A wooden ceiling. Fu Yilan turned her head. A painting of a grassy plain hung on the wall, the breath of the wind making the stalks sway captured masterfully by the artist. It seemed like she had been brought back. She was wearing her usual disciple’s robes, while a small bowl of porridge made her stomach growl. She must have been unconscious for a while.
Right when she finished the bowl, a door slid open. “I greet the sect master!” Fu Yilan said, bowing with her hands cupped.
“Sect Branch Master,” he replied with a chuckle, waving off the title he felt didn’t seem to suit him. “Firstly, good job for holding out. I heard from Elder Zhou that you were under the control of the Trapping Needler Bug. A truly disgusting insect.” She shuddered at its mention, agreeing with a nod. “Please tell us all you know. What happened, that he was doing, what he was planning. Anything you might have caught on to while you were his… servant.”
Fu Yilan recounted the horrible weeks spent with him, trying to recall as much as possible about his purpose with the children. When she mentioned the Trapped Emperor, she saw something twitch in the branch leader, but he didn’t ask her to elaborate. He also wouldn’t answer any of her questions about him. When she finished, he sighed and leaned back, taking a few moments to sort through all that she’d told him.
“It might bring you solace to know that we managed to kill him in the end. He was a truly evil man, and he deserved death, more so than most. The sect will reward you with a new weapon, as well as a sizable sum of merit points to be used however you please. The boy, Cao Chonglin was sent to the main branch. He has talent, and there it can fully bloom.” Fu Yilan didn’t know how to feel about that. He was still a child, yet he had taken part in using her. “Now you may go back. I have a lot to think about.”
Fu Yilan didn’t wish to return to her room yet. Reaching into her, she activated the Bewitching Fox, Flowing Steps movement art for the first time since her capture, and sped out of the sect. She wanted nothing more than to leave and be free, but it was not yet time. Another powerful cultivator had taken an interest in her.
Still, when she reached her little clearing overlooking the clouds, some of the weight of the past and uncertain future lifted off of her, lightening her shoulders, carried away by the wind. It felt incredible, finally having the ability again to move her qi. It had been like living life with one arm less. Dragging up the energy she had hidden in her Void Lotus, significantly increased by the vital yang energy of the Trapping Needle Bug, she stepped into the third stage of the earth realm. It felt good, returning to full power. The qi in the root kept coming though. Fu Yilan entered meditation, staring at the Moonlight Flower at the heart of her cultivation art. Qi kept moving up from the Void Lotus, while the white moonlight roots kept growing across her lake’s surface.
With a light breath, Fu Yilan advanced to the fourth stage. A smile was on her face, one that could make a mortal’s heart stutter. Even though it had been a horrible experience, at least she didn’t come out of it empty-handed. She was one third of the way to the fifth stage! She jumped up and down, her body feeling lighter than ever. Her qi reserves had increased by a large margin as well. Flowing through the basic forms of the Five Diverting Palms art, she enjoyed how her qi had become denser as well, carrying more energy in each drop. When she ran through the forest with her Flowing Steps, she seemed to fly through it, long, gliding steps finding thin branches and leaves to kick off of, barely rustling them. Fu Yilan was running on the treetops, girly, innocent laughter coming from her mouth. Glee was apparent on her delicate face as she looked into the sky. A few clouds were up there as well. One day, she would run on those as well.
Now, she was confronted with a decision. She had told the branch master, that she had been unable to move her qi while captured, as well as unable to cultivate. Should she still let everyone know that she advanced, if not to the fourth stage, to the third stage at least? It felt stifling, hiding two entire stages of cultivation, weakening herself to that degree. Even if she only had the amount of qi of a second grade, she would still be stronger than others at her stage due to her qi being purer, as well as her control over it increasing with each advance.
Still, it frustrated her. It frustrated her that she knew which choice would be smarter, would be safer. If everyone saw her as the attractive martial artist with mediocre talent at the second stage, they would only try to trap her expecting that level of power. But why would they ever let go of a talent able to advance that quickly?
Fu Yilan took a deep breath, staring into the sky. An eagle was in the distance, circling above the ground. Right now, she still felt like the prey scurrying around in the grass. She wondered when she too could be an eagle. In the end, her choice was clear. Prey had to hide. She was not yet strong enough to proudly flaunt her accomplishments. Decision made, she enjoyed the rest of her time outside before heading back for dinner. The bowl of oats had not sated her, and she felt like she could eat a horse.
After all that, she could finally go to bed. The looks of the other disciples hadn’t bothered her in the slightest. After all, the bandits had been much more lustful in their looks whenever the Old Demon hadn’t been watching. She curled together on her mattress, hugging her knees. She was asleep within moments of her head touching the pillow.
Nightmares tore through her sleep. Dreams of being trapped while trying to run away from the demonic cultivator haunted her. Fu Yilan woke in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat. A room that had been her only place to escape the looks of others, the comments of her fellow female disciples, the advances of her seniors, was suddenly suffocatingly small. She had to leave, to get out of her, and quickly. Still in her sleeping garments, she rushed through the sect. Being alone felt like torture, she needed someone, anyone. The first face that came to mind was the man she had spent the most time with in the sect.
Knocking on the door of his personal residence, he opened it for her, still fully dressed. Higher stage cultivators didn’t need as much sleep after all, only a few hours being sufficient. Shivering slightly despite the night’s air being pleasantly cool, Fu Yilan jumped into his arms, hugging him. He caught her, surprise in his eyes, before it switched with a knowing grin.
“Missed this dick that much, huh?” Fu Yilan only nodded. His presence was soothing, despite him being who he was. She would let him fuck her gladly, if that would make her feel better. If that would make Old Demon Yuan’s icy grip on her heart melt.
Fu Yilan slid back into the role of the slow but devoted girl, willing to do everything for him to fuck her. After all, she had done so countless times. “Please, hold me, Daddy Xu. That mean demonic cultivator is giving me nightmares.” She whimpered and he carried her to his bed. His quarters were a lot nicer than hers. No extravagant wealth, but space and high-quality furnishing elevated his space.
She let him undress her, acting shy. His fingers started getting her wet, when something buzzed inside of her. Fu Yilan hiccupped in surprise. She had completely forgotten about the beetle. Having been left in there by Elder Zhou, she hadn’t thought of it since then. After all, she had not been aroused, so there were no love juices to make it start vibrating. And with it having been inside her constantly, she was already used to its presence.
“What is that, my little slut?” He pulled it out with a knowing grin but wanted to hear the explanation from her mouth. Seeing the beetle brought back memories she wanted to forget, but she kept up the façade.
“Something that Old Demon put into me. Elder Zhou painted that sigil on it, so I think it’s safe. Sorry, I completely forgot about it being in there.” He laughed, laying it to the side.
“I don’t mind, keep it in whenever you’re not with me. I like that you keep your pussy nice and wet.” Her acknowledgment of his preference came naturally. She was falling back into old habits to take her mind from more troubling matters.
“Now, please fill me up. Daddy, I need you inside me! It’s been so long.” Acting like this was easy. Being subjected to a man’s pleasure was simple, and when he leaned into her, his dick scraping against her insides, while his weight pushed down on her, she finally managed to slow her racing heart. Along with the pleasure he brought, Fu Yilan moaned happily underneath him like she always had, while her mind and racing thoughts were finally calming down.
“More eager than usual. I like it.” Fu Yilan was doing her best to please him. Every movement pattern her pussy had thanks to her pleasure arts, she used. It was her place after all, to serve and to please.
No! She caught herself slipping away again. She had to leave it behind. These were not her thoughts, not her feelings. She held onto that thought while Senior Xu pleasured her, mental nails digging into it desperately like a drowning man a lifeline. Three loads filled her up before they went to sleep, Fu Yilan cuddling against his side. The thought of lying in bed alone scared her, and she took solace in his body’s warmth. It was ironic; he had always said he would protect her, and she had only laughed at the thought. Yet here she was.