Chapter Sixty-Eight: A Hint of... Slyness...

This sword energy is... Frost! Not good!

Jiang Lin's life-bonded flying sword, First Snow, shot out from his acupoint, ready to block the oncoming Frost. But in the next moment, Jiang Lin sensed First Snow being seized, and then, unbelievably, it flew toward him together with Frost!

“Oh, damn!”

He hurried to recite an incantation and activate a formation, but before he could finish, the thatched hut’s door banged open. Frost and First Snow, like a pair of sisters, paused just outside.

“Little Linlin, Master’s home!”

“Master! Don’t come in! I’m still bathing...”

“Oh, then Master will bathe with Little Linlin... When you were little, you always wanted Master to bathe with you.”

Jiang Lin’s face flushed. “Master, that was a long time ago! I’m an adult now—wait, Master, what are you doing? Don’t come any closer...”

Jiang Lin quickly shut his eyes and tried to clamber out of the tub, but his legs were so sore, as if he’d done frog jumps around a 400-meter track ten times over...

“Little Linlin...”

“Master! Hold on... Ma—”

With a loud splash, water flew everywhere from the bath...

...

“Papa... Papa...”

“Little Linlin... Little Linlin...”

He opened his eyes in a daze. It was the familiar ceiling, but... why did he feel so heavy?

On his left, sprawled atop him, was little Nian Nian; on the right, his long-absent master...

What happened last night? He remembered soaking in the bath, then Master returning, then Master fell into the bath with a holy glow, and after that... his memories faded.

“Little Linlin, you’re awake. You scared Master so much...”

Jiang Yuni happily hugged Jiang Lin’s arm, her little head nuzzling into his chest.

“Papa... Papa...” Little Nian Nian also hugged his neck joyfully, her small tail wagging.

“Master... what happened last night?”

Jiang Lin struggled to sit up and leaned against the headboard, shaking his head.

“Nothing much. You soaked in the bath too long and fainted. Master just carried you out. It’s all fine now.”

Jiang Yuni, charming as a kitten, knelt prettily on the bed, her bright eyes shining at Jiang Lin. “Little Linlin, Master’s now an illustrious Jade Core cultivator. Jade Core! So impressive, so powerful!”

Seeing his master wearing such an adorable “praise me, praise me” expression, Jiang Lin couldn't help but smile warmly, rubbing her small head. “Yes, yes, Master is the best.”

“Hee hee hee...” Jiang Yuni purred like a kitten, rubbing against Jiang Lin’s palm, her beautiful eyes curving into two sweet crescents.

In truth, Jiang Lin didn’t really care whether his master had reached the Jade Core stage. As long as she was safe, that was enough. Cultivation levels, while not unimportant, could never compare to Master’s well-being.

What made him happiest was that his master was still the same as ever, unchanged in the slightest. Although a part of him wished she could regain her former clarity, this was good too—after all, he could just protect her himself.

Most fortunate of all, it was said that those who reached the Jade Core realm saw the world differently and often became obsessed with cultivation, their personalities changing drastically. Yet Master remained as pure-hearted as always, which made him all the more glad.

“Papa... Papa...” Little Nian Nian tugged at Jiang Lin’s sleeve.

“Hm? What is it, Nian Nian?”

“Today... today I didn’t cry...”

Looking into her innocent, expectant eyes, Jiang Lin was momentarily taken aback, then understood at once.

“Yes, you were very good today, Nian Nian. From now on, you should always keep smiling.”

He patted her head with his other hand. Little Nian Nian squinted happily, her chubby tail swishing across the bed.

For some reason, as he petted her, Jiang Lin felt an odd sensation... Was he stroking a cat? But it didn’t feel quite the same.

He felt as though... there was a hint of... lechery...

And as this sense of impropriety—almost guilt—grew, the door was kicked open once again.

Confronted with a scene so easily misunderstood, Chen Jia froze in shock.

“Jiang Lin! You beast! Nian Nian is still right next to you!”

Chen Jia’s fist intent surged to its peak, and she drove a punch toward Jiang Lin’s chest.

But before her fist landed, a sharp sword aura flashed past.

Chen Jia didn’t dodge; instead, her fist intent grew even stronger, clashing head-on with the sword energy.

Though she scattered the sword aura, it also pushed her back.

In that hard clash, Chen Jia could feel the other party had held back—there was no true killing intent, only a warning, a declaration of territory.

As if to say, “This man is mine! No one else can touch him!”

Seeing Chen Jia forced back, Jiang Lin breathed a sigh of relief—he’d thought he was about to suffer another flurry of little fists. Still, he gave his master a gentle flick on the forehead.

“Master, what are you doing? She’s my friend, here to help me train.”

Jiang Yuni pouted, clutching her head. “But she just tried to hit Little Linlin...”

“It’s fine, I’m used to it.” Jiang Lin waved it off, then realized his words were questionable, but he had no idea how to explain...

“Little Linlin, Master was only gone a few days, and you’ve grown close to another girl. You even fought Master for her...”

“No, Chen is just a friend—wait, Master, how did you know she was disguised as a man?”

“Papa, what does it mean to be ‘just friends’? Does Papa not like Mama anymore...?”

“Papa? Mama?”

For a moment, it was as if thunder had struck. Jiang Yuni’s eyes froze, then filled with tears as her little fists pounded Jiang Lin’s chest.

“Little Linlin, you big meanie! You said you’d always be with Master, and even marry her, but now you’re with another woman and have a daughter! Are you abandoning Master? Then Master will never come back...”

She started to climb off the bed.

“Wait, it’s not like that.” Jiang Lin held her hand.

Meanwhile, hearing Jiang Yuni’s words and witnessing their tangled relationship, Chen Jia felt a swell of grievance. She liked him so much, and yet—

“Jiang Lin! You beast! You don’t even spare your own master! Beast! Shameless! Scoundrel!”

“Papa, Sister Fang said this is wrong. Mama will be sad, and all the Mamas will hate Papa.” Little Nian Nian clung to Jiang Lin’s arm, her eyes full of worry.

“I... Wait! Stop!”

Jiang Lin felt his mind spinning into chaos and quickly used First Snow to condense steam, blocking his ears.

Just as he stepped off the bed, intending to stand—

Bang!

Suddenly, his legs gave out and he fell to his knees.

It wasn’t from yesterday’s training.

No, it was...

His kidneys seemed to be throbbing in pain???

...

...

[From now on, updates will be scheduled: one chapter at 10 a.m., one at 8 p.m. every day. That’s all...]
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