He froze rigid, unable to move, cold currents and hot streams racing through his body in alternating torrents, seeming ready to break through the dam of his will at any moment.

She seemed to sense something, half-turning to look at him, her eyelids drooping as she stared at the water surface.

He didn’t move, breathing slowly and deeply, forcibly suppressing the boiling, conflicting currents within him inch by inch.

At this moment his gaze was focused to the point of greed, knowing that this instant was worth a thousand gold pieces and shouldn’t be disturbed by any accident.

She lowered her head slightly, her lower body underwater where refracted waves vaguely concealed much mystery and ambiguity. But he could see snow-white, shapely long legs, like a mermaid floating in the water.

Her undergarments were strange – form-fitting, making her curves even more distinct and alluring. She had always been a woman unsparing in displaying her own beauty. After that snowy night in the Imperial Song, she seemed to have forgotten her former boldness. Seeing such attire again now, he was somewhat surprised and somewhat pleased. It was like seeing a wound he’d worried about quietly healing in secret, seeing the person he’d worried about growing stronger through her journey.

The undergarments were black. Previously he’d thought nothing of this color – black was almost the color he most disliked, especially disliking women wearing black, thinking it the color that most concealed feminine beauty. But now he realized that snow-white skin against shining black – such extreme contrast highlighted extreme perfection, and extreme perfection achieved extreme allure, unmatched in heaven or earth.

Her foot rested on his knee, making that patch of skin suddenly become extraordinarily sensitive. Beneath the silver waves was a vague glimpse of slender white, gleaming with pearl-like crystalline light.

“Let go of me…” Her voice came, slightly low and husky. He started and released his palm. She immediately flipped over like a mermaid escaping his grasp. He watched her graceful turning motion, his eyes reflecting the pool water like moonlight.

But she suddenly cried out “Ai yo” again, her graceful movement becoming rigid as she sank straight down – the muscle cramp hadn’t been worked out yet!

This time he reacted quickly, scooping her up with one hand regardless of her struggles, emerging from the water with a splash and moving to the pool’s edge.

He laid her flat and grasped her calf, his palm running down its length. Almost immediately, her trembling calf muscle relaxed and became calm.

He didn’t immediately let go, his fingers following the meridians of her calf, gently massaging along the way.

Jing Hengbo turned her head to look at the other end of the pool, indescribable complex feelings in her heart. Ying Bai was actually unfamiliar to her – she knew she should resist, but somehow could never make decisive rejecting moves. She secretly peeked at him from the corner of her eye. His expression was focused as if he had no other thoughts, his hair also half-wet with a strand of loose hair hanging by his temple, covering his face.

The pool water was very hot, and both felt this was fortunate because the constantly rising steam concealed their mutual embarrassment and blocked probing gazes.

His fingers rested on her calf, gently – the skin beneath his fingers was soft, smooth and elastic, like living jade, like snow with warmth, like soft satin with life. His fingertips naturally slid down to her ankle, another stretch of exquisite, slender curves. She seemed somewhat nervous, her foot arched straight, making her skin appear even thinner and more taut, showing some lovely pale blue traces of meridians. Her toenails had somehow lost their red lacquer, appearing like pearls, clean and white with a hint of warm pink.

This woman, from hair to toes, was clean, beautiful, exquisitely crafted – stunning yet inspiring no thought of desecration.

He steadily maintained his breathing, smoothing her tense meridians inch by inch, his eyes looking only downward and resolutely not upward – not because he feared losing control, but because he feared that seeing would mean missing, making the lonely long nights even harder to endure thereafter.

Breathing was quiet by the pool’s edge, hot vapor rising and falling.

But suddenly footsteps could be heard approaching.

Very light, very controlled, showing this was stealthy walking. The inside and outside of this pool were heavily guarded – no ordinary person could step inside, as could be seen from how those many guards clearly saw Ying Bai enter but couldn’t pursue or even dared not raise an alarm.

Who could be walking over at this time?

Jing Hengbo suddenly raised her head and pushed Ying Bai outward. Ying Bai released his hands, not rushing to leave but turning to find Jing Hengbo’s outer garment. Finding it, he handed it to her, indicating she should put it on. Jing Hengbo was exasperated – she was planning seduction, who had ever seen anyone dress while bathing? If she bathed fully clothed, would Zhan Xin still be willing to undress?

But this fellow was unusually stubborn this time, holding the garment right beside her. Hearing the footsteps getting closer and closer, if he didn’t leave soon Zhan Xin would discover him. Jing Hengbo had no choice but to helplessly take the clothes and drape them over her shoulders.

She had made a huge concession, but Ying Bai was completely unsatisfied. He pointed at the clothes on her shoulders and made a gathering gesture, meaning that draping them like this was useless – she should put them on properly.

Jing Hengbo glared – too controlling! How could she display her body’s curves if properly dressed!

Ying Bai wouldn’t leave – how to handle these curves if not properly dressed!

The footsteps were just around the corner – after turning one bend, Zhan Xin would appear.

Jing Hengbo angrily gathered the garment around herself.

Only then was Ying Bai satisfied. Turning to leave, Jing Hengbo suddenly gave him a big kick.

“Splash” – Ying Bai fell into the water.

Waves surged as he seemed about to surface.

Jing Hengbo quickly threw off the garment she’d just put on and rapidly tossed it into the pool, landing it squarely on his head.

At this moment Zhan Xin had already turned the corner and walked into view.

Ying Bai in the pool stopped moving.

Jing Hengbo faced away from the direction Zhan Xin was approaching, supporting herself with her hands behind her as she hummed cheerfully, her feet freely splashing the water surface.

Zhan Xin saw Jing Hengbo’s back view and stopped in his tracks.

His breathing quickened.

His eyes fell on the poolside woman’s back with near-greedy hunger – shoulders slender and exquisite, waist slender as a willow, arms graceful as bamboo, and skin whiter than snow with black hair like satin.

A breeze scattered her long hair, and several peach-pink flower petals drifted down to rest by her temples.

Her body was so beautifully proportioned, like a rope that could bind the gaze of all men in the world.

This was clearly a maiden’s figure – Zhan Xin found it hard to believe she was truly seventy years old. But he still decided at this moment that regardless of her identity, whether she was truly seventy or fake seventy, he absolutely would not let this woman go.

Such beauties were rare – missing this opportunity would mean lifelong regret.

He coughed once, making his footsteps heavier. Jing Hengbo turned around, feigning surprise.

“Ah, Your Majesty, how did you come here…”

She frantically tried to grab clothes to cover herself, but the clothes were in the pool. She could only fold her arms across her chest, but covering her chest left her thighs exposed, covering her thighs left her chest exposed – her body under such compression seemed even more ready to burst forth.

Zhan Xin’s gaze seemed about to catch fire.

There seemed to be movement in the pool.

Jing Hengbo stepped down with one foot.

The pool became quiet.

“I was just passing by and thought there might be some taboos about this medicinal marsh that no one explained clearly to you, so I came personally to clarify them.” Zhan Xin maintained a refined demeanor, stopping three feet in front of Jing Hengbo, his eyes focused only on her face, wanting to dispel her wariness.

Jing Hengbo blinked and smiled.

“I see. This old one thanks Your Majesty for your thoughtfulness. So where are these taboos?”

Zhan Xin’s smile deepened, but his expression seemed somewhat troubled.

“The taboos are at the pool bottom, but someone needs to go down personally to demonstrate…”

“Oh my, what should we do?” Jing Hengbo widened her eyes, lightly covering her mouth. “Such menial work – we couldn’t dare have Your Majesty do it personally. How about we just find some eunuch to demonstrate?”

“Eunuchs and palace servants – inauspicious, polluted, incomplete bodies – how could they be worthy of entering this pool? The medicines in this pool could be called priceless treasures.” Zhan Xin hesitated, then tentatively said, “How about this king personally demonstrates?”

“Oh my, how embarrassing.” Jing Hengbo smiled like a flower, without the slightest embarrassed expression.

“Just one thing seems a bit disrespectful…” Zhan Xin said with difficulty. “To enter the pool, one must remove outer garments…”

There seemed to be slight movement at the pool bottom.

Jing Hengbo stepped down with one foot.

The pool bottom became quiet.

“Speaking of disrespectful, wouldn’t I be even more so?” Jing Hengbo blinked. “Appearing before Your Majesty improperly dressed – fortunately Your Majesty understands I’m from the wilderness and doesn’t hold it against me. How could I then hold anything against Your Majesty?”

Zhan Xin’s heart soared – this woman was seductive and flirtatious, easy to seduce!

Compared to her, Yin Wuxin was like a piece of wood that had soaked in thousand-year glaciers for ten thousand years!

“In that case, pardon the discourtesy.” He hypocritically turned around and began undressing.

A head silently emerged from the pool bottom.

Jing Hengbo raised her foot to step down again, but Ying Bai grabbed her ankle with his hand. Jing Hengbo felt ticklish and wanted to laugh but desperately held it in.

Ying Bai stared at Zhan Xin’s back, killing intent frequently appearing in his eyes.

Just as he was about to strike, Zhan Xin suddenly turned sideways to untie his belt. Jing Hengbo stepped down again, pushing Ying Bai under…

Underwater, he held the sole of her foot, his palm slippery and smooth, but his heart rising and falling…

Jing Hengbo had no mind now to explore matters of feet and underwater. From the corner of her eye she watched the garments Zhan Xin removed one by one.

The outer robe showed nothing unusual – deep garments, underclothes, belt, trousers, boots… none looked particularly strange. From common sense, Zhan Xin wouldn’t likely hide blueprints in these garments that could be changed and discarded at any time.

What did “on his person” actually mean?

Zhan Xin wasn’t shameless enough to strip completely naked. He’d removed his upper garments, exposing reasonably solid muscles, keeping on long pants below. Jing Hengbo’s gaze swept over him – he wore arm bands on his hands, rings on his fingers, and what appeared to be leather but not quite leather knee and wrist guards.

Which accessory contained the item?

The arm band was wide with complex patterns – it could be hollow inside. The rings might also have tricks. The wrist and knee guards looked least likely since they were relatively thin and couldn’t possibly hide blueprints, with clear patterns that looked like some kind of animal.

Zhan Xin had a wound on his lower abdomen from Yelu Qi’s earlier sword strike, tightly bound with cloth strips and still slightly bleeding. It was really hard on him to want to go into action while injured. Perhaps precisely because the injury was in such a vital place, he was eager to test and restore his virility.

He sat down beside Jing Hengbo. Jing Hengbo’s gaze fell on the wound at his waist as she frowned and exclaimed softly: “Oh my, Your Majesty has an injury. In that case, you probably shouldn’t enter the pool?”

“It’s fine – this medicinal marsh has healing properties anyway. But you’re right, I did forget about this small injury. When freshly wounded, it’s better not to enter water.” Zhan Xin’s talk of entering the pool to point out taboos was just an excuse anyway. This played right into his hands as he smiled: “Grand-Aunt is a person beyond the world – perhaps you could help this king see whether this waist wound is serious?”

“Ah, let me see.” Jing Hengbo leaned her head over. Zhan Xin spread his arms and turned his waist sideways, taking the opportunity to lightly place his palm on her back.

Jing Hengbo seemed completely oblivious. With Zhan Xin sitting sideways and her leaning forward to examine his waist wound, her posture appeared like throwing herself into his embrace.

There seemed to be movement at the pool bottom.

She stepped down with one foot.

Half her attention was on that fellow at the pool bottom, half on the accessories on Zhan Xin.

Should she feel around his arm band?

“This wound isn’t serious,” she glanced randomly at the wound and smiled. “Just take good care of yourself. Oh my, this arm band is so special – may I look at it?” Without waiting for Zhan Xin’s answer, she lifted the arm band with both hands, exclaiming in admiration.

“Such special patterns, such fine workmanship, I really like it…” She babbled nonsense while her fingers felt around the arm band, trying to find some hidden catch.

“Really? You like it?” Zhan Xin smiled and removed the arm band. “Then I’ll give it to you.”

“Ah?” Jing Hengbo was stunned, the light in her eyes immediately dimming.

Not this one.

“Thank Your Majesty, Your Majesty is so generous.” She smiled as she accepted it, then in a flash exclaimed again: “Ah, this ring is also very special! Is this a cat’s eye stone set in it?”

“It’s tourmaline.” Zhan Xin’s eyes held slight disdain and slight pity – clearly a country girl who’d never seen good things, making such a fuss.

Jing Hengbo currently wore no jewelry at all, not even that thing Yelu Qi had given her that was first a ring then a collar ornament – she rarely wore it. She had no items for long-term wear, which someone like Zhan Xin could naturally see.

“So beautiful, so special…” Jing Hengbo held the ring again, her face radiating envious light.

Zhan Xin looked at Jing Hengbo somewhat dumbfounded. He’d met many women, and tricks for getting things weren’t uncommon, but they all maintained some dignity, kept their reserve, hinted indirectly, probed subtly – who was this directly greedy and shameless?

Really shameless…

He hesitated, then took off the ring too.

“It’s nothing rare – if you like it, I’ll give it to you to play with.”

Jing Hengbo was also dumbfounded.

This wasn’t it either?

What else was there below? Nothing left. Could she really hold his belt and say “ah this belt is so special so beautiful I really like it”? Zhan Xin would definitely think it was sexual innuendo and immediately undo his belt, and that one in the pool would definitely think she was shameless and immediately play dead.

Only one last method remained.

Blueprints – if they were truly paper, they couldn’t get wet.

In other words, the blueprints might still be in the arm band and ring, but Zhan Xin had simply taken advantage of potentially entering the water to remove the arm band and ring, planning to find a way to get them back later.

She accepted both the arm band and ring, placing them by the pool’s edge where she could reach them with one stretch of her hand.

Now she needed to see whether Zhan Xin would enter the water, then make further judgments.

She sat at the pool’s edge, her feet splashing the water surface, deliberately splashing vigorously to prevent the one at the pool bottom from being exposed.

Splashing too forcefully, she suddenly cried “Ai yo” and slipped into the pool.

Seeing this, Zhan Xin’s eyes lit up and he immediately said: “Oh my, be careful!” and slipped in after her.

As soon as Jing Hengbo entered the water, she kicked hard at Ying Bai’s chest – hurry and go check what tricks those arm band and ring have!

Water currents flowed at the bottom as she felt Ying Bai silently slide past from beneath her feet. She secretly praised his excellent swimming skills while turning with charming laughter to face Zhan Xin.

Her expression changed as soon as she turned – somehow Zhan Xin’s long pants were already floating on the water surface, leaving only short pants.

His pants came off so quickly!

“Your Majesty…” She recalled the postures of vixen characters like Daji from historical dramas she’d seen before, smiling sweetly as she beckoned to Zhan Xin. “You said where are the taboos…”

Zhan Xin swam over, turning to face away from the shore. Behind him, Ying Bai silently surfaced and reached out to examine the arm band and ring.

The pool was too small after all. Zhan Xin seemed to sense something and was about to turn back when a pair of snow-white lotus arms had already hooked around his neck.

“Where are the taboos? I’m so scared, you need to concentrate…” Jing Hengbo pursed her red lips into a flower shape.

Zhan Xin was willing to die drunk in this flower’s heart.

“Right here…” He smiled lecherously, reaching out to embrace Jing Hengbo’s waist.

Jing Hengbo twisted away, escaping his wolf claws, suddenly pointing at a corner of the pool as if discovering something: “Oh my, what’s this?”

Zhan Xin hurriedly pursued, laughing: “These are the medicinal channels at the four corners of the medicinal marsh. Some herbal soups flow in from the medicinal channels, penetrating and flowing within the medicinal marsh, transforming into many medicinal properties that can treat various illnesses… Oh look, medicinal herbs are flowing through!”

He reached out to grab the herbs, seemingly to show Jing Hengbo something fresh, but his palm aimed for Jing Hengbo’s chest.

“Ah, what herbs?” Jing Hengbo made a big turn, swimming toward the deep part of the medicinal marsh. Zhan Xin’s hand once again missed her chest.

A slight sound came from the shore. Jing Hengbo looked back to see Ying Bai shaking his hand at her.

Not these either.

Then Ying Bai slipped underwater.

Zhan Xin again seemed to sense something and was about to turn back when she touched his chest with her toe, laughing sweetly: “This water is so hot…”

Zhan Xin’s heart fire was stirred up again. He moved closer, reaching out to embrace her waist: “You’ll get used to it. Come, I’ll take you to a good place…”

Jing Hengbo shifted to dodge, looking up to see Ying Bai appearing behind Zhan Xin, his eyes ice-cold with killing intent, raising one hand-

Seeing his expression, Jing Hengbo’s heart shook, but her thinking wasn’t slow at all. She immediately kicked out – Don’t kill him! She hadn’t figured out where the blueprints were yet!

Splash – she kicked Ying Bai underwater once again…

“What’s happening?” Zhan Xin again sensed something wrong and turned to look at the water surface – empty.

“I suddenly got a cramp.” Jing Hengbo complained sweetly, turning to rub her leg, perfectly avoiding Zhan Xin’s attempt to grab her ankle.

Zhan Xin was getting agitated – I’ve even taken off my pants, and you’re showing me this!

“Stop running around.” His voice was somewhat cold, with impatience in his brow. “The pool is only so big – why do you keep darting around? What are you trying to do?”

Jing Hengbo’s heart jumped – the old lecher’s patience was exhausted.

He never trusted her to begin with. As a clan leader, how could he be so credulous? He was just testing after all. A few more rounds of such evasion and he’d show his true vicious face.

She wasn’t afraid of his vicious face, but the blueprint matter would be ruined.

“What could I be doing? I don’t even have martial arts, I’m just curious…” She continued in a sickeningly sweet voice while suppressing nausea, turning to grab Zhan Xin’s arms with both hands: “Come, play with me…”

She grasped Zhan Xin’s arms.

Zhan Xin suddenly pulled back his hands.

Jing Hengbo was stunned.

Something was wrong!

This lecher had been very happy about any physical contact with him before – why was he suddenly resistant to having his arms grabbed?

Exposing his butt but protecting his arms?

What was on his arms?

The wrist guards!

She immediately reached out to grab Zhan Xin’s wrist guards!

Zhan Xin’s expression changed, angrily shouting: “Good! So you really are-” He sneered and slapped his hand.

Suddenly a muffled sound came from around the pool, water surged violently, four angry dragon-like water spouts as thick as buckets shot across the pool horizontally. Immediately the pool water churned violently, countless undercurrents like palm winds struck hard at Jing Hengbo from all directions.

Jing Hengbo looked up to see Zhan Xin’s cold smile – no wonder he was so confident, there were additional mechanisms in the pool.

At this moment she could completely dodge away, but was unwilling to give up on those wrist guards.

“Hey!” she shouted loudly.

The instant before her shout, splash – a figure shot up violently from the pool bottom.

Zhan Xin was horrified and turned back. Before turning, he flicked his finger, shooting a spark into the sky.

Almost immediately, there was commotion beyond the artificial mountain.

But Ying Bai had already shot out wildly.

He seemed to have accumulated too much pent-up energy. As soon as he appeared, his momentum was shocking – all the pool water in the medicinal marsh seemed lifted by him, tumbling and roaring in the air like a snow-white cape flying behind him.

Zhan Xin suddenly looked up, his eyes horrified. His eyes reflected the figures of palace guardians coming to rescue, but Ying Bai’s figure was faster than anyone!

He rose like an angry dragon, crossing ten thousand li in an instant, a line of white waves shooting behind him, wrapped in wind and waves as he crashed toward Zhan Xin. The two figures carved a blade-like furrow across the pool surface, stirring up countless droplets like flying flowers. In the next instant Zhan Xin was slammed against the pool’s edge with a thunderous crash that seemed to shake even the huge artificial mountain behind him.

Zhan Xin spat out a mouthful of blood and tried to shout, but a hand had already coldly gripped his throat.

Ying Bai’s other hand lifted, throwing Jing Hengbo to the other side of the medicinal marsh.

With a thunderous crash the artificial mountain shattered, and Pei Shu burst through the smoke and dust, wielding someone’s stolen blade, laughing heartily: “Damn it, this master has waited so long! Take grandfather’s blade!”

His blade strike was like flowing silk, sweeping half the sky. The blade met the ten palace guardians falling from the artificial mountain intending to rescue, with fierce winds forcing everyone back.

Zhan Xin’s face was ashen – he never imagined these few people were all peerless masters rarely seen in the world.

Ying Bai gripped his throat with one hand while reaching to remove his wrist guards with the other.

Zhan Xin suddenly stomped his foot.

The ground beneath rumbled faintly with sounds of rushing water.

Ying Bai trembled slightly, releasing Zhan Xin’s neck, coldly demanding: “What are you trying to do!”

Zhan Xin coughed and laughed loudly: “I’ve opened the deep channels beneath the foundation – there’s black water from the Black Water Marsh in there! The black water must have seeped in by now. It’s too late for you to escape… Haha, I’ve taken the antidote – do you have any?” He glared at Zhan Xin sideways: “Why don’t you quickly release me? Kneel and beg me for the antidote? Don’t you know that Black Water Marsh’s black water corrodes flesh and bone, making people howl for three months before dying!”

Ying Bai looked at him coldly without moving.

Jing Hengbo looked down at the water surface – eh, it was still very clear. Where was the black water?

Zhan Xin laughed maniacally for a while, then suddenly felt something wrong and looked down, his expression changing drastically.

“Splash.” Another sound rang out as a figure shot up from the pool. In mid-air he laughed: “Ah, that underground pool stinks terribly. This is so unfair – you’re here playing lovers in the water while I have to plug holes underground!”

Jing Hengbo looked up with a smile, tossing Zhan Xin’s arm band to him: “Yelu Qi, here’s a bracelet as reward for your great service!”

Yelu Qi smiled lightly, casually deflecting the arm band away with his hand: “Zhan Xin’s arm band is just a small mechanism – I’ll pass.”

Jing Hengbo smiled – Yelu Qi had his own nobility and pride; she had been too casual.

Yelu Qi landed beside her, turning to smile at her and whisper: “Of course, if it were your own things given to me, I’d be quite delighted.”

“Bang.” Pei Shu also landed, clutching a blade and splashing water, laughing loudly: “You’re all soaking in hot soup with her – I want to too!”

Jing Hengbo giggled.

This guy was sometimes really cute.

Her mood relaxed as she leaned back slightly, appreciating the three handsome men sharing the bath. The more she looked, the more her nose itched – no good, blood was about to gush out!

This must be what they call wet body temptation. Three men – three young, healthy, beautiful men with great bodies. You couldn’t tell when they were clothed, but after getting soaked, various abs, inverted triangles, and mermaid lines, with resilient skin showing through transparent clothing, revealing the luster and contours of muscle texture. The saying that “concealed is more alluring than exposed” was indeed truth.

She seemed to remember watching some celebrity diving show in modern times. If these three went diving – oh, they didn’t even need to dive, just posing on the diving platform would immediately explode the ratings, with girls bleeding in droves.

She was in a good mood, relaxing and appreciating, completely unaware that Pei Shu was watching her with the flat of his blade, Yelu Qi sat beside her calmly admiring her, and though Ying Bai faced away still diligently gripping Zhan Xin, his eyes were ice-cold.

A chill seemed to blow across the water surface…

“His wrist guards!” Jing Hengbo reminded loudly.

Ying Bai tore off the wrist guards with one hand and tossed them to Jing Hengbo. Zhan Xin’s expression changed drastically, hatred burning in his eyes.

Jing Hengbo held the wrist guards, turning them over and over. Honestly, these wrist guards didn’t look like they contained blueprints at all. They didn’t even look like wrist guards – they were very thin and soft, more like decorations. The wrist guards had clasps at both ends, tightly securing the wrists. She studied the clasps – no problems there.

The patterns on the wrist guards were also completely unrelated – they seemed to depict a general beheading enemies. Though the lines were exquisite, the entire wrist guard didn’t seem like something a clan leader like Zhan Xin would use.

Though the wrist guards felt like they had no hidden layers no matter how she touched them, the blueprints definitely weren’t on the surface either.

“Lend me a blade.” Jing Hengbo held out her hand.

Yelu Qi passed over his sword. Jing Hengbo spread the wrist guard on the pool’s edge and struck down with the sword.

The blade passed through the wrist guard to strike the stone with a muffled sound. The wrist guard showed no change, only leaving a mark that quickly bounced back to its original state.

“So resilient.” Jing Hengbo marveled.

“Many strange beasts living in Dahuang’s bizarre marshes have soft, resilient hides that blades cannot pierce,” Yelu Qi said. “This is made from processed primitive hide – there couldn’t be hidden layers inside.”

Jing Hengbo weighed the wrist guard, puzzled. No blueprints on the surface, no hidden layers inside – had she found the wrong target?

Glancing at Yelu Qi, he was smiling without urgency, as if he already had plans.

Ying Bai also remained silent throughout. She didn’t believe Ying Bai had no way to force the truth from Zhan Xin through interrogation. He controlled Zhan Xin but took no further action – he was waiting for her, wasn’t he?

She understood.

These men wanted her to find the answer herself.

She suddenly turned around.

Her eyes met Zhan Xin’s gaze, seeing hidden disdain and smugness in his eyes.

Though he quickly looked away when she turned, she still caught his expression at that moment.

Indeed, it wasn’t the wrist guards.

Jing Hengbo stood up and walked to Zhan Xin’s side, her five fingers forming claws as she suddenly pressed hard on a certain part of his head.

Ying Bai’s gaze flickered slightly, as if he hadn’t expected this move, yet seemed pleased.

Jing Hengbo applied force with her five fingers. Zhan Xin let out a pained howl. Jing Hengbo asked with a smile: “Where are the blueprints?”

Zhan Xin tilted his head back, gasping heavily, his brow furrowed tight and teeth chattering, but he said nothing.

He was still a man, a clan leader. Those in power usually had strong, tough dispositions, absolutely incomparable to greedy, life-fearing women like Fei Luo.

Jing Hengbo frowned and released her hand. She didn’t like torture interrogation. Though Zhan Xin wasn’t a good person – capable of forcing his stepmother and known for being tyrannical, murderous, and stubborn – she didn’t think she had the authority to judge him.

If he wouldn’t speak, she’d find it herself.

Her fingers traced down from Zhan Xin’s skull slowly, her hard nails moving downward.

Wherever her nails passed, Zhan Xin’s throat trembled uncontrollably, breaking out in goosebumps.

Jing Hengbo traced while observing his reactions. When her finger reached his arm, Zhan Xin suddenly trembled and instinctively started to look down, then stopped himself.

Jing Hengbo paused.

Two scenes flashed through her mind like lightning.

On the palace roof, she’d seen Yelu Qi’s sword thrust toward Zhan Xin. Zhan Xin had raised his hand to block, then suddenly lowered it.

Just now when she grabbed Zhan Xin’s arms with both hands, Zhan Xin had suddenly pulled back.

…The problem was still with his arms.

The wrist guards were clearly impervious to blades – why was Zhan Xin still afraid to use them to block Yelu Qi’s sword? Oh, he wasn’t afraid, he was instinctively protecting something too important there.

Though it wasn’t the wrist guards, the key was still on his arms.

She thought about that pull.

Pull…

She suddenly reached out with both hands and grabbed Zhan Xin’s hands.

Zhan Xin’s expression changed as he struggled to pull back, but Jing Hengbo was already applying fierce force, grasping his fingertips and yanking hard toward herself!

“Rip.” Like removing gloves, a layer of “skin” was torn completely off Zhan Xin’s hands up to his elbows!

Zhan Xin’s face went pale.

Ying Bai’s eyes softened with approval, and Yelu Qi’s lips curved.

Her Majesty the Queen was still very clever.

“Hahahaha!” Jing Hengbo waved the soft skin sleeves, laughing smugly: “Almost fell for your trick! All that attention on the wrist guards! Damn, those wrist guards were obviously just to clamp your wrists and prevent this skin layer from being removed! This fake skin is the treasure!”

She turned over the “skin gloves” that looked almost identical to human skin on the outside. Sure enough, the inner layer was densely covered with words and diagrams.

A very ingenious design. In haste, it really would be hard to find.

Zhan Xin’s face was ashen.

“How should he be dealt with?” Ying Bai asked her.

Jing Hengbo looked at the three men in the pool. Pei Shu stretched out his long arms and legs, lazily soaking while occasionally giving cold strikes to the masters trying to rescue their king, clearly not caring about Zhan Xin’s life or death.

Yelu Qi’s smile was always so casual, only saying: “Whatever you choose, I’m happy with.”

Ying Bai’s eyes were somewhat cold as he said flatly: “Cut the grass and remove the roots, or face deep future troubles.”

Jing Hengbo thought for a moment and shook her head.

The three showed no disappointment, all watching her with interest.

“I won’t kill,” Jing Hengbo said. “No matter how terrible a person Zhan Xin is, he hasn’t done anything heinously evil to me. On the contrary, it’s me who invaded his territory and stole his things for selfish gain. This can only be called my domineering behavior. If I steal things and then kill people, I’d become evil – what difference would that be from Zhan Xin who forces his stepmother? The human heart is the easiest thing in the world to be tainted by darkness and fall into corruption. Once you make a bad start, you’ll indulge yourself and do more evil. I might occasionally be a bad person, but I don’t want to become a pure villain, much less become the kind of person I myself would despise.”

Ying Bai’s lips curved slightly, and Yelu Qi smiled gently.

Neither spoke, but light flowed in their eyes, sparkling with joy and relief.

Such a woman – not exactly kind, not lacking in methods, but able to forever guard her bottom line, maintain her true heart, with a clear spiritual platform that could illuminate the turmoil of human hearts.

Though she’d experienced darkness and suffered grinding trials, she’d never lost her crystal-clear state of mind. In her jade-blue heart pool stood a water lotus, standing eternal and untainted by worldly dust.

Pei Shu finally deigned to lift his head from the pool, studying Jing Hengbo seriously, then suddenly said: “I think the reasons I want to marry you just got one more.”

“Ten thousand more wouldn’t matter to me.” Jing Hengbo ignored him completely, pointing at Zhan Xin: “If he does more evil, heaven will deal with him. Let him go.”

“Zhan Xin is narrow-minded and will definitely seek revenge later,” Yelu Qi said, sounding more like a joke than a warning.

“So what?” Jing Hengbo laughed heartily. “Do I lack enemies? I have plenty of higher-class ones – why would I care about adding him? Let him come if he dares – one more just means one more practice session, right?”

“Domineering!” Pei Shu shouted. “Another reason to marry you!”

“I have only one reason to reject you, never changing!” Jing Hengbo said fiercely. “Gray and drab – too ugly!”

Pei Shu vented his anger on the masters still trying to rescue their lord…

“Who asked you to release me? Who asked for your mercy?” Zhan Xin’s eyes were blood-red as he suddenly stomped his foot viciously: “All die!”

As soon as he spoke, there was a thunderous crash. A black shadow darkened overhead. Everyone looked up to see the artificial mountain adjacent to the pool collapsing!

The shaking was violent. Ying Bai had to release his grip. Zhan Xin’s body slipped and dove underwater with a splash.

At this moment no one bothered with him or wanted to kill him completely. They all quickly leaped up.

Ying Bai, Yelu Qi, and Pei Shu all rushed toward Jing Hengbo in the pool’s center. Jing Hengbo’s figure flashed and disappeared. Bang – the three men crashed into each other.

Jing Hengbo grabbed her clothes from the pool’s edge and stomped her foot, shouting: “This lady can teleport – why worry about me? Let’s go!”

At this moment large blocks of artificial mountain stone crashed down thunderously. The three men all leaped up. Seeing their excellent movement skills, Jing Hengbo figured they’d be fine and was about to teleport away from the dangerous pool area when she suddenly glimpsed from the corner of her eye a large stone falling toward Ying Bai’s head. Ying Bai had just dodged when another sharp stone fragment scraped toward his chest.

Jing Hengbo was alarmed and about to shout a warning when Ying Bai already noticed, shifting his body. The stone fragment scraped past his chest, tearing his front garment.

Jing Hengbo relaxed and was about to leave when she suddenly felt her peripheral vision had caught something important. She whirled around!

Ying Bai was covering his torn chest garment.

In that glimpse, she vaguely saw a line of red on his chest.

Jing Hengbo’s whole body stiffened. She lost all consciousness, her mind in chaos, her body forgetting all movement.

Stone fragments rained down like a curtain, blocking her view. Some fragments had already splashed to the pool’s edge, flying toward her, but she stood frozen.

“Why aren’t you leaving!” A black shadow flashed over, grabbing her arm and taking her away from the area of flying stones.

Jing Hengbo’s mind was still numb. Even in mid-air she kept twisting to look toward Ying Bai. In the dust and chaotic stones he flew straight up, soaring over all the fragments. From far away, with dust and rocks blocking the view, she quickly lost sight of him.

Her heart was as chaotic as the flying stones at this moment, whistling and crashing wildly, pounding with hidden pain in her chest’s depths.

“Why are your hands suddenly so cold? What happened?” Yelu Qi asked from above.

She was wooden, not knowing how to answer, still stubbornly twisting her head, looking… She saw Pei Shu emerge from the dust in the distance, carrying Yin Wuxin and Feifei. Then Ying Bai also came out, like a line of blue lightning, casting off the dust and crossing the long sky.

The Zhanyu palace guards and masters were also pursuing, but there was a gap in strength compared to these few. After shouting and chasing for a while, they turned back to rescue their king.

Yelu Qi carried Jing Hengbo forward continuously, passing through the city to the outskirts, finally stopping near Yellow Leaf Plain.

As soon as he landed, swoosh swoosh – Pei Shu carrying Yin Wuxin, and Ying Bai all arrived.

Jing Hengbo stared hard at Ying Bai.

As soon as Ying Bai landed, he searched his belt, found a flat little wine flask, and quickly took a drink.

Jing Hengbo had just steadied herself when she heard Pei Shu shout: “Look at you still so disheveled!” Whoosh – he flung over a wet outer robe that landed on her shoulders.

Jing Hengbo shivered, only then realizing she hadn’t had time to dress and was still in pool attire, with arms, thighs, and such all exposed.

She was a modern person who had displayed her figure poolside at the research institute countless times in that world, not caring about such things at all. Her mind was currently muddled, making her care even less.

She just stared straight at Ying Bai.

Beside her, Yelu Qi sighed somewhat regretfully, also removing his outer robe to drape over her shoulders, taking the clothes she held: “I’ll dry these for you to wear.”

Jing Hengbo was wooden, not knowing to hand them over, hugging that pile of clothes and wearing two dripping robes, looking like a bloated bear.

She just watched Ying Bai.

Yelu Qi’s hand paused as he also glanced at Ying Bai, then turned away.

Pei Shu looked at her, looked at Ying Bai, and stroked his chin.

Ying Bai was busy drinking.

Jing Hengbo moved forward two steps like a bear, reaching out toward Ying Bai.

Ying Bai was startled, looking at her two outer robes, then down at himself, finally understanding as he laughed: “Two robes aren’t enough? Want to add mine? You do have good taste – mine is a gift from Qingqing, the top courtesan of Zuihua Yin in Xiang Kingdom, most soft and smooth…” He removed his outer robe and tossed it over.

His robe’s front was torn, exposing a line of chest.

The robe landed on Jing Hengbo, making her look like a big pile. Jing Hengbo clawed through the clothes, exposing her eyes to stare at Ying Bai’s chest.

Her expression was stubborn and uneasy, seeming to desperately want to know, yet not wanting to know, yet not knowing how to face it if it really was what she thought.

Then her expression gradually changed.

No, that wasn’t right.

There was indeed a red mark on Ying Bai’s chest, but it wasn’t that kind of sword wound. It looked like just a fresh scrape.

Earlier… had she seen wrong?

Her heart gradually gained color from empty blankness, but it was still a chaotic, confused gray. The enormous doubt and unease had pressed on her heart like a boulder before. Though now removed, it had shattered into countless fragments scattered in every corner of her heart. The questions hadn’t been resolved, but had become more and more numerous.

But regardless, this obviously normal red mark let her regain some vitality. Her mind could finally function normally.

“You…”

“I’m so thirsty,” Ying Bai raised his wine flask and took a big gulp, shook the flask, threw it away, and said urgently: “Let’s quickly find a wine shop to buy alcohol.”

Jing Hengbo was blocked, not knowing how to continue. The Ying Bai before her was Ying Bai – with his divine bearing and manner unchanged from the beginning. But he also seemed not to be. She turned to look at Yelu Qi and Pei Shu, who both appeared normal.

Yelu Qi being imperturbable was normal. Pei Shu was hot-tempered like fire and couldn’t hide things – if he didn’t think there was a problem?

Was she being paranoid all along?

Was it because that person’s image lived in her heart like a cloud, drifting intentionally or unintentionally to overlap with others’ shadows, occupying the sky of her consciousness? So she suspected everyone? Was confused by everyone?

If it happened once or twice, she would doubt or even be certain. But when such strange feelings occurred too often, she began doubting herself instead.

Seeing one or two people resembling him was suspicious, but seeing everyone like him was illness.

Mental illness? Neurosis?

Mental illness was not knowing one plus one equals two. Neurosis was knowing one plus one equals two but never understanding why it equals two.

Why does it equal two?

Jing Hengbo felt she was really becoming neurotic.

She steadied herself, suppressing the indescribable sour and bitter emotions in her heart, and turned to look at the horizon where dawn was breaking.

In the pale white light, everyone’s outlines were clear, while their shadows gradually blurred.