The guest pavilion felt like someone had cranked the spiritual ice to freeze your balls off. Rou Hua sat at the head of the low table like a golden sex goddess who had just stepped out of a forbidden scroll. Her dress glittered with crystals that screamed I cost more than your entire bloodline. The incense, sandalwood mixed with dragon musk, hung so thick it was basically foreplay for the nostrils.
Then she flexed.
A faint ripple of spiritual pressure rolled out from her body. Cold. Merciless. Like getting tea bagged by an iceberg.
Bruce hit the floor first. Face planted so hard his nose left a dent in the wood. Gasping like a fish that just discovered it had asthma. Xuan Ao dropped next, palms slapping stone, wheezing like he had been throat fucked by a vacuum cleaner. The guards outside clattered like tin cans in a blender. Armor rattling, knees buckling, dignity evaporating.
Marcus felt it slam into his chest like a refrigerated freight train. Legs wobbled. Sweat instantly beaded on his forehead and started the world's slowest marathon down his temple. His heart jackhammered so hard he was pretty sure his ribs were filing for divorce. But he stayed upright.
Rou Hua's lips twitched. That tiny corner smile said oh, interesting toy. Her golden eyes locked on him like laser sights on a particularly juicy dick pic.
The dark voice screeched in his skull. What the actual fuck are you doing? Kneel, you prideful dumbass! Pretend your balls just shriveled like raisins in the sun!
Marcus dropped to one knee. Clumsy. Late. Looking like a man who just remembered he forgot to wear pants to church.
Rou Hua's smile stretched wider for half a second. Then she released the pressure. The room exhaled collectively. Bruce wheezed like a broken accordion. Xuan Ao coughed up what might have been his last shred of self respect.
Bruce scrambled up first. Bowed so low his forehead kissed the floor. "Your Highness, thank you for this audience."
Rou Hua inclined her head like a queen deciding whether to be merciful or just step on someone's throat.
The discussion started. Bruce rattled off sales numbers, expansion plans, profit projections. Then he gestured at Marcus like he was unveiling a prize stallion.
"My lady, this is Mr Lin Mo. The author of Bound by Desires."
Marcus stepped forward. Bowed low enough to smell the polish on the floorboards. Felt her gaze rake over him, slow, hot, clinical, like she was pricing a particularly well hung slave at auction.
Her voice rolled out. Smooth. Cultured. With that faint metallic dragon blood bite.
"Mr Lin Mo. To be brutally honest I like your work. It's bold. Filthy. Deliciously shameless. But let's not pretend. Many orthodox sects are going to hate this book with the fire of a thousand celibate monks. They'll pressure us. Block trade routes. Blackmail merchants. Send assassins with very pointy needles aimed at very sensitive places."
She paused. Let the threat hang like the scent of her qi, sweet, dangerous, faintly aroused.
"I could demand changes. Cut the cock swinging scenes. Tone down the squirting climaxes. But then your book would lose its soul. Its heat. Its cum dripping essence. So here is my deal."
Golden eyes pinned him.
"I won't touch your profit share. You keep your cut. But we raise the price per book to twenty low grade spirit coins."
The dark voice detonated in his skull like a horny grenade. What the actual FUCK? This bitch wants to DOUBLE the price, pocket twice what the author gets, and act like she's doing us a favor? Even on Earth I never saw such balls deep corporate throat fucking!
Marcus knew they were fucked. No cultivation base to threaten her. No sect to back them. No leverage except his rapidly wilting dignity.
He bowed again. Voice steady despite the sweat river running down his spine.
"I accept the terms."
Inside he swore on his future children's virginity: never do business with these people again.
Rou Hua nodded once. Satisfied.
"Good choice, Mr Lin Mo." Her tone shifted, casual, almost teasing. "By the way, do not take offense at my rudeness. Word reached me that Lady Xue Lian purchased you as a slave."
Marcus's stomach plummeted. Cold sweat instantly soaked the small of his back.
"If you wish, I can help you break that chain. Come work directly for the City Lord's mansion. Better resources. Better protection. Better opportunities to stretch your yang root."
Her eyes gleamed behind the veil. Predatory. Hungry.
"So. What do you say, Mr Lin Mo?"
Marcus's brain short circuited. What the fuck? Trade one gilded cage for a diamond plated one with extra leg irons? Hard fucking pass.
He stayed silent.
Rou Hua tilted her head. Clearly amused. Watched a fat bead of sweat roll down his temple and drip off his jaw.
"I'm not pressuring you. Merely offering an option. It will always remain open."
She waved a hand. Meeting over.
Bruce, Xuan Ao, and Marcus were escorted back to the ship. The flight to Black Quill Press was dead quiet. When they landed, all three exhaled like they had been holding their breath underwater for an hour.
Marcus wanted to check on Feng Yue. But it was late. Too late. The memory of the slave seal's last flare up still burned in his bones like phantom lightning.
He turned to Xuan Ao. "Take me back to the mansion. Check on Feng Yue tomorrow. Make sure she's okay."
Xuan Ao nodded. The flying disc rose. City lights blurred beneath them.
Back in his room Marcus stripped and bathed. Hot water pounded his shoulders. Steam rose thick with herbal bitterness, green tea, faint sandalwood. It sluiced away the sweat of fear, the invisible residue of Rou Hua's dragon qi that still clung to his skin like unwanted perfume. He changed into fresh robes. Dark silk cool against flushed skin.
Dinner was quiet. Rice. Steamed greens. Grilled fish. Flavors muted. His mind elsewhere.
Afterward he opened the system panel. Kama points had climbed to 2305. Satisfaction warmed his chest like good whiskey.
He opened the System Mall. Scrolled. Found what he needed.
High grade Sleeping Pills (2x)
Cost: 500 Kama Points each
Bought them. Points dropped to 1305.
He moved through the halls.
First Rose's room.
Knocked softly. She opened. Eyes lit up, then immediately dimmed with fear. Backed away. "I can't take it anymore. Not tonight." Voice small. Pleading. Legs trembling.
Marcus smiled gently. "I'm not here for that." Showed her the vial. "Yin Body Evolution Potion. It'll make you stronger. But it hurts. Take this sleeping pill right after. It'll knock you out through the worst."
She hesitated. Drank. Warmth spread across her face. Then pain. Collapsed onto the bed. Groaned once. Swallowed the pill. Went limp.
Next Shen Yao's quarters.
She opened the door. Saw him. Gave a tired, hungry smile. Pulled him into a hug. Kissed him softly. Lips tasted of tea and faint sweetness.
Marcus gave her the potion and pill. Explained. She drank without hesitation. Warmth. Pain. Pill. Unconscious.
Both slept peacefully. Aura completely masked by the high grade sleeping pills.
Back in his room he sat at the table. Opened his scroll. Sighed. "Let's start the second part. I already finished twenty chapters. Let's continue."
Midnight came. Words flowed. Scenes grew darker. Hotter.
Then a warning sliced through his mind.
The sinister voice rang. Sharp. Panicked. Run. Fast. If you don't want to be refined into a fucking pill.
Marcus ignored it. Kept writing.
The voice cursed. If you want to die don't drag me down with you, motherfucker.
They started cursing each other. Leapt at each other's throats inside his skull.
Minutes later the entire mansion trembled. Wood groaned. Roof tiles rattled like teeth in a skull.
The voice screamed. You absolute dickhead! Wait, Silence Lotus Yin Sect is here. They're gonna chop your cock off and use it as a alchemy stirrer!
Marcus remembered. Elder Han Yinqiu. That terrifying bitch who once soloed an entire sect raid. And this time Xue Lian wasn't here to shield him.
He cursed himself. Should have listened.
Lightning flashed outside. Multicolored qi exploded in the sky like a cosmic orgy gone wrong.
His only chance.
He leapt from the window. Landed hard on dew slick grass. Looked back. Rose and Shen Yao still slept inside. Unconscious. Aura hidden by the sleeping pills. Unnoticed. Safe.
Guilt stabbed his chest like a hot knife. But he ran.
Sprinted like a dog that just slipped its leash. Jumped the gate. Cursed his slow ass speed. Next time I'm buying a movement technique. Fuck walking.
A sinister laugh rolled from behind him.
He spun.
A phantom hand approached. Massive. Black. Crackling with multicolored lightning that smelled like burnt flesh.
It struck his back.
Thousands of volts of electricity roared through his body. Nerves ignited. Muscles locked. Vision whited out in blinding white.
He went limp. Collapsed. Deep, black sleep swallowed him whole.