Chapter Forty Four

Ling Da Chuanli silently observes as the woman retracts the frigid air surrounding them, seeming to reabsorb it directly back into her body. Soon, that warm ocean breeze was able to reach them again through the gap in the slightly ajar windows of her room. Ling Da Chuanli eyes her sickly visage more closely. Is she, purposely cultivating energy and treating her body as a mere vessel for the sake of breaching the city seal? He didn't know whether to treat her as a gifted talent or a suicidal idiot. However, it was true that her spiritual sea was much too powerful and unique to be hidden by normal standards. He somewhat ponders the lengths in which she took to remain unnoticed all this time.

If she landed in the wrong hands, what kind of disasters could they have wrecked raising her as a puppet? Though her living conditions seem nice now, and she is being treated with respect by the Zenith Star sect. In the upcoming war between cultivators, isn't she still being involved as a mere chess piece for someone else's goals? Yet the woman herself seemed to not care about her inevitable fate as a catalyst for a war. "What do you achieve in return for doing this for them?" She who had gone to tidy up her messy objects pauses mid-reach as if not expecting this question from him. He could even see a trace of surprise jolt through her half-covered face as she turned to him despite not being able to see. 

For once, the woman's stern face softens around the edges for the first time since meeting him eluding a strange peace he again found unfamiliar yet familiar all at once. Her words were carried softly by the winds who seemed to favor her gentleness and couldn't get enough of the sound of her voice. Sending a strange tingle through his ears "A son of heaven shouldn't concern himself over the fates of those who are less favored. Doesn't young master Ling agree?" 

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"*Gag-! *Mmph-!" Her hands trembled as she held onto the basin with all her might to not fall into the pool of her vomit. Chao Bai violently threw up acid as the sour stench and the heavy smell of medicine mixed in the air. Neither blood nor food came out of her stomach, only clear and black medical brews she had consumed in the morning. Her fingers dug into the wood sides scratching her skeleton hands as she heaved again white hair spilling around her bent-over agonizing form. As the sun casts a shadow on her ghostly figure mirroring her pitiful state on the wall across her room. Chao Bai weakly pushes herself up from the ground gasping for air and wiping her mouth with a clean cloth. 

"Tsk, you ruin your noble status by doing useless things like this." "Shut your mouth." Xiu Xie covered her mouth but her giggle still came through perfectly not taking Chao Bai's deadly remark seriously. "My my, who knew our Chao Bai had such a crass mouth on her." Not in the mood to entertain the snake Chao Bai brushed her hair back and took a deep breath to subdue the churning in her stomach. Running a hand through her hair, a cleaning spell was all it took to clear the room of all traces. Without looking at the other Chao Bai spoke coldly "Were you not hunting for a proper mate within the western province?" Xiu Xie after seeing the young woman had recovered enough to regain her calm slinked over-familiarity. 

Ignoring the chill surrounding her as she lay upon Chao Bai's back embracing her from behind like the vixen she loved to play. Xiu Xie purrs into her left ear while playing with Chao Bai's blindfold and admiring the silky expensive fabric it was made of. "Maybe I missed my fellow royal and just wanted to visit~?"Chao Bai was never one to play her games or indulge her reacting coldly to her actions of intimacy "I see." She clicks her tongue again "But it's true, I came here specifically to visit you and see what you were doing. But to think that I would encounter you during a time of weakness, hehe~ How rare~" Unamused Chao Bai didn't bother shrugging her off and turned away from her with all intentions to cultivate. 

Xie Xiu rests her chin on her shoulder staring a hole into the side of her face purely out of amusement and novelty. "Swallowing the blood and scale of your beloved Hui hasn't gone well I assume?" Having her reverse scale mentioned the icy beauty swiftly took hold of the smirking snake's throat casting a cloud of snow over the room she appeared to become the embodiment of winter itself hissing down at the other beauty. Crystal scales cover her neck and her fangs flash primitively at the other "Stay your tongue and refrain from having his name come out of your mouth if you wish to keep it Xiu Xie." Xiu Xie chuckled up at the cold beauty who held her by her neck, unafraid despite Chao Bai's nails digging into her throat. 

"I merely asked out of my concern for you as a fellow royal, don't be so touchy." Chao Bai sneered at her and released her hold flicking her white sleeves indifferently. Sitting up Xiu Xie teased the other fearlessly "Oh how your featherless wings have become steel so quickly my little Chao Bai. If I didn't like you so much we would have already been at each other's throats for real for your actions just now." Chao Bai's reply was cool "I held up my end of the bargain when I gave you a fertile womb, I won't tolerate you poking your nose where it does not belong otherwise." She hums faintly neither denying nor agreeing to Chao Bai's accusation, lounging on the young woman's simple yet luxurious covers she seemed to be bored with the topic now. 

"I fear I will not be able to find a strong mate before the brooding season is over. The quality of this plane's lords has fallen quite low." "Your standards as royalty are too high, it is not easy to find a suitable mate so late into the season as most are already spoken for. Did the lord I recommend to you not meet your conditions either?" Being faced with this reality Xiu Xie also knew the youngling's words were right but still sent her a fleeting look "Look at you, a child teaching an elder, and don't even mention that player of a lord. I traversed those mountains and searched the lake as you told me to yet by the time I arrived he informed me he had his eyes set on a mate already and dismissed me without so much as a hello. What kind of bad taste must he have to reject this queen for a random little wild thing?" Her nose crinkles as her tone had revealed her aggravation much to Chao Bai's surprise however it was only for a few moments as she too knew the words of a lord could never be trusted too well either. His offer to her must have been a mere whim.

"However, you're correct in your observation of one thing. The snakes on this plane are too few and romantic, having only one lover per lifespan it seems we've fallen behind on catching the ones who have already fallen prey to affection toward their pets. The existence of royals can only amount to the number of fingers a human palm holds per clan as well." Chao Bai who was only half listening turns slightly in her direction "You say the births of royals have dwindled?" Sensing her interest in the topic Xiu Xie lays on her stomach resting her chin on top of her fingers as she faces her. Her venom eyes shone faintly "Guess who it is who holds the most amount of royals out of the seven major clans spread throughout the lands at this point in time." Chao Bai's brows furrow faintly while Xiu Xie grins almost excitedly while spreading the news to the ignorant relatively newborn royal. "Our Silver Serpents holds the second highest amount of royals at five, and the highest belongs to the Blue Mirage at a mere six. The rest of the seven clans are down to two or three." 

Xiu Xie giggles despite the dangerous news of drastically lessening royals among them "Rumor has it that the heavens are punishing them for mingling too much and tainting their purity with mortal blood. An Xing has kept our lineage strong yet in comparison to others." "..." Chao Bai pursed her lips finding no response necessary for her dangerous gossip and speculation of other clans. For it just meant the Blue Mirage and Silver Serpents' influence and power would soon become strong enough to devour the rest of the five who lack heirs. Potentially tempting the An Xing snakes to return to this plane to conquer the lands once more. 

"Will you still give your life for revenge knowing this? Don't you wish for the glory of roaming these lands without hiding from humans? Yearn for the days of glory where man feared beast and not the other way around before the demonic war~?" "I no longer belong to the same world as you." The green-clad woman hums lightly "Until you breathe your last on this land, you will always be involved with us in one way or another." She observed as Chao Bai oozed unhappiness but no longer spoke of being a separate entity from the inevitable change in authority. "The Lord is still busy trying to track down the traitor who killed one of us within our home so he will not be able to pay attention to your matters for quite awhile. The false evidence you laid was quite troublesome." 

Recalling the fury the Lord expressed Xiu Xie lightly traces a bruise on her shoulder which vaguely resembled the shape of a man's hand discreetly. Her expression was null and a tad bit frigid, unable to see all of this the equally cool-looking Chao Bai's brows twitched faintly. "Casualties?" Falling out of her trance Xiu Xie returns to a smiling beauty and beams at Chao Bai "Naturally this queen never allowed him to harm others, how can I allow my future subjects to endure his anger while I escape unscathed alone?" "Scheming snake." She covers her mouth coyly taking Chao Bai's insult as a compliment crooning flirtatiously.

"Don't flirt with me you know I prefer men dear~. However, speaking of men, I heard from a little hatchling of mine that a certain dashing man entered your bed chambers and stayed there without supervision for quite awhile. Would you like to confess anything to your dear aunt?" To her amusement, Chao Bai showed no special reaction to her suggestive tone and even gave up cultivating to reach over toward a sewing basket as if it were a subject she held no interest in. "You are a mere two hundred years my senior, do you hold no shame for considering yourself, my aunt?" "Don't be shy, from what my pet said he was quite the looker for a human and could even rival you somewhat in presence." 

Keeping her hands busy settles the anxiety she kept from bubbling to the surface so Chao Bai managed to keep calm as she conversed with the cunning woman. Giving nothing away on the surface nor spiritual sea, not a single fluctuation entered her features. Human clans held no interest to her, the Zenith star sect was an exception as Xiu Xie had a rather profitable connection with them. The busy snake most likely had forgotten most of the details of Chao Bai's escapade as a human because it brought her no benefits. And even if there was the slightest chance she wouldn't do anything, Chao Bai would prefer to not refresh her memory.

So, her response to her interrogation was as bland as before "A mortal is a mortal, unless they take part in the plan they are nothing more than a passing ant beneath our gaze." As expected the older woman's gaze sparkled, she leaned forward, silver hair the same shade as Chao Bai's flowing past her shoulders. "If you give me your eyes I also will consider taking part in this land's human war." Unamused by her greed, the young woman continued to embroider in simple silence. Tactically declining and treating Xiu Xie's moment of greed as a fleeting fancy. She heard the woman click her tongue in disappointment "How stingy." 

In sync, the two women lift their heads and look towards the northern entrance of her courtyard. Chao Bai listens to the rustling of clothing without much reaction as the noise doubles as well as the faint sound of a human crying out in pain before being silenced. Xiu Xie tilts her head curiously, licking her lips as for just a second their sensitive instincts catch the faint whiff of blood smudging the medicine-heavy smelling courtyard. They didn't need to speak to communicate as Xiu Xie's curiosity overruled Chao Bai's own and the woman faded with a wicked grin to see for herself exactly who would be daring enough to sneak into a woman's abode in the dead of night. 

If not for the person guarding the courtyard, that human would most likely have faced a fate worse than death for daring to intrude upon Chao Bai's territory. Chao Bai didn't see her off as not more than a few seconds later a man's gruff voice called from outside her quarters. "Lady Chao Bai, apologies for disturbing you at this time. The madam said that if it's too noisy here you may reside in her chambers for a more restful night." Chao Bai's voice flows out from the room a lofty and gentle as always seeming to be unbothered by the commotion. "There's no need, let them come. You may tell madam I fear nothing in the home of the Zenith Star."