Damn Sorceress

Central Continent, Jiaxiang Town.

This place was no different from any ordinary town, and by the standards of the Central Continent, it was even somewhat barren. No spiritual veins flowed through here, and though the ambient spiritual energy was still higher than in other major regions, the cultivators of the Central Continent would likely dismiss it as a backwater where even birds wouldn’t bother to shit.

But perhaps the lack of cultivator conflicts was a good thing.

Jiaxiang Town rarely produced any notable cultivators, and life here was peaceful.

Yet, it had its own unique charm.

A small stream meandered around the town, flowing down from an unnamed mountain nearby. Whether it was a tributary of a larger river or an independent waterway, it wound its way gracefully through the land.

By all logic, such a stream should have been diverted or blocked off when the town was first built, rerouted to join the nearby river.

But the world was full of exceptions.

This stream was one of them—it cut right through the heart of Jiaxiang Town.

In fact, part of the town’s name, "Jiaxiang" (meaning "narrow alley"), came from the way it was nestled between two waterways, like a secluded lane.

Having a stream running through town wasn’t always convenient. On sunny days, crossing it meant wet shoes unless one was careful.

The most common sight in Jiaxiang Town was a few stone slabs laid haphazardly as makeshift bridges.

The stream wasn’t large, but small fish darted through its waters. The children of the town would often stand on these stones, trying to catch the swift little fish with their hands.

Only the fastest and most alert fish survived.

Even if the children used their sleeves to scoop them up, most attempts ended in failure.

For the townsfolk, this stream held a special place in their hearts.

So much so that they even spared some of their strongest laborers to patrol and keep the stream clean.

Inside an old, well-regarded tavern in Jiaxiang Town...

"Here’s your wine, honored guest."

The waiter carefully carried a small jar of wine with both hands, swiftly approaching a man with a cold, almost intimidating expression, dressed in an ostentatiously luxurious white robe—a stark contrast to his rough demeanor.

He set the jar down gently on the table, hesitated for a moment, then mustered the courage to speak.

"Sir, you’ve got excellent taste. The chilled wine from Li’s Tavern is a specialty of Jiaxiang Town. Aside from the steep price, there’s nothing to complain about. This tavern’s been around for over a hundred years, and this wine is a big reason why."

"The jar looks like it’s been around for a century too."

Li Xingtian glanced at the filthy, chipped jar before lightly touching its surface. A cold sensation met his fingertips.

The waiter chuckled awkwardly, continuing his praise.

"You’re sharp, sir! This jar might look shabby, but it’s actually quite valuable."

Li Xingtian tossed a silver ingot onto the table.

"Go on. I’ll call if I need anything."

The waiter snatched the silver with lightning speed, grinning as he retreated.

Judging by the tavern’s worn-out appearance, it truly did seem to have stood for a century.

The faint scent of rotting wood lingered in the air.

Li Xingtian disliked the smell, which was why he had deliberately chosen the seat closest to the window.

From here, he could see the winding stream outside, tracing it back to its source—an unnamed mountain that even the locals couldn’t identify.

A modest peak, lush with greenery.

Li Xingtian wasn’t here for leisure. His purpose was simple.

As a cultivator, entering a secret realm to temper oneself, claiming hard-earned rewards to boost one’s cultivation and fill one’s nearly empty spatial ring—wasn’t that perfectly normal?

Of course, Li Xingtian had many memories from his past lives.

But most weren’t along the lines of—"Oh, I’ve dug here before, piece of cake, just hand me a shovel and I’ll crack it open."

Or—"I’ve been here, it’s tricky, but I’ve got experience. Just bring an extra shovel, and I’ll get through it."

No, most of his memories were more like—"Damn it, how the hell did these people even find a secret realm in this godforsaken place?!"

Pure dumb luck!

(Note: If you can’t find the book by title, try searching the author—maybe it’s just been renamed!)

Damn it, why couldn’t he be the lucky one for once?

Rushing over in hopes of at least getting a taste of the spoils, he’d arrived only to find the place picked clean—three feet of earth scraped bare, not a single scrap left behind.

By the time he got there, not only were the treasures gone, but even the security measures had been dismantled and hauled away.

The entire secret realm had been turned into a tourist spot for mortals.

So every time he located a secret realm based on his memories, he had to start from scratch.

And while researching, he had to avoid making too much noise—lest he end up sharing the spoils with others.

If possible, he’d rather handle it alone.

Calling for help meant splitting the loot, and Li Xingtian wasn’t particularly generous with outsiders. Most of the time, it pained him to share.

His gaze fixed on the mountain, pondering the secret realm hidden within.

He’d spent days scouting the unnamed peak and had already found the entrance, venturing inside for a preliminary look.

The biggest impression this secret realm gave him was—troublesome!

At the very least, it was a Great Ascension-level realm, which posed a real risk for a Nascent Soul cultivator like him.

As much as he hated to admit it, this time, he might need allies—reliable ones.

Lin Luoyu wasn’t a bad choice, but this junior sister of his seemed averse to secret realm expeditions, always reluctant.

His second thought was to seek help from the Tianyan Sect or the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect.

After all, he carried tokens from both factions, and as major sects, they wouldn’t fuss too much over a smaller share of the spoils.

But on second thought, that might tarnish his master’s reputation.

Li Xingtian didn’t want to hear—"Ever heard of Chu Xingchen? His disciple’s shameless, so the master must be too. Like disciple, like master."

Besides, using the tokens might also alert his master, causing unnecessary worry.

Of course, if it were an emergency, he’d follow his master’s orders and use them without hesitation. But if it wasn’t urgent, he’d rather avoid it.

After some deliberation, Li Xingtian decided to first recruit a few trustworthy people to test the waters.

If even they couldn’t crack it open, then he’d call in the Mysterious Purity Heavenly Sect to dismantle the damn place entirely!

His fingers brushed the wine jar again, noting that despite the wait, it hadn’t warmed up.

There was a cultivator’s technique at work here—crude, but effective.

"One jar of chilled wine, please."

"Coming right up!"

A lively female voice rang out from outside the tavern before its owner stepped in—a woman wearing a dense veil hat, her figure elegant, her robes dazzlingly luxurious, occasionally shimmering with spiritual light.

Undoubtedly, a cultivator.

Li Xingtian’s brow furrowed as he turned toward the familiar voice, a surge of irritation rising in his chest.

The figure seemed somewhat familiar.

An enemy or someone else?

But the veiled hat obscured any clear view.

The woman stepped into the hall, her gaze quickly locking onto Li Xingtian. With a glance at the unopened bottle of cold wine on the table, she strode toward him.

As she neared the table,

her voice was warm yet melodious:

"You're the cultivator who entered that mountain's secret realm, aren’t you? Your cultivation seems quite advanced—though you do look a bit intimidating."

Li Xingtian stared at the veil that blocked spiritual sense, his sharp eyes piercing slightly through to discern the woman’s silhouette.

That voice—so warm, so familiar. Even the way she spoke was nearly identical.

Heh…

Who would have thought they’d meet here?

Damnable… enchantress!