"Saintess, did you succeed?"
The madam asked cautiously from the side.
"No."
Ever since returning, Yin Mianmian had been standing on the deck of the painted pleasure boat, leaning against the railing and gazing into the distance, silent as if she had lost her soul.
"Even you failed?"
The madam's heavily made-up face froze in shock. After all, even those ranked above the Saintess—those with extraordinary talents—could lose their lives if Yin Mianmian set her sights on them.
Li Mo was only ranked nineteenth on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.
"Were his elders protecting him?"
"No."
Yin Mianmian softly denied, still staring into the distance.
"Then... why?" The madam was bewildered.
Yin Mianmian was already in a troubled mood and grew irritated by the questioning.
"His strength surpasses what's recorded on the Hidden Dragon Ranking."
"Stronger than the Hidden Dragon Ranking?"
The madam's painted face stiffened completely.
He was only sixteen.
She had originally thought his nineteenth rank might have been inflated, but now it seed he was actually underrated?
Suddenly, Yin Mianmian spoke again:
"Do you know what kind of divine intent, when released, can dissolve all anger and resentnt, making it impossible to harbor any negative emotions toward that person?"
"This... could it be a Buddhist divine intent?"
"Does he look like one of those bald monks to you?"
"Ah..."
The madam fell into deep thought, then wore a troubled expression.
"Sotis, the courtesans on the pleasure boat fall in love with their custors..."
"Speak plainly."
Yin Mianmian frowned.
"Then perhaps... it might be... love?"
"Love my ass!"
Yin Mianmian nearly lost her composure.
The madam trembled in fear.
"Go to the Listening Wind Pavilion and withdraw the bounty on Li Mo."
"Yes."
The madam retreated as if granted amnesty.
Left alone, Yin Mianmian sank back into contemplation.
How much of what Li Mo said...
could possibly be true?
......
anwhile.
Outside the window, the night was deep, while the private room was bathed in warm lamplight.
Ying Bing straightened her legs and let out a soft sigh.
Three tis.
This was already... the third ti Li Mo had bested her.
But the turmoil in her heart wasn’t due to another defeat.
Though she would later stand at the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, so formidable that none dared even et her gaze, unrivaled among her peers and eventually without equal in the world—
Her journey had not been without setbacks.
There had been near-death failures.
To concede was to lose forever.
Yet this punishnt paled in comparison to the Heavenly Illusion Realm, the Body Tempering Tribulation, or the Path to Immortality.
Her ntal state was now more refined than ever. She only needed to let things take their course...
With a slight activation of her intent soul, $2ing Bing opened her phoenix-like eyes, lightly pressed her lips together, and turned her gaze toward Li Mo.
The ripples in the young woman's eyes carried a trace of solemnity.
"??"
A confused Li Mo grew even more puzzled.
She’s using her intent soul?
Why is the ice block suddenly so serious?
Young Li suddenly recalled a mory from his past life—when his best friend took him for a foot massage. Before going, he had even washed his feet thoroughly, only to be served by an auntie who smoked while working.
Her grip was fierce, attacking every pressure point rcilessly.
Under his friend’s teasing gaze, the ever-stubborn young Li hadn’t made a sound. In fact, he’d rebellively muttered, "Is that all? Auntie, did you skip breakfast?"
As everyone knew, $2he ice block had always been fiercely competitive.
She never admitted defeat.
So Li Mo sat back down, eting her gaze without hesitation.
"Seems like it’s ti I got serious."
"...Fine." Ying Bing nodded coolly.
"Then change your clothes."
"?"
The next second, $2i Mo pulled out sothing she had never seen before—like an undergarnt, yet far more scandalous than any she knew.
"You can’t do the full service without changing~"
Young Li smirked triumphantly.
She’d back down now, surely.
No way the ice block would actually...
"You... go out first." Ying Bing’s voice was barely a whisper in his ear.
"Right, I figured—"
Li Mo shook his head with a wry smile and stood up.
But then he heard:
"Leave the clothes."
"!"
Snap—
The door closed, and the room darkened.
[Current contact area: 8%]
A system prompt appeared, oddly considerate, as if worried its host might fail the punishnt.
This must have been calculated when he massaged her feet earlier.
Why would he enjoy playing with that thing? How strange...
And this outfit—while slightly better than the one the system had rewarded her with—was still barely decent.
Where had he gotten it?
And why was he carrying it around all the ti...
When he usually acted so gentle, sunny, and refined?
Ying Bing’s lashes fluttered faintly before she finally let out a soft sigh.
"Calm as still water, let nature take its course..."
The sound of rustling fabric filled the room.
anwhile, young Li leaned against the door outside, a brush clenched between his teeth as he took a deep breath.
He truly hadn’t expected the ice block to agree so readily.
And that look in her eyes before he left...
"Stay sharp. Can’t slack now."
"Junior Brother Li, what are you doing?"
The door across the hall opened, and Tang Xiaobao stared at the brush in Li Mo’s mouth, baffled.
"When I’m thinking hard, I like to chew on sothing."
"Oh, I see."
Tang Xiaobao didn’t fully understand.
But since Junior Brother Li was a genius, he must have his reasons.
So he imitated him, threading a not-too-hard pill onto a bamboo skewer and popping it into his mouth.
Now he, too, was sucking on a lollipop pill, his delicate face adopting a profound expression.
"Junior Brother Li, what’s the problem? Maybe I can help."
"I’m thinking I might be in mortal danger soon."
"That serious? I’ll tell the master!"
Tang Xiaobao imdiately turned serious.
But before he could run off, Li Mo grabbed him by the collar and spun him back around.
Li Mo sighed.
"It’s nothing major. Just might have a slight case of high blood pressure."
"Then take so dicine!" Tang Xiaobao relaxed.
"Will that work?"
"Want to lick mine and see?"
"...Senior Brother Xiaobao, go play. I’ll figure it out myself."
"Alrighty."
Tang Xiaobao wandered off, still sucking on his lollipop pill.
So ti later.
A clear, soft voice drifted through the wooden door, carried by the wind:
"You... can co in now."
"Mm."
Li Mo activated his intent soul slightly.
But strangely, $2hough the divine intent within his soul was usually remarkably effective, today it seed lackluster.
Young Li suddenly felt that even the life-and-death struggles in the Blood Phoenix Secret Realm hadn’t made him as nervous as this mont.
But if he chickened out now, $2e’d never live it down in front of the ice block!
Especially now that she’d learned to twist the knife.
Click.
The door to a new world creaked open.
Stepping inside and catching sight of Ying Bing, young Li realized he had severely underestimated the situation.
It wasn’t the swimsuit—though its na was odd, the design was relatively normal.
What he’d underestimated was the ice block herself.
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