Chapter 41: Madam Xia Bingling’s Argues With Wang Li
Madam Xia Bingling stirred awake, the remnants of a throbbing ache between her legs serving as a harsh reminder of yesterday’s… well, activities.
A blush crept up her neck as she recalled initiating the whole thing.
She sat up, noticing a folded piece of paper on the bedside table. With a flick of her wrist, she used a sliver of spiritual energy to whisk it closer. Unfolding it, her eyes narrowed as she recognized Wang Li’s messy scrawl.
As she read, a cold dread settled in her stomach. Wang Li, the lowly criminal, had recorded their entire… encounter using a Vision Recording Stone. The audacity! He was essentially blackmailing her, threatening to leak the footage if she dared to cross him again.
‘That little…!’ she fumed internally. The worst part? The video would paint her as the aggressor, the one who had seduced Wang Li. No one would believe her side of the story.
Letting out a defeated sigh, she crumpled the letter in her hand. There was nothing she could do. With another flick of her wrist, she delved into her own body, checking her internal condition.
Surprise washed over her. The dull ache was a minor price to pay for what she found. Her meridians, usually tight and restricted, felt two times wider, allowing for a smoother flow of spiritual energy. Even more astounding, her Spiritual Root, the core of her cultivation, had undergone a significant upgrade. Gone was the Tier Four Refined Elemental Root, replaced by a vibrant Tier Five Spiritual Elemental Root!
This meant a massive boost to her cultivation potential. A mix of emotions warred within her. On one hand, she was furious at Wang Li because he had raped her. On the other, she couldn’t deny the excitement bubbling inside her because her cultivation potential had been vastly increased.
In this dog-eat-dog world, strength reigned supreme. Morality was a luxury reserved for the strong. It was the harsh reality that had fueled her willingness to sacrifice her daughter’s happiness by marrying her off to Ye Fan. After all, the Silver Ice King Heart he offered would have bolstered her cultivation significantly. Now, this… this unexpected boost from Wang Li…
She sighed, a long, weary sigh. Life was never straightforward, was it? There was always a catch, a price to be paid. The memory of the night flickered in her mind – the intensity, the unexpected pleasure, the desperate need… a blush crept up her neck. Had she truly enjoyed it?
Pushing the thought away, she focused on the task at hand. For now, dealing with the immediate threat of Wang Li’s recording stone took precedence. ‘I need to tread carefully,’ she thought, her eyes glinting with steely resolve. ‘This isn’t over, Wang Li. But for now…’
Suddenly, her door creaked open a crack. Xia Qingwu peeked in, her eyes wide with concern. “Mother? Are you alright?”
Madam Xia Bingling forced a smile. “Just a bit sore, that’s all. Nothing a good cup of tea can’t fix,” she lied through gritted teeth.
“Is it because of Wang Li?” Qingwu pressed gently. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
Madam Xia Bingling hesitated. Could she confide in her daughter? But revealing what had happened the previous day with Wang Li would not be a good idea. “No, no, nothing like that,” she finally said, shaking her head. “He just gave me a… vigorous massage. But hey, at least I feel better now, right?”
Qingwu frowned, unconvinced. “Mother, if there’s something wrong, please tell me.”
Madam Xia Bingling patted the space on the bed beside her. “Come, sit with your old mother for a bit. We need to talk… about other things.”
As Qingwu settled next to her, Madam Xia Bingling wrapped an arm around her daughter, a wave of conflicting emotions washing over her. She was furious with Wang Li, yet secretly grateful for the boost to her cultivation.
‘Life is just never simple, is it?’ she thought.
As Wang Li entered the room, his eyes darted between Xia Bingling and Xia Qingwu, hidden behind his mask and bamboo hat. He moved closer to Xia Bingling’s bed, his gaze lingering on her face.
“Are you feeling better now, Madam Xia Bingling?” Wang Li inquired, his tone casual but his curiosity evident in his eyes.
Madam Xia Bingling’s expression shifted, her thoughts filled with disdain for the man before her. Despite her internal turmoil, she managed to muster a fake smile. “Yes, thank you, Wang Li,” she replied, her voice strained with forced politeness. “Your massage yesterday really did wonders.”
As Xia Qingwu left the room to fetch some tea, Wang Li and Madam Xia Bingling were left alone. Wang Li wasted no time in dropping his mask, revealing his true face, while Madam Xia Bingling’s sneer spoke volumes.
“You will pay for what you did,” Madam Xia Bingling spat, her voice laced with venom. “You took advantage of me, Wang Li. Do you have any idea what your lover Qingwu will think when she finds out?”
Wang Li’s demeanor turned cold as he stepped forward, his eyes meeting Madam Xia Bingling’s with an icy stare. “I no longer see you as Qingwu’s mother,” he declared, his voice firm and resolute. “You made your choice when you chose to sacrifice her happiness for the Xia Family’s gain. Now, I’m simply using you for mine.”
The air crackled with unspoken hostility as Madam Xia Bingling glared at Wang Li. Her carefully crafted facade crumbled, revealing the desperate woman beneath. “Don’t you dare lecture me about gains,” she hissed. “You have no idea what I’ve had to endure to keep this family afloat!”
Wang Li scoffed, a harsh sound that echoed in the stillness of the room. “Don’t play the martyr now, Madam Xia. You were more than happy to throw your daughter’s happiness at Ye Fan’s feet for a fancy trinket. Spare me the crocodile tears.”
A flicker of shame crossed Madam Xia Bingling’s face, quickly replaced by a hardened resolve. “That has nothing to do with this,” she snapped. “This isn’t about Qingwu. This is about you using a forbidden technique on me! You violated me, Wang Li!”
“Forbidden technique?” Wang Li raised an eyebrow, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. “Enlighten me, Madam. What forbidden technique was that, exactly?”
Madam Xia Bingling’s voice hitched. She couldn’t very well explain the truth – that her own desperation had led her to initiate the encounter, hoping to coerce a cure for her ailment from Wang Li. “Don’t act coy,” she spat, trying to regain control of the narrative. “You know exactly what you did!”
Wang Li took a bold step forward, invading Madam Xia Bingling’s personal space. The scent of her lavender perfume, laced with a hint of fear, filled his nostrils. “Let me remind you, Madam,” he said, his voice a low rumble, “you were the one who initiated physical contact yesterday. You were the one who moaned my name in pleasure.”
A blush crept up Madam Xia Bingling’s neck, a stark contrast to the paleness of her skin.
Shame burned in her eyes, but she refused to back down. “That… that doesn’t change the fact that you took advantage of a vulnerable woman!”
He leaned in closer, his lips brushing her ear. “Vulnerable? Or desperate, Madam?”
He straightened, his gaze cold and calculating. “The truth is, Madam, you lost to your own desires. And let’s not forget,” he tapped the pocket where the Vision Recording Stone resided, “our little ‘encounter’ is well documented, wouldn’t you say?”
Madam Xia Bingling recoiled as if struck. The weight of her vulnerability settled upon her like a leaden cloak. She was trapped.
A lump formed in Xia Bingling’s throat. The woman who had once held her head high, the formidable leader of the Xia Family, now felt like a caged bird, her wings clipped, her freedom stripped away. The anger she’d directed towards Wang Li now turned inwards, a bitter cocktail of regret and humiliation.
As if sensing her turmoil, a hint of amusement flickered across Wang Li’s face. “Don’t worry, Madam,” he said, his tone softening slightly. “As long as you play your part, this little arrangement can be mutually beneficial.”
His words were a cruel twist of the knife. Mutually beneficial? She, the esteemed Madam Xia, reduced to a pawn in his game. Yet, a part of her couldn’t deny the thrill that coursed through her at the intimacy of their situation. The memory of their passionate encounter, fueled by forbidden desire, was still fresh in her mind.
Sensing her internal struggle, Wang Li placed a finger under her chin, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. His touch, light yet insistent, sent a jolt of electricity through her. “Think about it, Madam,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “You get the boost to your cultivation you’ve craved for so long, and I get what I need. It’s a simple bargain, wouldn’t you agree?”
Xia Bingling stared into his eyes, a complex mix of emotions swirling within her: anger, resentment, a flicker of… something else. Was it fear? Or perhaps a strange sense of dependence, a recognition of the power he now held over her?
The door creaked open, disrupting the charged atmosphere. Xia Qingwu entered, a tray of steaming teacups in her hands. Her smile faltered slightly at the sight of Wang Li standing so close to her mother, his hand cupping Xia Bingling’s chin.
“What’s going on? ” Qingwu asked, her voice laced with a hint of unease. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
“No worries, Qingwu. I was just checking your mother’s condition again by observing her eyes carefully. It would have been bad if that illness had left behind any side-effects” Wang Li said, his voice smooth as silk as he removed his hand from Madam Xia’s face.
Qingwu placed the tray on the bedside table.
