Chapter 22

Ningguang was wearing a loose silk robe — and naturally nothing beneath it. When she had been sent to the peak just moments ago, she had unconsciously undone several of the robe's buttons herself, revealing the full grandeur of her snowy peaks.

The strawberry marks on those snowy peaks had yet to fade.

Strawberry marks typically last three to seven days. The two on Ningguang's body had been placed exactly three days ago, so they hadn't disappeared yet.

Surely those two strawberry marks weren't ones you left on yourself, were they, Sister Ningguang?

Even with your extraordinary gifts and breathtaking magnificence, surely you couldn't have managed to... do that to yourself...

Ningguang hadn't told the truth, but Keqing had already filled in the blanks with her own imagination, conjuring quite the dramatic scenario.

Lu Lin and Ningguang definitely knew each other — and were close. The strawberry marks on Ningguang's body had been left by Lu Lin. That fit perfectly with what she knew of him.

After all, a man who could spend half the night outdoors with Xiangling was hardly a paragon of virtue. She admired Lu Lin's foresight and vision, but that didn't stop her from also thinking he was a complete pervert.

And Ningguang was clearly deeply in love. The things Lu Lin had said to Keqing — Ningguang likely didn't know about any of that. The two of them probably hadn't talked about such things.

So when she heard that her beloved shared her exact ideals and had offered such incisive, penetrating insights, a surge of joy and pride and countless other emotions had welled up inside her, driving her to quietly... indulge herself.

How else could you explain why she called out Lu Lin's name when she reached the peak?

Keqing felt she had grasped the truth of the matter, and decided not to press further and embarrass her bestie.

But then she suddenly noticed that Ningguang's face had flushed crimson all over again.

No way! You're going again, Sister?

Have you completely let yourself go?

Ningguang herself hadn't expected it to happen again so soon. This wave of pleasure built faster and stronger than the first, and she felt something detonate inside her mind — in an instant, she lost all capacity for rational thought.

"I... Mmm~ Lu Lin!!!" The high, impassioned cry made Keqing's eyes go wide.

She was no quieter than Xiangling had been last night! Thank goodness Ningguang's bedroom had excellent soundproofing.

"Ke... Keqing... I..." Ningguang's voice was seductive to the bone. Even Keqing felt herself going a little weak just listening to it.

Ningguang wanted to say something, but the relentless, wave-after-wave pleasure kept crashing over her — as though she were experiencing it herself — and she couldn't string a sentence together.

Keqing felt as if she had been transported back to last night. How eerily similar this scene was to then?

And tonight, it wasn't just sounds — she had a front-row view.

The breathtakingly beautiful Ningguang lay with her robe thrown wide open, the covers kicked off the bed entirely. She had completely lost her composure and was doing nothing but letting out soft, alluring moans.

Her voice carried a mature woman's charm that surpassed even Xiangling's — utterly bewitching.

Surrounded by that voice, Keqing's own consciousness began to blur.

She felt as though she had returned to that moonlit valley. One hand slipped beneath her skirt, the other slid inside her collar — even her movements were identical to the night before.

Dampness met her fingertips, and the little cat Keqing repeated yesterday's mistake all over again.

The Jade Chamber — the magnificent palace suspended high above the skies of Liyue.

It was the private property of Tianquan Star Ningguang, a symbol of her power, wealth, and wisdom.

To most of Liyue's people, the Jade Chamber was a mysterious, ethereal place that inspired awe and reverence — ordinary folk rarely had the chance to set foot inside.

To Liyue's upper society, the Jade Chamber's mistress was known for reading hearts, wielding words like weapons, possessing a razor-sharp mind, and harboring deep cunning. Making an enemy of her never ended well.

The Jade Chamber. Ningguang's bedroom.

Few would ever imagine that within this magnificent, untouchable palace — this woman who held the reins of power in Liyue, the foremost merchant of the age, the renowned woman of a thousand faces — could have such an alluring, intoxicating side.

This was a side of herself she never showed the world!

She lay on her side across the bed, her silk robe thrown wide open, baring her magnificent peaks in full. The red strawberry marks against the snow created a breathtaking contrast.

Her silk sleep trousers were nearly soaked through, pulled partway down and half-hanging around her calves, disheveled and undone.

Her snow-white hair was spread loose around her. Her eyes were half-closed, as though she had drifted into a daze. The flush on her face was slowly fading, leaving behind a languid, intoxicating beauty beneath her cold, peerless elegance.

Lying beside her was another stunningly beautiful young woman, equally disheveled, with vast expanses of snow-white skin exposed to the air — her figure no less impressive than Ganyu's.

Her white sleep dress had ridden up, and on her smooth, pale thighs were traces that had not yet fully dried.

Her purple cat-ear twin-tail hairstyle was slightly mussed. On her adorable doll-like face lingered the last traces of lingering bliss. Her eyes were tightly shut, her expression serene and peaceful — she was sleeping soundly.

Who could have imagined that these two would be two of the seven stars who ruled Liyue — Tianquan and Yuheng?

What a pity Lu Lin hadn't been there to witness this scene. He would certainly have used his Kamera to capture the moment and add it to his treasured collection.

Lu Lin was busy.

Just how wonderful Ganyu looked in black stockings was something truly beyond words.

Both of them were in absurdly good physical condition. They had gone at it from nine in the evening until one in the morning, trading victories back and forth, each recovering quickly, seemingly inexhaustible.

At one in the morning, the two of them — still not fully satisfied — retreated into the Serenitea Pot to continue.

Partly because Ganyu's bed was getting on in years and couldn't withstand such treatment — it had collapsed. More importantly, Lu Lin felt bad for Ningguang, who had to preside over the Rite of the Descension the next day and couldn't be kept up too late.

Otherwise, a collapsed bed was hardly a problem — there were other places. The writing desk, for instance, had proven quite sturdy; they'd tested it once and it held up admirably.

Ganyu wasn't planning to attend the Rite of the Descension the next day, so the two of them were thoroughly uninhibited. Lu Lin even discovered some techniques unique to Ganyu.

For instance, when Lu Lin was behind her, gripping her qilin horns gave him better leverage — and since the qilin horns were one of Ganyu's more sensitive spots, his enhanced technique could work its magic there too, delivering an even more transcendent experience.

With Ganyu's tacit permission, Lu Lin also took a few photographs worth keeping as mementos — including the one just mentioned of her riding the coconut sheep.

He had an idea: he'd make a dedicated collection album someday, preserving all these breathtaking moments.

It was a shame he hadn't kept copies of Ningguang's photographs. She had probably destroyed them all after taking them back. Those few shots had been perfect works — what a waste to destroy them.

The next morning, Lu Lin rose at a reasonable hour. After washing up and changing into fresh clothes, he left the Serenitea Pot feeling refreshed and headed to Yujing Terrace alone.

Ganyu had light work today and didn't need to go so early, so she was catching up on sleep inside the Serenitea Pot.

Liyue Harbor was exceptionally lively today. After all, the annual Rite of the Descension was about to begin, and everyone was eagerly anticipating what guidance Rex Lapis would offer this year.

Lu Lin strolled along the streets, listening to passersby chatter and debate the likely direction of business this year.

If he remembered correctly, the Traveler Lumine should be arriving at Liyue Harbor today as well.

Speak of the devil — just as he reached the area near Feiyun Slope, Lu Lin spotted a golden-haired girl in a white dress asking someone for directions.

The girl had a pretty, delicate face and short golden hair, with only two slightly longer strands framing her temples. A white belted dress paired with white boots gave her a capable, seasoned look — clearly an experienced adventurer at a glance.

Beside her floated a little sprite darting up and down — that would be her exclusive guide, Paimon.

Lu Lin remembered clearly: she was looking for Rex Lapis to ask about her brother, and that was what had led her to the Rite of the Descension.

Given that, there was no need for him to go introduce himself now. He'd head to Yujing Terrace and wait for everything to unfold, then make his entrance to give Lumine her quest and items.

Lu Lin withdrew his gaze and prepared to head to Yujing Terrace first to check on Ningguang's condition after a night of... turbulence.

At that moment, someone tapped his right shoulder.

He instinctively turned to look — but there was no one there.

"My, my, does the ever-clever Lu Lin really fall for such a simple trick?" A bright, cheerful laugh rang out by his left ear.

Lu Lin spun around and grabbed the slender hand that had been about to cause mischief, pulling the energetic young woman smoothly into his arms.

A familiar, faint plum blossom fragrance made his already refreshed mood even brighter, lifting his spirits further.

"When did you get back?"

"Just arrived at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor this morning — had breakfast and came straight to find you!"

"In such a hurry. Did you miss me?"

"Yes, yes! I missed you so much. You weren't in the Serenitea Pot for the past two days — I went several times and you were never there."

"Sorry. I was with Xiangling at Cuijue Slope these past two days."

"Mm-hmm, so you've won Xiangling over? That's great news! Now we'll have someone to cook for us in the Pot!" Hu Tao blinked her big, pretty eyes.

"So you all already knew that Xiangling and I..."

"Of course! We all guessed — it wasn't hard at all!"

The two of them walked arm in arm, chatting as they made their way up to Yujing Terrace.

Yujing Terrace was packed with people — crowds who had come to witness the Rite of the Descension or offer prayers. But Lu Lin and Hu Tao were nimble enough to slip up onto a large elevated rock, where it wasn't crowded at all and the view was excellent.

Lu Lin looked out over the scene. In the central plaza of Yujing Terrace, Ningguang's stunning figure came into view.

Today was a solemn and dignified occasion. Ningguang was dressed in magnificent formal robes, her posture impeccable, her steps unhurried — the very picture of noble elegance.

But Lu Lin still noticed with a keen eye that her energy wasn't as full as usual. It seemed she truly hadn't rested well last night.

After being kept up half the night, how could she possibly have rested well?

Only a freak like him could wake up the next day still feeling perfectly refreshed and ready to stroll around!

As Ningguang took the stage, the ceremony proceeded steadily — and that was when the mischievous Hu Tao made her move.

Their vantage point was high enough that hardly anyone could see them. Taking advantage of everyone's attention being fixed on the ceremony, Hu Tao turned and threw her arms around Lu Lin, planting a fierce kiss on his lips.

Lu Lin was caught completely off guard and kissed squarely. Inwardly he thought: Goodness!

Hold on — you have a [Telepathy]-linked sister presiding over the Rite of the Descension right now!

Ningguang's condition was indeed poor.

When she had woken up and seen the state of her bed, she felt as though the sky had fallen.

Last night she had been utterly lost in the pleasure that kept washing over her — the most uninhibited she had ever been in her life.

But when she woke and her reason returned, what followed was deep despair. She couldn't understand how things had come to this.

The root cause of all of it was Lu Lin!

Yet she suddenly realized that the fear she now felt toward him had grown greater than her hatred.

She had come from humble origins, climbing step by step to her current position of power through her own abilities — amassing vast wealth and authority, rising from nothing. Along the way, how many formidable opponents had she faced? She had long since seen through the treachery of human hearts.

Those powerful opponents had never made her feel despair — only fired her fighting spirit. And the final victor had always been her.

Ningguang was accustomed to thoroughly understanding her opponents before devising targeted strategies, and she usually struck decisively and triumphed completely.

But Lu Lin was different. The more she learned about him, the less she knew how to deal with him. He was far too enigmatic, his abilities far too outrageous — she couldn't even claim to truly understand this person.

Yet the despair was quickly brought under control. Having achieved what she had, she was naturally a person of iron will — she would not simply admit defeat.

She composed herself, rallied her spirits, washed and dressed, used makeup to conceal her haggard appearance, and set out to preside over the Rite of the Descension.

Keqing had been exhausted from days of travel, and after listening at walls for two consecutive nights, she was utterly spent — she slept deeply and heavily. Ningguang didn't wake her, but instead tucked the covers around her and instructed the servants that no one was to enter the room.

Yujing Terrace. The site of the Rite of the Descension.

The ceremony proceeded steadily. Everyone wore solemn expressions, carrying out each step in proper order.

No one noticed that Ningguang's elegant brows furrowed ever so slightly, and her body stilled for just a moment.

That feeling — it was back.

Lu Lin, you truly have no end!

She drew a quiet breath, suppressing her anger, controlling her expression, ensuring she wouldn't lose composure from the sudden surge of pleasure.

Fortunately, this time the sensation wasn't intense — it was more like the comfortable warmth of soaking in a hot spring, and it actually helped her turbulent thoughts gradually settle.

Lu Lin had his limits. In a setting like this, he had no intention of making Ningguang embarrass herself, so he simply returned Hu Tao's kiss without letting his hands wander.

The kiss didn't last long. Lu Lin suddenly asked, "Hu Tao, do you feel anything? Like anger?"

"Angry? Not at all~"

Lu Lin lowered his head in thought. He realized that the [Telepathy] entry had a certain directionality — its function was to transmit intense emotional fluctuations, and only emotions of sufficient intensity would be transmitted.