Chapter 225: Wan Xiuzi

A splash of cold water hit her face, and Jiang Xuening finally stirred awake.

There was still a faint, choking taste lingering in her throat and nostrils.

She coughed uneasily a couple of times. When she tried to raise her hands to cover her mouth, she realized both of her hands were bound behind her, tied to a pillar about a foot in diameter. The rough hemp rope was tightly wound, digging into her skin and leaving several deep and shallow red marks on her wrists.

Water droplets fell from her long, dark eyelashes, obstructing her vision.

She blinked with effort, and her blurry surroundings gradually cleared up.

It was a somewhat shabby room with wooden windows and floors. A crowd of people gathered at the door, but in front of her stood a table with an elevated headrest, a tea table, and an old Daoist priest dressed in a blue-gray robe sitting on a cushioned chair beside it, eyeing her from head to toe.

A young Daoist boy standing by noticed she had woken up. He tossed the water ladle back into the bucket and retreated to stand quietly beside the old man.

Jiang Xuening finally recalled.

It had been several days since she was captured. A group of masked people had suddenly appeared from the forest with incredible speed. She hadn’t had time to call for help before someone from behind pressed a cloth soaked in a choking potion over her mouth and nose. Within moments, she lost consciousness. She had woken up several times during the journey, but always in the back of a carriage, where they would force her to eat something to wake her up. However, they were extremely cautious, and once she ate, they would quickly drug her again, putting her back into a dazed state.

The whole experience felt like a blur.

When she regained consciousness, it was as though her head were filled with mush, everything shaking around her.

However, upon seeing the old man, she suddenly felt fully awake.

It wasn’t just because she had never seen this old man before.

More importantly, when she woke up, she wasn’t in a carriage, but in a room, tied to a wooden pillar. It seemed like they were going to interrogate her.

Although the old man was wearing a Daoist robe, it was different from Xie Ju’an’s.

Xie Ju’an’s Daoist robe was the typical one worn by scholars and hermits of the secular world. Though it was modeled after Daoist priest robes, it never had embroidery like the Tai Chi or Bagua symbols. But this old man wore a robe with Bagua patterns embroidered at the sleeves and hem. His hair was tied into a topknot, and he was tall and thin with prominent cheekbones, slightly sunken eye sockets, and sharp eyes full of inner vitality. If not for the faint aura of the occult on his face and his graying beard, he might have looked like a transcendent immortal.

He kept his little finger nails quite long.

Despite being old and thin, his face was not too wrinkled, as if he had mastered the art of preserving his appearance.

A young, graceful woman, about eighteen years old, dressed in a pomegranate-red gauze dress, knelt obediently at the old man’s feet, gently massaging his legs. Her attire was slightly disheveled, revealing her neck and one shoulder. The old man’s hand slid down her neck, gently resting on her nape and then changing to his other hand, using the young woman as a human heater!

Jiang Xuening’s eyelids twitched.

The old man’s gaze, however, lingered on her, studying her expressions carefully. Seeing that, though she had just been woken up by cold water, she calmly surveyed her surroundings without panicking, he remarked, “The young lady is quite composed. No wonder she’s someone he’s interested in.”

Jiang Xuening didn’t know who he meant by “he.”

But looking around, she saw people with knives and swords, some wearing ordinary clothes, some dressed in Daoist robes, but only this old man was sitting down with the young beauty massaging his legs. It was clear he was the mastermind behind all this.

Why would she panic?

She calmly replied, “Since you’ve gone to such great lengths to capture me, drug me, and tie me up instead of killing me, I assume I still have some value to you. With that in mind, I have no fear for my life. What’s the use of being anxious?”

The old man smiled, showing some appreciation: “Not bad, you understand the bigger picture. I’ve been cultivating for many years and have long since forgotten my worldly name. My Daoist name is Wan Xiuzi, or you can call me ‘Zhen Yi Dao Ren.’ I went through great trouble to invite Miss Jiang here. If my subordinates were careless during the journey, I ask for your forgiveness.”

Wan Xiuzi! Zhen Yi Dao Ren…

Although Jiang Xuening had prepared herself, a chill still ran down her spine when she heard that name.

Wan Xiuzi said, “Aren’t you surprised?”

Jiang Xuening replied, “If I’m not mistaken, the attack on Tai’an Prefecture in Shandong last year was your doing. It just didn’t succeed. There’s no such thing as ‘a thousand days to guard against thieves,’ and it’s hard to defend against someone who plans and waits patiently. So, it’s not surprising that you succeeded.”

Wan Xiuzi clapped his hands and laughed heartily, “Good, good!”

Jiang Xuening had heard of this person.

Although she had never seen him in her past life, and didn’t know what his final fate was, more than twenty years ago, he had joined forces with the Pingnan Wang faction to invade the capital, causing bloodshed throughout the city, and almost wiping out the royal family. This was one of the most notorious acts of treason in history.

The imperial court hated him to the bone.

However, because the Tianjiao sect in the south had immense power, and after his failure all those years ago, Wan Xiuzi had rarely shown himself, only controlling his followers through trusted subordinates, never appearing in public unless absolutely necessary. His whereabouts were extremely secretive.

As a result, despite multiple attempts by the government to eliminate him, they had never succeeded.

She couldn’t immediately guess why they had captured her, so she dared not speak up hastily.

However, the young woman kneeling on the ground, massaging Wan Xiuzi’s legs, seemed to sense that Wan Xiuzi was speaking to Jiang Xuening in such a gentle manner. She felt threatened and glared at her with a look full of disdain. Then, she turned her head back, intentionally becoming more pitiful as she thrust her chest forward towards Wan Xiuzi, her voice soft enough to send chills down one’s spine: “Master, it’s already dusk. Don’t you want to take the immortal pill? I’ve been kneeling here for so long…”

Wan Xiuzi glanced at her briefly.

The young woman immediately took out a purple-red pill from her bosom and handed it to him. This pill had been carefully crafted, a daily tonic Wan Xiuzi consumed. As for its effect…

Wan Xiuzi reached out, touched the woman’s face, then took the pill from her hand and popped it into his mouth.

Jiang Xuening watched with a sense of disgust, vaguely realizing the nature of their relationship.

After taking the pill, Wan Xiuzi’s complexion became a bit healthier. He then casually tapped the young woman’s chest, neck, and finally gripped her chin, lifting her face to inspect it. He then looked at Jiang Xuening again, seemingly comparing something.

The woman, looking pitiful, asked: “Am I not beautiful?”

Wan Xiuzi, who had been in a good mood, suddenly darkened after hearing her words. He roughly pushed her chin backward, sneering, “You think you can compare with her?”

The woman, in distress, began to cry.

Wan Xiuzi seemed like he wanted to explode in anger, but upon seeing her pitiful look, he gently patted her cheek, treating her like an object. Then, with his usual calm tone, he said, “Du Jun broke the rules, and if he likes her, she must be much better than you.”

The young woman bit her lip, her gaze quickly shifting to Jiang Xuening, disbelief and jealousy flaring in her eyes.

At that moment, the crowd of cult members around them grew noisier, their gazes suddenly all focused on Jiang Xuening.

There were looks of surprise, curiosity, and disbelief.

Jiang Xuening felt uncomfortable, not because she had never seen such scenes before, but because the way everyone was looking at her had changed. It felt as if they were sizing up someone they had never seen before.

Listening carefully, she overheard someone murmur, “Du Jun actually found someone to practice with” and “This woman must have great skills”…

The name “Du Jun” immediately caught her attention.

She remembered it from the incident in Tongzhou, where Zhang Zhe had infiltrated the Tianjiao sect under the guise of “Du Jun Shanren.” Now, Wan Xiuzi was saying that Du Jun had taken an interest in her?

A sharp realization struck her like a bolt of lightning, and she felt a shiver run down her spine, almost hearing the answer that no one would likely believe—Xie Ju’an!

Wan Xiuzi’s eyes narrowed as he seemed to enjoy the moment, pulling the young woman over and groping her. His body stiffened, yet his expression remained unaffected. However, when mentioning “Du Jun,” memories of the past twenty years began to resurface in his mind.

He let out a cold hum, speaking with a sense of regret, “Time has passed so quickly. I thought I was doing good deeds for the heavens, but little did I know I was inviting a wolf into my home, raising a tiger that would eventually harm me. I am not one to lose my temper easily, but my body is still in good shape. I can still handle a woman, and I practice the yin and yang balancing method, but my time is limited. If I don’t act now, I might end up as nothing but a pawn in Xie’s game. Who would have thought that heaven would help me in this way, causing him to be distracted by women and reveal such a big flaw? How could I not seize this opportunity?”

Jiang Xuening vaguely understood: the reason they had captured her was to deal with Xie Ju’an.

The young woman beneath Wan Xiuzi whimpered.

Wan Xiuzi treated her like an object, playing with her without a shred of sympathy. His actions were chilling to witness.

He even laughed lightly.

He said, “Our Tianjiao sect is orthodox Daoism, focused on temperance and avoiding indulgence. But indulging in things like the bed is not part of the path to cultivation. The key is balancing yin and yang, separating body and mind, merging them, and preserving one’s essence. That’s the true way to cultivate. I originally thought Du Jun had potential, so I had Gongyi find some clean women, from the right yin month, to help him cultivate. I thought, ‘without yin, yang cannot thrive.’ A woman’s body is ultimately a pit for the soul, a hero’s grave. If he doesn’t cultivate early, he might fall victim to a seductress or a demonic spirit, and that would ruin everything. But alas, he didn’t appreciate my help.”

As he said this, Wan Xiuzi’s mood seemed to lighten somewhat.

Especially when looking at Jiang Xuening, he seemed somewhat satisfied.

These past two years had been rare moments of success for him, and now, he had caught Xie Ju’an at his weakest, waiting for him to fall into his trap. He relaxed considerably: “Hmph, I knew he was restless all these years, especially in the capital, where he no longer takes me seriously. But he’s always so careful, never getting involved in love or hate. He even coldly killed a few of his trusted subordinates. I couldn’t find a flaw in him. Unfortunately, when he ignored me back then, I couldn’t handle him. But now, his weakness has emerged. The great man has finally fallen because of his emotions. Heaven has helped me, and I will rise to the throne, controlling the world!”

Jiang Xuening’s face grew darker as she listened to the foul words of this old man.

Recalling that she was trapped and unaware of the immense trouble she might bring to Xie Wei, Yan Lin, and others, Jiang Xuening felt even less inclined to smile.

Wan Xiuzi, however, seemed to be deliberately provoking her, asking, “He didn’t even resist when you stabbed him. I suppose that’s because you’re accompanying him in his cultivation, and it’s rather enjoyable for him, isn’t it?”

“Cultivation”…

Jiang Xuening’s eyelids twitched slightly, but she pretended not to hear.

Instead, she said, “There are alchemists in the palace who use mercury to refine pills, which are specially offered to the emperor. These pills can make a person return to their youthful years. If the sect leader is worried about aging, you could try one.”

“Ha ha ha ha…”

Wan Xiuzi threw his head back and laughed loudly, completely unfazed by her words.

“That dog emperor is doomed, having received a demon’s mercury pill! Little girl, do you think I don’t know that mercury is highly toxic? Daoist cultivation is about preserving life and health, naturally gentle and nourishing. If you want to see me die instantly from taking a pill, that’s not going to happen.”

Jiang Xuening: “…”

A cult leader who seriously practices health preservation… In a world where alchemists are everywhere refining mercury pills. Truly, a refreshing exception.

She was utterly speechless.

Wan Xiuzi glanced at the gradually darkening sky outside and casually remarked, “There are only two hours left. If Du Jun doesn’t come…”

He turned his gaze toward Jiang Xuening.

Jiang Xuening cursed him inwardly, but, knowing Xie Ju’an’s nature, she couldn’t even be bothered to roll her eyes at this cult leader. Instead, she said, “Don’t worry, Xie Ju’an will definitely come. But he won’t come alone. If I were the sect leader, I’d start packing and running now—it’s not too late.”

Wan Xiuzi’s pupils slightly constricted, as though evaluating her words.

After a long pause, he chuckled darkly and said, “I’m curious to see for myself.”

The two fell silent.

Although Jiang Xuening had said this to appear confident, she was hardly sure of her prediction. Her knowledge of Xie Wei, based on her past life and their encounters in this one, gave her some understanding of his character. But how he might act when driven mad, she had witnessed firsthand. It wasn’t impossible for him to attempt something reckless, like storming in alone, into a den of enemies.

However, such an action would only play into their trap.

Not only would she fail to be rescued, but both of them would likely fall into an even worse predicament.

She prayed silently that Xie Ju’an would not show up.

As time passed, and the hour of Zi came closer, still, there was no sign of him.

Wan Xiuzi’s expression grew darker.

Just as the clock was about to strike the third watch, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside. A young Daoist boy bent his head and reported at the door: “Reporting to the sect leader, Du Jun is outside the branch. The army from Xinzhou has made no unusual movements, and no one has followed him. He has indeed returned to the sect alone!”

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