A Taste

When the song ended, the two looked at each other.

Liu Erlong was the first to look away, turning her head to the side, and said in a deliberately teasing tone, "I didn't expect you to be so talented!"

Lin Hai smiled slightly, his fingertips lightly tracing the body of the zither. "This Flowing Light Qin is a manifestation of my Soul Skill. Playing peaceful melodies can soothe the mind, while playing stirring tunes can invigorate the spirit. Are you feeling better now?"

Liu Erlong's face remained calm and expressionless. "I've always been perfectly fine! But this is the first time I've ever heard of such Soul Skill."

"Soul Skill that can transform into weapons are not uncommon, and my zither is nothing special." Lin Hai paused, then tentatively began to speak:

"Why don't we talk about your matter? Master Yu should be arriving in the next few days. Since he's willing to come see you, he must have let go of the past. What about you?"

Liu Erlong stared at Lin Hai for a long time, her tone tinged with reproach. "Can't you just keep this to yourself? Do you really have to say it out loud?"

After a moment of silence, he sighed softly, "What else can I do? If we could really go back to the beginning... it wouldn't be such a bad thing."

"Speaking of which, the days when the three of us traveled together before Flender confessed his feelings to me... are truly memorable. Now, however, each of the three of us has suffered for twenty years!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Hai was secretly delighted: The Flowing Light Qin is awesome!

But then Liu Erlong changed the subject. "However, I'm very curious, how did you guess all this? Just based on my and Xiao Gang's Martial Soul? Not many people know about what happened between us."

'Hehe, in this Douluo Continent, at least regarding you named people, even the inspectors of the Divine Realm know far less than I do!'

Lin Hai smiled without saying a word.

"You've already had such a difficult relationship experience, I really don't know how you manage to juggle so many young girls." Liu Erlong rarely showed a slight smile.

She naturally understood that women were attracted to outstanding men. In the Douluo Continent, it was common for men to have multiple wives and concubines, and for women to have numerous male favorites. Where there is demand, there will be supply.

But Xiao Wu and her two companions were all exceptionally talented, reaching the Soul Ancestor realm at the age of twelve—something unprecedented. Perhaps their breakthroughs were related to Lin Hai, but...

Before Liu Erlong could sort out her thoughts, she found Lin Hai's arm already around her shoulder, watching her with a half-smile:

"They are still young, and we can only deal with them for now. Unlike Sister Er Long, who is in the prime of her life."

Lin Hai's actions were so sudden that Liu Erlong's ears instantly turned crimson, her heart pounded like a drum, and she forgot to break free.

'What's this kid up to? Why is he calling me "Sister Er Long" again? Does he really think I'm his equal?'

"I... I'm almost forty years old... Don't talk nonsense!" Liu Erlong actually had something else she wanted to say: I'm old enough to be your mother!

If it were any ordinary lecher, she would not only scold them but also make them suffer. But she couldn't do that with Lin Hai. First, she was no match for him, and second, he didn't seem to be... particularly resistant.

This discovery left Liu Erlong somewhat bewildered, and she was now plunged into deep self-doubt—

'Am I a fickle woman? I've only met him a few times!'

Lin Hai stared at Liu Erlong at that moment, momentarily captivated. He had always believed that a woman's beauty was not entirely about bone structure, appearance, figure, or temperament, but rather about contrast.

Zhu Zhuqing was aloof and self-possessed; it was precisely this kind of woman who was most captivating when she was passionate. Liu Erlong, on the other hand, was fiery and passionate, and this display of girlish charm was quite alluring.

He couldn't help but lean in, wanting to savor this unique charm...

As it turned out, Liu Erlong did indeed have a fever; not only were her lips burning, but she was also becoming delirious and even forgot to refuse. Her eyes widened, and she froze in Lin Hai.

Lin Hai knew that dealing with Liu Erlong was different from dealing with the amnesiac Ah Yin, and he couldn't proceed too quickly, lest it backfire. So he simply held her with one arm and gently stroked her cheek with the other, without making any other small movements.

But the lips and teeth never rested, moving from shallow to deep, lingering and tender.

Liu Erlong gradually came to her senses from her initial confusion, but it was too late. The most difficult city gate had been breached, and the flames of war had spread to the streets and alleys of the city.

The image of her first meeting with Yu Xiaogang flashed through her mind, then suddenly shifted to the moment when Lin Hai "emerged from the ground," then to the news that Yu Xiaogang was about to arrive in Heaven Dou, and finally stopped at the moment when Lin Hai was talking about the "True Dragon Martial Soul".

Whether Yu Xiaogang was genuinely unaware or for some other reason, this relationship... truly deserves to end.

She closed her eyes, a single tear silently sliding down her cheek... Perhaps this is for the best. The Golden Iron Triangle can rekindle their old friendship...

Lin Hai kept a close eye on Liu Erlong's changing expressions; he took in every detail, from her closed eyes to her tears. Was she... resigned to her fate?

He smiled knowingly, not bothered that the relationship wasn't entirely pure. Everything is temporary; first love is unforgettable, but no one says only the first time can be passionate and unforgettable!

He closed his eyes as well, held the person in his arms even tighter, and continued his conquest...

In the end, Lin Hai did not truly possess Liu Erlong. It wasn't that he couldn't, but rather that he didn't want to. In the desolate wilderness, without Ah Yin's large leaves, the occasion lacked a sense of ceremony.

Most importantly, bloodstains on the blanket are difficult to clean. What if she wants to keep it as a keepsake? Lin Hai really liked his Tiger Skin Blanket.

The two straightened their clothes and strolled hand in hand through the woods. Liu Erlong kept her head down and remained silent, still displaying the demeanor of a young girl.

Just moments ago, they were already at the height of their passion, with the Tyrant Dragon's true nature beginning to emerge, yet now it had reverted to this state. This smooth transition was a treasure to Lin Hai.

He originally thought Liu Erlong would grab his collar and give him a warning:

She would say things like, "If you ever dare to bully me again, I'll make sure you can't be a man anymore!"

Liu Erlong let Lin Hai lead her, and after a brief moment of shyness, her face showed worry again.

Lin Hai turned around, put one arm around her slender waist, and gently lifted her chin with the other, asking with a smile, "Why are you looking so worried?"

She struggled internally for a moment, then looked up to meet Lin Hai's gaze:

"Lin Hai, I don't care how many women you have in the future, today I, Liu Erlong, only recognize you as my man. As for Xiao Gang, from now on I will only regard him as my cousin and friend, but..."

Lin Hai laughed and said, "Since I'm your man, what can't I say?"

Liu Erlong stared at Lin Hai for a moment, and seeing that he was not angry because she mentioned Yu Xiaogang, she then spoke:

"By blood, he's my cousin. By friendship, we've been friends for many years. If possible, could you... help him solve his Martial Soul problem?"

After saying that, Liu Erlong looked at Lin Hai with eager eyes.

Lin Hai read something interesting in her eyes: Liu Erlong seemed certain that he could help Yu Xiaogang.