“And there, how does this look?”

“The angle of your third line is off by several degrees, start over.”

Qiu groans at Shun’s lecture. She has been trying to get this exact same talisman right for hours now yet each time Shun finds another flaw.

“Do I really have to do this? Can’t I at least just sit down, it’s even harder to do this while on my hands and knees you know.  It’s just a basic shield talisman anyway, so what if it’s not perfect?”

“You shall be relying on these for your continued survival, Miss Shen. Every flaw lowers your chances. You should not slack. Continue.”

“Urgh, can’t we just get some from the sect's storage?”

“You are my servant now, Qiu. You do not get access to any resources other than the ones I give you.” Ling replies from where she is sitting in lotus position. She opens her eyes and looks down at her. “Besides, given the sheer amount of damage that I need to pay off - damage that you inflicted - I would not be able to retrieve any regardlessly.”

“Wait, you need to pay to get things? Aren’t you the Sect Master’s daughter?”

“Any sect would require payment to make use of its resources. Not all of us can be as spoiled as you, little miss sole heiress.” She replies while slapping her seat. Qiu flinches causing her brush to skid across the paper.

“Don’t call me that.”

Ling slams her palm down once more.

“You do not get to make demands. You should be grateful Shun is willing to teach you. How you do not even know something as simple as this astounds me.”

Qiu’s legs tremble and she grits her teeth.

“When would I have learned it anyway? I’m a cultivator, I pop pills and meditate, then I drink elixirs and temper my body. Rinse and repeat."

Ling frowns. Something feels off about what her new servant is saying but she cannot quite place what. She puts the matter out of her mind and kicks off the side of her seat, landing softly on the tip of her toes. Qiu cringes as her brush goes skidding again.

“Miss Shen, please refrain from wasting paper.”

“Hey, that wasn’t my fault, she just kicked me in the ribs!”

“Qiu, Qiu. Don’t blame me for your failures. What manner of cultivator lets their focus be broken by a little jostle like that. You lack focus.”

She courteously ignores Qiu’s mutterings as she picks up a sheet and brush. Squatting by her side she calmly draws the same talisman with practiced ease.

“Mistress, please refrain from such unladylike behaviour.”

“It’s just us, Shun. No one will find out.”

“Miss Shen is here as well, my lady.”

“Chairs don’t talk.”

Qiu bites the inside of her cheek. She mutters ‘at least chairs get to have coverings’ under her breath as she dips the brush back into the ink to try again. Ling exchanges a glance with Shun, the latter cancelling her prepared counter. As the foremost genius of her sect Qiu should have far too much pride. It would not have been unexpected for her to lash out after being pushed this far. Her earlier remarks clearly show she was beyond privileged as well yet she does not even twitch at being talked down to so harshly. 

Qiu exhales deeply as she finishes another attempt, this one nearly identical to the one beside it.

“The Qi flow during your second stroke was unstable, start over.”

“Gah, I can’t take this anymore! We haven’t left this tiny room in three days. Can’t we just go spar or something? Hells, I’m even willing to run some inane errands if it gets me out of here.”

“Mind your tongue, Shen Qiu! Were it not for the mistress’ kindness you would be dead right now!”

“Yeah, yeah I'm so darn grateful for being enslaved.”

“It is truly astounding you still take such an attitude. Need we remind you that your victims are still stuck in bed recovering from their injuries. Yet you dare complain about not leaving my lady’s personal quarters for a mere three days.”

“Enough, both of you.”

Ling pinches the bridge of her nose as she gets in between them. 

“Shun, give her a bit longer to change. She’ll get there. Qiu, putting aside your lack of patience you really should put more thoughts into your actions. Understand we’re doing this for you. Time is needed for tempers to cool, I would lose even more face should I not only take in an enemy but defend her as well.”

She kneels down in front of Qiu, cupping her cheeks.

“You are one of us now, Qiu. That means we all need to care for each other. That is why Shun is giving you lessons. Why I am helping you strengthen your will. But we cannot do this if you do not cooperate. You need to adapt to your circumstances, do you understand, Qiu.”

“I do.”

“Hmm?”

“I do, Lady Li.”

She ruffles her hair with a warm smile on her face. Standing up she offers her hand to Qiu, lifting her up alongside herself. 

“That said, perhaps a little excursion is in order. Get dressed, Qiu. Our stocks are running low, what with having to sell part of it to pay off a certain someone’s debt.”

“Geh.”

“Let’s stick to the base of the mountain for now, we should not leave the sect yet. Shun, bring the encyclopedia. This is an excellent opportunity for a herbalism lesson.”

Qiu’s eyebrow twitches.

 

-----

 

“Your cut damaged the petiole, slice seventeen degrees more diagonally.”

“Urgh.”

Qiu’s head shoots upright as she hears a rustle in the distance. All three heighten their guard at her reaction. She squints, raising her fists as she sees a beast appear from the nearby brush.

Curved horns split numerous times to end in sharp tips sit atop an oval head. Flat teeth that broaden near the end show while it tears through the foliage. Rough bristly fur covers it from back to front. Its four legs each end in split hooves tearing through the earth as it paws at the ground. Slanted brownish yellow and black eyes observe her intently, an evil gleam within them making her tense. 

“What manner of monstrosity is this?”

“Qiu?”

“Stand back, Lady Li. I can handle this.”

“Miss Shen… That is a deer.”

“What?”

“A stag to be precise, you are aware what that is, no?”

“Of course I am! Those are the things that make venison.”

“Make venison?”

“Yeah, like milk or honey, you know?”

Ling and Shun exchange a glance. 

“Miss Shen… Are you aware where meat comes from?”

“Uhm, animals make it?”

“It is part of them. They are killed and slaughtered, their meat is then cooked.”

Qiu twists around, her paling face making her freckles stand out even more. She chuckles nervously for a moment before her smile drops.

“Oh ancestors, you’re not joking are you, Lady Dai.”

“Most certainly not, miss Shen.”

“Uhm, Lady Dai?”

“Yes?”

“How, uhm, how many cores do magical beasts make?”

“One, miss Shen. A magical beast’s core is akin to one’s dantian. When you absorb a core you take in part of the beast’s stored Qi to convert for your own use.”

Qiu's eyes widen in horror.  “I’m a monster.”

“It’s… it’s okay?” Ling replies awkwardly. The deer scampers away. An uncomfortable silence falls over them as they continue their scavenging.

“My my, if it isn’t Shen Qiu. How is life as a slave suiting you?”

“Cai Yin!”

Ling slowly turns around, pushing down the irritation she feels as she lets all emotion slip off her face. Two men and a woman split off from a larger group returning from further down the mountain. At the front walks the son of Grand Elder Cai, a confident looking man with short brown hair and silver eyes, flanked by two of his supporters. She greets him coolly without an ounce of emotion.

“Greetings, Young Master Cai. Please rest assured you are permitted to address me directly, you do not need to communicate through my indentured servant. My apologies for not congratulating you for your breakthrough earlier. I have been preparing for my own, I am sure you are aware how quickly time can pass whilst one is cultivating. How long has it been?”

“Four months now, Lady Li.”

Cai’s smile turns strained as he replies. It is no secret that with the sect gathering approaching Grand Elder Cai has been funneling a veritable fortune into his only son. Having recently turned twenty nine it is Cai Yin’s last chance to shine in the under thirty division. Should he falter it would be many years before he would have an opportunity to prove himself in the under one hundred division. With him being stuck at the same bottleneck for nearly half a year pressure is clearly mounting.

“Let us let bygones be bygones, Lady Li. I am here to invite you to the clan meeting three months from now. Our elders in their infinite wisdom have decreed that skilled members of our vassal clans will be permitted to join us for the upcoming sect gathering. The Du, Li and our Cai shall each send a young talent to assist in judging the participants. As you are the only Li within our age group, that shall be you. You’ll be pleased to know we are each permitted to bring two fellow cultivators along. I shall be bringing my cousin Cai Yuu and my dear friend Lai Xueya. Your timing with Shen is fortuitous, you shall be able to bring both servants along.”

He says while waving his arm at the two behind him. Ling channels a mote of ice qi through her veins to calm her mind. She speeds up her thoughts to process everything he said. He passed through here specifically for her. A clear sign that the Cai are following her every move and have no qualms letting her know. He came in a large group showing the amount of support he has. Him informing her was a show of status, after all, how else would he know an important decision before her if not for his importance being greater.

The dig at her being the only Li below thirty hinted falsely at her family being in decline and her qualification to attend not being a testament to her own skill but merely a lack of other options. Bringing up Dai Shun and Shen Qiu mocks her for her lack of allies unbeholden to her. Most worrisome of all is the presence of Lai Xueya, for the adoptive daughter of Grand Elder Lai to stand by his side marks clear ties between the two clans.

Ling had assumed that Lai Min had been attempting to curry favor with the Li when she assisted her in getting Shen, yet could she have been goaded into a trap instead?

Focused on his words as she is, Ling fails to notice his actions in time. Qiu recoils as Cai Yin’s spiritual sense rolls over her, covering her entirely before Ling manages to push it aside. She snarls at the indignity.

“If I may offer a piece of advice, Miss Ling, have your pet take a bath before the meet. It would not do for her to show up so mud faced.”

“You dare-”

Ling’s jaw clenches as she gestures for Qiu to shut up. To be submerged in another’s spiritual sense is to have your every secret laid bare. Such an act is normally permitted only by lovers or trusted mentors. Were Shen Qiu still a sect heiress she would be justified to have Cai Yin put to death. But she is not. Not anymore.

“My apologies, Sir Cai. It appears her education was lacking, I shall go correct this immediately. Please do excuse us.”

Her skin cools from the amount of ice qi she channels through her veins while departing, desperate to suppress the boiling rage inside. 

 

-----

 

“Why the hells did you stop me?”

“Shut. Up.”

Qiu angrily finishes disrobing while following the pair into their room.

“Did you not see what he did to me?”

“I told you to shut up!”

Qiu recoils like a kicked dog. Ever since they met she has not heard Li Ling raise her voice even once. Shun raises one hand as if to squeeze Ling’s shoulder before lowering it again with a bitter look on her face. 

“Do you have any idea what you just did!”

“What do you mean? He’s the one who did that disgusting thing.”

“I see. I see. Ahahaha. Perhaps I have been treating you too well. You forget your place, Shen Qiu. You are a slave. You do not get to judge the actions of the son of the esteemed Grand Elder Cai. To even think of lashing out at someone like him is enough to get you executed. We’re cultivators, Shen Qiu. Statuses must be upheld. Since you seem insistent on acting no better than an animal, I shall treat you like one. Sit.”

With a huff Qiu angrily crosses her arms and plops down on the chair. She gulps as she sees Ling approach with a smile that does not match the cold look in her eyes.

“Pets do not use furniture.”

She feels a cool hand clamp around each of her calves before she is wrenched forward. Her head thuds against the chair’s back and her shoulders slam into the seat. Ling spreads her thighs wide open before dropping them, leaving her in a bridge position with her legs on one end and the chair’s on the other. 

“Tell me, Qiu. Are you a virgin~”

“Of course I am! What kind of question is-”

“Then I shall not insert my fingers. Unlike you, some of us understand the importance of matters.”

“Wha- what do you mean inser-”

Ling hears Qiu yelp as she runs a finger up her hairless slit. She sees the tips of the girl's ears redden. Using her index and ring fingers she pries open Qiu’s pussy before tracing the inside of her labia with her middle. A sadistic smile tucks the corners of her lips up as she slides her finger up and down.

“My lovely Qiu. I understand your anger. To call your cute little freckles mud is outrageous. To violate your privacy so is nothing short of an atrocity, but…”

Qiu blushes fiercely at Ling's words. Her eyes are drawn to her mistress' other hand slowly approaching her.

“It is not a slave’s place to seek recompense, that is the master’s duty.”

Cold billows from Ling's palm. She sees the redhead shiver when her hand runs over her inner thigh.

“By trying to speak in my place without permission you claim to not only be my superior but to be Cai Yin’s equal as well.”

She rubs her hand down the other thigh.

“You can see how that would be problematic, no? That action would imply Cai is above me, and for it to be made by my very servant…”

Forming a layer of frost over the tip of her thumb she touches it to Qiu’s clit for the briefest moment, eliciting a loud hiss from the fiery beauty. 

“He even called me ‘Miss Ling’, completely disregarding my Li family. In any other situation he would not have dared to show such blatant disrespect.”

She kneels down and blows a hot breath across Qiu’s flower.

“But a slave just talked back to him. My slave. I could not possibly retaliate after such an indignity. You rendered me powerless, Shen Qiu.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry, mistress.”

Leaning in, she places a hot kiss on the redhead's chilled thigh. Qiu’s breath catches at how pleasant it feels. 

“He could have killed you and there would not be a thing I could’ve done about it. I now owe him for showing us mercy. Can you imagine, Shen Qiu, owing a debt to that man.”

Qiu shudders, a soft gasp escaping her lips as she feels Ling’s soft lips kissing her thighs again and again.

“But you know what is even worse, my dear Qiu?”

Qiu opens her mouth to ask. Her eyes close in reflex as a sock hits her face. She feels two hands clamp around her ankles like steel. 

“I had to ask for ancestors damned permission to leave!”

Qiu’s back hits the floor hard as Ling roughly pulls her legs up. Her complaints die in her throat when she sees the cruel look in the young mistress’ eyes. Trembling at the sight of the savage grin threatening to tear her face in half, Qiu does not dare protest.

Ling wrenches her freckled legs up until her waist leaves the ground. With her bare foot on the redhead’s crotch she pushes it back down.

“Everything’s been going wrong ever since you showed up!”

She grinds her foot up and down roughly sending convulsions through Qiu’s body.

“Oh? Why is my foot suddenly wet, Qiu? Are you... Are you enjoying this?”

“Ahm sowwy.”

“I’m trying to lecture you but the lessons just don’t stick, do they? Just in through one ear and out through the other!”

“Ahm sowwy, mwistwess.”

“Have you ever done a single thing right? You walking calamity!”

A throaty groan escapes Qiu’s lips. Her back arches and her hips press back against Ling’s foot as she jerks and shakes. A stuttery, twisted laugh resounds from Ling as she leans forward and…

Two arms wrap around her waist, she feels Shun’s chin on her shoulder as the side of their faces touch.

“LiLi, enough.”

It is an image Qiu will remember for years to come. The gleam in Ling’s eyes fades and the smile slips from her face as her mouth falls open. Dropping Qiu's legs she looks down at her in mute horror, witnessing the quivering mess her actions have left behind. She sags into Shun’s embrace as a sob leaves her throat. 

“I-… I…”

“LiLi. Calm down, take a deep breath.”

She hesitantly moves toward Qiu, swallowing as she shakily picks her up and cradles her into her chest.

“I’m so sorry, Qiu. I’m so sorry.”

Speechless at the sudden reversal Qiu looks up at her. She sees Ling’s lip tremble at her wide-eyed stare. A tear flows down Ling’s cheek as she lowers her onto the bed and covers her with a silk blanket.

“Sh… Shun, where’s the healing salve.”

“She is unharmed, mistress. Let her rest. Look into my eyes LiLi, concentrate on my words. Breathe in, Breathe out.”

Shun leans in until their foreheads touch.

“Focus on my breathing, LiLi. In. And out. In. And out.”

With both hands on Ling’s shoulders Shun firmly presses until she sits down on the side of the bed. She lifts up her mistress’ chin with a single finger while lovingly looking into her eyes. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear she leans in and passionately kisses her. Slowly the tension seeps out of Ling and she raises her arms to hug her. Her eyes tremble and she sniffles when they are caught halfway through.

“S-shun?”

Entwining their fingers, Shun kisses her neck. She kneels down before her and uses her mouth to part her robe. Her grip tightens as she feels Ling try to move to help her.

“Sit back, mistress. Leave it all to me.”

She blows a hot breath across Ling’s underwear, a lick adding to the cloth’s wetness. Gently she pries it to the side with her teeth before diving in. Ling’s fingers tighten around hers as she lets out soft gasps. Her hips wriggle at the maid’s gentle ministrations. A loud moan resounds, her toes curling and her back arching. Shun releases her hands and lets her plops down next to Qiu. Yelping softly she feels Shun’s tongue movements resume and intensify. Still sensitive from her orgasm her legs curl around her lover’s head and she takes a fistful of her curly hair in each hand as she reaches her peak once more. Qiu cannot help but blush as she looks upon Ling’s blissful face. With reddening ears she turns away and places both palms over her cheeks, desperate to ignore her rapidly beating heart.

‘Ancestors, what is wrong with me?’