Chapter 617

That's the Jungfrau in the Alps, covered with thick snow, creating a crystal-clear white expanse of snow and ice that looks as soft and fluffy as cotton candy. (Further description omitted; you can search for pictures of Alpine scenery yourself.)

There is an ancient legend about the Alps: An angel came to earth and settled in a beautiful valley, covering it with endless flowers and forests, and inlaid it with shimmering silver pearls. He wished, "From now on, people will come to be close to you, praise you, and fall in love with you." This legend refers to the Jungfrau in the Alps.

Si Ming never believed it before, but now he's suddenly starting to believe it; that's the magic of Jungfrau.

I remember an anime called "Heidi, Girl of the Alps," which I think depicts a similar scene. No wonder it's considered a classic; it truly is.

Si Ming steadied himself, patted his face to clear his mind, and said, "That was close! I almost got lost in the stunning scenery of the Alps. This was a test of my will. I feel like my mental cultivation has improved. Is that just my imagination?"

He then said to Hongdou, "You didn't even tell me you were taking off your clothes? You startled me."

Hongdou tilted its head (the following content has been censored).

"Of course you have to take off your clothes to take a bath. Does Xiao Ming have to report 'I'm going to take off my clothes' before taking a bath at home?"

That made so much sense that Si Ming was speechless. Then he watched as Hongdou took off her underwear, which had a rabbit pattern on it.

Although he felt that staring at a girl taking off her underwear was a very lewd thing, as if all the evil in his heart was pouring out with his gaze, Si Ming couldn't take his eyes off her no matter what, as if his neck was stiff, because what was placed in front of him was such a beautiful work of art.

Sometimes steep mountain peaks, sometimes gentle grassy slopes, with snow-capped mountains in the distance and countless beautiful and colorful wildflowers scattered on the grassy slopes nearby, a beauty that is intoxicating (further description omitted)!

Not only are the paintings that Hongdou creates works of art, but Hongdou herself is also a work of art.

Si Ming covered his head with his hands and let out a long sigh.

"Xiao Ming, what's wrong? Is there something wrong with me?" Hongdou looked down at her body in confusion.

"It has nothing to do with you. I just suddenly realized that I'm actually such a repressed and eccentric person. This is going to ruin the great image I have in the eyes of my readers."

"I don't understand, but I guess they're praising me?"

"Yes, that's definitely a compliment to your charm."

Hongdou giggled, "I'm so happy to receive Xiao Ming's praise. Although I really want to go into the bathroom for a bath, if Xiao Ming likes it, let's stand here a little longer."

Then she spun around on the spot, boldly showing herself to Si Ming without any shyness. To her, this was like sharing her treasure with her best friend.

Si Ming didn't stand on ceremony. This time, he suppressed his wicked thoughts and observed with a serious gaze.

Hongdou is very thin, which is to be expected, given her irregular lifestyle. She often goes without food, drink, or sleep for days on end. If it weren't for her internal Internal Cultivation, she would probably have become sickly long ago.

But contrary to her slender figure, her breasts strongly contradicted the above fact, being round, full, and heavy. This difference was so striking that it seemed somewhat incongruous, making one wonder if all the flesh from other parts of her body had been piled up here.

Hongdou rarely exercises. If this were a world without Internal Cultivation, her physique would probably lead to a hunchback and sagging as she ages, but none of these symptoms have appeared on her.

Her extraordinary Internal Cultivation infused her slender body with powerful vitality, automatically adjusting it towards the most perfect form. Even though her skin tone had become unhealthy and sickly due to prolonged lack of sunlight, her breasts remained as firm as sunflowers, striving to bloom and proclaiming their presence.

"Let's go inside quickly. Don't stand outside for too long; you might catch a cold."

Because of Hongdou's natural and unpretentious demeanor, Si Ming's mindset became much more positive. Although he still wanted to keep watching, he was able to suppress his instinctive desires. This is where the difference between humans and beasts lies.

"I'll go in first, Xiao Ming, you come in quickly too."

Hongdou, without bothering to cover herself with a towel, happily hummed an off-key melody as she walked into the bathroom.

"He's just like a little kid."

Si Ming shook his head, took off his shirt, then reached for his pants and pulled on them, but couldn't pull them down. Looking down, he realized that it had become very difficult to take off his pants.

The bathhouse in Yuezheng Lineage was about the size of a small swimming pool, and it provided hot water 24 hours a day. The white steam was hazy and misty, and at first glance it looked similar to a hot spring.

Normally, people scrub themselves clean before going in to avoid soiling the water. However, the bath at Yuezheng Lineage is a flowing bath, so even if it gets dirty, it will quickly become clean again. So Si Ming went in directly, sat down, and soaked himself in the hot water up to about shoulder height. It was exceptionally comfortable, making him want to exclaim in pleasure.

To maintain his image, Si Ming didn't make such a sound, while Hongdou was much more decisive, sinking completely into the water with only her long, disheveled hair floating on the surface, looking like a water ghost at first glance.

"Puha--"

Hongdou emerged from the pond like a lotus rising from the water, her entire body covered in water droplets. She tossed her hair back, splashing water everywhere, unknowingly creating another classic painting. Si Ming's gaze was naturally and uncontrollably drawn to her. After being soaked in hot water, her originally fair skin turned red, making her look exceptionally alluring.

Hongdou noticed Si Ming's gaze, looked down, and said, "Does Xiao Ming want to touch my chest?"

"No, no, no, that's not true!" Si Ming denied instinctively.

"But your gaze keeps saying 'I want to touch it, I want to touch it, I want to touch it,' but I don't care. In fact, if it can be touched, at least it proves its value in being this big."

Si Ming calmed himself down, adopting the demeanor of a virtuous gentleman, and said solemnly, "Although I do have the desire to touch, as a human being, one must learn to restrain desires, rather than be driven by them. Otherwise, one becomes a beast who only acts on instinct. As the saying goes, 'Planting seedlings in the field, one sees the sky reflected in the water. A pure heart is the way, and taking a step back is actually moving forward.'"

"Oh."

Hongdou nodded as if she understood, then said, "But you're already touching it."

"Eh--"

Si Ming snapped out of his daze, blinked hard, and realized that his right hand had somehow touched Xuefeng (further related action descriptions have been censored).

"This... this action actually contains Zen meaning, it's called 'If the mountain won't come to me, I'll go to the mountain.' It's not something vulgar, but because I've diligently practiced Buddhism, I've reached a state where every action contains supreme Zen meaning," Si Ming explained earnestly.

"I see," Hongdou nodded, whether genuinely understanding or just pretending, it was hard to tell. "Then I'd like to learn Buddhism too?"

"What's the meaning?"

"I want to touch Xiao Ming's chest," Hongdou said bluntly.

"What's so interesting about touching a man's chest?"

Hongdou said earnestly, "It's related to my artwork. If I can further understand its elasticity and hardness, I can create more realistic works."