Chapter 188: The Fate Agreement

"You're using swordplay," Siming said softly, looking at Shao Xiaoli. "This move is focused in intent yet free in spirit, like a needle hidden in a sleeve. It's excellent swordplay. May I ask who your master is?"

Shao Xiaoli had never seen the woman before.

The lines of her cheeks were as soft and refined as if sculpted. Her soft silver hair resembled the finest cotton floss, neatly draped, clinging to the contours of her body; some strands fell straight down her back, while others flowed along the proud curves of her chest. Her black robe wasn't entirely black either; subtle silver threads were interwoven into patterns, so deeply embedded that they vaguely outlined a complete design that Shao Xiaoli couldn't quite discern.

The woman's sudden appearance completely overturned Shao Xiaoli's perception.

She felt that even the captivating Sister Su Yanshu would seem like common makeup compared to the woman before her.

"I..." Shao Xiaoli slightly regained her composure. She certainly couldn't give away her master. Nervously, she stammered, "This is swordplay I taught myself."

Siming smiled slightly. "Little sister is truly exceptionally talented."

Unsure if the woman was friend or foe, Shao Xiaoli quietly retreated behind the door and asked, "Is there something you need, Sister?"

As Shao Xiaoli spoke, a glance from the corner of her eye made her freeze again.

Earlier, she had fought with the three-eyed youth, who had been thrown onto the street, slid, and crashed into the opposite wall. The dust that had fallen from that wall now hung suspended in mid-air after the silver-haired woman appeared.

Shao Xiaoli's heart jolted with alarm. She immediately shifted her gaze to the entire long street.

There was no movement on the long street; no breeze stirred, no leaves rustled, no lanterns swayed. Everything seemed to have frozen, silent as death.

Shao Xiaoli had heard tales of great deities who could hold yin and yang in their palms and reverse time. She had always thought them legends, but now, a goddess had truly appeared before her. Shao Xiaoli ran a hand through her slightly messy hair and tugged at the slightly dirty hem of her skirt from sword practice, feeling utterly self-conscious.

The woman's sleeves seemed to undulate in waves of time, slowly and languidly. Her gentle eyes remained fixed on Shao Xiaoli as she said, "I merely saw that your swordplay was good and felt a fondness for your talent. Would you like to come with me? I can teach you divine arts a hundred times more powerful than the strongest spells in Duanjie City."

Her voice drifted gently into Shao Xiaoli's ears, carrying a compelling charm that inspired conviction. Shao Xiaoli's expression became dazed, and the foot she had retreated behind the threshold unconsciously stepped forward.

"Divine arts?" Shao Xiaoli asked subconsciously.

Siming nodded. "I can take you out of Duanjie City, teach you how to control others' fates, grant you eternal life in the river of time, and help you keep anyone you wish to keep."

"Keep anyone I wish to keep?" Shao Xiaoli's eyes flickered.

Siming smiled and nodded. She extended a flawless, jade-like hand, palm upward, fingers slightly curved and half-raised, gently beckoning. "Come with me," she said.

Shao Xiaoli's feet actually began to follow her gently beckoning hand.

But after only two steps, a warning arose in Shao Xiaoli's heart. She slightly regained her senses, stopped, and when she looked at the other woman again, her gaze held a subtle resistance.

Siming slowly said, "You don't trust me?"

"I..." Shao Xiaoli looked at her face, and a voice in her heart told her, "How could such a beautiful woman lie? It's just like how Master never lies to me... That's right! Master."

She hesitated, then turned and looked into the room.

Siming also followed her gaze.

"Is there something you need me for?"

Ning Changjiu had appeared not far behind Shao Xiaoli at some point. His white robes, personally washed by Shao Xiaoli, were very clean and carried the scent of herbs.

Ning Changjiu slowly walked outside and looked at the silver-haired woman who claimed to be Siming's maid.

The silver-haired woman also looked at him and smiled slightly. "Young Master," she said, "I didn't expect you to be here. It's been almost three months since we parted that day, and you haven't even come looking for me?"

Ning Changjiu said, "Come inside and talk."

Shao Xiaoli listened to their conversation, astonished. She wondered, "When did Master get involved with such a beautiful woman? And to hide it from me... Could they have been sneaking out for secret meetings while I was sleeping?"

"If so, wouldn't she have to be their maid from now on?"

Shao Xiaoli stood between them, suddenly feeling a bit superfluous. She couldn't help but scratch her face, looking dismayed.

As Ning Changjiu turned back, he patted her shoulder and mouthed, "Be careful."

Siming slightly lifted the hem of her black robe, lightly stepped over the low threshold, and followed Ning Changjiu into the courtyard.

Bloody Feather Monarch was squatting under a tree in the courtyard like an old hen, seeking shade. Seeing the silver-haired woman approach, it shot up the tree as if seeing its bane, hiding among the sparse leaves, pretending to be just a bird passing by.

Siming glanced at it lightly. "This chicken looks somewhat familiar," she said.

Ning Changjiu said, "It's still a bit thin now. Perhaps next time you visit, I can make you a pot of soup with it."

Siming narrowed her eyes and smiled slightly. "Young Master's hospitality is indeed excellent," she said.

Ning Changjiu stopped. He turned around, and his brows gradually furrowed.

Siming stood gracefully in the courtyard, one hand behind her back, the other extended before her chest. In her palm lay several fine golden threads.

Ning Changjiu remained silent.

This was the formation he had laid out in the courtyard beforehand.

This formation was the one he had secretly buried in the courtyard when Ning Xiaoling became demonized.

It was the Golden Thread Net Formation, said to be an ancient array used by cultivators to trap flood dragons by burying golden threads at the bottom of rivers. It was very powerful.

And today's formation was dozens of times more powerful than the one that had trapped Ning Xiaoling that day.

Although he hadn't expected to trap her with it, he also hadn't imagined that it would be uprooted like a carrot by her in a single encounter, before it had even been activated.

"Chong Sui is causing chaos in the Royal City, and I was somewhat concerned, so I set up this formation for self-protection. Please don't take offense, young lady," Ning Changjiu said without batting an eye.

Siming casually twirled the golden threads, her fingers plucking them to produce several captivating melodies. Ning Changjiu remained unmoved and continued walking towards the house.

Siming, however, didn't destroy the formation. Instead, she released her hand, allowing the threads to sink back into the earth.

She followed Ning Changjiu's steps inside. Upon reaching the doorway, she casually peeled off a yellowed talisman with signs of alteration, then removed the 'clapper' from a brass bell hanging below the door before finally stepping into the room.

Ning Changjiu appeared calm, but his heart was tightly strung.

The various measures he had laid out these past days were effortlessly neutralized by her, one by one.

Neither of them spoke, maintaining a tacit understanding.

Siming was graceful and her steps were light. As she walked, she tidied the dishes and chopsticks on the table, arranging them neatly.

"She could even see through this Water Bowl Incantation Array?" The Spirit of the Sword Manual finally couldn't hold back, communicating telepathically.

After tidying the dishes and chopsticks, Siming picked up a feather duster and brushed away the cobwebs on the wall. She also casually flicked a red-shelled beetle that had been clinging to the shadows. The startled beetle scurried towards the door crack to escape, but halfway there, its body rapidly decayed into ash, which Siming then lightly scattered with the duster.

"No way? This Blood Corpse Worm was pulled from the ice in the snow plains; it's as hard as rock, impervious to water and fire, and even swords can't kill it. This..." The Spirit of the Sword Manual looked as if it had seen a ghost.

Bloody Feather Monarch, hiding on the large tree outside, secretly thought, "As expected of a duster made from my plucked feathers, it's truly powerful!"

After dusting away the Blood Corpse Worm, Siming's attention was drawn to several paintings on the wall. She walked over to the new artworks, her gaze seemingly absorbed by the canvases.

These were space scrolls painted by Ning Changjiu using Zhang Qieyu's painting skills. The four scrolls appeared separate but were in fact a cohesive whole. Within them were places where he could hide and also places where others could be trapped.

But these paintings also didn't escape Siming's notice.

"Young Master's brushwork is exquisite, and the spiritual essence and charm within are captivating. If one were to say these are the finest works by a master in the world, I would not doubt it. However, the way these scrolls are displayed is truly not beautiful," Siming said slowly, then extended her hand and rearranged the positions of the scrolls.

The interconnected artistic conception was thus severed. Although the four paintings still contained the laws of space, the fragmented laws posed no threat to her.

"This is truly a succubus," the Spirit of the Sword Manual said. "It seems you, this donkey, can only stare helplessly."

Ning Changjiu's nerves were taut. He knew that the opponent systematically dismantling his arrangements, unhurriedly, was also a process of slowly eroding his Dao heart.

Siming smiled faintly. In this not-so-luxurious room, her slender back appeared even more exquisite and radiant.

She then tidied up other things in the room.

At this moment, her 'tidying' appearance seemed very gentle and virtuous, like a dutiful wife from many years ago, her temperament softened by time, yet her cheeks still possessed the alluring beauty of her prime. As she occasionally bent down, her delicate yet voluptuous figure was exquisitely curved, making it hard to imagine what kind of enchantress was hidden within the black robe.

Any man who saw such a woman might feel, "If only she were my wife."

But Ning Changjiu's gaze remained unperturbed. He watched her slightly bent form as she tidied the incense and candles on the floor, calmly saying, "Come inside with me."

Siming slowly rose, a strand of hair falling from behind her ear to her cheek. She tucked it back with her hand, her head slightly lowered, radiating an air of modest beauty. "Are you inviting me in, Young Master?" she asked.

Ning Changjiu silently recited a calming incantation in his heart and walked straight into the room.

Siming followed him in.

"This looks like a lady's boudoir," Siming said, looking around.

Ning Changjiu nodded. "This is Xiaoli's mother's room. After her mother died, the room was vacated for me."

Siming softly hummed in acknowledgment. Her sleeves hung down, her footsteps silent, her slender and graceful figure glided ghost-like through the room. Light filtering through the window paper fell on her cotton-floss-like silver hair, emitting a faint halo.

Ning Changjiu poured her a bowl of water and said, "Please sit, young lady."

Siming sat down, her gentle gaze fixed on Ning Changjiu, a faint, unreadable smile on her lips.

Ning Changjiu got straight to the point. "May I ask the purpose of your visit today, young lady?"

Siming playfully chided him, "How dare you ask me? More than two months ago, I gave you a token and asked you to come to the Star Spirit Palace to meet my master. My master has waited patiently for so long, yet you never arrived. However, my master told me that in ancient times, when seeking immortals, there was a saying about 'three visits to invite a sage out of the mountain,' so she ordered me to come again and invite Young Master to the Star Spirit Palace for a talk."

Ning Changjiu said, "It's not that I don't want to go; I simply couldn't find the location of the Star Spirit Palace."

Siming lightly covered her lips, as if just realizing something. She smiled apologetically, then gently stood up and bowed gracefully to Ning Changjiu, apologizing, "The Star Spirit Palace is unlike mundane royal palaces. It was my oversight, I beg Young Master not to blame me."

Ning Changjiu subtly turned his body as if to put down the water kettle, avoiding her bow.

Siming sat back down and extended her slender, peerless, jade-like fingers. "If Young Master is willing, I would be honored to lead you to the palace to meet our master," she said.

Ning Changjiu said, "If your master has something to discuss, you can simply convey it to me. Why go to such great lengths?"

Siming said, "That demon Chong Sui is still lurking in this city. Every word we speak could be overheard by him. Only the Star Spirit Palace is isolated from the world and suitable for discussing important matters."

Ning Changjiu didn't respond, but suddenly asked, "Why did you say those things to Xiaoli earlier?"

Siming smiled and replied, "I found that little girl truly beautiful and adorable, and thought of taking her as a disciple. I didn't realize she already had a master. I hope Young Master doesn't mind."

Ning Changjiu asked again, "Do you need my help?"

"Young Master is indeed an intelligent person," Siming said. "If Young Master truly is the legendary Son of Destiny, then even my master would be willing to worship you as a deity, bowing to your will and obeying your every command."

As she spoke, Siming's eyes shimmered, and the frosty look on her cheeks mingled with the captivating curve of her lips, creating a breathtaking beauty.

Ning Changjiu remained unmoved, not even pressing for details about the Son of Destiny. He merely said, "What do you need my help with? If it's something like going through fire and water, I absolutely won't agree."

Siming shook her head. "Don't worry, we certainly won't make things difficult for Young Master. Lord Siming will explain everything to you in detail then."

Ning Changjiu nodded and directly asked the doubt in his heart: "Is Chong Sui still in the city? What exactly does he want to do?"

Siming sighed softly with a hint of helplessness and shook her head. "Regarding that demon Chong Sui, my master is actually very troubled. Everything in this city has a corresponding point on the Star Spirit Palace's astrolabe, but Chong Sui is a disharmonious point of light, hidden in the dark corners of the astrolabe, undetectable even by my master."

"Where does Chong Sui come from?" Ning Changjiu asked.

Siming looked at him quietly. "Duanpo Gorge," she said.

Ning Changjiu's expression was blank.

Siming continued, "That place is covered in snow and wind all year round, and a fortune-teller who forces fate resides there. If Young Master is fated, perhaps you can meet him."

Ning Changjiu nodded, his expression still a little bewildered.

Siming said, "What I told that little girl earlier also applies as a promise to Young Master. I am certainly not someone who breaks promises, and I hope Young Master will trust me."

Ning Changjiu said, "I am willing to believe you and Lord Siming."

Siming nodded gently. "Take the key I gave you last time," she said. "On the night the restrictions are lifted, come to the Royal Palace. Go to its deepest part, where there's a stone wall. Use that jade key to complete the Bagua formation pattern on it, and you will be able to enter the Star Spirit Palace. Then, you will meet Lord Siming. This time, I truly hope Young Master will come. If you do, the Star Spirit Palace will forever be Young Master's friend. But if you don't..."

Siming paused slightly, her thin, crimson lips gently pursed. "If you don't come," she said, "then I can only express my regret for Young Master."

Ning Changjiu listened. The other party's words were very gentle, a gentleness tinged with a slight ambiguity. Because of this ambiguity, Ning Changjiu had to focus intently to hear her clearly, but this concentration was like an insect caught in a spiderweb; his spirit was captivated, unable to break free. By the time he realized it, it was too late; his emotions were already rhythmically fluctuating with her words.

Within his Qi Sea, the Spirit of the Sword Manual had already understood. It was ready at any moment to take over Ning Changjiu's consciousness, enabling him to sever his connection with the silver-haired woman.

But Siming didn't actually do anything.

From the moment she entered the room until now, everything she did seemed only to be a display of power, to make Ning Changjiu understand the disparity and to tell him that resistance was futile.

No matter how mysterious or robust a donkey on a hillside was, it could not withstand the hunting and tearing of a fierce tiger.

"I understand. I will certainly come to pay my respects to Lord Siming then." Ning Changjiu stood up with her, and they exchanged bows.

"Then I shall trouble Young Master," Siming said, nodding gently. Like moonlight hidden among dark clouds, she gracefully took two steps back. Her gaze was then suddenly drawn to something, and she tilted her slender neck, looking towards a box in the corner. She asked with a smile, "What is this?"

Ning Changjiu was also momentarily stunned. That box seemed to be just an ordinary box; it wasn't some trap he had set.

The Spirit of the Sword Manual, however, reacted immediately, shouting, "Stop her quickly!"

Ning Changjiu looked over with confusion.

The silver-haired woman picked up the box, cradled it in her arms, and unlatched the iron clasp.

As the box opened, a faint shimmer of moisture appeared in Siming's icy, clear eyes. She even shyly lowered her head slightly, a subtle blush spreading across her elegant profile.

"I never thought Young Master had such refined tastes?" Siming tilted the wooden box slightly. Only then did Ning Changjiu see what was inside, and he felt a little awkward.

Inside the box were items Shao Xiaoli had created when they first arrived in Duanjie City, reportedly props her mother and the King... used.

Among them were leather whips made of twisted thin ropes, leather gloves, metal collars, and many long, thin cotton ropes...

"This..." Ning Changjiu felt wronged. He would never do such things with that girl Shao Xiaoli.

Siming, however, understandingly placed a finger to her lips, signaling for silence. "These private boudoir matters are nothing to be ashamed of," she said. "I just never thought Young Master, with his distinguished appearance, would have such preferences. However, if you truly like them, you can bring these items with you when you come to the Star Spirit Palace. My master... wouldn't mind."

Then, as if she had finished revealing a secret, she smiled faintly, gently closed the box, and bending down, pushed the wooden box back into the corner.

The cool room seemed to float with a faint dust, and Siming was like a wisp of moonlight within the dust.

This wisp of moonlight left a final faint smile, then gradually faded away within the room.

Ning Changjiu