The Ethereal Domains

Captured? . . .

In a bustling corner of the Kingdom of Chen, beneath a brilliant cyan sky, a girl with a gentle smile on her face turned to her companions with a warm tone in her voice. "No need to hurry," she said, "We journeyed to the Kingdom of Chen with a purpose - to immerse ourselves in the local customs and witness the ever-evolving political landscape. But above all, we are here to closely observe the unfolding power struggle among the princes."

Her companion nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with determination. "Indeed, that is our mission."

"We hail from the Kingdom of Lan-Feng," the girl in cyan continued, her words carrying a hint of seriousness. "If we aspire to establish our supremacy in this land, we must keep a vigilant eye on these crucial matters."

With her statement, the girl turned a corner, only to let out an astonished "Oh!" as she stumbled upon an unexpected sight. Before her lay the unconscious form of Cha-Eun Xiao.

Her demeanor changed instantly, her eyes narrowing with a newfound intensity. "Could it be...?" She whispered, her voice laden with concern. "Isn't he the individual we encountered at the auction, the possessor of those remarkable dan beads?"

A middle-aged woman stepped forward, confirming the girl's suspicions. "Yes, his build, his stature, and that distinctive square jaw. This is undoubtedly the person known as Feng."

The girl in cyan felt a sense of urgency welling up within her. She cast a quick glance around and spoke with anxious determination, "He has clearly been attacked." Her hand reached out to check for signs of life, her fingers gently resting on Cha-Eun Xiao's neck. "He's still breathing," she remarked with relief.

Straightening up, she began issuing orders. "Aunt Hua, please fetch a carriage quietly and discreetly. We must transport him to our residence in the Kingdom of Chen without attracting any unwanted attention. I have a strong feeling that this man... he could prove to be extraordinarily valuable in the days to come."

Aunt Hua hurriedly departed in search of a carriage.

Meanwhile, the girl in cyan raised her foot and lightly tapped Cha-Eun Xiao's body three times - "Pah Pah Pah!" - effectively sealing his three major acupoints. Whether he awoke or remained unconscious, his martial abilities would be rendered useless for the foreseeable future.

She then reached into her bag, retrieving a dan bead and placing it gently into Cha-Eun Xiao's mouth. With a black napkin, she concealed his face, instructing her companion, "Mr. Zhao, please carry him on your back. Exercise extreme caution and ensure that no one catches a glimpse of his face."

"Of course, my lady," Mr. Zhao replied obediently, bending down to hoist Cha-Eun Xiao onto his back.

The girl in cyan extended her hand once more, this time conducting a thorough search of Cha-Eun Xiao's person. Her hand slipped beneath his clothing, and she stood there, perplexed and surprised.

She muttered to herself, "Aside from a few notes, there's nothing else on him. It appears that the owner of these supreme dan beads was indeed the target of a robbery. Despite carrying such valuable items, he openly displayed his wealth, making him a prime target. But what puzzles me is this: why did the robbers not take these notes, which hold considerable value? Do they have no interest in money... or could it be something else entirely?"

"Perhaps," she contemplated aloud, "the culprits are not of this mortal realm."

"If that's the case," she continued, her brow furrowing in deep thought, "then who, or what, could they possibly be?"

"Could there possibly be an enigmatic force at play behind all of this?" The girl in cyan pondered aloud, her voice tinged with wonder and intrigue.

Her companion nodded in agreement, a warm and earnest expression on their face. "Indeed, this situation is quite perplexing and goes beyond our understanding."

As she contemplated the mysterious turn of events, a curious sensation suddenly coursed through her palm. Startled, she withdrew her hand from Cha-Eun Xiao's body as if a jolt of electricity had surged through her. Her face, hidden behind a veil, betrayed no visible expression, but her neck had flushed noticeably.

Cursing herself for her absent-mindedness, she muttered under her breath, "What's gotten into me? Why did I lose myself in thought to the point of placing my hand inside a man's clothing for so long?"

However, her thoughts took an unexpected turn. She sniffed the air delicately, contemplating the scent that had reached her senses. "Hmm," she mused, "This man's scent is not unpleasant. It carries the essence of purity, as if he has shed the impurities of the mortal world."

"In possessing a purified body, he must be a supreme cultivator," she deduced, her voice holding a note of certainty. "This implies that the one who robbed him must wield significantly higher power, enough to incapacitate him without leaving a single trace of harm."

"Consequently," she continued, her gaze focused, "the robber must possess at least the strength of a Grade Six Diyuan level cultivator. To determine an accurate assessment, we must await this man's awakening and confirm his cultivation level."

Meanwhile, Mr. Zhao emerged from the alley, carrying Cha-Eun Xiao whose face remained concealed beneath the black napkin.

A carriage came into view not far from their location, with a middle-aged woman walking alongside it.

Without hesitation, the girl in cyan seized Cha-Eun Xiao and entered the carriage, followed closely by the middle-aged woman.

Mr. Zhao opted not to join them; instead, he tossed a generous piece of gold to the coachman and declared, "I will be taking this carriage."

With that, he leaped onto the driver's seat, snatched the whip, and cracked it, urging the horse forward. The carriage set off steadily on its journey.

Sitting at the front, Mr. Zhao dangled his legs casually, his eyes displaying a hint of enigmatic allure. He embodied the appearance of an experienced coachman, capable of assuming the demeanor of a dragon or a tiger as needed—a remarkable skill indeed.

Even as the carriage gradually disappeared from sight, the coachman remained in a dreamy state. "Could there truly be someone willing to trade an old carriage for such a hefty piece of gleaming gold?" he mused aloud, joyfully pocketing the precious metal. "This piece of gold must be worth at least thirty carriages like mine! It seems fortune has smiled upon me today. It's as if pies are falling from the sky!"

Finally snapping out of his reverie, the coachman resolved, "Right, I should invest this windfall wisely. There's much to be done with this money—new clothes for my wife, better food for my son and daughter, and education for the kids. It's high time they had a brighter future, unlike mine spent as a coachman."

As he contemplated his newfound wealth, vivid visions of a prosperous future danced before his eyes, bringing a smile to his face.

Meanwhile, Cha-Eun Xiao's body twitched uncontrollably, even in his unconscious state. His Jing and Mai seemed on the verge of eruption, causing unbearable agony throughout his entire being. Though his face bore a pained frown, he remained resolute, making no audible sound.

The girl in cyan gently laid him on the carriage seat, her eyes fixated on the peculiar movements of his Jing and Mai, which appeared to wriggle like earthworms beneath his skin. She recognized that he was enduring excruciating pain with each passing moment, and she couldn't help but sigh with empathy and concern.

"What malevolent act did this robber perpetrate against him? It's truly inhumane... The duration of his unconsciousness and the persistent agony he endures are bewildering. I've attempted various methods, but I'm still unable to find a solution or even a clue regarding this technique," the girl in cyan mused, her voice filled with genuine concern.

Her companion, the middle-aged woman, shared her sentiment. "Indeed," she replied, her tone tinged with indignation. "The assailant displayed a shocking lack of restraint. Not only did they rob him, but they also subjected him to such cruel torment. It would almost be merciful to end his suffering now rather than subject him to this excruciating pain. It's infuriating!" 𝐛𝗲𝐝𝗻𝗼𝘃𝐞𝗹．𝗻𝐞𝘁

They had witnessed countless acts of violence and death in their line of work, but this malicious technique was a gruesome first for them. It seemed designed to extract the very essence of suffering from its victim, forcing them to plead for a release only death could provide.

"Nevertheless," the girl in cyan remarked with a smile, "it's no wonder this man is the possessor of the supreme dan. He possesses remarkable resilience. Even an accomplished cultivator, when subjected to such extreme agony while unconscious, would likely scream out in pain. Yet, he hasn't uttered a single cry. That is truly remarkable."

Her voice held a note of admiration as she continued, "A man with such unwavering determination... Is there anything in this world he cannot achieve? To craft the legendary supreme dan beads, he must possess an extraordinary willpower. I am more convinced than ever that the auction's supreme dan originated from this man!"

The carriage continued its steady journey along the road, approaching the southern gate of Chen-Xing City. After a long and exhausting trip, they arrived at the entrance of a sizable residence, and the carriage came to a halt.

With a gesture from Mr. Zhao, the carriage door swung open. "Tik Tak Tik Tak," it rolled through the entrance.

The door was promptly shut behind them.

Inside the carriage, Cha-Eun Xiao remained oblivious to the shifting surroundings. He felt as though he were adrift on a turbulent sea, battered by relentless rogue waves, and at any moment, he might succumb to the depths.

Aware that his only recourse was to cling to his sense of self with unwavering determination, Cha-Eun Xiao clenched his teeth and endured the torment as best he could. He shut out everything beyond the confines of his subconsciousness.

Unbeknownst to him, he had become a captive, a pawn in someone else's hands, like a piece of meat awaiting the butcher's blade.

As the tremors finally subsided, Cha-Eun Xiao's body had endured more than 70 rounds of intense perspiration. Were it not for the girl in cyan's attentiveness, driven by his status as the "owner of the supreme dan," he would have withered away to a mere skeleton due to dehydration. It was a sobering thought.

Little did they know, the girl in cyan had unwittingly become the savior of a mythical figure—the Xiao Monarch. Yet, at this moment, neither the savior nor the saved were aware of their fateful connection.