Chapter 181 - This Is the Way
Xun Danxin's eyelashes quivered subtly. After a brief pause, she opened her eyes.
What met her gaze was the morning sunlight, akin to a scene from a maiden's chamber. The decor was intricate and refined, with furnishings and a vanity table exuding the same graceful style. A soft lilac drape hung, swaying gently.
Delicate golden bells adorned the drape, their tassels shimmering with a subtle gleam.
Gentle sunlight filtered through ornate window frames, casting swaying shadows outside, accompanied by faint rustling, harmonizing with the orchid bonsai within, imbuing the room with intrigue.
The bronze beast-head furnace on the floor emitted aromatic spices, tendrils of pale green smoke spiraling upwards. The air carried an elegant fragrance, not overpowering, but rather a dispersed scent that teased the nostrils, faintly reminiscent of parchment.
A plush blanket lay upon the floor, its intricate weave promising comfort.
Merely from the décor, one could envision the beauty and tranquility of the proprietor.
Late summer transitioning to early autumn, the jade bed beneath her felt cool, momentarily clearing Xun Danxin's mind.
Initially perplexed, the Patriarch of the Profound Yin Family then sensed a constriction around his body.
Lowering her gaze, she observed her limbs bound by a coil of crimson rope, skillfully wound around her form, seeming pliant yet growing tighter with resistance. The rope, itself extraordinary, likely a magical artifact.
She instinctively struggled, only to cease, sensing an unsettling reality…
How could it not be unsettling? This binding technique was designed for humiliation, and she wore scant clothing!
Xun Danxin furrowed her brow, her fair visage tinged with embarrassment and ire. She lightly bit her lip, eyes widening in recollection of Fang Xiang's treachery. Poisoned and rendered unconscious…
The room before her required no speculation; it was undoubtedly Fang Xiang's chamber.
Yet, it was vacant, enveloped in silence. Xun Danxin shifted, noting her cultivation hindered by the rope. Thoughts of her daughter's voice before her collapse weighed heavily.
“Yimu…” Xun Danxin murmured inwardly, brow furrowing. “What game is Fang Xiang playing?”
As a Sword Pavilion elite, the Night's Fall Sword City Lord represented a major faction's stance. Assaulting the Profound Yin Family's patriarch equated to a declaration of war.
Owing to Yimu's situation, the Profound Yin Family had tenuously reconciled with the Sword Pavilion, surrendering the sword. It should have been a boon for the Pavilion, yet Fang Xiang's intentions remained unclear.
Just as she pondered, the tightly shut door emitted a faint creak.
The wooden portal swung open, revealing a woman clad in crimson-purple attire. Draped in a wide robe with intricate dark patterns, baring swathes of fair skin, her long ebony hair fashioned into a high bun, exuding a morning laziness. Yet, her eyes and brows held the allure of a mature beauty.
Similar to the demeanor Fang Xiang displayed before Xun Danxin's collapse, she remained composed, lacking any trace of the complacency typical of a leader of another influential faction. One might even speculate she harbored ulterior motives.
She regarded him with an odd expression.
Her gaze traversed his features from chest to waist, then legs, before returning to his face. Suddenly, a hint of a smile graced her lips.
It wasn't derision but rather a sense of contentment.
Xun Danxin involuntarily tensed her muscles, sensing an inexplicable unease settling in her heart.
Despite being of the same cultivation level and holding a higher position, why did the woman's eyes betray a hint of something other than “condescension” when regarding her captive?
“Mother!”
A clear, melodious voice of a young girl suddenly resonated behind Fang Xiang.
Xun Danxin paused momentarily, witnessing her own daughter passing by Fang Xiang and approaching with a concerned expression. Softly, she inquired, “Mother, are you alright?”
Xun Yimu extended her hand to assist her mother. Upon catching sight of the crimson rope adorning her mother, she felt a flush creeping up her cheeks. What was the significance of this rope?
Suppressing the peculiar sensation in her heart, she turned towards Fang Xiang and demanded, “City Lord Fang, you assured us my mother would remain unharmed.”
Fang Xiang strolled over leisurely, taking a seat beside the bed. Upon hearing the inquiry, she offered a sweet smile tinged with seriousness, “Certainly not. As a woman, I've always held the Profound Yin Family in high regard.”
Many female cultivators held deep respect for the Profound Yin Family, a matriarchal force reigning supreme in the cultivation realm. It wasn't merely their strength; their ascent to prominence was also attributed to relentless determination.
“Is this your idea of respect?” Xun Danxin's laughter was tinged with anger as she glanced at Fang Xiang and then at the ropes binding her.
Fang Xiang explained, “It's merely a precaution to ensure Patriarch Xun cooperates peacefully.”
Her emphasis on “peacefully” only stiffened Xun Danxin's expression further.
The Night's Fall Sword City Lord reached out, idly adjusting the ropes. The cool touch of her fingertips against the woman's skin elicited a slight tremor.
Fang Xiang observed Xun Danxin biting her lip, her face flushed, and the bewilderment in her eyes towards the ropes. She couldn't help but inwardly chuckle.
This expression… bore a striking resemblance to when Xun Yimu was playfully teased by Yueh. It was akin to a na?ve young girl navigating the complexities of the world.
It was no wonder he pursued Tan Ling, that sly woman. The combination of mature beauty and innocent charm was undeniably captivating.
Despite her longstanding high-ranking position, Xun Danxin took a moment to gather herself and asked with composure, “What is it that you intend to do?”
Holding Yimu captive, she was forced to proceed with caution.
Fang Xiang withdrew her hand, offering no reply but a smile, and then mentioned, “Patriarch Xun had once inquired about Yimu's purity.”
At this, Xun Danxin's demeanor turned sharply, her eyes flashing coldly as her body coiled, poised to strike. Her expression hardened significantly, hinting at her heightened readiness.
Her usual composure was nowhere seen; the mention of Xun Yimu provoked her fiercely, much like a mother leopard defending her young, radiating a palpable sense of danger. It was a universal maternal instinct.
Fang Xiang empathized with this protective sentiment, feeling a kinship with Patriarch Xun, though she kept her expression neutral and reassured, “Patriarch Xun, be at ease. I've always cared for Yimu genuinely and have neither harmed nor intended to harm her. Despite the ruthlessness attributed to the Night's Fall Sword City Lord, I am still a woman and would not exploit this situation as leverage.”
Her face was earnest and her voice soothing, causing Xun Danxin to be inwardly alarmed, yet she remained tense and asked cautiously, “Then what was the purpose of your remark?”
Fang Xiang proposed, “Patriarch Xun, you've been concerned about your daughter's virtue. Why not verify her current well-being?”
She gently placed Yimu's hand into Xun Danxin's.
As energy flowed through them, her meridians appeared healthier than ever.
Stunned, Xun Danxin exclaimed, “How can this be?”
The Night's Fall Sword City Lord maintained her poise, questioning, “Why not? Could not the age-old dilemmas of the Profound Yin Family be resolved through a balance of yin and yang?”
“But Yimu remains untouched,” asserted Xun Danxin, glancing at her daughter, who flushed with embarrassment.
With a cunning gleam in her eye, Fang Xiang slowly produced a milky white porcelain bottle from her sleeve, smiling slyly, “Patriarch Xun, here lies the solution.”
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