spiritual energy, the numbers on the pendant gradually dimmed.
She stretched, observing the affectionate disciples on the training grounds, and decided to find a quieter place to sleep. She didn’t want to open her eyes and see two disciples entangled together.
Too passionate. She couldn’t handle it.
