Dual Cultivation: I Summon Villainesses of Mythic Era-Chapter 63: I Am Zhi Mei, The Holy Templar Sent By The Dao Temple
Hue Qing was sitting alone in her private pavilion.
A maid entered silently, carrying a tray. She bowed with respect. She began to prepare tea, arranging the utensils. Hue Qing watched her without really seeing her, lost in her thoughts about Xuan BaiShe.
Suddenly, the maid’s steady rhythm was interrupted. The young woman started coughing. It was a dry, violent cough that seemed to tear her lungs apart.
She dropped the porcelain teapot, which shattered on the floor, spilling the steaming liquid. Hue Qing straightened up, her eyebrows furrowing with worry.
"What is happening to you?"
The maid coughed even harder, doubling over. Her hands rose to her throat as if she were choking. Under Qing’er’s horrified eyes, a crow feather came out of her mouth.
"How!?" exclaimed Hue Qing, stepping back.
Before she could make the slightest movement to call the guards, the maid opened her mouth exaggeratedly, her jaws dislocating with a sharp crack.
A multitude of crows with bright violet eyes poured out in an uninterrupted flow from her entrails. The unfortunate woman fell to the floor, her skin instantly turning gray and dried up.
The birds swirled in the center of the pavilion, merging with one another. In a few seconds, the volatile mass took shape, solidifying to reveal a graceful silhouette.
A woman appeared, dressed in a black robe so thin that it molded every curve of her body.
The black fabric was edged with dark lace, highlighting an ample and firm chest that seemed ready to overflow from its bustier with every breath.
Her long dark violet hair fell in silky waves over her shoulders. She raised her piercing violet eyes toward Hue Qing, a beautiful smile stretching her lips.
"Who are you?" asked Hue Qing, her voice trembling despite her attempt to remain calm.
"The fiancée of Xuan BaiShe... Calm down, I come in peace," replied the silhouette in a melodious voice.
Hue Qing swallowed with difficulty, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
She realized with a hint of bitterness that Young Master Xuan definitely had many beautiful women by his side. In front of such a presence, she wondered if she was even qualified to be his simple servant, let alone his concubine. Her own beauty seemed dull compared to the devastating aura of the princess.
Suppressing her unease, she slowly stood up and bowed her head in a gesture of deference.
"Hue Qing greets madam..."
The princess settled on a chair with royal assurance, crossing her long legs. She made a negligent gesture with her hand toward the opposite seat.
"Sit down. So, tell me what you have finally decided?"
Hue Qing remained confused for a moment.
"Decided?"
"Yes, about our discussion last night," resumed the princess as she tilted her head slightly.
Hue Qing widened her eyes. She remembered the silhouette surrounded by crows that had approached her in the gardens after Guo Jian’s death, the one who had called her the chosen one and offered her to join a secret organization.
"It was you!" she exclaimed.
"One of my messengers," replied Xue Ming with a small laugh.
"In my case, Heavenly Demoness would be more appropriate, but Heavenly Demon does not bother me either. The title matters little, only power counts."
Hue Qing felt a wave of fear wash over her. She knew she did not really have a choice. If this woman knew her true nature as the Devourer, she could either help her or destroy her in an instant. Consequently, she took a deep breath.
"I agree, as long as I do not harm Young Master."
Xue Ming’s smile froze for a moment.
"Oh... You are close?" she asked in a honeyed tone.
"N... NO," stammered Qing’er, feeling the princess’s spiritual pressure increase sharply.
Xue Ming extended a slender hand and almost tenderly caressed Hue Qing’s chin, her black nails brushing her skin.
"Keep your distance from my man if you want to live..." she murmured a few millimeters from her face.
"Y... Yes..." replied Hue Qing, terrified.
The princess straightened up abruptly, resuming her detached air.
"Good, we can help each other mutually. I help you become powerful and, in return, I have my own goals to achieve..."
"How did you know about my revenge? About my mother?"
"I am the princess of the Nether Dynasty, do you think I do not know such things?" replied Xue Ming with a disdainful shrug.
The young woman nodded. She did not know the extent of her real influence, but a royal family in the Upper Realm was definitely no joke.
Princess Xue Ming wanted to help BaiShe, but she alone decided what was best for him. In her twisted mind, lying to him or even mortally wounding him was part of a larger plan to ensure his supremacy. She considered him her absolute property, and every pawn she moved, including Hue Qing, served this possessive ideal.
Thanks to the colossal resources of the Nether Dynasty and her influence, she had easily created the organization *Abyss against The Heavens*. With her knowledge of Dual Cultivation secrets, she had gotten her hands on forgotten Immortal Arts that would exponentially increase her power and that of her subordinates.
She saw in Hue Qing, the Devourer of this era, the perfect tool to divert the attention of the Dao Temple while she consolidated her grip.
Xue Ming stood up and signaled Qing to follow her. The maid’s corpse evaporated into black dust, leaving no trace of her passage.
"Now, let us go devour some prey..."
****
Huojin had just stabilized his breakthrough. Around him, volutes of immaculate pure Qi swirled before being absorbed by his pores.
Suddenly, a major disturbance shook the protective barriers of the pavilion. A divine aura of power descended from the sky.
Zhi Mei had just landed with sovereign grace in front of the entrance. She was closely followed by Xuan BaiShe.
As she crossed the threshold, Zhi Mei stopped.
Her blue eyes, deep as oceans, fixed on the young man with white hair sitting in lotus position.
She immediately felt the resonance.
Zhi Mei felt her legs weaken under the weight of a religious fervor she had never felt with such force. She, the 5th stage Overlord, the elite warrior of the Dao Temple, could not help but place one knee on the ground, her head bowed in absolute allegiance.
"I am Zhi Mei, the Holy Templar sent by the Dao Temple."
"My existence and my blade belong to the Executor. I have finally found you, my Lord."
