On the eastern mountain of Duzhou, there was a cave called Stone Flower Cave.

The Stone Flower Cave lived up to its name – countless exotic flowers grew within, along with various strange beasts. However, this mountain was difficult to climb, and the cave was hard to find. Only during the full moon each year, at a specific location, following the phoenix’s first cry, could one glimpse the wind stirred by fluttering butterfly wings and find the entrance to Stone Flower Cave.

When Shaoyang Zhenren found Stone Flower Cave, a Moon-Gazing Golden Toad was just emerging from an underground water cavern, standing on a brilliant azure flower, croaking softly.

The Moon-Gazing Golden Toad was a medicinal catalyst. Shaoyang Zhenren sought this catalyst because his eldest disciple, Yueguang Daoren, had recently been poisoned by Liuhuan Grass, suffering kidney failure and severe damage to his Yuanli. Only by using the Moon-Gazing Golden Toad as a catalyst in refining pills could the Liuhuan Grass poison be completely neutralized.

The entire cave was filled with a floating, ethereal fragrance. Inside and outside the cavern, large patches of colorful flowers bloomed in profusion. This place was like a cluster of flowers hidden in a dark cave that no one had ever visited, luring travelers to lose their way.

Shaoyang Zhenren gripped his sword tightly and cautiously approached the golden toad.

No cultivators had come to Stone Flower Cave before. The flower clusters were dangerous – one should proceed with caution.

Just as he was about to approach the golden toad, an overwhelming fragrance suddenly swept past him. This scent was intense yet not pungent, like spring flowers blooming layer upon layer in an instant, carrying an intoxicating fragrance.

He looked up and saw a young woman standing before him.

This woman was very beautiful. The cultivation world never lacked beauties – his junior sister Qinghua Xianzi was also one of Duzhou’s most exceptional beauties. However, this woman’s beauty was completely different.

She wore a black robe in men’s style, her waist casually bound with crimson silk ribbon, her long hair also casually tied up. Despite her neat and practical attire, she possessed a soul-stirring, beautiful face.

The beauty’s face was like morning clouds reflecting on snow, her brows and eyes containing lingering charm mixed with a rare heroic spirit, making her beauty almost androgynous. Her voice was lazy, low, and husky. Falling on Shaoyang Zhenren’s ears, it sounded like deliberate seduction. She asked, “This immortal master, you’ve stepped on my robe.”

Shaoyang Zhenren suddenly looked down. The black robe’s hem flowed like a dark river, pooling at his feet. When he lifted his foot, the flowing water disappeared from beneath him.

The woman laughed with a “puchi,” turned around nonchalantly, demonic aura faintly swirling in her long hair.

She was from the demon race.

Shaoyang Zhenren glanced at her indifferently and said no more. The cultivation world and demon race minded their own business – meeting here was merely a coincidence.

He stepped forward, about to take the Moon-Gazing Golden Toad, when he saw the woman in front of him bend down and reach toward the toad on the flower. The Moon-Gazing Golden Toad, as if bewitched by her, jumped into her hand.

Shaoyang Zhenren paused.

The black-robed woman was about to leave with the golden toad when a sword suddenly appeared before her eyes.

She looked at the handsome young man before her and raised an eyebrow: “What does the immortal master mean by this?”

“Leave the golden toad behind.” He was concise.

“Why should I?” she said lazily. “I got it first.”

“But I saw it first.” Shaoyang Zhenren paused, seeming to realize his behavior was somewhat unreasonable. His tone softened slightly, “Miss, if you leave the golden toad, I can exchange something else with you.”

“Something else?” The corner of the woman’s lips curved slightly as she gave him a playful glance. “But I have very high standards – I might not fancy other things either. Are you planning to exchange yourself for me?” Her voice became seductive at the end.

Shaoyang Zhenren stepped back: “Miss, please conduct yourself with propriety.”

She looked at him with a smile: “I, Bujiang, have heard ‘conduct yourself with propriety’ if not a thousand times then at least a hundred. You might as well think of something more original to say.” She sighed again, “Forget it. For the sake of your handsome looks, I’m in a good mood today and too lazy to tease you. I won’t give you this golden toad. The Moon-Gazing Golden Toad’s venom is the best beauty-preserving elixir.” She reached up to touch her face. “Though I like you very much, I like making myself beautiful even more.”

“So, immortal master,” she smiled lightly, “I must take this golden toad.”

Shaoyang Zhenren stared at her calmly for a moment, then drew his sword: “Then I can only take it by force.”

The demon woman called Bujiang looked at the sword tip pointed at her and sighed: “You don’t know how to cherish and pity the fairer sex.”

In the flower cave, a violent storm suddenly erupted.

Sword shadows fell like swift wind and sudden rain, mercilessly striking toward the woman before him. Her black robe fluttered like flying flowers, easily transforming the sword edge into gentle caresses, flowing away through the hundred flowers.

Yushan Shengren, the sect master of Taiyan Sect, had taken two disciples in total – Qinghua Xianzi and Shaoyang Zhenren. Both were strikingly handsome, and both were like stones, one more so than the other.

Shaoyang Zhenren had a handsome face and a cold temperament. His ice-and-snow-like appearance was extremely popular with female cultivators. If not for the marriage contract arranged by their masters in childhood between him and Rongshuang of Xiangling Sect, the threshold of Taiyan Sect would probably have been trampled down by visitors.

However, whether it was Rongshuang or other female cultivators, to Shaoyang Zhenren, there was no difference. He was without emotion, desire, or heart. His eyes couldn’t distinguish between beauty and ugliness – no matter how beautiful flowers bloomed, he wouldn’t pause for even a moment.

“Clang—” The sword tip struck the golden bracelet on the woman’s wrist.

Her figure flew past Shaoyang, complaining like a lover acting coquettishly: “To cherish jade and pity flowers without being moved is saintly; to cherish jade and pity flowers while being moved is human; to know neither jade nor fragrance is bestial.” The diamond bracelet in her hand struck toward Shaoyang Zhenren’s heart, her tone also playful, “This immortal master, are you a beast?”

Shaoyang Zhenren remained silent, his crystalline sword indifferently deflecting the round bracelet, emanating a powerful demonic aura.

This woman was not simple. With cultivation like his, he couldn’t gain even half an advantage from her. How could an ordinary demon have such a powerful demonic aura?

Bujiang dodged his sword and smiled faintly: “I want the Moon-Gazing Golden Toad to preserve my eternal youth. Why does the immortal master pursue this golden toad so relentlessly? I’ve heard that refining the golden toad into pills can alleviate men’s insufficient kidney essence.” Her gaze swept meaningfully over Shaoyang Zhenren’s waist, revealing a knowing smile, “So the immortal master is impotent.”

Shaoyang Zhenren’s expression stiffened.

He was indifferent to all things. No matter what kind of provocation or malicious insults fell on his ears, he would never take them to heart. Disciples from other sects said he was a stone that would never have emotions. After all these years, this was the first time someone had shattered his indifference and composure.

Seeming to notice his momentary embarrassment, the woman looked at him in surprise, as if deliberately trying to anger him: “So you are impotent. Born so outstanding, who would have thought that at such a young age, you’d have this hidden ailment? No wonder you’d stop at nothing to compete with me for this Moon-Gazing Golden Toad. If you’d told me earlier this was what you needed it for, I wouldn’t have competed with you.”

While she spoke these teasing words, the round bracelet in her hand suddenly surged with a demonic aura, carrying overwhelming killing intent as it fiercely rushed toward Shaoyang Zhenren.