Later that evening,
Elder Wang Yun's wife, Biyue, stood in her chamber, the walls lined with shelves of jade slips and cultivation manuals. She was a woman in her 70s, but her body was as firm and shapely as a woman in her 30s, due to her cultivation. Her spirit roots were of a fifth-grade water spirit root.
She had the appearance of a lady, a beautiful woman, but the spirit root was mediocre, and she hated it. She hated how others had awakened first-grade spirit roots or higher while she had a mere fifth-grade spirit root. She was so weak. She felt so inferior.
Previously she was envied for having spirit roots but now... She gritted her teeth. Life is so unfair. She had spent seventy years cultivating, enduring the bitter cold of meditation and the exhaustion of Qi circulation, only to reach the peak-sixth stage of the Qi Refining realm. She was stuck, a stagnant pool in a world of rushing rivers.
She walked to the bronze mirror, the polished surface reflecting a woman who defied the ravages of time. Her skin was pale and smooth, like fine porcelain, unblemished by the wrinkles of old age. Her hair, a lustrous cascade of black, was pinned up with a jade hairpin, revealing a long, slender neck that sloped down to shoulders that were still firm and rounded.
Her figure was mature, a lush landscape of curves that had ripened with age rather than withered. Her waist was nipped in, flaring out into hips that looked highly fertile with high endurance. Her breasts, though not as massive as Madam Zhu's, were full and heavy, sitting high on her chest, defying gravity with the help of her Qi.
But as she stared into her own eyes—dark, almond-shaped eyes that held a hint of the beauty she once was—she saw nothing but a dead end.
"Fifth-grade..." she whispered, the word tasting like ash in her mouth. "Trash."
She slammed her hand against the vanity table, sending a bottle of face powder tumbling to the floor. It shattered, the white powder puffing into the air like a cloud of failed dreams.
No, this can't be. Even that Slut Zhu has awakened Earth-grade spirit stones... Something definitely happened that night. That Zhu, even seduced her son tho not biological.
She clenched her fist tight, she knew her husband was incomparable to the Young Master. She knew her place. She knew the hierarchy. But knowing didn't stop the bitterness from corroding her heart like acid.
She looked at the reflection of her own body. She was beautiful, she knew that. Men had lusted after her in her youth, and even now, she caught the gazes of the younger disciples, hungry and filled with envy. But beauty was a flower that withers; only the Dao was eternal. And her Dao was a cracked, leaking vessel.
"No... If even that slut can seduce Tianmo then I definitely can, my husband can't give me the future I want... It's only natural that I seek a more resourceful male," she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of jealousy and resolve.
Her husband wasn't bad... It's just... He isn't good enough. Yeah, that's the truth.
Wang Yun was a tree that had stopped growing. He was comfortable, stable, and utterly stagnant. It is very unlikely for her husband to earn enough family merit and exchange it for spirit upgrading fruit. Let's say, even if he did, would he give it to her!?
No, not at all, he would take it for himself, if she were in his shoes she would do the same thus, he should think from her shoe as well. It's only natural to want to climb higher, is it not?!
A woman like her can't be chained to a mediocre life forever. She needs to grow, she needs to cultivate further, she needs to become more than just a pretty face with a worthless spirit root. And if her husband can't give her that... well, then she needs to find someone who can.
It's a logical thing to do.
"Tianmo..." she muttered, her voice a soft caress that sent a shiver down her own spine. For years she had only viewed him as a nephew, but now... he was a mountain, a storm, a dragon in human form. She had begun to see him as a man, and a terrifyingly potent one at that.
"Hmph! I should be the first one to seduce him, not that Madam Zhu! How did she do it? Is it her big breasts? Or her skills?" Biyue's face flushed with a mixture of anger and shame. She knew that Madam Zhu had seduced Tianmo, and the thought gnawed at her like a worm in the core of an apple.
She bit her lower lip, a rush of heat pooling in her lower belly. The thought of seducing Tianmo was both exhilarating and terrifying. He was her husband's bloodkin, the pillar of the Wang Family, and yet... and yet, she couldn't help but want him. It felt taboo but it gave her more thrill.
She imagined herself in Madam Zhu's place, her body writhing under Tianmo's touch, her mouth begging for his approval. She imagined the power he would give her, the cultivation resources, the chance to break through her shackles and become more.
"No, I can't think like that," she scolded herself, her cheeks flushing deep red with shame.
But the thoughts lingered, festering in the dark corners of her mind like a disease. She knew she was playing with fire, but she couldn't stop herself from wanting to feel the burn.
She looked at her reflection again, this time seeing herself through the eyes of a predator. She was still beautiful, still desirable. And Tianmo... Tianmo was a man, no matter how much he tried to hide it behind that mask of cold indifference.
He was a man, and men had needs. It's a universal truth.
A sly smile spread across her lips, her eyes gleaming with a new light. It was time to stop waiting, time to stop being the prey. It was time to become the hunter.
She needs to act as fast as possible.
"Madam Zhu may have seduced Tianmo, but she is a fool if she thinks she can keep him..." Biyue whispered, her voice dripping with a newfound confidence. "After all, there's only so much a pair of big breasts can do for a man like him."
"I should visit him tonight... But how, without raising suspicion?"
Biyue walked here and there within her room, her bare feet silent on the plush rugs. As smart as Wang Tianmo is he might understand her reasoning.
"No, No... I need to get the upper hand. I can't just walk in there offering my body on a silver platter like a common street walker. That would make me cheap. If I am to replace that slut Zhu, I must offer something she cannot—class, elegance, and the dignity of an Elder's wife... Hmm... But how?"
"I need to guilt-trap him and give him the thrill of conquest... I need to somehow drug him, make things happen, and blame him for it, or perhaps just make him feel like he has to take responsibility by providing resources for his woman... Indeed, that way, we can have a little secret relationship, hidden from the world. Slowly, he may develop and want to take things into his own hands, I need to act a little hesitant, as long as he thinks he can win me over, he will be thrilled to walk in the path of conquest unaware he is merely a puppet dancing on my hands..."
A satisfied smirk appeared on her lips. He values "family" so, she believed she could control him. This is cheap "man-controlling" art written by Song Gonshu during the Tang dynasty where the second concubine of General Bai guilt-traps the son of the main wife, to rule the house, playing a bigger picture.
Biyue couldn't just offer herself; that was the path of a lowly servant. She was the wife of an Elder. She had status. She needed to make him feel like the aggressor, the one who couldn't control himself, while she remained the virtuous flower plucked by the storm.
And give him the illusion that he is stealing her from his uncle, giving him the unparalleled thrill of conquest. She thought about it again and again, but she couldn't see any fault. Could her plan be really flawless...
"I am a genius..." She smiled, feeling proud of her own intelligence. She had found a way to navigate the treacherous currents of the Wang Family politics without drowning. She wasn't just a woman with a fifth-grade spirit root; she was a strategist, a player in the game of thrones.
Even if her husband found so what?! It's all his fault.
If possible she wants to keep it secret—Keeping marriage intact for little status and Tianmo for resources.
She sat down, picking up a small, jade vial hidden at the back of the drawer.
Inside was a thick, crimson paste known as 'Dragon Yang Incense'.
It wasn't a poison, nor was it an aphrodisiac in the crude sense.
It was a rare, expensive alchemical product used by high-ranking courtesans to soften a man's defenses, lowering their inhibitions and heightening their sensitivity to sexual areas.
It was a tool of negotiation, just as much as a sword was a tool of war.
She opened the vial, dabbing a small amount behind her ears and on her pulse points—the wrists, the hollow of her throat. The scent was subtle, a mix of musk and blooming orchids, undetectable unless one was close enough to feel the heat of her skin.
"Perfect," she muttered under her breath, her lips curving upwards, capping the vial and returning it to its hiding place. She could already imagine winning, where Tianmo would pounce on her like a beast and everything would go as she wished.
Everything is but a pawn to greatness.
Biyue adjusted her robe, taking one last look at herself in the mirror. The pale silk draped elegantly over her figure, accentuating her slender waist and the fullness of her hips.
Her hair was pulled up into an intricate coil on her head, held in place with a set of jade hairpins. Her face was a masterpiece of delicate makeup, enhancing the shape of her dark almond eyes and the curve of her lips. Any man would consider her the pinnacle of seductive feminine allure.
"I forgive you, husband. I forgive you... I know it's hard to keep a woman. I will not blame you for your inadequacy, you are forgiven after all, I am magnanimous." She sighed, shaking her head.
Everything can be used to climb higher including your own body, it's a tool. It's a resource.
..
Biyue stepped out of her chamber, the cool night air kissing her skin, raising goosebumps along her arms. The estate was quiet, save for the rhythmic chanting of servants in the distant cultivation halls and the occasional chirp of a spirit cricket.
With many people in close-door cultivation, she quickly arrived before the Tianmo's chamber. She quickly checked her appearance. The scent of the Dragon Yang Incense was subtle, a warm, floral musk that promised comfort and heat.
She took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. She also picked her cheeks hard to create a natural blush, and opened up her cleavage further, making her assets look bigger.
She knocked on the heavy wooden door, the sound soft and polite.
"Nephew Tianmo... Are you awake? I wish to discuss Dao with you," she called out, her voice soft, trembling slightly with a rehearsed vulnerability.
Inside the chamber, Tianmo sat on his primordial green lotus, his legs crossed in a meditative pose.
"Aunt... This junior wishes to cultivate a closed door, I shall only come out once I enter the great foundation realm, we can discuss about Dao later..." The tone was cold devoid of any emotions.
"..."
Her face froze, unable to comprehend that she was rejected just like that. She gritted her teeth, her face turning ugly.
Outrageous!!!
"Nephew... It's going to rain heavily tonight, your bed might be cold... Y-You know, I can warm it..." she muttered, thinking of changing the plans.
She knew begging would put her in an inferior position, she originally wanted to get the upper hand, but she is a person who can't wait long.
She needs to think of a way, to be in control or at least have an equal footing with him. She knew she wasn't his equal, she knew she was just a small ant in front of him, but she wanted to believe otherwise. She wanted to be a big fish in the sea, she couldn't stay small and weak anymore.
Her heart thumped in her chest like a war drum, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Why isn't he replying?... Could it be that, he doesn't find it thrilling to steal someone's wife, especially his own Elder... A taboo.
She clenched her fist. Her plan was flawless... How could Nephew act out of his script? As someone who has seen the way of the world, she should have the upper hand and control him under her palm, no?
"N-Nephew... This Aunt is just worried for you. A-are you sure you don't want this Aunt's company?!" She said, her voice trembling slightly.
He didn't reply, her heart skipped a beat, and her mind began to imagine a different possibility.
Could it be that he already guessed her plan and is trying to make her beg...?
The thought was electrifying, sending a shiver down her spine. If that's the case, he's not just a man, he's a demon. No, no impossible how can he read her like a book?! He is not experienced in the ways of the world.
Silence stretched, thick and suffocating, like a heavy blanket of snow over a grave.
Biyue stood frozen in the doorway, her hand hovering in the air, her knuckles white. The rejection hung in the air, heavier than any physical blow. Literally.
She had expected many things, hesitation, perhaps, or a lustful gaze, but she had not expected this absolute, stone-cold indifference. How could this be?
It was as if she were a speck of dust floating in front of a mountain, and the mountain simply did not care to acknowledge her existence.
"I... I see," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper. The heat in her body, carefully stoked by the Dragon Yang Incense and her own fantasies, turned into a cold, clammy sweat.
She felt exposed, foolish. Her carefully laid plans, the "man-controlling art" she had prided herself on, felt like the clumsy scribblings of a child in front of a grandmaster.
She took a step back, her head bowed, shame burning her cheeks. "Forgive this Auntie for disturbing your cultivation, Nephew. I... I shall take my leave."
She turned to flee, her heart pounding in her throat, desperate to escape the crushing aura of indifference that radiated from behind the door.
Creak.
The sound of the door opening stopped her dead in her tracks. It wasn't a wide opening, just a crack, but the gap was enough to reveal the darkness within and the pair of eyes that glowed with a predatory, green luminescence.
"Enter."
The voice was a low rumble, vibrating through the wooden floor and up the soles of her feet. It wasn't an invitation; it was a summons.
The Emperor summoning his concubine to do the clapping.
During the Han dynasty, the emperor and concubine would listen to Buddhist scripture and would clap all night. It was a story told by a eunuch of the palace. Poor guy, unaware of the bigger picture
..
Thump! Thump!
Biyue's heart hammered against her ribs. Her plan was in shambles. She had intended to be the reluctant flower, the virtuous aunt who was helplessly swept away by the young master's "uncontrollable" prowess. But now... now she was walking into the lion's den of her own accord.
Gulp!
She swallowed hard, forcing her legs to move. She stepped across the threshold, the door closing behind her with a soft, final click that echoed like a prison door locking.
The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by the faint, pulsating light of the Primordial Green Lotus upon which Tianmo sat. The air here was different.
"Aunt... You claimed to warm by the bed during the cold rainy night, pray tell, how do you intend to do so?"