Spirit Vessel

“Feng Feiyun you liar, didn’t you say your cultivation was gone and didn’t have much time left. Well, you look perfectly fine right now.” Nalan Xuejian appeared in the village, wearing a green Buddhist dress that was quite elegant just like a flower. She was furious, having nearly cried her eyes out from being tricked.

Feiyun thought that he had successfully made her give up. Who would have thought that she remained so stubborn and kept on searching for him?

‘Looks like I have underestimated her.’ Feiyun thought.

He smiled and said: “I met an incredible doctor who restored my cultivation. Xuejian, aren’t you cultivating Buddhism with Monk Jiu Rou? Why did you run off to this place?”

“The monk got something important to do at the capital so I snuck out.” She actually believed the whole doctor saving him. Her eyes rolled around and noticed Yu’er standing next to Feiyun and they started glaring like an angry little hen.

She angrily said with animosity: “Feiyun, get over here.”

“Coming.” Feiyun strolled over leisurely with both hands behind his back.

“Who is that?” Xuejian hugged his arm with both hands before looking at Yu’er, seemingly declaring her ownership over Feiyun.

Luo Yu’er also stared at Xuejian in surprise, thinking that the girl was too beautiful.

The two looked like a match made in heaven. However, she couldn’t help touching her face in comparison, thinking that she wasn’t inferior in any way.

Feiyun ignored the girl grabbing his arm and smiled: “Let me introduce you two, this is the lord of WItch God Temple, Heavenly Witchcraft Goddess, Luo Yu’er. And over there, Yu’er, is Master Formless. And... this here is Nalan Xuejian, my younger sister...”

“Not blood-related.” Nalan Xuejian emphasized since she was cautious of Yu’er. The girl was very beautiful on top of having high status so she felt pressured. [1]

Meanwhile, Formless sat by the creek and showed no emotion, seemingly meditating.

“Nice to meet you, Master Nalan.” Yu’er politely performed a courteous gesture.

Feiyun’s brows slightly furrowed. It was fine for Yu’er to call Xuejian “Master” because the latter was wearing a Buddhist robe. However, it sounded as if Yu’er had some playful animosity behind her words too, as if reminding Xuejian that she was a Buddhist and shouldn’t be too close with Feiyun.

But why? This was their first meeting and Yu’er always had a friendly temper and should get along with Xuejian. Maybe Xuejian gave her a bad impression earlier?

Xuejian was a carefree girl but womanly intuition told her that Yu’er definitely had some ideas towards Feng Feiyun or Feiyun had some feelings for Yu’er. She specifically searched for Feiyun in order to stop him from mingling with other girls, so how could she be happy right now?

“I heard the Heavenly Witchcraft Goddess is extremely pure and will never like men, isn’t that true?” Xuejian smiled deviously.

“Yes.” Yu’er nodded and responded quietly while gritting her teeth.

“I feel familiarity at first sight and want to be your friend. Can we talk in private?” Xuejian heaved a sigh of relief but her hostility didn’t stop there.

Feng Feiyun knew that this girl was up to no good and wanted to say something but Yu’er had already agreed.

This surprised him. He started thinking that Yu’er isn’t that timid either and is taking Nalan Xuejian on, albeit in a low-key manner.

Nalan Xuejian and Luo Yu’er walked to the other side of the village and disappeared from sight. Feng Feiyun and Formless found a stone table and sat down.

Formless told him the current situation right now. It turned out that everyone knows about the match between him and the young lord. That’s the reason why he and Xuejian came here to find him.

“The girl must be giving you quite a headache and halting your cultivation.” Feng Feiyun said.

Formless, pure as a lotus, smiled and said: “Miss Nalan is vivacious, innocent, kind-hearted, on top of being deeply in love with you. Do you know what she kept repeating along the way?”

Feiyun smiled and didn’t answer.

Formless copied Xuejian’s tone: “Feng Feiyun must be flirting everywhere, that guy won’t change even if someone puts a blade on his neck, leaving romantic debts everywhere, and that’s why I need to put a leash on him.”

Feiyun laughed loudly at her cute naiveness.

“Thank you for escorting her through the long journey so I must show my gratitude. However, giving you spirit stones or things of that nature is too vulgar. If only we have wine here...” Feiyun smiled.

Formless’ expression actually changed after hearing this due to his low alcohol tolerance. He placed his palms together and chanted: “Amitabha.”

A young boy nearby heard Feiyun and came over, whispering mysteriously: “Big Bro, if you want to drink, you can go to the chief’s cellar, it’s really big and has been around even before our tribe. I went in there with my two friends, so dark inside but it was huge with a bunch of fruit wines. We didn’t get that far though because it’s too cold and scary. Matches wouldn’t even light.”

Feiyun and Formless exchanged glances before following the boy.

***

Nalan Xuejian walked towards a remote spot in the forest with Yu’er behind her. This place was filled with tall trees filled with luxuriant leaves. Vines as thick as water bucket coiled around them, looking just like flood dragons.

Xuejian stopped and turned back to look at Yu’er. This was an extremely beautiful girl dressed in a silver robe. Tall and slender with two towering peaks. She had a good aura too but most importantly, she was half-a-head taller than Xuejian.

Yu’er stared at her too. This girl was very close to Feiyun. She had a great figure and a style straight out of a painting. Her eyes were especially bright but most importantly, the girl had whiter and seemingly softer skin.

The two carefully compared each other.

“What’s your relation with Feiyun?” Xuejian was the first to break the silence.

“Mmm... he’s very kind towards me, protecting me and even wanting to avenge my grandpa.” Yu’er didn’t know why she was telling Xuejian this. However, speaking these words made her feel quite good and happy.

“He’s lying to you, that’s who he is, a swindler specializing in tricking innocent girls like you. You don’t know his past, he’s a spoiled young master who harassed girls in broad daylight, so don’t fall for his lies. He’s only nice to you because you’re pretty and gullible.” Xuejian’s fire intensified after hearing this.

“Why are you so rude? You are beautiful but very hypocritical. How can you talk behind his back like this? He’ll be so sad if he were to find out.” Yu’er slightly grimaced.

“...” Xuejian had no response and almost fainted from anger.

“And as for his past, I know him even more than you. He did bad things back then but he’s different now, having done plenty of good deeds and helping me several times. He’ll definitely stay true to his words and help me get revenge.” Yu’er went on.

‘She knows more about Feiyun?’ Xuejian wanted to pull her own hair out while thinking: ‘It’s over for this girl, Feiyun got her good now so it’s useless trying to persuade her. I must save her from the tiger’s den, I can’t allow that liar to destroy her purity.’

Nalan Xuejian didn’t know that she herself had fallen for Feiyun the most out of anyone. She wanted to save others from the tiger while wanting to be eaten by it.

“Fine! I have a different method since you’re so stubborn.” Xuejian held her buddhist beads and emitted a pure Buddhist aura.

A bright lotus appeared beneath her; chants could faintly be heard. Behind her was a bright expanse of Buddhist light. She challenged: “You’re the Heavenly Witchcraft Goddess, right?! I’m sure you’re strong then, why don’t we have a match?”

“I see no reason to.” Yu’er had a strong cultivation along while being skilled in witchcraft. Alas, she has never been in a fight before.

“The winner will get Feiyun and get to make rice with him, the loser will leave and never show up again!” Nalan Xuejian’s hair fluttered as she stood on the lotus with her chest arched forward while staring straight at Yu’er. [2]

“...” Yu’er blushed after hearing that phrase.

“Do you dare?” Xuejian didn’t really know the meaning of the phrase. However, she had a general idea - after she finished cooking the rice, Feng Feiyun will be hers. She must win this match at all cost to chase Luo Yu’er away. [3]

1. Feiyun said mei mei, which is younger sister but can also be any younger girl, it’s ambiguous

2. It’s an idiom. Literal: the raw rice is now cooked. It means that once a couple has sex, it’s too late for anyone - such as their parents - to stop them now. Might as well let them get married. So Xuejian is using it here to say that the winner will get Feiyun completely

3. Okay, so Nalan Xuejian herself doesn’t know the actual sexual implication behind the phrase, she thinks it is just cooking the rice? I don’t know, we’ll see where the author goes with this