Chapter 116: A Woman’s Heart

Great Han, Chang'an.

Even though several powerful factions had searched the city inside and out, they were ultimately unable to find the assassin who had targeted the Duke of Jin of Great Chu. However, there was one place in Chang'an that remained a true forbidden zone. Those factions would rather search the Han Emperor’s Weiyang Palace than set foot there: the Grand Preceptor’s estate, the residence of Dong Zhuo.

In the familiar, secluded water pavilion, a gentle breeze carried the faint, refreshing fragrance of lotus flowers. Two women sat opposite each other in silence. The tea before them had long since gone cold, yet neither reached for their cup to take a sip. After a long while, a maid hurried over and whispered something into Diaochan’s ear.

"Fan Li is not dead yet," Diaochan said softly after the maid retreated.

Sitting across from her was none other than the Holy Maiden of the Cold Moon. No one would have expected that the residence of Grand Preceptor Dong Zhuo would become the sanctuary for the Holy Maiden of the Cold Moon. The most dangerous place often proves to be the safest—a fact even Dong Zhuo himself had not realized.

Upon hearing the final outcome, the Holy Maiden of the Cold Moon shook her head repeatedly. "This... is impossible. My sword strike truly lacked no restraint." Even as she said this, she felt no sense of failure. It was strange. Why?

Diaochan smiled, a look that was neither quite a smile nor entirely dismissive. "But you did not use your full strength either."

The Cold Moon was left speechless, for Diaochan was right. She had not intentionally spared Fan Li, but she certainly had not attacked with her full power. Why would she? Fan Li was merely at the Qi Refinement stage; surely, it did not require the full force of an expert at the third level of the Great Vehicle stage to kill him. Thinking this, the Holy Maiden felt justified. Besides... no, that was all there was to it; there was no other reason.

"Even when a lion hunts a rabbit, it uses its full strength. If you strike again, little sister, do not be so lax," Diaochan teased.

Within the Pure Land of Sanskrit Sounds, peers addressed one another as sisters, and the Holy Maidens were no exception. However, among the ten Holy Maidens, there was a strict order of seniority. The First Holy Maiden, the Supreme Holy Maiden Yaoguang, was the undisputed eldest sister. That Diaochan addressed the Holy Maiden of the Cold Moon as "little sister" without any objection from the latter showed that Diaochan’s status was indeed higher.

"Strike again?" the Cold Moon thought, feeling an immense sense of annoyance. "I have to assassinate Fan Li twice?" Her frustration was written clearly on her face.

Diaochan remained smiling, her thoughts inscrutable. She shifted the topic to the five wooden boxes beside the Cold Moon. "These five garments of yours are truly exquisite. Even the gifts Grand Preceptor Dong bestows upon me rarely compare to these." Diaochan’s beautiful peach-blossom eyes swept over the Cold Moon. "You usually dress in men’s clothing; why not try a change of pace? Come to think of it, Fan Li’s taste is not bad at all. These five pieces are beautiful and would suit your figure perfectly."

In truth, the craftsmanship of the Cloud Embroidery Workshop was superb regardless of Fan Li’s taste, and as Earth-grade treasures, the garments automatically adjusted their size, making the comment about her "figure" technically moot.

"No... there is no need!" The Holy Maiden of the Cold Moon felt a wave of panic. "I have no interest in anything sent by Fan Li!"

"Oh? No interest?" Diaochan smiled and nodded, choosing not to expose her. If she had no interest, why carry them with her? The Holy Maiden’s cheeks flushed; she had understood the mockery in Diaochan’s smile.

"These... these are Earth-grade treasures!" the Cold Moon insisted. "Even if I take them back to the Pure Land to reward outstanding junior disciples, it is better than leaving them in Fan Li’s hands!" As she spoke, she was secretly surprised. Since when had she become so adept at lying? The falsehoods that tumbled from her lips made her feel increasingly insecure and inferior, unable to hold her head up before Diaochan.

"You are quite right, little sister. As the Pure Land grows stronger, your contributions are not insignificant," Diaochan said, sounding as if she truly believed it, her tone filled with praise.

The Cold Moon was speechless. Could she really bear to give these five outfits away? How could she part with them? They were five Earth-grade treasures, purchased at a high price by Fan Li, and they were the first gifts she had ever received from a man! What should she do? How could she subtly suggest that she actually wanted to keep them all for herself? But if she went back on her word, what face would she have left as a Holy Maiden of the Pure Land?

As her thoughts spiraled, Diaochan’s soft sigh reached her ears. "Do not be anxious, little sister; I was only teasing. Keep these Earth-grade treasures as you please. I will not report them to the Pure Land or let our eldest sister know."

"Ah!?" The Cold Moon gasped, a surge of joy welling up within her. But why? She looked at Diaochan in confusion as the latter slowly stood up.

"For these next few days, stay in the Grand Preceptor's estate with peace of mind; your safety is guaranteed. Once the grand ceremony is over and our eldest sister’s plan succeeds, the entire Great Han will fall under the influence of the Pure Land of Sanskrit Sounds, and you will be able to travel freely." Diaochan paused. "Rest well, little sister. I shall not disturb you further."

Diaochan left. In the water pavilion, the Holy Maiden of the Cold Moon was left alone. The Grand Preceptor’s estate always lingered with a faint scent of blood. Late at night, the cold wind blew, as if countless wandering ghosts haunted the estate, demanding justice for their unjust deaths. Yet, this water pavilion remained unstained, like a pure lotus standing tall.

After a long time, the Holy Maiden finally moved. With her cultivation, she could sense that there was no one else within the pavilion. She gazed at the five wooden boxes, torn between hesitation and anticipation. Summoning her courage, she reached out, intending to pick up a garment, but her hand froze in mid-air, trembling slightly.

"How does the Holy Maiden find these five outfits? If you like them, I can buy them all," Fan Li’s words from a few days ago echoed in her ears.

Finally! The Holy Maiden snatched up a pink silk dress! She retreated to her private chambers in a hurried, flustered state, not forgetting to lower the beaded curtain behind her to symbolically block the outside view, even though there was truly no one else around.

A moment later, she had changed into the Earth-grade garment. Usually, the Holy Maiden dressed in a neutral, androgynous style; were it not for her breathtaking beauty, she would have looked like a cold and arrogant male sword cultivator. Now, dressed in the pink silk, she gazed at her reflection in the bronze mirror and was momentarily entranced. So, she was this beautiful when she took a little care with her appearance?

However, she realized that her usual habit of binding her hair like a man clashed horribly with her attire. A wave of inexplicable shame washed over her! In a panic, she pulled out her hair tie, letting her ink-black hair cascade down like a waterfall to her waist. Looking at the reflection again, she finally looked as a woman should.

The Cold Moon smiled. She removed her Frost-Condensing Sword, which she never let out of her sight, and tossed it aside. Mimicking Diaochan’s mannerisms, she lightly raised a finger, brushed aside the beaded curtain, and walked toward the wooden boxes with a practiced, elegant gait. There were still four beautiful outfits waiting to be tried on, one by one.