Step by step, they walked naturally toward the island in the heart of the lake.
Cai Yan, Yaoyue, and the others stood on the surface of the water like celestial maidens born of the emerald waves, graceful and ethereal, radiating an extraordinary aura. If any cultivators were around, they would undoubtedly be mesmerized by the scene.
The key lay in their temperament.
It was this unique aura that served as their greatest charm.Otherwise, in the modern world of the past, plastic surgery had reached unimaginable heights—it wasn't difficult to craft a face akin to a goddess. But no matter how exquisite your appearance, temperament cannot be surgically implanted. It is either innate or cultivated over time through subtle experiences.
A phoenix born from a chicken coop was, after all, exceedingly rare.
As they walked on the shimmering surface, not a single sound echoed beneath their feet—not even a ripple disturbed the calm water. Unknowingly, they had already reached the heart of the lake.
"So serene and refined. Truly the demeanor of a noble lady,"Cai Yan said softly.
"Who's there?"The sound of the zither came to an abrupt halt as a clear voice rang out. The beautiful figure before them trembled slightly—clearly, the voice had come from her lips. She turned around.
At that moment, seeing Yi Tianxing and the others standing silently behind her, her heart trembled in shock:Who are these people? How could such powerful cultivators approach me without my sensing them at all?If they hadn't spoken, she wouldn't have even known they were there.If they were enemies, she'd have died without ever understanding how.
Anyone would be filled with dread after such an experience.It was terrifying.
She instantly understood—these people were far stronger than her. Otherwise, she would have sensed them.And she wasn't weak herself—she had reached the Life Map Realm (命图境). For someone to approach her without detection, they had to be at least at the Dharma Phase Realm (法相境) or possess some supreme concealment technique.
"So beautiful... a peerless ghostly maiden indeed,"Yaoyue and the others couldn't help but show a hint of astonishment in their eyes.
Though they had already guessed this in their hearts, seeing it with their own eyes was a different matter entirely. They now understood what it truly meant for a female ghost to be peerless through the ages.
"She looks like she's seventeen or eighteen years old—beautiful beyond compare."—This was Pu Songling's famous description of the ghost maiden Nie Xiaoqian in Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio.
This kind of beauty was elusive—not clear-cut but veiled in mystery. That ambiguity made it even more alluring, sparking endless imagination and fascination.
Now, seeing her before him, even Yi Tianxing was momentarily shaken.
Her bright eyes, white teeth, flowing white garments, a faint smile tinged with sorrow, and an air of cool detachment—it was as if this ghostly maiden could captivate souls with a single glance. Anyone who saw her would never forget her.
"Wang Zuxian!!"
The moment he saw her, Yi Tianxing's mind involuntarily conjured that name.
Because this female ghost before him looked exactly like the legendary actress Wang Zuxian—not only in appearance, but she seemed even more ethereal and otherworldly. That face, unforgettable and stunning, was a perfect mirror of Wang Zuxian's portrayal.
"Indeed… this is a world shaped by fantasy, and the collective will of all beings wields overwhelming influence in such a world.In the old world, when people thought of Nie Xiaoqian, they thought of Wang Zuxian's ghostly beauty. No matter how beautiful later actresses might be, none could match that image,"Yi Tianxing realized silently.
The power of collective will—the willing force of all beings—was one of the most mysterious and transformative forces in all existence.Because, in everyone's heart, the perfect image of Nie Xiaoqian was precisely this one.So, in this merged multiverse, this was the form Nie Xiaoqian had naturally taken.
Her appearance was soft and graceful, ever-shifting like flowing clouds. Her white robes seemed like cold mist shrouding moonlight, untouched by worldly frost or dust. Her bright eyes shimmered, her smile tinged with sorrow—like the very archetype of a cold and mournful ghostly maiden. And yet, she was also an enchanting specter. Her icy jade-like skin, faintly visible through sheer silk, exuded a subtle charm that seduced without intent.
One smile—eternal spring.
One tear—eternal sorrow.
"Truly extraordinary. No wonder she left such a deep impression on you, husband,"Cai Yan said gently, her eyes filled with admiration.
"Who are you people? Why have you come here?"the ghostly maiden asked softly.
"You are Nie Xiaoqian, are you not?"Lianxing blinked and asked.
"Yes, but how do you know that?"Nie Xiaoqian's face clearly showed surprise.This was their first meeting—how could they possibly know her name? It meant they had come with a purpose. Otherwise, they couldn't have known so much.
But what confused her the most was that this place had been sealed, and she had never appeared in the outside world. She had only recently awakened, having been out for just a few days.How could anyone know of her and find her so quickly?
A cold trace of fear welled up within her.
"Don't blame us for knowing. But now that we've seen you, we can confirm that the legends are true. And more importantly—you carry no resentment. Your Yin Essence is intact. That's rare."Cai Yan's eyes swept over Nie Xiaoqian, then nodded in approval.
If she had committed killings or other evils, she would've carried heavy resentment.But she didn't. And the fact that her Yin Essence remained untouched meant she had remained pure. That alone left a very favorable impression.
"Miss Xiaoqian, what is your relationship with Lanruo Temple? Do you know its secrets? If you do, please share them,"Yi Tianxing asked calmly.
Though the woman before him resembled a certain celebrity perfectly, his current cultivation made him immune to such distractions.Seeing her in person merely fulfilled a lingering curiosity in his heart.
"You're from the Great Yi Dynasty, aren't you?"Nie Xiaoqian asked, staring at them for a moment."Before this, some human cultivators from your kingdom died within Lanruo Temple. You must be here to investigate."
"So you do know what happened there. Tell us—were you involved in their deaths?"Yaoyue's expression turned cold, her tone stern.
"No, I wasn't. Those men were lured in by Xiao Die and the others. I pitied them, but... those were Granny's orders. I couldn't defy her. I could only watch helplessly as they died,"Nie Xiaoqian said, casting a glance at Yi Tianxing.She instinctively felt a wave of aura and authority from him that compelled truthfulness—as though lying would make her soul rebel in guilt and fear.
"Granny? You mean that thousand-year-old locust tree spirit?"Yi Tianxing asked calmly.
"Yes… Granny's true form is indeed an ancient pagoda tree (槐树).She has imprisoned a group of ghostly maidens like me and controls us completely. If we dare defy her, we die instantly.But under her influence, our souls grow stronger, and we cultivate far faster,"Nie Xiaoqian confessed, her face full of dread.
Yi Tianxing and the others listened as she described Granny and her methods in detail—clearly understanding how terrifying she was.
"What is Granny's cultivation level?"Yaoyue asked.
"She's at the Dharma Phase Realm (法相境). She's even close to breaking into the Nascent Soul Realm (元神境). She could advance at any moment,"Nie Xiaoqian replied quickly.
"Xiaoqian, do you know any deeper secrets of Lanruo Temple? Why did it suddenly decline? And why are there so many demons within it now?"Yi Tianxing asked again.
"I don't know much. But Granny once told me that Lanruo Temple was once a flourishing Buddhist sanctuary.But one day, a statue of a Buddha descended from the heavens. It wasn't a true Buddha—but a Heretical Buddha (邪佛).To suppress the evil within the statue, all the monks gathered and chanted sutras day and night, trying to purify it.But even after three years, they couldn't.
And then something bizarre happened—the monks' shadows gained sentience, and their first act was to strike a deadly blow against their owners.Caught off guard, the entire temple became a slaughterhouse overnight.That's all I know."
"Now, Lanruo Temple is extremely dangerous. It's full of demons and monsters. In the front courtyard, there's even a Blood Dragon Vajra Tree (金刚血龙木), and many more fiends.Though Granny rules the rear courtyard, she doesn't dare approach the front.She also warned us never to enter the Buddha Hall (佛堂).Anyone who enters will suffer terrible misfortune—possibly instant death.That's why we ghost maidens only operate in the rear courtyard, though we can leave the temple as well."
Nie Xiaoqian didn't hide anything and told them all she knew.
That kind of transparency, given the situation, was rare and praiseworthy.
She clearly understood her predicament—there was no escaping from someone like Yi Tianxing. Any wrong move, and she would die instantly. That sense of absolute suppression was very real.