Chapter 654: Cerulean Star-Lake Reflection
Beneath Lin Mo’s usual amiable expression, his mind was in turmoil. Part of him was looking forward to seeing how her ’request’ to accompany her in the private hot spring suite would unfold. Another part hoped he was simply misunderstanding everything. After all, this was the Sword Fairy. No matter how much he tried to make sense of it, he couldn’t envision himself as someone who had captured her interest. Her heart was solely focused on her sword path.
Under the silent gaze of Wu Meiyu, who inwardly vowed to secure another chance, Lin Mo guided Jiang Jianxin to the Celestial Hot Springs. Just in time, it was already the store’s closing hours.
When they arrived there, most patrons were already checking out their wristbands at the front desk. Most of them had their faces flushed with relaxation and spiritual nourishment.
Looking at the familiar faces who kept returning to the hot spring every day, Lin Mo could only click his tongue inwardly at how addicted they became. Some of them were even substituting it for a cultivation room. They would just meditate while submerged in the spring.
But then again, it’s not really a problem so Lin Mo never bothered adding a rule to it. They’re the ones losing out by not using the real cultivation rooms offered by the store.
At the moment, Tie Niu and Li Li were busily processing the final transactions, ensuring the transition from a bustling bathhouse to a serene, empty facility went smoothly.
Lin Mo waited until all the patrons left before stepping forward with Jiang Jianxin calmly standing beside him.
"Shopkeeper. Sword Fairy," Tie Niu greeted, bowing his massive frame respectfully. "The public baths and private suites are cleared. The cleaning formations have been activated."
"Mhm. Great work, Tie Niu. You and Li Li can clock out. I’ll take over from here." Lin Mo instructed, waving a hand to dismiss them.
Once the staff departed, a profound quiet settled over the lobby. The soft, ambient noises that signified the bustling business faded, leaving only the distant, soothing sound of calm water.
Lin Mo turned to Jiang Jianxin. She stood perfectly still, her posture impeccably straight. Yet, without the ever-present hum of her aggressive sword intent, she seemed almost unguarded. He thought she would say something, but she just stared and waited for him.
"Right this way, dear customer," Lin Mo said, slipping into his most polished merchant persona to mask the slight irregularity of his heartbeat.
He led her down the corridor lined with the now-empty private suites, the generated rooms returning to the default.
He bypassed the rooms he had previously used with Yu Qingyan, Wu Meiyu, and Xun Caiyin, deciding to use another room next to them. Not that he was afraid there would be problems if he did so, it was just a simple preference.
After all, each of those rooms held different memories for him, even if the personalized suites had long been reverted the moment they finished their stay inside.
Perhaps, in the future, if the store expanded enough, he could maintain some of those, just in case they decide to drag him with them again.
"Here it is, dear customer. Put your hand on the panel." He gestured at the digital panel
Jiang Jianxin nodded and followed his words.
A few seconds later, the panel glowed slightly, registering Jiang Jianxin’s spiritual signature.
Then, she glanced at him silently, her expression unchanging.
Lin Mo could only helplessly smile, understanding what she wanted him to do.
After she retracted her hand, Lin Mo placed his hand on it, registering his own signature alongside hers before confirming.
From there, the system hummed, calculating the optimal environment for their combined auras.
A moment later, glowing calligraphy etched itself into the wood.
[Private Suite: The Cerulean Star-Lake Reflection]
[Atmosphere: Synthesized Harmony (Sword Dao/Starlight Order)]
[Status: Occupied]
The doors slid open with a soft hiss and Lin Mo stepped to the side, waiting for her to enter first.
"This is... fascinating," Jiang Jianxin murmured. "The environment itself feels like a drawn blade. Sharp, yet at peace."
Lin Mo followed after her and like always, he couldn’t help but marvel at the breathtaking efficiency of the Divine System Interface.
The room was vastly different from the bamboo grove he had expected.
They stood on a platform of smooth, dark wooden floor. Below them lay a sprawling, circular hot spring. The water was crystalline and unnervingly still, which resembled a perfectly polished mirror.
Above, the artificial sky was a canvas of deep cerulean blue, dotted with countless silver stars that perfectly reflected on the water’s surface.
In a way, it felt like a realm of absolute precision enhanced by a quiet magnitude.
"The system caters to the patron’s fundamental nature," Lin Mo explained, gesturing to the partitioned changing screens not far from them. Unlike the previous suites, where there was ample space they could lounge in, this one was mostly occupied by the larger spring. "It configured the most suitable room for us after combining our spiritual signatures."
"Indeed... I can sense the closeness derived from the starlight and the sword path." Jiang Jianxin nodded as she stared up at the sky. Even though she had great control over her expressions, Lin Mo didn’t fail to miss how her entire demeanor softened up now that they’re alone in this place.
"I will change behind the left screen. Take your time, Miss Jiang." Lin Mo said after finding that behind the paper partition was a simple store-provided bathing robe.
It seems like there was more propriety observed this time.
The Sword Fairy softly hummed in agreement as she walked towards her side of the partition.
Lin Mo also didn’t stay there to stand like a statue. He retreated behind the paper partition, quickly shedding his green and white uniform and donning the bathing robe.
He took a deep breath, circulating the [Everflowing Serenity Sutra]. He needed his mind to be a fortress. The Sword Fairy might be acting calm, but who knows what might happen between them? Being alone with a woman who could effortlessly part the clouds was a high-risk scenario.
Of course, he’s confident that’s not going to happen. After all, the Sword Fairy is not that kind of woman. At least, as far as he knew her.
When he stepped out, Jiang Jianxin was already waiting by the edge of the hot spring, watching him approach.
Seeing her figure there, Lin Mo couldn’t help but hold his breath at the sight.
She wore the same bathing robe provided by the suite which perfectly wrapped her slender, athletic figure. Her long, dark hair, usually tied back for combat, fell freely down her back.
The austere, unapproachable Sword Fairy was gone, replaced by a devastatingly beautiful woman bathed in starlight.
She didn’t show any of the bashful hesitation typical of a maiden. She met his gaze directly with calm and clear eyes before stepping down into the mirror-like water.
The surface barely rippled as she submerged herself up to her collarbones.
"Mhm. The temperature is optimal. I now understand why everyone is full of praise." She stated softly. "Are you going to stand guard, Shopkeeper?"
"A host must ensure the facilities are up to standard, dear customer." Lin Mo replied, recovering his wits.
He carefully stepped into the water on the opposite side of the large hot spring.
The heat seeped into his pores instantly, carrying with it a sharp, invigorating spiritual energy that felt distinctly different from the warm, draconic embrace of Meiyu’s suite. This water felt like it was actively scouring his meridians, testing the density of his newly formed Embryonic Core.
For several minutes, they sat in silence. But it didn’t take long before the Sword Fairy, whom he was avoiding staring at directly due to how stimulating she appeared at the moment, moved next to him.
The splashing and the calm rippling of water as she did so drew his attention despite his best efforts.
She stopped an arm’s length away. Close enough that he could feel the subtle shift in the water’s temperature where her aura interacted with his.
"Un. Your foundation has become even more robust, Shopkeeper." Jiang Jianxin observed, her tone conversational yet it seemed to carry the weight of a seasoned cultivator analyzing a sparring partner. Lin Mo could sense her eyes focused on him.
"The result of my latest cultivation," Lin Mo admitted, keeping his eyes on the reflected stars on the water’s surface but due to how she’s basically next to him, her image was also perfectly reflected on it. "The [Sea of the Silent Stream] requires one to compress their chaotic accumulations into a single point. It seems my attempt was successful."
"More than successful," She countered softly. "You possessed a Perfect Foundation. And now, you have improved it further. Even within my sect’s recorded history, those who achieve such a state are rare. Shopkeeper, you now walk the path that makes legends."
"Am I? Sword Fairy, my path is simply something that will allow me to keep the store open and live a more comfortable life. It may have looked otherwise simply because necessity is a powerful motivator."
As he said that, Lin Mo finally turned to face her, committing her breathtaking figure to memory.
