Arc 13: Chapter 8
The Ghostflame Temple, as Xue Yaling called it. It was a small outpost of the Blazing Skies Sect, though under their control, it had a different name.
The Eclipse Temple, specifically the kind of eclipse that leaves a blazing circle in the air, a marker of the Blazing Skies. With the kitsune gone, another occupied it, and it was that woman that had now been tied up and forced against the wall, an improvised gag in her mouth – specifically, her own panties, which Bianca had pilfered from a clothes line outside by reflex.
“Well, this was easier than expected.”
“She’s a second realm cultivator, the weakest among us is in the third. Besides, she was unprepared,” the kitsune responded, “Good thinking with the panties, by the way.”
“I… Honestly, not sure what exactly I was going to do with them. Anyway, she looks like a member of the Blazing Skies, right?”
“Indeed, Mistress,” Huang Su stood by, flaming feathers readied, keeping the woman from having any funny ideas about escaping.
It was a little excessive, really, as she seemed incapable of escaping the ropes, not to mention running away or calling for help while they were watching. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry at the current moment, especially as Bianca stepped up to the woman, staring into her green eyes.
“I have a few questions for you, member of the Blazing Skies. Answer honestly, and you’ll be free to depart – but if not, you will not enjoy the consequences. Is that understood?”
The tied-up woman nodded, a bead of sweat running down her face, the corners of her eyes glistening as though she was close to tears. Considering that she was only a second realm cultivator, she must’ve been a novice, a young member of the Blazing Skies that wasn’t prepared for things like this… though why they would’ve allowed her to watch over the Ghostflame Temple was a whole other question.
“Alright, here you go… shame these panties had been washed, I would’ve asked if you liked the taste… Your name, then.”
“I-I am Xi Mu, a-a-a disciple of the-”
“Yes, I get that part. Your robes make it obvious enough.”
“B-But didn’t you just-”
“Oi, don’t start getting all smart on me, girl. Do you want to feel what the punishment will be? I can give you a little taste!” even as the girl shook her head, Bianca grabbed her face and infused some of her energy into her.
It was a tiny amount by her usual standards, especially after she quite literally drained herself to obtain the dragon, but for once, she was a higher realm than her target, so her energy burned its way in, polluting mind and body with her corruption. It clearly hurt for a moment, but then an unmistakable arousal snuck in, Xi Mu’s cheeks growing flushed.
“How did you like that?”
“I-It… p-please, I’ll talk, I don’t…”
“If you say so. No mouthing off, unless it’s... a different kind of using your mouth. In that case, I don’t mind even if you say nothing.”
“Mistress, do you really need someone like her when you have me?” Song Ming asked with a pout, her gleaming eyes resembling some wide-eyed kitten.
“Pet, are you really asking that?”
“I… I just really want your cock, Mistress. I feel like it’s been forever…”
“It’s been a few days at most, but don’t worry, once we have the free time, I’ll give you exactly what you crave,” Bianca gently put her hand on Song Ming’s face, on her cheek, sliding a thumb into the slutty girl’s mouth, “Remember, no matter what, you’re my first pet. I’d never be tired of you.”
Song Ming said nothing, only enthusiastically sucked on the thumb, looking like a complete slut as her face went red, her eyes filling with need.
While they were busy, Long Shiyi took a step closer to Xi Mu, “If you don’t want to lose your virginity, you may want to speak up, and be proactive. Otherwise, I’m sure she’d find plenty of reasons to treat you like she does her pet.”
“I’m just here to watch over the place while the sect investigates what happened to Xi Village!”
That caught Bianca’s attention, though she didn’t remove her thumb from Song Ming’s mouth. She just let it be sucked on while she turned, her pet being more than happy to keep going for as long as she was permitted.
“What exactly happened?”
“After an incident there, things seemed to have calmed down, but then… one day, all of the people suddenly departed! It was like they just vanished… just in case, the higher realm disciples were recalled, and the lower realm ones were put to watch for any sightings of the Xi Village around the Dragon’s Fangs!”
“… an incident, huh…”
“I-I didn’t get told what the situation was, just that… just that there was a stranger involved, someone that wasn’t native to the village. That’s all, I swear!”
“Hm, I wish we had brought Yu Juan with us… regardless, I’ll believe you for now. Seems like we got lucky with our timing… or not, depending on exactly where the Xi Village has disappeared to. Pet… would you have any ideas?”
She replied with the thumb still in her mouth, “I don’t know, Mistress… But if it was as a result of that incident, do you think that… maybe…”
“Tch, I hope they’re not going to cause any problems. Good thing we weren’t planning to stay here for too long,” Bianca finally pulled her hand away, drying her thumb on Song Ming’s clothes – much to her pet’s delight – as she returned her attention to the girl, ”Still, a mere second realm being asked to look out for people that managed to disappear under the noses of a seventh realm expert? Does that seem believable to you?”
“I-It’s true! S-Specifically, they had said that they would perform some kind of group skill to find their trail, and until then, we were just tasked with keeping an eye out in case they weren’t far away yet…”
“Let’s say I believe that… then, what is that group skill?”
“I d-don’t know…”
“Hm… Are you sure you don’t? I can test that quite… easily…” she reached out, slowly, her hand drawing near to Xi Mu’s face, the implication obvious – if the woman didn’t speak, she’d be infused with a few more drops of corrupting energy.
However, even as her hand came to rest on the girl’s cheek, she added nothing, only whimpering, tears in her eyes, seemingly knowing nothing about the matter.
She looked too pathetic for it to be an act, but just to be completely sure, Bianca gave her another dose, her light rushing into Xi Mu’s body. For a moment, the girl’s eyes went wide before her cheeks went red and her eyes filled with need, the outsides of her irises going from blue to red. It was the first time Bianca had gotten to see the change so directly… and it was absurdly hot to behold, tempting her to infuse even more energy into her, to bend her to her will completely…
But she decided not to, albeit with some reluctance. She pulled her hand away and frowned.
“Tch, it would be way simpler if you knew the details.”
“Does it matter, Mistress?” her dearest pet asked quietly.
“Of course it does. Have you forgotten where you came from, pet?”
“I- ah. If the skill was to target the closest descendant of the Xi Village, then…”
“Yeah, it would be a bigger pain in the ass for us than, say, something that finds the largest group, or specifically their current leader, or something that can divine the time of their departure and show it on a mirror or some crap,” Bianca sighed, “Okay, Xi Mu, one more thing – are you really alone here?”
“I-I… y-yes, but-”
A different voice suddenly cut her off, “Demon Queen, there’s no need to go this far, truly.”
Different, and yet… familiar. As Bianca turned, and the others did as well, they found a woman with an innocent yet seductive bearing, wavy blonde hair, gleaming golden eyes, and…
“Yu Suyu?”
“Oh, you remember me? I’m flattered… but please, let the girl go. She won’t be an obstacle to you.”
“… You’re a member of the Blazing Skies, no? Why would you just let me do as I like?”
“… Once you let her depart, I can explain. Oh, and Xi Mu… you know not to say anything, right?”
“O-Of course! I wouldn’t dare!”
“Then leave. This is beyond you.”
Yu Suyu looked to Bianca, who, after a moment, decided to go along with this… whatever this was. As odd as it was, the disciple of the Blazing Skies didn’t seem to be opposed to them at all… if anything, she felt like she was looking out for them, and there had to be a reason for it.
There was no real harm to releasing Xi Mu, since, even if she confirmed their presence, all it would do is push the sect to come to them faster, so that would hardly matter.
As soon as she was freed, Xi Mu ran out, sprinting like never before, and soon she was out of earshot and out of sight.
“So, mind telling me what this is about before I tie you up as well?”
“There’s no need to do this, Demon Queen. I was sent out by the Blazing Skies, but now that we’ve met… I have a message from my… superior.”
“What, your master at the sect, maybe an elder there or something?”
“Of course not! I have no loyalty towards fools like that, only…” Yu Suyu seemed to debate something for a moment, and then her demeanour changed, all that innocence vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Her cheeks turned red, and it was as if hearts appeared in her eyes, shining a vivid pink. It was quite the shift, and even her tone transformed.
“Only my one and only Mistress, my one guiding light, the most perfect being in this world!”
“… Uh-huh,” Bianca narrowed her eyes, ‘Is this what others feel like when Song Ming starts fawning over me?’
“My Mistress is Li Cheng-”
“Oh, that makes a lot of sense…” the kitsune murmured, instantly drawing everyone’s attention over, “Oh, Li Cheng is a slaver I know.”
“You say that way too casually…”
“She doesn’t enslave anyone, Xue Yaling. She just shows us the light! She shows us where we belong!”
“Right…”
Bianca coughed, “Ahem, so, what exactly does Li Cheng want, and how come you’re in the Blazing Skies if you serve her so obediently?”
“Because Mistress told me to be, of course. I’m infiltrating the sect to look for souls that would benefit from Her guidance, those that struggle to fit into the world without someone to lead them, those who are incomplete… but the last time She spoke to me, I was told that I could finally return to her embrace, just as long as I found you, Demon Queen.”
“Me? What does she want with me? And… well, I’d ask how she knew that I’d be coming, but I imagine most know that I took down Long Shiyi by this point.”
“Indeed. Mistress suspected you’d come this way, and so, the moment I heard of an intruder at the Eclipse Temple, I volunteered to scout out the situation. I am so glad I did… ah, to finally be in Her presence again, to smell Her sweat, to feel Her hands on my skin, Her firm but delicate touch, to-”
“You sound like you’re about to cum from just imagining it.”
“I… hah, of course! Perhaps you cannot understand, without experiencing it yourself, but-”
“No, I understand!” Song Ming suddenly spoke up, “That’s exactly how I see my own Mistress!”
Yu Suyu looked between her and Bianca, “Ah, I see. You are fortunate, then, to have found a guiding light in this dark, unforgiving world. Most aren’t so lucky, or refuse to see it when it’s before them…”
“I know! So many people just look at me strangely, or with pity in their eyes… to think that they’re so proud of their ignorance, of not feeling Mistress’ love!”
“Uh, I do appreciate it, pet, but we should focus on the immediate matters. Specifically, what does Li Cheng want, and will you not be exposed instantly the moment that we run off without you stopping us?”
“Not at all, Demon Queen. I am weaker than you by a whole realm, as I am only in the sixth stage of Emergent Anchor, and that is without taking into account Long Shiyi, Huang Su and the rest. All you need to do is ‘defeat’ me, and there will be no questions,” Yu Suyu explained, “As for my Mistress… She wishes to meet with you. She believes that there may be a chance of a fruitful business relationship between us.”
“To confirm, she is a slaver, right?”
“She doesn’t-”
The kitsune interrupted, “She is. Her trick is making people submit willingly, making them feel as though they were always meant to obey her. You could say it right in front of a slave’s face and they won’t question their position in the slightest… just look at this girl, she just seems confused.”
“I truly am. To think you have such a low view of Her… all my Mistress wishes is to grant some more people their proper place, alongside a strong owner…”
“See, what did I tell you?”
“I understand why she’s familiar with Li Cheng, but why are you?”
Xue Yaling paused for a moment, “We… have met before. We’ve traded a few times, and I’m very familiar with her work.”
“… Right. Wait, you did mention her way back when, didn’t you? I knew the same seemed familiar.”
“I might’ve done, yes. Nonetheless, my former experiences with her only mean that we might get a better deal on anyone we wish to… acquire.”
“You would have me buy slaves? Seriously?”
“Don’t pretend like it’s completely unthinkable to you, Sect Mistress. I doubt I need to remind you of exactly what you’ve done to a number of women already.”
“… Bitch. Regardless, whether we want to go or not, where exactly is Li Cheng?”
“I can mark a meeting spot for you on a map, if you’ve got one on hand. Of course, if you’ve got other places to be first, I would be able to deliver a message from Her to your… abode if you would prefer.”
“So accommodating… and lucky. Again.”
“Hm?”
Bianca shook her head, “Don’t worry about it, nothing to do with you. Just a bit of a luck problem at the moment.”
“I… no, I shouldn’t say.”
“Now that you’ve said it, you’ve caught my attention.”
“No, only Mistress knows the specifics. If I say anything, it might only mislead you.”
“Fine, I don’t care too much anyway… no matter what, the positive luck is an advantage so far, it’s probably the reason you’re here in the first place. Nonetheless, I would prefer to hear it from her directly, and to meet her after I’ve taken care of other matters.”
“Very well. Worry not, I shall allow you to get away, and will attempt to mislead the Blazing Skies as long as I can. Do what you need to take me down, they will certainly give me any pills I need to recover.”
“Alright, fine… Uh, Huang Su-”
“My realm is vastly above hers, Mistress. Controlling my strength…”
“It’s fine, that will make it more believable that she wasn’t able to put up a fight. Just surround her with feathers and burn through her clothes or something.”