The gates of the Xia Family Manor slid open with a gentle hiss, revealing three figures descending from the sky. Xia Qingwu, her eyes sparkling with excitement, landed gracefully on her flying sword, a confident smile playing on her lips.
Beside her, Liu Xue touched down with a practiced ease, her expression unreadable as always.
Between them, nestled nervously on her own borrowed blade, was a young woman with wide, apprehensive eyes. This was Mao Caiwei, a recent Outer Sect Disciple of the Jade Lotus Palace and sole survivor of the Stone Mountain Sect's destruction.
Wang Li, clad in his trademark White Eagle Mask, stood waiting at the entrance.
A mischievous glint flickered in his eyes as he spotted Xia Qingwu. With practiced ease, he swept her into a tight embrace, his voice a husky whisper against her ear.
"You've done well, my love," he murmured, his voice a husky caress. "Bringing Mao Caiwei here was a brilliant move."
A flush bloomed on Qingwu's cheeks, but her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Anything for you, Li," she teased, before playfully withdrawing from his embrace.
Leading the way, they entered the expansive manor, heading towards the grand hall where Xia Bingling and Wang Xiangyi awaited. The air crackled with unspoken tension as Mao Caiwei entered the room, her gaze flitting between the unfamiliar faces.
Inside, the scene resembled a tableau. Xia Bingling, her curves accentuated by a silken robe, sat regally beside Wang Xiangyi, whose youthful beauty held a hint of playful defiance.
As they entered, the room fell silent. All eyes turned towards the newcomers, curiosity swirling in their gazes.
Xia Qingwu, ever the graceful socialite, approached her mother first, offering a respectful bow and a warm embrace.
Wang Li, with calculated steps, took a seat between his cousin Xiangyi and his lover, Qingwu.
Liu Xue, with a nod to Xia Bingling, settled in beside Xiangyi, the tension in the room growing with each passing moment.
Finally, Mao Caiwei, the newest arrival, found herself seated across from the masked figure. Her heart hammered in her chest.
Hesitantly, Wang Li removed his mask, revealing his handsome features. "Welcome, Mao Caiwei," he began, his voice surprisingly gentle. "I am Wang Li, the heir of the fallen Wang Family." He gestured towards the woman beside him. "This is my cousin, Wang Xiangyi."
Mao Caiwei's face paled. The names Wang Li and Wang Xiangyi were muttered in hushed tones throughout the cultivation world. They are notorious figures rumored to dabble in demonic arts. Fear, cold and sharp, clawed at her heart.
Noticing Mao Caiwei's apprehension, Wang Xiangyi, with a practiced smile, leaned forward. "There's no need to be afraid," she reassured, her voice smooth and soothing. "Those are merely rumors. If they were true, do you think the esteemed Xia Family would offer us shelter?"
Mao Caiwei's brow furrowed. Logic dictated that Xiangyi was right. Yet, the rumors that she had heard made her continue to doubt their intentions, leaving a seed of doubt in her mind.
Now trapped within the Xia Family walls, she forced herself to remain calm, her gaze flitting from Wang Li's unreadable expression to Xiangyi's seemingly genuine smile.
Xia Bingling, her voice laced with authority, shifted the conversation. "Mao Caiwei," she began, her gaze unwavering, "We'd like to hear about the events that transpired at the Stone Mountain Sect. Especially about the mysterious demon that caused such chaos."
Wang Li chimed in, his eyes gleaming with a calculating glint. "We want to hear everything," he urged. "When was the demon first sighted? How did the news spread? When did Ye Fan appear in the Stone Mountain Sect? Were there any sightings of the demon before his arrival? Did the attacks continue after he came?"
The barrage of questions left Mao Caiwei flustered. Yet, she composed herself and began to speak. "It was Ye Fan who first arrived at the sect," she explained, her voice slightly trembling. "He claimed the Azure Peak Sect received intelligence of a demon within our territory and that he was sent to eradicate it."
She hesitated, then added, "I did question him about proof, but he had none."
"Interesting," Wang Li murmured, leaning back in his chair. "And then?"
"A few days later," Mao Caiwei continued, "five disciples were attacked near the forest borders. But… they were left alive." A flicker of confusion crossed her face. "It was strange. If the demon was truly malicious…"
She paused, taking another deep breath. "The attacks escalated. Elders sent to scout were… killed by the demon, one by one. Finally, after nearly a week, Sect Leader Huang and three other elders met the same fate."
Silence descended upon the room. Xia Bingling's face remained impassive, but a storm brewed in her eyes. Wang Li, a dark smile playing on his lips, prodded Mao Caiwei further.
"And Ye Fan," he asked, his voice laced with a hint of menace, "what was he doing during all this chaos?"
"He… he interacted with the disciples and elders. He even joined some scouting missions," Mao Caiwei replied, her voice barely a whisper.
A tense silence hung in the air. The pieces of the puzzle began to click into place for Wang Li. The "demon," the attacks, Ye Fan's convenient arrival… it all painted a rather suspicious picture.
"Anything else?" Wang Li pressed, his eyes narrowed.
Mao Caiwei shook her head, a single tear tracing a path down her cheek. The weight of the tragedy at the Stone Mountain Sect still hung heavy upon her.
Xia Bingling rose, her voice cutting through the tension. "Thank you, Mao Caiwei. You may rest for the night. We shall discuss this further in the morning."
Mao Caiwei followed a servant through the labyrinthine corridors of the Xia Family Manor. The air hung heavy with an unfamiliar opulence, a stark contrast to the humble surroundings she was accustomed to. A knot of apprehension tightened in her stomach.
The servant deposited her at a well-appointed guest room, bowing curtly before departing. The room, while luxurious, was a gilded cage.
Mao Caiwei instinctively felt the weight of unseen eyes upon her, a suffocating sensation that sent shivers down her spine.
Unknown to her, the Xia Family had taken precautions. Several well-concealed guards patrolled the perimeter of her room.
Having seen the faces of Wang Li and Wang Xiangyi, both rumored to be demonic cultivators, the Xia Family couldn't allow her to simply leave.
Fortunately for them, Mao Caiwei, emotionally and physically drained, held no desire for escape. She sank into the plush bed, the events of the evening replaying in her mind. Sleep eventually claimed her, offering a temporary respite from the turmoil within.
Back in the grand hall, tension gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of cautious optimism.
Xia Qingwu, her gaze fixed on Wang Li, voiced her concern. "Li," she began, her voice laced with concern, "was it wise to reveal yourself to Mao Caiwei?"
Wang Li, his face relaxed, shook his head. "There's a reason, my love," he said, his voice dropping to a murmur as he leaned closer to Xia Qingwu. He outlined his plan, his eyes glinting with a cunning light.
"We need to convince her," he explained. "Mao Caiwei can be an asset. We need to turn her against Ye Fan."
"But how?" Xia Qingwu asked, her brow furrowed.
A confident smirk spread across Wang Li's face. "We paint a convincing picture," he replied. "In the coming days, we'll recount our own encounters with Ye Fan. We'll expose him as a liar, a fiend who utilizes demonic cultivation. We'll plant the seeds of doubt in her mind."
He paused, his gaze flickering towards Mao Caiwei's closed door. "To gain her absolute trust," he continued, "I'll even enter a binding contract with her. A contract stating that I have never, and will never, collaborate with demonic forces. This display of sincerity will sow the seeds of confusion in her heart."
"And then?" Xia Bingling inquired, intrigued by his plan.
"Confusion will lead to questioning," Wang Li assured her. "She'll begin to doubt everything she believes about the 'demon' at Stone Mountain Sect. Slowly, she'll come to the startling realization that the true culprit, the one who orchestrated the chaos, was none other than Ye Fan himself."
A collective gasp filled the room. Wang Xiangyi's eyes widened in surprise. "Li, that's… brilliant!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands with delight. "But what if she doesn't believe us?"
Wang Li chuckled, a dark, confident sound. "We have two things working in our favor," he countered. "Firstly, the timeline. Ye Fan's convenient arrival just before the attacks began is suspect, wouldn't you say?"
A chorus of agreement echoed through the hall. Xia Bingling nodded vigorously. "Indeed," she stated. "It's too coincidental to ignore."
It was Wang Xiangyi who spoke up next, a glimmer of understanding lighting up her face. "The second thing," she chimed in, "is the aftermath. The death of Sect Leader Huang and the subsequent absorption of the Stone Mountain Sect with Ye Fan leading majority of the disciples of the Stone Mountain Sect to the Azure Peak Sect greatly benefits Ye Fan and his sect."