Chains, Kisses, and Lingering Bitterness

Inside the dim stone cave, a chilly aura permeated the air. Only a faint candlelight flickered in the corner, casting a dim, yellow glow.

Zhang Xiaocha lay tightly bound to the stone bed by an iron chain imbued with purple qi. Unable to move, her small body curled into a ball, enveloped by the oppressive shadows.

[Wuwuwu…]
[How could this happen?]
[Bell said no, so it was a no…]
[It was my plan, one I, Chacha, had painstakingly devised for so long… yet it failed just like that!]

Her small face was flushed and tear-streaked, crisscrossed with paths of sorrow that had dampened the pillowcase. Her large eyes, once bright as stars, now brimmed with grievance and unwillingness, as tears cascaded ceaselessly like broken pearls.

[They even used the Violet Nether Chain to bind me, Chacha! Even after I apologized, they wouldn’t release me, wuwuwu…]
[Grandmaster, why haven’t you come out of seclusion yet? I, Chacha, miss you so much… They’re all bullying me, Chacha…]
[Hateful Senior Sister, I, Chacha, hate you the most…]

She choked back a sob, her voice thick with a heavy nasal tone.

Suddenly, she turned her head away, her shoulders trembling slightly. Her small hands gripped the bedsheets tightly, her knuckles turning white from the immense pressure.

Luo Bingning stood rooted to the spot, silently listening to the tearful thoughts echoing within her sea of consciousness. As her gaze fell upon Zhang Xiaocha’s tear-streaked profile,

The joy she had felt upon hearing those inner thoughts vanished instantly, leaving not a trace. Her eyes darkened imperceptibly.

The most,
‘Hate… me the most?’

She lowered her gaze, her index finger tightly pinching the corner of her skirt.

Just then, a delicate cry of pain suddenly echoed in her sea of consciousness.

She snapped her head up. Zhang Xiaocha’s hands were lightly bound by rough iron chains, and though they seemed not heavy, they left shallow marks on her delicate, jade-like wrists. The soft skin slightly indented, a faint red ring gradually appearing.

Luo Bingning’s heart clenched abruptly, as if an invisible hand had brutally seized it.

‘How could this be…’

She quickly stepped forward, spiritual energy flickering at her fingertips, intent on unlocking the Violet Nether Chain.

Yet, the vibrant spring scene from within the sect involuntarily flashed through her mind. In an instant, the spiritual energy in her hands became erratic, and her movements consequently stalled.

‘No,’
‘If the Violet Nether Chain were completely undone, Xiaocha might well cause more trouble…’

Hearing the footsteps approach, Zhang Xiaocha instinctively turned her head to glance. She saw Luo Bingning standing quietly before the stone bed.

A surge of anger immediately welled up within her. She let out a heavy huff. [They’ve already bound me, Chacha, so tightly with the Violet Nether Chain, and now they’re deliberately standing guard here!]

Zhang Xiaocha secretly grumbled in her heart, [It must be because last time I managed to sneak back into the sect, completely bypassing the restrictions she set without anyone knowing. That must have made her suspicious.]

At this thought, her small lips pouted in displeasure, and a hint of cunning flashed in her eyes. [You’re afraid I’ll break free from this annoying restraint again, aren’t you? That’s why you’re staying here, watching me. Hmph, hateful Senior Sister, if you’re so capable, then stay here without leaving for even a moment!]

[Otherwise, the moment you leave, I’ll use my accumulated ‘Disgust Value’ to have the system help me, Chacha, break free from this chain! And then I’ll immediately fly back to the sect to thoroughly provoke Second Senior Sister, just to infuriate you!]

As she thought this, she suddenly felt the restraints on her body loosen slightly. Puzzled, she watched as Luo Bingning slowly sat down on the bed’s edge and retrieved an exquisite, small jade box from her spatial ring.

Her large, glistening eyes darted around, and her small head tilted slightly, filled with confusion. [Hmm? What is Senior Sister trying to do?]

Luo Bingning gently opened the jade box.

Inside the box was a pool of ointment, warm in color and radiating a soft glow. Its medicinal fragrance grew increasingly potent.

She extended a fair, slender finger, gently scooping out some of the ointment. Then, she carefully took hold of Zhang Xiaocha’s reddened wrist.

“Ahhh! Hateful Senior Sister, what are you doing?” Zhang Xiaocha instinctively struggled, yet remained immobile due to the iron chains’ restraint.

“Don’t move. I’ll apply the medicine for you!” Luo Bingning spoke coldly, her voice brooking no argument.

She nodded slightly, her waterfall-like hair cascading down her back. Her fingertips, cool with the spiritual medicine, slowly spread the ointment onto Zhang Xiaocha’s wrist, her movements gentle and deliberate.

The touch of her fingertips was as light as a feather, stroking Zhang Xiaocha’s heartstrings again and again. Unconsciously, a soft moan escaped her lips, “Mm~ So comfortable~”

As if realizing such a reaction was inappropriate at this moment, her small face flushed crimson. She abruptly turned her head away, grumbling inwardly, [Ahhh… What am I, Chacha, even saying? I’m still supposed to be angry!]

[Hmph~ Hateful Senior Sister, don’t think for a moment that this will make me, Chacha, forgive you!] She thought this even as she shot a fierce glance at Luo Bingning.

Luo Bingning’s lips curved into a faint smile. Without speaking, she silently listened to the soft, sweet thoughts emanating from within her sea of consciousness.

‘Little fool…’

In the dim corner, Mu Xi clearly observed Luo Bingning’s exceedingly gentle smile, hidden beneath her cascading hair. That smile was brimming with doting affection for Zhang Xiaocha, devoid of any hint of blame.

In that instant, the faint, almost imperceptible smile that had graced Mu Xi’s face abruptly froze. Her heart felt as though it had been violently seized, throbbing with intense pain.

‘Back then,’
‘Bingning had smiled at her in just the same way!’

Her past memories remained vividly clear.

“Bingning, I’m sorry… If I hadn’t acted on my own accord, you wouldn’t have been hurt…” Her voice choked, and self-reproach engulfed her like a surging tide.

Luo Bingning gently raised a hand, softly stroking Mu Xi’s head. Her face was radiant with a doting smile as she playfully chided, “Foolish girl, I never blamed you! Why are you so sad? Come on, be a little happier~ Just like me!”

Mu Xi slightly lifted her head, her eyes filled with a trace of hope and reliance. “Mm… Bingning, you’re so kind! Will you always smile like this in the future?”

“Of course!”

…

Mu Xi tightly covered her lips with her hand, daring not to make a sound.

The scene of Luo Bingning pushing her away incessantly resurfaced in her mind. Now, the tender scene on the stone bed before her stung her eyes like a thousand needles,

‘Only,’
‘The person there now just wasn’t her…’

Tears silently overflowed her eyes, tracing paths down her cheeks. Under the silvery moonlight, they gleamed brightly in mid-air, quietly dampening the passage of time.

Her lips trembled slightly, her heart filled with bitterness and unwillingness.

After a long moment,

After applying the ointment to all the red marks, Luo Bingning lowered her gaze, her waterfall-like hair cascading down her back.

Glancing at Zhang Xiaocha nestled in her arms, she slowly spoke, “Don’t be afraid. As long as you behave yourself, I will naturally release you in a few days!”

With that, she let out a slight sigh of relief. Thankfully, there was no serious harm…

However, she still hadn’t heard anything in Xiaocha’s inner thoughts about a way to break free from the restraints.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and her eyes half-closed. The images of Sister Zhi and Mu Xi incessantly appeared before her. What was she to do? She still needed to return to the Jade Maiden Sect to see them.

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaocha disdainfully curled her lips. [Behave myself? What kind of joke is that? I, Chacha, still need to accumulate ‘Disgust Value’!]

Slightly raising her head, she saw Luo Bingning lost in thought, seemingly contemplating something.

Her lips couldn’t help but curve upwards, and her large, glistening eyes darted around mischievously.

[Hehe~]
[Isn’t this the perfect opportunity?]

Immediately, enduring the sharp pain radiating through her body, she abruptly sat up and planted a deep kiss on Luo Bingning.

[Mm~ So sweet~]

…