Immortal Miao

Two enormous cranes, black from beak to tail, carried several stalks of Solomon's seal in their beaks as they slowly passed through layers of white clouds and mist, gliding down toward a landscape of green mountains and clear waters, with graceful cliffs rising in beauty.

A jade-dragon-like waterfall plunged straight down from the mountaintop. Two Daoist boys in blue robes were carrying large flower vases as they fetched water beside the deep pool beneath the falls. Two white-browed tigers guarding the mountain gate lay lazily atop a boulder by the pool, their sea-bowl-thick tails dangling idly in the water. Their tails lightly tapped the surface, drawing several curious fish to circle the ripples.

On a verdant cliff that towered a thousand zhang above the pool, vast swathes of wisteria hung straight down from the summit to the foot of the mountain. It was the season of warm spring and blooming flowers, and the vines were covered in blazing purple blossoms like great patches of flame, making the cliff exceptionally bright and beautiful. Amid the dense wisteria, upon a protruding patch of open ground halfway up the cliff, stood a tiny wooden hut. Delicate and slender, it leaned at an angle against the edge of that small clearing. When the mountain wind blew, the hut seemed as though it might drift away with it.

Upon a yellow-cloth meditation cushion before the hut sat a white-bearded old Daoist with kindly features, cross-legged. Beside him stood a small three-legged pill furnace, while an extremely thin stick of incense slowly released wisps of smoke. Its refined fragrance drifted straight down the cliff on the mountain wind. Before the old Daoist, four people knelt, while one lay on the ground.

Princess Xiu was among the four kneeling figures, while the one lying down was none other than County Princess Jie.

With tears brimming in her eyes, Princess Xiu looked pitifully at the old Daoist and pleaded again and again, "Ancestor, please help Xiu'er! Look at Jie'er—she was bitten by a venomous snake and has become like this. Please help Xiu'er apologize to Attendant Lin Xiao, and ask Ancestor Yi Xuan to spare us from our punishment!"

County Princess Jie lay on the ground with a faint layer of black qi covering her face, making her appear weak and pitiable beyond measure. Her trouser leg had been torn open, revealing a swollen, gleaming calf. Upon it was a thumb-sized patch of black blood, from which threads of black qi spread in every direction. Holding a medicinal cake, the old Daoist slowly roasted it into powder with true fire. Hearing Princess Xiu's pleas, he merely silently kneaded his palm and said nothing.

After a while, the old Daoist grabbed County Princess Jie's calf and drew his fingernail across the patch of black blood. Her flesh split open, and black blood sprayed forth. County Princess Jie's body jolted violently as she let out a shrill scream. The old Daoist casually smeared a pinch of medicinal powder from his palm over the wound. The instant the powder touched the blood, it released a pungent, spicy, strange odor. County Princess Jie abruptly opened her eyes. Pain convulsed her entire body, and she howled herself hoarse as black blood gushed from her calf like a spring.

The old Daoist clapped his hands and said mildly, "The Purple Ring Jade Patterned Snake is not particularly venomous. Otherwise, Jie'er would never have held on long enough to reach this place."

After a pause, the old Daoist gave a cold laugh. "A self-inflicted wound is not used this way. The descendants of the Qi Dynasty truly grew worse with every generation! After being bitten by a venomous snake, you did not seek help from the elders of your sect nearby. Instead, you came all the way to this old Daoist to weep and complain. Your true purpose was to get close to Attendant Lin Xiao, was it not?" He coldly glared at the dumbfounded Princess Xiu and the others, then gently shook his head. "This self-inflicted wound was poorly staged. Still, your temperament is passable enough. Rather than use your three followers, you had Jie'er bitten by a venomous snake, intending to move this old Daoist's heart with it. That bit of scheming barely suits the identity of a descendant of the Qi Dynasty."

Princess Xiu lowered her head and asked in a frightened voice, "Ancestor knew all along?"

The old Daoist narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "This old Daoist has lived for over two hundred years. I still possess that much discernment. You may use my name to bully others, and I can pretend not to know. But if you want to use this old Daoist's face to curry favor with others..." The old Daoist suddenly gave a cold laugh and said with near-indifferent ruthlessness, "The imperial household is the most heartless of all, and they say the Heavenly Dao is without feeling. This old Daoist cultivates the Dao of mercilessness. I still need this old face to make plans for myself, so I cannot concern myself with you!"

With a cold snort, the old Daoist swept his sleeve. A fierce gust rose up, lifting Princess Xiu and the other four from the ground and sending them floating several dozen li away.

Princess Xiu's group climbed to their feet in a daze. County Princess Jie looked pitifully at Princess Xiu and said softly, "Elder Sister, Ancestor Yi Xuan is unwilling. What should we do?"

Princess Xiu cast County Princess Jie a vicious glare and snapped, "I told you to find a more venomous snake, yet you feared death and found one that could not even kill anyone. How could that possibly escape Ancestor's discerning eyes? Hmph! I am furious to death! You cannot even handle such a trivial matter. What use are you?"

County Princess Jie lowered her head timidly and said softly, "Yes, Jie'er knows she was wrong. Next time..."

"There will be no next time!" Princess Xiu impatiently waved her hand and said coldly, "The clever plan I worked so hard to devise was ruined by you. How could Ancestor Yi Xuan possibly fall for it next time?"

County Princess Jie's body trembled lightly. She asked pitifully, "Then, Elder Sister, how can we get close to Attendant Lin?"

Princess Xiu stomped her foot hard and said darkly, "Why do we need to get close to Attendant Lin? Hmm? Have you ever considered that question?"

County Princess Jie, Miss Ya, and the others stared blankly at Princess Xiu and shook their heads together. Was it not Princess Xiu herself who had proposed getting close to Lin Xiao?

Princess Xiu sneered several times, raised her head, and said faintly, "That little slut Qingchu... Attendant Lin Xiao... Hmm, since Ancestor Yi Xuan is unwilling to intervene, then..." Princess Xiu cast an extremely strange glance at County Princess Jie and laughed oddly. "I still have a way to make Attendant Lin Xiao obediently bow his head and submit. I hear Attendant Lin Xiao is not very old. Cousin Jie, this matter will have to fall upon you." County Princess Jie looked at Princess Xiu in shock, her small mouth opening and closing. She seemed to have a bellyful of grievances, yet did not dare speak them aloud. That aggrieved, timid expression instead filled Princess Xiu's heart with delight.

The sleeve wind raised by Ancestor Yi Xuan had sent Princess Xiu's group so far that they happened to land in a small river gully. A narrow river, no more than two zhang wide, flowed merrily through it. Dense grass and trees grew along both banks, making the gully very secluded. It was precisely because of this hidden terrain that Princess Xiu had spoken without restraint of her plan to have County Princess Jie seduce Lin Xiao, provoke something between Lin Xiao and County Princess Jie, and then use it to gain leverage over him.

"That little girl has a vicious mind, but her scheme is riddled with holes, crude beyond measure." A lazy, somewhat wicked voice suddenly came from the river beside them. Amid a splashing sound, a portion of river water rose from the surface. The ripples swayed and shifted, transforming into a young man in a white Daoist robe, who stood before them with a smile.

Princess Xiu's group trembled all over in fright. This young Daoist's method of appearing was almost demonic, and his entire body radiated a dense, eerie aura. One glance was enough to tell that he did not come from any righteous path. This was the mountain gate of the Origin Sect—how could a cultivator overflowing with such evil qi be here? In particular, the young Daoist's pair of watery peach-blossom eyes continuously roamed over Princess Xiu and County Princess Jie. His gaze seemed capable of tearing the clothes from their bodies, and wherever it fell, both Princess Xiu and County Princess Jie felt their skin grow hot and itchy.

Retreating several steps in shock, Princess Xiu cried out, "Who are you?"

The young Daoist lightly performed a Daoist salute, smiling as he appraised Princess Xiu's full breasts. He chuckled softly. "This humble Daoist is Immortal Miao of Blissful Cave on Mount Dale of Xuan Yin Star. Today, by fate, I have met two lovely young ladies here. This is a marriage ordained by Heaven! Why not let the three of us spread curtains beneath the sky and lie upon the earth, taking heaven and earth as our bedchamber as we seek enlightenment in the supreme wondrous Dao?"

"Bold! You dare offend Her Highness?" Princess Xiu's two followers roared and impulsively lunged toward the young Daoist calling himself Immortal Miao. Swinging their fists, they raised fierce gusts of wind and viciously struck at Immortal Miao's face. Immortal Miao smiled faintly, and blue light flashed through his eyes. The sound of surging water arose from nowhere. Two waves flashed through the air, and Senior Brother Xiong and Senior Brother Ying, who had charged forward like mad tigers, let out muffled groans as two suddenly appearing curtains of water sent them flying backward.

Immortal Miao gave a "tch tch" laugh, and an exceedingly sinister smile appeared on his face, which was even more beautiful than a woman's. He reached out to stroke Princess Xiu and County Princess Jie's cheeks, saying with a smile, "There is no need for alarm, little ladies. Everyone in the cultivation world knows that I, Immortal Miao, cherish jade and pity flowers above all else. I would never ruthlessly destroy a blossom. Tsk tsk, such smooth and delicate skin! Rather than let that boy called Lin Xiao enjoy it, would it not be better to bestow it upon this poor Daoist? Ah, who would have thought that a casual outing today would bring this Immortal such a harvest?"

A cloud of powdery peach-pink mist flashed past, and Miss Ya, who had long since been frightened senseless, along with the two followers beside her, all collapsed to the ground. The mist condensed into a glowing canopy about a zhang across. Immortal Miao's lecherous laughter continuously emerged from within it. At first, Princess Xiu and County Princess Jie repeatedly cried out in struggle and rebuke, but before long, those rebukes turned into breathless gasps and moans that made the blood surge. After roughly the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the two women actually began actively pleading with Immortal Miao for pleasure and love.

"Hee hee, once this Immortal acts, how could two little fledglings possibly escape? Tsk tsk, which one should this Immortal favor first?" Immortal Miao laughed triumphantly from within the glowing canopy. He chuckled softly. "Never mind. A princess and a county princess—naturally, the princess should taste sweetness first! Heh heh, these two little girls possess such abundant primordial yin. Wonderful!"

A cry of pain came from within the glowing canopy, faintly drifting through the small river gully.

A full two hours passed before the glowing canopy suddenly dispersed. Immortal Miao, already neatly dressed, stood there rubbing his waist, entirely satisfied as he watched the two graceful bodies on the ground. Twisted into strange positions, they were trembling violently.

Immortal Miao said softly, "The true essence within your bodies has already been transformed by this Immortal into my unique Harmony True Qi. You are now concubines of this Immortal's Blissful Cave on Mount Dale. From now on, you must act according to this Immortal's will. Hmm, you are disciples of the Origin Sect. That identity truly could not be better."

Having been tormented until they had not a shred of strength left, their natal primordial yin thoroughly drained, Princess Xiu and County Princess Jie lay on the ground convulsing, their faces covered by an unhealthy layer of black qi. Princess Xiu barely raised her head, stared at Immortal Miao, and sneered word by word, "You demon, I will not let you go! Nor will the Origin Sect let you go!"

"Tsk tsk!" Immortal Miao crouched beside Princess Xiu, his large hand roaming over her body as he laughed smugly. "How will you not let this Immortal go? Hee hee, will you charm this Immortal to death with that suet-jade body of yours? This Immortal could not ask for more! As for the Origin Sect? Hee hee, this Immortal indeed fears the Origin Sect's strength, but did this Immortal not take your virginities upon the Origin Sect's own territory?"

With a light sigh, Immortal Miao gave an odd laugh. "Your true essence has already become Harmony True Qi, and what circulates in your bodies now is the Blissful Divine Art created by this Immortal. Hee hee, do you think the Origin Sect would stand up for two debauched women of the evil path? If the elders of the Origin Sect discover the cultivation art within your bodies, I fear you will be beaten until your souls scatter and spirits disperse."

Princess Xiu and County Princess Jie were utterly stunned. They stared blankly at Immortal Miao, unable to speak for a long while. Their bodies shook violently, then they suddenly burst into loud sobs.

Immortal Miao looked smugly upon the weeping Princess Xiu and County Princess Jie. He chuckled softly. "Be good and do as this Immortal tells you. I guarantee you will be fine. Heh heh, what a pair of jade beauties..."

Pink, eerie light flickered in his eyes as Immortal Miao stared deeply at Princess Xiu and said darkly, "Come, remember this Immortal's words. From now on, this is what you will do."

Princess Xiu stared dully into Immortal Miao's pink pupils and slowly nodded.