Boudoir Pleasures (1)

Zheng Wan opened her eyes.

The dusky sunlight passed through the screen window and fell on the table in front of the long settee, leaving residual shadows on the ground.

There was no one in the room. Cui Wang wasn’t there, and the sound of Ah Wan’s wooden legs striking the ground echoed in her ears.

She was a little thirsty, so she reached out for the teacup on the table and took a sip; the water was still warm.
When she put the teacup back, the sleeves of her white inner robe slid across the water stains on the table. Zheng Wan froze, only realising just then that she had been dressed in a man’s inner robe at some point in time. It was loose and wide, pure white, and its front lapels were fastened meticulously.

Cui Wang must have put it on for her.

“You’re finally awake,” said Granny Jin.

“What time is it?”

“It’s about a quarter to six. You’ve been asleep for an entire day.”

Zheng Wan spaced out for a while, which she hardly ever did, before she sank her soul consciousness into her dantian to have a look.

Upon inspection, she couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. After one night of torment, the tiny spots on her vital root were only lessened by a bit no larger than her fingernail.

“Granny, it doesn’t look like much at all.”

“Try circulating your vital energy.”

Zheng Wan sat up as she was told and began to activate the Non-Emptiness Sutra.

When she did, she immediately noticed the difference.

The ice vital energy surrounding her was more active than before. Like an army charging into battle, they had followed her command and circulated through her body for one day. Only one night had passed, and her 22nd and 23rd orifices, which had been completely inactive before, were now full.

The connection between her and the ice vital energy seemed to have become stronger. To use a metaphor, if they were friends before, they were probably good friends now.

“This is the role of the vital root.”

“So, does this mean… that the grade of the vital root can be improved? If I find a large dark ice flame that’s alive in the future and refine it, will my vital root be promoted to the immortal grade?”

“Little lassie, you’re a really good dreamer for someone so young.” Granny Jin snorted. “It’s already a heavenly blessing that you were able to get the Moistening Essence and open your orifices.”

“If you want to raise your top-grade vital root to immortal-grade, did you think one dark ice flame would be enough? You will also need a Heavenly Pill and five stalks of Nine Revolution Resurrection grass. Putting aside the fact that the Heavenly Pill is a Grade 9 immortal elixir that can only be refined by alchemy cultivators, this Nine Revolution Resurrection grass only grows in the Void, and is guarded by the Void Beast. Even cultivators at the Void Refining stage would not make it out alive.”

“…The Void?”
The name sounded familiar to Zheng Wan, but she couldn’t recall what it was.

When she thought harder about it, gold bricks began to line up again and smash into her sea of

consciousness, causing stars in her eyes. She held her head dazedly and it took a long while before she recovered.

Zheng Wan got off the long settee and drank a cup of tea to calm herself down, then walked to the dressing table and sat down.

The mirrors in the Heavenly Realms were much clearer than the gilded bronze mirrors in the mortal realm, and could reflect people to the smallest detail.

At this moment, a young woman was reflected in the mirror. Her appearance was like that of flowers in the snow, but her face was slightly pale, which in turn made her seem pitiful and dear. Zheng Wan smiled at the mirror, and the person in the mirror smiled at her too.

Cultivation is tough and boring, but its benefits are real, thought Zheng Wan happily.

“Granny didn’t lie to you, right?” said Granny Jin. “The ‘Non-Emptiness Sutra’ forges one’s foundation to the best it can be.”

“What does that mean?” Zheng Wan didn’t understand her words.

“Everyone is born with a predetermined capacity, as their bones and skin have been carved. However, the Non-Emptiness Sutra can develop one’s bones and skin to the extreme within the predetermined range that has already been carved.”

Zheng Wan got it now.
“That is to say, although it is impossible to transform phoenix eyes into peach blossom eyes through cultivation, it is possible to turn them into the most beautiful pair of phoenix eyes ever.”

“…Something like that,” said Granny Jin. “Reaching the transcendent level of the Non-Emptiness Sutra will give you a mind as pure as snow, and bones of jade.

Zheng Wan’s interest in the Non-Emptiness Sutra immediately rose to the highest level. She sat in front of the mirror and began to take care of the three thousand troublesome strands hanging down her back.

When Cui Wang entered the door, this was what he saw—a black-haired woman in plain clothes holding an ivory comb between her fingertips, combing her hair repeatedly.

“Cui Wang, you’re back.”
Zheng Wan turned her head, her eyes curving into two crescents at once.

“Mhm.”
Cui Wang nodded. He saw her beckon towards him.

“Come and help me comb my hair.”