Reading in the courtyard, Tang Yan suddenly noticed that the nine women had finished dressing and gracefully withdrawn.
While he was puzzling over this, Immortal Maiden Qinglan walked in from outside.
"Such impressive self-control, Young Master Tang!" Qinglan praised.
"Were you testing me, Immortal Maiden?" Tang Yan asked.
Qinglan made no attempt to conceal it. "The Immortal Pool is indeed the Mystic Maiden Sect's gift of thanks to you, but this is a matter of great consequence. Rashly allowing a man into the Immortal Pool could cause trouble.
"That was why we arranged this test.
"If you failed and shared the clouds and rain with our sect's charm cultivators, that would still have been a wondrous journey.
"I never expected your self-control to be so extraordinary, far beyond my expectations.
"Now the sect can let you enter without worry!
"At the hour of the Dragon tomorrow, I will take you into the Immortal Pool on Jade Peak. If your luck is good, you will surely gain a great boon!
"Get some rest."
With that, Qinglan left the courtyard.
That was close, Tang Yan thought. He had nearly missed this opportunity.
With nothing else to do, Tang Yan picked up his book and continued reading.
The next day.
Shortly before the hour of the Dragon.
A woman came to the courtyard and said in a clear voice, "Young master, follow me to Jade Peak!"
Tang Yan thanked her and followed her to a mountaintop.
At the summit was an enormous pool.
The pool looked naturally formed and was irregular in shape, with traces of artificial alterations in only a few places.
At present, however, there seemed to be nothing extraordinary about its water.
"Greetings, Immortal Maiden." Seeing Qinglan standing with her hands behind her back, Tang Yan stepped forward to pay