Mei Qing was startled, the fire of desire in his heart instantly cooling. He quickly cupped Duo Yun’s face in his hands, gazing deeply into her eyes and asking, “Duo Yun, what exactly is going on?”
Duo Yun lowered her head, murmuring indistinctly, her words too muffled to understand.
Mei Qing felt puzzled. Suddenly, he noticed something odd about Duo Yun’s expression and caught a faint whiff of a strange scent. His cultivation had recently matured, heightening his senses to an extraordinary level of sensitivity. A realization struck him. He gently helped Duo Yun lie down, pulled the covers over her, and then leaned beside her, softly stroking her smooth face. “You silly girl, is it that time of the month again?”
Duo Yun, hearing Mei Qing’s gentle words and recalling his tenderness just moments ago, could no longer control her tears. Sobbing, she said, “I’m useless, Master. These past few days you’ve been resting alone, and today I finally wanted to… wanted to be with you, but I’m just so useless…”
Mei Qing chuckled softly. “You silly girl, what’s there to be useful or useless about? Isn’t this just how things are? These days you’re unwell, so you mustn’t overexert yourself. I’ll have Wu Er bring you a hot water bottle to keep you warm. Just rest well. We’ve got plenty of time ahead. What difference does a day or two make?”
Listening to Mei Qing’s soothing words, Duo Yun gradually stopped crying, her eyes still glistening with tears. She stared at Mei Qing’s caring expression, entranced as if spellbound. When she heard him mention the hot water bottle, she couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. “Honestly, I don’t know how you come up with such strange things—but they really do work.”
“I was born with innate knowledge, of course they work. You just focus on resting,” Mei Qing gently coaxed.
After some effort, Mei Qing finally managed to get Duo Yun to fall asleep. However, he himself was now burning with desire, helpless and at a loss. Earlier, when he saw Duo Yun upset, he had momentarily forgotten his own feelings. But now, lying alone, the fire within burned even more fiercely. He tossed and turned for a long time but couldn’t fall asleep.
With no other options, Mei Qing gritted his teeth, sat up, and began practicing the meditation technique he had learned from the fat Daoist at Taiqing Temple. Perhaps it could help. The Daoist had spoken at length about the principle of “cutting through emotional entanglements with wisdom,” so surely it had some merit.
He began regulating his breath, drawing his inner vision inward as taught, directing his focus to the energy vortex at his lower dantian. He maintained a calm, steady awareness, neither clinging nor drifting away. Soon, he indeed felt his emotions settling, gradually entering a state of tranquil emptiness.
Delighted that the method worked, Mei Qing’s heart lifted. However, the moment he became aware of his success, his mind stirred, breaking the stillness. Instantly, a wave of heat surged through his body again. Just then, he also sensed a sudden burst of purple flame outside himself, roaring inward like a storm. Now, the fire burned from within and without, a double assault that made the flames far fiercer than before.
Mei Qing had no choice but to remain unmoved, gritting his teeth and enduring. He reasoned that if maintaining focus and righteousness could extinguish the fire of desire, and if he had often managed to dissipate the purple flame before, then regardless of internal or external fire, he could handle them both the same way. So he focused his mind, letting the energy vortex slowly draw in and dissolve the purple flame like threads unraveling. This time, the practice took longer than usual. When the purple flame and desire had finally dissipated and his consciousness returned, he realized the sky outside had already brightened.
Only then did Mei Qing realize he had been sitting in meditation the entire night. Though he had sat for so long, he felt no discomfort, his legs not even numb. The burning desire had vanished, and he felt completely relaxed and refreshed.
Overjoyed, Mei Qing couldn’t help but think: If only he had known this earlier, he wouldn’t have had to endure the agony in Rensheng Palace or suffer on the journey. It seemed the cultivation method passed down by the fat Daoist, though not fully mastered, was indeed effective. He made a mental note to visit Taiqing Temple again someday to personally thank the immortal and perhaps even learn a deeper level of cultivation—surely it would be even more miraculous.
Of course, if the fat Daoist, now imprisoned in the imperial prison, had known that Mei Qing was feeling grateful and determined to follow his teachings, he would have certainly kept his distance and politely declined. After all, teaching this young master even a little had already cost him a few taels of silver and landed him in the imperial prison, a fate worse than death. Teaching him more would surely result in a complete and utter demise.
In high spirits, Mei Qing spent the morning comforting Duo Yun a bit more, then washed up and had breakfast before mounting the same horse from yesterday, heading straight for Rensheng Palace. Yesterday he had considered taking a sedan chair to work, but after last night’s success, he had full confidence in his cultivation method and decided against changing his plans.
In a cheerful mood, Mei Qing rode swiftly and soon arrived outside Rensheng Palace. This eastern Mount Tai Rensheng Palace primarily worshipped the Eastern Peak Emperor and was quite large, with two main halls known as the Daiyue Hall and the Yude Hall. Behind the halls was a former imperial retreat, elaborately constructed, where Bi Zhen cultivated and where Mei Qing worked on organizing manuscripts.
As Mei Qing entered the courtyard, he saw Bi Zhen there with a young Daoist boy. He dared not look too long, gave a quick greeting, and hurried into his room, completely missing the astonished expression behind him—Bi Zhen’s beautiful eyes wide open, her mouth slightly agape, utterly losing her usual ethereal composure.
Bi Zhen had been waiting in the courtyard early that morning, eager to see Mei Qing’s reaction. She had assumed that after yesterday’s magical disturbance, though he showed impressive composure, his strange behavior at departure had not escaped her notice. She also knew Mei Qing had a beautiful concubine at home and imagined that last night must have been filled with passionate moments. For a novice like Mei Qing, just beginning his Daoist cultivation, the greatest danger lay in falling into the trap of sensual desires, which could severely hinder progress or even destroy his foundation entirely.
Bi Zhen didn’t intend to harm Mei Qing, but she had made a bet with someone who had convinced her that her actions were meant to help him. Though it sounded implausible, she trusted the old man wouldn’t deceive her on such a matter. After all, they were both Daoists, and testing each other with magical techniques wasn’t against the Daoist code. Moreover, the stakes of the bet were temptingly high, making her highly invested in winning.
From yesterday’s encounter, Mei Qing appeared to be a complete novice, utterly defenseless against her Daoist techniques. She had expected an easy victory, and despite her advanced cultivation, she couldn’t help but feel a bit smug. But today, eagerly anticipating the fruits of her efforts, she had instead received a heavy blow.
Mei Qing’s eyes were bright and full of vitality, his complexion smooth and radiant, his demeanor calm and composed—there was not a hint of depletion. If anything, he seemed to have made progress in his cultivation!
So that’s how it was! Yesterday’s strange behavior was all an act! How dare he trick this immortal maiden!
Bi Zhen was so angry her teeth nearly ground to dust. How could she, the esteemed Bi Zhen, suffer such humiliation? Her usually serene Daoist heart was now rippling with emotion. She stomped her foot furiously, then rushed after him, pushing the door open and calling out, “Mei Qing, you actually…”
Mei Qing, just about to start working, heard Bi Zhen’s voice and quickly looked up, seeing her angry face. His heart skipped a beat as he stood up to greet her. “What’s the matter, Immortal Lady?”
Bi Zhen hesitated. After all, she couldn’t very well accuse him of something she had secretly done to him. She had been tasked with using magic to distract Mei Qing, leading him into sensual indulgence, but how could she possibly say that out loud?
Bi Zhen’s mind worked quickly. In an instant, her anger vanished, her eyes glimmering with a coy smile. “Nothing,” she said lightly, turning around and walking away with graceful steps. Before leaving, she turned back with a final, enchanting smile.
Good heavens! Mei Qing almost choked on his breath, his entire body feeling as if thrown into Laozi’s alchemical furnace, every one of his seventy-two pores ready to burst into flames. A surge of fiery energy rushed straight to his crown, and certain parts of his body were already stirring with a powerful, almost uncontrollable force.
Mei Qing silently called upon the Three Pure Ones and the Bodhisattva for protection. Without hesitation, he quickly focused his gaze inward, regulating his breath and calming his mind, forcibly reining in his wildly racing heart. Strangely, as soon as he sank into his inner consciousness, the purple flame that usually appeared only at night also emerged, though this time it flickered beneath his skin rather than engulfing his entire body. Mei Qing, now familiar with the technique, calmly began dissolving the flame, carefully and steadily working for over half an hour before finally emerging from his meditative state.
After dealing with some manuscript work, it was already noon when a young Daoist boy brought vegetarian food. Mei Qing ate simply and was about to rest when a knock at the door startled him. He looked up and groaned inwardly—his persistent, beautiful torment had returned.
Bi Zhen couldn’t stop thinking about how Mei Qing had neutralized her “Stillness-Inducing Spell.” This technique, originally a cultivation method used by dual cultivation sects to strengthen one’s willpower, had later been misused by unscrupulous disciples for lewd practices, earning it the name “Chaste Maiden Spell,” which led to its condemnation by the world. Bi Zhen happened to have learned this method, though she had never used it on anyone before and had little idea of its true power. Yesterday’s small test had filled her with confidence, but today’s failure only fueled her determination. Early that morning, she had launched an even stronger attack.
Returning to her room, she still felt uneasy, so after lunch, she made her way back to Mei Qing’s room to check on him.
To her dismay, Mei Qing appeared perfectly normal, showing no signs of distress. Seeing this, she knew her spell had been neutralized again. Bi Zhen’s heart burned with frustration, though she kept her expression calm. She smiled again, this time even more seductively, nearly causing Mei Qing to leap out of his chair.
Even Mei Qing, dense as he was, now understood that Bi Zhen was deliberately provoking him. However, he had no time to think deeply and could only follow his usual method, resuming cultivation once more. This time, it took over an hour before the fire finally subsided.
That wasn’t the end of it. When it was time to return home, Bi Zhen, that beautiful woman, came to see him off once more, this time with an even stronger dose of her spell. Poor Mei Qing had to endure the torment while riding home, unable to meditate on horseback. He had to relive yesterday’s agonizing experience until he finally returned home and could practice again to dissipate the fire.
“You’re really something, Bi Zhen! Why are you picking on me like this? Fine, fine, let’s see who outlasts who. I, Mei Qing, am not backing down!” Even a clay figure has its limits. Mei Qing, unaware of the secret deal behind it all, assumed Bi Zhen was just toying with him. No matter how calm his heart might be, he was still a young man, and how could he allow himself to lose face in front of such a beautiful woman? Determined, he silently vowed that no matter what, he would not be defeated by this enchanting girl—even if she seemed to have no trace of demonic aura at all.
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