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However, this warm and joyful atmosphere was completely shattered by a sudden turn of events.
Just as we were laughing and joking, a blurry figure silently appeared in the hazy mist at the edge of the hot spring pool!
The figure seemed to appear out of thin air; we hadn't noticed it at all!
To be able to approach to such a distance without us noticing (especially with Jingliu and Lingsha present) shows that the opponent's strength is absolutely not to be underestimated!
Almost the instant the figure appeared, Jingliu, who had been somewhat shy and dazed just a moment ago, suddenly changed her expression! The vigilance and killing intent of a peerless swordsman resurfaced in her eyes!
"Who's there?!" She whirled around, her voice icy and chilling as she demanded of the blurry figure.
At the same time, she instinctively took a defensive stance—one hand quickly rose, instinctively blocking her chest to cover her ample bosom; while her other arm acted like an iron wall, instantly pulling me behind her to protect me!
The movement was incredibly swift and clearly aimed at protecting the target.
Almost simultaneously, Lingsha, who had been right beside me, also changed her expression. She lowered her body, nimble as a rabbit, and instantly submerged into the warm pool, leaving only her agate-like eyes and the tip of her pert nose above the surface. She pressed her body tightly against mine to prevent herself from being seen.
The usually carefree Silver Wolf was clearly startled by the sudden change and Jingliu's explosive aura. She cried out, slipped somehow, and fell awkwardly into the water with a "plop," splashing everywhere and choking on some water—a rather comical sight .
For a moment, the atmosphere around the hot spring pool became extremely tense.
In the mist, the figure didn't seem to stop at Jingliu's bark; instead, it slowly approached us.
As they drew closer, their silhouette became increasingly clear through the misty vapor.
Just as alarm bells were ringing in my head, and I was bracing myself to summon a weapon for any emergency, a familiar, somewhat lazy, and cheerful voice—accompanied by a gentle laugh—drifted from the mist, instantly dispelling the heavy atmosphere.
"Hehe, everyone needn't be nervous."
It's me, Jing Yuan.
With a clear and gentle voice saying, "It's me, Jing Yuan," a tall, upright figure finally emerged completely from the hazy mist.
The visitor was none other than Jing Yuan, the Cloud Knight General of the Xianzhou Luofu!
He still wore his trademark, somewhat lazy and relaxed look, a gentle smile on his face as if he were just passing by.
However, his relaxed demeanor did little to quell the anger of the little one who had just been startled and fallen into the water.
With a splash, Silver Wolf burst out of the water, wiping the droplets from her face. Her wet hair clung to her cheeks, making her look somewhat disheveled, but her aura was menacing .
The moment she saw Jing Yuan, she covered her chest with one hand and pointed at him with the other, shouting angrily:
"You old pervert, lecherous Jing Yuan! How dare you peek at beautiful girls bathing!!"
Faced with Silver Wolf's blunt accusation, even General Jing Yuan, accustomed to grand occasions, showed a rare trace of embarrassment.
He habitually scratched the back of his head, smiling somewhat sheepishly as he explained, "Sorry, sorry, it was truly abrupt. I came to discuss matters with the Trailblazer, and seeing the courtyard gate unlocked, I entered without permission. I truly didn't know everyone would be so... well, so refined as to bathe in the courtyard."
Although his words were an apology, they also subtly implied that our behavior at the outdoor hot spring was indeed somewhat... unusual.
"Ahem," Jing Yuan coughed twice to cover his embarrassment, his gaze then falling upon me , Jingliu, and Lingsha.
A look of understanding flashed in his eyes as he said with a laugh: "Hehe, it seems the Trailblazer is truly lucky in love. The former Sword Champion and the current Cauldron Master have both fallen for you, bathing together like this—it's truly enough to make others envious."
Upon hearing Jing Yuan's words, Lingsha's cheeks flushed slightly, and she shrank even further into the water.
Jingliu, behind me, remained vigilant, though her protective arm seemed to relax slightly, her cold, crimson eyes still fixed on Jing Yuan.
However, some people were very dissatisfied with Jing Yuan's words.
"Hey! Jing Yuan! Don't you have eyes?!" Seeing herself completely ignored, Silver Wolf was furious (though still in the water), and shouted again, "Can't you see me, a living, breathing person?! The galaxy's number one beautiful girl hacker! Did you hear that?! Number one beautiful girl!"
Faced with Silver Wolf's almost unreasonable outburst, Jing Yuan laughed again and quickly cupped his hands in apology, saying smoothly: "Sorry, sorry, it was my negligence. Miss Silver Wolf is exceptionally graceful and naturally one of the top... well, beautiful girls in the galaxy. My apologies."
His words, half-true and half-false, at least temporarily calmed the agitated Silver Wolf.
Then, the smile on Jing Yuan's face gradually faded, and his expression returned to the seriousness and solemnity befitting a Luofu General.
He turned his gaze to Jingliu before me and said solemnly:
"Jingliu," he addressed her by name, his tone carrying an official solemnity. "I sensed your unusual power fluctuations just now. It seems the Mara that plagued you for years… has been lifted."
Jingliu remained silent, merely meeting his gaze with cold eyes—a silent acknowledgment.
Jing Yuan nodded and continued, "Since that's the case, Luofu will no longer pursue the past. Considering your past contributions to the Xianzhou and the fact that you were my... Master, the one who taught me martial arts, today's matter will be considered a redemption for your past misdeeds. From this moment on, the Xianzhou Alliance's arrest warrant for you is officially lifted."
These words were undoubtedly a massive pardon.
Although Jingliu's expression didn't change noticeably, I could feel her arm, which had been protecting me, relax completely.
Having announced this major event, Jing Yuan seemed to have accomplished the main objective of his trip.
He turned his gaze back to me, giving a slight nod with a gentle smile that seemed to hold some deeper meaning.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked briskly toward the courtyard gate.
Watching his departing figure, I couldn't help but call out, "General! Rest assured, I'll take good care of Jingliu!"
Jing Yuan didn't stop or turn around; he simply waved casually with his back to us, and his figure quickly disappeared into the moonlight of the courtyard.
Was his final wave an expression of gratitude, or... something more profound?
General Jing Yuan's figure disappeared from the courtyard gate, but the bombshell he brought was like a massive stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in the hot spring pool that wouldn't settle for a long time.
The courtyard returned to silence, but the atmosphere was entirely different from before.
The lighthearted playfulness had been dispelled by the conversation and the official pardon brought by Jing Yuan, replaced by a complex mix of solemnity, immense surprise, and an indescribable, multifaceted emotion.
Jingliu... she really was cured!
The Mara that plagued her for countless years—the one that plunged her into the abyss and brought endless pain—was actually cured because of my power!
Moreover, she received an official pardon from the Xianzhou Alliance, allowing her to walk proudly in the sunlight from now on!
An overwhelming surge of joy washed over me.
Almost instinctively, I reached out and pulled Lingsha, who had just fully risen from the water behind me, and Jingliu, who, though now calm, still had a hint of bewilderment in her eyes, tightly into my embrace.
Embracing two beautiful women, their warm and soft bodies pressed against me, I felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and an indescribable happiness.
"That's wonderful… Jingliu…" I pressed my cheek against Jingliu's cool, smooth hair, my voice filled with genuine joy and relief. "You can finally… finally live a normal life!"
As I spoke, my hands, almost out of a celebratory and possessive instinct—or perhaps just uncontrollable excitement—uncontrollably returned to caressing Jingliu's full, firm breasts, gently stroking and kneading them, feeling their cool, bouncy texture, shamelessly taking advantage of them.
However, Jingliu at this moment seemed completely immersed in the immense shock of the two pieces of information: "the demonic body has been cured" and "the warrant has been lifted." She was still somewhat dazed and struggling to process the information.
She simply leaned against me, letting my hands roam freely over her chest, seemingly... completely unaware of my somewhat rude and inappropriate behavior.
Lingsha, on the other side, nestled gently against me, a genuine smile of happiness for Jingliu on her face. To my current "little gestures," she merely cast a somewhat helpless and indulgent glance, saying nothing more.
Only Silver Wolf, who had somehow climbed out of the pool, sat thoughtfully on the edge, wrapped in a towel, swinging her pale legs.
Her purple eyes flickered, as if she were still savoring the series of slightly awkward yet amusing "unexpected encounters"—Jing Yuan's appearance, her own embarrassment, and Jingliu's pardon—a mischievous grin that lingered on her lips, a hint of someone enjoying the show.
As for me, I was completely immersed in this immense joy.
Although my actions were somewhat out of line, my truest and strongest emotion at this moment was heartfelt joy and relief that Jingliu had finally broken free from the terrible curse of Mara.
She was finally... free.