Zheng Ling froze for a second but then calmly turned around and said, “hello Yang Shan.” The man had not changed much since she had seen him. He had not aged a day since he sealed her cultivation. Unlike her, she had matured in the intervening years before Xiulan unsealed her cultivation.
Yang Shan seemed shocked that Zheng Ling was not showing the same kind of terror he expected. That was the real game to him. Zheng Ling was supposed to be his frightened little rabbit.
Yang Shan hissed, “so you found yourself a dual cultivator after all. Looks like the stuck up higher than the heavens routine was only a phase.”
Zheng Ling straightened her back and replied in a clipped voice, “I never had a problem with joining a sex cult Yang Shan, I just did not want to join your sex cult. Most of the woman you use and abuse for pleasure are forced into it.”
That touched a nerve and Yang Shan smashed the bed post in anger. The wooden frame shattered into pieces and the mattress puffed up into a spray of feathers. “I would have killed you if your father had not appealed to the Patriarch you bitch,” growled Yang Shan.
Zheng Ling had discreetly let some acupuncture needles fall into her palm while they talked. Her cultivation was not the only thing that had risen, so had her skills. Zheng Ling laughed mirthlessly, “you did the next best thing. I would still be living an unfulfilled life if I had not met Xiulan. She satisfies me in ways you could never imagine. Besides if you are here, I can only assume you want to kill me now to make up for lost time.”
Yang Shan grit his teeth and said, “last chance Zheng Ling. Come back with me. You can still be one of my wives, but I cannot have you walking around as an example of someone who denied me and got away with it.”
Zheng Ling shook her head and said, “what a sad egotistical life you must lead.”
That was the last straw and Yang Shan exploded forward. The Grateful Pleasure sect was known for combat techniques that relied on pure strength. Zheng Ling had been prepared but was still almost caught off guard by Yang Shan’s speed.
Zheng Ling made a minimal movement to avoid the man and stuck one of the acupuncture needles into an acupoint in his right leg.
Yang Shan tried to land on that leg to pivot into a trailing leg sweep but as soon as he put weight on it the leg buckled. Zheng Ling had perfectly immobilized the muscles in Yang Shan’s thigh. Failing to stop his momentum Yang Shan crashed through the big circular glass window. Zheng Ling heard a thud as he hit the ground outside.
The music and merriment died down as a bedraggled cultivator crashed into one of the trestle tables. Zheng Ling looked down out of the window and noted with dismay that Yang Shan was getting up. He pulled the acupuncture needle out of his leg and threw it to the ground.
Zheng Ling sighed and then called out to the ground, “a little help? This guy won’t take no for an answer.”
Fu Jinjing had been sitting at the table Yang Shan had crashed into and she was not pleased he had ruined the feast. She picked up a hammer that had been sitting next to her and swung at Yang Shan. Yang Shan dodged the first swipe and launched a swift kick at Fu Jinjing’s kneecap. She stepped forward to avoid the kick and hit him in the chin with the pommel of her hammer.
Zheng Ling heard a crunching sound and Yang Shan grunted in pain as his jawbone fractured. Zheng Ling winced in involuntary sympathy. The jaw breaking was a tough injury to heal.
It would have continued to be a tough fight for Fu Jinjing after all her cultivation was not as high as his, but Princess Lijuan intervened. She descended on Yang Shan with a foot to the chest, pushing him down to the ground.
“Yang Shan what do you think you are doing? Is the grateful pleasure sect so shameless that they need to take women against their will?” Lijuan had Yang Shan pinned to the ground with one foot.
Yang Shan could not reply properly through his broken jaw, but he glared at the princess. He tried to force himself to his feet, but the Princess pressed him back to the floor.
Xiulan called from the table in the doorway, “bring him back here. I cannot leave the house. Bad luck and all that.”
Lijuan dragged Yang Shan by the scruff of the neck and threw him down in front of Xiulan. Yen Wen drew her bow back an aimed an arrow at his eye to prevent him from trying anything to escape.
Zheng Ling had made her way back downstairs and was slightly dazed that the biggest monster in her life had been conquered so easily. Yang Shan had been a looming disaster in mind. One that could crush the new life she had built with Xiulan and the others. Zheng Ling teared up a little and whispered, “it’s finally over.”
Xiulan and Meirong stood to embrace her. Xiulan cooed, “yes little Ling it is finally over. How do you want to deal with him though. At this point it seems his sect are likely against us anyway. We do not need to preserve him for that relationship. Also, I know you are kind-hearted but he will never stop trying to get his revenge if we do not deal with him now.”
Zheng Ling nodded. Revenge had not been a priority for her but now Yang Shan had to be dealt with and Zheng Ling thought she knew a fitting punishment. She stepped forward to his kneeling form and fast as lightning punctured him with acupuncture needles in several key places.
Zheng Ling stepped back and informed the group, “I have made him a functional eunuch. He will never be able to dual cultivate again. He will probably kill himself in humiliation.”
Yang Shan’s eyes widened, and he started to thrash against Lijuan’s grip. Xiulan nodded but insisted, “we will have to cripple his existing cultivation as well. He could still be a powerful enemy.
While the crippling took place the crowd were stunned into silence. This was reminder that Xiulan and the Combine were not just saviours of the people but also ruthless to their enemies.
When Yang Shan’s cultivation was broken, he screamed through his broken jaw before passing out.
Xiulan clapped and said, “send him down river in a small boat and then let the festivities continue. I will not let one prick ruin my wedding.”
Zheng Ling froze for a second but then calmly turned around and said, “hello Yang Shan.” The man had not changed much since she had seen him. He had not aged a day since he sealed her cultivation. Unlike her, she had matured in the intervening years before Xiulan unsealed her cultivation.
Yang Shan seemed shocked that Zheng Ling was not showing the same kind of terror he expected. That was the real game to him. Zheng Ling was supposed to be his frightened little rabbit.
Yang Shan hissed, “so you found yourself a dual cultivator after all. Looks like the stuck up higher than the heavens routine was only a phase.”
Zheng Ling straightened her back and replied in a clipped voice, “I never had a problem with joining a sex cult Yang Shan, I just did not want to join your sex cult. Most of the woman you use and abuse for pleasure are forced into it.”
That touched a nerve and Yang Shan smashed the bed post in anger. The wooden frame shattered into pieces and the mattress puffed up into a spray of feathers. “I would have killed you if your father had not appealed to the Patriarch you bitch,” growled Yang Shan.
Zheng Ling had discreetly let some acupuncture needles fall into her palm while they talked. Her cultivation was not the only thing that had risen, so had her skills. Zheng Ling laughed mirthlessly, “you did the next best thing. I would still be living an unfulfilled life if I had not met Xiulan. She satisfies me in ways you could never imagine. Besides if you are here, I can only assume you want to kill me now to make up for lost time.”
Yang Shan grit his teeth and said, “last chance Zheng Ling. Come back with me. You can still be one of my wives, but I cannot have you walking around as an example of someone who denied me and got away with it.”
Zheng Ling shook her head and said, “what a sad egotistical life you must lead.”
That was the last straw and Yang Shan exploded forward. The Grateful Pleasure sect was known for combat techniques that relied on pure strength. Zheng Ling had been prepared but was still almost caught off guard by Yang Shan’s speed.
Zheng Ling made a minimal movement to avoid the man and stuck one of the acupuncture needles into an acupoint in his right leg.
Yang Shan tried to land on that leg to pivot into a trailing leg sweep but as soon as he put weight on it the leg buckled. Zheng Ling had perfectly immobilized the muscles in Yang Shan’s thigh. Failing to stop his momentum Yang Shan crashed through the big circular glass window. Zheng Ling heard a thud as he hit the ground outside.
The music and merriment died down as a bedraggled cultivator crashed into one of the trestle tables. Zheng Ling looked down out of the window and noted with dismay that Yang Shan was getting up. He pulled the acupuncture needle out of his leg and threw it to the ground.
Zheng Ling sighed and then called out to the ground, “a little help? This guy won’t take no for an answer.”
Fu Jinjing had been sitting at the table Yang Shan had crashed into and she was not pleased he had ruined the feast. She picked up a hammer that had been sitting next to her and swung at Yang Shan. Yang Shan dodged the first swipe and launched a swift kick at Fu Jinjing’s kneecap. She stepped forward to avoid the kick and hit him in the chin with the pommel of her hammer.
Zheng Ling heard a crunching sound and Yang Shan grunted in pain as his jawbone fractured. Zheng Ling winced in involuntary sympathy. The jaw breaking was a tough injury to heal.
It would have continued to be a tough fight for Fu Jinjing after all her cultivation was not as high as his, but Princess Lijuan intervened. She descended on Yang Shan with a foot to the chest, pushing him down to the ground.
“Yang Shan what do you think you are doing? Is the grateful pleasure sect so shameless that they need to take women against their will?” Lijuan had Yang Shan pinned to the ground with one foot.
Yang Shan could not reply properly through his broken jaw, but he glared at the princess. He tried to force himself to his feet, but the Princess pressed him back to the floor.
Xiulan called from the table in the doorway, “bring him back here. I cannot leave the house. Bad luck and all that.”
Lijuan dragged Yang Shan by the scruff of the neck and threw him down in front of Xiulan. Yen Wen drew her bow back an aimed an arrow at his eye to prevent him from trying anything to escape.
Zheng Ling had made her way back downstairs and was slightly dazed that the biggest monster in her life had been conquered so easily. Yang Shan had been a looming disaster in mind. One that could crush the new life she had built with Xiulan and the others. Zheng Ling teared up a little and whispered, “it’s finally over.”
Xiulan and Meirong stood to embrace her. Xiulan cooed, “yes little Ling it is finally over. How do you want to deal with him though. At this point it seems his sect are likely against us anyway. We do not need to preserve him for that relationship. Also, I know you are kind-hearted but he will never stop trying to get his revenge if we do not deal with him now.”
Zheng Ling nodded. Revenge had not been a priority for her but now Yang Shan had to be dealt with and Zheng Ling thought she knew a fitting punishment. She stepped forward to his kneeling form and fast as lightning punctured him with acupuncture needles in several key places.
Zheng Ling stepped back and informed the group, “I have made him a functional eunuch. He will never be able to dual cultivate again. He will probably kill himself in humiliation.”
Yang Shan’s eyes widened, and he started to thrash against Lijuan’s grip. Xiulan nodded but insisted, “we will have to cripple his existing cultivation as well. He could still be a powerful enemy.
While the crippling took place the crowd were stunned into silence. This was reminder that Xiulan and the Combine were not just saviours of the people but also ruthless to their enemies.
When Yang Shan’s cultivation was broken, he screamed through his broken jaw before passing out.
Xiulan clapped and said, “send him down river in a small boat and then let the festivities continue. I will not let one prick ruin my wedding.”
