Chapter 29

“So… you want to be taken across the river.” His voice was smooth, clearly used to talking, and used to being listened to. Something subtle pressed against her mind, but she swatted the foreign influence aside. “That’s going to cost you though.”

“How much?” she asked, dreading the answer already. She was not rich. Far from it if she was honest. Most of her merit points had been spent on her talismans, and the remainder had been exchanged for money. Yet when she bought the umbrella, she noticed that the exchange rate had either not been particularly kind, or life in the city was disgustingly expensive. Probably both.

“Two hundred spirit stones one-way.” Fu Yilan’s blood froze in her veins. Right now, she didn’t have a single one. Still caught in her mortal ways, she had exchanged her points for silver coins. A faint memory reminded her of one of her seniors telling her that spirit stones were the cultivator’s currency. Yet she had none. “Surely, an esteemed fifth-stage cultivator like you would have no problem paying my fee?”

Fu Yilan didn’t have the faintest idea how much they were worth, nor where to find them. Never having needed them and not caring at the time due to bigger problems was now coming back to bite her. It didn’t feel like a fair deal though. A vastly more powerful man, head of a brothel, making a beautiful woman an offer?

“Can I– go to the toilet before making my decision? Please, esteemed senior?” She still hadn’t learned his name.

“Sure, a guard will guide you. Just down the hall.” A smile accompanied his statement radiating an assured sense of victory. He knew that she wasn’t in a position to refuse or resist. She was someone clearly on the run who didn’t want to be captured. Stepping back out into the hallway, two guards at the seventh realm stood on either side of the door. They hadn’t been there when she’d entered. Their presence told her all she needed to know about her chances of being able to just decline his offer and walk out unscathed.

One of them started walking and Fu Yilan followed. They passed the hidden passage she’d come out of on her way up, walking around a corner and into the women’s section of two beautifully decorated and flawlessly clean washrooms. The guard followed her in, a saber on his hip and a callused hand resting on its pommel, clearly most comfortable while in contact with it. Fu Yilan was unsure if she could win against him.

Slipping into one of the three spacious stalls, she immediately pulled out one of her talismans out of her robes and attached it to the wall on the far side. It was an escape talisman, and when she sent a spark of her qi into it, a small, sparking rectangle outlined it, before growing to the size of a door. Sizzling sounds could be heard, as it started digging into the wall. It was a slow process, and she started to sweat, hoping the stalls were sound-proofed. The talisman kept cutting, longer than she had expected.

Knocking.

The talisman kept on cutting. It was almost through. Then, a small hole opened in the door, letting the guard peek through. It seemed like the doors really were soundproofed, but he had ways to glance inside anyway. She didn’t have any more time.

Kicking the escape hole, she jumped through, hearing the door unlock behind her, running even quicker because of it. She had cut through to a small storage room holding boxes filled with what seemed like different documents. Nothing of worth to her. Rushing through, she shouldered open the door on the other side. A hallway greeted her and she chose the direction that would take her away from the boss’ office. Her movement art made her shoot along the corridor, while the sound of a small, silver bell rang from behind her. Fu Yilan didn’t dare look back, though she suspected that it was a sort of alarm. Not good.

A servant came out of a door in front of her and she rushed around him like a fairy, her Flowing Steps letting her dance by him in a flash. The guard in pursuit was not so kind, and she heard flesh splatter on the floor as he barreled through him. It only strengthened her resolve to flee.

Fu Yilan had decided that she would not hand over the rights to her body again, not to some brothel boss, nor anyone else. She’d had enough of that. It was time for her to grasp her own destiny. Sleeping with men was a part of her path, but it would happen on her terms. If she wanted to sleep with an inn’s owner, she would. But no longer at someone else’s command. That was the entire reason she’d fled from the sect.

Her heart was beating in her chest, racing along and keeping pace with her speed. At the end of the hallway, she could see a window, a circular one like the one in front of the boss’ office. Fu Yilan turned the corner, disappearing from her pursuer’s view for a moment, and slapped her last escape talisman against the wall around the corner, slightly hidden behind a plant. It would take too long to activate, and she had never fought a seventh stage fighter. Only two attack and one smoke talisman left.

Flinging it against the wall and activating it with a spark of qi, she kept on running. Everything had happened within moments, and yet she could hear that the guard had gained on her. Was gaining on her still. No matter. She would have to double back soon enough, either by fighting her pursuer or trying to find a different route to the talisman she had just placed.

Fu Yilan could feel his breath on the back of her neck. Glancing back, it was only his body that was glowing, emitting heat as he rushed after her. She realized that she wouldn’t be able to outrun him forever. So, she turned around, remaining momentum letting her slide on the floor for a few steps. Not missing a beat, Fu Yilan switched to her Five Diverting Streams.

And not a second too late before the guard’s saber flashed, slicing at her leg. Fu Yilan managed to deflect, fire qi trailing his slash. He was a lot stronger than her senior sister. Three more strikes had her sweating, his body’s heat putting on pressure all on its own. Still, she held strong, all three attacks moving past her. Palms always moving, always painting streaks of blue in their wake. He wasn’t trying to kill her, clearly aware of her value as merchandise. It let her focus more on non-vital areas with barely any pressure being put on her head.

He sped up, and Fu Yilan did as well, just barely hanging on. She could see the talisman doing its work in the background, further down the hall. Its sound was overshadowed by grunts of the guard and crashing furniture being smashed to pieces by strikes that went wide. She could do this. This was survivable. Hold out a bit longer, then pull the smoke talisman and rush for the hole to the outside world.

Something heavy hit her in the back of the head, wrapped in cloths to soften an otherwise possibly lethal blow. Fu Yilan could only curse herself as she remembered the second guard by the door, called by the bell. Then darkness engulfed her.

She awoke on her knees, back in the room of the boss. He was still sitting in his chair, though the woman that had been on his lap was nowhere to be seen. Fu Yilan didn’t really care though, the throbbing in her head taking precedence. She whimpered slightly, and he just chuckled.

“Nice try, I must say. Not that your talisman would have done much to the outside wall, but I like the idea.” He stood up and walked in front of her. She felt like he was growing in size with each step, a menacing aura billowing out from him. “Though I will have none of that from this moment on. Do you understand?” His eyes seemed like a demon’s flames; blood red. Fu Yilan could only nod obediently.

“Good. Now, I will tell you what’s going to happen. You will be working for me. A high-class slut like you will be in high demand, I’m sure. You will work to pay off the damages you caused in my fine establishment. Breaking walls and killing a servant of mine would have others beheaded in a heartbeat. Be grateful for my mercy.” It hadn’t even been her that killed the servant, but it wouldn’t matter. He had all the leverage right now and pinning it on her would let him recoup the cost much easier. If he even cared about that mortal’s life at all. “Only then will you be permitted to start working for the money to get you to the other side of the river.”

He turned and sat back down. “You will call me Boss Tang from now on. Come over here and let me have a taste of my newest slut.” He was back to normal, wearing the same look that had followed her when she’d asked to go to the toilet.

Shy and unsure, Fu Yilan walked over to him, an amateurish swing in her hips. She slid into her role like a hand into a well-worn glove. Just another role to play, all was as usual. Her hand slid along his body, taking off his elegant robes. She let her breath hitch when her fingers traced his muscles, first his shoulders, then his arms, then his body. Cheeks were flushed while her mind was racing. After all, she still had the anal beads and the vibrating beetle within her. Being caught with them would ruin the woman she was portraying, ruin the picture of weakness, of being overwhelmed by what was being forced onto her.

A hand snaked into her dress and her asshole released the beads, her body control pushing them out smoothly. Sliding her dress off at the same time, she pushed the entire bundle to the side. At this point, she could push the beetle out of her vagina by herself, so it joined the pile. He didn’t seem to have noticed. Covering her privates, a stern look from Boss Tang had her lower her hands.

“I knew you were quality goods the moment I laid my eyes on you! That face, those tits, that figure. Turn around for a moment, show me the rest.” Fu Yilan did as told, presenting herself like cattle to be sold. She didn’t particularly care at this point. She was used to it, after all.

He beckoned her over, and Fu Yilan came to him, sitting on his lap. Large hands snapped around her waist almost wrapping around her entirely. She knew what was going to happen next.

The boss’ large dick sprang out of his robes as they flowed from his body, tied in a way to be removed easily. His member stood erect, staring through her thighs. It was hot and throbbing, searing its shape into her soft skin and flesh. Fu Yilan could feel herself get aroused for some reason. She was entirely unable to resist, captured by a man several stages above her, and she was getting aroused. Was everything alright with her? She checked the net around her mind, yet all of the strings were intact.

Not giving Fu Yilan much longer to consider, her captor thrust inside, and pleasure exploded within her. It felt so much better than that lousy innkeeper. This dick scraped at her insides, rubbing all the right spots. She was being pumped up and down, used for his pleasure. As was his right.

Fu Yilan almost noticed that something was wrong with that thought, but her first climax ripped the thought away. He kept pumping though. When she regained her senses, she knew that she had to make the most of this situation. She grit her teeth, harder than she’d been doing anyway. Fu Yilan was used to acting certain ways during intercourse, and the mask stayed on by now, even orgasms happening in character. Her mind sank into the roots of the lotus, and she tried to keep the pleasure under control. Her pussy control let her soften the blows on weaker spots, making the entire experience more manageable.

She managed to coax the first drop of vital yang qi from Boss Tang when he came for the first time, ridiculous amounts shooting into her. The Void Lotus Demoness art drank all the yang qi up greedily within it, not caring about the drop of vital yang currently flowing in its roots already.

“Hah, that pussy’s almost as good as my star slut. She’s learned pleasure arts, so even being compared should be a great honor to you,” he said, voice still as smooth as ever. It made sense that a ninth stage cultivator still had a lot in the tank after a single shot.

Fu Yilan was focused on pulling out as much energy from him as she could. He needed to be weakened a bit, so he’d let his guard down and get sloppy. There had to be a way out of here, she wouldn’t accept anything else.

He bent her over the table, toes barely reaching the ground. Each thrust had it shaking slightly, transferring the strength of his hips to hers. Tits spread on the cold wood, squeezing out beneath her, Fu Yilan could only moan quietly as he kept going.

“You’re starting to get a bit tighter. Not to talk about that wetness!  You’re a whore, if I’ve ever seen one.”

“No, please don’t say that,” Fu Yilan whimpered. He slapped her ass in response.

“Who allowed you to talk back to your boss, huh?” Another smack. Each would leave a handprint, she knew.

“I’m sorryyy…” Fu Yilan replied, apology dragged longer by the constant thrusts.

Gripping her hair, he pulled her head back, making Fu Yilan arch her back. Her moans got louder as he started hitting one of her sensitive spots again.

Meanwhile, her battle within kept going. She had gotten better, and while she hadn’t wanted the sect branch leader to take notice of her ability, today was different. It was still incredibly challenging, but several sparks of his vital yang energy traveled over to her. Still, with every orgasm, her mind grew fuzzier. They had been going at it for three hours now, and she was unable to keep up the concentration to keep on draining.

It was her loss.

Letting go, she let herself be taken by him, letting him push against all her sensitive spots again. The orgasm that followed right after had her squirting with a scream. The boss just chuckled. They had moved over to a curtained-off part of his office, onto a large bed. Much fancier than anything she had seen in the sect so far. Her pussy was plowed relentlessly by him, until even he was satisfied. Fu Yilan could only lie there, covered in cum, staring at the ceiling. She had to remind herself that this wasn’t back to square one. This was only temporary in nature, only until she paid him back. Or until she found another chance to flee.