The Soul-Striking Whip and a Desperate Escape

Luo Bingning, who had just extricated herself from the enormous blanket, instantly froze as if struck by a petrification spell.

‘An old woman?’

‘The Sect Master… she heard that, didn’t she?’

Slowly, she turned her head, her eyes wide with disbelief. Though she had long known that Zhang Xiaocha’s inner thoughts might be heard by others besides herself, she was still utterly astonished at this moment.

A faint sense of loss flickered in her eyes. She wasn’t the only one capable of hearing Zhang Xiaocha’s inner voice.

Luo Bingning’s figure blurred, reappearing between the Sect Master and Zhang Xiaocha. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and managed a strained smile. “Sect Master, my junior sister has just woken up. She might be speaking nonsense. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Shangguan Zhi’s gaze swept past Luo Bingning, fixed intently on Zhang Xiaocha, as she recalled the strange inner voice she had just heard in her mind. If she could hear it, then what about Bingning?

Moreover, Bingning’s attitude towards Zhang Xiaocha was indeed peculiar; she had suddenly grown fond of her!

Could it also be related to that inner voice? Her eyes were filled with scrutiny and suspicion. “Nonsense? I think she’s perfectly lucid. Bingning, are you perhaps hiding something from me?”

Luo Bingning’s heart tightened, and she instinctively clutched the hem of her skirt. “Sect Master, how could that be? Xiaocha has always been playful. Perhaps she had a strange dream and hasn’t fully recovered yet.” As she spoke, she subtly reached behind her, gently tugging at Zhang Xiaocha’s sleeve, signaling her to stop talking nonsense.

Zhang Xiaocha’s dark, round eyes darted, glancing at Shangguan Zhi before her, a smile forming in her heart.

[Hehe~ Even if the Old Woman knows it was me, what can she do? Senior Sister is right here by my side now, so does she still want to torture a confession out of me? No way~]

[Old Woman! Old Woman! Hmph~]

[So what if I call you an Old Woman? Do you dare hang me up like before?]

[Hmph! Foolish Old Woman, even if I curse you, you wouldn’t even know it!]

Upon hearing Zhang Xiaocha’s string of curses against Shangguan Zhi in her mind, Luo Bingning’s heart abruptly constricted, as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

She secretly glanced at Shangguan Zhi, only to find her expression unchanged. Luo Bingning felt puzzled. Given the Sect Master’s temperament, she would never let such insults pass. Could it be that Zhang Xiaocha had verbally uttered ‘Old Woman’ earlier, and she simply hadn’t heard it?

Perhaps the Sect Master couldn’t hear Zhang Xiaocha’s inner thoughts at all?

For some reason, a strange joy welled up in her heart. Perhaps she was the only one in this world who could hear Zhang Xiaocha’s true thoughts!

“Yes, yes! How could I, such a good girl, curse you, Sect Master? Those were just sleep-talk, sleep-talk~” Zhang Xiaocha’s eyes sparkled, nodding vigorously like a pounding garlic pestle, adopting an air of ‘I’m the best girl, please believe me.’

[The Old Woman is probably fuming right now!]

[Not only did she watch the lesbian film I made for her, but I also cursed her to her face! Yet she can do nothing! Hahahaha~ This is too satisfying!]

She stealthily cast a sidelong glance at Luo Bingning, feeling increasingly pleased. [My satisfaction is all thanks to Senior Sister~ When I, Young Master Chacha, return, I’ll immediately reward you with a big gift package of ‘Disgust Value’! Guaranteed to make Senior Sister extremely happy~ Hehe~]

Hearing the soft, sweet inner voice echoing in her sea of consciousness, Luo Bingning’s long eyelashes trembled slightly. Her hands clenched unconsciously, her fingertips turning white from the immense pressure, and indignation flared in her heart. ‘Do you have no sense of remorse at all? Even at this point, you’re still thinking about how to earn Disgust Value!’

Feeling the increasing curve of her lips, Zhang Xiaocha abruptly lowered her head. “Mm~” She finally couldn’t hold back a laugh.

Shangguan Zhi silently took in the entire scene, watching Zhang Xiaocha, who was still secretly snickering and slandering her in her thoughts.

She was still in her grasp, the crisis far from over, yet she was already planning how to provoke Luo Bingning upon her return. Was she truly so confident that she couldn’t be touched?

The curve of Shangguan Zhi’s lips widened. ‘Old Woman?’

‘You didn’t know I was cursing you?’

‘There’s no evidence, right?’

Heh, she sneered inwardly, a wisp of spiritual energy silently swirling around her fingertips. Her smile grew even more radiant. “Of course~ Xiaocha is the most respectful person towards me, your Sect Master, in our Jade Maiden Sect. How could I not believe you?”

“Mm-hmm~ Exactly, exactly~”

She was nodding her head when suddenly!

A dizzying sensation instantly assailed her. “Ugh…”

When Zhang Xiaocha regained her senses, she found herself hanging upside down from a stone pillar at the mountain gate, bound by a rope woven from spiritual energy. Her head was downwards, blood rushing to it, and her small face was flushed crimson. “Ah, Old Woman! What are you doing? Let me go now!”

“Heh? What? No more pretense? I merely saw you struggling to maintain your act, so I, this Sect Master, decided to assist you, didn’t I?” Shangguan Zhi moved with graceful lotus steps, stopping before Zhang Xiaocha. She lightly raised her fair wrist, placing a fingertip on Zhang Xiaocha’s pale face, gently caressing it. A radiant smile bloomed on her face, while a golden-glowing long whip simultaneously appeared in her other hand.

A premonition of dread instantly surged into Zhang Xiaocha’s mind, her small face turning ashen. “O-Old Woman, what do you intend to do with that Soul-Striking Whip? I’m telling you, everything must be based on evidence! Don’t even think about torturing a confession out of me! I haven’t done anything this time!”

With that, she loudly cried out for Luo Bingning, her voice laced with tears, echoing through the vast mountain gate: “Senior Sister! Senior Sister, quickly come save me! The Sect Master is bullying me! I truly haven’t done anything bad, yet she’s hanging me up without rhyme or reason!” Large tears rolled from her eyes, tracing paths down her flushed cheeks, and dripping onto the ground.

“Senior Sister, I’m so scared! I don’t want to be tortured like this!” Zhang Xiaocha cried, twisting her body, trying to break free, but the spiritual energy rope only tightened further. “I just made a joke, calling her an Old Woman, but surely that doesn’t warrant being hung up! Senior Sister, quickly tell her I really didn’t mean it! I won’t dare again!”

Her gaze fell upon the golden-glowing whip in Shangguan Zhi’s hand, and Luo Bingning’s heart lurched. ‘Is that the Soul-Striking Whip?’

This whip was terrifyingly potent; once it struck a person, it directly impacted the depths of their soul. Even a Nascent Soul Grand Cultivator would struggle to endure a few lashes, let alone Zhang Xiaocha, whose cultivation was still shallow.

Her figure flashed, placing herself in front of Zhang Xiaocha. She met Shangguan Zhi’s eyes, which were filled with determination and resolve. “Sect Master, Xiaocha merely spoke out of turn, making a joke. Even if she truly erred, given her age and cultivation, her transgression does not warrant such a severe punishment as the Soul-Striking Whip.”

Luo Bingning paused slightly, taking a deep breath. “Furthermore, for the mistake she committed, I, as her senior sister, cannot shirk my responsibility. If the Sect Master insists on using the Soul-Striking Whip for punishment, then please strike me instead. I am willing to bear the consequences on her behalf, hoping only that the Sect Master will spare Xiaocha this once.”

Gazes fixed on the resolute figure blocking her view, Zhang Xiaocha’s nose tingled. [Waaah… Senior Sister, you’re so kind…]

The tearful inner voice simultaneously echoed in both their seas of consciousness. Shangguan Zhi, exasperated, looked past Luo Bingning, her gaze falling on Zhang Xiaocha, who was feigning pitifulness behind her. Annoyance welled up within her. “Heh! Keep up the act! This Soul-Striking Whip would merely be a tickle to you, wouldn’t it?”

‘It’s not like she hasn’t been whipped before! You wretched little brat, I should have known not to bring out this useless whip!’

[But can you at least pick me up first? Hanging like this, I’m almost dying of discomfort… Wuwuwu…]

At once, Luo Bingning felt a small hand incessantly tugging at her skirt from behind, attempting to get up. Just as she was about to swat the hand away,

Suddenly!

Four pillars of teleportation light above the Jade Maiden Sect vibrated violently. Shangguan Zhi slightly raised her head, her eyes half-closed. “They arrived so quickly?”

‘Very well, I’ll let this little brat off for now.’ With a slight movement of spiritual energy in her palm, she unceremoniously tossed Zhang Xiaocha into the mountain gate.

Her petite body arced through the air, passing through the sect-protecting formation, and landed on the ground.

Perhaps due to her earlier struggles, her small face was flushed. Her originally neat collar was wide open, revealing a expanse of skin as white as snow, and the clothes on her shoulder had slipped, half of her fair arm vaguely visible. Her hair was disheveled, scattered beside her cheeks. “Ugh… My bottom hurts so much!”

Glancing at Luo Bingning, she said, “I’m entrusting Zhang Xiaocha to you. Take her back to Misty Peak. I, this Sect Master, have other matters to attend to! We will discuss this another day!” With that, her figure vanished from the spot.

At the mountain gate, silver light bathed Luo Bingning’s form. She stared blankly at the four pillars of light in the sky.

Now that the four great sects had arrived, the Sect Master might not be able to attend to Zhang Xiaocha for a while. However, given the Sect Master’s temperament today, having brought out the Soul-Striking Whip, she would certainly not let Zhang Xiaocha off in the future!

Even if she didn’t die, she would surely be flayed alive.

She subtly glanced at Zhang Xiaocha, whose clothes were half-undone within the sect-protecting formation, and swallowed lightly. ‘Good, then I’ll use this opportunity to take Xiaocha away!’

“Xiaocha, come out!”

“Oh…”

Three hundred miles outside the Jade Maiden Sect, within a dim stone cave,

Mist swirled, suffusing with warm steam that enveloped everything in a hazy shroud. The candlelight flickered, casting the silhouettes of the two women beside the bathing tub onto the stone wall.

Seeing that everything was ready,

Luo Bingning moved with graceful lotus steps, approaching Zhang Xiaocha, who was leaning against the stone wall, deep in slumber. She reached out, her slender fingers gently unfastening the last floral button. Zhang Xiaocha’s clothes slid down, revealing her pale yellow bellyband.

Luo Bingning’s heart suddenly quickened. She slipped her arms under Zhang Xiaocha’s knees and back, gently lifting her. Zhang Xiaocha’s head rested limply on her shoulder, her disheveled hair scattered over Luo Bingning’s arm.

Looking at the phoenix-tail skirt on Zhang Xiaocha’s lower body, Luo Bingning smoothly removed it and walked step by step towards the bathing tub. “I told you, didn’t I? As long as you dare to earn Disgust Value, I will continue to bully you in that manner!”

She bent slightly, slowly lowering Zhang Xiaocha into the water…