At the sight, a flicker of panic appeared on Shui Ningrou's exquisite face. "Emperor, I'm sorry. It was all my fault..."
Lin Chen frowned slightly and pretended to look displeased. "It's all right."
Seeing his expression, Shui Ningrou grew even more flustered. "Emperor, let me find you a fresh martial robe."
"Very well."
"This way, please." Shui Ningrou extended a hand to invite him in.
Lin Chen rose and instructed Ling Yuan, "Wait outside for now."
Ling Yuan hesitated at first, but when she remembered Lin Chen's strength, she immediately felt reassured and obediently stood guard outside.
After the two left, Shui Yue'er looked bewildered. "Sister, what happened just now? Why did Mother spill tea on Brother Lin Chen?"
Shui Bing'er's face flushed, and a flicker of panic crossed her blue eyes. "Well... I don't know either."
Shui Yue'er gave a soft huff. "You're lying, Sister. You always pinch your skirt when you lie."
"No, I don't." Shui Bing'er hurriedly put her hands behind her back.
"Fine, don't tell me." Shui Yue'er turned to Yu Hairou. "Sister Hairou, did you see what happened just now?"
Even the fiery, uninhibited Yu Hairou blushed and said she didn't know.
In a room in the rear hall
Shui Ningrou brought Lin Chen to her own room, where she had prepared white martial robes that both men and women could wear.
"Huh? That's strange. I'm sure I put it in here the day before yesterday." Anxiety crept onto Shui Ningrou's cool, gentle face as she bent over and rummaged through the wardrobe.
But she had no idea how enticing her pose was. Her round, plump buttocks and slender waist formed an exaggerated curve, and her close-fitting sky-blue dress perfectly displayed her devilish figure.
Lin Chen, who had been looking around the room, was instantly captivated. A flash of heat passed through his deep eyes, and before he knew it, he was moving toward her.
Several breaths later, she cried out in delight, "Ah... found it!"
Thump~
At that moment, Lin Chen wrapped his arms around her from behind and inhaled deeply of her mature, refreshing fragrance. "Shui Ningrou, I want you to be my woman!"
"Ah?!" Shui Ningrou's body stiffened, and her jade hands struggled ceaselessly. "Your... Emperor, what are you doing?"
"Don't move!" Lin Chen barked. She froze for a moment, then didn't dare move again. Ever since joining Spirit Hall, did she still have the right to refuse?
Tears glistened in Shui Ningrou's blue eyes as she pleaded, "Emperor, Yue'er and Bing'er like you. You and they are lovers and spouses made for each other by heaven. I... I am already old and faded. Please, let me go."
"Shui Ningrou, I set my sights on all of you from the very beginning. Stop running from it. You all belong to me!"
"No, no, no... don't~"
"Shut up!" Lin Chen snapped. "If you keep moving, believe it or not, I'll throw you to that good-for-nothing Salas!"
Shui Ningrou trembled and immediately stopped struggling, her jade hands resting uncertainly on his arm, though she didn't believe Lin Chen would really do that...
Seeing the beauty submit, Lin Chen's large hands suddenly moved up and down...
Shui Ningrou let out a muffled moan, her mature, voluptuous body going completely limp in his arms. Though she continued to protest, her movements did nothing to stop him.
Was she really afraid of Salas? Or was she merely looking for a reasonable excuse for what she wanted to do in her heart...
For more than a decade, she alone had kept Skywater Academy standing. She was exhausted. Through thousands of days and nights, how she had longed for a strong shoulder to lean on!
Seeing that she was no longer struggling, Lin Chen picked her up and carried her toward the soft couch in the room.
"No... don't~" A flicker of panic crossed Shui Ningrou's beautiful eyes. "Emperor... Yue'er and Bing'er are still outside."
"Don't worry, they won't come in." He then added, "If they dare come in, I'll punish them along with you!"
Thump...
Lin Chen tossed her onto the soft couch and then pounced on her.
An hour later, in the hall
Shui Yue'er asked in confusion, "It's been so long. Why haven't Brother Lin Chen and Mother come out yet?"
"I don't know. Perhaps they're discussing something important..." Shui Bing'er replied awkwardly.
Shui Yue'er got up. "I'd better go to the back and have a look."
"Don't go!"
Shui Bing'er and Yu Hairou cried out almost simultaneously. Then the two women sat down beside her in perfect unison and began trying to talk her out of it.
The innocent Shui Yue'er looked bewildered. "What are you talking about? Why won't you let me go to the rear courtyard?"
"Because..." The two women exchanged a glance, their faces bright red, but neither could come up with a decent reason.
Tap, tap... tap, tap...
Just then, Lin Chen and Shui Ningrou came out of the rear courtyard together. The observant Shui Bing'er and the other women noticed a few small details: both had changed clothes.
Lin Chen wore a white martial robe with a black sash around his waist. His hair was tied high, his sword-like brows stood out, and his bearing was tall and straight, with an added touch of refinement.
Shui Ningrou seemed to have changed her dress as well. This blue skirt was shorter, reaching only to her knees. Her slightly wavy hair fell to her waist, and the fringe on the right was tucked behind her ear. A trace of blush lingered on her exquisite, mature face, and she had a beauty mark at the corner of one eye. Her gentle bearing held an added touch of allure.
"Mother! (Aunt Rou!)"
Seeing nothing unusual about the women, Shui Ningrou finally relaxed. Her body weary and weak, she hurriedly found somewhere to sit.
Shui Yue'er complained, "Mother, what took you so long?"
Shui Ningrou's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly explained, "The robe was the wrong size, so I altered it for the Emperor."
"Oh, I see." Shui Yue'er suddenly asked, "Huh? Mother, why are there so many bloody marks on your neck? Are you hurt?"
At those words, Shui Ningrou's heart tightened. She hadn't looked in a mirror before coming out, and Shui Yue'er's question caught her completely unprepared.
Shui Bing'er and the other women beside her grew even more certain of their suspicions. They hurriedly pulled Shui Yue'er away and stepped in to help Shui Ningrou out of the predicament.
But this only made Shui Ningrou more ashamed, because the way Shui Bing'er and the others acted made it clear that they already knew about her relationship with Lin Chen.
Bing'er and the others... aren't angry, are they?
An hour later, as evening drew near
Lin Chen was invited to a meal at the Tianshui residence. During it, the Tianshui Girl Group treated him with fiery enthusiasm, the exact opposite of their water Martial Souls. Even Shui Ningrou, who was gentle as water yet soft on the outside and strong within, showed him concern from time to time.
One battle had settled everything!
Spirit Hall, a secret chamber somewhere in the rear mountain
Qian Daoliu sat in the highest seat, his eyes closed. Then the door slowly opened, and a graceful figure walked in.
Tap, tap... tap, tap...
She wore a close-fitting white-and-gold dress and golden boots that reached above her knees. Tall and voluptuous, she had waist-length golden hair, with two locks framing her exquisite face. A gilded crown rested on her forehead. With her golden eyes, red lips, and noble, aloof beauty, she bore a striking resemblance to Bibi Dong.
"Sigh... I knew you'd come back."
Qian Renxue said coolly, "She's already married. As her daughter, how could I not come back and pay my respects?"
"Xue'er..." Qian Daoliu sighed. "Spirit Hall is still in a period of growth, beset by troubles both within and without. At this critical time, you mustn't start a conflict with her!"
Qian Renxue countered, "Then can you accept her constantly and severely cutting back the Worship Hall's power?"
Qian Daoliu narrowed his eyes slightly and said calmly, "The bigger picture comes first!"
"Xue'er, your foremost goal now is to cultivate with peace of mind and become a Titled Douluo as soon as possible. I've already paved the rest of the road for you."
"Once you've achieved success, I'll support you in whatever you want to do!"
"When will I have achieved success?" Qian Renxue's slender brows knitted slightly.
"When the time comes, I'll tell you." Qian Daoliu chuckled. "Let's not talk about that. You didn't come back just for the Pope this time, did you?"
Qian Renxue nodded. "Grandfather, I want to meet Lin Chen!"
"Hehe..." Qian Daoliu nodded. "Don't worry, I absolutely support you on that. If you can win him over, in the future... it would be like adding wings to a tiger for you!"