The Forbidden Path to Immortality - Chapter 72

Chapter 4: Pin’er

After this dazzling series of changes, the forest suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the female cultivator sheathing her sword, especially those from the Pluto Sect. They had forgotten even to react with surprise, their eyes filled with bewilderment.

Looking at the female cultivator’s calm, unperturbed face, Li Xun pursed his lips, trying to maintain composure, but shock lingered in his dilated and then constricted pupils.

The reason was simple: he seemed to recognize this female cultivator!

“Purple robes, purple sword, and from the Tianxingjian Sect—could it be her?” Li Xun stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure in the sky, momentarily stunned.

Sixty years had washed over Li Xun, enough to make him forget many things.

Yet, in his mind, a blurred image still lingered, occasionally stirring.

He remembered it because he had personally stripped away the dignity of that once beautiful, lovely, and innocent female cultivator, imbuing her with sorrow, confusion, and ultimately despair.

Gu Pin’er, the pitiful victim, the “victim” from whom no further news had been heard since the Songjing incident—

he stared at the calm, decisive, and indifferent female cultivator before him, and for a moment, he was puzzled.

Li Xun was puzzled, but now was no time to hesitate. The death of the Pluto General had brought disgrace upon the Pluto Clan, yet they had not lost their minds. The four Pluto Generals, having lost their companion, simultaneously cast a venomous glare at the purple-robed female cultivator, but instead of fighting, they scattered in all directions.

A few jeering cries echoed from all around, likely from the casual cultivators who had joined in the fun. They were unaware of the events, but that didn’t stop them from using the incident for amusement. The sound was particularly harsh in the open air.

Hiding beneath a massive tree, Li Xun peered through the branches to observe the figures in the sky.

The purple-robed female cultivator caught his eye most.

Perhaps because he had been staring at her for too long, the female cultivator suddenly turned and looked in his direction from several miles away.

Li Xun’s heart skipped a beat, and he closed his eyes. A moment later, his face felt a surge of heat, evidently from her gaze.

From this alone, Li Xun knew this female cultivator’s cultivation was truly remarkable, even approaching his own level.

The possibility that it was Gu Pin’er was becoming increasingly unlikely.

Yet, for some reason, as he gazed at the vague silhouette of the female cultivator from afar, a strong premonition crept into his heart, gradually escaping the constraints of reason.

At that moment, Ti Wujiu’s deep, pure voice filled his ears.

It wasn’t a high note, but it shook the air for hundreds of miles around, making the sound seem as if it were right beside him, clear and natural.

“‘Blood God Son’ is a demonic method that harms others for personal gain. Those who practice it will be fought by all the righteous forces of the world! The Tianxing Jian Sect, though not talented, will not allow it to fall into the hands of evildoers!”

These stilted words, uttered after his disciple had slain a Hades general, sounded resonant and powerful, like the sound of iron.

Yuan Nan’s voice drifted in from the distance: “How impressive, so impressive! However, it would be truly amusing if Mr. Gan Yuan had said this to Wei Bufan!”

His words sounded sarcastic, yet he even invoked the “great god” of Xue San Ren to bolster his presence, clearly demonstrating that he wasn’t as tough as he appeared.

Li Xun, perceiving Yuan Nan’s thoughts, smiled silently, but…

“Why the Blood God Son?”

Ti Wu Jiu’s words sounded heavy, but to Li Xun, a semi-informed observer, they seemed somewhat irrelevant.

Judging from the arrangements of the Pluto Sect and the actions of the Zhu Gou Sect, both sects understood that the so-called Blood God Son was merely a title; the truly valuable possessions lay hidden within the ancient temple’s secret enclosure. But what did Ti Wu Jiu imply?

“Don’t they know there’s a ‘trick’ behind this Blood God Son?”

Li Xun felt quite certain. If so, then the Tian Xing Jian Sect’s attitude might be something worth exploiting… What?

The sudden irritation sent a chill down his spine. This dangerous reaction was even quicker than the two puppets’ warnings.

Without a second’s thought, he dove and slammed into the tree beside him, only to emerge from the other side the next moment.

A hand had plunged into the tree trunk, instantly draining away all moisture from the sturdy trunk, withering, rotting, weathering, and collapsing.

The swirling dust made Li Xun squint, momentarily blurring the incoming man’s features. Before he could make out the dust, the next wave of attacks followed, the sharp pressure of the wind making him feel as if countless knives were scraping his face.

He screamed, and Yin Fire within and outside the bottomless underworld ring steamed, gurgling as if fueled by smoke and clouds, then suddenly shimmering. At his level, the Yin Fire could take on any form and transform at will. The moment the front of the Yin Fire touched the opponent’s true energy, it transformed, penetrating the gaps in the opponent’s true energy and whistling.

The dust and ashes outside their bodies were instantly energized into formlessness. Both men’s cultivation had transcended the limitations of their bodies, resonating with the external vital energy. Their breaths connected, and the atmosphere exploded. Countless qi burst forth from their positions, stirring the vital energy of heaven and earth, generating countless turbulent currents.

At this instant, the cultivators of the Tianxing Jian Sect, miles away,

all sensed the attack and looked in their direction. Li Xun had no time to dwell on this.

The murderous aura of his opponent was tangible, suffocating him.

Their figures first separated, then, as if pulled by an invisible hand, they were suddenly drawn together.

As their bodies intersected, Li Xun dodged at least seventeen limb-severing hand strikes, but he finally confirmed the attacker’s identity.

He also understood their intentions.

For some reason, the opponent had not drawn his infamous demonic sword, but even using his palm in place of a blade, he was able to project a ferocious and ruthless aura of annihilation.

The raging blade force compressed Li Xun’s body, giving him the upper hand.

“What kind of awe would it have been if he had used his famous ‘Erosion God’s Ten Foot Red’?”

Li Xun dodged and blocked, managing the opponent’s attack. Then, with another shriek, the Dark Fire of the Darkness swept through like a wind through the gorge, swirling flames and suddenly blocking the opponent. He then shouted, “Erosion God’s Blade! How dare you plot against me!”

Li Xun responded with an even more brutal hand strike.

Li Xun shifted position three times before barely dodging the blow, but he continued to shout, “Who asked you to kill me?”

Only he knew that his words were pure nonsense.

However, to the opponent’s ears, it sounded quite different.

Just after saying these words, the other party slowed down his knife and said coldly, “Where were you half a quarter of an hour ago?”

Li Xun secretly called out, and a frown just happened to appear on his face. “Isn’t this business? Interrogating a prisoner? What the hell are you doing, the Nine Killings Seat?”

After a series of questions and answers, the distance between them widened slightly, his movements slowing slightly, and Li Xun finally had a chance to examine the legendary, most ruthless and tyrannical executioner—the “Erosion God Sword,” known for its kill count and success rate among the Zhu Gou Sect’s “double swords, four blades, and three small hooks.”

He wore a gray robe, a stern expression, and a thick mustache, appearing middle-aged. What

struck Li Xun most were his dark, cold eyes. At first glance, they resembled a lifeless cemetery, imprisoned within it countless wailing, vengeful spirits.

This, in addition to the effects of some special technique, was likely related to the bloody remains on his hands.

Upon hearing Li Xun’s words, his brow furrowed slightly, but the brilliance in his eyes remained unwavering, and he slashed down with his sword again.

The air carried a scorching smell as his palm passed.

Li Xun assumed this blow was no different from the previous one, but as soon as he reached out, he knew it was bad.

He didn’t know what technique the hand strike employed, but he felt his entire Qi shatter under the blow, and the ethereal Yin Fire, which had once flowed with ease, was choked. Though the sensation was fleeting, it was enough to inflict a heavy loss!

Li Xun watched helplessly as the opponent’s unparalleled ferocity sliced through his chest. Although he used his purest Qi to forcibly pull the muscles and bones inward half an inch, he was still swept by the opponent’s fingertips.

Thinking of the tree that had just withered and turned to ash in an instant, Li Xun felt a chill run down his spine.

Fortunately, his decades of battle experience had amassed considerable experience. He didn’t even glance at the wound on his chest. With one hand, he mobilized his Yin Fire to repel the Erosion Divine Sword, while with the other hand, he swept across his chest, tearing the flesh apart, leaving the wound deep enough to reveal the bone.

“Follow me, I won’t kill you just yet!”

the Eclipse God Blade said, slashing down with another hand.

“Kill your mother!”

Li Xun cursed through gritted teeth, his already pale face now even paler.

But the wound only fueled his fury. Facing the incoming hand, he roared fiercely and met it with a blow of his own. He

said he wouldn’t kill, but the Eclipse God Blade wouldn’t hesitate to sever his arm first.

The blade’s momentum continued unabated, and with a sound like the clanging of metal, their palms collided.

At that moment, a flicker of surprise crossed the Eclipse God Blade’s usually unchanging gray eyes.

This was definitely not Li Xun’s arm!

The jet-black sleeves shattered into ash, revealing a jade-white arm beneath. In the gradually clearing light, it seemed so radiant that it almost glowed.

The “Thousand Demons Eclipse Divine Technique,” capable of corroding everything, hadn’t left even the slightest trace on it.

At that moment, his vision blurred again. Within that arm—he could only describe it as two arms overlapping—one suddenly sprang forth with the force of thunder, only to scatter lightly across his chest like a brush of dust.

His heart tightened, and he absorbed Li Xun’s retaliatory palm strike.

Li Xun’s palm wasn’t powerful, but as it touched his chest, Yin Fire surged and spitted out, undergoing at least three hundred transformations in an instant, pulling and tearing at him with all its might. No

matter how powerful his protective Qi was, it was ripped to pieces by this high-frequency shift.

At this moment, Li Xun’s palm seemed to press, yet not press, yet not rise or fall. A surge of Yin Fire circulated seamlessly around his palm, instantly forming a bottomless black hole that furiously drained his vital energy, seemingly sucking out his internal organs as well.

He groaned, unleashing his Thousand Demons Divine Art at full power, colliding repeatedly with the Netherworld Yin Fire. Finally, he managed to dislodge Li Xun’s hand before his internal organs sustained further damage.

Li Xun had anticipated this change, and using the force of the shockwave, he retreated sharply, his path straight. He ignored the countless trees blocking his path, his body a phantom, passing through branches and leaves as if nothing was there. The Divine Eclipse

Blade didn’t pursue him, but he wasn’t feeling well after being struck by Li Xun. His mustache twitched slightly as he uttered three syllables.

“Shadow Puppet?”

The voice, oblivious to the distance, reached Li Xun’s ears.

Li Xun continued his advance, a wry smile on his face. He knew no secrets could remain forever, and he wouldn’t treat everyone as fools. But having it pointed out to him still didn’t sit well.

Of course, he didn’t forget to provide another layer of protection: “I will remember the Eclipse God’s gift and report it later!”

He uttered the last four words through gritted teeth, coughing up blood as he took a breath. He quickly applied a layer of flesh-regenerating elixir to his chest and retreated further and further, gradually escaping the Eclipse God’s fixed gaze.

However, the trouble was far from over.

Although the previous exchange with the Eclipse God had been swift and abrupt, its beginning and end had been incredibly sudden, the surge of vital energy was like a beacon in the darkness, clearly perceptible to cultivators within a hundred miles, including those from the Pluto Sect and the Heavenly Power Sect.

In such a delicate situation, who wouldn’t be curious?

Li Xun sensed at least a dozen auras, chasing him closely.

The Eclipse Divine Blade’s lack of pursuit was likely due to this.

Li Xun expended considerable effort, running furiously for over three hundred miles, employing a combination of sword control, evasion techniques, and leaping techniques to finally shake off the tail.

It was at this moment that his swift flight came to a sudden halt, his face pale, and another mouthful of blood spurted out.

Three hundred miles wasn’t a long distance, but to escape pursuit, he had expended a hundred times more energy than normal. His injuries now prevented him from running any further.

The palm-sized wound on his chest had only just formed a thin membrane, through which he could even see the pale bones and the faint movement of his internal organs.

In this state, he had little chance of fighting again.

If he faced another formidable foe, the Puppet of the Mysterious would likely be his only recourse.

The Southeast Forest Sea was densely forested, offering a good hiding spot anywhere.

Li Xun wasn’t picky, finding a nearby thicket and diving in, preparing to apply more medicine.

However, the shockwaves of the energy from the sword’s piercing through the air were like a leech clinging to one’s bones. It paused for a moment before rapidly approaching again. Li Xun cursed in his heart, but he no longer had the strength to run.

He could only hold his breath and look upwards. The figure he saw startled him.

Gu Pin’er? No, it should be the female cultivator who looked like Gu Pin’er.

Li Xun was deeply impressed by her ability to kill a Hades general in just a few encounters. Add to that her striking purple dress, and it was difficult for him not to recognize her.

Seeing her flying on the sword now, the sword light around her body was so faint that it was almost non-existent. It was obvious that her skills were extremely pure and she was a formidable opponent.

Coming for me? This was Li Xun’s first thought.

However, even so, he was not afraid. Although the female cultivator was quite powerful, she would not be able to hold out for more than ten breaths under the two puppets.

The female cultivator, the Sword Light God, arrived in an instant, over ten miles away, but she didn’t stop, instead passing through.

“Passing by?” Li Xun breathed a sigh of relief, actually admiring her courage—fresh off killing a Hades general, yet she was venturing alone through the forest where Hades’ members lurked. It was hard to believe how Ti Wujiu could be so carefree!

Although he still had some doubts about her identity, he felt relieved that the trouble was now averted. He put aside his thoughts and prepared to nurse his injuries.

Just as he opened the medicine bottle, You Er suddenly sounded an alarm.

Li Xun instinctively covered the bottle’s mouth with his finger to block out the medicinal aroma. Almost instantly, the aura behind him shifted. Though the sound of something breaking through the air was subtle, it couldn’t escape Li Xun’s ears.

He turned his head sharply, his expression frozen again.

Tiny flakes of light filtered through the gaps in the trees, falling onto the grass and the purple-dressed female cultivator behind him. The reflected light illuminated her face, making her delicate and graceful features even more dazzling.

However, what struck him as odd was that the female cultivator, unlike the awe-inspiring majesty she had displayed when she’d just dispatched the Hades General with three sword strikes, now wore a delicate expression. Her eyelids drooped, her long lashes obscuring the brilliance

in her eyes. Li Xun felt as if she were examining his wounds. Then, he heard a voice: “You’re injured!”

The voice was soft and melodious, yet it startled him.

Hearing this unusually gentle, caring voice, thoughts he’d previously been hesitant to acknowledge surged back to him, and he blurted out, “Gu Pin’er?”

“You still remember me?”

The female cultivator looked up in surprise, and despite the shock, a faint blush graced her jade-like face.

At this moment, Li Xun nearly cried out!

“How could you recognize me?”

Considering that he was now dressed as the Hundred Ghosts Taoist, his appearance and expression were completely different. How had this female cultivator managed it?

A moving light flashed in Gu Pin’er’s eyes. Just as she was about to speak, a clear and high-pitched sword whistle sounded in the sky. Dozens of miles away, two sword lights were flying towards her.

Judging from the vibration of the vitality, it seemed to be from the Tianxing Jian Sect. Li Xun frowned, but heard Gu Pin’er’s soft and pleasant voice again: “You rest assured to recover, I will deal with them!”

Li Xun’s pupils shrank, and his lips opened slightly, but in the end he said nothing. He just nodded, performed the earth escape technique, and drilled into the ground.

Gu Pin’er’s farewell words rang in his ears.

“If you have time, come find me!”

Darkness quickly enveloped the dense forest. After several days of noise, the area around the Yaolei Ancient Temple entered a relatively quiet atmosphere on the surface.

The Tianxing Jian Sect’s actions confirmed their ignorance of the ancient temple’s secrets. Their focus wasn’t on the temple itself, but rather radiated outwards, likely targeting the elusive Xiao Chongzi and the fragments of the Blood God Son he possessed.

“How naive!” Li Xun observed from afar, his tone sardonically scornful.

Of course, he also knew that the Tianxing Jian Sect’s “foolishness” was likely linked to the subsequent “clash” between the Pluto Sect and the Zhugou Sect within the Yaolei Ancient Temple.

That clash nearly destroyed the Yaolei Ancient Temple.

Four of the five main courtyards of the temple were destroyed, and countless other structures, including the main hall, side halls, bell tower, and Buddhist halls, collapsed. The blood pool and underground fire were completely shattered and buried beneath the rubble, ensuring that nothing could be seen.

Li Xun refused to believe the two evil sects had reached an agreement, but he firmly believed in a tacit understanding between them—what I couldn’t obtain, how could anyone else obtain?

Thus, the Tianxingjian Sect’s attention was temporarily drawn to the rogue cultivator.

Having lost their opportunity to understand the ancient temple’s mechanisms, the Pluto Sect and the Zhugou Sect joined in the fray, making a grand effort to “hunt” for Xiao Chongzi.

Add to that a few rogue cultivators who were half-understanding the situation and simply seeking to join in the fun and take advantage, and the vast forests stretching thousands of miles, centered around the Yaolei Ancient Temple, became a playground for the soldiers to catch bandits.

However, Xiao Chongzi’s performance truly exceeded Li Xun’s expectations.

For the past two days, the boy had been hiding somewhere, eluding the three sects’ forces at every turn. His tactics were exceptionally sophisticated.

Naturally, this kept the three sects’ expert cultivators busy.

It was in this atmosphere that Li Xun arrived at the Yaolei Ancient Temple.

He sat against a large tree, his arms folded across his chest, protecting his still-unhealed chest. His gaze flickered, yet his focus remained unfocused.

When he spared Gu Pin’er’s life, it was certainly out of pity, but more importantly, it was driven by confidence in his “Heart Locking Technique.”

This technique, a sophisticated technique from the “Record of the Netherworld,” exploited Gu Pin’er’s traumatic mind and placed a heavy psychological barrier and restrictions within it, causing her to forget his existence.

Because he had taken advantage of the moment, the wound had become one with her, making it impossible to remove.

However, he ignored the possibility of a miracle.

He didn’t need to know how Gu Pin’er would escape the trauma deeply embedded in her. He only needed to understand that Gu Pin’er, now, was no longer the toy he had manipulated; she was a variable he must consider.

But…

“Come find me!”

These were the words Gu Pin’er had spoken to him two days ago.

Her words were gentle, as if she were pleading with her lover, not with the murderer who had defiled and humiliated her. Could Li Xun believe that this female cultivator, now a completely different person, still retained the same demeanor as when they parted?

Thinking of Gu Pin’er’s unusual expression when they met the day before, Li Xun, despite his profound cultivation, couldn’t help but feel a surge of masculine pride, but even more so, a sense of incomprehensible bewilderment.

Furthermore, he had a vague feeling that he had seen this scene before!

At this moment, a thought struck him. After two hours of waiting, his target finally appeared. He moved, not advancing to meet her, but instead retreating, dodging the numerous spies from the three sects and escaping.

He believed that Gu Pin’er must have sensed his presence. Just like two days ago—Li Xun still couldn’t figure out how Gu Pin’er had seen through his secret method of concealment and pursued him in a straight line.

He stopped on a riverbank over seventy miles from the ancient temple. Here, dozens of massive trees, over a thousand years old, grew across the river, their intertwined branches and leaves blocking out the sun, trapping the flowing water beneath this natural tunnel of foliage.

Quiet and secluded, it was the perfect spot for a private rendezvous.

Crucially, he had already laid numerous restrictions here, and with two puppets lurking in the shadows, he was more than capable of handling any emergency.

Of course, this was merely a precaution.

Intuitively, Li Xun didn’t believe Gu Pin’er would harm him.

After waiting for about half a quarter of an hour, Li Xun heard the gentle rustling of branches. For some reason, he felt a strange sense of nervousness, as if he were both anticipating something and resisting it. It was in this mood that he spotted the purple-robed female cultivator gliding gracefully through the night.

“Gu Pin’er!” Li Xun cried inwardly. The thick darkness had no effect on him. As he watched the approaching figure, his eyes flashed with astonishment.

He hadn’t had time to examine her closely the day before, but now, upon closer inspection, he couldn’t help but marvel.

Time means little to a cultivator. Yet, the passage of time always imbues a unique quality into the human soul.

Sixty years ago, Gu Pin’er was already a stunning beauty, and now, sixty years later, her beauty had undergone a qualitative evolution.

This wasn’t to say that her temperament had become more tranquil. Li Xun believed that for a woman who had experienced such a thing, as long as she didn’t go mad, a lingering innocence and impetuousness were inevitable.

A delicate face and exquisite clothing were no longer the main point. Gu Pin’er had now shed the confines of her skin. A mere subtle shift in her features revealed the breathtaking beauty of her soul. What

moved Li Xun most was the glimmer of lost consciousness beneath her seemingly clear and focused gaze. She was clearly looking at you, yet you felt as if her mind had drifted to another world.

So what did she leave you with? Perhaps only the emptiness that existed alongside this darkness.

These were eyes that could frustrate all men, yet also ignite their desire to conquer.

At that moment, Li Xun categorized Gu Pin’er as one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. It was also then that he realized he had been staring at her for far too long.

He only came to his senses when Gu Pin’er was almost in front of him.

He stood within the barrier, unable to see Gu Pin’er, yet somehow she could sense his presence. Her sharp eyes, unfocused, had clearly detected his position.

Li Xun frowned, shifting his position, moving around behind Gu Pin’er. This was not hidden from her. However, just as she tried to turn back, an arm clamped around her neck. The softly defined muscles of the arm, seemingly exerting no force, were enough to instantly cut her off.

She was clever, standing straight and looking forward, making no move to look back. Li Xun pressed his entire body against her back, closing the gap between them.

As their bodies rubbed gently, he could hear her breathing become slightly ragged, but she didn’t resist.

A slight sense of anticipation filled Li Xun, but more than that, confusion.

Previously, he had struggled to determine his proper approach, but now the scene before him seemed all too familiar.

To confirm his suspicions, he deliberately intensified the friction, then rested his chin on her shoulder, cheek to cheek, feeling her soft, smooth skin and letting out a soft sigh of praise. The

rubbing of their ears against each other, the intoxicating sensation nearly made Li Xun forget to speak. It was then that he remembered he hadn’t touched a woman in two or three years.

The thought had barely registered, and he reacted.

Gu Pin’er, whose body was connected to his, felt the change almost immediately. Li Xun could feel her body stiffen, then gradually soften.

At this crucial moment, Li Xun spoke in a hoarse voice, “What are you thinking about? Did I not fuck you enough back then?”

These crude words cut to the heart of the matter, and he could see Gu Pin’er’s reaction was even more intense than before. She seemed to nod or shake her head, but Li Xun’s arm around her neck prevented her from moving. Her breathing became even more erratic.

Her hands, hanging at her sides, clenched tightly, then opened as far as they could. Li Xun could sense her teeth clenched, yet a faint moan escaped his lips. Then, Li Xun felt his legs tighten, and Gu Pin’er grabbed the bottom of his shirt, refusing to let go.

Seeing the blush spreading across Gu Pin’er’s face, Li Xun knew exactly what she was thinking.

But he still suppressed his urge, whispering a few words into her ear: “Speak, speak!”

Gu Pin’er finally parted her lips, but what followed was a soft, utterly charming moan. Li Xun’s sensitive nose even picked up the sudden, fragrant scent of her, lingering around her.

His mouth was dry, and he couldn’t help but nibble on her round earlobe. Gu Pin’er shuddered, instinctively trying to turn her head away, but Li Xun’s teeth gently grasped her.

She uttered a low “ah,” her body tensed to the limit. Just then, Li Xun’s icy voice rang out again.

This time, it was even more concise: “Speak!”

Gu Pin’er’s body trembled more violently. At this moment, Li Xun felt a hint of moisture. He turned his gaze and saw a drop of water falling from the corner of Gu Pin’er’s eye.

The response Li Xun had been waiting for whispered in his ear: “I don’t know!”

That made sense!

Li Xun’s glittering eyes penetrated Gu Pin’er’s chaotic mind, and he saw the bloody wound in her heart that had been reopened, and beneath the wound, a heart that had been corroded.

Suddenly, he understood why Gu Pin’er had escaped the fate of being a “wasteful person.”

If she couldn’t climb out of the abyss, then she would continue to fall. At the bottom of the abyss, there was another world.

Li Xun wiped away the last shred of hesitation in his heart. Even though he still didn’t understand why Gu Pin’er had such a “special liking” for him, he now had absolute confidence. He could firmly control this female cultivator, whose strength was now far greater than before, and made her a valuable bargaining chip.

His mood was so good that he no longer needed to suppress the hand that had been pressing on Gu Pin’er’s kidney, which was about to explode. Finally, it began to move, just like when he had opened the female cultivator’s lapel in the palace, and his fingertips made contact with her incredibly smooth and flexible waist.

Gu Pin’er let out a long moan from her throat, overflowing with true energy. Her body, which possessed infinite power, seemed to have no bones. With slight twists and turns, she seemed to be merging into the man behind her, letting out low gasps and letting herself be manipulated.