Chapter 10: Bridal Chamber

## Chapter 10: Cave Room Flower Candle

The night sky was a canvas of deep indigo, broken only by the scattered dust motes of distant stars.

Bearing the white-clothed maiden, Ye Chen plunged deep into the heart of the demonic beast forest, eventually unearthing a hidden cave, concealed from prying eyes.

Within the inky blackness of the grotto, a weak bonfire flickered, casting dancing shadows.

The white-clothed maiden leaned against the cave wall, still trapped in the clutches of unconsciousness. Her complexion was ashen, and her features were contorted with pain. Though a genuine cultivator of the Kong Ming realm, at this moment she appeared as frail as any mortal woman, a sight that stirred pity in the observer's heart.

Nearby, Ye Chen sat in quiet contemplation, his spiritual energy flowing steadily into her. From time to time, his gaze would steal towards the white-clothed maiden.

He was certain, with an undeniable conviction, that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes upon, a truth beyond dispute.

Lost in this intoxicating vision, Ye Chen failed to notice the flush that had crept across his own cheeks.

"Hot... so hot," a low murmur escaped the white-clothed maiden's lips, shattering Ye Chen's mesmerized trance.

Suddenly, her eyelashes fluttered, and her eyes slowly opened. They were like pools of water, hazy and bewildered. Her delicate form writhed slightly, and a clean, white jade hand traced a path across her own body, tearing at her outer garments.

"Senior, you are aw... mmph." Before he could finish his sentence, Ye Chen's mouth was sealed by the unexpected embrace of her fragrant lips.

"Senior," a fleeting moment of clarity allowed Ye Chen to gently push the white-clothed maiden away.

"He Huan San." His brows furrowed in understanding. He now comprehended the reason for her enchanting display and the true nature of the He Huan San. Regardless of gender, once afflicted, one was compelled to seek release, or face the agonizing consequence of ruptured meridians and death.

"Their methods are truly despicable," Ye Chen mused, thinking of the three figures who had pursued the white-clothed maiden. It required no great insight to deduce that they were the ones who had administered the poison.

Ah... ah oh!

"Is this a trial?" Ye Chen shook his head, attempting to reclaim some semblance of sobriety, but he found himself ensnared in the persistent currents of desire.

The cave remained shrouded in darkness, the bonfire's flames swaying erratically.

The night stretched on, sleepless, and within the confines of this dark grotto, a storm was destined to break.

......

At this very moment, far away in the small spirit garden of the Heng Yue Sect, an unwelcome group had once again arrived.

"Old man, hand over that boy!" The leader was none other than Zhang Tao, his face, already contorted into a devilish mask in the darkness. His injuries had not yet healed, yet he had led a contingent of disciples seeking retribution.

"And that Tian Ling Curse! Hand it all over!"

"He has already left, and I possess no such Tian Ling Curse." Zhang Fengnian was already covered in wounds, his voice weak and strained.

"It seems you won't yield until you see the coffin! Hang him up!" The small spirit garden was filled with the cacophony of Zhang Tao's deranged roar. "And that little brat and that feathered mongrel! Hang them all up!"

......

"I will kill you!" The deep, quiet stillness of the demonic beast forest was abruptly shattered by a woman's voice. Though beautiful, it was laced with an icy killing intent.

Within the cave, the white-clothed maiden's ethereal jade hand clamped down on Ye Chen's neck, lifting him effortlessly into the air.

It seemed the effects of the He Huan San had subsided, yet her cheeks still bore traces of lingering redness. Having awakened, she found it difficult to accept the reality of what had transpired. The peach-red stains on her skirt were a stark and dazzling reminder. Disheveled and with her clothing in disarray, she had not even paused to compose herself before unleashing her pent-up killing intent, vowing to slay the Ye Chen who had stolen her chastity.

"You... you are being unreasonable! It was you who pounced on me! You were afflicted with He Huan San, and I saved you!" Ye Chen couldn't help but shout, his face a mottled red as he gasped for air. His hands and feet thrashed, but he remained trapped in her grasp.

"Is that your excuse for taking my chastity?" The white-clothed maiden's beautiful eyes were brimming with a watery mist, reflecting a cold, sharp light.

"You crazy woman! I should have never saved you!"

"You dare to speak?"

"Of course I dare to speak! You were on top the entire time! I didn't even get a chance to turn over! You were the one who picked me up!"

"You..." The white-clothed maiden's chest heaved violently with rage. Despite her unwillingness, scenes of the recent fragrant encounter flashed through her mind. Indeed, as Ye Chen had claimed, she had been in the dominant position from beginning to end.

At this realization, her cheeks flushed with an even deeper shade of red. Shame and anger mingled, and the jade hand gripping Ye Chen's neck instinctively tightened. If she continued to squeeze, Ye Chen would undoubtedly perish.

However, at that precise moment, powerful auras rapidly approached the cave entrance from the void outside.

The white-clothed maiden abruptly turned, as if her gaze could pierce through the branches concealing the cave entrance and witness the three figures streaking through the sky.

"Huo Du," a cold light flashed in her eyes, and a voice as icy as the depths of winter escaped her lips. Gorgeous divine light instantly enveloped her body, and a powerful momentum shook the cave, causing it to rumble.

With a flick of her jade arm, Ye Chen was flung to the ground.

"I will deal with you later," she said, casting a frigid glance at Ye Chen. Like a divine rainbow, the white-clothed maiden shot out of the cave. Behind her, a glowing rope floated inwards. The moment Ye Chen managed to stand, he was ensnared by the radiant cord.

"I rely on..." He couldn't help but curse, his face contorted with frustration. He thrashed on the ground, exhausting all his strength, yet he remained unable to break free from the strange rope.

"I must find a way to escape, otherwise, when that crazy woman returns, she will surely settle the score." His heart pounded with anxiety. Who knew if the white-clothed maiden, upon her return, would hesitate to kill him.

In this critical moment, a thought flashed through Ye Chen's mind: the True Fire in his Dan Hai.

"Quick, help me!"

As if summoned, the True Fire in his Dan Hai surged forth, transforming into strands that wound around the glowing rope.

Boom! Rumble!

At this moment, high in the dark night sky, a fierce battle had already erupted. Even from a distance, Ye Chen could clearly discern a mountain peak collapsing under the force of a single palm strike. This was the clash of powerful cultivators, where the overturning of mountains and the churning of seas were commonplace occurrences.

"Chu Ling, do you still persist in this futile struggle?" In the void, the three great Kong Ming realm cultivators launched a concerted attack, their eyes filled with lewd intent.

"You will pay the price for plotting against me!" The exquisite voice was abnormally cold. The white-clothed maiden, identified as Chu Ling, formed hand seals. Subsequently, gorgeous divine light manifested, gathering from all directions, coalescing into a colossal, sacred lotus flower.

"Overestimating your abilities!" The white-robed youth sneered, about to charge forward, but he was stopped by the outstretched hand of the grey-haired elder. "Many powerful cultivators are approaching."

"They are from the Heng Yue Sect."

"Retreat," the grey-haired elder immediately ordered.

They had arrived swiftly and departed just as quickly. In a flash, they vanished into the night sky like three streaks of divine light.

Puff!

The white-clothed maiden, Chu Ling, spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, her body staggering, nearly falling from the void.

"Ling'er!" A faint celestial sound echoed from afar, approaching rapidly. In an instant, it arrived, supporting the white-clothed maiden named Chu Ling.

The newcomer was also adorned in fluttering white robes, unstained by the dust of the mortal world. Her entire being was enveloped in a gentle light, as if she were a descended immortal, or a blooming snow lotus, her appearance breathtaking, so beautiful it could steal one's breath.

However, what was truly peculiar was that this female bore an exact resemblance to Chu Ling.

Thus, there was only one explanation: they were twins. The elder sister was named Chu Xuan, and the younger, Chu Ling.

Therefore, the white-clothed maiden named Chu Ling was undoubtedly a member of the Heng Yue Sect. Little did Ye Chen know, as he had already escaped the cave, whether this revelation would cause him to vomit blood on the spot. Nor did he know what kind of scene awaited him when they inevitably met within the Heng Yue Sect in the future.

Perhaps, on that day in the Heng Yue Sect, Ye Chen would first encounter the elder sister, Chu Xuan, instead.

Divine rainbows constantly streaked across the void as the powerful cultivators of the Heng Yue Sect arrived one after another. Seeing Chu Ling's weakened state, they all rushed to infuse her with their essence yuan.

Moments later, Chu Ling's breathing stabilized.

"Various senior brothers, please return to the sect first. I still have some matters to attend to." With a hastily thrown sentence, Chu Ling, like a long rainbow, shot straight towards the cave.

"Ling'er, your injury!"

"No harm done. All of you... are not permitted to follow."

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