Succeed, or Fall into Depravity as a Witch!

The sun was shining brightly in the sky.

In the garden, a handsome young man was playing music to the cute lady beside him, who was staring in a daze with one hand supporting her head.

Yes, music played on a suona.

“This instrument called ‘suona’, is truly……” Su Xiangzi who listened to Jiangming’s performance was in a dilemma, and spent half a day mentally searching for the right words to describe what she heard. She finally came up with something, “Thick with majesty, piercing straight through the ears to stimulate the brain.”

“Senior sister, I call this piece [Kunlun Nu¹https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunlun_Nu Casket Carrying Song]²Astronomia Coffin Dance. How is it?” Jiangming put down the marvellous double-reeded instrument, its body tied with a red rope, and began happily bragging about himself.

“……It’s obviously a lively and cheerful tune, yet listening further there’s a sinister undercurrent for some reason. It’s like it’s trying to send me on my way.”

“Hehe, actually this song is also known by another name, ‘Joyful Farewells’.”

Su Xiangzi couldn’t stand following Jiangming’s thoughts in its wild jumps all over the place. She said impatiently while holding her forehead: “It’s fine as long as you know how to play. Anyways, that’s just the medium. Ultimately, you must channel spiritual energy through your music……”

If so and so, then so and so. Su Xiangzi spoke at length, and then followed up with demonstrations on how to incorporate spiritual artes into sound vibrations. Only when evening arrived did Jiangming finally got the hang of it.

On the road home, Jiangming was a little excited to have learned an invocation for the first time.

“No matter what happens, now I finally have an offensive move up my sleeve.”

“Even though its main effect is arousing my opponent’s lust……”

“No big deal! I just need to keep blowing, sooner or later the other party’s precious will overinflate with blood and burst, causing their unsightly deaths. Isn’t this much better than some flashy but unsubstantial killing move?”

Nearing the city gates, Jiangming passed by a district filled with elegant and classy mansions. Thinking of what Su Xiangzi said, these must be the city’s classier brothels. A sudden urge moved his heart, and he went inside as if possessed.

Everyone knew of Joyful Union Sect’s generosity, but nobody knew it better than insiders like Jiangming. Precious spirit stones were crucial for cultivation, and yet even a lowly disciple like him was paid five hundred a month. He hasn’t even started cleansing his meridians yet.

That generosity was of course built on a vast business empire. It was said that the Joyous Union controlled nearly seventy percent of the cultivation world’s high and low-class brothels, theatres and pleasure galleys. Every year they launch a new Flower Idol to widespread acclaim, just like the superstar celebrities of Jiangming’s past life on Earth.

And those idols during the day double as 'live action pornstars’ in the evening, accompanying countless future giants of the cultivation world in their youth’s loneliest nights.

The thought that these showy and skilful senior sisters turned out to be originally men just like him……made Jiangming quite saddened now.

Jiangming did not believe he was prejudiced against transformed women, or rather, even if he was, it was difficult for him to resist. Even if he was familiar with them on a personal level, it was hard for him not to fall victim to their glamour regardless, temporarily forgetting about their ‘transformation’.

He thought, with the exam known for being so tough, it would be easy to accidentally fail even if fully prepared. Why don’t he……enjoy himself here first, ‘graduate’ from boyhood, so he wouldn’t regret for the rest of his life if he had to part ways with his precious later?

“Su Xiangzi seemed to have told me before, senior sisters in the sect may pity downtrodden boys like myself, since we were in the same boat together. And those senior sisters without a sweetheart of their own should be a very easy lay. Even the brothels could offer service for free.”

To go, or not to go?

Jiangming was tempted.

Yet just as he was about to resolve his indecision, two familiar figures walked out from the depths of an alleyway — it was Brother Li and Brother Qin!

“You guys……” Jiangming’s mouth was open in surprise, which gradually morphed into a display of anger. Bastards, I thought we were buddies! How could you two go out and have fun here without inviting me!

Even though they might eventually become besties girlfriends sooner or later, isn’t it a bit early to be gatekeeping and excluding each other in their group of three?

“Vice squad! You’re under arrest!” Jiangming pounced on Qin Wuyi, pulling him by the corner of his robe and viciously making a scene: “Tell me quickly! Where did you go to play? Were they pretty? How wet was it? How does it feel?”

“What are you talking about……” Qin Wuyi froze, then quickly realised what Jiangming was thinking. He deliberately teased, “Oh, you’re talking about that, I see. Well, go to the innermost section behind us and it should be the third house from the dead end. Very pretty, and the taste……Sheesh~, hard to describe with just words. You might as well experience it for yourself.”

“Really?”

“Really. Why would I lie to you? And the boss there is especially spicy.”

“Bah! A straight righteous man like me couldn’t stand dirty places like those! Just you wait, I’ll go collect the evidence of your misdeeds!”

Jiangming ran off in a puff of smoke the instant he finished speaking, not giving the bystanders a chance to stop him.

Qin Wuyi and Li Daoming exchanged glances, seeing confusion on the other’s faces. After a long time, both started laughing out loud.

One hour later.

Jiangming walked out, full of pent-up frustration.

The nerve, why would someone open a black market inside a brothel complex? Even if the things they’re selling were a bit prohibited, there’s no need to cover up like this! This whole trip trying to hire a……Pfft! How disappointing for the anti-vice squad following a tip-off, only to have nothing to show for it!

The little bit of courage stirred up by Qin Wuyi’s little ‘joke’ had instantly dissipated.

“Ugh.”

Jiangming squatted down on the side of the road, sighing loudly. He hated his own cowardice and lack of initiative, like how a blacksmith hated his iron for failing to become steel.

He’s already a cultivator. Why is he still acting soft and wimpy like in his previous life?

He’s embarrassing all the other transmigrators, being like this.

No, now it’s time to ‘stand up’!

At this time, a flamboyantly dressed senior sister with her breasts half-exposed was present. Noticing a delicious-looking junior brother on the street, she stopped and beckoned from afar, mischievously blowing him a kiss. Jiangming jumped straight up in response, and fled the scene.

As he ran, Jiangming felt he could hear the clear, ringing sound of giggling behind him.

Back home, Jiangming stood in front of the gate. He deliberately messed up his hair and the lapels on his robe, before entering with a ‘ah, satisfied’ expression.

Unfortunately, neither Qin Wuyi nor Li Daoming were paying any attention to his carefully managed appearance.

The two were instead gathered in front of a white jade geomagnetic compass³Ancient device used for geomancy and fortune telling, the face filled with words and points south, materials piled up at their feet, whispering to each other. 

“I slept with a senior sister today, you know.”

Jiangming was afraid of being looked down by his two housemates, so he strolled closer and announced his presence with those words.

“Oh.” That was Li Daoming’s reaction.

“Is that so?” Qin Wuyi spoke perfunctorily, “Impressive. Congratulations on becoming a man.” As he finished, his mind caught back up, and he smirked, “Isn’t it a bit too fast, though? It hasn’t even been two incense sticks yet.”

“Fast your sister!” Jiangming instantly blushed red. He brusquely squeezed over, and bluntly forced a change in topic. “What’s going on here? Acting all secretive like this, share the deets!”

“This is Brother Li’s family heirloom.” Qin Wuyi sets a white stone on the [Qianliu]⁴approximately Northwest position on the compass.

Jiangming went silent.

“Brother Qin is helping me repair the device. This time……if we’re successful, the three of us can leave together.” Li Daoming added, in a whisper.

“Really!” Jiangming was instantly excited. If he could run away, why would he stay and gamble his precious thing on the sect exam? Why would he need to turn to that yandere senior sister for help?

Escaping into the deep sea like a fish! Or into the open sky like a bird! Freedom!

Two seconds of joy later, his smile faltering and he flinched, “Then again, we wouldn’t be teleporting to that Flower Goddess Valley place, right? And then run into those weird man-fucking flowers, would we?”

“I’ll try to boost the teleportation range, so we can land right in the outskirts of the Valley. From there, escape would be much easier.” Qin Wuyi buried his head in his work.

“Do you need any help?” Jiangming leapt forward to volunteer.

“Yes.” Qin Wuyi turned back and smiled, “Eat and drink your fill as you usually do, and don’t let that eldest senior brother of yours find any clues as to what we’re doing.”

“Just that?” Jiangming was bewildered.

“Yeah, I’m not expecting you to be of help with the repairing. Being our team mascot is good enough.”

“Bleh!”

Jiangming felt he was being looked down upon once again, and his face flushed crimson for the second time. His weak self-esteem bounced back violently, and he thought to himself:

[Hmph, when the time comes and you guys meet one of those weird flowers you can’t beat, don’t come begging this cultivation genius for help!]

Wait, Jiangming suddenly had a goal in mind.

In the coming days, cultivate as hard as possible, and strive to learn as much as he could from his senior sister. When something goes wrong during the escape in Flower Goddess Valley, play the role of the ‘all-forgiving hero’ in front of their eyes, showing off and saving the day!