Cao Ning planted her feet wide, lowering herself until her thighs were parallel to the ground. Her back was a straight, tense line, her arms held before her. Instantly, the strain began to build.
The position was punishing. In that low, wide stance, the thin fabric of her robe was stretched to its limit. It pulled taut across her crotch, outlining the soft lips beneath as if it were wet paint on canvas.
Her long legs, already exposed by the high slits, seemed to go on forever, the muscles in her thighs trembling with the effort of holding the position.
As for her ass, the back of the robe dipped into her crack, highlighting the perfect round shape of each cheek as they were tensed by the stance. For anyone standing behind her, the view was almost a work of art.
And from the front? It was even worse. With her arms raised and extended, the deep V of her neckline pulled open. Her breasts, compressed between her biceps, swelled up as if trying to escape their confinement.
The soft mounds of flesh, slick with a fine sheen of sweat, seemed to offer themselves up to the gaze of the man watching her. With the fabric now almost transparent in places, the two hard peaks of her nipples were plainly visible.
"Keep your back straight," Elder Chang's voice broke the silence when Cao Ning's form started to droop. "Control your breathing. Let the qi flow."
He stood up and began to circle around her.
Each time he walked behind her, she felt his hot gaze on her buttocks. When he moved to the front, his eyes devoured her breasts. And so the cycle continued. Each lap felt like a physical violation.
After what felt like an eternity, sweat started to drip from Cao Ning's body, running down her neck, trickling between her breasts, and soaking into the thin blue fabric.
"Time's up," Elder Chang said from behind her. "Your posture has slipped too much, your breath is too ragged. How could you think of succeeding in the examination with discipline this poor?"
"I apologize, Elder," Cao Ning gasped, her voice shaky as she slowly raised herself. Her legs were trembling and refused to obey.
"To succeed you must push past your limits," Elder Chang said with a grim expression, "which is why I've prepared a special bath. It contains a hundred-year ginseng root, blood-stimulating herbs, and other precious ingredients."
Then he turned his gaze to her, his eyes full of what looked like concern. "While you bathe, I will guide your cultivation qi with my own to maximize the benefits and make sure none of the precious ingredients are wasted. Your path depends on your results during this examination. We have no time to lose."
For a brief, terrifying moment Cao Ning couldn't breathe. The training hall seemed to shrink. The thought of being naked in front of Elder Chang after all of this was terrifying. She'd had a horrifying feeling about this man since the day his gaze had changed.
In the demonic faction, it wasn't uncommon for masters and disciples to be naked together during certain training methods. She'd even heard stories of masters who would cultivate with their female disciples using 'Yin and Yang energy' to accelerate their progress.
Though there was a huge age gap between her and Elder Chang, it was normally not a cause for concern. Most masters were respectful, like proud fathers guiding their daughters.
But after everything, Cao Ning couldn't bring herself to trust him. And that was when her worst fear was realized.
"What is there to be embarrassed about?" Elder Chang saw her face freeze, and his stern gaze became even more unforgiving. "If you get shy over something like this, how will you ever survive in the demonic sect? Weakness is preyed upon here. If you hesitate, it will be your life. Is that what you want?"
His words hit her like a splash of cold water. He was right, and she knew it. If she wasn't strong enough to forge her own path, she would never have control of her own life. She'd just end up a concubine—another pretty body to warm a powerful man's bed.
"I'll go, Elder." Cao Ning said through gritted teeth, looking down. "I'm sorry."
The bath chamber wasn't far, but it felt like a death march to Cao Ning. Elder Chang led the way, opening the large doors to a stone room that smelled of damp earth and something sharp and medicinal.
In the center sat a large, square wooden tub. Steam rose from the water, making the air warm and thick. The surface of the water was coated with an oily sheen. Looking closer, Cao Ning could see herbs—dark leaves and bright red berries—swirling in the cloudy water.
Elder Chang pointed to a bench near the tub. "I will be right there. Take off your clothes and get in."
Without another word, he moved to the bench and sat. He didn't even turn his back to give her privacy.
Cao Ning's heart was beating like a drum against her ribs. Forcing her hands to stop shaking, she reached for the knot on her shoulder that held the single piece of her dress together.
A sharp tug, and the silk robe slid down her body, pooling at her feet.
Cao Ning kept her eyes on the floor, unable to face the man who she felt was staring at every inch of her exposed body. Her pale skin glowed under the dim light of the room. Her nipples were hard enough to make any man stare, and her large breasts were full, heavy, and perfect.
"Why are you hesitating?" Elder Chang's voice was sharp, making her flinch. "In a combat situation, that pause could cost you your life. In. The. Bath."
His words were a whip crack, forcing her to move.
Hooking her thumbs into the waistband of her black underwear, she bent at the waist to push them down. This caused her back to arch in a way that made her firm, round ass look like a work of art carved by a master sculptor.
Elder Chang, sitting right behind her, didn't even try to hide his stare. His eyes locked onto the glistening pink slit of her pussy, which seemed to part ever so slightly as she bent. His dick was now hard as a rock, but he controlled himself, a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike.