“Rip.”
The collar tore open, from neck to chest, a line of skin glowing faintly like moonlight in the room’s darkness.
He slightly raised his hand, seeming to want to stop her, yet also seeming stunned.
Probably hadn’t expected there to be such a fierce woman in the world. Jing Hengbo thought about the famous Purple Micro Superior, worshipped like a god throughout the world, being pinned down by her while she tore his clothes. If word got out, would it shock the eyeballs out of Dahuang’s people? But she could be certain that the Seven Kill would definitely applaud and celebrate for a year.
Might as well go all the way—having already torn the clothes, she’d continue. After all, she was stripping an old man. She grabbed both sides of the torn collar with both hands and viciously pulled them apart.
As she did this, a scene suddenly flashed through her mind.
A woman in deep red palace robes, straddling a man in snow-white clothes.
Pulling out golden threads, removing pearls, casually tossing them aside, then grabbing his collar with one hand and viciously tearing it apart with both hands.
“Otherwise I’ll strip you in broad daylight!”
…
Vaguely the same position, the same movement…
Her fingers trembled, but she didn’t stop. “Rip.” Another sound.
The clothes on his upper body were basically ruined by her. Through the chaotic torn fabric, what should be seen and shouldn’t be seen—she had seen it all.
His black hair spilled down, flowing like water curved over his shoulders, scattered across his disheveled chest, vaguely familiar in its allure.
She didn’t want to look, but her gaze still slid over, with slight surprise in her heart—Purple Micro Superior was advanced in years, yet though his facial skin was jade-like with skillful preservation techniques, she hadn’t expected his body to be the same—like jade, like bright moon, like roses blooming in a soft jade pool…
Just a brief glimpse, and she suddenly felt her heart tremble. As if possessed, her finger was about to lift the torn clothing at his chest, wanting to see clearly.
She herself didn’t know why she was doing this—perhaps subconscious, perhaps fate.
Her finger had just extended when the person who had been pressed down without a sound suddenly embraced her. She was startled and tried to struggle free, but he rolled over and had already pinned her down.
She was greatly alarmed, afraid of being too clever for her own good. She quickly bent her knee to strike upward, but before her knee could rise, his knee had already sunk down, pressing against her kneecap. The two knees collided with a crisp sound, and she almost cried out in pain as strength immediately drained from her body.
As her body went soft, he had already pressed down, both hands clasping her wrists as a stream of ice-cold true energy flowed in, instantly draining all her strength.
Jing Hengbo silently cursed her bad luck. She turned her head and bit viciously toward his throat—without legs there were still hands, without hands there were still teeth. To defend her chastity, she would fight endlessly.
But he was extremely agile, tilting his head to avoid the bite while smoothly letting his head fall to her neck side, biting the skin at her neck.
Goosebumps rose all over her body. For a moment she was extremely angry at her own reckless boldness, yet also extremely puzzled by her judgment—what kind of status did Purple Micro Superior have, and at his age? No matter how much he played with the world, he would have his own principles in his heart. How could such a situation occur?
But regardless of whether it was possible, this situation had already occurred. It was too late for regrets. She wanted to shout for Pei Shu, but his elbow pressed against her throat, and she could only make muffled sounds. She knew in her heart that shouting was useless—after their struggle and rolling around, if the person next door was conscious, they should have heard and come over long ago. Since they hadn’t come, Pei Shu must also have had his injuries flare up.
She had already sensed the changes in the person on top of her—that burning heat and firmness was enough to show this was genuine arousal. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, pressing her teeth against her tongue, preparing to endure the pain and bite down hard when a finger suddenly pressed against her teeth.
A liquid quickly filled her mouth, slightly fishy and sweet, but it wasn’t her blood.
She looked down at his bleeding hand, her heart tightening slightly. He didn’t withdraw his finger, nor did he make any sound of pain.
His head rested against her neck. Her body suddenly stiffened—his lips had suddenly fallen on her earlobe.
Soft and slightly cool lips, like jelly.
She froze, feeling in her confusion that this scene was also shockingly familiar. But with her heart tense and chaotic at the moment, she had no energy to think. While nervous, she was also thankful that this guy was apparently like an innocent boy, not knowing to go straight to the main point. As she thought this, her heart stirred slightly, then trembled—he had licked her earlobe.
Lightning flashed and surged through her. Her skin broke out in dense bumps—not from disgust, but from the shock of awakened memories.
His lips touched her earlobe briefly, then pulled away as if scalded, and when they fell again, they were at her temple.
Her temple was black and soft, like a beauty’s hair cut with a knife. Her beauty and goodness were also knives piercing heart and lungs, dividing meridians, entering flesh and blood, stabbing to the bone, never to be removed for eternity.
She stopped struggling, staring straight up, not knowing if what was in her heart was fear or anticipation.
The next instant his lips fell on her forehead.
She trembled, tears gradually misting her eyes.
How to explain, how to face this same sequence—was it coincidence in the mortal world, or destined return in the unseen realm?
Her forehead was smooth as jade. When lips touched it, they seemed to slide down automatically. So close, so close—she felt his burning breath and slightly trembling body. He was excited, nearly out-of-control excited. He pressed his body tightly against hers, constantly rubbing, as if wanting to sense her warmth, or wanting to transmit his warmth. The slightly cool soft jade skin seemed to catch fire in the friction. He was burning, yet hesitating back and forth, as if not knowing how to reach the other shore.
This feeling made her even more uneasy. Her heart pounded in response to his heartbeat, each beat an unsolvable mystery.
As she wandered constantly in confusion, doubt, and shock, he helplessly struggled between bitter heat and resistance. Without timely detoxification and rest, the poisonous spines wandered and flared in his body, causing unbearable suffering. Those spines constantly gathered, impacting his self-control and reason. Reason told him he should immediately get up and leave, complete the predetermined plan, but his body and strength forced him to remain in place. Beneath him was the person he thought of day and night, the home of his heart, the memory that penetrated his soul and could not be forgotten even in unconsciousness or death. How could he bear to let go? How could he bear it?
Her dense eyelashes brushed against his face, sweeping back and forth, making his heart itch and burn and lose its defenses, making both their hearts’ lakes ripple restlessly with dizzy circles of waves.
She suddenly felt her arms could move and couldn’t help raising her hand. Her first action wasn’t to push him away, but to touch his hand.
A movement he had once made, a movement she had once made.
Her fingertips touched ice-cold skin. Her heart thundered—was it shock or fear? Afraid that the next moment she would touch shattered ice. But there was none. In an instant those fingertips heated up, so hot she withdrew her hand. Such heat, as if the earlier cold was just an illusion. She was amazed, feeling only confusion for a moment.
But he seemed stimulated, suddenly embracing her and rolling over. In the spinning world his lips had already pressed down fiercely, this time finally reaching the destination directly, like a great wave that had traveled thousands of miles finally crashing onto the beach it wanted to reach.
The next instant she felt coolness at her chest. She looked down in alarm to see her clothes flying decisively from his fingertips.
This too was beyond her expectations. She opened her eyes wide, momentarily forgetting all movement.
After a moment of stiffness, sensation slowly returned. The touch of skin at this moment was even more vivid—such burning body temperature seemed able to incinerate reason to flying ash. She felt his urgency, which made her heart grow colder and more estranged from him. She began struggling again, but couldn’t overcome his persistence. He pressed forward step by step while she retreated step by step. The next moment he would roll over her like an angry dragon, engulfing her heaven and earth.
She suddenly shed tears.
Just one silent tear, but though his attention was clearly elsewhere, he immediately noticed and looked up in alarm.
But she turned her head aside and said softly: “In this life, I only want to give myself to the person I want to give to, when I’m willing. Apart from this, whoever wants me, I’ll kill them.”
He stiffened.
She took the opportunity to push him. He numbly yielded. Her palm pressed against his chest, and she suddenly felt something slightly raised under her finger, like a scar… She immediately looked down.
But he suddenly got up, shook his arm and her clothes had already flown over. He bent down to wrap her haphazardly, bundling her together with the bag full of things, kicked open the door, and threw her violently outside.
While in mid-air, she looked back, her finger extended, maintaining a gesture of wanting to explore. For a moment her long hair flew up, her expression complex and mournful.
But he resolutely kicked the door shut again. With a bang, her fingertips hit the door, causing sharp pain.
She fell to the ground, holding that pile of messy things. Without looking, she threw the things aside, wrapped her clothes around herself, and lifted her foot to kick the door.
But the door seemed blocked by something—she couldn’t kick it open. She pressed her ear to the door to listen, vaguely seeming to hear muffled groans and rapid breathing.
This sound made her heart jump. She wanted to teleport inside but didn’t dare, afraid of a repeat of the earlier incident. If something went wrong, there would be no chance for regret.
The door was suddenly pulled open. She almost fell into the opener’s embrace. Happy yet alarmed, she looked up to see Purple Micro Superior’s face. Purple Micro Superior looked down at her with a half-smile, his gentle and heroic beautiful features wearing a strange expression. She couldn’t care about him and tried to peer inside. But Purple Micro Superior came out and shut the door with a bang.
She looked up at Purple Micro Superior. He still wore that purple woman’s dress, though of course the chest was now torn. He wore it brazenly under her gaze, just short of puffing out his chest.
His chest was smooth without scars.
“Just now… you… that…” She felt this question was absurd, wanting to ask but not knowing how.
Purple Micro Superior’s face immediately flushed with two patches of red clouds as he said shyly: “I didn’t expect I was still so beautiful that you couldn’t control yourself…”
Jing Hengbo really wanted to flatten his beautiful face.
Purple Micro Superior’s expression became stern again: “Of course, your attempt to molest this old man was very wrong. This is blasphemy against my Seven Peaks Mountain. For this I’ve decided to deduct one point from you!”
“Whatever!” Jing Hengbo only looked at the door behind him. “Where’s that hemp-clothed person?”
“You mean my sweetheart?” Purple Micro Superior blinked. “He left.”
“Who exactly is he!” Several times Jing Hengbo tried to go around him to open the door, but when she went left he blocked left, when she went right he blocked right, absolutely refusing to let her enter.
Her heart felt like it was being clawed by cats—she didn’t know if it was discomfort or confusion or unease. This door seemed like a chasm, blocking sight and blocking answers to certain secrets.
But whether she really wanted those answers, she didn’t know either.
“My sweetheart!” Purple Micro Superior answered righteously, reaching out to pull her. “The exam is over. Soon the Thirteen Protectors will have people coming. If you get trapped in this underground, minus twenty points.”
She still wanted to struggle, but Purple Micro Superior’s wrist was like an iron clamp. With one hand he dragged her along. As she walked, she tried hard to wave back, pushing the door open with a bang. But inside was pitch black—no one could be seen at all.
Pei Shu burst out from next door. He was awake now. Jing Hengbo picked up Er Gouzi hiding to one side at the grave entrance and looked back for Feifei, but Feifei was nowhere to be seen.
She didn’t have much mind to pay attention anyway. The little monster appeared and disappeared mysteriously and was good at recognizing people—it could find its way back anytime. Her whole mind was focused on wanting to know what had happened just now, but no one would give her answers.
Or perhaps she herself was unwilling to think deeply about it?
Purple Micro Superior didn’t let go until he had dragged her far from the graveyard. Even if Jing Hengbo wanted to go back and investigate, it was impossible. She rubbed her wrist in annoyance and asked: “How are the scores calculated?”
She waited for Purple Micro Superior to say “Someone cheated! Helped you get things, minus twenty points!” This would prove that the person just now wasn’t Purple Micro Superior.
But Purple Micro Superior casually waved his hand and said: “Since you could think to grab things and succeeded in grabbing them, I’ll count it as your win.”
Jing Hengbo glared fiercely at this old fox and turned to look at the pitch-black graveyard.
Tonight there were no stars or moon to illuminate this dark sky.
…
He struggled to get up from the narrow crude room, put on hemp clothes, and sat cross-legged on the ground. After a long while, he finally stopped his body’s trembling.
After experiencing a surging tide-like impact, his face showed no color of blood but was faintly covered with a frost-white hue.
After a long moment his body shook, and with a “poof,” a mouthful of purple-black blood seeped into the ground.
Supporting himself with his hands, about to slowly stand up, he suddenly saw a button on the ground—her collar button that had burst off when the clothes were removed earlier.
He picked up the button and gripped it tightly in his palm.
The button’s edge was smooth, yet seemed to cause his heart pain.
After a long while he put the button away and stepped outside. When he walked out the door, all dishevelment was gone, his posture straight, still possessing noble elegance.
As he walked, he casually scattered some red powder and left several black handprints in inconspicuous corners of the hall.
After completing all this, he stepped out calmly. At this time hoofbeats sounded urgently outside—the Thirteen Protectors’ people had received news and rushed over.
When they arrived, they encountered him coming out. He covered his face and passed through the crowd as if strolling in a garden, treating them like great enemies. Wherever he passed, blood and flowers flew.
Only after he disappeared into the wilderness did the Thirteen Protectors’ people dare rush into the underground base. At a glance they saw dead and wounded subordinates, the chaotic hall, and the fourteen small rooms that had been completely looted, filling them with shock and anger.
They searched underground and found the Twelfth Protector with severed hand tendons in an earth chamber. But that guy hadn’t seen clearly what happened in the secret chamber either, only vaguely saying there was a zombie-like person who injured him, a beautiful woman, and a fierce man who broke in…
His words were incoherent. The crowd couldn’t make sense of it and grew anxious. At the head of the group, a tall man had been listening with a face like still water. Now he snorted coldly, glanced coldly at the Twelfth Protector, and entered the hall again to search.
This time they discovered small amounts of red powder adhered to the ground. The tall man’s expression changed: “This seems to be Red Mountain soil from the Raging Fire Alliance!”
“The amount is very small. Could it have stuck to boots and then been left on the ground? Our floor has adhesive properties and has always been able to absorb soil… Could it be that Raging Fire Alliance people came?”
“That person’s martial arts were extremely high—only elder-level members of the Three Gates and Four Alliances could have such ability!”
Everyone immediately looked at each other—having this secret base discovered by the Raging Fire Alliance, which had superior strength and high ranking, would be a disaster for the Thirteen Protectors organization.
“Wait, what’s this mark over here?” someone else cried out in alarm. Everyone rushed over to see several handprints faintly visible beside a corpse in a corner of the hall, looking like the other party had killed someone and casually wiped their hands on the wall.
The tall man approached the handprints to examine them carefully and ordered candles brought closer for illumination.
“Seventh Protector, this is…” someone approached to inquire.
“The handprints have faint phosphorescent light, rather like the unique green phosphorus used by the Jade Belt Gang for practicing martial arts…”
Everyone’s expressions became even more confused and uneasy—they had originally thought it was the Raging Fire Alliance striking, but now another Jade Belt Gang appeared. Both were major forces ranking high in Blackwater Marsh. Having two appear at once was not a good omen.
Was it coincidence, or had these two major forces joined hands to investigate the Thirteen Protectors’ important underground base?
Thinking of the latter’s seriousness, everyone looked grave.
The Seventh Protector straightened up and said in a deep voice: “The situation is urgent. Immediately send word to the Second Protector, reporting tonight’s events in detail. We’ll leave half our people here to investigate and search for clues. The other half should rush back to headquarters immediately!”
“Yes!”
Figures flashed away like lightning, their flying robes cutting the dawn sky to pieces.
The tense atmosphere spread quietly in this dew-laden morning, and perhaps very soon it would sweep across all of Blackwater Marsh.
The Seventh Protector stood in the sharp cold wind of early morning, facing the sword-like piercing morning glow. In his eyes, he seemed to see that before long, in the great marsh of Dahuang, storm clouds would gather.
…
Jing Hengbo was dragged back to Seven Peaks Town. What happened at the graveyard far from the small town indeed didn’t attract the townspeople’s attention. Jing Hengbo believed that before long, that graveyard would become a real graveyard.
She used the silver dug up from the graveyard to exchange for grain at that grain store, officially completing the test question. Thus she also received a score sheet.
Using strategy to enter Seven Peaks Town and gain trust, plus half a point.
Perfect swindle, plus one point.
Discovering the Thirteen Protectors’ underground base, plus half a point.
Obtaining spoils of war, plus one point.
Completing the mission, plus one point.
Completing the bonus question, plus one point.
There was also one more bonus item: Speaking up for the Seven Kill at the inn, plus half a point.
There was only one deduction item: Attempting to rape the beautiful Purple Micro Superior in the secret chamber, minus two points.
After reading, Jing Hengbo chuckled, crumpled up the paper and threw it away, saying: “Attempting to rape the Superior should have earned me points. Facing such an old face and mustering courage to do that—was it easy for me?”
Purple Micro Superior looked like he wanted to deduct points again. Jing Hengbo sneered and flicked the paper scroll: “Already completed, no modifications allowed!”
Purple Micro Superior suddenly wasn’t angry anymore, smiling as he looked at her, thinking, then smiling again, then thinking again, with a completely bizarre expression.
Being looked at like this by this old guy was really rather creepy. Jing Hengbo wanted to ask but gritted her teeth and held back, determined not to fall for his trick. She turned to look at the scenery outside the carriage. At this moment she was leaving town heading toward Seven Peaks Mountain when she suddenly heard urgent hoofbeats. Poking her head out to look, she saw a convoy of horses surrounding a carriage racing out of town at amazing speed, as if rushing to put out a fire.
She didn’t know why, but watching that frantically galloping carriage, Jing Hengbo suddenly felt a surge of moist emotion in her heart—melancholy, uneasy, as if very important people and things were moving away from her.
In this mortal world, how much cannot be spoken, cannot be sorted out, and cannot be kept.
…
When Jing Hengbo’s carriage returned to the mountain, the Seven Kill and Tian Qi warmly welcomed her at the foot of the mountain. Jing Hengbo thought they wanted to thank her for once defending their reputation, but the comedic characters said it was entirely because she had broken records—they had also taken similar test questions before but never scored so highly. The Seven Kill were especially surprised and admiring of that final deduction item. Except for Yi Qi, they unanimously agreed to elect the most courageous Jing Hengbo as their leader.
Yi Qi expressed that he opposed Jing Hengbo being the leader, but firmly supported Jing Hengbo being the leader’s wife.
Jing Hengbo’s response was to reward each of them with a kick.
She went back to select the spoils of war. Before her were scattered more than ten items, all taken from the small chambers. There were boxes, booklets, tubes, and parchment scrolls—everything was there. Jing Hengbo examined them one by one. Some were very obvious. For example, one booklet recorded the martial arts weaknesses of the Wild Blade Alliance’s big leader. The booklet was also stained with blood spots, with scrawled handwriting. Presumably the spy who obtained this secret had also paid a bloody price. Unfortunately, the booklet was obviously unfinished, intended to be added to at any time. Jing Hengbo had originally regretted snatching the booklet so early, but later thought that once the underground base was entered by someone, the Thirteen Protectors would definitely become alert and immediately transfer everything away, so striking first was still correct.
There was a parchment scroll—an oath document. Looking at the date, it was from ten years ago, belonging to the Raging Fire Alliance. The names on it were very unfamiliar. Three people on the oath document agreed to work together as brothers to establish a foundation, then share power equally and never betray each other. Below were their respective signatures and handprints. This oath document also had bloodstains, revealing a long-distant and grim atmosphere.
Such an oath document presumably concerned secrets at the highest level of the Raging Fire Alliance. For example, had all three people on the oath document enjoyed the fruits of victory? Had the so-called “never betray” been achieved?
If it had been achieved, this oath document wouldn’t have been found by the Thirteen Protectors at such great effort and carefully hidden in this underground beneath the small town graveyard, waiting to be thrown out at the right moment.
These were things whose uses could be clearly seen—they could be used to attack enemies or sow discord among them. Most of these things were stained with blood, new or old, filled with the smell of killing.
But some things couldn’t be immediately understood. For example, one box was filled with strangely scented medicinal herbs—this was a box belonging to the Shadow Hunt Gang. One tube actually contained an erotic painting, finely drawn with clear facial features and poses, lifelike, but what significance it had was really hard to say. The marking on it belonged to the Soaring Heaven Gate.
Blackwater Marsh had Three Gates, Four Alliances, Seven Gangs, and Thirteen Protectors. The Three Gates were Soaring Heaven Gate, Spiritual Rhinoceros Gate, and Rakshasa Gate. Four Alliances: Raging Fire Alliance, Wild Blade Alliance, Sword Testing Alliance, and Dragon Tiger Alliance. Seven Gangs: Divine Decision, Heaven Competition, Shadow Hunt, Blood Sacrifice, Jade Belt, Dragon Soar, and Flame Gang.
These fourteen items would definitely be very useful in the future. She handed everything to Zirui to put away. Now that things were finished and she was back on the mountain, she felt tired. She lay down on the bed wanting to sleep but couldn’t fall asleep. In her mind wandered back and forth that small room, embracing bodies… burning skin… slightly cool soft lips… the entangling breath that penetrated her body… the cherishing gesture lightly brushing her temple, and that sudden powerful and fierce movement when he turned over…
Heat suddenly rose in her heart. This heat was like a line of fire, instantly spreading throughout her body. She became increasingly agitated and restless, tossing and turning on the bed like a pancake, then suddenly sat up, cupping her burning cheeks.
She bent forward, a posture that seemed to want to empty her mind.
Empty it.
Even if some things were within reach, she didn’t want to think about them, afraid that thinking would turn heaven and earth upside down, causing her to lose her original heart from then on, becoming confused and lost on life’s most important path, losing the direction she had originally been determined to take.
She maintained this posture for a very long time, until her brain was somewhat oxygen-deprived, then raised her head, got off the bed, opened the door and walked out, shouting loudly at the sky: “New test question! I want to take a test!”
Only by constantly doing things and keeping her mind completely full could she avoid thinking so much.
The men looked at each other, not understanding why she was suddenly so energetic.
A pair of unwashed underpants floated down from the sky. This time Yong Xue caught them.
The underpants didn’t contain the previously proposed questions. This time it started with a question.
“Name the most difficult song to sing that you think of first.”
Jing Hengbo blurted out: “Uneasy.”
A second pair of underpants floated down: “Look overhead.”
Jing Hengbo looked up to see that the big tree overhead was somehow already hung full of underpants, fluttering like flags of all nations.
On the other side, the Seven Kill pushed over a shelf with compartments that were all drawers, each drawer a different color.
A third pair of underpants floated down: “While singing ‘Uneasy,’ put these underpants in water to be washed clean by two young ladies, then you put the underpants in the drawers, each pair of underpants corresponding to each drawer’s color. The song cannot be wrong and cannot pause. Any mistakes, pauses, or errors in any step count as failure. Not completing within a quarter hour also counts as failure. Successfully completing this entire process within three days can earn two points. Failure to complete results in minus five points.”
“Damn it!” Jing Hengbo threw the underpants away. Zirui quickly dove to catch them.
Jing Hengbo glared angrily at those underpants flags of all nations. Purple Micro, this old guy—was the meaning of his existence just to torment people? Special abilities always required focused concentration. Whether teleportation or object control, at the moment of execution one had to be completely focused. “Uneasy” was the most difficult song to sing and most disruptive to concentration. Just singing “Uneasy” smoothly was very difficult for her, yet she had to sing this chaotic song while controlling objects? Singing while controlling objects was already difficult as heaven, yet she also had to categorize and send underpants into different colored drawers? This was equivalent to using her mind for four things at once: singing, controlling objects, distinguishing colors, and calculating time.
The Seven Kill were beside themselves with joy.
“This question is great! Someone will wash all our underpants!”
“Simpler than our questions back then—lucky for Bo Bo.”
“What was our question back then? I forgot.”
“Oh, just like that—while fighting, pluck the third feather from under the butt of every eagle passing overhead and dye the feathers in a dye vat to make a feather fan.”
…
Jing Hengbo took a breath. Okay, it seemed the old guy really wasn’t making things too difficult for her.
When her bad friends heard there were new test questions, they all came rushing over, saying they wanted to cheer her on. But Jing Hengbo saw that Ying Bai was drinking, Pei Shu was trying to compete with him in drinking, Tian Qi had somehow gotten a box of jewelry and was appreciating each piece, and the Seven Kill were looking for paper and brushes to record the musical score of “Uneasy.” Anyway, none of them looked like they planned to help her.
Zirui and Yong Xue accepted their fate. They had already moved over large basins, prepared washing clubs, and there was a small pool right beside them, perfect for washing clothes.
Jing Hengbo calculated the positions and first adjusted the clothing cabinet’s position to keep it in a straight line with the basin and pool. The cabinet was placed right at the cliff’s edge, swaying precariously in the mountain wind. In other words, if she got irritated and used too much force, she might very well knock the cabinet off the cliff, and then losing ten points would be unavoidable.
She first carefully recalled the lyrics to “Uneasy,” deciding to sing randomly for parts she couldn’t remember—after all, this song was meant to be sung randomly anyway.
Clearing her throat, she began singing: “Ah oh, ah oh ai, ah si de ah si de…”
After singing a few lines, she began controlling objects. With a wave of her hand, she forgot the words.
Okay, start over.
Just singing while controlling objects resulted in countless failures. Jing Hengbo knew this was the most difficult part—it was the foundation of the entire ability to divide attention four ways. But on the first day, for the entire day, as soon as she began controlling objects while singing, either the song would pause or object control would fail. Not one success.
This couldn’t be blamed on her—this was instinct, human natural selection. Humans were inherently complex creatures with complicated thoughts and wandering consciousness. It was very difficult to do two opposite things simultaneously, just like drawing a circle with one hand and a square with the other. Unless one was pure-hearted, it was very difficult to accomplish.
After the first day, Zirui and Yong Xue had waited eagerly all day with their hands in the water, nervously ready to wash clothes at any moment. Their hands were wrinkled from soaking, but they didn’t get to wash a single pair of underpants.
Her voice was also hoarse, and by evening she couldn’t even speak, didn’t want to eat. When Yong Xue prepared food and brought it to her, she just waved her hand. Her mind was still thinking about how to achieve using her mind for two things at once.
Zirui and Yong Xue tried to persuade her a few times then let it go. The two quickly went out. Jing Hengbo lay down for a while, then got up and walked to the door. She saw basins set up by the small stream—those two girls were washing clothes.
The clothes weren’t underpants. Underpants were test supplies. They were washing their own change of clothes. But Jing Hengbo remembered these clothes were clean.
The two squatted by the small stream. One washed in the basin then threw the wet clothes to the other. The other quickly beat them, then flipped and sent the clothes flying toward the cabinet.
Tian Qi squatted beside them, constantly saying: “Three parts strength in the wrist, yes, just like that, throw! Right! When drawing a blade, this angle is also very good—it can easily cut tendons… Yong Xue, you’re using too much force. You’ll quickly fall behind. Learn to use force skillfully—minimum effort for maximum effect… Yes, just like that… Too much, too much, you’ll knock the cabinet over… This time too little!”
Under his guidance, the two coordinated better and better, moved faster and faster, with increasingly skillful angles. Tian Qi threw clothes from various angles. Zirui could catch them without even looking, soak and wash them in the basin, then flick and throw them to Yong Xue with her fingers. Yong Xue pounded with her big club, and after three hits threw them in the pool to rinse, then with a splash sent the wet clothes toward the cabinet… The clothes danced in their snow-white hands, scattering the floating moonlight on the mountain peak.
The two encouraged each other as they washed.
“Faster, even faster!”
“Don’t just focus on speed—also be steady, steady!”
“Was this time faster than just now?”
“Mm, try harder, reach the fastest speed!”
“We can do it!”
Jing Hengbo leaned against the door frame, silently listening for a while, then turned around.
She crossed her arms, looking at the mountain mist drifting like fluff near the cliff window, floating uncertainly like gossamer.
However much emotion floated elusively in this world, there was just as much warmth that stood firm and steady.
They were trying so hard for her—what reason did she have to be discouraged?
Suddenly seeming to have strength again, she rolled up her sleeves, preparing to join their practice.
Suddenly someone knocked on the window. Under the eaves hung Yi Qi’s upside-down smiling face. He placed a pile of frost-covered fruit on the table by the window, pointed at the fruit, then pointed at her throat.
He still smiled so mischievously, but Jing Hengbo’s heart warmed again. Just as she was thinking of scolding him to vent her feelings, suddenly with a crack, he had apparently kicked some other comedic character off the cliff again…
Jing Hengbo laughed heartily, feeling very good. Before she could turn around, a long leg brazenly stepped through, and the person sat boldly on her table, grabbed the fruit Yi Qi had brought, bit into it with a crisp crunch, and while chewing spat “Ptui!” with great dissatisfaction: “What kind of fruit is this? So cold! Terrible!”
Under the moonlight and mountain mist, Pei Shu’s face, beautiful enough to be oppressive, shone brilliantly.
“Who told you to eat it?” Jing Hengbo rolled her eyes irritably, her voice hoarse.
Pei Shu glanced at her, reached behind his back, and like magic pulled out an exquisite food box, showing it off to her with a shake: “Look, this is the good stuff.”
Jing Hengbo was too lazy to pay attention to him and turned to leave. Pei Shu jumped down from the table, rushed over in one stride and grabbed her shoulder: “Hey, will looking kill you?” He muttered again: “With a face like a charming concubine, yet completely lacking in romantic understanding. What a waste of my efforts…”
“You’re the concubine—you’re Ying Bai’s concubine!” Jing Hengbo retorted hoarsely.
“Him being my concubine? Is he worthy? Reeking of alcohol and powder—disgusting!” Pei Shu snorted, opened the box lid, and held it up like presenting a treasure: “Look, I went to Shangyuan City to get this!”
Hearing “Shangyuan City,” Jing Hengbo was stunned. Wasn’t this the capital of Tortoiseshell? It was several hundred li away round trip.
No wonder she hadn’t seen him this afternoon. Several hundred li—what was he running back and forth for?
Looking down, in the food box was a plate of soft cake, different from ordinary cake. At a glance it was especially delicate and soft, with extremely penetrating fragrance. Even the patterns on the cake body were exquisite and magnificent. This kind of pastry definitely couldn’t be bought on the market—it would be more suitable for the imperial palace.
There was also a trembling, transparent rose-red crystalline object that looked very much like a large jelly. Under candlelight it was crystal clear like an artwork, dotted with pink fresh flower petals and lined with green leaves, creating bright colors on the snow-white porcelain plate.
“These two things—I turned the imperial kitchen upside down to steal them!” Pei Shu said proudly. “White jade cake and fresh flower jelly—they melt in your mouth, cool and smooth, with added mint. Good for the throat, doesn’t hurt when swallowing. Eat quickly—I wrapped them in my clothes to bring them back. If you don’t eat soon, the cake will get cold.”
Jing Hengbo stared at that cake and jelly. Five hundred li, cold weather, breaking into the imperial palace at night, one cake and one jelly.
Anyone could do such a thing, but the tyrant who treated women like pigs and dogs?
Her heart was full of dissonance, along with faint emotion—arising from surprise, not knowing how to experience such sudden delicate consideration.
“Eat.” Pei Shu pushed the cake toward her, his face full of pride, his black eyebrows seemingly about to fly to the sky.
Jing Hengbo’s emotions were complex. She wanted to refuse, but looking at his bright eyes, she finally slowly accepted it.
His giving and goodwill were so direct and pure—she had no reason to callously hurt him because of her own various complicated thoughts.
The cake indeed melted in her mouth, and the jelly was even smoother and cooler. When she swallowed, her burning throat was soothed, making her want to sigh with comfort.
Across from her, Pei Shu sat on a stool with his long legs stretched wide, hands behind his head leaning back, watching her eat with great interest in a relaxed posture.
He was actually thirsty too, thirsty and tired. He had first gone to Seven Peaks Town, but there was nothing good in town. Walking and searching all the way, he finally went directly to Shangyuan Royal Palace. Although the Tortoiseshell tribal chief was the most incompetent among all tribes, because there were too many powerful people, to protect himself the palace guards were also top-notch. He had fought many battles breaking in and out, while also protecting the food box in his arms from being destroyed. Those guards thought he had stolen something important from the palace and desperately aimed for his chest.
Several hundred li round trip, holding the things like holding a baby. At first he also felt it was a bit strange—how had he come to do such things he previously disdained? Years ago, women had knelt to offer him things, and he had kicked them over. As for men courting women, he had been even more scornful. What was happening now?
But this thought only flashed by—he didn’t feel there were too many problems. He was a war god famous and tested from youth. Though bearing great reputation, because he was single-mindedly devoted to war and martial arts, he hadn’t spent much thought on external matters. Though walking in the red dust, he didn’t get involved in it. Of all worldly affairs, he only saw battlefield smoke, saw human martial ways, saw his own heart.
Until now, with one more added—seeing her.