When Lu Qingyun regained his consciousness, he found himself lying in a cave and saw that the veiled maiden was putting woods into a small bonfire.
She asked softly without turning her back, "You're awake?"
Lu Qingyun was startled as he tried to recall what had happened and why he had blacked out. He could feel a burning sensation in his cultivation core. Instinctively he knew that it was the golden roc flame and he was really astonished.
The golden roc flame was a really precious spirit flame that was highly coveted. Yet she had really given it to him just like this?
His old master had warned him to be wary of the three rules of the celestial fraternity. One, there was no free lunches. Two, be wary of the intrigues of the cultivators. Three, avoid the female cultivator like a plague, especially beautiful ones.
His old master had told him stories on how he got swindled by beautiful cultivators when he was younger and how he was forced to become an autonomous cultivator.
Lu Qingyun was someone that listened to advice and now that he found himself having the Golden Roc Flame unwittingly, he was at a loss.
The mesmerizing voice of the veiled maiden said soothingly, "Words alone cannot express my gratitude to you therefore you do not need to thank me at all. After all you have saved my life and I have no real use for it."
She knew that he would instinctively be able to feel the Golden Roc Flame that was within him when he woke up and she had said that in order to make him feel comfortable.
Lu Qingyun was not glad at all. Instead he was smiling bitterly because this gift was too precious for him to take. He really did not believe that there was someone that was so willing to give him a ninth rank spirit flame for no apparent reason. As for saving her life, he was not a fool to believe that after he had seen what she had done to the golden roc. Even if he had aided her by creating an opening for her, there was actually no need to give him something as precious as the golden roc flame.
Although he considered himself to be handsome but he was not a fool to believe that she would fall in love with him either.
Apparently there must be a reason and he reasoned that the real reason was a sinister one. It was exactly like what his old master had warned him before; there was simply no free lunch and everything happened for a reason.
The celestial fraternity was full of intrigues and backstabbing among the cultivators.
Slowly he spoke as he looked at her, "Celestial Meixue…"
He noted that her reaction was a little slow when he had called her name. It seemed that she was using an alias and that Meixue was not her real name at all. Taking note of this, he said. "This gift is too precious for me to take. Actually I do not want anything…"
The veiled maiden chuckled softly as she turned to look at him, "What? A big man like you will actually be shy? Or are you thinking that I have favors to ask from you?"
Lu Qingyun immediately stammered, "It is not that…I…"
She hummed coldly as she interrupted him, "Or you are thinking that I am lusting after your body? And that I am an old hag that is trying to force myself on you?"
Actually Lu Qingyun was thinking alone that line but he quickly said, "Of course not. It is just that I am thinking that I have no way to repay you and I am just a low level cultivator…"
She was suddenly sighing melancholy, "I didn't ask you for any repayment, did I? Why do you want to repay me?"
Lu Qingyun was rendered a little speechless by her as he answered slowly, "Because this gift is too precious and it is not something that anyone will give freely to just anyone." Although he was a low level cultivator but he knew how precious this ninth rank spirit flame was. Having a ninth rank spirit flame was sufficient enough to propel anyone to be a potential golden celestial in the future. Even if the cultivator was already a golden celestial, a ninth rank spirit flame would still be immensely useful.
Still, he was secretly wary of her intentions so he decided to test her out by saying. "I am just a trash cultivator. This Golden Roc Flame won't be useful to a lowly practitioner level like me until I can really attain the supremacy level. Rather, it is much more useful to you because your next level of attainment is the supremacy level. Although this golden roc flame has been imbued into my inner core but you can still take it out. Only then will I feel more at ease."
"That won't do. Once I have taken it out again, the parent wisp will become a child wisp. Much of the original potency of the Golden Roc Flame will be lost," the veiled maiden replied in a slow and soft manner as she explained.
Then he had heard her giggling softly, "You are such a strange fellow. If it were others, they would be jumping with joy long ago but instead you seem so reluctant to have it. Is because you have a much more powerful spirit entities that you are intending to cultivate in the future?"
Lu Qingyun smiled weakly, "Of course not." Then he decided to be honest and said with a miserable sigh, "I just feel that this gift is too precious and I may not even protect this powerful spirit flame with my current cultivation. After all, the world of cultivators is often very treacherous and full of intrigues…"
"Oh so you are suspecting that I am up to no good?" She laughed softly as she tossed a wood into the bonfire.
He was immediately awkward because he had suddenly realized that he had given too much hint of his actual thoughts.
"Actually," the veiled maiden began to say solemnly. "I do have a personal favor to ask of you. I have a brothel business in New Empyrean City. I can see that you are heading that way. If you can help me to manage my business as a pimp, I'm sure that you can repay me enough."
Lu Qingyun was stunned. Although he had a handsome face but she was asking him to be a pimp for her?!
Even if he work for ten thousand years as a pimp, he could not earn enough spirit stones to buy a ninth rank spirit entity.
Upon seeing his stunned expression, the veiled maiden was suddenly laughing as her slim body began to roll back and fro, "I am only teasing you."
Lu Qingyun heaved a sigh soft as he muttered, "Lucky…"
She turned around as she looked at him intently, "Why are you going to New Empyrean City?"
Lu Qingyun said with a weak smile as he sighed nonstop, "I am actually looking for a cultivation sect to join."
The veiled maiden knitted her brows, "So you are an autonomous celestial? I actually hail from the New Empyrean City. If you don't mind, why don't you join my cultivation sect?"
Lu Qingyun looked at her, "Join your cultivation sect?"
The veiled maiden nodded gently, "Have you heard of the Heavens Ridge Villa?"
Lu Qingyun was startled as he slowly nodded; the Heavens Ridge Villa is one of the four principal influences of New Empyrean City and is also a second tier celestial cultivation sect.
If she was a golden celestial of the Heavens Ridge Villa then she must be a core protégé. She could even be a personal protégé or even an elder!
The veiled maiden carefully took out a black token from her spatial ring and placed it gently near the bonfire, "Just bring this token to the Heavens Ridge Villa with your intentions clearly stated and you will be accepted as a protégé. There are no need to have so many hassles and wrong turns."
Then she got up before walking toward the entrance of the cave, "I still got something on. Hopefully, we still got a chance to meet again soon."
"Wait!" Lu Qingyun panicky shouted after her.
The veiled maiden paused in her tracks and said without turning back, "Yes?"
Lu Qingyun had already stood up as he gave a respectful bow with his hands, "I wonder if Celestial Meixue will be so kind as to enlighten why you are helping me in this manner?"
There was a slight shudder from her. It was because Lu Qingyun had resembled someone that she had known in the past and that she had confirmed it with the Primordial Heaven Chart, an immortal artefact that could track the souls that this was indeed his new reincarnation.
She was thinking silently, "It is so good to see you again in this new timeline."
After a few pauses, she chuckled softly. "No particular reason at all. I just thought that you look like someone that I've known in the past."
Just as he was about to ask her more, she had already walked to the entrance.
There was a gentle breeze that loosened her veil and Lu Qingyun had caught a glimpse of her face, causing him to be startled at her peerless look.
She was actually not any old hag but a young maiden. For her to retain her youthfulness, her cultivation talent must be most astonishing.
When one had reached the immortal celestial level or as a Fourth Realm Cultivator, they would cease to age. She must have reached the immortal celestial level quite early.
But he was also baffled by her and he unconsciously reached to his inner core to feel the Golden Roc Flame…
He did not know that this mysterious Celestial Meixue was actually not using her real name and that he was actually talking to a Seventh Realm Cultivator and not a Fifth Realm Cultivator. Now a Seventh Realm Cultivator was actually those that were at the Sacred Saint Level, the highest cultivation level and that she was actually a saintess.
Lu Qingyun stared at the black token that was placed near the bonfire as he muttered, "So, should I go to this Heavens Ridge Villa or not?"
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Author Note:
1. The story has a lead heroine and she is a villainess while the MC is the reincarnation of a fallen powerful immortal god.
2. The heroines in the story aren't vases. I do understand that some people wants to read about a smart MC that knows everyone, can't be outwitted by anyone and have supernatural foresight, then this story prolly isn't for you. If you want to read about a witty heroine then you are in for a treat.