Chapter 146: Luring the Little Rabbit

With those thoughts in mind, Feng Liuli glanced at the figure kneeling stiffly on the floor and spoke indifferently.

“Forget it. Since you don’t wish to speak, I won’t bother asking.”

Liu Yun hadn’t even had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief before Feng Liuli continued.

“I am weary. Come, serve me while I bathe.”

Liu Yun’s heart, which had just begun to settle, surged into her throat once more.

The Nether Lord… what does she mean by that?

In the past, the Nether Lord had never required her service during a bath.

Without waiting for a response, Feng Liuli rose from her throne and walked barefoot across the dark, obsidian floor. After a few steps, she realized there was no sound behind her. Frowning, she turned her head and met Liu Yun’s dazed stare.

“Why are you idling?”

Liu Yun had already resolved to protect the Nether Lord silently from the shadows, but now that the invitation was right in front of her, the words of refusal died in her throat.

If she didn’t go, what if the Nether Lord summoned someone else? She couldn’t allow that!

Besides, the fact that the Nether Lord called for her first… didn’t that prove she was at least somewhat special to her?

At this thought, Liu Yun’s eyes instantly lit up. She stood up with a skip in her step and hurried to follow.

Feng Liuli frowned as she observed the younger woman’s volatile emotions. Shaking her head, she entered the Inner Hall.

As the steam began to rise in the chamber, even the single layer of sheer gauze meant to cover her body disappeared. Feng Liuli leaned against the edge of the hot spring pool with her eyes narrowed, waiting for the blushing girl to walk right into her trap.

Liu Yun tried to convince herself: The Nether Lord is simply tired. That’s why she asked me to serve her. There are no other intentions behind this… none at all!

After a long moment of mental preparation, Liu Yun finally approached the water’s edge.

She began by washing the Nether Lord’s waist-length hair, then slowly wiped down that delicate, porcelain skin. At first, Liu Yun was incredibly disciplined, keeping her eyes and hands strictly where they belonged.

However, she was no match for a schemer like Feng Liuli.

The Empress was far from well-behaved. She would “accidentally” stretch her slender waist, brazenly flaunting her curves through the misty veil of steam. Or, the moment Liu Yun lowered her head, Feng Liuli’s soft lips would “inadvertently” brush against Liu Yun’s cheek, which was already flushed scarlet from the heat.

At one point, she even “slipped,” falling directly into Liu Yun’s arms.

Under Feng Liuli’s deliberate seduction, Liu Yun’s breathing grew ragged. Her eyes and limbs were no longer under the control of her reason.

By the time Liu Yun snapped back to her senses, she had already pinned the Ruler of the Nether Realm beneath her once more.

Just as her last shred of rationality was about to crumble and she leaned down, a pearly-white foot pressed firmly against her shoulder. It stopped her in her tracks, but the view it afforded her was so captivating it felt as though her soul was being drawn out.

Liu Yun struggled to avert her gaze, her voice coming out in a raspy whisper. “Nether Lord…”

Now that she held the absolute advantage, the seductive charm on Feng Liuli’s face vanished. She arched an eyebrow in mock fury.

“The Right Protector is bold indeed. I asked you to serve my bath, yet you’ve served me all the way onto the bed?”

Liu Yun froze. Realizing what she had done, she immediately bowed her head to beg for mercy. “This subordinate begs for forgiveness!”

As she bowed, she found herself even closer to that mysterious, forbidden territory. Catching the Nether Lord seemingly off-guard, Liu Yun tried to take a small step back.

But in the next instant, her shoulder grew heavy. The delicate foot that had been resting on her collarbone moved to her shoulder and pushed down. Liu Yun, who had been kneeling, lost her balance and tumbled forward.

Skin pressed against skin. Liu Yun’s face turned so red it looked as if it might bleed.

After taking a moment to enjoy the panicked expression of the woman before her, Feng Liuli spoke with a half-smile. “Oh? Why doesn’t the Right Protector tell me exactly what her crime is?”

Liu Yun’s mind was a complete blank. How could she remember what she was supposed to say?

“I… I…”

Her tongue tripped over itself. Her mind was filled with nothing but the lingering sensation of that soft touch.

Feng Liuli applied a bit more pressure with her foot. Even though she was technically the one lying down, she still radiated the overbearing majesty of a supreme ruler looking down upon the world.

“Speak what is in your heart, and I might allow a small amount of offense. Otherwise…” Feng Liuli’s voice turned cold, carrying a hint of a threat. “Subverting authority—I assume the Right Protector, who is so well-versed in the laws of the Nether Realm, knows the punishment?”

A shiver ran down Liu Yun’s spine. Her lustful thoughts vanished, replaced by a wave of dread. She suppressed her inner panic and spoke with a trembling voice.

“This subordinate… knows.”

In the Nether Realm, subverting authority and offending the Nether Lord were among the most heinous crimes. It meant one day in the Frost Hell, suffering the agony of souls piercing the heart, followed by one day in the Flame Purgatory, enduring the pain of being burned alive—alternating forever, without end.

She did not fear the physical pain. She only feared being forgotten in some dark corner of the Underworld, never to see the Nether Lord again.

The thought of the latter made her breath hitch. Remaining in her half-kneeling position, with tears welling in the corners of her eyes, she whispered her confession.

“This subordinate’s heart is impure. I have lusted after the Nether Lord for a long time. My crimes are indeed monstrous!”

Hearing the words “impure heart,” Feng Liuli almost laughed out loud. However, she maintained her stern facade.

“Is that all?”

“There is more…” Liu Yun’s face was pale and her eyes were red, but she continued to whisper the secret thoughts hidden in the depths of her heart.

It was as if she were laying bare every forbidden desire, pleading for the forgiveness of a god.

Feng Liuli leaned back against the couch, listening with great interest as if she were hearing a story. She watched Liu Yun recount the evolution of her feelings—from simple devotion to “impure” thoughts, and finally, to something not simple at all.

Under Feng Liuli’s combination of seduction and intimidation, the young general’s secret pining was exposed completely.

[Xiaobai: Whatever! Compared to a scheming old fox like Feng Liuli, Liu Yun is so innocent she’s practically dripping with dew. She’s a total maiden…]