Dusk deepened, and the streetlights gradually brightened.
The Xianzhou was a giant ship roaming through the universe. In order to provide the Xianzhou people with the most comfortable environment, things like spring rain, the scorching summer sun… everything was arranged.
They directly transplanted the changing of the four seasons from ancient Earth onto the Xianzhou. As time passed, the Xianzhou people could experience different temperatures and weather, spanning a thousand years, admiring the beautiful scenery once seen by the ancients.
Even withered leaves, insects of various races, all of it was complete.
Even in nights when no one paid attention, the night wind would still blow.
At this moment, the night wind gently brushed against Jingliu's bangs, revealing those gem-clear crimson eyes.
This normally taciturn swordmaster, for the first time in front of Zero, revealed a side not usually seen.
She didn't seem to realize just how bright and dazzling her eyes were right now.
Compared to the invincible swordmaster, she looked more like she had taken off the mask forged from coldness, frost, and ice. That feeling of keeping people thousands of miles away was gone.
Maybe, after eating this meal together, he and Jingliu had become more familiar?
"Very special." Zero said sincerely. "It makes me troubled. I don't know what to give you. What could ever compare to such abundant food?"
For some reason, Jingliu's face grew cold again. Her tone hardened, "You don't need to give a gift."
Zero shook his head, disagreeing, "That won't do. I'll have to look properly."
"No need for gifts." Jingliu truly seemed unwilling to receive one. She spoke up herself, "If you really want to give something, why not help me with a divination instead?"
Zero froze. 'Jingliu is way too easy to talk to! This request is so simple.'
He immediately said, "No day is better than today. Let's do it now. What do you want to divine?"
"You mean right now?"
Even though Jingliu was the one who suggested it, when she heard that, she blinked, hesitated, "Isn't this outside of your working hours?"
"The great Swordmaster herself asked me for a reading, what does working hours matter?"
Zero was both amused and exasperated. He didn't expect her to remember the nonsense he'd said when fooling Yanqing.
He continued, "What do you want to divine? It'll be quick."
Jingliu turned, and on her own pulled open the door for Zero.
She said, "Come inside first."
Zero hesitated a moment.
'It's just a divination, just a calculation, wouldn't even take one minute standing at the door…'
Zero, 'But since I've come all the way here…'
Looking at Jingliu urging him at the doorway, he could only go along with her will and step into the residence.
As a swordmaster who had long campaigned outside, holding high status and not lacking income, she still hadn't invested much in her home.
Inside the courtyard, there were few luxurious decorations. The style of the furnishings was completely ordinary, probably what came with the house when she bought it.
There was only a stone table, a few stone stools, and in the corner, a rack for swords.
Rather than a residence, it felt more like a resting place for a traveler passing through.
Zero sat down first at the stone table, asking, "What does the great Swordmaster want to divine?"
Jingliu sat opposite him, "Then let's divine the outcome of the next battle."
Zero pulled out the jade tally, glanced at the year, month, day, then converted the system time into the proper hour, made his calculations, and said, "Great Safety, Lingering, Small Auspicious. To sum it up in one sentence, big victory, but with obstacles midway."
Jingliu's expression looked a little dazed. She asked, "You don't need any other tools?"
"You mean copper coins and such? For the same question, no matter what method is used, the result is the same."
Zero thought for a moment, and instinctively gave an example.
"Like before I... ah, I mean, my friend before…" He stumbled, then continued, "I have this friend, who does divinations for the rich. Forget copper coins, all kinds of mysterious objects would be brought out. If it looked too fast, too easy, the clients wouldn't even believe it..."
Zero wasn't trying to fool her, so he explained bit by bit to Jingliu.
"The first hexagram, Great Safety, is an auspicious one. Good for stillness, not for action. Lingering is an inauspicious one, meaning there may be obstacles, best not to make major moves."
Jingliu sat perfectly straight, her eyes locked on him, listening attentively.
"The last one is Small Auspicious, also auspicious. After all, with the great Swordmaster of Luofu here, what's there to worry about?"
Jingliu suddenly turned her head aside, brushing her bangs away, revealing reddened ears, looking… shy?
Zero, "..."
He fell silent.
Did the hotpot make him dazed? Why did it feel like Jingliu was shy?
Or was she shy because of his praise?
Zero, "..."
He would rather believe his brain had gone wrong.
Had his understanding of the Immortal Boat world already been scrambled this badly?
Could it be he was showing early signs of being Mara-struck?
But he was only 20. He couldn't be falling to Mara so soon, right?
Zero felt something was off, hurriedly stood, and prepared to leave.
"Then I'll take my leave. Goodbye."
Leaving those words behind, Zero quickly walked toward the gate.
He had barely taken a few steps when a force he couldn't resist came from behind.
Caught off guard, Zero almost lost his balance and fell. After he barely stabilized himself, Jingliu appeared before him again, making her move.
Jingliu harshly grabbed Zero's collar, dragging him back toward the stone table.
With their height difference of a head and a half, Zero had to bend slightly, following her force, just to avoid being strangled by the collar.
The pleasant conversation earlier, her moment of softness, all felt like illusions.
The beauty with snow-white hair pressed in step by step, until she pushed him onto the stone table, then stopped.
Through the thin clothing, Zero clearly felt the cold surface of the stone table.
His CPU was overheating, and no matter how he thought, he couldn't figure out the reason.
What, did he sprout leaves? Had Mara taken him?
He strained to look at his arms and legs, but found nothing unusual. Looking up, he saw Jingliu.
Jingliu leaned down, her hands braced on either side of him.
"Too careless."
Jingliu's expression was cold, but in her eyes lingered the haze of drunkenness.
Zero, '…What kind of wine is this?! The aftereffect is way too strong!'
He glanced left and right, both sides of his body were completely blocked by Jingliu. He tried inching downward instead.
She chuckled softly, then lifted a leg, pressing her knee against the edge of the stone table near his legs, completely sealing his retreat.
Zero, "..."
This posture was way too subtle.
His heartbeat pounded like a drum, half his chest trembling with it.
It was the first time he had ever been this close to the opposite sex, this physically intimate.
He could even clearly feel Jingliu's warm breath.
A careless move and he might touch her. Given how it would look like taking advantage of someone drunk, plus their vast difference in strength…
Zero couldn't think of a suitable way to escape her hold.
When the boat reaches the bridge, it'll naturally sink.
He chose to lie flat.
Jingliu's outer robe had already fallen to the floor.
A flash of spring scenery was so dazzling he didn't know where to look. In the end, he gave up and just met Jingliu's gaze.
The position of her knee was impossible to ignore. Forced to lie on his back, he slowly shifted his legs to widen the distance.
Jingliu suddenly straightened, looking down at him from above. After a long moment, she finally spoke.
Her voice was cold, "How long has it been since you last practiced martial arts?"
Zero, "...Ah?"
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