Li Shen raced through the forest with Qin Feng in his arms, her heavy breaths the only sound breaking the silence. His enhanced Shadow Step technique, built upon Mei Lan's agility training and perfected through the Vassal Bond System, let him glide like a phantom through the darkness.
Qin Feng was shaken by her own surrender, forced by the powerful grip of the system. Her body now trembled, not from fear, but from enduring the sudden increasing lust. Qin Feng's emotions were becoming more fluid, admiration to Li Shen started to grow fast, making her easier to manipulate further.
Li Shen, with Qin Feng in tow, darted deep into the forest, seeking refuge in a secluded cave they saw. The entrance was narrow, hidden behind a cascade of ivy. Inside, the air was cool and damp, the silence broken only by the distant drip of water. He set Qin Feng down, her breaths coming in ragged gasps, eyes wide with a mix of fear and defiance.
"What are you going to do to me?" Qin Feng demanded, voice echoing off the cave walls. Her hands clutched at her robes, pulling them tighter around her.
Li Shen stepped closer, his voice low. "We need to complete the bonding. Just bear with it."
Qin Feng shook her head, scooting back. "No, I won't let you."
He reached out, gently cupping her cheek. "You don't have a choice, Qin Feng."
She swallowed hard, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. Li Shen leaned in, capturing her lips in an intense kiss. Her initial resistance slowly melted. Her body started to betray her mind. He undressed her slowly, tenderly, each piece of clothing falling to the cave floor.
Qin Feng shivered. Whether from cold or ecstasy, she no longer knew. He explored her body, his hands groping her flesh and tracing lines of her body, until she gasped, arching into his touch. He took his time caressing to stoke the fire of desires within her.
Her deep moans echoed through the cave as he entered her. Her body tensed, then relaxed, finally accepting him. He moved slowly at first, then faster, changing positions, each one drawing carnal sounds of pleasure from her. She clung to him. Her nails digging into his back
Finally, Li Shen pulled her up, positioning her on her knees. She looked up at him, her face blushed. He guided her mouth to his manhood and she took him in, deep and eager. After a few thrusts, he spilled into her. She swallowed, followed by a look of pure bliss on her face.
When she opened her eyes, something had changed. The defiance was gone, replaced by a hunger, a need. "More," she whispered, licking her lips. "I need more."
System Notification: Vassal Qin Feng Bonding phase is complete. The Poison Cloud skill is unlocked.
Li Shen smiled, knowing the system had done its work. Qin Feng was now his, bound by desire and power. Her morality crumbled under the weight of lust. She reached for him, eager to please and be pleased. Not long after, the cave once again was filled with their heated moans and sweet embraces.
Qin Ru lagged behind, her frustration mounting as Li Shen vanished with her sister. Despite her fighting prowess, she cursed her powerlessness against his inhuman speed. She kept pushing to increase her speed but her muscles started to hit their limits. She vaguely felt her connection to her sister dimming. And yet her determination to rescue her sister did not waver.
Though she tried with all her might, catching him proved impossible. The trees appeared to conspire against her pursuit, for whenever she drew close, he would melt into the darkness. The moment she believed she had gained ground near a meadow by the cavern, a silhouette passed her, halting her advance.
Elder Tian Wei stood tall, his hand reached up to his chin, fingers brushing against the coarse strands of his beard. His long white beard swayed gently in the wind, framing a face lined with age and experience. His piercing gaze met hers, assessing her every move. She could see the determination in his eyes as he stepped forward to block her path towards Li Shen.
"You won't find him," Elder Tian said quietly, his voice steady.
Qin Ru's face contorted with rage. Her fingers danced across the hilts of her poison daggers, each one gleaming with a deadly purple sheen in the moonlight.
"Out of my way, old man." Her voice dripped with venom. She drew three daggers in a fluid motion, the weapons appearing between her fingers like flowers bloom.
Elder Tian's stance shifted subtly, his white robes rustling in the night breeze. His eyes tracked her movements with the patience of decades of combat experience.
Qin Ru launched her first dagger, aiming for his throat. The blade whistled through the air, but Elder Tian's palm swiped up, catching the flat of the blade with a precise strike that sent it spinning harmlessly into the grass.
She snarled and threw two more in quick succession. Elder Tian stepped aside from one and deflected the other with his sleeve, the reinforced fabric turning the blade away.
Growing desperate, Qin Ru unleashed a barrage of daggers, purple qi trailing behind each weapon like deadly comet tails. Elder Tian moved like water. His defensive techniques made her attacks look amateur.
One of her deflected daggers spun back toward her. She tried to dodge, but the blade catches her upper thigh, slicing through the fabric and skin. Blood welled up from the cut, mixing with her own poison. She stumbled, clutching the wound, her face twisted in pain and humiliation.
"Your own poison," Elder Tian observed, his voice carrying no mockery. "How fitting."
"The victory belongs to Li Shen already. From the beginning, I recognized his strategy - to divide and overpower you both by singling out one target."
Qin Ru's eyes flashed with fury. "She won't lose to that pervert!"
"You have no say in the matter," Tian Wei stated calmly. "What's done is done. The outcome already set. What you can control is your next move."
Qin Ru stepped forward, her fists clenched tightly. "What do you mean?"
"I propose you decide between fighting until you collapse, or retreating to preserve yourself and return when your mind is unclouded," Tian Wei announced with conviction, his gaze piercing through her. "The decision remains yours alone."
Qin Ru's anger shook her body, but she couldn't deny the truth in his words. Against Li Shen right now, she stood no chance. Her sister was kidnapped, and there was nothing she could do to change it. Staying here would only lead to meaningless death.
"You may have won this time, but I'll make sure to kill him. I'll find a way."
Tian Wei remained stoic. "We'll see about that."
With a furious scream, Qin Ru turned and fled, her body trembling with a mixture of anger and sadness. She was determined to find a way to save her sister, but for the moment, all she could do was retreat.
Li Shen sat in the darkness of the remote cavern, deep in meditation as he integrated the energy flowing into him from Qin Feng's. The toxic capabilities she possessed now infused in his being, lethal and intense. Every additional Vassals who pledged to him enhanced his might while also strengthening the system's grasp.
Near him lay Qin Feng, her delicate body motionless, fully satisfied after filled with his warmth. Her stable breaths indicated complete submission, any trace of defiance and resistance washed away. The system had crushed her independence, as it had done to Mei Ling and Mei Lan.
Qin Feng had become another collection of love-craving Vassal of Li Shen's.
System Notification: New poison-based techniques now available. Shadow Step has been enhanced with a toxin-infused cloud.
Li Shen's eyes snapped open, a cold smile spread across his face. Thanks to Qin Feng's poison-based skills, every stride he made with Shadow Step now boosted his speed and nimbleness more while also leaving a hazardous trail of toxins behind. He was eager to demonstrate this newfound power against his foes.
Li Shen adjusted his robes while Qin Feng stretched her limbs, her movements more fluid and relaxed after their intense bonding. The cave's dim light caught the sheen of sweat still glistening on her skin as she dressed.
"My lord," Qin Feng's voice carried a new softness, different from her earlier hostility. "There's something you need to know about the Iron Talons."
Li Shen pauses, turning to face her. "Speak."
"Silver Talon leads their main force toward the White Crane Sect." Qin Feng's fingers twisted in her robes, betraying slight hesitation before continuing. "He is different from Mo Gan. Charismatic. Dangerous. The men follow him with blind devotion after his feats on Battle of Southern Border."
"Numbers?"
"Five hundred strong, at least. And the Talon Twins march with him - Lei Mao and Xiao Mao. They're his personal guards, trained since birth in the Beast Scale armor arts."
Li Shen brushed dirt from his sleeves, his mind already calculating strategies. "What makes them special?"
"They fight as one. When Lei strikes high, Xiao strikes low. Their armor gleam gold instead of steel - a gift from Silver Talon himself." Qin Feng stepped closer, her voice dropping. "No one has ever separated them in battle."
Li Shen nodded, processing this information. The cave's entrance beckoned, morning light streaming through the curtain of ivy. He extended his hand to Qin Feng, who took it without hesitation.
"We should return," he said. "The White Crane Sect is running out of time."