Chapter 1

Every night, I slip into the Immortal Lord’s dreams.

There, we practice dual cultivation and share the intimacies of Dao companions.

One night, I wake unexpectedly and catch him alone in his study, standing before my portrait and whispering my name over and over.

Later, he catches me trying to absorb his vital essence.

He takes my hand and loosens his sash.

“Be good, Qingqing. Let your master teach you how it’s really done.”

I’d lost count of how many nights Xie Qingjun had appeared in my dreams.

Or rather, how many nights I’d wandered into his.

Half asleep, half awake, I remembered his ivory robes wet with spring water, and the lofty master I knew transformed by desire.

He held my waist, his breath warm against my neck.

Over and over, he called my name.

“Qingqing.”

...

When I woke, I ached all over, as though the intimacy of the dream had been real.

But it had only been a dream.

Quiet gossip drifted in from outside.

“Why do you think Master took that fox spirit in?”

“Because she’s a born seductress, obviously.”

“He is a young man, after all.”

“But he’s gone this long without a wife. Do you suppose those rumors are true? That he can’t...?”

I remembered the strength of the arms around me in my dream.

He hadn’t seemed incapable of anything.

I pushed the door open and stretched.

“That’s right. I’m a born fox spirit. And?”

Then I went straight to Xie Qingjun’s study.

I was a fox demon he’d picked up and brought home.

Immortals and demons were supposed to be enemies, yet he’d taken me in.

Made me his disciple, even.

He sat at his desk in blue robes, serene and untouched by earthly concerns.

Nothing like the man in last night’s dream.

“Come here. Sit.”

My tail nearly stood on end.

Had he found out I’d stolen his osmanthus cakes yesterday afternoon?

He tapped a book.

“You’ll take part in the Grand Trial tomorrow.”

What?

I didn’t want to!

The story went that if a man won, he would become the Immortal Lord’s final personal disciple.

If a woman won, she would be matched with him in marriage.

His father had made that rule, worried his son would spend the rest of his life alone.

I was so frightened my fox tail popped right out.

“M-Master, I really can’t!”

He looked at my tail and narrowed his eyes.

“Are you afraid to enter the trial?

“Or afraid to marry me?”

Under the weight of his spiritual pressure, I ended up entering.

Every senior disciple joined, hoping to catch his eye.

Naturally, none of them took a fox spirit like me seriously.

To them, I was a pretty ornament who’d been sponging off the sect for years.

Which, to be fair, wasn’t entirely wrong.

Why struggle when you could lie down?

A fox spirit ought to know her strengths.

“What’s she doing here?”

“Song Qingqing? In a trial? She’s just a pretty face.”

Whether I could compete remained to be seen.

At doing nothing, though, I was unbeatable.

The first round was crossing Clear Pool.

It tested the disciples’ ability to fly on swords.

Senior Brother Xu He had given me special pointers the day before. Before the trial started, he patted my shoulder.

“Qingqing, I believe in you. You can do it.”

Well...

Given my pitiful skills, all I could really do was thank him for trying.

“There’s something in your hair. Let me get it.”

A cold gaze swept over us.

My back chilled. I shivered.

“No need, Senior Brother. I can do it.”

I turned.

Master Xie Qingjun was watching us with a gentle smile.

He was so kind.

Surely that icy look couldn’t have come from him.

“Look at her. Seducing the Immortal Lord isn’t enough. Now she wants our senior brother too.”

“At this rate she’ll get through every disciple in the sect.”

Actually, seducing the Immortal Lord sounded quite practical.

It could secure me a few more years of free meals.

Sword flight was probably my greatest weakness.

I was a fox demon.

I didn’t even own a sword.

A little knife, yes. That was all.

So my merciful master lent me his.

I had to admit it was a fine weapon.

A pity it had ended up under the feet of someone as useless as me.

I wobbled through the air.

Then, inevitably, sword and rider parted company.

“Help! Master, save me!”

Xu He flew toward me.

Someone else was faster.

A strong arm caught me around the waist.

Whether on purpose or not, we both fell into the water.

I couldn’t swim. I thrashed wildly.

Warm lips covered mine.

Xie Qingjun’s voice sounded in my mind.

“Open your mouth.”

He breathed air into me.

Once I could breathe, I found myself far too distracted by the kiss—and by how solid he felt beneath my hands.

Somehow, I passed the first round.

The Immortal Lord even apologized to the entire sect.

He said he should never have set a trial without considering that some disciples couldn’t swim.

As far as I knew, I was the only one who couldn’t.

Then he blamed the sword flight.

If the sword could speak, I imagined it would have thanked him very sarcastically.

Later, while cleaning the study, I ran into Fairy Yuyao.

Everyone knew she was our future mistress.

Nobody dared offend her.

I immediately seized the chance to ingratiate myself.

“Fairy Yuyao! I’ll fetch you some refreshments. Please wait here!”

I turned and nearly walked straight into Master’s chest.

Did the man make no sound when he walked?

He watched me serve Yuyao tea and snacks without intervening.

Just watched.

Then he remarked mildly, “I’ve never seen you so enthusiastic about serving me.”

Oh, no.

Caught sucking up.

At least Yuyao appreciated my efforts before she left.

She gave me a wooden token.

“I hear you’re entering the Grand Trial.

“There’s only one way for a demon to raise her cultivation quickly: absorb vital essence.

“From the look of you, it’s been some time.

“I’ve found a man you can draw some from. Don’t let your master find out.”

I knew what she was up to.

She wanted me away from Master.

But I really did want to know what vital essence was like.

What I hadn’t expected was that her token would open Senior Brother Xu He’s room.

At midnight, I slipped in through the window.

One candle burned inside.

My “senior brother” lay quietly asleep.

I crept under the quilt.

It was cold. I huddled close for warmth, then nestled against his neck and breathed in.

He smelled wonderful.

Was this what a man’s vital essence smelled like?

Only...

Why did it remind me so much of Master?

Before long, I fell asleep.

Another strange dream followed.

This time Master wasn’t in bed. He was in the study.

Curious, I opened the door a crack.

He was sweating, standing before a portrait and calling my name again and again in a voice full of longing.

The woman in the portrait was me.

My face burned.

Then a piercing gaze turned toward the door.

“Who’s there?”

I jolted awake.

Dawn was breaking. I was still in my “senior brother’s” arms.

I scrambled from under the quilt and fled.

Outside, I ran straight into Xu He on his way to morning practice.

If Xu He was here...

Who had been in that bed?

A few discreet questions gave me the answer.

Master and Xu He had exchanged rooms.

The roof over Master’s old room leaked, so he’d spent the night in Xu He’s.

Then the essence I’d absorbed belonged to Master!

This was bad.

If he found out, wouldn’t he tear off my tail and chop it into pieces?

“Song Qingqing?”

I jumped.

Only then did I notice how far my outer robe had slipped—and how unusually red Master’s ears were.

Seeing that, I decided to test him. I let the thin inner layer show a little more.

Xie Qingjun’s ears grew redder still.

So our Immortal Lord was...