Last night, Jiang Che and Ma Xiaotao had spent the whole evening discussing how Nuwa created humanity. By the end, they were both exhausted. Perhaps Jiang Che had been too excited the night before, because he didn't wake up until the sun was already high in the sky.
He slowly opened his eyes, his mind not yet fully clear. The first things he felt were the warmth in his arms and the fresh, delicate fragrance that belonged uniquely to Ma Xiaotao, lingering around his nose.
Jiang Che's hand was still resting on her little melon, and he unconsciously gave it a squeeze. The realness of that touch and her scent instantly brought last night back to him: they had finally shared their feelings and become true lovers, and for the first time, they had fallen asleep in each other's arms, closer than ever.
Perhaps she sensed Jiang Che's wandering hand. Ma Xiaotao gave a soft "Mm" and woke up too. She blinked in a daze, then Jiang Che's handsome face, so close to hers, came clearly into view.
The memories of last night came rushing back. A massive wave of embarrassment washed over her, and a rosy blush quickly spread from her fair neck to her cheeks and the tips of her ears, like peach blossoms in full bloom.
She instinctively tried to shrink away or pull the covers over her head, but realized that one arm was still draped around Jiang Che's waist, and she was nestled almost entirely against him.
The situation left her even more flustered. Her eyes darted about in panic, and she didn't dare meet Jiang Che's tender, smiling gaze.
"What happened? Weren't you so bold yesterday? Now you can't even look at me." Jiang Che kissed Ma Xiaotao on the cheek, then leaned close to her ear and teased her with a mischievous grin.
Jiang Che's words made Ma Xiaotao's ears burn even redder. She bit her lower lip and forced herself to glare at him, but her gaze was so soft it had no bite at all. Instead, it carried an inexplicable hint of coquettishness.
"Who—who can't look at you?" she insisted, though her voice was as quiet as a mosquito's buzz. "I just... I just haven't woken up yet..."
Before she could finish, Jiang Che leaned in again and kissed her forehead, his warm breath brushing over the space between her brows.
Ma Xiaotao froze for a moment. Then, as if someone had flipped a switch, she suddenly buried her face in his chest and gave a muffled "Mm," surrendering completely.
Jiang Che looked down at the girl in his arms. Her fiery red hair spilled across the pillow and her shoulders, and a few loose strands clung to her flushed cheeks. She looked like a shy little tortoise hiding its head in its shell.
He couldn't help laughing. His chest trembled slightly, and Ma Xiaotao felt the vibration. Embarrassed and annoyed, she gave him a gentle pinch at the waist.
"You're still laughing!" she said into his chest.
"Okay, okay. I'll stop." Jiang Che tightened his arms around her.
The two of them cuddled in bed for a long while. In the end, Ma Xiaotao still drove Jiang Che out.
"It's already noon. If you... if you still have things to do, you can go first. I have to go cultivate in a little while, too."
"All right. After what you went through, your body's bound to feel a bit uncomfortable. If you don't feel up to it, don't push yourself."
"Mm, I know."
Jiang Che held Ma Xiaotao in his arms, gave her one last kiss, and left, completely satisfied.
Only after watching Jiang Che actually leave the room did Ma Xiaotao finally breathe a sigh of relief. They had done everything they were supposed to do last night, and everything they weren't supposed to do, too. But the thought of being completely exposed in broad daylight was still hard for her to accept.
With Jiang Che gone, Ma Xiaotao could finally throw off the covers. Her flawless, delicate body was revealed in all its perfection. She picked up the silk handkerchief that had been lying in the middle of the bed. The plum blossom pattern, which had originally been colorless, was now stained red.
She tried to get up and get dressed, but her body felt a little uncomfortable. Frowning prettily, she cursed Jiang Che for being a bull demon while enduring the discomfort and getting dressed. Then she put the handkerchief into a box and carefully stored it away.
Meanwhile, Jiang Che felt refreshed as he left Ma Xiaotao's room. The fresh air of Sea God Island washed over him, carrying a faint fragrance of plants mingled with moisture.
He instinctively stretched, his joints cracking softly. His whole body felt as relaxed as if his governing and conception vessels had been unblocked.
The feeling wasn't just physical. His spirit felt refreshed, too.
Before he knew it, Jiang Che had reached his little building. As he pushed open the courtyard gate, he saw Ice Empress sitting at the stone table, several books on Soul Tool theory spread out before her. It looked like she was trying to learn about Soul Tools. She looked up at the sound of the gate opening.
"You're back?" Ice Empress asked.
Jiang Che nodded, walked over to the stone table, and sat down. He poured himself a glass of water.
His gaze passed over the Soul Tool books beside Ice Empress, and he asked casually, "What are you reading?"
Ice Empress tapped the open page with her fingertip, curiosity in her eyes. "The construction of human Soul Tools is far more complex than the innate Soul Skills of Soul Beasts. Why does the Soul Power flow in this 'Linked Sealing Array' have to make three detours before entering the core?"
When she looked up, her nostrils twitched. She suddenly furrowed her brows and asked, "Why do you smell so strange? Like a gardenia scorched by flames?"
"Cough!" Jiang Che choked on his water. Embarrassed, he put down the cup and changed the subject. "The first stage diverts the flow, the second stabilizes the pressure, and only the third is the actual infusion of Soul Power."
As he spoke, he used his Soul Power to demonstrate. A three-dimensional array took shape above the page, perfectly recreating the diagram in the book.
Ice Empress's attention was instantly drawn to it. After studying the demonstration, she murmured thoughtfully, "So that's how it works!"
Seeing how interested Ice Empress seemed in Soul Tools, Jiang Che asked, "Are you interested in Soul Tools?"
"It's all right. I can't cultivate right now, so when I saw these books last night, I felt like studying them on a whim," Ice Empress replied.
Seeing that, Jiang Che said nothing more and let Ice Empress continue studying the Soul Tool book.
The two sat together at the stone table in silence. With no conversation between them, the courtyard took on a peaceful, timeless air. Ice Empress was absorbed in her book, while Jiang Che was just as absorbed in her breathtakingly beautiful face. He could never get tired of looking at her. After all, she was a perfectly legal loli—much more alluring than that "Shenhe" loli Xiao Xiao.
Back in the Outer Court, Huo Yuhao was visited by his senior brother Beibei.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
After a series of knocks, Huo Yuhao opened the dormitory door and immediately saw his senior brother looking utterly miserable.
"Senior Brother! What brings you here?" Huo Yuhao cried out happily, then asked in confusion what he had come for.
"I'm here to take you to apply for permission to go out and hunt Soul Beasts." Beibei looked at Huo Yuhao with a mournful expression, his resentment practically pouring out of him.
He had originally planned to go on a date with Tang Ya today, but yesterday Jiang Che had ordered him to take Huo Yuhao to apply for permission to go out hunting today.
How could Beibei possibly refuse? So he had painfully bailed on his date with Tang Ya. For a Beibei in the throes of new love, it was nothing short of a natural disaster. Of course he was seething with resentment.
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