Chapter 10
The night was alive with glittering stars, the darkness a cascading waterfall. Atop the mountain peaks of the Immortal Palace Secret Domain stood a magnificent palace built from colossal stones. The central structure was adorned with paintings of soaring dragons and dancing phoenixes. This was the private chambers of the Palace Master of the Tianxing Immortal Palace, Wei Wuyuan, and the Holy Empress, Ning Xuefei.
However, the masters of the palace were not present. Wei Wuyuan was busy preparing for the campaign against the Qiyan Palace, currently in the council hall discussing matters with his subordinates.
In the study adjacent to the private chambers, the exquisite and elegant room was brightly illuminated by candlesticks burning steadily on the stone walls. The floor was covered in a precious and luxurious red carpet.
At the center of the room, on a wooden desk, the Holy Empress of the Immortal Palace, Ning Xuefei, was hunched over, painting. Her peerless face remained flawlessly beautiful, her expression cold and alluringly focused on her work. Her skin was whiter than snow, her red lips lusciously tempting, and her black hair cascaded like a waterfall past her ears. She was dressed in her usual, preferred simple and elegant style. A body-hugging gown of soft, white gauze. Her full, tall figure was accentuated by the curves of the white dress. The low, circular neckline of her palace attire revealed her exceptionally full, proud breasts and a deep cleavage. Below her slender, enchanting waist, her round, plump, peach-like buttocks stood out prominently. The curvaceous silhouette of her full breasts and hips strained against the thin, close-fitting gown, creating a strikingly prominent front and back.
She sat gracefully on a phoenix chair. Her long, round, jade-white legs, visible through the thin gauze skirt, were crossed elegantly. Through the gown, one could faintly see her shapely, mature long legs clad in exquisite, beautiful flesh-colored stockings. A section of dark lace on her round thigh was clearly the stocking's top band, a teasing, intermittent glimpse of an incomparable beauty. Because her legs were crossed, the full, round cheeks of her peach-like buttocks were pressed against the chair, exuding a thick, seductive sensuality. She wore silver-white high heels, her posture graceful and poised, dignified yet retaining the charm of a mature woman.
She had been proficient in the four arts of qin, go, calligraphy, and painting since childhood, with painting being her greatest talent. She excelled at landscapes and capturing the spirit of her subjects. The many lifelike paintings adorning the room's walls were all her work.
The world was in turmoil, with barbarian tribes pushing south from the borders. The entire Immortal Palace had been mobilized, and all able-bodied warriors had been gathered in the council hall to participate in the Emperor's campaign plans. She had always preferred quiet and detested clamor. Furthermore, she was deeply averse to all matters concerning the Divine Emperor, wishing only to hide away in this quiet corner to find a moment of peace.
Her expression was serene and elegant, her cherry lips moist and full, slightly thick. Her peerless face was tranquil, her beautiful eyes closed, her demeanor captivating.
Yet, beneath this calm surface, her heart was in turmoil. She was thinking about what the insolent man, Hu Hong, had said, as well as her internal injuries, which had left her feeling irritable and unsettled for days.
Just then, the handsome, red-haired young man, Wei Yufeng, entered the inner hall and walked into Ning Xuefei's study. The tip of his nose caught the gentle, fragrant scent of the beautiful woman. Seeing his mother painting, he walked directly to her side and praised, "Mother's paintings are still as elegant, refined, and exquisite as ever. Your son truly admires your skill."
Ning Xuefei smiled faintly. Her crystalline, jade-like white hand held an ink brush, making fine, detailed touches on the painting. It was a landscape garden scene, nearly complete. In the lower right corner, there was a commoner's farmland with a few blurry figures toiling away. The surrounding landscape was picturesque, with a small boat drifting on a lake, two people sitting on it, deep in conversation. The entire painting depicted a scene of a paradise-like retreat, utterly captivating.
"The Emperor summoned you to his meeting, so what are you doing here?" Ning Xuefei asked softly, not looking up, her focus entirely on detailing the few figures in the bottom right corner of the painting.
Wei Yufeng strolled around the study with his hands behind his back, laughing. "Father isn't taking me on this campaign either. He just wants me to sit in on meetings listening to Xiao Guang, Liu Ji, and the others strategize. I couldn't be bothered, so I slipped away."
"It's much more peaceful here with you, Mother. These days, there have been too many strangers coming and going in the palace. It's an eyesore and a headache."
Ning Xuefei let out a soft laugh, her thin lips parting slightly, a few faint smile lines appearing at the corners. Her beautiful eyes glanced over. "I heard last time that Miaoshu let some members of the Demon Sect go. You fought with him, but he escaped. Are you still brooding over it?"
She knew that although her adopted son appeared unrestrained, he was actually extremely competitive and cared deeply about saving face. He loved to act the part of a big man in front of his younger sister. Having lost face so badly in front of her last time, he must have been in a foul mood recently.
At the mention of this, Wei Yufeng's anger flared. He strode to Ning Xuefei's side and said, "Mother, that Demon Sect scoundrel was vile and cunning. He disguised himself as some mountain savage to deceive Miaoshu, then infiltrated our Immortal Palace to gather intelligence. And in the end, Miaoshu actually let him escape! You didn't even punish her for it! The more I think about it, the angrier I get."
Ning Xuefei's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she said softly, "What kind of intelligence could a mere Demon Sect lackey possibly gather here? Besides, that man had the chance to harm or kidnap Miaoshu but he did't. It shows he's not a truly evil person. And didn't Miaoshu return safely that day?"
Wei Yufeng said, "Sister did return safely, but lately, she's been like a ghost, locking herself in her room all day and refusing to see anyone. I don't know what's wrong. Mother, do you think someone from the Demon Sect might have cast some kind of spell or curse on her? To subtly influence her and harm us?"
Ning Xuefei said gently, "Mu Wang already thoroughly examined her condition after she returned. Your worries are unfounded." Seeing that Wei Yufeng still looked unconvinced and worried, Ning Xuefei gave him a charming, reassuring smile. She knew her stepson doted on his sister the most. Normally, if his sister had the slightest mishap or was unhappy, he would do everything in his power to cheer her up. However, he was too impatient, prone to obsessing over things, sometimes lazy and looking for shortcuts, and not very down-to-earth. He still had a long way to go before reaching maturity.
Ning Xuefei frowned slightly. "However, that Demon Sect infiltrator went to such great lengths to get close to Miaoshu and enter the palace. He might have just been a scout sent to survey the place. The methods of the Demon Sect are sinister and ruthless. If they have some nefarious plot, we must remain vigilant."
Wei Yufeng pondered for a moment, his hands continuing to massage her fragrant shoulders. He looked down. Ning Xuefei's gauze gown was stretched tight over her two large breasts, a portion of her fair, tender flesh exposed above the neckline. Her skin was as delicate as jade, seemingly reflecting the bright, clear moonlight.
His gaze was involuntarily drawn to the stunning goddess's chest. He swallowed hard and then said, "Mother is right. When I fought that brat, I felt that although his moves were crude and low-level, his internal energy foundation was incredibly profound upon inspection. He even seemed to have some righteous energy in him, but he was clearly injured. If he were at full strength, I'm not entirely confident I could defeat him."
"Since he has such skill and is connected to the righteous sects, he must hold some status within the Demon Sect. He probably wouldn't have come all this way for nothing." His mind raced, and he added, "Sister had a lot of contact with him. Maybe we should start with her, ask her about the situation. I have a feeling that scoundrel might come back to find her."
Ning Xuefei sighed and said softly, "Miaoshu is young and inexperienced, unaware of the world's dangers. I'm afraid she's fallen into his trap. You should spend more time with her these days, keep an eye on her, just in case something happens."
Wei Yufeng nodded. "I understand."
As he spoke, a smile touched his lips. He leaned his body against Ning Xuefei's soft, tender back, pressing against her, and intimately placed his hands on her fragrant shoulders. "Miaoshu won't come play with me anymore, and Father is busy with military affairs all day, making me study that abstruse 'Tianxing Secret Art'. It's so boring. Mother, why don't you come out and play with me?"
Ning Xuefei flicked her glossy black hair, turning her perfect head to reveal her fair, delicate neck. Her skin was as beautiful and alluring as jade. Her watery, beautiful eyes gave him a white glance, her full red lips pouting slightly. She said in a petulant voice, "Feng'er, you're being mischievous again. At this critical juncture, you're still only thinking about fun. You should use your free time to learn more from your father or focus on honing your martial arts. He has great expectations for you."
"Father has expectations for me, but I feel you don't care much for me Mother."
Wei Yufeng said slowly, like a big boy who had never grown up, his head lowered as he spoke.
Ning Xuefei's large eyes stared at him for a moment, her willow brows furrowing slightly. She neither agreed nor disagreed but did not continue the conversation. She bit her red lip lightly, as if thinking about something, then turned her head back down to continue painting. Seeing that she did not respond, Wei Yufeng knew he had said something he shouldn't have and felt a twinge of regret. Although they had a good relationship, there were always certain subtle topics that were off-limits. For now, he should focus on watching over his sister, Miaoshu and diligently practicing his martial arts.
He looked down at the painting. Its subject was unremarkable, depicting the life of commoners, close to rustic life. But Ning Xuefei's skill was so superb that she made the scene come alive, worthy of praise. "Mother, the subject of this painting seems different from your previous landscapes of immortal traces. It's about the lives of common people. Has your approach to painting changed recently?"
Wei Yufeng said. As he spoke, he gently massaged Ning Xuefei's shoulders. Looking at the painting on the desk from his vantage point, he also caught a glimpse of the alluring scenery below her snow-white shoulders, inside the half-open neckline of her white palace gown.
The neckline of her gown revealed the edge of a snow-white lace bra, its pattern intricate and elegant, adorned with a design of a phoenix dancing among flowers. It was incredibly arousing. Wei Yufeng was at the peak of his youthful vigor. The tip of his nose was filled with the rich, mature fragrance of his stunning stepmother, his hands kneading her fleshy, elastic, tender shoulders. A fire ignited in his heart, and it began to beat uncontrollably.
He had always admired this beautiful and sexy stepmother of his, but whenever his restless, young heart started to race, he could only force himself to suppress and endure it.
Ning Xuefei however, seemed oblivious to his change. She twisted her fragrant shoulders slightly, enjoying the massage from her stepson behind her. The soft, thin gauze of her palace gown rustled with an ambiguous "sha sha sha" sound under the kneading of Wei Yufeng's fingers.
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