With her underwear pooled around her ankles, Cao Ning stepped toward the tub. The wooden floor was cool against her bare feet. She eased herself into the steaming water, a soft sigh escaping her lips as the heat enveloped her tired muscles.
The water came up to her waist, leaving her upper body exposed. Her breasts floated on the surface like perfect twin islands, their tips hardening from the contrast of the warm water and cool air. She tried to cover herself with her hands, but Elder Chang's sharp voice cut through the steam.
"Move your hands. Sit in the lotus position and close your eyes," he commanded.
Cao Ning's heart hammered against her ribs. Her first instinct was to refuse, to cover her body from his hungry stare. But he was her elder, her master. In the demonic faction, disobeying him was unthinkable.
With a deep, shuddering breath, Cao Ning dropped her hands to her sides and crossed her legs, settling into the lotus position. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus on the warmth of the water and the scent of the herbs.
Elder Chang watched her. He saw the way her breasts rose and fell with each breath. He imagined himself reaching out to cup them, to feel their weight in his hands. He took a slow, steadying breath of his own and moved behind her.
"Try to relax," he said, his voice close to her ear. "You're as stiff as a board. This won't work if you're fighting me."
"I'm trying, Elder," Cao Ning whispered.
Soon, Elder Chang's hands landed on her back, and she flinched at the contact. His skin was hot against hers.
"Just breathe," he told her. "Let the herbs work. Let my qi guide yours."
Cao Ning forced herself to take slow, deep breaths, but it was hard. Every part of her was on high alert, hyper-aware of the man sitting behind her while she was completely naked. She could feel the water sloshing against her skin with his every movement, and she prayed he couldn't see the way her nipples were hardening.
But Elder Chang did see. He saw everything. Her perfect skin, glowing in the dim light of the chamber. Her silver hair, half soaked and half dry, clinging to her back. The graceful curve of her spine, leading down to the swell of her hips.
He felt a fresh surge of desire. This girl had grown into a true masterpiece.
An hour passed, then two. The herbal oils in the water began to thin, the murky cloud slowly fading. As it did, Cao Ning's lower body, once hidden, began to appear beneath the surface.
Elder Chang could now see the perfect, firm curve of her buttocks. The water's surface revealed her slim waist and the full, tantalizing shape of her ass. Even underwater, he could make out the thin line of her ass crack, a promise of the forbidden fruit he had been hungering for.
He swallowed hard. His control was starting to crack. His focus, which should have been on guiding her qi, kept wandering to the soft flesh inches from his hands.
Suddenly, Cao Ning's body slumped sideways.
Elder Chang cursed under his breath as her head lolled against the edge of the tub.
"Disciple? Cao Ning, can you hear me?" he asked, his voice losing its stern edge.
Cao Ning was completely limp. The hours of cultivation, on top of her exhaustion from the day, had been too much. She had fainted.
"Cao Ning? Wake up." Elder Chang shook her shoulder, but there was no response. He shook her harder, her body moving like a ragdoll in the water.
Still nothing. She was out cold.
Elder Chang stared at her body. A slow, wide grin spread across his face.
"Looks like all that hard work tired you out, my dear disciple," he chuckled to himself. He stood up and stretched his arms, his eyes never leaving her naked form. "A master must see to his student's comfort. Especially when she's been so… diligent."
With those words, Elder Chang leaned over the tub.
The plan was simple: get her out of the water before she caught a chill. The reality, the fantasy dancing in his mind, was anything but.
"Okay, Cao Ning. Let's get you somewhere more comfortable," Elder Chang said, as if she could hear him.
He slid one arm under her back, the heat of her skin a shock against his hand. His other arm went under her smooth, wet thighs. With a soft grunt, he lifted her from the tub.
Water cascaded from her body, splashing onto the stone floor. She was surprisingly light and limp as a ragdoll in his arms. Her head fell back, silver hair plastered to her skin, and her breasts, free without anything holding them, looked even fuller and more perfect.
Then he gently laid her down on the clean, dry area of the floor, away from the puddles. Her skin glistened under the dim torchlight.
Elder Chang knelt beside her. He felt a thrill, a dangerous electric current running through him.
"Look at you," Elder Chang whispered, his voice hoarse. "A goddess, right here in front of me." He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. "If anyone found out… oh, the trouble I'd be in. But who's going to tell?"
Elder Chang looked at her face, peaceful and beautiful in her faint state. "Are you really asleep, Cao Ning? Or are you playing with your master?" He leaned in close, the scent of her body a heady mix of herbs and something feminine. "No… you're really out cold. The perfect disciple."
With that, his gaze traveled down her body. Her full breasts were like soft pillows rising from her chest. He swallowed hard. His hand, as if it had a mind of its own, reached out.
"Just… just a little touch," Elder Chang told himself. "To see if they're real."
His palm settled on her right breast. It was even softer than he had imagined. It was like sinking his hand into a warm, water-filled balloon. He closed his fingers around it, giving it a gentle squeeze. The soft flesh yielded to his touch, then returned to its perfect shape. He let out a soft moan. "Unbelievable."