Hey there. This is the translation of the first chapter. Just in time to the start of the 3rd season. I would like you to know that this story is quite different from the series, as there is less action. This is a mature story, partly taking place in the harem of a woman. You will know what I mean when reading this chapter. Please enjoy 🙂
One
It was a rainy land. The mountains which spread on the other side of the dense forest temporarily accumulated clouds and these clouds drifted in with the mountain air. The clouds then turned to mist and rain and drenched this region. The rain, which fell throughout the summer, nurtured the plants and trees, creating a beautiful and rich nature. In a corner of this mountain forest so lush green it hurts the eyes, was an isolated spot of a valley, where the thick mist has settled. There, in the middle of the mountains, rose a magnificent building that looked completely out of place. Reaching from the main gate and the outer walls to the roof and the beams, all were decorated with carvings painted in the most beautiful colours. The splendour of the building is such that those who pass through the mountains and stand in front of the building might think that they have strayed into a fairyland.
Mansion of the Eight Celestials.
This so named mansion, even the locals were not sure how long it had been there and who built it. It was probably directly after the War of Fading Dusk, when it was built by a wealthy pessimist who wished to escape the devastated world and retreated to the mountains. Right now, the Mansion of the Eight Celestials is home to a lady and a group of men who have no connection to that wealthy man.
Luán Niángzĭ. This is what the lady was called. It is also not known when Luán Niángzĭ came to live there. Unnoticed to others she started living in that mansion that was supposed to be uninhabited. Usually she never showed herself, but once a month she rode a sedan down the mountain and went into town. Everyone who have caught a glimpse of her said she is the most beautiful woman in Dōng Lí.
The goddess of creation, the fairies of the immortal world or even the emperor’s favourite consorts were no match for Luán Niángzĭ of the Mansion of the Eight Celestials. Whether he is a strict priest, a withered old man, or a young child, at the first sight of Luán Niángzĭ, any man would fall in love with her. They would leave their family, lover, possessions or even their life to longingly head for the mansion.
These were somewhat exaggerated rumours and more than her beauty, it was her seductive nature that made her famous. Her actual reason for going down the mountain and into town was her aim to find a good-looking boy. When she found a beautiful young man, she took him back to the mountain and kept him in her home. It was said that in her, from the outside world isolated mountain residence, she and her harem of beautiful men lead a decadent life of indulgence.
The story to be told about this unusual, beautiful, and mysterious but poisonous woman, is truly a fantastic and mysterious supernatural story.
Now, in front of the gate of Luán Niángzĭ mansion, in pouring rain, there were people loudly calling her name.
“Luán Niángzĭ come out!”
“You men misleading whore! Return back the men you deceived!”
The ones who were calling were two muscular men with resolute expressions on their faces, each of them holding a staff with iron rings attached. Immediately one could see they were martial artist of the Jiānghu. Behind them stood a young, delicate girl. Unlike the two men, she didn’t try to call out anything, but her pale face had a determined expression, and her bright eyes were fixed on the mansion. For a moment the men stopped calling and looked back at the girl.
“Don’t worry. We’ll get your stolen fiancé back.”
They smiled briskly. The girl let out an uneasy sound.
“But…no violence…”
“Ah. Don’t worry. You’re the one who’s gonna need to talk to that bitch Luán. But…, you can’t be sure that they won’t come at you with something rough. If that happens, we’ll protect you. If we can give her a little fright, it would make it easier to get the matter across.”
“Thank you very much. I’m not even related to you, and you’re doing this for me…”
“It’s okay. You just owe us a night’s lodging and a meal. Besides, when a girl like you is in trouble, we can’t help but feel like meddling.”
Scratching the tip of their noses in embarrassment, the two good-looking men turn to the tower and began shouting again.
“Really, thank you very much…” The girl lowered her head deeply, tears welling up in her eyes. She was the daughter of a landowner of the small village at the foot of the mountain. From a young age there was a man whom she had loved and admired, and it had been decided that they would marry in early autumn. But a few days ago, the neat appearance of her fiancé caught the eye of Luán Niángzĭ when she came down the mountain and he was taken to her mansion. The girl wanted to take back her fiancé but included in the men of the mansion were some with very good martial skills, and the villager could not do anything about it. She had no choice but to spend her days crying her eyes out. But then, the two men who were now standing in front of her came to her house. These men of war, who had only come to ask for a night’s lodging, took pity on the girl’s story and offered to take her fiancé back. The girl felt her heart pounding as she realised that there were such chivalrous people among those of the Jiānghu whom she had thought to be miscreants. After some time of shouting, the gates of the mansion were opened violently from the inside.
“Hey! So noisy! Who’s there!”
“So rude! How dare you insult the honourable Luán Niángzĭ on her doorstep?”
Like an avalanche a dozen or so men, armed with swords, came out of the gate. All of them were beautiful young men with well-shaped faces. Their faces were covered in a thin layer of white powder. But they were not just men with delicate features. Despite their faces their bodies were muscular and the way they held their swords were very professional. These were men with a certain amount of martial arts experience. The two martial artists who have taken on the job of the girl’s helpers were unafraid.
“We don’t have business with you! Get that Luán Niángzĭ out!”
“Bring out that wicked woman who kidnapped this girl’s fiancé.”
The braveness of the returned shouts of the warriors made the beautiful men’ faces turn red.
“You bastards! You’ve insulted our Lady Luán Niángzĭ again!”
“As if a ruffian like ye will be able to meet her! Leave! Be gone!”
“If you don’t go away and speak out against Lady Luán Niángzĭ anymore, we will cut you down without mercy.”
The beautiful men looked like they could swing their swords at any moment, but the two martial artists laughed mockingly.
“Hahaha! Cut us down? Funny. As if some weaklings would be able to cut us from the Jiānghu down. For the girl’s sake we’re keeping quiet, but if you guys wanna get involved we don’t mind dragging Luán Niángzĭ out by force!”
“Now you’ve done it!”
The beauties and the warriors, the two sides continued to stare each other down and the girl could only watch in horror as it happened. It was then that the sound of a clear voice suddenly rang out in this space of clashing energies.
“What’s going on?”
It was a pleasant voice, rhythmic and clear. Immediately the fierceness disappeared from the bodies of the beautiful men. Instead, they either had a confused or an intoxicated expression on their faces. The two martial artists and the young girl were surprised by the sudden change in the mood of the men who just had been very aggressive.
“L-Lady Luán Niángzĭ…”
“Why did you come all the way out here…?”
“This is a dangerous place right now, please take a step back.” Was heard from inside the group of men. There was someone on the other side of the human wall, to whom they were talking to.
Luán Niángzĭ!
With this intuition the young girl had to look from behind the two warriors, hoping to see the face of the wicked woman who had seduced her fiancé. She could see someone slowly and steadily walking from the back towards them.
This person is Luán Niángzĭ…!?
She was struck by a sense of surprise and couldn’t believe her eyes. The sorceress with dozens of men by her side. The bitch who seduces men. When she had heard of her, she imagined her to be a very mature, fat, and old woman. But now, seeing her for the first time, Luán Niángzĭ was a far cry from the person the girl had imagined her to be. A slender and delicate body wrapped in a light purple Qipao, long eyelashes like brushes, the porcelain-like white face looked very pretty, even innocent. Her clear blue eyes were like jasper and her lips were light pink like peach blossoms. Like a picture of innocence and loveliness a neatly dressed beautiful girl was standing there. The rumours about Luán Niángzĭ of the Mansion of the Eight Celestials had been already widespread when de girl was a child. And yet, when she appeared, she looked like a maiden in her teens, much younger than the girl. But still so beautiful. A beauty that seems to shine with a glittering light or even like a kind of holiness.
For a short while the girl, although herself a woman was mesmerized and admired this beauty. She felt dizzy and drunk. I want to watch at her forever and ever…. For as long as I can I want to love this beauty…. These thoughts crossed her mind. But then she immediately remembered that the girl in front of her was the woman she hated for taking away her fiancé.
Not good!
She scolded herself for being blinded, stepped out from behind the two martial artists, and said in a sharp voice: “So, you’re Luán Niángzĭ!”
Luán Niángzĭ had a faint smile on her mouth and a somewhat bemused look on her face. The girl, feeling uncomfortable, raised her voice further.
“I am the daughter of a landowner of the village! Give me back my fiancé whom you have taken away!”
Luán Niángzĭ nodded her head. A gesture as lovely as that of a little bird. The girl began to doubt whether this little girl had really taken the man she loved away from her.
“I’ve taken him away…? Your fiancé…?
Sounding like rolling jewels Luán Niángzĭ’s beautiful voice came from her lips.
“I’m sorry. I have no idea what you’re talking about…”
“Lĭ Qīng!” The girl shouted, refusing herself to be distracted.
“Lĭ Qīng! That’s the name of my fiancé you took! Please return him!”
Contrary to the girl’s agitation Luán Niángzĭ was hatefully calm.
“Lĭ Qīng…, Lĭ Qīng…,” she repeated the name as if trying to remember something she had forgotten and exclaimed “Ah.” as if she had just remembered.
“I remember. Lĭ Qīng. You’re right he is here at my home. He was your fiancé? Such a wonderful person. But it’s strange. I think there is a misunderstanding.”
Her speech was casual, as if she was talking to a good friend.
“A misunderstanding?”
“Yes, I haven’t kidnapped Mr. Lĭ. He came to me because he wanted to come himself. I had no idea that he had such a wonderful fiancée.”
“Liar! There is no reason why he would come to you on his own!”
Luán Niángzĭ raised her lovely eyebrow.
“Now we’re in trouble. I don’t know how to say this…”
“Bring Lĭ Qīng here! Let me talk to him directly!”
“Yes. Yes, let us do that.”
Surprisingly Luán Niángzĭ easily agreed, taking the girl by surprise. She then asked the beautiful men by her side to bring Lĭ Qīng to her. The man who was ordered went back inside the building. The girl while continuing to glare at Luán Niángzĭ silently waited for her fiancé to come out. Soon after, from the depths of the building, a man was brought out.
“Lĭ Qīng!” The girl cried out in delight, but his face immediately twitched.
“Lĭ Qīng…?”
Her fiancé who came out, the look on his face was different from the Lĭ Qīng she knew. His face, once neat and tidy, had become feeble and loose. Drool dripped from the corner of his mouth; his eyes were cloudy. He looked as if he was in a dream. Even his steps seemed drunk with intoxicated.
“Lĭ Qīng! Lĭ Qīng! What’s wrong with you? Lĭ Qīng!” The girl called out, but he would not even look at her. With a cloudy gaze, he would only look at Luán Niángzĭ. He was clearly not in his right mind.
“Mr. Lĭ. This person said she is your fiancée.” Luán Niángzĭ called out to Lĭ Qīng. He looked at the girl for a short moment, but then quickly turned his head back at Luán Niángzĭ and said: “Don’t know her.”
The girl’s face instantly paled.
“Lĭ Qīng! What are you saying? Return to your senses, Lĭ Qīng!”
With the desire to cry, the girl screams out, but the man she loves just repeated “Don’t know. Don’t know,” like he was broken. Luán Niángzĭ whispered into Lĭ Qīng ear.
“Say Mr. Lĭ, pretending to not know is pathetic. When you came to me, you said that beside me there is no one else you love. That’s why I decided to let you stay here. But if you have such a nice fiancée, shouldn’t you go back to the village.”
Just as he heard this, Lĭ Qīng’s face twisted into a scowl. With sniffing sounds he began to sob, then fell to the ground and started to cry.
“No, No! Lady Luán Niángzĭ, don’t throw me away! The only one I love is Lady Luán Niángzĭ! Please let me stay here! Please love me! If you throw me away, I’ll have to die!”
The big man cried out like a baby, unafraid of being seen by other people. The girl was horrified at the strange sight and took a few steps backwards. With a pitiful look Luán Niángzĭ turned her way.
“This is how it is. I’m sorry. Mr. Lĭ doesn’t want to go back to you.”
The girl’s face had gone pale, she was in a state of shock. She was not hurt so much by the change of heart in her fiancé, who had promised to love and protect her for the rest of her life, rather she was horrified by the abnormal transformation of this fearless, masculine, and pleasant man. She glanced again at Luán Niángzĭ’s beauty. Radiantly beautiful. Just looking at her was enough to make one’s brain melt. It was as if the visible light of beauty emanating from her body penetrated the retina and reached directly to the hypothalamus. Unconsciously, one was tempted to praise her and kneel to her. Narcotic, like a brainwashing ray of light, a beauty out of this world.
Witchcraft! Luán Niángzĭ was a demoness! It was impossible for an ordinary human to be capable of possessing such an overwhelming beauty. Her beloved fiancé had been seduced by Luán Niángzĭ’s demonic beauty and lost his mind. If Lĭ Qīng continued to be kept within this realm of her shining beauty, it was unknown what would happen to him. The girl clang to him and wept helplessly, begging, and calling out to him.
“Lĭ Qīng! Lĭ Qīng! Let’s return! You’ve gone mad because you were with this woman! You cannot stay here! Please return to the village with me!”
But he shook his head as if to say no, brushed her hand away and refused to listen to her words. In search for help the girl looked back to the two warriors.
“The two of you, please help me! Even if we must pull him along, we have to get him out of here!”
But then she was shocked. The eyes of the two martial artists were fixed on Luán Niángzĭ. Their faces were slack, having lost nearly all the vigour with which they had fought with the beautiful men.
“Hey, please help me! Please!”
After the girl begged them again the two came back to their senses.
“O, Oh… yes that’s right…”
“Mm-hmm…” They just said but didn’t act. Instead, they repeatedly kept glancing at Luán Niángzĭ, then away.
“Hey, quick!”
“Oh, such strong men.” Luán Niángzĭ’s sweet voice interrupted the girl’s anxious voice, accompanied with a waft of fragrant scent. The scent struck their nostrils, causing the body of the two martial artists to stiffen.
“Travelers?” Asking them that, the two trembled. Their faces, covered in sweat, carried the expression of someone who was struggling with an intense inner conflict. They were desperately trying to resist the spell of beauty that was released from her.
“You are welcome to come in and have a meal. I’d love to hear about your travels.”
Her beautiful voice, uttered with a radiant smile, caused the faces of the two martial artists to relax.
“A m, meal she said…”
“What to do? If it’s just a meal…” While looking at each other and saying this, they already slowly made their way towards Luán Niángzĭ. They too were about to be seduced by the magic of her beauty.
“No! Don’t go!” The girl shouted desperately and the two of them managed to stop in their tracks. Clenching their teeth, with an expression of anguish, they tried to look away from Luán Niángzĭ but then she lowered her eyes and smiled.
“Oh…getting so big…”
Cheeks flushed with vermilion; her eyes were drawn to the crotches of the two martial artists. There, something was pushing up the outer garment, standing tall and erect. So far, the two of them could resist her temptations, but their bodies were more distracted than their minds, and the thing between their legs was impatient to get to her. Luán Niángzĭ innocent eyes, caressing their crotches. Just the thought of it was too much for the two warriors to bear. However, they were indeed fine man of the Jiānghu, their faces turned red while continuing to endure the unbearable. But the next words of her were enough to destroy their perseverance.
“That big thing of yours… shall I calm it down?”
This one sentence made them lose all reason. As if hypnotised, they wandered over to Luán Niángzĭ. At last, the two chivalrous boys had fallen under the spell of her demonic beauty.
“Wait, wait! Please! Don’t go!”
The girl tried to stop a martial artist by pulling on his hand. But he, as if a different person as before with a much colder demeanour yelled “Shut up!” and pushed her away. When the girl, covered in mud because she fell to the rain-soaked ground, looked up, the two warriors already had been led by Luán Niángzĭ inside the Mansion of the Eight Celestials. They no longer looked back at her but together with the beautiful men continued to make their way further inside. When the girl spotted her beloved fiancé in the group, she raised her voice.
“Lĭ Qīng! Lĭ Qīng! Come back! Lĭ Qīng!”
But her cries were futile, the man who had been her fiancé, along with the martial artists and the men of the harem, disappeared into the gates of the building. At last, with a cruel sound, the doors were closed. The rain continued to pour down coldly, tormenting the girl who was left alone at the gate.
***
War of Fading Dusk: The war of humans and demons 200 years ago which split the country into Dōng Lí and Xī Yōu.
Luán Niángzĭ: Her name means Lady Beautiful or pretty lady.
Dōng Lí: The place where this story and the series takes place.
Jiānghu: The society not bound by territory in which the martial artists from historical Chinese series and movies live in.
Lĭ Qīng: Lĭ means plum; Qīng means green or youth.
That’s chapter one. There are probably some mistakes but I hope it’s still enjoyable. Next time our favourite necromancer makes an appearance.
Setsuna's Translation 