"Harmony?" Jingliu asked.
"Indeed, my parents had hoped my life to be as harmonious as the eon Xipe herself, haha, truthfully, I tried to lead such a life, but living in Xianzhou Daiyu, where many were eroded by the abundance, it was difficult at best."
I reminisce about my barren life, but I shook my head shortly after. "Nevertheless, it is all in the past, I am grateful you have put aside those hateful eyes of yours. Please accept my apology for my show of power yesterday; if I did not, I'm sure you will ignore every bargain I make."
Jingliu nodded, but as her attention was turning elsewhere, I spoke again.
"Lady, with all due respect, I have another request to make." Hearing my words, Jingliu turned to me with an annoyed gaze.
"Wait, please, let me elaborate, this is for the good of both of us." Hearing my words, Jingliu fully turned to me with an expectant eyes.
"Speak."
"You see, mara at its core is a bundle of memories and emotions; these mara are harder to control if they cannot calm down such emotions. You, in your wisdom, had killed all emotions you hold, but memories cannot be erased so easily, leaving you half of the problem unsolved."
"Now that I have come into being, I possess the power to control both emotions and memories, but at the downside of my retaining emotions, I cannot restrain these for long if I do not possess an outlet soon." Sensing the impatient stare, I got straight to the point.
"In short, I need a way to reduce these restrained memories once in a while. And that's where you come in. Truthfully, you are a peerless moon that I cannot resist. Each fiber of my consciousness wants-"
Whoosh
Suddenly, a sword edge was placed on my neck once more. Knowing it would do nothing to me, it was more of a gesture to warn me.
"Pick your words wisely." Jingliu's icy words passed by my ears.
Knowing who was truly in power, I could send her into a nightmare once more, but it would only strain our relationship, so I chose a more diplomatic approach.
"Please, recall who gave you those peaceful days within the ship without a whisper of thought. I will only make a simple request. I implore you to understand." Jingliu's blade stayed still for a while, but after much hesitation, she lowered it.
"Speak."
"All I will do is explore your body only using my hands, I shall not wander to inappropriate places, and if you feel as if my hands have gone astray, you may pull away at any moment."
Jingliu considered it with great deliberation. It was I who could control these mara with consistency, and Luocha couldn't stay around her to calm her mara. But finally, after a long silence, she agreed.
Though she revolted at the idea, her emotions had long since passed away to restrain the mara, and it was only the act of lightly touching that did not affect her.
The body she possesses right now is only an illusory one constructed in her mind; even if she is to be defiled here, her physical body would not be affected.
"Ahem, I'm sorry, but could we start now? These past few days, it has been increasingly hard to control these mara, and I am at the edge of control."
She studied me in silence. Suspicion lingered in her eyes, but reason slowly overcame it.
She sighed, barely audible. "If you stray even once… I will never agree again."
I nodded. "Understood."
A breath passed between us.
Then the shadows answered me.
They unfurled like smoke, soft and deliberate, surrounding her in a careful embrace. She didn't flinch—though I saw the tension in her shoulders, the way her body stood perfectly still, like a blade poised to strike if necessary.
And still, I stepped closer.
My hand glided along her arm, the chill of her skin dancing up through my fingertips. She was exactly as I imagined—smooth as polished jade, flawless to the point of cruelty. But beneath that cold perfection, I could feel it: the quiet strength, the tightly wound tension of a woman forged in solitude.
Touching her cheek, I look back at her steady eyes, it was filled with disgust restrained by will. But poised to strike if I ever go over the line.
Her body didn't yield, but it didn't resist either.
My fingers next trace the elegant lines of her shoulder—slow, reverent, drifting down to the curve of her waist. I was careful, never venturing where I shouldn't. Not yet. It wasn't about indulgence. Not fully. It was fascinating. Hunger was restrained by awe.
She was a sculpture of ice and, yet still… a woman.
"I can feel the mara pulsing," I whispered, more to myself than her. "You carry so much… always."
Inside, I burned.
But I pressed no further. Not yet.
After ten minutes of silence, broken only by the faint rustling of clothing, I was satisfied... for now.
Retracting all the hands, I slowly stepped back.
"I am satisfied. Thank you for allowing me such a... wonderful moment."
At those words, Jingliu frowned.
"Please, believe me—I am merely captivated by your beauty, like an artist before a masterpiece. I only wish to preserve such rare beauty within my mind."
She didn't respond. The doubt in her eyes said enough to tell me she didn't believe my words.
Without a word, Jingliu turned and walked away, putting distance between us. Then, with a flick of her hand, she summoned her sword and swung it through the air—sharp, swift, and filled with unspoken emotion.