Chapter 170: Palace Mistress Jiu Lan Is Gravely Injured
The morning sun cast a gentle glow on the Jade Lotus Palace camp as Wang Li emerged from Liu Xue’s tent. A satisfied smile played on his lips, the remnants of their passionate encounter still lingering in the air. He stretched languidly, the cool morning breeze carrying the faint scent of unfamiliar flora. Time for a quick cleanse before the day’s duties began.
His steps led him towards a secluded clearing where a small pond shimmered invitingly. The cool morning air invigorated him as he plunged into the refreshing water. The tension from the journey melted away as he scrubbed away the dust and grime of travel.
By the time he returned to the main camp, the world had come alive. The rhythmic clang of swords against practice dummies echoed in the air, a testament to the relentless discipline of both the Jade Lotus Palace and Emerald Sea Palace disciples. A few elders were already awake, sipping tea in the communal pavilion, their faces etched with quiet contemplation.
Among them were a group of Jade Lotus Palace disciples, their youthful features radiating a mix of curiosity and excitement. Wang Li approached them with a courteous smile. “Greetings, young ladies. Have you had a restful night?”
“Indeed. And what about you, Elder Wang?” The young disciple of the Jade Lotus Palace sect asked him.
“It’s been good,” Wang Li responded calmly. They exchanged pleasantries for a moment before the question that had been nagging at him surfaced. “By any chance,” he began, “has Palace Mistress Jiu Lan returned from her mission?”
The young woman’s smile faltered slightly. “She returned late last night,” she replied. “However, she sustained injuries during her encounter with the Soul Integration Realm Beast Lords and is currently resting in the infirmary tent.”
Wang Li’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t anticipated Palace Mistress Jiu Lan getting seriously injured. “Is she alright?” he inquired, a hint of concern creeping into his voice.
“That’s what we’re all hoping for,” the young woman said with a worried sigh. “She hasn’t emerged from the tent since her return.”
“Thank you,” Wang Li replied curtly. He excused himself and headed towards the designated infirmary tent, his mind churning with questions.
While he expected the battles against the Soul Integration Realm beasts to be challenging, he hadn’t anticipated such a severe outcome.
Inside the infirmary tent, a tranquil atmosphere prevailed. Several beds were neatly made, but only one was occupied. There, draped in a white sheet, lay Palace Mistress Jiu Lan. Her usually vibrant features were pale, and dark circles adorned her eyes. However, a flicker of recognition lit up her face as she saw him enter.
“Elder Wang,” she rasped, her voice weak. “Thank you for coming.”
He approached her bedside, his gaze scanning her for signs of the extent of her injuries. Crimson stains marred the bed sheets, a stark contrast to their typical pristine white color.
“Palace Mistress,” Wang Li began, his voice low and concerned. “You seem to be in considerable pain. Did the Beast Lords inflict such grievous injuries?”
Palace Mistress Jiu Lan winced, a sharp pang of pain lancing through her side. “Indeed, Elder Wang,” she sighed. “They were more formidable than I anticipated. But,” she continued, her voice gaining strength, “I require your healing touch. I need to be back to full strength as soon as possible.”
Wang Li understood her urgency. The upcoming battle against the Shadow Blade Sect and the Blood Chain Sect loomed large.
He placed his hand on her forehead, channeling his Yang Energy. However, instead of focusing on healing, he diverted a portion of the energy towards arousing her. He knew Palace Mistress Jiu Lan, under the illusion that his touch held healing properties, would misinterpret the arousal as a side effect of the process.
A slow smirk played on his lips as he observed her reaction. Her breaths quickened, a flush creeping up her neck. Her body writhed subtly on the bed, a low moan escaping her lips. This confirmed his suspicions.
“Don’t worry, Palace Mistress,” he purred, his voice dripping with false concern. “The healing process might be uncomfortable, but it will be swift.”
He maintained the charade, a battle raging within him. One part of him craved to succumb to the rising passion, to unleash his desires upon her beautiful form. But another part, a colder, more calculating one, held him back.
His plan was far more sinister. By subtly manipulating the flow of his Yang Energy, he aimed to slowly seal her dantian, the wellspring of her spiritual power. With her cultivation restrained, she would be rendered powerless, a mere mortal susceptible to his whims.
But this process had to be done with utmost finesse. If Palace Mistress Jiu Lan suspected his true intentions, she would unleash her remaining power with lethal force. He had to maintain the illusion of a concerned healer while subtly weaving his web of deceit.
With a practiced smile, he diverted the conversation, masking his true intentions.
“Tell me, Palace Mistress,” he began, his voice laced with a manufactured concern, “which Soul Integration Realm Beast Lords did you encounter? Knowing their strengths and weaknesses will be invaluable information for all of us preparing for the coming battles.”
Palace Mistress Jiu Lan, lost in the throes of the sensation he was purposefully intensifying, responded in a breathless whisper. “The…White Wolf Beast Lord…” she gasped, her voice barely audible amidst the moans escaping her lips. “And…a Raging Bull Beast Lord…with its entire herd.”
He feigned surprise, his brows furrowing dramatically. “Two powerful beasts simultaneously, that is indeed a formidable challenge. Can you tell me more, Palace Mistress? How did you manage to overcome such adversaries?”
Palace Mistress Jiu Lan, her normally steely gaze clouded with desire, launched into a detailed explanation of the battle. She described the cunning tactics of the White Wolf Beast Lord, its swift movements and pack coordination forcing her on the defensive. Then, she recounted the brute force of the Raging Bull Beast Lord and the overwhelming stampede of its herd. To defeat it, she said, required a perfectly timed strike at a critical moment. Unfortunately, she confessed she’d misjudged the timing once, leaving her vulnerable to a devastating blow that inflicted these grievous injuries.
Wang Li listened attentively, channeling his Yang Energy in a way that mimicked healing while actually focusing on sealing her dantian and the pathways of spiritual energy coursing through her body. Palace Mistress Jiu Lan, lost in the whirlpool of pleasurable sensations, remained entirely oblivious to his true intentions. As his dark energy tightened its grip on her core, he felt a surge of satisfaction.
Finally, with a satisfied sigh, he judged her dantian to be nearly shut down, effectively severing her access to spiritual energy. A predatory gleam flickered in his eyes as he leaned closer, his voice dropping to a husky whisper.
“So,” he began, his voice dripping with a hint of amusement, “you deliberately sustained such injuries to experience my… healing touch?”
Palace Mistress Jiu Lan’s eyes fluttered open, surprise momentarily breaking through the haze of pleasure. “What… what do you mean?” she stammered, a flicker of fear replacing the desire in her gaze.
Wang Li’s smirk widened. “Surely, Palace Mistress,” he purred, his voice devoid of its earlier concern, “if you desired this… experience, you could have simply asked. There was no need for such elaborate schemes involving ferocious beasts and near-death experiences.”
Palace Mistress Jiu Lan struggled to form a coherent response. The pleasure that she had been experiencing had abruptly vanished, replaced by a chilling sense of dread. Her body felt sluggish, heavy, devoid of the familiar surging power.
Panic surged through her. She attempted to channel her spiritual energy, to unleash her power, anything to break free from this strange lethargy. But her attempts were met with a deafening silence. The wellspring of her power had been sealed.
Terror filled her eyes as she looked at Wang Li. The mask of concern had been lifted, replaced by a cold, calculating stare. He leaned closer, his lips brushing against her ear.
“Now, my dear Palace Mistress,” he whispered, his voice laced with a dangerous edge, “we can truly begin…”
The remaining words hung in the air, a chilling promise of a twisted future for the once powerful Palace Mistress Jiu Lan. With her cultivation restrained, she was nothing more than a beautiful woman at the mercy of this cunning schemer.
Wang Li’s kiss landed on Palace Mistress Jiu Lan’s neck, a searing brand of desire sent coursing through her veins disguised as healing energy. Her body, starved for such sensations after years of disciplined focus on cultivation, convulsed with pleasure. A guttural moan ripped from her throat, shattering the fragile illusion she had clung to.
He pulled back, a sly grin twisting his features. “Such a dramatic reaction for a mere kiss, wouldn’t you agree, Palace Mistress?” His voice dripped with amusement, a stark contrast to the tremor in her own.
Jiu Lan’s eyes fluttered open, wide with a mixture of terror and confusion. “Why? Why are you doing this? Don’t you… don’t you love my disciple Liu Xue?” she stammered, her voice weak and pleading.
