Ping Yi Town, Chongming Island...
Nestled away from the hustle and bustle of the city, a medium-sized mansion hotel with just over 90 rooms stood tall, offering a grand view of the surrounding grass fields. It was a place where guests could unwind and experience the slow life of the countryside.
Usually bustling with people from all over the country and tourists from abroad, today the last foreign guest had checked out, and the hotel had temporarily closed its doors.
The staff, as if rehearsed, swiftly closed down the hotel and sent home the few outsourced workers. Then, in perfect unison, they lined up and began marching down the stairs, each wearing a transparent diamond earring on their right ear.
Their synchronized steps echoed through the building as they descended to the secret B12th floor.
A grand red door, inlaid with real gold that added a touch of grandeur and elegance, stood before them. Using magic, they opened the sealed door and entered a spacious underground hall, reminiscent of a grand ballroom.
At the end of the hall stood a huge statue of a glamorous woman, draped in an exquisite red shawl that seemed to cost a fortune. Even though it was just a statue, it exuded beauty, elegance, and a hint of coquettish charm. Below the statue was a royal chair made of gold, looking both opulent and comfortable.
Seated in the chair like a queen was a beautiful and youthful girl, draped in a regal Blue Shawl. The grand underground hall was filled with people dressed in blue robes, grey robes, and black robes.
Among them, only one wore green robe, and one wore a purple robe. These Two individuals knelt before the chair, as if they had committed a grave crime. The girl, her expression filled with contempt and disdain, gazed at them with disgust, her desire to kill them barely concealed.
"You said that two Forbidden Mages were present on the day of the experiment and thwarted your plans? Is that correct, Grand Bishop?" she asked, her voice icy.
"Y-yes..." the Grand Bishop in Green Robe stammered.
"Also, 75% of Bo City's population survived. You failed to steal the Holy Spring and have lost contact with over eight hundred Black Clergy and Grey Priests stationed in Bo City. Not only that, but I heard that your plan to summon the monsters was sabotaged by someone right before the experiment, and they arrived at the city five days later than they were supposed to?" Her voice grew colder with each word.
The two kneeling figures shivered in fright, their fear mirrored by the crowd gathered before her.
"Grand Bishop Hu Jin, Head Priest Wu Ku... You have failed your tasks miserably and returned with nothing. You have deeply disappointed our lord with your poor judgment and incurred a loss beyond repayment," she declared, standing up from her seat and stepping in front of them with a terrifying look.
The air in the underground hall grew thick with tension and mystery, the fate of the failed priests hanging in the balance.
"You see... Our lord, she would be fine even if this mission failed, since we already tested the effects of the Frenzy Spring, and with two Forbidden Mages in the city, there was quite little you could do," the girl in the royal chair said, her tone deceptively light.
Hearing this, Grand Bishop Hu Jin in the green robe and Head Priest Wu Ku in the purple robe finally saw a glimmer of hope. Relief washed over their faces as they raised their head to look at her.
"But..." As she continued, both of them kneeling immediately felt despair clutch their hearts again.
"You not only failed to bring in the valuable and possibly the last Holy Spring in the world, but you also lost more than eight hundred personnel under our lord's care... Do you think it's easy to recruit more people into our organization? Do you think we can just recruit anyone? Now that the people know it was us who brought calamity on the city, the Enforcement Union, Military, and the Magic Association are even more alert! We have virtually no chance to act within the crowds again..." Her voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of horror in it.
"Grand Bishop, I heard Yu Ang was supposed to retrieve the Holy Spring. Isn't he your nephew? Where is he?" she asked, a chilling smile playing on her lips.
"H-he is still undercover with the Mu Family! S-since his cover was not blown, I believe he still has a chance to retrieve the Holy Spring!" Grand Bishop Hu Jin hurriedly replied, his voice trembling.
"Hmm... That's good..." she mused, a hint of satisfaction in her tone.
"A-also, I think I have an idea as to who has the Holy Spring!" Hu Jin added, desperation lacing his words.
"Hoh~ Who has it?" she asked, her interest piqued.
"At the time of the calamity, a student was cultivating in the Underground Holy Spring! His name is Mo Fan! He likely still has the Holy Spring with him!" Hu Jin spoke quickly.
"Mo Fan... What a familiar name~" she said with a chuckle. She gestured to someone in the crowd to come forward.
A person in a black robe bowed respectfully before climbing onto the podium.
"Bring me all information about Mo Fan: who he is, how many people are in his family, how many friends he has, everything down to his birth. I will give you a week and keep tabs on him. I want an update on his every move no matter how small it is!"
"Yes, Mistress Fang," the black-robed figure replied, bowing even more deeply.
"Also, Head Priest Wu Ku, do you know why my teacher still allows you to live? Despite your failure, she has asked you to prove your worth and proceed to our next step. Since we have fewer personnel now, proceed with utter care and caution. In the next three and a half years, we move onto the Grand Crowning of our lord!"
"Yes, Mistress Fang! Thank you very much for your benevolence! I will not make any more mistakes!" Wu Ku exclaimed, his voice shaking.
"Oh? Benevolence? You seem to misunderstand something... I only spared you because of your wonderful innate talent and your alchemy knowledge! But have you forgotten who I am?" Fang Shaoli responded with a cold smile, her eyes glittering with a ruthless edge.
"You both, along with Yu Ang, are going to be tortured for a week straight in the Pool of the Damned. Have fun~" She smiled pleasantly, revelling in their despair-filled expressions.
"N-no! Please, you can't do this to us! Please, anything but that!!" Hu Jin wailed like a child, his voice echoing with terror.
"You think you're so great just because you're a student of our lord! Don't forget that I have higher authority than you, little bitch!!" Head Priest Wu Ku snarled, his rage boiling over.
Just before he could make a move, two people dressed in blue robes quickly subdued him, their movements efficient and brutal.
"Oh my! Did you forget where you're standing? This hall has a magic sealing curse! Unless I want you to, you cannot use your magic here~ My two cuties, make sure he suffers for two weeks, okay?" Fang Shaoli's voice was sickeningly sweet, her smile widening with a hint of madness.
The blue-robed figures nodded, dragging Wu Ku away despite his thrashing and cursing.
Fang Shaoli watched them go, her eyes gleaming with a cruel delight. Turning back to the trembling Hu Jin, she leaned in closer, her voice a deadly whisper. "And you, Grand Bishop, will learn the true meaning of despair. The Pool of the Damned will strip away every ounce of dignity you think you have left. Enjoy your stay~"
As the doors closed behind the condemned men, Fang Shaoli sat back on her golden throne, her smile never faltering. The air in the underground hall grew colder, the oppressive silence filled only with the faint echoes of distant, tormented screams.
"Mo Fan, huh... I wonder if he's the same one I know of," Fang Shaoli mused aloud, her lips curling into a wicked smile.
Bzzt!
Without warning, her transparent diamond earring began to glow an ominous red. The room fell silent, the air heavy with tension. Every person present immediately dropped to their knees, kowtowing without the slightest hesitation. Their fear was palpable, a shared understanding of the power that the red glow signified.
Fang Shaoli, too, knelt on one knee before the imposing statue that dominated the room. Her heart pounded in her chest, a mix of reverence and anticipation coursing through her veins.
She touched the earring, her breath hitching as a cold, ethereal voice echoed in her mind.
"Shaoli..."
A shiver ran down her spine at the sound of her master's voice, so hauntingly beautiful and authoritative. It was as if the very essence of pleasure and pain intertwined, sending her into convulsions of ecstasy. It was almost unbearable, like an orgasm that tore through her very soul.
"Master..." she gasped, her voice trembling with a mix of awe and delight.
"I have heard everything," the voice continued, each word dripping with dark allure. "Retrieve the Holy Spring, no matter what."
With that, the connection was abruptly severed, the red glow fading back to the earring's original transparent state. But the impact of the master's words lingered, resonating deeply within Fang Shaoli. She was still trembling, her body a mess of pleasure and submission.
"Yesh, Mashter!" she moaned, her voice barely a whisper but filled with fervent devotion.
The others in the room dared not lift their heads, remaining prostrate on the floor. Fang Shaoli rose slowly, her body still tingling from the encounter. Her eyes were wild, filled with a madness that reflected her unwavering loyalty and the ecstasy of her servitude.
She turned to her subordinates, who were still kneeling, their heads pressed to the ground, her shawl akin to water silk slipped down her naked body. She commanded, her voice sharp and unyielding, "We must retrieve the Holy Spring at all costs."
The men and women scrambled to their feet, their movements hurried and desperate. The master's will was absolute, and she would not disappoint.