Chereads / The Curse of the Imperial Flower / Chapter 15 - Chapter 15; The Breakthrough

Chapter 15 - Chapter 15; The Breakthrough

Xiaofen lay in bed, her face twisted in agony, her silvery white hair glistening with sweat due to her fever. Bingwen monitored her pulse attentively, while Lan Ren stood by his side, both speechless and struck by the shocking revelation. Bingwen recalled the moment Xiaofen had collapsed from weakness, leaving him stunned by the sudden appearance of silvery streaks in her hair. A shared glance with Lan Ren conveyed unspoken understanding, prompting Lan Ren to summon one of their discreet maids to attend to Xiaofen's care.

Xiaofen's true beauty shone through as her silvery white hair cascaded around her, accentuating her stunning appearance. However, a sense of foreboding loomed as they realized the danger her unique trait posed. In a society quick to label the unfamiliar as cursed, Xiaofen's enchanting hair could lead to grave consequences, with accusations of sorcery or witchcraft placing her in perilous jeopardy. As he pondered, Xiaofen mumbled.

"Hot...hot...", Bingwen's concern grew. With urgency, he swiftly removed the heavy quilts, her flushed face and anguished expression revealed the depth of her pain.

"Please, go check on her sister," he instructed the maid, who nodded briskly before leaving. Xiaofen mumbled,

"Cold... so cold," shivering despite being covered by Bingwen. This repeated for a while, puzzling them both. Her symptoms seemed unusual, not typical of a fever but possibly linked to fluctuations in energy paths. Bingwen's brow furrowed in concern, questioning how this could be happening. Xiaofen's fluctuating temperature seemed to impact the entire chamber, turning it scorching hot when she felt overheated. The sudden heat made Bingwen and Lan Ren uneasy, like experiencing a volcanic eruption indoors. Their discomfort grew as they struggled with the intense heat. When Xiaofen shivered, the frosty air chilled them to the bone, causing excruciating discomfort that caught both Lan Ren and Bingwen off guard. Given their advanced cultivation, they were surprised by the impact of Xiaofen's condition on them. The intensity of the cold pierced through them. A sudden realization struck Lan Ren, prompting him to glance at his master, who remained expressionless with a faint furrow in his brows. They shared a synchronized brain wave, understanding that Xiaofen was undergoing a breakthrough! As they pondered the inexplicable breakthrough, Lan Ren and Bingwen grappled with the mystery of Xiaofen's sudden ability. With no prior cultivation experience or energy core development, how could this be happening? Their investigation revealed no answers as Xiaofen's fluctuations intensified.

"Take her to the secret chambers at once," Bingwen instructed. Lan Ren nodded, as he summoned the secret staff, they prepared to envelop her in a protective shield. However, just as they initiated the process, the shield they were forming was swiftly shattered by unexpected fluctuations. In a sudden surge, vibrant spiritual energy erupted from her being, crackling like a tempestuous electric storm. Bingwen, focused and determined, channeled his own energy to create a calming neutral barrier, quelling the chaotic forces clashing around her. As he released his own inner strength to aid in unlocking and guiding her nascent spiritual energy along its pathways, recognizing her novice status, Bingwen encountered an unexpected barrier of formidable defense. Despite his intensified efforts, her resistance proved unyielding, swiftly repelling his advances. In a risky move to push beyond this barrier, Bingwen found himself engulfed in a powerful backlash, a consequence of his bold yet risky maneuver. Blood slowly trickled from the left corner of him, his expression remained stoic, reflecting his unwavering mental fortitude. Pushing forward, he felt a sudden surge of renewed energy as Lan Ren transferred spiritual energy.

Bingwen cautiously infused his energy into Xiaofen, he ventured into the depths of her subconscious mind. the darkness enveloped him in an eerie silence. His surroundings were devoid of light, save for the shadows that danced like phantoms in the void. Within was a void as dark and infinite as the abyss of a bottomless pit. It felt like a perpetual descent into an endless void, where the sensation of falling stretched on eternally. As Bingwen ventured further, a wave of icy sensation washed over him, sending a shudder through his being. The darkness seemed to pulse with a life of its own, whispering cryptic secrets that echoed through the void. His senses heightened as he pressed onward, drawn deeper into the enigmatic reaches of Xiaofen's subconscious.

Bingwen wandered aimlessly, A spectral mirage materialized before him—a kaleidoscope of fragmented Xiaofens flickering in rapid succession. In a harrowing moment, he witnessed her convulsing into a protective ball, terror etched across her features as she shielded her ears from an unseen cacophony.

The scene changed revealing Xiaofen ensnared within an ethereal cage, tears streaming down her cheeks, her cries for help echoing through the ethereal expanse.

In another scene, Xiaofen lay on the ground, ensnared by sinewy tendrils that bound her in a macabre embrace, she found her movements being restricted, her voice stifled by an oppressive silence.

She writhed against her constraints, she wanted to scream for help but her voice remained trapped in her throat, a silent scream echoing within the confines of her mind.

Switching, there were tendrils coiled around Xiaofen like serpentine shadows, their grip tightening with an otherworldly intensity. Each sinewy strand seemed to pulsate with a twisted energy, binding her in a web of darkness.

In the next, as if plunged into the depths of an endless sea, Xiaofen felt the weight of the water pressing against her, dragging her down into its murky embrace. With each passing moment, she descended further into the depth, sinking into the watery depths with a solemn grace.

"Inner demons," Bingwen muttered under his breath. The weight of those haunting thoughts gripped him as he tried to make sense of their overwhelming presence. His gaze fell upon her—Xiaofen—lying on the ground, her face contorted in agony. He began to channel spiritual energy, creating an aura of focus and power around him.

As he knelt beside Xiaofen, his voice filled with urgency,

"Xiaofen, it's time to wake up." The air crackled with his concentrated energy, as he tried to bring her back to consciousness. A subtle tremor rippled through as Xiaofen's form stirred, a faint spark igniting within her spiritual core, a surge of energy akin to a blazing flame pierced the shadows, dispelling the looming darkness that shrouded her soul. A radiant glow emerged, bathing the surroundings in a luminous embrace. Outside, a mighty wave of energy surged from Xiaofen's body beyond the confines of the manor,

The celestial wave of energy expanded, traversing vast distances with an indomitable force that spoke to the essence of creation itself. Instead of its anticipated destructive nature, the wave bore an essence of nourishment and vitality.

The surge of energy rippled through the air, causing a stir among those present. Biyu's face lit up with a joyful smile, sensing the unstoppable potential that seemed to emanate from the Bing family. However, not everyone echoed Biyu's optimism. Deep-seated tensions simmered beneath the surface as internal rivals within the family reacted with displeasure to this sudden development.

Within the frigid chambers of the crown prince, his figure seated within the dim, flickering candle lights. He possessed an air of both menace and regality, his presence commanding respect and instilling a sense of unease. A hideous mask lay delicately perched on his left thigh. With his right hand shielding his face, his eyes remained closed in contemplation. In the midst of the partial darkness, his handsome features glowed with an otherworldly allure, captivating even in the dim light. His striking appearance seemed to transcend the ordinary, drawing attention with an almost ethereal quality. As the nourishing wave of energy washed over him, his eyes snapped open in response to the unfamiliar sensation. Beneath the concealing mask, a radiant gleam sparkled in his eyes, and a smile gently spread across his face.