The next morning, Fu Yilan went to morning training before breakfast and headed out into nature after her meal. She was not in urgent need of merit points, after having received five hundred for her time with the Old Demon. Getting a new blade from the weapon hall, she threw herself back into training. Strength was all that could keep her safe, after all. The senior brother came up to her and asked if she needed assistance. Usually, Fu Yilan would push such advances away coldly. Today, she didn’t. It didn’t do for women to show disregard for men’s wishes. She only noticed the different attitude that afternoon, when she had decided to meditate on her current mental state. Unsurprisingly, it was not very good.
Fu Yilan tried cultivating, but her troubled mind made the process ineffective. A war veteran mortal missing an arm turned beggar had had trouble sleeping at night as well. Fu Yilan tried to use what slivers she remembered from what he had told her of how he dealt with the pain. She tried to relive the events but couldn’t. So instead, she repeated slivers of the founder’s sayings.
“Grass moves with the breeze. It cannot fight the breeze, so it sways along. It does not need to worry, for roots hold it to the ground. If grass gets stepped on, it rightens itself, to once more be a part of the meadow. It keeps growing, reaching for heaven eternally. It points upwards naturally, for that is its goal.”
It hadn’t made sense to her then, but now it calmed her. Still, she slept in Senior Xu’s bed that night.
Progress was slow, but she was starting to feel better. Fu Yilan could spend longer times within her room before needing to see the sky, to be aware of her freedom. The thought of asking the branch leader for help, the only one who hadn’t seemed to want anything from her due to her looks, kept creeping up. She discarded it each time. No one in this sect had ever freely helped her so far. But maybe this time would be different?
After the tenth time needing Senior Xu’s warmth. To sleep through the night, she decided to seek the branch master’s help. Getting to see him was easier than she had expected. Fu Yilan walked into his house, a one-story building a small bit away from the main compounds, tall stalks of grass reaching over her head surrounding it. He was sitting on a large flat boulder, legs crossed, a kind smile on his face.
“I had feared that you would have to seek me out, and yet I’m glad that you did. Tell me, what pains you?” His voice was soothing, taking care of an invisible ache she hadn’t known she had before it disappeared. She liked his voice.
“Is it that obvious?” There was still a bit of apprehension in her, but her mind was set, and she was standing before him now after all.
“Some might not notice, but it would have surprised me if you had returned from captivity without anything plaguing you.” The serenity of his house, as well as the warmth in his voice made the apprehension slowly bleed out of her. He was her sect leader; she could trust him.
“I… have trouble sleeping.” Saying those words out loud felt good. Freeing. She had admitted it to someone, finally. The branch master nodded supportively. “I get plagued by nightmares and my room makes me suffocate.” Deep breath. “He used me. Chained my body and broke my mind. I feel like…” It was difficult to admit. Like a personal failure. Her tongue felt like lead, unable to move. But when Fu Yilan looked at the branch master, she felt at ease. He hadn’t interrupted so far, seeming genuinely interested.
“I feel like I’m less. Like women are below men, meant to serve. I only find solace sleeping next to a man after having offered my body in exchange. I should be a cultivator, yet my heart keeps pulling me down to earth into others’ beds instead of closer to heaven. Please, help me.” She was pleading now. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She was unable to hold them back, despite being in the branch master’s presence. He didn’t say anything though, giving her space to cry.
His warm voice caught her and steadied her when he replied. “You must have gone through so much.” It felt good to hear acknowledgement, especially from him. “It seems like a heart demon has taken a hold of you. But don’t despair, for where there is pain, there is strength.” His words felt good, encouraging. He knew what to do, where to go. “Maybe you’re not all wrong? Maybe there is a truth within that your heart has realized, while your mind is still struggling?” He was right, maybe that was the case? Fu Yilan nodded along, listening attentively. “Maybe there is something within these lessons to incorporate into yourself. Maybe as a woman, that truly is you path?”
It felt like iced water had been poured over her. Fu Yilan sat in front of the branch master, not moving a muscle. Her mind was reeling. Suddenly, his voice was no longer warm like summer, like a loving embrace, like stability. Now it felt like a snake’s body wrapping around her mind, slithering into one ear and out the other. She wanted to shake her head, to run, but resisted the impulse. Despite the shock, these were situations she was used to. So instead, she nodded along, a dreamy smile on her face.
The branch master kept talking while her mind was still in shambles, having been torn so suddenly and ruthlessly from a path that had seemed to lead to a solution to her problems. Now that she had escaped his ensnaring art, she recognized it for what it was. Subtle pulses of qi were mixed into every word, making her want to trust him. Fu Yilan cursed herself. Of course, with a sect that had three female disciples, and where every senior had no problem with exploiting their junior, the head of the snake would be as rotten as the body. It had been lucky, that he had tried convincing her too early of something she was holding on to so tightly, of her not wanting to be beneath them. Maybe it was because he underestimated her mind, got sloppy due to her gender, or her secret advancements were helping her. In the end, she had gotten lucky to realize at all. Another reminder of the world’s nature and her place in it.
Not much time had passed, but his slithering voice was validating every single one of her pains. Fu Yilan kept up her accepting outer state. When he offered to keep her company that evening, she happily agreed.
She used the rest of the day meditating. It seemed like the only thing that could help. When evening came, she returned to his house in the tall grass field. He was already waiting for her.
“It seems like part of what keeps you up is lacking that master figure in your life. I shall take that burden upon myself. Call me Master Xiao, or just Master.” His smile disgusted her. There wasn’t anything she could do to resist though.
“Yes, Master Xiao,” she replied instead. She followed him into his house. It wasn’t large, a central living room, a small kitchen that seemed unused, a bedroom with a small, singular bed. It didn’t seem like the house of someone like the person who was trying to manipulate her. Instead, it radiated the essence of their sect’s beliefs. Stay away from worldly desires. You shall cultivate a frugal mindset, only requiring the bare minimum for survival.
Following him into the kitchen, he pulled open a cabinet after infusing some of his qi. Fu Yilan stared at the stairs leading downward. Suddenly she was back in the basement of the Old Demon. Unable to move. Children hanging from the ceiling, bleeding. She snapped out of it when a snake of a voice pushed its way into her ear.
“It’s alright. This is not as you described. Here, take my hand. This is where your new master will heal you.” Fu Yilan swallowed before pushing down the dread. Taking the old man’s hand, she followed him down.
It was a twenty-second descent before they reached a cavern. It was a naturally occurring cave that had been made habitable. A large bed stood on one wall, blatantly inviting to be fucked on. On the other side, different contraptions were arrayed, some with shackles. A table stood in the middle, ropes, paddles, and other things neatly arranged. On the far side was a clothes rack with tens of outfits, each skimpy and revealing. And while she couldn’t be sure, they all seemed to be her size.
“Ah, you noticed. Yes, your master has taken the liberty to prepare. After all, he wishes to do his everything to help you, his slave in need of saving.” The smile dripped of lies and deceit. Fu Yilan smiled one such smile back at him, thankfulness hiding disgust and fear.
“Now then, let’s get you changed. How about…” He rummaged through the clothes before pulling out one Fu Yilan was intimately familiar with. “Yes, this qipao. I had it repaired, so you can now wear it again. It is important you return to that time, to that submissive mindset.” Fu Yilan took the dress and turned around to change, but he stopped her. “No turning away. As your master, you belong to me. Show me my property.”
Fu Yilan blushed but did as told. It scared her that this orthodox sect’s branch master acted just like the demonic cultivator. And despite it all, her position started making her wet. She bit down on a moan, but he noticed.
“No holding back. You’re safe here. Let it all out.”
The beetle started buzzing as she got wet. It had not left her pussy unless someone was fucking her in months. By now, it felt weird not having it in.
“Yes, very good. It looks great on you. Being a sex slaves suits you well.” Having realized the nature behind his words, it got easier resisting them, the disgusting feeling making them less appealing. That didn’t mean however that she was completely safe from him. His words still touched upon instincts that had embedded themselves, not yet rooted out by her. If that was even possible.