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(Hidden Mountain Range- Valley Of The Undying)

(Private Residence)

"This building is the chosen residence of the successor… it will only temporarily be in your name until you survive the succession ceremony," Yang Xia coldly stated.

She walked up to the door and without hesitation used her fingernails to split apart the flesh on the underside of her right palm.

The sect leader then whispered a few incomprehensible words under her breath and flung the blood droplets on Xu Lu\'s robe.

The former saintess was not sure what had just happened but could feel a slight tingling feeling around her body as if something had changed.

"Do not let anyone else enter your residence or the protective wards will kill them," Yang Xia calmly spoke as she strode inside the building.

Xu Lu nodded her head in understanding and then quickly walked inside.

Upon entering the building, Xu Lu was immediately awestruck by the atmosphere of foreboding grandeur and opulence.

The corridor that she entered was lined with massive obsidian pillars with intricate carvings and runes that glowed with an eerie light. 

Chandeliers hung from the ceiling with their purplish-black flames flickering ever so slightly which casted long shadows on the ground.

As she continued to walk through the corridor following Yang Xia\'s lead, Xu Lu approached a spacious chamber which she assumed was the main living room.

Deep purple tapestries which depicted horrific scenes of bloodshed hung from the walls, several chairs and tables were placed in the centre of the room and a single window provided natural light from the outside world.

In the corner of the living room was a roaring fireplace with its crackling flames merrily swaying in the wind that came in through the open door.

At the back of the room was a spiral staircase which led to another floor. Xu Lu walked up the staircase in a daze and discovered another hallway with two rooms.

The room on the left was a study. 

A private sanctuary that was filled with a massive repository of grimoires, tomes, and scrolls.

There was a simple wooden desk in the corner of the study room and on the desk were several talismans and sheets of parchment paper.

A bottle of ink and a quill were tucked away in one of the drawers. Xu Lu curiously picked up one of the books and scanned its cover.

\'The Red Mist Technique\'.

Wait… these were all cultivation techniques and skills?

Xu Lu picked up a few more books to confirm and could feel her heart begin to beat with excitement as she realised the true worth of this place.

The depth of knowledge contained inside these scrolls, tomes and parchment papers could last her a lifetime of study.

"The room next door is the bedroom," Yang Xia\'s cool voice interrupted Xu Lu\'s contemplative mood.

\'I suggest you get some rest and meditate. The succession ceremony will be held at the end of the week."

"For your sake… I hope you are prepared."

The Sect Leader snapped her fingers and then disappeared. What was left behind was a faint wisp of white smoke that smelled of jasmine mixed with honey.

Xu Lu put down the tome in her hand and headed out of the library. The first thing that she needed to do was take a long shower.

The thick coppery scent of blood still hung to her robes and invaded her nostrils with the foul odour. 

Her entire body, clothes, hair, and other parts were covered in the sticky residue that had now faded from a bright red colour to a dark crusty brown as the blood stains had begun to dry.

Yang Xia had not mentioned where the bathroom was so Xu Lu could only hope that there was one connected to the bedroom.

The former saintess walked out of the study and opened the door to the right of the corridor. She stepped inside and was immediately taken aback by how comfortable everything looked.

There was a sense of tranquility and peace which seemed slightly out of place compared to the other interiors of the rooms inside the house.

The walls were draped with light purple curtains that were laced with golden threads which shone under the dim light coming from the overhead chandelier.

The ground was covered in a thick luxurious carpet made from silk with beautiful and colourful patterns depicting scenes from civilisations long lost to the annals of history.

In the center of the room was a grand bed with a heavy mahogany frame with carvings of serpents and arcane writings along the sides of the wood.

A nightstand was placed next to the bed and a vase stood quietly in the centre of the stand. Inside the vase was a black rose with petals that were heavy with moisture.

On the opposite side of the room there was a large person- sized mirror. Xu Lu glanced at her reflection in the mirror and slowly took off her mask.

Her horrific scarred face came into view and despite the painful throbbing feeling in her heart, Xu Lu forced herself to keep it off.

If she was too scared to take off the mask when she was alone then there was no chance that she would be able to deal with the trauma that had been affecting her.

The former saintess took in a few deep breaths to calm herself down and then walked towards the back of the bedroom.

She spotted a small wooden door with a simple handle made from polished jade. Xu Lu opened the door and entered the side room.

Here it was…

In the centre of this much smaller space was a large sunken bathtub that had been carved out of what appeared to be granite.

A large stone gargoyle loomed over the bathtub and a steady stream of water flowed out of its open mouth between its massive teeth.

This water filled up the bathtub in a never-ending stream and yet the water did not break the top of the tub.

"Curious…" Xu Lu muttered quietly as she stripped off her clothes and placed them in the corner of the room.

She was now completely naked and the sticky feeling of having dried blood on your body was extremely uncomfortable.

Xu Lu walked up to the tub and stuck one of her feet inside the clear water. 

To her delight the water was slightly hot which was just perfect to scrub out all the blood on her body.

The former saintess took out a bar of soap from her storage ring and then lowered the rest of her body inside the tub.

She sank down in the water until it reached her chin. Xu Lu closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth that enveloped her.

There were small waves inside the tub that washed away and soothed the aches and pains accumulated in her body.

The heavy weight of the upcoming succession ceremony and her desire to get revenge on the Holy Sword Sect all suddenly seemed not as important.

The gentle ripples of the water were like a lullaby from the ocean and Xu Lu found herself slipping away into a state of deep sleep.

She tried to fight off the wave of tiredness, but the tranquility and serenity of the bathtub proved to be a temptation far too great to ignore.

Xu Lu adjusted her body and leaned against the side of the tub before finally entering into a long dreamless sleep.