Chapter Thirteen: Among the Best of Women

  Zhang Yin's mouth was dry and she couldn't speak for a while. After a long time, she finally said: "Yes."

  That woman's eyes, like two sparkling orbs of water, gazed softly at Zhang, as if she had seen through her entirely, inside and out. Only then did she smile and say: "What a pretty little thing! You're so young yet dare to venture alone into the Town Heart Temple - you must be either fearless or ignorant of the heights of heaven and the thickness of earth. Hmm, little one, are you some venerable elder's beloved disciple or precious daughter? Sneaking into the forbidden area without telling your elders, the punishment when you get out... won't be light."

  These words, spoken by the woman's mouth, not only failed to provoke Zhang Yin's arrogant and unreasonable temper, but instead made Zhang Yin's cheeks flush with anger, her mind reeling.

  Zhang Yin's heart grew more and more flustered as he looked at the woman, his mouth drying up, and he couldn't help but avert his gaze. He immediately felt that he had lost the upper hand, and forced himself to say, "You're just a demon captured by my sect, how dare you spout such nonsense! I...I'm obviously here on orders, how could I be sneaking into forbidden territory?"

  But though she put on a brave face, she didn't dare glance at the woman even once.

  The woman spoke in a soft, low voice, saying: "You impatient little man! Since you've sneaked into this Town Heart Temple's forbidden land, you must have something you're looking for. What is it that you want? Don't be afraid to speak up and let me hear."

  Her voice was like pearls falling on a jade plate, each word round and smooth, striking Zhang Yin's heart, as if it had touched an itch that she had never noticed before. Zhang Yin felt that every bone in her body seemed to be sore, floating and drifting, without any strength at all, her face red and ears burning, completely losing her composure.

  Zhang Yin-yin panted hastily, softly and weakly saying: "I heard that the fox spirits who have attained the Tao... no, the foxes... all have special abilities, can entice men from all over the world..."

  The woman listened, and again smiled lightly, her laughter as fine as silk threads. She laughed until Zhang Yin's legs went soft and he was unable to stand steadily, almost falling over. The woman laughed a few times, then spoke softly: "So it was for this reason. Lift your head and look at me!"

  Zhang Yin raised her head inexplicably, meeting the woman's bright eyes like morning stars. In an instant, she felt a loud noise in her mind, and her clear consciousness suddenly fell into chaos, unable to think clearly. She only felt a burst of light and shadow exploding before her eyes, changing and transforming, dazzling and confusing.

  Among the shadows and lights, he walked towards himself with a stern and murderous aura. His blue robe was tattered and stained with blood, almost turning it into a dark robe.

  This feeling and scene are like a white horse passing through a gap, fleeting and gone in an instant.

  In the blink of an eye, Zhang Yin had come back to her senses, only to feel that her whole body was soft and weak, with cold sweat gradually breaking out, without a single bit of strength left, almost fainting.

  Upon seeing this scene, the woman's heart was clear and she couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. She said: "You have an exceptional natural talent, and your heart is as pure as white paper. You're originally a lovely person who hasn't experienced the hardships of life, nor do you know the sorrows of love. However, now your heart has attachments, and there's a hint of resentment in your eyes. It seems that your heart has already been placed on someone else's body. Since you've come to ask me for the way to drive away men, it must be because you want to fulfill your longing."

  Zhang Yin's face immediately turned bright red, and she snorted, saying: "Nonsense, it's not what you think! I won't go around seducing men, I just...just..."

  She had been silent for half a day, and finally sighed softly: "There is indeed such a person, I dream of surpassing him, even if only once. However, his skills are advancing too quickly, if it were just the Three Pure Truths, I'm afraid I would never be able to beat him. But no matter what...no matter what, I must defeat him once! I've heard that foxes with a certain level of cultivation have untransmitted secret techniques that can manipulate all men under heaven, I want to know if relying on this technique, could I possibly win against him even once."

  The woman shook her head gently and sighed slowly: "Little one, you are inexperienced in the world, how do you know the danger of love? In this world, which man is not unfaithful, heartless, and cold-blooded? You may win over him once, but you will lose a lifetime with him, what's the point?"

  Zhang Yin seemed to be startled, and after thinking for half a day, Fang Qiang defended himself: "I am a cultivator, what romance or love do I have? I just don't admit defeat in my heart, and I must find some powerful means to win against him once."

  The woman let out another sigh, not saying anything to break the silence, but instead spoke softly: "Since my earlier beastly roar couldn't scare you away, I suppose your mind is made up. Fine, fine. Anyway, after my sister Daji ruined the previous dynasty, our Fox Clan's reputation for causing chaos in the world was already irreparable, and it doesn't matter if we add one more small instance to that. If we can cause chaos throughout the world, what difference does it make to win over just one man? However, your understanding of my clan's technique for manipulating men is still not enough."

  Zhang Yin bit her lower lip and said, "How can I show enough sincerity?"

  The woman said calmly: "The railing in front of me is unlocked. You only need to open it and walk up to me."

  Zhang Yin was shocked. Even if she didn't understand the height of the sky and the thickness of the earth, she knew that this thousand-year-old demon fox locked in the Town Heart Hall had a cultivation base of over a thousand years. Even ten Zhang Yins would be swallowed up by her in one mouthful. The woman stood still in the cell, naturally being restrained by a powerful method. If she rashly walked to her front, wouldn't it be like a sheep entering a tiger's den?

  Just as Zhang Yin was hesitating, the scene of her facing Ji Ruochen during the annual exam suddenly flashed before her eyes. Ji Ruochen's body was surrounded by a murderous aura, his footsteps calm and steady, with his sword in hand. However, what made her heart tremble was not his cold-blooded killing intent, nor his blood-stained green shirt, but rather his pair of eyes.

  Those eyes were calm and indifferent, even though they saw Zhang Yin, they still showed no sadness or joy, no attachment.

  Those eyes, however, made Zhang Yin's heart tremble and his hands go soft in an instant, almost causing him to drop the wooden sword he was holding.

  At this thought, Zhang Yin's heart moved inexplicably, and he suddenly walked through the hall, opened the iron gate, and stood in front of the woman.

  The woman let out a sigh, not saying a word, but gently lifted her slender jade-like hands and placed them on Zhang Yin's face. Her fingertips were cool as ice, smooth as jade, and slid across Zhang Yin's skin. The icy smooth sensation made Zhang Yin feel indescribably comfortable, and in a daze, he was slightly intoxicated.

  At some point, the woman had already withdrawn her hand, her eyes dazed, as if she had traversed thousands of mountains and rivers, landing in an unknown distant place. After a long time, she let out a faint sigh and asked: "What's your name, whose disciple are you?"

  "Zhang Yin-yin, daughter of Zhang Jing-xiao, currently in charge of the Tai-huan Palace."

  The woman's delicate eyebrows furrowed, saying: "Zhang Jingxiao... how come I've never heard of such a person?" She immediately came to her senses, smiled wryly and said: "I'm so foolish! I've been in this Zhen Xin Temple for over 500 years, the true master who holds Taixuan Peak should have changed several times already."

  After she finished speaking, the woman fell into deep thought, as if there were countless things in her mind. Before long, her red lips opened, and she softly sang: "In the north, there is a beauty, matchless and independent. With one glance, she can overthrow a city; with another, she can overthrow a state. Does she not know that overthrown cities and states are hard to get again? A beauty like this is hard to find..."

  Her voice is like jade, and can be called a heavenly music in the mortal world. This ancient poem by Zhang Yan has also been heard before, with praise and admiration in its words, and hints of prosperity and flourishing times. However, when this girl sang it, the song was transformed into a thousand turns and hundred twists, sorrowful and mournful to the extreme, with unknown depths of sadness hidden within. As she sang on, her voice became fainter and fainter, until it disappeared at the last sentence, leaving only the lingering echoes that refused to fade away.

  Zhang Yin had long been enchanted.

  "Ah, Yan Yan, you were born with a beautiful appearance, and your foundation is extremely good. If you obtain our family's secret techniques and spend some time on it, becoming a nation-toppling beauty wouldn't be difficult. However, from that day on, you will no longer hear a single true word or receive a single genuine feeling. Your extraordinary looks are actually a path to disaster. Remember my words today! If one day your heart wavers, think of the situation I'm in now and it should wake you up."

  As they spoke, the cell suddenly changed its appearance. What was originally a spacious and clean cell instantly became gloomy and terrifying. The four walls of the cell were made up of huge rocks, colored dark brown. The woman still wore a white dress like snow, but behind her back, there were nine beautiful fox tails, fanned out in a semicircle, nailed to the rock wall by nine thick steel nails!

  At the place where the steel nail entered the wall, nine black-brown marks can still be seen, winding down along the wall.

  "Th...". Zhang Yin was speechless for a moment, and only then did she understand why the woman stood still in her original position, not moving at all.

  In the blink of an eye, the prison had returned to its original state. The woman stood elegantly, her beauty beyond compare. She said: "Yin Yin, from now on, every seven days, you must come to the Town Heart Hall once. I will personally teach you the Tian Hu secret technique and instruct you in the way of controlling people's hearts."

  Zhang Yin was shocked and said: "Come once every seven days? How is this possible? I'm sneaking in secretly without telling my father."

  The woman smiled faintly and said, "It doesn't matter. Just tell your father that I will teach you the technique, and he probably won't stop you from entering this Zhen Xin Hall. It's getting late, I'll send you back first."

  As soon as the words fell, a misty air burst forth in front of Zhang Yin, steaming and spreading out, a vast expanse of white. By the time the mist had dispersed, Zhang Yin was already standing in the center of the Town Heart Temple.

  She stood there in a daze, her mind in disarray, until the moonlight slanted to the west, when she let out a soft sigh and left the quiet and desolate Temple of Tranquility.

  That year, Zhang Yin was only sixteen years old.