the edge of the rope of a warrior woman

As night fell and they reached Chenzhou City, Dugu Qiu was about to find an inn for the night when she was suddenly surrounded by a group of soldiers. The female general leading them held up a portrait, comparing it to Dugu Qiu. "Someone reported to the authorities that you robbed a merchant," she declared. "Judging by your fine clothes, you must be a noblewoman. You heroines only spend your money on adornments, and when you run out, you dare to rob traveling merchants. Truly, you know no fear." Dugu Qiu hadn't expected to encounter such undeserved misfortune. She assumed a defensive stance. "I did not rob any merchant. On the contrary, I dealt with a band of horse bandits on my way here. Are you mistaken?" The female general sneered, "Still dare to quibble? Surrender quickly, or we won't be polite." Seeing the soldiers' gleaming armor and the fact that her likeness was already captured in a portrait, Dugu Qiu knew that fighting her way out would brand her a fugitive. She clasped her hands behind her back and said, "Very well, but I demand to confront this merchant in court." The female general waved her hand, and two soldiers stepped forward with ropes. "Naturally, the prefect himself will interrogate you," the general said. "There, with witnesses and evidence, we'll see how you can argue then." Dugu Qiu gritted her teeth, no longer arguing with the general. She allowed the two soldiers to bind her hands tightly behind her back. The soldiers, noticing Dugu Qiu's beauty, were not entirely professional in their handling. The general, seeing this, snapped, "Be quick about it! Don't dawdle." The two soldiers dared not misbehave further, and their binding movements became swift. Dugu Qiu felt her arms being pulled so taut behind her that they felt on the verge of dislocating. The soldiers, as if not satisfied, continued to tighten the ropes with all their might. Once bound, Dugu Qiu tried to struggle but found herself completely immobilized. This special rope, she suspected, would be difficult even for a master of her own teacher's caliber to escape. Inside the Chenzhou City dungeon, Dugu Qiu was unceremoniously thrown into a cell. The guard glared at her and growled, "Behave yourself!" before turning and leaving. In the cell, besides Dugu Qiu, lay another beauty, who had been sleeping. Upon seeing Dugu Qiu thrown in, she finally stirred and sat up. This beauty had fiery red hair and a voluptuous figure. Her beautiful eyes, as they roamed, evoked a sense of pity. Dugu Qiu asked, "Why aren't you tied up?" The beauty chuckled, "My martial arts are weak; I don't need to be bound. You, on the other hand, seem quite skilled. How did you end up captured?" Dugu Qiu replied, "I've been framed."

The maid tied the ropes behind Lou Ying's back, hoisting her up to the beam. She deliberately removed Lou Ying's embroidered shoes and pulled the rope high, forcing Lou Ying to stand on tiptoe, her net-stockinged feet struggling to maintain balance. This posture made her slender legs appear even longer. The maid toyed with Lou Ying's embroidered shoes, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "Are these the high heels that have recently become popular in the Western Regions? They are indeed beautiful, but they must be quite uncomfortable to wear. Perhaps they are like these ropes, objects that cause women some pain yet make them more alluring." Another maid standing nearby chimed in, "Whether these ropes cause pain or not is a matter of opinion." "Little slut, you're the one who loves being tied up the most. Tonight, you'll sleep tied like this." Hearing the maids' casual banter, Lou Ying's cheeks flushed. Influenced by her mother's Western bloodline and the region's open customs, her own attire was quite daring. However, at sixteen, she was still inexperienced, and the maids' bold teasing left her feeling shy. The maid suddenly remembered her client was still experiencing the rope play and quickly stopped chatting. She produced a gag and said to Lou Ying, "Miss Lou, would you like to try this? It's called a gag, and it's the perfect companion to the ropes." Lou Ying eyed it curiously. "I'm already tied up like this, so I might as well try it." She opened her mouth, and the maid inserted the gag, securing the buckle behind her head. Before long, Lou Ying felt an uncontrollable urge to drool. She desperately tried to hold back, but as she felt her control slipping, she quickly used her internal energy to break the ropes and dropped from her suspended position. She covered her mouth with one hand and reached for the gag with the other. The maid chuckled. "Miss Lou is still a bit shy. If you don't drool when wearing the gag, then it's been worn in vain." Lou Ying wiped her mouth. "Forget it, forget it. I really can't wear this gag. I'd rather tease you three older sisters." Sikong Hong watched Lou Ying's alluring figure as she was bound, her impatience growing. However, Lou Ying had set her sights on Dugu Qiu. She first untied Dugu Qiu and then said, "I'm sorry to trouble you, sister." The maid interjected, "Miss Lou Ying, please don't be so polite to the female slaves. If you spoil them, they might develop bad tempers and become insubordinate, which would be troublesome." Lou Ying replied, "It's alright. Such a beautiful sister must be very agreeable." Dugu Qiu's internal energy was sealed, leaving her powerless to resist. Lou Ying was both cute and beautiful, so Dugu Qiu no longer showed the defiance she had when she was first bound. She turned her hands behind her back, allowing Lou Ying to do as she pleased. Lou Ying smiled. "This sister is so well-behaved, I will surely cherish her." She began to imitate the maids, tying Dugu Qiu in the same manner she had been tied. She would pause occasionally, asking the maids if she was doing it correctly. Finally, Dugu Qiu was hoisted up just like Lou Ying had been, her small, stockinged feet struggling to maintain balance. If she lost focus for even a moment, her hands would bear the full weight of her body, causing them to ache. Lou Ying looked at her handiwork with great satisfaction and declared, "Not bad, right? I'll buy these three sisters." The maids were delighted by Lou Ying's generosity. "I will have someone escort these three female slaves to Miss Lou's room shortly. Here are a paralyzing drug that restricts internal energy and its secret formula. If Miss Lou decides to untie them, she must use this medicine. All three of them possess martial arts skills, especially the one in red, Yang Yuwei, whose martial arts are formidable. Miss Lou, do not be swayed by their sweet talk. Do not show too much pity towards female slaves." Lou Ying said impatiently, "Don't worry, they have martial arts, and so do I. I'm certainly not inferior to them." Lou Ying untied Dugu Qiu from the rope and then unfastened the ropes on her legs. She helped her up and they walked out, Lou Ying saying, "I'll take this sister first. Send the other two to my room later." A while later, in Lou Ying's room, Dugu Qiu sat bound in a chair. Sikong Hong and Yang Yuwei were also brought in. After the maids withdrew, Lou Ying asked the three women, "Is it uncomfortable being tied up?" Yang Yuwei retorted, "If it's uncomfortable, can you untie us?" Lou Ying actually untied them. Yang Yuwei was somewhat surprised. "I know your internal energy is not bad, but I don't think you can defeat me. If you untie us like this, aren't you afraid we'll tie you up instead?"

Dugu Qiu and Lü Ling Shuang were both taken aback. Seeing their expressions, the maidservant smiled and said, "It seems this is your first time here. Then this servant will improvise. I saw this young lady staring at my shibari for quite a while just now, so this servant will treat you both with shibari." With that, the two women were led inside. The maidservant removed their cloaks, revealing their sexy and beautiful attire, which even made the two experienced maidservants marvel at their radiance. Feeling the ropes winding around her body, Dugu Qiu curiously asked, "Besides being tied up, what else can be done in this pavilion?" The maidservant smiled and explained, "Our pavilion is not simply about tying people up. This first floor is a stage where bound dancers will perform, and singers whose hands are not bound will play music. You can have unbound maidservants serve you drinks. The second floor is a gambling house, but not for money. The person who wins the most can enjoy the hospitality of our courtesan, at your command. If you lose, you will be hung from the rafters of the gambling house for an hour and can be taken away and played with by other winners for an hour. The third floor is for tea ceremonies. Similar to the gambling house, the winner of the tea ceremony can be chosen by the courtesan to go to her room. However, the courtesan on the third floor only trains others and rarely binds herself. The fourth floor has private rooms where guests can be untied, provided they have a bound companion. If you are found untied without a companion, you will be severely punished. The fifth floor is the Hall of Ropes, where rope masters will lecture on ropes, and everyone can exchange their experiences here." While the maidservants were explaining, they had already finished binding the two women. Like the maidservants, their bodies were covered in shibari in the style of a tortoise shell, but their hands were not free, tied behind their backs in a W shape and hoisted up, causing their proud chests to swell, making them look like two indomitable heroines trapped in a predicament. The maidservant looked at their embroidered shoes and said, "Shoes like these are not allowed in our pavilion. You two can either go barefoot or wear these high heels." The maidservant took out two pairs of black high heels from a small wooden box. Dugu Qiu had seen Lou Ying wear similar shoes before, which were said to be very expensive, so she wanted to try them. Lü Ling Shuang, however, looked fearful and kept shaking her head, preferring to have her bare, silk-clad feet on the cold floor rather than wear high heels. After putting on the high heels, Dugu Qiu immediately regretted it. The shoes were very uncomfortable to wear, and she felt every part of her delicate feet pressing uncomfortably, especially her toes, which were squeezed numb. She hurriedly wanted to take them off, but the maidservant said, "If you choose to wear high heels and then take them off, you will be punished." Dugu Qiu had no choice but to obediently wear the high heels. She looked down; although the high heels were uncomfortable, they made her delicate legs appear exceptionally long, which could be considered a blessing in disguise. After Dugu Qiu and Lü Ling Shuang were bound, a maidservant took a rope and tied it to the ropes on their chests, leading them inside. In the first-floor hall, a few guests were scattered around. Maidservants with their hands bound in front of them served drinks and snacks. The guests were tied to chairs in various poses, and some were even tied spread-eagle on tables, enjoying fruits brought by the maidservants. On stage, several graceful dancers were suspended in mid-air by ropes, but their feet were still free. Their long, bare legs traced arcs in the air with elegant and beautiful dance moves. The audience enjoyed the performance while sipping fine wine and delicacies, having a delightful time. The maidservant, pulling the two women, asked, "Would you two like to rest here or go upstairs?" Lü Ling Shuang said, "Let's go directly to the gambling house. There are only dancers on this floor and no courtesans, so it's a bit boring." Dugu Qiu remembered being tied up in the gambling house in Nanping City last time, and now she was being tied up again upon arriving at a gambling house. It seemed she and gambling were not meant to be.

Lü Ling Shuang toyed with the rope and asked, "Is this... the Immortal Binding Rope?" Lü Ling Yan explained, "This is the Immortal Controlling Rope. Besides having the effect of binding immortals, anyone bound by it will obey your every command. You can use it when interrogating prisoners in Lingnan Dao." Ignoring Dugu Qiu's resentful gaze, Lü Ling Shuang said, "You can try it on little sister Dugu first." Lü Ling Yan then produced a jade gag and said to Lü Ling Shuang, "This gag is also a gift from the Empress. The longer it's worn, the weaker and softer the body will become, and the mind will turn to mush. Even after it's removed, one will remain dazed and compliant for several hours, as if drugged, completely at your mercy." Lü Ling Shuang declared, "Little sister Dugu, you won't escape today." Dugu Qiu resignedly said, "Alas, I'm used to it anyway." On the official road leaving the capital, Dugu Qiu, with the white jade gag stuffed in her mouth, leaned against the carriage. She hadn't been bound yet; Lü Ling Shuang wanted to incapacitate her first, otherwise, it would be troublesome if she resisted while being tied up. Dugu Qiu thought to herself: She has so many excuses to torment me. I've already let her put the gag in, would I still refuse to be tied? Alas, I don't know when it started, but I've become so accustomed to being bound that I no longer have the will to resist. Just then, the carriage curtain was lifted, and Lü Ling Shuang climbed in. Looking at the limp Dugu Qiu, Lü Ling Shuang gently lifted her chin with her hand. "Little heroine, you're powerless to resist now, aren't you? Won't you obediently be bound?" Due to the effects of the white jade gag, Dugu Qiu was weak and could only lean against the carriage, allowing Lü Ling Shuang to do as she pleased. Lü Ling Shuang removed the gag, and Dugu Qiu's saliva involuntarily dripped out. Lü Ling Shuang took out a handkerchief to wipe her clean, then produced the Immortal Controlling Rope and commanded, "Kneel properly." Dugu Qiu said aggrievedly, "You haven't even bound me with the Immortal Controlling Rope yet." Lü Ling Shuang pouted, "Can't I command you without using the Immortal Controlling Rope? You're my prisoner now, understand?" Dugu Qiu could only try her best to stand up, but the white jade gag's effects were too strong. Her body went limp, and she collapsed back into the carriage. Lü Ling Shuang shook her head helplessly, helped Dugu Qiu up, and had her kneel with her back to her. She began to bind Dugu Qiu with the Immortal Controlling Rope. After binding for a long time, Lü Ling Shuang messed up the knots, making them utterly unappealing, and she angrily slapped the carriage. Dugu Qiu could only say, "Sister, just tell me how to re-tie it, and I'll direct you." Finally, under Dugu Qiu's guidance, Lü Ling Shuang managed to bind her beautifully. The pose was the same as that day with Lü Ling Yan; she was bound in the "Backhand Guan Yin" position, a request from Lü Ling Shuang. Dugu Qiu had initially wanted to say she wouldn't tie herself that way, but after the Immortal Controlling Rope touched her, she unconsciously began to instruct Lü Ling Shuang on how to perform the Backhand Guan Yin binding. Dugu Qiu herself was greatly surprised at suddenly knowing this binding method. Looking at Dugu Qiu, bound in the Backhand Guan Yin pose and kneeling on the ground, Lü Ling Shuang was very satisfied and commanded, "Bark twice like a dog." Dugu Qiu's face turned crimson. She refused, "Woof woof." She had intended to say "no," but "woof woof" came out. Glaring at Lü Ling Shuang, Dugu Qiu said with a pout, "Sister, please don't humiliate me anymore."

Dugu Qiu wrenched Cheng Xingran's hand from her face. "If you're going to tie me up, do it now. Stop pretending. Yelü Qingya is after profit, but you're just a pervert, a disgrace to our sect." Cheng Xingran was angered by Dugu Qiu's words. "Hmph, ungrateful. Didn't the Binding Immortal Sect tie up women for cultivation back then? And the current Misty Peak still inherits those cultivation techniques. How is that perverted? You don't need to provoke me. I won't tie you up now. I'll have my fun once your injuries have healed." Dugu Qiu wanted to retort further, but Cheng Xingran directly put a gag in her mouth and pushed her back into the room. For the next few days, Cheng Xingran took meticulous care of Dugu Qiu. She changed her dressings, cooked for her, and bathed her. Dugu Qiu didn't want to be served by Cheng Xingran, but with her severe injuries, she was powerless to resist Cheng Xingran's insistence on caring for her. For seven consecutive days, with the large quantity of medicine Dugu Qiu had brought from the Medicine King Valley and her own martial arts training that had honed her physique, Dugu Qiu's body recovered significantly. The scabbed wounds had largely healed, leaving behind red marks that crisscrossed her fair skin. In addition to her external injuries, Dugu Qiu's internal energy had also mostly recovered. Cheng Xingran's slender fingers caressed Dugu Qiu's skin and she produced a bundle of red rope. "You've recovered well. It's time to tie you up." After Cheng Xingran's attentive care for the past two days, Dugu Qiu was no longer heartless and could no longer glare at Cheng Xingran with hostility. Mentally prepared, Dugu Qiu merely snorted proudly and put her hands behind her back. The moment Cheng Xingran placed the rope on her, Dugu Qiu felt her entire body go limp, her true qi instantly stagnating. "What a powerful rope," Dugu Qiu couldn't help but exclaim. "This is the Demon Binding Rope used by the Rope Demon back then. Although I obtained it, the seal hasn't been completely broken. It needs to be used to tie people up continuously to break the seal," Cheng Xingran explained. "By the way, your cultivation has recovered, and I didn't restrain you just now. Why didn't you resist at all? It's hard to say if I could defeat you with my martial arts." Dugu Qiu then realized she had submitted so readily to being bound, and by the descendant of the Rope Demon, an enemy of her sect no less! She began to struggle, but Cheng Xingran had already mostly bound her hands and upper body. Dugu Qiu's futile wriggling, with her body weakened, looked more like she was teasing Cheng Xingran, urging her to tie it tighter. Cheng Xingran was also greatly excited. She pulled the rope tighter, causing Dugu Qiu to lean forward, her chest rising, and she let out a moan, tilting her head back. "Ah~ Gently, be gentler," Dugu Qiu murmured. "Have I been too gentle these past two days, giving you the wrong impression? I'm very strict when I tie people up," Cheng Xingran said, pulling the rope tighter again. "Ah! You... Hmph." Dugu Qiu moaned again, wanting to chide Cheng Xingran, but it sounded like flirting. She closed her lips and fell silent. After tightening the rope around Dugu Qiu's upper body, Cheng Xingran patted her chest. "Not bad. You're quite obedient. The Azure Mist Palace is indeed a sect that relied on being bound for cultivation back then. Even though their techniques have improved and they don't need to be bound now, you're still so receptive to the rope. I'll have to consider bringing the heroine Fengyi here to play with once my cultivation advances further." Dugu Qiu's face flushed. "Pah! My master would never be tied by you. If you dare go to the Azure Mist Palace, you'll be suppressed." "Are you concerned for my safety, or do you just want me to bully you?" Cheng Xingran chuckled and gently lifted Dugu Qiu's pointed chin with her hand. Dugu Qiu realized her words were poorly chosen and stamped her foot in anger. "I don't want to talk to you anymore." Cheng Xingran laughed even harder. "If you don't want to talk, then I'll just stuff your mouth." Dugu Qiu said stubbornly, "As you wish." Cheng Xingran brought a large-sized speculum and stretched Dugu Qiu's small mouth wide open, forcing her to drool incessantly. "Mmmph, this is so uncomfortable," Dugu Qiu managed to say indistinctly. Cheng Xingran, however, said, "You refuse to talk to me, so I have to give you this. Or should I stuff my two-day-old unwashed socks into your mouth?" Dugu Qiu quickly shook her head in horror. Cheng Xingran pouted. "Tch, you dare to be picky with me? But don't worry, I'm very clean. I wouldn't have socks that haven't been washed for two days." Cheng Xingran carried Dugu Qiu to the bed and placed Dugu Qiu's pair of long, silken-stockinged legs across her own lap, playing with them. "So beautiful," she said, stroking Dugu Qiu's instep. Dugu Qiu's feet tensed, her toes straightening. Cheng Xingran glanced at her with a wicked smile and used the rope to bind her legs from the base of her thighs all the way to her soles, coiling it around them. Dugu Qiu's legs were bound like lotus roots. "You look even more beautiful like this," Cheng Xingran said playfully, tickling the soles of Dugu Qiu's feet. Dugu Qiu couldn't help but giggle repeatedly, curling her entire body into a ball as if she could escape Cheng Xingran's discipline this way.

The next morning, in the Grand Princess's carriage, the Grand Princess, Princess Linying, Lou Ying, and Dugu Qiu sat in the four corners. They were all in the same posture, with their legs crossed, but it was a forced posture. Their beautiful legs were tightly bound by ropes, forcing them into a cross-legged position. The hands of all four women were also bound behind their backs, and their upper bodies were secured in place by ropes, rendering them immobile. Gags were stuffed into their mouths. At this moment, Xiahou Shuang lifted the carriage curtain and entered, followed by Lü Lingshuang. Xiahou Shuang ordered, "Take good care of the Princesses. Don't untie them until we return to the capital. Don't let them run wild. Do you hear me?" Lü Lingshuang quickly nodded and accepted the order. Xiahou Shuang lowered the curtain, called a few personal guards, and rode off on fast horses. It turned out that news had suddenly arrived from the capital, urgently summoning Xiahou Shuang back. Xiahou Shuang had no choice but to temporarily leave the tender embrace of Qu Wufeng. Before leaving, fearing that the Grand Princess and Princess Linying would cause trouble, she had tied them up before feeling at ease to depart. After hearing Xiahou Shuang leave, the Grand Princess smiled slyly and stretched her small feet, reaching for the tea table in the middle of the carriage. With a click, a hidden compartment popped open, revealing a small knife. The Grand Princess easily gripped the knife with her fair toes and kicked it forcefully towards Lou Ying. Lou Ying shifted her body, retrieved the knife, cut her own ropes, and then freed the other three women. The Grand Princess proudly declared, "Fortunately, I was clever enough to secretly instruct the craftsman to add a hidden compartment." Princess Linying's eyes sparkled, "Imperial Sister, can we sneak out to play now?" The Grand Princess replied, "Don't rush. Let's tie up Lü Lingshuang, that traitor, first. Otherwise, she'll definitely stop us." At noon, during mealtime, Lü Lingshuang and Ye Wenyi entered the carriage with several lunchboxes. They were very satisfied to see the four women obediently bound. After removing their gags, they were about to feed them when suddenly, Dugu Qiu, Lou Ying, and the Grand Princess simultaneously snapped their ropes. They swiftly struck the acupoints of the two women, causing Lü Lingshuang and Ye Wenyi to collapse. The Grand Princess took out ropes and distributed them to Dugu Qiu and Lou Ying, who began to tie up Lü Lingshuang and Ye Wenyi. It turned out that after breaking free, the Grand Princess had replaced the ropes binding them with ordinary ones. With their martial arts skills, they could easily break free. However, Princess Linying, who had no martial arts, couldn't break free from any kind of rope, whether ordinary or specially made. She watched enviously as the Grand Princess and the others tied up Lü Lingshuang and Ye Wenyi, whimpering and begging to be untied quickly. Lou Ying was about to untie her when the Grand Princess stopped her, "She has no martial arts. She can't protect herself if she comes out with us. Let her stay here." Princess Linying immediately became anxious upon hearing this. She whimpered and stretched out her small feet to kick the Grand Princess, but the Grand Princess directly grabbed her pair of jade feet and pulled them behind her, binding her in a "four-horse spread-eagle" position. Lü Lingshuang and Ye Wenyi, tied on the ground, also protested with whimpers, but the Grand Princess ignored them. She took off her conspicuous princess gown and changed into a set of tight-fitting short attire. She then secretly slipped out of the carriage with Dugu Qiu and Lou Ying, leaving the convoy. It wasn't until they were far away that Lü Lingshuang's personal guards noticed she hadn't emerged from the carriage. Upon investigating, they discovered the bound Lü Lingshuang and Ye Wenyi. After freeing them, Lü Lingshuang immediately ordered a search for the Grand Princess. As for the pitiable Princess Linying, not only did she not regain her freedom, but Lü Lingshuang also blindfolded her again, and she and Ye Wenyi took turns watching her.