“Trying the same trick twice? Saintess, you really underestimate me.” Flaxseed’s voice drifted over from behind her.
The Saintess spun around, three paces behind stood Flaxseed, a vial balanced casually in his hand.
He gave the vial a lazy shake. “This is the real antidote. Do you want it?”
The backlash of the Blood Soul Thread was already eroding strength, could barely remain upright, and agony etched itself across features.
At last, composure shattered. She dropped to knees, pleading, “Please… Please give me the antidote… I will agree to anything…”
Flaxseed released a rueful sigh. “If you had known it would come to this, why play your games in the first place?”
As his fingertips traced the cool ridges of the vial, the Saintess’ partially veiled body gleamed with a subtle, bewitching radiance.
A blood emerald hairpin slipped loose and swayed beside dark locks, catching the light, in its shimmer, eyes stirred with irresistible allure.
Moments ago, had been the murderous Saintess of Bloodshadow Palace; now, like a crimson butterfly with shattered wings, curled upon the floor, slender fingers trembling as they reached for the hem of Flaxseed’s robe. “Sir… Give me the antidote… I will bring all my disciples to serve you…”
Flaxseed swallowed, flashes of the pleasure houses in the Sixth Heaven flickering through his mind, his gaze fell upon the faint flush along neck, the Passion Blossom Hex’s burning brand.
Though was keenly aware of the venom coiled within this woman’s heart, instinctive temptation still gnawed at his defenses.
“Fine, have it then.” He exhaled a long breath and tossed the vial toward her. “If you’d realized sooner, you wouldn’t have tried to outsmart this old man.”
The instant the Saintess caught the vial, a glacial glint flared within eyes.
Rather than swallow it, whipped the mouth of the vial toward Flaxseed, scarlet threads snapped from fingertips, sealing the acupoints across his body.
“You lecherous fool, did you really think I would yield?!” hissed, laughter edged with cruelty as blood-red light roared in palm.
“Women of Bloodshadow Palace die standing, we do not live on our knees!”
Realization struck Flaxseed a heartbeat too late, a talon of blood-colored energy ripped straight through his chest.
Disbelief flooded his gaze as blood welled between his lips. “You…”
“Mr. Flaxseed!” Jared streaked forward like a bolt of lightning, a palm wreathed in blinding gold light slamming toward the Saintess’ back.
But had anticipated the strike, blood shadows erupted around her, transmuting into thousands of scarlet arrows that rained toward Jared. At the same time, barked, “Disciples of Bloodshadow Palace, activate the Myriad Enchantress Bewitching Array!”
Even before words had faded, hundreds of female cultivators, already drugged by the Thousand-Illusion Bewitching Incense, tore away what remained of their garments and surged, unclothed, toward Everett and the disciples of the Azurecloud Sect.
Their pupils shimmered with an uncanny rosy hue, lips murmuring a languid, hypnotic chant, the fragrance wafting from their bodies was even more intoxicating than Flaxseed’s own Bewitching Incense.
“Mr. Cloud, save us…” One of the women knelt before Everett, alabaster arms looping about his waist. “So long as you protect us, we will do anything…”
Everett’s expression hardened to iron; channeling his aura, forced the woman back and thundered, “Beguiling black magic! Cease this at once!”
While managed to shield his own mind, the Azurecloud disciples behind were already succumbing one by one.
Their young eyes glazed, and they stepped protectively before the women, unsheathing their swords to ward off Jared. “You must not harm them!”
“They are innocent!” another disciple stammered, shaking yet steadfast as shielded the woman behind him. “If you wish to kill her, you’ll have to kill me first!”
Jared’s eyes blazed brighter with golden light as surveyed the disciples ensnared by the enchantment.
He understood all too well that Bloodshadow Palace’s seduction arts targeted more than the senses, they warped the very mind.
“Fools!” growled, and the golden light in his palm blossomed into a ring that rippled outward like a stone striking water.
Hum!
The invisible soundwave shattered the languid melodies hanging In the air; the rosy halos encircling the women dimmed in an instant.
The Azurecloud disciples jolted awake, recoiling in shock from the unclothed women they had been shielding, their faces burned with a mixture of shame and lingering dread.
“You’re courting death!” Jared showed no further mercy, summoned the Dragonslayer Sword, golden sword energy coalescing along its edge before sweeping out like a gale through autumn leaves toward the Bloodshadow Palace cultivators.
