Chapter 139: Planning With Xia Bingling
The air crackled with unspoken desires. Matriarch Bingling understood the unspoken code. Rising with a graceful movement, her figure, still alluring despite her age, swayed slightly.
"What kind of entertainment do you seek, my dear Patriarch?" she inquired, her voice a low rumble.
Wang Li's eyes glinted with a predatory gleam. "A dance, perhaps," he announced, gesturing to the vacant chair. "One performed by the most captivating woman I know."
Matriarch Bingling chuckled, a throaty sound that sent shivers down Wang Li's spine. With a theatrical flourish, she swept towards the center of the room, her movements fluid and practiced. The soft glow of the lamp illuminated her figure, highlighting the curves that time had only enhanced.
As the music, a romantic melody from a sound talisman, filled the room, Matriarch Bingling began her performance. Her movements were a masterful blend of grace and sensuality. Her hips swayed, her arms flowed like liquid silk, and her eyes held a come-hither glint that sent a jolt of desire through Wang Li.
He watched, mesmerized, as she danced, each twist and turn a testament to her hidden fire. As the music reached a crescendo, she twirled, her robes swirling around her like a crimson cloud. With a final flourish, she stopped, her chest heaving slightly, a triumphant glint in her eyes.
Wang Li erupted in applause, a wolfish grin plastered on his face. "Exquisite, Matriarch," he exclaimed, his voice thick with desire. "But wouldn't the dance be even more captivating… if there were less… fabric involved?"
The suggestive glint in his eyes wasn't lost on Matriarch Bingling. A slow smile played on her lips. Over the months of their secret affair, she had grown accustomed to Wang Li's insatiable desires. A satisfied sigh escaped her lips as she began to slowly unfasten the ties of her robe.
Her dress pooled at her feet, revealing a stunning vision of silk lingerie, clinging to her voluptuous curves like a second skin.
The scene that unfolded was a stark contrast to the innocent love he had displayed with Qingwu just moments ago.
The room crackled with unspoken tension, the air thick with the scent of desire and danger.
Xia Bingling continued her dance, her movements becoming more audacious, a silent challenge to Wang Li's dominance. As she twirled, the silk of her undergarments shimmered like a living entity, amplifying the visual feast for Wang Li's hungry eyes.
Finally, after nearly half an hour of this captivating performance, Wang Li clapped his hands, a sharp sound that shattered the sensual spell. "Enough, Matriarch," he commanded, his voice tinged with a hint of possessiveness.
Xia Bingling stopped mid-twirl, a playful pout forming on her lips. "So soon, my love?" she purred, her voice dripping with mock disappointment. Yet, a flicker of something else, a hint of defiance, flickered in her eyes.
"There are more pressing matters to attend to," Wang Li replied, his gaze hardening. He reached out, his hand snaking around her slender waist, pulling her close. "Come, sit on my lap."
Xia Bingling bristled slightly at the brusque order, but quelled the feeling for the sake of their clandestine affair. With a calculated sigh, she settled onto his lap, her perfume filling his nostrils. He wrapped his arms around her intimately, his grip almost possessive.
"I have something to tell you, Bingling," he began, his voice low and urgent. "Something that concerns… other entanglements."
He paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in. Xia Bingling remained silent, her heart pounding in her chest. A sense of unease gnawed at her, twisting the knot of desire in her stomach.
"Liu Xue," Wang Li finally blurted out, his voice laced with a hint of frustration. "I have… been involved with her."
The revelation struck Xia Bingling like a bolt of lightning. Liu Xue, her daughter's senior sister? The audacity, the sheer recklessness of it all! Yet, a strange sense of relief washed over her. This "other entanglement" wasn't a threat to their own secret relationship.
"Oh," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her initial shock morphed into a mischievous smile. "And?" she prompted, a playful glint in her eyes.
Wang Li frowned, surprised by her reaction. "Don't you… mind?" he stammered, his voice laced with disbelief. He had anticipated outrage, jealousy, anything but this… acceptance.
A husky chuckle escaped Xia Bingling's lips. "Why, my dear Patriarch," she purred, her fingers tracing circles on his chest. "You are a man of many… talents. Who am I to deny you a bit of variety?"
A slow smile spread across Wang Li's face. He reached out, his hand cupping one of her large breasts. He knew she wouldn't mind the touch, the intimacy. It was a game they both enjoyed.
"But it seems our little secret has been discovered," he continued, his voice taking on a serious tone. "Palace Mistress Jiu Lan found out about my little affair with Liu Xue and threatened to expose me to you and… Qingwu."
A triumphant smirk played on his lips. "Little did she know," he added, his voice dropping to a husky whisper, "that you already share my bed."
Xia Bingling flushed a deep crimson, a mixture of embarrassment and secret thrill coursing through her. The way he phrased it… it made her feel like a conspirator, a partner in his devious schemes. "Why are you telling me this now?" she whispered, her voice laced with apprehension.
"Because I need your help," he purred, his lips brushing against her ear. "Jiu Lan is a formidable opponent. A Soul Integration Realm cultivator, no less."
"So you want to… eliminate her?" Xia Bingling asked, a flicker of fear dancing in her eyes. The idea of murdering a powerful cultivator like Jiu Lan was unsettling.
"Eliminate?" He scoffed, his voice laced with amusement. "No, that's too crude. Besides, wouldn't it be more… interesting… if she joined our little… circle?"
Xia Bingling's jaw dropped. The audacity of his proposition left her speechless for a moment. "Jiu Lan?" she finally managed, her voice a shocked whisper. "Are you insane? She's a Soul Integration Realm cultivator! Even if I joined forces with you, we wouldn't stand a chance against her!"
A cold smile played on Wang Li's lips. "Of course not immediately," he conceded. "But opportunities arise, my dear Matriarch. All I'm asking is… will you be by my side when they do?"
Xia Bingling bit her lip, torn between her own desires and the very real dangers involved. She saw a flicker of impatience cross Wang Li's eyes. Before she could respond, his hand landed with a sharp smack on her exposed buttocks.
"Hesitation is not becoming of you, Matriarch," he hissed, his voice devoid of its earlier charm.
Xia Bingling gasped, a surprised moan escaping her lips as the sharp slap landed on her exposed skin. But amidst the sting, a strange sense of arousal ignited within her. The pain, coupled with the domineering possessiveness in his voice, sent a jolt of electricity through her body.
It was a sensation she wouldn't have admitted to enjoying in her right mind, yet here she was, finding a perverse pleasure in his punishment.
"Forgive me, Patriarch," she whimpered, her voice trembling slightly. "I was out of line."
Wang Li, however, didn't seem entirely convinced. He studied her for a fleeting moment, his eyes searching for any hint of defiance. Satisfied with the submissive glint he found, he softened his touch, his hand lingering on the reddening mark.
"Good," he growled, his voice a low rumble. "Now, where were we? Ah yes, Jiu Lan. Do you think… with some persuasion… she could be brought around to our way of thinking?"
Xia Bingling weighed her options carefully. On one hand, the thought of Jiu Lan becoming a fellow concubine was absurd, bordering on hilarious. On the other hand, the prospect of seeing that self-righteous woman humbled held a certain appeal.
A sly smile spread across her face. "Persuasion, you say?" she echoed, a playful lilt in her voice. "Jiu Lan is a woman of strong will. Forceful methods wouldn't work. But…" she trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.
Wang Li raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the mischievous glint in her eyes. "But…?" he prompted, leaning closer to hear her whispered suggestion.
Xia Bingling leaned in conspiratorially, her voice dropping to a sultry murmur. "Perhaps," she began, "we could exploit her… weaknesses. Women of her age, particularly those who haven't… indulged in the pleasures of the flesh for quite some time, can be quite susceptible to certain… temptations."
A wicked grin spread across Wang Li's face. This woman, he thought, was even more cunning than he had given her credit for. "You are a genius, Matriarch!" he exclaimed, throwing his head back and letting out a hearty laugh.
The playful mood continued as they strategized, weaving a web of deceit that would ensnare even the formidable Palace Mistress. Xia Bingling, emboldened by her earlier punishment, became increasingly bold, her suggestions laced with a double entendre that sent shivers down Wang Li's spine.
As the night wore on, their conversation shifted from plotting to more intimate matters. Wang Li, fueled by the thrill of their forbidden affair and the excitement of their shared ambition, devoured her with renewed fervor. Xia Bingling, basking in the attention and the sense of power it brought, responded with a passion she hadn't felt in years.
The chamber echoed with their moans, a stark contrast to the demure facade they maintained in the outside world. As dawn approached, painting the sky with streaks of pink and orange, they finally succumbed to sleep, tangled in each other's arms.
The sun cast long shadows across the Xia Family manor as Wang Li emerged from Matriarch Bingling's chamber. His face, devoid of the earlier passion, wore a mask of stoic indifference. He cast a fleeting glance back, a hint of satisfaction flickering in his eyes.
His next move, he decided, would be to focus on strengthening his own cultivation. The path ahead wouldn't be easy. Jiu Lan remained a formidable obstacle, and his marriage to Qingwu loomed large. But with Xia Bingling by his side, and his own cunningness as his weapon, Wang Li was confident he could overcome any challenge.
He strode through the gardens, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The first rays of the morning sun glinted off the distant mountains, symbolizing a new day, a new opportunity for him to climb the ladder of power and achieve his ultimate goal – complete domination of the cultivation world.
As he walked, a faint smile played on his lips, a smile that spoke volumes of his ambition and the lengths he was willing to go to achieve it.