Demon Cultivator with Celestial Book-Chapter 116 - 98: Grass Hall Meditation House, Erotic Collection
After Jiang Yi received the Magical Robe, Zhou Fan from the Qi Gong Institute became even more attentive, proactively offering to lead him to choose a Meditation House.
"Senior Brother Jiang, our Inner Peak Disciples mostly reside north of Guanlan Peak. Arrays are set up there to gather the essence of heaven and earth, making it a rare and spiritually elegant place."
Zhou Fan walked ahead, his body slightly bowed. He didn’t dare to quicken his pace, looking just like a servant attending his master in a rural clan.
If it had been any other "Mortal Servant Junior" who had entered through a supplementary position, he would never have been so humble or lowered his stance like this.
But Jiang Yi had made a huge splash on Guanlan Peak today. Not only had he drawn attention from all sides, but he had also volunteered for a post in the Merit Supervision Institute, leading the Sect Leader to bestow upon him a first-class monthly stipend, a Black Shadow Magical Robe, and a major merit.
It was as if he had been promoted to the same level as Xu Yan and Zhou Fu.
Although, in private, some Inner Peak Disciples whispered sourly, saying things like, ’He’s just eating his last meal.’
But Zhou Fan, having spent years at the Qi Gong Institute receiving and sending people off, knew full well that there were techniques and methods to sucking up to the powerful and trampling the weak.
’Jiang Yi’s momentum is at its peak right now. Once he enters the Merit Supervision Institute, Observing Sun Peak and Guan Yuan Peak will surely not be stingy with their rewards, all to ensure he stays guarding the Fire Cave and Water Cave for as long as possible.’
’No matter what happens to him in the end, in the short term, this man is bound to be a top figure among the Inner Peak Disciples. It’s only right to curry favor and get on his good side.’
Zhou Fan turned to the side and asked carefully,
"I wonder, does Senior Brother Jiang prefer a quiet and elegant place for solitude, or a livelier residence with more people around?"
"I usually prefer peace and quiet and don’t wish to be disturbed often."
Jiang Yi replied with a calm smile, his expression serene. He didn’t look down on Zhou Fan or put on airs just because of the man’s obviously fawning attitude.
As the saying goes, snakes have their paths, and rats have their holes.
Just as Han Li had said before, this era was not like ancient times, when Spiritual Resources were abundant. One could no longer advance their Cultivation and increase their Merit simply by sitting in the mountains, chanting sutras, and meditating.
Even after entering a Dharma Lineage and being promoted to the Inner Peak, one still had to await assignments and hustle for a living.
’If one wishes to be free and unfettered in their Cultivation, never mind a Qi Cultivation Cultivator, even a Foundation Establishment True Master would likely find it difficult. Only those at the True Monarch Level could hope to achieve such a wish.’
"In that case, that’s perfect."
Zhou Fan thought for a moment and came up with a suitable place.
"I remember there’s an elegant Meditation House over in Cuihuang Forest that just happens to be vacant. It’s surrounded by green bamboo and is very peaceful."
With that, he led Jiang Yi around a mountain path and into a lush, dark green bamboo forest covered in fallen snow.
"Just a place to stay is enough."
Jiang Yi wasn’t too concerned. Once he started his post at the Merit Supervision Institute, he would be stationed long-term in a dangerous place. No matter how nice this Meditation House was, it would ultimately just sit vacant and gather dust.
...
...
About half an incense stick’s time later, Zhou Fan reached the middle of Cuihuang Forest and saw a grass hall in the distance, hidden among thousands of tall bamboo stalks.
In front of the door was a small path paved with bluestone. There were no courtyard walls, only a semicircular bamboo fence enclosing an area. A few green vines crept up the fence, dangling down.
Inside the yard were a stone table and four stone stools.
"This place is very nice."
True Master Xuanmiao, squatting on his shoulder, suddenly let out two cheerful meows. Jiang Yi immediately understood its meaning.
"I’ll trouble Junior Brother Zhou to register it for me."
Zhou Fan nodded frankly, not finding it the least bit inappropriate to be called "Junior Brother" by Jiang Yi, who was much younger than him. On the contrary, he became even more enthusiastic.
"Senior Brother Jiang, why don’t you take a closer look and see if anything is needed inside or outside? I’ll have the menial servants from the Qi Gong Institute deliver whatever you need later."
Jiang Yi pushed open the bamboo gate and slowly walked into the front yard of the grass hall.
His gaze swept over the stone table, and he was surprised to see a pot of freshly brewed hot tea, complete with an exceptionally exquisite set of matching white porcelain tea ware.
The tea tray shimmered with a silver glow, the cups were small and delicate, and the glaze was as lustrous and smooth as mutton-fat jade. They were clearly no ordinary items.
Beside it, a tea grinder, tea sieve, tea caddy, and other utensils were all present, arranged in perfect order.
Even if Jiang Yi wasn’t the most worldly person, he could tell that this entire set consisted of treasured items sought after by scholars and poets, and it was certainly worth a fortune.
He couldn’t help but ask,
"Junior Brother Zhou, is this Meditation House truly unoccupied?"
"One moment, Senior Brother Jiang. Let me check the register."
Zhou Fan had brought the register of the Inner Peak Meditation Houses with him when he left, and he immediately started searching through it.
A moment later, he let out a long sigh of relief and smiled.
"This Grass Hall Meditation House previously belonged to Senior Brother Zhao Yue of Observing Sun Peak. He has already moved out; it is indeed unoccupied."
Jiang Yi nodded.
"That’s good."
He didn’t want to stir up any unnecessary trouble over a Meditation House.
"I’ll register it in your name right now, Senior Brother, and put it in writing."
Zhou Fan licked the tip of his Wolf Hair Brush and, in an instant, officially transferred ownership of the Grass Hall Meditation House to Jiang Yi.
Jiang Yi nonchalantly sat down on a stone stool, held True Master Xuanmiao in his arms, and casually picked up the still-warm pot of tea, slowly pouring it into a white porcelain cup.
The tea was a clear, greenish-blue, its aroma rich and fragrant. It seemed even more outstanding than the Snow-Capped Jade from Heshui Cave.
After using "I beg the Celestial Book" to confirm it was safe, Jiang Yi took a small sip.
An incredible feeling of comfort spread through his entire body, refreshing him from head to toe. His Primordial Essence was faintly stirred, causing his Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer merit to increase by half a point.
"What an extraordinary Spirit Tea!"
Jiang Yi praised it from the bottom of his heart.
...
...
"My cake of Cloud Mist Spring Tea that I went through hell and high water to get!"
Ten li away from the Grass Hall Meditation House, on a mountain path, a disheveled Zhao Yue sat dejectedly on the ground, his head hung low, with no regard for his appearance.
Beside him stood Zhou Fu, the senior-most sister of Observing Sun Peak, with a green-tasseled longsword on her back.
"It’s just a Meditation House and a pot of tea. Are they more important than the Sect Leader’s decree?"
Zhao Yue was around thirty or forty years old. His handsome brows gave him a dashing, romantic air, and he possessed a rather scholarly temperament.
He dazedly climbed to his feet, straightened his messy robes, and said with a bitter smile,
"I, your Junior Brother, have no hope of reaching the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer anyway. I just want to wander the mountains and rivers, enjoy the scenery, taste fine tea, and perhaps find a beautiful confidante or two..."
Zhou Fu frowned slightly. Her eyebrows were different from those of an ordinary woman; they were not slender and delicate but sharp and valiant, like swords.
The moment she raised a brow, a sharp aura radiated outwards, making Zhao Yue immediately shut his mouth.
"The Sect Leader has said time and again that you, Junior Brother Zhao, should spend less time indulging in the paintings of beauties from the Joyful Union Sect! They are lewd and bizarre things that drain your Essence Qi and make you lose your ambition! They are completely useless for your Cultivation!"
Zhao Yue hung his head, murmuring assent, not daring to argue.
"The Grass Hall Meditation House in Cuihuang Forest is to be given to Jiang Yi. He volunteered for a post in the Merit Supervision Institute and is willing to serve the Dharma Lineage. The Sect Leader must reward him heavily, to make the other Inner Peak Disciples understand that the Qianji Sect is the domain of our Observing Sun Peak."
Zhou Fu’s words were cold and laced with killing intent, startling Zhao Yue so much that he shrank back.
"I understand."
He agreed helplessly, but his heart ached in secret.
’That Grass Hall Meditation House was one I meticulously arranged myself. From small things like the meditation cushion and the calming incense burner, to big things like the Spiritual Spring carved out in the backyard and the grass pavilion for resting and reading.’
’Every detail was cleverly designed, and now it’s all been handed over to that kid surnamed Jiang for free!’
But with the Sect Leader’s prior order and Senior Sister Zhou’s personal command, no matter how reluctant Zhao Yue was, he had absolutely no reason to go looking for trouble with the other party.
Thinking of this, he suddenly looked up at Zhou Fu, his eyes pleading, his tone tinged with a hint of begging.
"Senior Sister... inside the bedroom of my grass hall, I have seven or eight pieces from my Erotic Collection hidden away. They’re all out-of-print masterpieces! Could you let me go back and retrieve them?"
That was a collection of masterpieces he had curated over many years, selected from hundreds of paintings. He really couldn’t bear to just give them up.
...
...
After Zhou Fan left, Jiang Yi slowly savored the entire pot of Cloud Mist Spring Tea.
The sky darkened. It was now the Hour of Xu.
The forest was quiet, and the night deepened, with only the bamboo shadows dancing in the gloom.
Jiang Yi walked into the grass hall holding True Master Xuanmiao. He looked around and saw that the furnishings were simple and elegant. The tables and chairs were spotless, clearly maintained by someone regularly.
’The previous owner of this grass hall certainly had refined taste.’
Jiang Yi admired it for a moment, then walked towards the bedroom.
He reached out and pushed open the door, which seemed to trigger some kind of Restriction Array. Instantly, a wave of seductive, flirtatious sounds, like the chirping of orioles and swallows, washed over him.
Immediately after, seven or eight women of all shapes and sizes—some plump, some slender, but all stunningly beautiful—floated down from the walls.
In the blink of an eye, with a soft RUSTLE, their silk robes fell to the floor, leaving them completely naked.
Expanses of pale, gleaming skin were revealed, like the pure white snow on Guanlan Peak.
An occasional glance revealed even more tantalizing, spring-like scenery.
Some had waists that moved like snakes, others had jewels embedded in their navels, and some wore bells on their chests.
For a moment, they quivered like waves, the scene becoming extremely explicit.
Jiang Yi reacted instantly, raising a hand to cover True Master Xuanmiao’s round, innocent eyes.
The calico cat in his arms perked its ears up straight, clearly quite interested in the scene before it. It struggled hard and shouted,
"Let this True Master see! What is all this?!"
Jiang Yi shook his head and said,
"This scene is too vulgar. It is not fit for the Cat Master’s esteemed eyes."
Covering the Cat Master’s eyes, he quietly appreciated the sight for a moment, until the seven or eight women began to get intimate with each other, their poses growing more and more excessive, their bodies glistening with moisture.
’In the future, I can use this to temper my Divine Thought and strengthen my Dao heart.’
Jiang Yi gently waved his sleeve, and with a sudden jolt, dispersed the wisp of Qi Mechanism that powered the illusion.
