“Lady Shenzu… Suddenly, I feel that her words are really reasonable. If everyone is just waiting for others to act, then won’t we all simply resign to our fate? It seems like we can’t defeat the Three Great Arch-Demons, but behind all these women were thousands of great families and factions. Maybe they could force a change and spark a battle between the imperial court and the Three Great Arch-Demons, thus saving the heavenly path.”
Lily’s eyes were dazed as she leaned against the wall, her chest heaving deeply.
What was happening? She had never thought Lady Shenzu’s plans were correct and had argued against it, yet why was she thinking Lady Shezu was correct now?
Though her original thoughts had logic, it seemed agreeing with Lady Shenzu made her feel good, and fighting back made her feel uncomfortable.
“That light, that crimson light, it feels so good…as if my soul was being baptized, that was not some charming or controlling light, it was a spiritual flame one could only yearn for. I want… I want to see that light again, to have that light illuminate my entire body.”
Lily’s face was red, her posture staggered. She had not escaped the lure of the crimson light, though her innermost rational was still struggling, it was still not enough to change anything.
Finally, Shenzu spoke towards Lily’s direction, “Won’t the guest out there, enter?”
“What!? Lady Shenzu discovered me?” Lily’s heart palpated, “Only this tone, there seems to be no hostility, I should enter…”
Somehow, Lily stood up and walked into the house. Lily’s body trembled as she walked in.
“Isn’t this Miss Kagami? Didn’t you protest against me in public? Why are you here?” In Shenzu’s hand, the residual jade continued to emit crimson light.
Seeing this light, Lily felt as if she should not question this woman.
“I…”
“What’s the matter? The brave, intelligent, number one beauty of the eastern countries, Miss Kagami Lily, why are you stuttering so? Tell me, why don’t you come over?”
Lily knew that she should come up with some excuse, but for some reason if she lied to this woman, her soul would feel extremely bad, but if she told the truth, then she would feel good.
“What? You won’t come over?” Lily’s body trembled all over, but she proudly raised her head. Lily wasn’t any shorter than Shenzu, and with Shenzu sitting down, she just wanted to arrogantly look down at her. However, she was suppressed by some force, she could only humbly lower her head and answer, “I was asked to locate a woman named Keiko, I heard that she was near here so I came over to look, to think I’d really find her … ah.” A spike of pain went through Lily, a sense of suppression weighed heavily on her as she involuntarily fell onto her knees.
“Why am I kneeling? I, what am I doing?” The shock on Lily’s face couldn’t be concealed.
She knew if she hid the truth, her body would feel uncomfortable, a strange phenomenon, but Lily still resolutely lied. She would not confess that she had come here doubting Shenzu. Though most of her had already started to accept Lady Shenzu, the last bits of rationality within her were still struggling. This contradiction between body and heart made Lily unable to resist the suppression, causing her to kneel.
Shenzu looked at Lily with cold gloating eyes, “What? Miss Kagami, are you kneeling to me to apologize for coming uninvited? Not bad, Keiko is here, let us ask. Keiko, do you want to go back?”
Shenzu looked at Keiko, “If you want, you can leave anytime, I will not force anyone, all are free. What we have is love, not shackles.”
Keiko sat down on Shenzu’s leg with a smile, her face red, “Miss Kagami, you think you can do as you like since you’re pretty? We all have to do as you think? Don’t you think, you’re really annoying? I don’t want to leave, Lady Shenzu is my master. Right now, I’m really blissful, whether it’s to go kill monsters with master, or to let master…”
An indescribable force forced Lily’s thoughts to align with Keiko’s, but Lily was fighting to control herself. Though Lily was motionless, she was dripping with sweat and exhaustion, that indescribable comfort and ease was charming her.
Shenzu stood in front of her, “As for you, Miss Kagami, since you’ve snuck into my bedroom and knelt in apology, you should be ready for some punishment.”
“Ah?” Lily trembled, “This, this woman…no, Lady Shenzu wants to punish me? My soul’s unease and my body’s weird feelings, maybe it’s because I committed a mistake? If I accept Lady Shenzu’s punishment, maybe this feeling will be resolved and won’t trouble me anymore, maybe it’ll be easier? No! Lily, are you crazy? You want to submit to this dangerous woman? Did you forget your mission? But…if I’m punished, maybe…”
Seeing the resistance in Lily’s eyes, Shenzu walked over, her skirt swaying and the long legs beneath emitting a smell that softened Lily’s heart.
“What? Miss Kagami, are you going to admit your crime or argue with me? You’re kneeling here, yet what’s that defiance in your eyes? You b̲i̲t̲c̲h̲!”
Shenzu mercilessly cursed Lily and waved a hand, “Get that thing, bring it here!”
Not a while later, a few thinly dressed jade maidens brought forward a small horse made of woven vines.
“Get up, Kagami Lily, put your hands out.” Shenzu’s sapphire eyes rippled as she whispered into Lily’s ears.
“Who, who’ll listen to you?”
“What? Say that again?” Shenzu taunted as she waved the remnant jade in front of her.
“Ah…” Lily felt that she was unable to resist the order. She could choose between physical obedience or mental obedience, that was all the last bits of her rationality could do.
If her will surrendered, then how could her body resist?
As Lily discovered that, her body gave up all resistance, stood up and extended her arms. The few jade maidens tied her hands together with white silk and hung her above the ceiling beams.
“Take her blade.”
Lily was only carrying a plain sixth grade katana. Shenzu knew that Lily had stored her treasures, but she was confident in her methods. She didn’t worry about any resistance Lily could offer up, nor did she plan on confiscating any of her treasures. She would slowly teach and tame Lily, and once she was obedient, she would be an important chess piece against the demons.
Lily’s power far surpassed any of her followers. Lily’s katana was taken away as she was lifted into the air by the silk, and then the vine horse was placed below her.
“Miss Kagami, how’s your equestrianism?”
“What’s that to you?” Lily had adapted and learned the way to guard her heart and will. All she had to do was ignore her body, and focus on her consciousness.
At the beginning, because Lily wanted both her body and will to resist, she fell into a confused state.
“Miss Kagami, look at you now, a proud female samurai wearing a kunoichi outfit, what a coquettish dress. Sneaking in here and getting captured, now hanging from a beam, yet your mouth is still so domineering? Let her down, why don’t you show everyone how good your equestrian skills are?”
Some jade maidens supported Lily’s body while the rest loosened the white silk, lowering her.
Lily could not resist, not only was she still under the effect of the crimson light, but Shenzu’s eyes also had some controlling effect on her. If she had her body resist, her mental state might collapse. Once the crimson light controlled her mentally, then it was all over. No matter what treatment she received, as long as her will remained strong and refused to admit defeat, she still had a chance!
That half piece of residual jade was too terrifying. It could affect both soul and will to this extent. Other jade maidens definitely could not do this. How many levels had this ancient jade been raised? Were all residual jades so powerful?
An unfamiliar sensation interrupted her thought process. Lily was lowered onto the vine horseback, and that horseback felt so steep.
“I think it’s a bit excessive to hang Miss Kagami there, loosen the white silk a bit.” Shenzu ‘kindly’ ordered.
“Ah! No…” To Lily, loosening the while silk was nothing short of a nightmare.
Shenzu approached Lily and looked into her watery eyes.
Lily was in a horrid state, sweat drops rolling down her beautiful face, her cheeks crimson and jade lips slightly open, white misty gasps escaped her mouth and blew loose strands of her hair around.
“Hehehe,” Shenzu let loose an unsightly laughter, “How ugly, the number one beauty of the eastern land actually has this kind of unsightly appearance?”
“Hng, Shenzu, you actually laugh? You speak heavenly mandate, heavenly path, aren’t you afraid of being struck by a heavenly tribulation?” Beads of sweat dripped down Lily’s forehead, though her body trembled and was suffering from her own weight, her eyes and will were still strong.
Though she had met many women with more power and skill than herself, like Ayaka, Kimiko, or even sister Uesugi, they were all different from this despicable woman. Shenzu is an enemy, a despicable, venomous and sinister hearted and contemptible woman! Facing an enemy, Lily would never surrender1!
