The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 226: Hesitation

Hesitation . . .

The figure cloaked in black remained silent, offering no response to Cha-Eun Xiao's inquiry. Instead, she moved with an eerie fluidity, her eyes emanating an otherworldly luminescence. With an almost imperceptible motion, she raised her right hand, and a colossal surge of power struck Cha-Eun Xiao.

In that moment, Cha-Eun Xiao's vision plunged into darkness, and before he could even muster a reaction, consciousness abandoned him, and he succumbed to unconsciousness.

The mysterious woman advanced, gently placing Cha-Eun Xiao on the bed. Although she had executed only two actions, her own body trembled with a peculiar intensity.

Her hand reached out with haste, grasping Cha-Eun Xiao's wrist. A tender and exquisitely refined spiritual energy flowed from her, permeating Cha-Eun Xiao's meridians. Swiftly, she traversed the intricate network of his Jing and Mai, comprehending every nuance of his condition.

"I see... No wonder he can alleviate our afflictions..." The woman in black muttered, her profound eyes shimmering with an intricate tapestry of emotions. "The fusion of dual extremes within the Purple Qi... As anticipated, the individual foretold in the prophecy has finally made an appearance. But... Why have you arrived so late? Just one month... I have but one month left..."

After wrestling with her decision for an extended period, she steeled herself, gritting her teeth. With a determined resolve, she swept her sleeve aside, exposing her delicate and pallid hands. These trembling hands ventured beneath Cha-Eun Xiao's attire.

Every inch of her being quivered, from her unsteady hands to her trembling form. Obscured by a shroud of dark clouds, her countenance remained hidden, but even those clouds seemed to sway in tune with her inner turmoil.

For a grandmaster of her caliber, maintaining composure of mind, body, and spirit was a fundamental skill, yet on this occasion, her behavior defied convention. Her thoughts waged a relentless battle within her, and she grappled with overwhelming hesitation.

Beyond the windowpane, a tempest raged, the world outside mirroring the upheaval within. It was as though the very cosmos had been thrust into chaos.

"One month..." She murmured, her lips quivering, tears pooling in her eyes. "I no longer concern myself with the preservation of my long-lived existence... But if I should perish, what fate shall befall the sect?"

"But... my virtue..."

"How can I cast aside my chastity, a treasure safeguarded through countless years, to bestow it upon a stranger so peculiar?"

"Should I forfeit this virtue? Or should I yield to it? Both paths appear justifiable, yet neither truly aligns with my desires..."

Her tremors intensified, and her gaze became a maelstrom of confusion and uncertainty. If anyone who knew her observed this unprecedented display, they would likely be rendered speechless.

It was an unprecedented sight, for no one within the Cha Clan had ever witnessed Cha-Eun Xiao in such a vulnerable state. To think that she harbored a side so gentle and fragile was beyond anyone's imagination. Her pallid hands trembled as she meticulously unfastened the buttons on Cha-Eun Xiao's garments—one... two... three...

Cha-Eun Xiao remained in a comatose state, oblivious to the proceedings. Helpless and unaware, he could only submit to the actions unfolding around him.

Yet, as Cha-Eun Xiao's broad and robust chest was unveiled, an unexpected sensation coursed through the woman in black. The heat radiating from his body stirred an unsettling tremor within her, intensifying the shaking of her hands.

Suddenly, as if struck by an electric shock, she froze. Her complexion transitioned from green to pallid, and she faltered, her voice barely a whisper, "I..."

Abruptly, she stood up, obscuring her face with her hands, and sank to the floor in a squatting position. Desperation and doubt filled her words, "Oh my god... What am I to do? Why must this burden fall upon my shoulders?"

"I... I cannot..."

Raising her tear-streaked face skyward, dark clouds coalescing around her form, she wept.

In the midst of this emotional turmoil, a voice disrupted the scene from outside the window, dripping with scorn, "Hey! Hey..."

The voice was crisp and frosty, and despite the cacophony of rain and wind in the midst of the storm, it resonated clearly within the room.

In an instant, Cha-Eun Xiao's demeanor underwent a transformation. She became an aloof, frosty figure, exuding an aura of lethal intent. "It's you?"

Her words were uttered with a detached coolness.

The figure outside the window sneered once more, a tone laced with disdain and indifference. Cha-Eun Xiao humphed softly. She had, in fact, established a storm barrier enveloping the entire city. Without her authorization, ordinary individuals could not breach this barrier, let alone approach the window and be heard so clearly from outside.

Moreover, the room itself was ensconced in both storm and spiritual barriers.

"Xue Dan-Ru? Is that you?" Cha-Eun Xiao inquired deliberately.

The voice from beyond remained icy, punctuated by a mocking laugh. "I must admit, this is quite unexpected. Truly, the world is full of surprises. The renowned Xuan Bing Fairy of the Qing-Yun Realm, harboring such proclivities? Unbelievable... Heh, heh, heh. Over the millennia, men have perpetrated vile acts against women, a stain on their character. But never have I heard of a woman attempting such a thing on a man. It seems the legend of a female aggressor holds some truth..."

"Sister Xuan, you've truly brought a myth to life. You've stepped into the role yourself. Heh, heh... I must say, I'm thoroughly impressed," the woman sneered, her voice dripping with cold amusement. "The world-renowned, ethereal Xuan Bing Fairy, embodying such purity, wouldn't you agree? Your choice of handsome young men from this lowly realm is quite astute. It's a cunning move, ensuring that your actions remain shrouded in secrecy. Today, I stumbled upon a colossal secret, it seems."

The lady in black blushed crimson, her shame palpable. She yearned to offer an explanation, but words failed her.

With a shiver and a huff of indignation, she unleashed a formidable surge of energy, transforming into a billowing mass of smoke and cloud, vanishing from the room.

"Xue Dan-Ru, you've deliberately chosen the path of resistance instead of the one laid out before you. Now that you've sought me out today, allow me to send you to the abyss before I meet my own end," Cha-Eun Xiao declared with grim resolve. "Back in the days when our clans were embroiled in conflict, how many lives did you extinguish? Today, I shall avenge our fallen brethren through your blood."

Laughter rang out in response, dripping with mockery. "Hahaha. Sister Xuan, are you attempting to dispatch me to silence any chance of your little secret escaping into the world? Well, as much as you've generously invited me to accompany you to the underworld... I simply have no interest. Hell belongs to you, after all, doesn't it?" She clicked her tongue, her tone suggestive. "What a scandalous tableau we've stumbled upon today... I wouldn't dream of interrupting your... proceedings."