Lory was surrounded by white mist when she opened her eyes. She could barely see anything, not even her own feet. She wondered where she was and why she was wearing a long white silk nightgown. She had not worn such a gown in ages. She saw a woman's silhouette while she was still wrapped in confusion. The mist gradually thinned and a woman with long silver hair appeared before her.
"Arthea?" She gasped.
?
The mist thickened once again while Arthea smiled, raised her hand, and beckoned her to follow. Arthea turned around and the mist slowly became dense. Lory quickly ran after Arthea scared she would lose her but the mist quickly covered her figure. Lory could only see her silhouette in the thick mist.
"ARTHEA!" She shouted but Arthea didn't reply.
Lory painstakingly chased her as questions filled her. She wanted to know why Arthea kept appearing before her. Why she barged into her life once again? What else did Arthea want with her? Why did she keep giving her riddles?
A bright light suddenly hit Lory. She halted and covered her eyes with her hands. She tightly closed her eyes until the light dimmed. She opened her eyes slowly and lowered her hands. A pure white sword appeared in front of her. The sword glowed dimly. It looked like it was made from ice.
Lory blinked. She had the same feeling like the one she had when she saw the sacred tree. Could it be...?
Something suddenly came out of nowhere and pushed her away. Her forehead was hit by something hard and she found herself face down on the floor when she woke up to reality. She looked around in a daze and gave a long sigh. She was dreaming…again.
_________________________________________
The city of Jing An was in disarray after people got to know what happened at Zhao Li Xin's manor, and most especially when they heard about the state of Lo Tie's corpse and the incomplete corpses of the Heavenly Jade Pavilion members. The rumors about the Heavenly Jade Pavilion angering the Hei Shen Sect and their attack spread like wildfire. The Emperor could not even control or stop the rumors. Hei Shen Sect proved to be an invincible sect once again, and the legendary Lo Tie meant nothing for them.
The Hei Shen Sect's name soared to the sky, but the leader himself was busy cultivating inside his ring. No one knew why he tried so hard to increase his power when he had already reached the Saint Level at the core stage. His control over his flame was also getting better which meant he at least won't hurt others accidentally again.
While everyone was busy scheming, killing, and fighting, Lory spent her days soaking her legs in the hot spring. Girsha was also enjoying living in the hills where the air was fresher. There's no noise and the only sound of rustling bamboo leaves could be heard. The environment was peaceful and serene. Girsha split his time between diving in the hot spring and soaring to the sky, Lory would watch his attics with glee.
Ming Yue Yin's wound had already healed and she had a new breakthrough in her cultivation once again. She would reach the Grandmaster Level thanks to her hard work and the Gift she had. This made it possible for her to achieve in a few days something normal humans needed decades to accomplish.
Lory closed her eyes as the wind caressed her cheeks. The cold wind chilled her skin but the steam from the hot spring quickly chased away the cold. Lory took off her robes and knew the shadow guards protecting her would scatter away the moment she showed some skin. She still wore her undergarments, which was more conservative compared to her bikinis, but her outfit was quite provocative for this world.
Lory moaned loudly when she entered the water to soak her body. The heat from the water turned her muscles limp and made her relax. She was slightly dizzy after getting another dream. The dream traveler was draining her mental strength. She wondered why this dream was heavier than before. Lory was upset about this. She couldn't consult with anyone nor did she have a book she could read about the dream. She hated being clueless.
She was half-dazed when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around slowly as she knew no stranger could get more than fifty steps near her without being killed by the shadow guards. She was right in her thinking because the person who appeared was not a stranger. Zhao Li Xin didn't get to close to the hot spring but chose to stand a little further away. He could only see her head and shoulders yet they put his heart in disorder.
Lory, who grew up in a lax and liberal world, didn't feel embarrassed, as she didn't think she's naked. She raised her hand above the pool's edge and placed her chin on her hands in a calm manner.
"You have finished cultivating?" Lory smiled. Her cheeks were rosy from the steam, making her look more alluring.
"Yes…" Zhao Li Xin shifted his gaze to her dainty hands. He came to the hot springs because Mong Yi said the shadow guards left their post as Lory was taking a bath in the hot spring. The situation in the capital and the Heavenly Jade pavilion had heated up and he felt restless leaving her alone. Although he knew no one could enter his territory without being noticed, he still worried about her. Lory was right he was a worrywart.
He came to make sure she's okay. He kept his distance from her as he worried he would scare her. He also thought of teasing her a little to make her a little shy but what he got was beyond his expectation. He had miscalculated once again.
The woman was not shy and she even welcomed him with a sweet smile that melted his heart in an instant. Lory didn't think her appearance was provocative. She even felt quite decent as she came from a world of backless tops and hot pants. A girl would only need to put on a jacket and be ready to go out and buy ice cream at the beach.
"What are you doing over there?" Lory asked in confusion when he turned his back towards her. She wondered what he was looking at.
"Nothing, it's a good view," Zhao Li Xin waved carelessly. He refused to give in to his inner beast.
His answer confused Lory even more. What did he see in the bamboo trees? The scenery was on the other side. Was something wrong with his eyes? She was puzzled by his weird behavior but oh well...
"Li Xin, do you want to soak in the hot spring?" She asked casually but shocked Zhao Li Xin more. He couldn't even speak. It took him some time to turn around with a dumbstruck expression.
"W…what?" He needed more confirmation.
"Do you want to soak in the hot spring or not?" Lory frowned. She's puzzled by Zhao Li Xin's strange reaction. Why had he come if he didn't want to take a bath in the hot spring? Lory sighed inwardly. How could someone so beautiful be so weird?
Meanwhile, Zhao Li Xin was frozen on the spot. It would take some time for his brain to work properly.
"Come on, what are you waiting for?" Lory chuckled with amusement when she saw his agape expression. She turned around as she didn't want to push him further. It was fine if he didn't want to. She was casually asking him.
Zhao Li Xin didn't know what to do. He felt like she was challenging him and he's not someone who backs down from a fight. However, this was the first time for him to enter a battle he wasn't sure he would win. He stared at the woman dipping her hair in the water. She glanced at him with a smile before she slid her hair to her left shoulder.
Provoked by her bold action, he could not retreat as a man. He inhaled deeply and took long strides toward her. The closer he got to her, the clearer her figure become and the faster his heart beating. He started to think his choice might not have been wise.
It was not how he wanted to end up with her. He wanted to treasure her and make her his wife to solidify her position to the rest of the world. He couldn't let anyone ruin her reputation, especially since he knew of her noble background. He couldn't be so brazen with her.
While Zhao Li Xin was muddled by his own thoughts, Lory wasn't thinking much. To her, they were just soaking in the hot spring. She didn't see it as a big deal. She pushed her back to the edge of the pool, enjoying the warmth and the beautiful scenery around her. She was disrupted when Zhao Li Xin reached the pool with a stern face. She wondered if he had gotten bad news before he came to her.
"Why are you staring at me? What? Is there something on my face?" Lory tilted her head again. She covered her cheeks and checked her body for any strangeness but everything seemed normal. She frowned with confusion,
Zhao Li Xin sighed helplessly. He didn't know if she was too dense or too stupid to understand his feelings as a man. The first time he saw her dressed like this was when she was covered in wounds and bruises in the tomb. It was easy for him to control himself…painstakingly, but now he's not so sure.
The soft pink dudou gave her body little protection. He could clearly see the shape of her breasts, stomach, small waist, and her smooth back. The small red pants didn't do the job, because It's only refined the shape of her bottom and her pale long legs. The undergarment only made his imagination ran wild.
His deep burning gaze made her feel restless. She unconsciously pulled her legs to make her look smaller. The way he stared at her reminded her of the beast she encountered in the tomb. The beast at the time wanted to eat her, so why did he have the same gaze. Did he want to eat her too?
"Stop looking at me like that!" Lory became nervous and acted like a bunny in front of the wolf. This only enticed him more. He contemplated what he should do. He had a feeling 'the rice will cook' immediately once he took off his robes. There's no way he could refuse such a delicacy, no normal man could refuse this and he was normal…at least when he was with her.
The answer came to him. He would take responsibility for whatever happens. He will give her a huge dowry and hold a big wedding for her. The more he thought about it deeply, the more he thought it was perhaps a good thing to hasten their relationship and make her officially his. This way he would bind her to him forever. He did not know why he hesitated yet she also loved him. Yes! This all seemed like a good idea!
'Okay then, let's cook the rice!'
Zhao Li Xin calmed down once he got a resolution. His face lit up with excitement. He took off his robes slightly faster than he normally did. He stripped his robes one by one. Lory, on the other side of the pool, gloated at the tantalizing view in front of her. Her heart began to race and she couldn't take her eyes away from him. She stared at him with an expression that would make people want to call the cops.
Zhao Li Xin suddenly gasped, "Lory! Your nose is bleeding!!"
"Huh?"
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