The Truth About Dong Xuan’er

Chapter 246: Dong Xuan’er

This Senior Hongfu actually took the young woman to the back room and examined Dong Xuan’er’s arm on the spot. The cinnabar mole, a symbol of chastity, was still perfectly intact. This came as a great shock to Han Li’s master’s wife.

Because from her facial features and demeanor, this Dong Xuan’er simply did not look like someone who had never known a man! When the couple had deliberately not asked questions and agreed to the dual cultivation arrangement that day, they had been intentionally glossing things over. But who would have thought that this girl’s reputation was already so commonly known to be unsavory? It was only to protect the couple’s own reputation that they later went back on the matter.

Amid the young woman’s surprise, Hongfu finally told her the truth. It turned out that her disciple, coveting the miraculous effect of preserving youth, had chosen to cultivate a top-tier technique from her collection called the Spring Transformation Art. The allure in her eyes and expression was merely a superficial manifestation of practicing this method. So naturally, some cultivators well-versed in the art of judging a woman’s purity would, after meeting Dong Xuan’er a few times, assume she had long lost her virginity. Thus, rumors unfavorable to her disciple gradually spread.

Of course, her disciple was indeed somewhat lacking in self-love, having been involved in some flirtatious entanglements with male disciples. However, given the seductive effects of the Spring Transformation Art and her special status, it would actually be strange if male cultivators were not constantly orbiting around her!

But as the number of male cultivators by her side gradually increased, Dong Xuan’er developed a strange habit. Whenever she saw a young man who suited her fancy, she would immediately feel the urge to make him kneel at her feet. She would even amuse herself by instigating these men and making them jealous of each other.

Fortunately, when Hongfu had originally agreed to let this girl cultivate the Spring Transformation Art, the precondition was that she must not lose her chastity. If she ever discovered that Dong Xuan’er’s cinnabar mole had disappeared, Hongfu, as her master, would immediately cripple her cultivation and reduce her to an ordinary mortal. This was to prevent Dong Xuan’er, who had gained some seductive prowess from cultivating the Spring Transformation Art, from disgracing the Dong family’s name.

Therefore, bound by this critical condition, even though Dong Xuan’er regularly exchanged flirtatious glances with men, she generally dared not do anything too improper!

However, news of her ‘good deeds’ still gradually reached Hongfu’s ears, filling this Core Formation female cultivator with both shock and rage. She severely punished Dong Xuan’er and immediately confined her for a period.

But by then, it was too late. Dong Xuan’er’s soiled reputation had already spread throughout the entire Yellow Maple Valley! Once such a matter spreads, it simply cannot be explained away. Even Hongfu, a Core Formation cultivator, was helpless to remedy the situation.

At this point, even those cultivators who valued reputation, if they actually knew that Dong Xuan’er was still guarding her purity, would not risk sullying their own name to form a dual cultivation partnership with her.

Yet, due to the nature of the Spring Transformation Art, Dong Xuan’er had reached a stage where she needed to engage in dual cultivation. Otherwise, her magic power would stagnate and could even regress.

As for the cultivators who were still pursuing Dong Xuan’er, Hongfu could not find any among them that satisfied her. She also did not trust their character or motives. This was why she had gone to Li Huayuan’s cave dwelling and taken an interest in Han Li.

So, having heard all of this, the young woman returned to Li Huayuan’s side with a very awkward expression. She related the matter, and the two of them sat in a long, speechless silence.

Although the couple had indeed misunderstood Dong Xuan’er’s purity, just as Hongfu had said, even if she was still chaste, her reputation was already so ruined that Li Huayuan was unwilling to let his disciple form a dual cultivation partnership with her. It would be too damaging to his own reputation. Thus, he had no choice but to feel regretful toward his senior apprentice sister Hongfu.

But to make up for this debt of regret, Li Huayuan naturally would not create any more obstacles for Han Li’s upcoming participation in the Treasure-Seizing Assembly. In fact, he did his best to help make it happen. And so, Han Li and Dong Xuan’er’s current journey came to be.

Li Huayuan figured that, given the extremely bad impression Han Li had of Dong Xuan’er, even if the two of them did make this trip, no entanglements would arise between them. On the other hand, his seventh disciple, Wu Xuan, who had only seen Dong Xuan’er once that day, had become completely obsessed with her. Just a few days prior, he had gathered his courage and asked Li Huayuan to propose to Hongfu again, to see if he could still arrange a union between himself and Dong Xuan’er.

Li Huayuan, already feeling guilty towards Hongfu, naturally would not agree to such an absurd request. After severely reprimanding this disciple, he sent him out of the sect on some business, to prevent him from stirring up further trouble within the mountain.

After this harsh reprimand, Wu Xuan seemed to have become much more docile and obediently went out to do his work. But Li Huayuan could clearly sense that this disciple was still harboring a restless desire, which gave him a bit of a headache.

After seeing the two of them off, the Immortal Matron Hongfu chatted for a while longer with the couple before taking her leave. Li Huayuan and the young woman then entered the Green Wave Cave to begin their daily cultivation. The matter of Han Li and Dong Xuan’er was temporarily set aside.

…

As the number one clan of Yue, the Yan Clan’s foundation was actually in Ling Province, an unremarkable one among the thirteen provinces of Yue. Not only was its territory average, but its population was also moderate. It could be called a very mediocre place. Qingliang City was an ordinary small city in Ling Province. Aside from the nearby Yanliang Mountain, which had some nice scenery, it had no special features or local products worth bragging about. The Yan Clan’s family stronghold, Yanling Fort, was located within this Yanliang Mountain.

At this moment, a piece of paper was pinched between Han Li’s fingers. It was precisely the invitation letter for the Treasure-Seizing Assembly. The location written on it for the assembly was Yanling Fort.

After reading the invitation letter once more to confirm there was no mistake, Han Li slowly put it away. He then heard a woman’s voice, full of biting sarcasm.

“What a blockhead. You’ve looked at that invitation letter five or six times already, and you’re still not at ease. You really have problems!”

The voice was very soft and filled with a low, magnetic quality that could easily stir a man’s fantasies, especially for a young man.

But Han Li’s expression did not stir in the slightest, as if he hadn’t heard it at all. Instead, he raised his hand, and three fireballs the size of a bowl shot from his palm into the sky, exploding high in the air. Only then did he speak calmly:

“If no one from the Yan Clan comes to receive us in a little while, we’ll leave this place for now and return tomorrow. If Junior Apprentice Sister isn’t tired and still has the energy to argue, by all means, fly a bit higher and have a look around to see if there are any other people nearby, just in case.”

“Senior Apprentice Brother Han really is a coward! We’re practically at the Yan Clan’s doorstep. Do you think there’s any danger? I say you’re just making a fuss over nothing and creating trouble for people!” Dong Xuan’er curled her red lips and said lazily. The girl was leaning against an old pine tree, stretching lazily, without the slightest intention of obeying.

At this moment, Han Li and the young girl were on a small mountain peak, seemingly waiting for something to happen.

This was supposed to be the meeting point for guests as described in the invitation. But they had arrived some time ago and still hadn’t seen anyone from the Yan Clan. This made Han Li’s vigilance rise sharply, and he feared some accident might occur.

But this young lady Dong, as usual, dismissed Han Li’s caution as nothing more than a display of his cowardly nature!

It had now been seven or eight days since the two of them had left the Green Wave Cave.

And during the entire journey, they seemed to be natural enemies. They couldn’t stand the sight of each other. The ambiguous feeling that should exist between a man and a woman simply never appeared between them. The seductive charm that Dong Xuan’er used to such great effect on other male cultivators, for some unknown reason, had no effect on Han Li. Soon, her willful nature, frustrated by her failure to control him, burst forth as a full-blown temper tantrum.

But Han Li wasn’t one to be swayed by a young girl’s tricks. He completely ignored her unreasonableness, only saying: “I will faithfully report Junior Apprentice Sister’s behavior to Uncle-Master Hongfu.” This single sentence immediately deflated Dong Xuan’er.

Although the girl was used to being spoiled, she knew that this time, Hongfu was truly angry about her reputation.

The warning Hongfu had given before their departure was serious! If this hateful man before her spoke ill of her in front of her master, a severe punishment would certainly be unavoidable. Being confined once more was not out of the question.

Just thinking about the life of confinement made Dong Xuan’er shiver. Although she still refused to show weakness verbally, she no longer dared to act willfully in her actions.

Seeing this, Han Li did not go out of his way to make things difficult for her. He even let her take small verbal advantages without any concern. But if she stepped out of line even slightly, he would unceremoniously invoke the name of Uncle-Master Hongfu, immediately crushing any room for resistance. After all, before their departure, Hongfu had told Dong Xuan’er, in front of both of them, to listen to Han Li.

And so, the journey continued like this. One party, sharp-tongued and quick-witted, constantly belittled and mocked the other, who, in turn, remained as if he hadn’t heard a word, simply burying his head and traveling. But whenever the one who rarely spoke mentioned something involving Hongfu, the sharp-tongued party would immediately change their expression, no longer daring to act too presumptuously.

Thus, bumping along their way, traveling by day and resting by night, they finally arrived at Yanliang Mountain several days later and found this peak.

Unexpectedly, the person from the Yan Clan, who should have appeared long ago, was nowhere to be seen. Han Li and the girl had been waiting for most of the day and were beginning to grow impatient.