Money speaks -2

Saintess Ling'r's eyes widened, her gaze fixed on Bai Lung as she struggled to find her voice. Her hands which were still clasped together in front of her, began to tremble slightly.

"N-no, Holy Envoy... I-I was just wondering... why you called me by my full name," she stammered, her voice was barely above a murmuring whisper.

Bai Lung's expression remained unreadable, his eyes piercing as he gazed at her. A cold, calculated smile spread across his face, making Saintess Ling'r's heart skip a beat.

"Ah, Saintess Ling'r... I called you by your full name because I wanted to remind you that, despite our... precarious situation, you are still a core member of the Heaven Fall sect. And as such, you should be mindful of your position," he spoke with his voice dripping with condescension.

Saintess Ling'r's face paled, her eyes flashing with anger at the subtle jab.

But she bit her tongue, knowing that she couldn't afford to antagonize the Holy Envoy further.

"I understand, Holy Envoy. I apologize if I have inconvenienced you in any way," she replied yet, her voice laced with a hint of resentment.

Seeing this,

Bai Lung's smile grew, his eyes glinting with amusement. He took a step closer to her, his movements eerily silent.

"Ah! no, Saintess Ling'r. You haven't inconvenienced me at all. In fact, I find your... hesitation quite fascinating. It's a rare trait in someone of your status," he murmured with his low and husky voice in a playful manner which was still cold as it could.

Ling'r's heart raced as she felt a shiver run down her spine. She couldn't explain why, but she felt trapped, like a mouse caught in the predator's gaze.

Bai Lung's eyes seemed to bore into her very soul, making her feel like a worm on a hook, a bait

The air around them seemed to grow thick with tension as she struggled to come up with an answer, the silence hanging heavy like the weight of a vast sky.

"What do you mean, Holy Envoy?" she asked with a soft weak voice. She tried to sound calm, but her words trembled slightly as she sought to deflect the darkness gathering around her.

" is it something related to my father... " she added.

"Don't play dumb, Saintess Ling'r...

I'm not asking about the Sect Master's motives regarding anything rather I'm asking about his true intentions regarding... you,"

Bai Lung replied, his voice dripping with sophistication, each word dripping with dangerous venom, making her unable to care a breath of relief.

Dhup! Dup!

Her heart raced like a trapped animal, her breath catching in her throat as she realized the direction Bai Lung's question was taking.

She felt her skin crawl, her mind racing with the implications as she struggled to keep her composure*

"I don't know what you're insinuating, Holy Envoy... And even if I did, I wouldn't be foolish enough to spread it," she snapped, her words laced with a thread of desperation as she tried to claw her way back from the brink.

" mm... "

Bai Lung chuckled, the sound like a snake slithering through the grass, his eyes never leaving Saintess Ling'r's face as he replied, his words dripping with soul freezing malice

"Ah, Saintess Ling'r. You truly are as innocent as the lotus flower. Unfortunately, that innocence will get you nowhere in this world. Especially not when your father's secrets are hiding in the shadows, waiting to consume you whole. And I'm the only one who knows the truth,"

he whispered, his words like a poison venom coursing through her veins, the air growing thick with foreboding

She felt a chill run down her spine

As she realized that Bai Lung was dangling a thread of truth before her, tantalizingly close, yet just out of reach. She felt like a mouse trapped in a maze, with no escape from the labyrinth.

"I-I really don't know what you're talking about," she stuttered, her voice shaking with a mix of fear and denial.

Bai Lung's smile grew, his eyes glinting with a sinister light

"Oh, but you do, Saintess Ling'r. You just don't want to admit it to yourself... And even if you did, it's too late. The clock is ticking, and your father's secrets will be revealed sooner or later. But don't worry, I'll make sure you're... prepared for what's to come," he whispered, his words dripping with menace.

His words were like a stab to her heart, her eyes widened in horror as she felt the walls closing in around her.

She knew she had to get out of there, to escape the clutches of the Holy Envoy's tactics.

The more she stays here, she would only fall.

Even as she played dumb, she knew where this was going, after all, one can't be that naive, she knew the secrets and the ' corrupted ' deal.

Her father wanted to tie her hands to this man, but that's another lie, her father just wanted to use her as a pawn and gift her to holy envoy to build the connection.

...

But as she turned to leave, Bai Lung's hand shot out, his fingers closing around her wrist like a vice

"Don't go just yet, Saintess Ling'r. We're not done... yet," he hissed, his voice low and menacing, as he pulled her back into his shadows, towering her like an indestructible tower. That could withstand

The air grew thick with tension as Saintess Ling'r felt herself being dragged back into his clutch, with no escape from the nightmare unfolding before her.

The only sound was the pounding of her heart, beating out a rhythm of fear and desperation

And in that moment,

Saintess Ling'r knew that her life would never be the same again... Something big is going to happen.