"Go inside the tent and meditate, you'll find a surprise," Lestes said with a calm yet commanding tone.
"Yes, Master!" Ning Waner replied, her voice trembling slightly. She hesitated for a moment before calling him "Master," the title said with complex emotions. Complex emotions with Hate, hope, respect, and admiration emerged within her heart. She hated herself for her weakness, for being unable to save herself, and for the fact that her vulnerability forced her to become Lestes's slave. At the same time, she clung to a fragile hope that he wouldn't mistreat her. Respect and admiration stemmed from his undeniable power and mysterious origins, they had deduced that he likely hailed from the immortal realm, since he knew divine techniques.
"Try comprehending the Yin-Yang Fusion Art," Lestes added.
Ling Xing Yue and Xiao Linger watched as Ning Waner entered the tent. A mixture of emotions flickered across Ling Xing Yue's face. She didn't want to resign herself to this situation, but her heart ached for her disciple. If this path could save Ning Waner's life, she had no choice but to endure.
Silence enveloped the clearing. Only the occasional chirping of birds and distant roars of beasts broke the stillness. The faint aroma of roasting meat gradually filled the air, growing stronger as Lestes tended to his barbecue.
"Hmm, the smell is delightful. Would you like some?" Lestes asked casually, glancing at the two women.
His words woke them up, bringing their senses from their cloud of sadness, but they ignored him, their thoughts elsewhere.
"It's fine if you don't want any," Lestes said with a shrug, unbothered. He took a bite and savoured it. "So good! It's been so long since I've tasted something this delicious." He spoke with a nostalgic smile as if recalling a distant memory.
Ling Xing Yue and Xiao Linger paid him no attention, their minds preoccupied.
Suddenly, a loud boom shattered the quiet. Both women turned toward Ning Waner's tent and were startled. Above it, a vortex had formed, pulling spiritual qi from the surroundings and funnelling it inward.
"What's happening?" Xiao Linger asked, her voice tinged with alarm.
"Ning Waner is having a breakthrough," Ling Xing Yue said, her eyes lighting up with both surprise and relief. For a moment, she allowed herself to feel joy for her disciple.
Lestes silently observed the phenomenon, his divine sense gently probing the tent. "It's exactly as I had guessed," he muttered under his breath.
Ling Xing Yue caught his words and immediately bristled. "What do you mean?" she demanded, her tone sharp with suspicion.
Her hand instinctively moved toward her weapon. If anything happened to Ning Waner, she was ready to fight Lestes, even if it cost her life.
Lestes raised an eyebrow at her reaction. 'Was I that loud?' he wondered. He casually took another bite of his barbecue, feigning indifference. Ling Xing Yue's glare intensified as he chewed.
After swallowing, Lestes finally spoke. "Relax. Your disciple is fine. As you said, she's having a breakthrough. Her strength should recover to a level comparable to mine."
Ling Xing Yue felt a wave of relief, but her doubts lingered. "Then what did you mean by what you muttered earlier?"
Lestes sighed, clearly annoyed. He didn't want to reveal too much but decided to explain. "Ning Waner's breakthrough is thanks to the slave seal. Initially, When she absorbed my yang qi, only a small fraction of Yang Qi was fully absorbed by her and had transformed her little. The rest lay dormant in her blood because she hadn't fully absorbed my Yang Qi and completed the transformation. However, the slave seal acts as a bridge, allowing her to absorb the remaining yang qi and transform. This transformation will enhance her talent and significantly raise her future potential."
Ling Xing Yue pondered his words, her expression conflicted. If what Lestes said was true, it was undeniably a good thing. Still, a twinge of jealousy crept into her heart. As Ning Waner's master, she couldn't help but wonder what heights her disciple might now reach.
Lestes glanced at Ling Xing Yue and Xiao Linger, then sighed dramatically. "What a pity," he muttered loud enough for them to hear.
Ling Xing Yue narrowed her eyes. "What's a pity?"
"It's a pity that you both didn't accept my slave seal," Lestes said, pretending to be regretful. "If you had, you could have transformed yourselves and soared to unimaginable heights."
Ling Xing Yue's temper flared. "You've already taken one as a slave and even stolen our purity. Now you want us as slaves too?"
"You don't understand," Lestes replied, his tone exasperated. "The yang qi I gave you isn't ordinary. It's the essence of my yang energy, condensed after the accumulation of countless years. Even the small amount you absorbed has already started to change you subtly. Can't you feel it? If you accepted my slave seal, those changes would amplify, and your transformation would rival Ning Waner's. To me, it's a major loss to see such potential go to waste."
Ling Xing Yue and Xiao Linger exchanged glances. Ling Xing Yue couldn't deny that she had felt subtle improvements in her abilities. If what Lestes said was true, rejecting his offer might mean missing out on a rare opportunity. Inside the tent, the evidence was clear, Ning Waner was undergoing an extraordinary transformation.
A storm of conflicting emotions raged within Ling Xing Yue. After a long moment, she took a deep breath and finally made her decision.
"I want to be your maid," she said, her voice steady but tinged with resignation.
Xiao Linger hesitated briefly before following suit. "I'll do it too," she said, her tone firm.
Lestes smiled as he took another bite of his barbecue. "Then come closer and kneel."
Ling Xing Yue froze, her expression darkening. The idea of kneeling to him made her blood boil, but she quickly forced herself to calm down. If she was going to be his maid, kneeling now was just the beginning of her new reality. She stepped forward with measured determination.
Xiao Linger, on the other hand, moved without hesitation. She had already called him "Master" during their earlier dual cultivation session, and now it would become permanent.
Both women knelt before Lestes, bowing their heads. He reached out, his fingers gently lifting their chins so he could look into their eyes. With a faint smile, he pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the glabella of each woman, one by one.
The moment the blood touched their skin, a subtle glow enveloped them. Both women felt a surge of energy coursing through their bodies, followed by a profound sense of connection to Lestes.
"It's done," Lestes said, his voice soft yet authoritative.
Ling Xing Yue and Xiao Linger exchanged a glance. Though their paths had taken an unexpected turn, they couldn't deny the changes already beginning to stir within them.
Lestes leaned back, contentedly chewing his barbecue. Both women left for their respective tents and began comprehending the yin-yang fusion art.