Volume One, Chapter Thirty: The Palace of Pure Melody

Red Qin ascended the mountain riding a single wheel, wobbling precariously and exerting herself, but at least she managed to vent some frustration. What she dreaded most was being exposed in front of everyone.

As soon as she stepped through the palace gates, Red Qin hurried toward the rear hall. Though only a single plump intruder had entered, she suspected the others must have broken free from their bindings as well. It was best to report to Master Bao Pu and seek guidance.

Entering the rear hall, Red Qin saw Master Bao Pu reclining on her bed, gently beckoning her over. She wore a simple blue Daoist robe, tightly wrapping her graceful figure, with only her jade feet exposed, glimmering prominently.

“Master...” Red Qin was about to speak, but Master Bao Pu pressed a finger to her lips, “Why panic? It’s just someone breaking in!” Red Qin couldn’t help but secretly admire her—such foresight truly befitted a master.

“Don’t you have the Sheep-Devouring Mirror?” Master Bao Pu curled her legs, her robe falling aside to reveal pale calves.

“But...” Red Qin still felt uneasy; the enemy seemed too numerous.

“Take this as well! No one can evade it!” With that, Master Bao Pu tossed something to her. Red Qin caught it—a river clam, polished to a gleaming shine.

“This is the Empty Clam! Lean in and listen!” Master Bao Pu pulled her robe over her exposed calf. Red Qin quickly moved closer, listening intently at the master’s lips.

“Thank you, Master!” Memorizing the incantation, Red Qin tucked the Empty Clam inside her robe.

“All right, go now! I’m weary.” Master Bao Pu yawned and turned away.

Red Qin wanted to say more, but seeing the master’s back, she swallowed her words.

“Tonight, I’ll await the lamb you’ve newly caught,” Master Bao Pu murmured softly.

“Yes!” Red Qin bowed and withdrew.

Yi Bing was dazed for a long time before gradually calming down. Seeing the world from the perspective of a sheep was unnerving. The vast sheep pen held dozens of sheep, all with human faces atop sheep bodies, enough to send chills down one’s spine. Suddenly, a familiar yet strange sheep face appeared before him. After pondering, Yi Bing realized it was the handsome young Ruzhen of the Jade Immortal Sect, now so emaciated his features were barely recognizable.

“Brother Ruzhen!” Yi Bing hurried to greet him, but all he saw were raised forelegs. Ruzhen glanced at him, eyes vacant and unfocused, as if his soul were lost. He ignored Yi Bing, lingered for a moment, then turned away and walked off alone. Yi Bing, left awkwardly standing, felt a pang of embarrassment.

“You’re from the Mist Cloud Sect, aren’t you?” A spirited sheep squeezed over. Looking closely, it was Ruzhen’s senior, Xuan Shan.

“Yes, my name is Yi Bing. Senior Xuan Shan, we’re here to rescue you all!” Yi Bing quickly moved closer.

“Rescue us?” Xuan Shan eyed the plump sheep before him with skepticism.

“Yes! I was captured, but our other seniors and juniors are still coming—they’ll be here soon to break us out!” Yi Bing spoke, eyeing the grass by the pen, feeling an inexplicable urge to eat.

“Hmm...” Xuan Shan lowered his head in silence.

“Don’t worry, Brother! There are about ten of them—they’ll surely get us out!” Seeing his doubt, Yi Bing hastily reassured him.

“It’s not... I’m grateful, truly! But...” Xuan Shan looked around the sheep pen, “Look at them—whether we can be saved is one thing, but even if we are, they might not follow you out!”

“Why? If we stay, it’ll be fatal!” Yi Bing looked around at the listless sheep, baffled. Xuan Shan glanced at him but said nothing; he himself felt uncertain.

Climbing the steps, the mist thickened until they could barely see their own hands, when suddenly the view opened up and Hong Kun’s group found themselves before a magnificent palace. Looking up, they saw dazzling gold and jade, radiant with light. The plaque above the door read “Palace of Clear Sound,” and flanking the entrance were two black snake statues, vivid and lifelike, eyes glaring and tongues flicking.

“It’s clearly a cave, yet they call it a palace!” Mei Niang scoffed.

“It really isn’t a cave!” the plump girl pouted.

Hong Kun suddenly halted, pulling out a talisman from his robe. He formed a seal, muttered an incantation, and the talisman transformed into a butterfly, soaring over the wall. Jin Guishan’s face lit up with joy.

“We can use magic here!” Han Yu exclaimed. Hong Kun nodded quickly, “I want to send a message out, just in case!”

“Will the butterfly get out?” Bi Yi asked with concern.

“There are boundaries for people, but none for magic. The butterfly perceives nothing, so it can come and go freely!” Seeing everyone watching him, Hong Kun hurried to explain.

“Senior, you’re so thorough!” Jin Guishan praised.

“Not at all...” Hong Kun was about to respond modestly when a cold laugh sounded behind them. Turning, they saw Red Qin leading a group of female demons out the door.

“Oh my, this brother arrives uninvited—how eager you must be to see me! Hehe...” Red Qin teased, her followers erupting in laughter.

“Bah! You little vixen! Hand over our people!” Han Yu was the first to jump forward.

“Hand over who? Did your lover run off with someone?” Red Qin feigned surprise.

“That’s right! He was lured away by you, you little demon!” Mei Niang raised her staff and struck.

“Oh dear, your lover—why are you so worked up?!” Red Qin dodged, her whip suddenly appearing and lashing toward Mei Niang’s waist.

At once, the two were locked in battle.

“Haha, I do love other people’s lovers!”

“Look who’s here to steal business!”

“So what if I steal?”

“You can’t!”

As they spoke, Red Qin’s whip transformed into a huge black serpent, lunging at Mei Niang. Mei Niang’s black fox staff became a cloud of black mist, spraying at the serpent. Amid the haze, a black fox poked out its head, left paw striking at the eyes, right paw aiming for the serpent’s seven-inch mark. Red Qin was startled, the snake’s head recoiling, but its tongue shot out, stabbing at Mei Niang’s eyes. Fortunately, Mei Niang rolled aside just in time, else she would have been caught.

“Oh! A fellow demon!” Red Qin coiled her black serpent protectively, exclaiming in surprise. She had never expected Mei Niang to be a fox demon.

“Heh! And you’re not a snake demon? Cough...” Mei Niang, wounded, had hoped for a quick victory, but her powers fell short.

“Impressive! You’re even more seductive than I am...” Red Qin spoke as she advanced, realizing Mei Niang was clearly exhausted.

“Mei girl, rest now!” Hong Peng suddenly stepped in front of Mei Niang.

“Mei girl?! Your words make me weak!” Mei Niang blushed deeply.

“Vixen!” “Vixen!” Red Qin and Han Yu cursed in unison, glaring at each other.

“Call me Mei Niang, husband!” Mei Niang ignored them.

“Come down!” Han Yu dragged the flirtatious Mei Niang down. Hong Kun and Bi Yi frowned in annoyance.

“My, you have many husbands!” Red Qin mocked.

“Yes, unlike you—no one of your own, so you steal others!” Mei Niang laughed and coughed.

“Steal, my foot!” Red Qin’s brow furrowed, her serpent lengthening and coiling above Hong Peng’s head. Hong Peng was wary, raising his sword and holding his breath, ready.

“Husband, finish her!” Red Qin hadn’t even struck yet, but already sensed Hong Peng’s sword aura. She and the serpent twisted together, but Hong Peng stared only at the serpent above, ignoring her alluring figure and calls. Seeing Mei Niang’s mocking smile, Red Qin felt mortified, wishing she could sink into the ground.

“Hey! I’m talking to you!” Red Qin shouted angrily.

“Me?” Hong Peng finally looked at her. Her cheeks were flushed, breath rapid, waist swaying, body undulating like waves, as if beckoning to him.

“Yes, husband...” Red Qin’s voice became intoxicating and seductive.

“Junior!” Hong Kun suddenly barked.

“Yes, senior!” Hong Peng turned away, his face calm as water. Hong Kun felt embarrassed: “My junior is stronger than me! I’m already overheated and blushing, but he’s completely unaffected!”

“Beware her charm magic!” Hong Kun shouted, both to answer Hong Peng and to warn his companions. Jin Guishan and the others, though their blood surged, had suffered Mei Niang’s tricks before and were more prepared; his warning steadied them further.

“Miss! Prepare yourself!” Hong Peng said, wasting no words. His sword spun, and the air around him surged like water, forming a whirlwind that swept up the black serpent. Red Qin was caught off guard, unable to withdraw the serpent in time—the whirlwind snatched her whip away. Seeing Red Qin disarmed, the female demons rushed forward to block Hong Peng’s path.

“Everyone, together!” Hong Kun called, and Jin Guishan’s group surged ahead. Yet the female demons fought in formation, moving with discipline and coordination, like a giant serpent weaving and striking. They held Hong Kun’s group tightly, offering no openings, and occasionally caught them off guard.

“Form the array!” Jin Guishan ordered. The plump girl and others quickly took their positions, forming the Black Tortoise Formation. Hong Kun hesitated, then leapt to the Spirit Snake position.

“What formation is this?” Red Qin was astonished. Others might not see it, but she noticed the positions seemed to counter her every move.

“The Black Tortoise Formation!” Jin Guishan raised his brow.

“Ah! Very well, then we’ll pit our Boa Serpent Formation against yours!” Red Qin feigned disdain, but secretly slipped the Sheep-Devouring Mirror into her hand.

In an instant, the two formations clashed. The Boa Serpent Formation was cohesive—attack the head or tail, and the other responded; strike the body, and both head and tail converged for defense and offense. Jin Guishan’s group, though not yet masters of the Black Tortoise Formation, had improved after two battles. Head meets head, tail meets tail; when attacked on both ends, they responded in kind, striking with all four limbs and using the Spirit Snake position for surprise defense. After several rounds, the female demons found themselves unable to coordinate, losing their formation’s cohesion and becoming increasingly disorganized.

Suddenly, a metallic clang sounded—a small but resounding noise that drew everyone’s attention. A river clam spun on the ground!

Instantly, the clam’s shell opened, releasing a beam of rainbow light, dreamlike and enchanting, leaving everyone transfixed.

Within the light, Hong Kun saw a celestial being, clad in sheer gauze, half-clad and half-bare, dancing and singing as she approached, her figure growing clearer. All around, seductive song whispered and moaned, bewitching and enthralling. Unable to resist, he moved toward her.

As he drew nearer, Hong Kun sensed something amiss, but couldn’t bring himself to stop. In his struggle, he saw Bi Yi, also entranced and wandering toward the celestial figure.

“Brother Hong!” Suddenly, a sharp voice pierced his ear.

“Ah?!” Hong Kun snapped out of it. Glancing aside, he saw Mei Niang glaring fiercely at him.

“Don’t look! You’ll be sucked in if you do!” Mei Niang hurriedly shielded his eyes with her sleeve. Only then did Hong Kun realize it wasn’t the celestial being approaching, but himself moving toward the clam.

Ashamed, Hong Kun reached for Bi Yi, but she struggled fiercely to keep going. Suddenly, Han Yu appeared and slapped Bi Yi hard, spinning her around.

“What are you looking at? You’ve fallen under their spell!” Seeing Han Yu’s angry glare, Bi Yi blushed furiously. Turning, she saw the plump girl dragging Jin Guishan and Hong Peng back with all her strength.

Red Qin was the most shocked! Mei Niang and Han Yu, being demons, weren’t tempted—that was expected. But the plump girl showed no reaction at all, as if she hadn’t seen anything.

“Plump girl, don’t leave!” Red Qin quickly raised the Sheep-Devouring Mirror toward her, but the plump girl was focused on dragging Jin Guishan and Hong Peng, not even glancing back.

“Don’t turn around!” Han Yu shouted, “Don’t let her mirror catch your face!”

“What?!” The plump girl, just as she reached Han Yu, realized she was dragging two sheep!