"If you want me to work for you," Ye Qi said, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her, "Swear on your Dao heart that you won't make me do anything that would harm my teacher. And swear that you won't force me to do anything I don't want to do."
Lei Ying leaned back slightly, a faint chuckle escaping his lips. He regarded her with an amused glint in his eyes, as though her request was both naive and entertaining.
"No," he replied flatly, shaking his head in mock regret. "I can swear not to make you harm your teacher, but the rest? Impossible."
His expression turned contemplative, yet the corner of his lips held a teasing smirk. "What if you fall in love with one of my enemies?
Or decide to defy me out of misplaced sentimentality? What about Yun Xiao? You don't want to capture him, do you? If I were to swear on my Dao heart for something so broad, I might as well find someone else for the job."
His words struck like a blade, each one deliberately chosen to unsettle her resolve.
Ye Qi's fists clenched under the table, her nails digging into her palms.
Lei Ying leaned forward slightly, his tone softening but laced with sharp undertones.
"Your teacher would be furious if he learned his location was exposed because his disciple refused a simple task. Especially when that task involves capturing someone who has no relation to him, no benefit to either of you."
He paused, letting his words sink in, his gaze fixed on her like a predator watching its prey. "Don't you think?"
Ye Qi's heart pounded in her chest. She hated how his words struck at her insecurities, but she couldn't deny their logic. Would her teacher truly forgive her for risking his life over Yun Xiao, someone who mattered little in the grand scheme of things?
"You're playing a dangerous game," she whispered, her voice barely audible but carrying the weight of her inner conflict. "And you," Lei Ying said with a smile as serene as it was chilling, "are running out of moves."
"Alright, I accept," Ye Qi finally said, her voice strained but resolute.
Lei Ying's lips curved into a faint smile, one that seemed almost reassuring. "I swear on my Dao heart not to reveal your teacher's identity," he declared, his tone calm, yet the weight of the oath echoed in the room like a tolling bell.
Ye Qi let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She hesitated briefly, then steeled herself and opened her knowledge sea. Before she could second-guess her decision, a purple light flashed before her eyes, entering her knowledge sea and vanishing as quickly as it appeared.
Her body stiffened. Alarmed, she dove into her knowledge sea to inspect the seal.
The moment she saw it, her face turned ashen. This wasn't a standard slave seal she could work around or remove with a pill. Her master had prepared her for such scenarios, teaching her techniques to counter conventional seals. But this... this was something entirely different. It pulsed with a sinister energy, its structure so intricate and foreign that it was beyond anything she had learned to counter.
Realization struck like a hammer. She had underestimated Lei Ying, assuming his methods would be predictable, manageable. Instead, she had played directly into his hands.
Her thoughts spiraled as a cold dread gripped her heart. Slowly, she raised her eyes to Lei Ying, who continued sipping his tea as if nothing significant had happened. His expression was serene, detached, and utterly unconcerned by her turmoil.
"You should go back," he said lightly, setting his teacup down with an elegant motion. "I wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea about us."
His words were polite, but to Ye Qi, they carried a finality that sent a shiver down her spine.
Unable to speak, she rose from her seat mechanically, her body moving without thought. She walked to the door, her face pale, her limbs trembling, and cold sweat dampening her skin.
As she stepped out of the room, she nearly collided with Xue Ling, who stood just outside.
Xue Ling glanced at her and sighed softly, her expression a mix of pity and relief. She had seen this happen before, though the details were always different. Lei Ying's schemes were labyrinthine, and his control absolute.
"You made a poor bargain," Xue Ling murmured, her tone low but laced with sympathy.
Ye Qi's lips trembled, but no words came.
Xue Ling watched her leave, then allowed herself a fleeting, bitter smile. She couldn't help but feel grateful that her own fate had been sealed as a maid. At least she wasn't a pawn.
Wu Dian swept the courtyard absentmindedly, his gaze flickering repeatedly toward the pavilion where Ye Qi had entered. His grip on the broom tightened as his thoughts spiraled. He couldn't shake the unease gnawing at him. What business did she have with Lei Ying?
Gritting his teeth, he finally made up his mind. He would go there. He could use the excuse of sweeping nearby to catch a glimpse of what was happening, maybe even overhear something.
Just as he took his first step, the door to the pavilion creaked open.
Ye Qi stepped out, her movements slow and heavy, as though an invisible weight pressed down on her shoulders. Her face was pale, her expression void of the usual fire he admired. She looked... defeated, as if she'd endured a battle and lost.
Wu Dian froze, his heart sinking at the sight. His fist clenched at his side, anger bubbling beneath his chest. What had Lei Ying done to her?
As he watched, Ye Qi's steps faltered. She stopped abruptly, her shoulders trembling. Wu Dian took a step forward, but she resumed walking before he could approach. There was something hollow in her movements now, as if a piece of her had been stripped away.
A sense of helplessness gripped Wu Dian as she disappeared down the path leading to the sect gates. He overheard her explaining to someone that she was leaving to gather alchemy ingredients.
But Wu Dian knew better.
This wasn't about alchemy. Something had happened in that pavilion, something that had shaken her to the core. And he didn't know how to help—or if he even could.
Wu Dian swept the courtyard absently, his eyes repeatedly drifting toward the pavilion where Ye Qi had entered earlier. Anxiety churned in his chest, tightening his grip on the broom. What had she been doing in there with Lei Ying? He couldn't ignore the gnawing unease any longer.
Just as he resolved to approach, the door creaked open.
Ye Qi stepped out, her movements sluggish, her face pale and devoid of its usual vibrance. Wu Dian froze, watching as she walked away with a hollow, almost mechanical air. She stopped abruptly mid-step, her shoulders trembling, then resumed walking as if forcing herself forward.
Something was wrong.