Chapter Forty-Eight: The Woman on the Cliff

Devouring clouds and exhaling mist may sound mysterious, but in practice, it's not so difficult. However, for someone like Nan Luo to consume another's condensed baleful cloud—this is an ability unique to the Witch Tribe, and even among them, only those who have inherited the Grand Witch's art of Devouring Heaven and Earth are capable of such a feat.

Nan Luo increasingly felt the immeasurable value of that single drop of ancestral witch blood he had fused into his body. Manifesting the World could multiply one's strength many times over, while the Devouring Heaven and Earth art allowed him to swiftly absorb all energies between heaven and earth, transforming them into his own spiritual power—a synergy with the former power. As for whether he would awaken other divine abilities in the future, Nan Luo held little expectation; in his eyes, possessing these two was already extraordinarily rare.

He sighed softly and rose to his feet. The demon women clustered in the cave's corner immediately squeezed themselves against the wall in fright. Nan Luo couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Are demonesses also afraid of people?"

These demon women were all scantily clad, their figures enchanting. Though they shrank back when Nan Luo stood, their eyes remained fixed wide upon him, and in those eyes, curiosity outweighed fear. As soon as Nan Luo finished speaking, one of them replied, "You killed all five Mountain Kings. Of course you're scarier than all of them combined."

He chuckled, "Is that so? Do I look more frightening than them? That would be quite the honor for me..."

He began to stroll about, glancing around. There were more than a dozen alluring demonesses, each draped in nothing but animal skins that barely covered the essentials, their fair arms exposed, long legs snowy white. Yet in Nan Luo's eyes, these were not beautiful women, but spirits born of wildflowers and weeds, or beasts and insects that had taken human form. For the first time, he found his Heavenly Sight rather vexing.

He quickly withdrew that divine power, and as he passed the corpses of the four felled monsters, he kicked aside the ruined weapons that had been cleaved by the Azure Beauty Sword, prompting cries of alarm from the demonesses.

With his Heavenly Sight restrained, at least he was spared the intrusion of all sorts of insect and beast forms. Still, though their faces were delicate and charming, he could not forget the true forms concealed beneath.

Ignoring them, Nan Luo searched about for anything rare or curious to amuse Luoshui with upon his return. Yet after a thorough search, he found nothing; these Mountain Kings had nothing that caught his eye. Turning, he found the demonesses still lingering and asked in puzzlement, "Why are you still here, circling around me like this?"

The women exchanged glances. A round-faced demoness blinked her watery eyes and timidly asked, "Don't you... want us to warm your bed?"

Nan Luo was startled to sense a hint of expectation in her expression. Before he could shake his head and refuse, another, tall and fox-eyed, said, "Yes, don't you want us to serve you? We can do anything you ask..."

He looked at them one by one, and saw all their eyes wide and alluring, gazing at him with seductive intent.

"Well, you should all return to your cultivation. I must be going as well," Nan Luo declared, then fled the cave in haste. As he left, laughter and teasing from the demonesses echoed behind him.

Outside, he couldn't help but glance back and think: if he brought one of these women back to warm his bed, wouldn't he be sleeping among a swarm of insects and beasts? The sun had not even set yet.

Suddenly, Nan Luo noticed a pink-clad figure standing atop a cliff ledge that jutted out from the rock face. A woman in a pink dress stood silently, gazing at the sunset, her black hair coiled high, her neck long and snowy white. When Nan Luo looked to her face, it was as if veiled in dream and mist—he simply could not make out her true features.

His Heavenly Sight activated naturally, but even then, her visage remained blurred, as if shrouded by a mysterious veil. Nan Luo was taken aback. Though his Heavenly Sight was not the most formidable of divine powers, it had always excelled at piercing the true forms of monsters and spirits. Over the years, whenever he could not see through a creature’s true nature, he knew their cultivation was far above his own—and he made a point to avoid provoking such beings.

The crimson glow of the setting sun enveloped the black cliffs in a rosy sheen, and a pale mist rose through the valley, the scene transformed into an ethereal wonderland.

Nan Luo watched, preparing to depart, but surreptitiously summoned his Demon Moon Mirror. With a flash of light, the pink-dressed woman vanished from the cliff at the very instant the mirror’s rays touched her. Nan Luo glanced about but could not tell whether she had left or was merely hiding.

He turned the Demon Moon Mirror over and saw the side profile of the pink-clad woman clearly reflected upon its surface: willow brows, delicate nose, cherry lips—every eyelash rendered in exquisite detail. Gazing at the image, Nan Luo wondered: was this woman human, or simply so powerful that not even the mirror could reveal her true form? Lost in the image, his mind drifted before he pulled himself together and looked around once more.

A gentle breeze stirred the drifting clouds and smoke in the valley, dyeing them in layers of sunset glow. Birds flitted by, but the woman in pink had long since vanished like a fragrant wisp.

Nan Luo shook his head softly and turned to leave, when a cold voice suddenly rang in his ear.

"Leaving so soon?"

Nan Luo spun around to see the pink-clad woman had reappeared on the now empty cliff. This time, he could see her clearly—an oval face, elegant brows lending her an air of heroism, though her gaze was haughty and cold.

He smiled, nodding in acknowledgment. Instinct warned him: this woman was extremely dangerous.

"Hand over the mirror," she commanded imperiously, her tone brooking no argument or negotiation.

"This mirror..." Nan Luo began.

"Hand it over," she repeated, ignoring his protest, her eyes regal and arrogant as if she were a queen.

Startled, Nan Luo turned and took a step—vanishing into thin air.

"Trying to leave?" Before her words had faded, the pink-clad woman's figure blurred and then solidified again—now she held Nan Luo in her grasp. Unless one looked closely, it was impossible to tell she had disappeared and returned in that instant.

For the first time, Nan Luo's Earth Escape technique was forcibly broken. Alarm surged through his heart.

He felt her slender, icy hand gripping his neck—a touch cold yet silky smooth. His entire cultivation was suppressed, as though pinned beneath a mountain. Even the immense power he gained from the ancestral witch’s blood was forcibly restrained.

The woman's gaze was as cold and emotionless as ever, her hand long-fingered and delicate. She took the Demon Moon Mirror from Nan Luo’s grasp, then released him, pushing him aside.

No sooner did she let go than Nan Luo’s Azure Beauty Sword leapt from its scabbard, its light shooting skyward. Though he had no confidence, he had to try. Yet as the blade left its sheath, his vision swam, his hand felt light, and he suddenly found himself flung off the cliff.

The rising white mist of the abyss swallowed him, but in a flash, his form reappeared upon the cliff—he had returned by escape technique, this time making no further move, only standing helplessly as the pink-clad woman examined herself in the mirror. Clearly, she had no intent to kill him.

"What is this mirror called?" she asked, still gazing into it.

"Demon Moon," Nan Luo answered.

"Not a bad name. My palace happens to lack an ornamental mirror," she replied indifferently. She then picked up the sword, asking, "And this?"

"Azure Beauty."

"Demon Moon, Azure Beauty—such fine names. My palace is just short of a sword as well."

Nan Luo was alarmed and quickly protested, "Both the mirror and the sword were gifts from my elders, I—"

"You can bring your elders to ask me for them," she cut him off, arrogant and sharp as ever. With a flick of her sleeve, the sword’s scabbard flew from Nan Luo’s waist to her hand.

Choked by her words, Nan Luo found himself speechless. Seeing that she was about to leave, he hurriedly called out, "Miss, wait! May I ask what offense I have given you?"

At this, she seemed to remember something and replied, "If you hadn't mentioned it, I might have forgotten. You killed my people. From this day forth, you will take their place and govern this domain."

If any brothers feel moved, a reward would be appreciated...