66 Mystical Cloud Palace

Wang Li Jie gently picks up the sleeping XiXi and puts his cloak around her, it will be extremely cold when they reach the top of Mystical Cloud Mountain. The cloak 's lining is made from Golden Snow Fox, the fur is soft and wraps her body in warmth. He presses her face into his chest to protect her from the swirling ice winds as they ascend to his palatial home made of crystal ice.

This mountain home is where he comes to meditate away from the chaos of his kingdom. It is cloaked in a Thousand Ice Thread Array so it blends into the side of the steep mountain. He feels at peace when he is here and it holds memories of his time with Xiaolian in the Ice Mirror Chamber.

Although he is impervious to the elements he has a wing of that is heated by Black Ice Fire. It is as warm as a Summer's day inside this area of his palace, he had it specifically constructed for Xiaolian.

"Huang Hua arrange the Starfire Room for the girl."

Huang Hua is a withered old woman with silver hair who raised him as a child, she is devoted to Wang Li Jie. She stares at the girl in his arms in disbelief, she can't be the little Sorceress..she resembles that ill fated girl too much though, no wonder the Master is looking at her with deep affection in his eyes. He has been alone for so long, sometimes his loneliness is too much for her to bear watching.

"Yes, Your Highness immediately."

She quickly calls several servant girls to ready the room.

He only brought a few trusted servants with him, they are his followers of many years and know his likes and dislikes. They know not to ask any questions just do as they are told, the only exception is Huang Howan. She is Huang Hua's daughter and harbors deep affection for Wang Li Jie.

Huang Howan comes hurrying inside from The Ice Flower Garden her cheeks blushing when she heard Wang Li Jie had returned. She looks around to see him there so tall, dressed in a black robe embroidered with golden dragons, standing with his back towards her.

She was rushing up to greet him when he turned around, she saw a girl he was embracing tenderly in his arms. Huang Howan's heart sunk and her hands began to tremble under her sleeves.

She gracefully bows and says with a bright smile, "Greetings Your Highness"

"Huang Howan see if the room is ready ."

"Your Highness who is that woman?" she bravely asks knowing it's not her place. She can't stand the fact her Wang Li Jie is holding a woman in his arms. He has never brought a woman here, he has no Empress or concubines. Who could she be?

He ignores her then walks down the hallway towards the Starfire Room. The servants are finishing the preparations when they see him approaching. They bow as they leave, only him and XiXi remain in the room.

Wang Li Jie places XiXi on the bed staring at her with his deep purple eyes, her sleeping face subtly lit up by the Night Pearls in the room. His thin lips curl up in a warm smile, she looks like a goddess that descended from the heavens. Her pale skin, those pink lips, her long black eyelashes fluttering as she dreams. He can't resist, his breath is hot on her cheek as he bends down to give her a feathery kiss taking in her fragrance. His desire is starting to overwhelm him when she stirs bringing him back to his senses.

He sits on the edge of the bed contemplating if he should awaken her immediately or remove the chains from her meridians first. His plan is to place her in a dream state in which she believes herself to be dreaming. He thinks in her present mental condition she couldn't fathom what is going on if she was fully awake.

Wang Li Jie believes her to be Xiaolian reborn in another world, having no prior memories of her life here. If his information network is correct his brother has plans to use her in that world and by now will know of her disappearance.

It appears his brother has some connection to her father being sent here, but originally wasn't aware she had been transported with him according to his sources. Now that he realizes this fact Wang Chao Han will be merciless to anyone who disrupts his plans and his obsession with Xiaolian.

The situation is complicated and must be handled delicately if he is to help her retrieve her memories and protect her. He decides to unlock her meridians first. He takes her clothes off only leaving on her undergarments. He would love to see her naked body laying on the bed but is afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself, he can pinpoint her meridians and unshackle them without her entire body exposed.

Wang Li Jie begins to touch her body using his slender fingers to draw the chains out that are wrapped around her meridians, her body is beginning to sweat out a thick black substance. The undergarments he didn't remove are soaked in black. XiXi's delicate body writhes in pain but he can't control her pain, it is a necessary element of the process.

He is in anguish himself watching her face contort with the internal pressure he is exerting on her meridians. Her silky black hair is becoming tangled and matted as the black oozes out drenching it.

He continues and the air around them is becoming suffocating, XiXi is having trouble breathing with the thick fog surrounding them. She begins gasping for air her back arching on the bed.

Wang Li Jie softly whispers, "It won't be much longer... bear with the pain"

XiXi feels as if her insides are on fire, sparks igniting within her at his every touch Who is this? Why are they torturing me?

Tears start streaming down her face but she can't open her eyes to see the devil in front of her. Her body has a stinging sensation pulsating through it as though a thousand fire ants are devouring her alive.

Immediately after removing the chains from her meridians Wang Ji Lie removes his dragon robes exposing his bare chest. Placing his long body over hers they are so close their eyelashes are touching and he can taste her tears.

He utilizes the Black Ice Energy within him to cool down her body whose temperature is almost boiling. If he waits to use his palm she might die from her internal heat he has no choice but to use this method.

Suddenly the fire stops and she feels a cooling breeze within her body extinguishing the flames within her. XiXi's face resumes a peaceful countenance, her body relaxes. Wang Ji Lie lifts himself up and sits next to her.

He looks at the frail body covered in black, well, it is done and she is still alive. He was worried as he was extracting the chains if her delicate body could withstand the process. But, it had to be done she needs to cultivate to become stronger.

Her powers as a Sorceress depend on her ability to completely focus her mind's energy . Cultivating will enable her to find inner strength in the face of danger and she will not be vulnerable to attacks as she is trying to harness her power as a Sorceress.

The Xiaolian he knew was well versed in Sorcery, Alchemy, Magic, and had reached the Heavenly Mist Stage in cultivation. Can this girl in front of him regain her power after being reborn?

He lifts her into his arms, placing a kiss on her forehead, his fingers brushing her wet and tangled hair out of her face. Wang Li Jie carries her into the room where a warm healing herb bath has been prepared, removes her foul smelling clothes and gently places her in the water. He takes a cloth and begins washing the blackness from her delicate body.

At the door this scene has been witnessed by Huang Howan. She had followed him and hid behind the outer door watching. She couldn't believe her eyes. His Highness was leaning over this girl with his body naked, the girl appeared to be in a trance covered in black.

She wrung her hands together, His Highness doesn't like anything dirty and his body has black ooze on it from this girl. Now he is taking her to the bath!

Huang Howan is about to barge in and say she can bathe the Miss when her mother comes up beside her.

Huang Hua whispers, "Daughter quickly come away from the door! If His Highness knows you witnessed this you won't live the time it takes to light an incense stick"

"Hurry..hurry.." She grabs her daughter's hand and rushes away from the door.

When they are out of the palace in the outer courtyard Huang Howan pulls her hand away from her mother's. "Mother, who is that slut?"

"Shhh..do you want to die?"

Huang Howan begins to cry, "Mother you know I have always loved His Highness, I want to be his concubine, but he never takes any into his harem. He has no harem! Now he is this intimate with a strange girl? She begins to sob.

Her mother takes her hand and says, "I have always told you not to set your hopes on Wang Li Jie! You are a beautiful girl, many nobles would take you as a concubine even with your status as a servant girl. His Highness has always been generous with you because you are my daughter and I raised him.

He had tutors teach you as though you were his little sister, he allows you freedom, your clothes are no less than any noble girls. Look at your headdress, it was given to him as a valuable tribute from the Night Sky Kingdom. It's worth is beyond measure, yet he laughed and tossed it to you when your eyes sparkled for it.

Huang Howan , you need to accept this, the one thing he will never give you is his heart, it only belongs to that girl!"