Chapter 51

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Protagonist:

Xuan Ge

Ling Sha sat sideways on the horse's back, her entire body's weight seeming to relax completely, leaning softly against the chest behind her.

Her shoulders, the back of her head, were pressed tightly against Xuan Ge.

Through a layer of fabric, Ling Sha could clearly feel the firmness of that body.

And then, thump after thump, a steady and powerful heartbeat struck her perception, gradually merging with her own heartbeat into one.

Almost unconsciously, the arm wrapped around Xuan Ge's waist tightened slightly, completing the posture of this embrace.

The evening wind passed through the vast grassland, bringing the scent of green grass and damp earth, yet it could not disperse the reassuring warmth and scent enveloping her at this moment.

Xuan Ge lowered his head slightly, the faint fragrance from between Ling Sha's hair strands lingering at the tip of his nose.

The soft touch belonging to a woman transmitted from his embrace, so clear through the thin qipao fabric.

Moonlight outlined the graceful curves of her sideways posture, her waist slender, her legs overlapping, faintly visible in the dim light.

A wave of heat, belonging to a man, most instinctive, rose without warning from his lower abdomen.

Xuan Ge's body stiffened imperceptibly for half an instant.

Immediately, the powerful willpower belonging to the Vidyadhara Preceptor flowed down like ice water, mobilized by him with ruthless determination, fiercely suppressing that eager "Little Xuan Ge" and pressing it back into place.

His face showed nothing, only the arm embracing Ling Sha, its muscle lines tightening imperceptibly for a split second.

Ling Sha keenly perceived that subtle change.

She lowered her eyelids, concealing a fleeting gloom in her eyes, her heart quietly shifting strategy.

A direct probe might alert the General.

Then~ let's take a roundabout approach.

She raised her head, her voice made soft and glutinous, carrying a trace of just-right, seemingly uneasy probing, drifting lightly into Xuan Ge's ears:

"General~ do you... not like Ling Sha?"

This is a lie!

Ling Sha was incomparably clear-headed in her heart.

How could she not know the General's feelings for her?

Those had long surpassed simple superior-subordinate relations, fused with trust, reliance, and even deeper attachment.

If not for Xing Xiao, this "accident" that fell from the sky, brutally crashing into their lives and breaking the original rhythm.

She originally had enough patience and wisdom, bit by bit, water dripping through stone, to firmly lock Xuan Ge's body and mind, gaze, and even future entirely into her own territory, letting his eyes reflect only her own shadow.

Thinking of this, a strand of cold resentment gnawed at her heart like a poisonous snake.

But her face showed not a fraction of it, still that gentle, moving, slightly bashful appearance, tilting her face up, moonlight plating a layer of soft silver edge on her exquisite features.

She could clearly perceive that, at the moment she spoke these words, the heart pressed against her back, its steady rhythm obviously, abruptly skipped a beat.

Xuan Ge's thoughts spun wildly within that one second.

The meaning of these words?

Is it because of what Xing Xiao said:

"You've worked with Xuan Ge for so many years, surely... you haven't let Xuan Ge tease you like this, have you?"

These words stimulated her?

Made her uneasy? Doubt her position?

He has never been good at, nor does he deign to, beat around the bush in emotional matters.

Rather than waste effort guessing, better to respond directly.

He released the right hand originally loosely resting at Ling Sha's waist, fingertips carrying the slight chill of the night wind, lightly lifting her delicate chin, forcing her gaze to fully meet his own.

Under the moonlight, his golden eyes had shed their usual scattered casualness when joking, appearing exceptionally focused, even somewhat compelling.

"Like....."

The low voice had just uttered these two words when Ling Sha's cool index finger had already lightly pressed against his lips, stopping all his possible subsequent words.

She did not need to hear the rest.

For the current her, these two words were already a definitive answer, the cornerstone for building high walls and clearing obstacles.

A layer of shimmering moisture rippled in Ling Sha's eyes, as if spring ice just melting, gazing at him with brimming tenderness, the corner of her lips hooking a smile so soft honey could drip from it, her voice sweet to the point of cloying:

"Ling Sha likes the General too~"

However, in the darkest corner of her heart, a cold monologue quietly surfaced:

'But General ah~~ your "like" seems not stingy at all.

It is like sunlight, warm yet also universal, not a light that only Concubine can exclusively possess, collected in a dark room.'

She somewhat complains, complaining why the General is so dazzling and outstanding, attracting bees and butterflies in droves.

She resents even more, resents that so-called Xing Xiao, by what right does she barge in with that unworthy way, diverting the General's attention, creating a nauseating deadlock.

But only regarding the matter of the General "provoking" her, she cannot give rise to half a shred of complaint or resentment.

She has only endless gratitude, and the even more fierce, surging possessiveness that follows.

(Yandere Value Progress Bar: 80%)

Xuan Ge looked at the charming smiling face, close enough to touch, seemingly capable of sucking away a person's soul, his Adam's apple moving involuntarily, secretly swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

He felt his "Peach Blossom Luck" must have been contaminated by something strange!

There's definitely a problem!

Shouldn't the harem be harmonious and close, sisters deeply bonded, jointly assisting him, understanding his thoughts, sharing his wishes, and fully supporting his grand ideals?

That's how it should be, right!

How come when it gets to him, each one is more off than the last?

Xing Xiao's side looks like it's about to slide into an uncontrollable "yandere" abyss, and now even the most steady and reliable Ling Sha is starting to emit this kind of dangerous aura that makes his spine chill?

However..... he quickly examined Ling Sha's eyes.

Good, good, still clear brown, no flashing of that fatal pink peach blossom light symbolizing Xing Xiao's "Evil Fall" tendency.

The stone hanging in Xuan Ge's heart dropped slightly downward.

It seems Ling Sha has just been under too much pressure lately, plus stimulated by Xing Xiao, her emotions fluctuated a bit, wanting to find him for a heart-to-heart, seeking some comfort.

Ling Sha's brows and eyes curved, smile flawless, as if that moment's subtle atmosphere just now was merely an illusion.

She lightly shook the hand held by Xuan Ge at the wrist, tone returning to its usual gentle curiosity: "General~ I want to hear your story~"

*Huu——As expected. *

The last trace of doubt in Xuan Ge's heart also dissipated, he completely set his mind at ease.

Just a heart-to-heart, that's right.

The strength in his hand loosened slightly, the other hand lightly shook the reins, signaling Chi Dian to maintain this leisurely strolling pace, then opened his mouth, voice returning to its usual easygoing manner:

"What do you want to hear?"

Ling Sha pressed her index finger against her full lower lip, tilted her head slightly, making a cute appearance of serious thought.

Moonlight fell on her pointed earlobes, glowing with a white jade-like luster. A moment later, she raised her eyes, pure curiosity flashing in them:

"The era of the Cloud Upper Five Braves, General your matters~ can you tell Ling Sha?"

Xuan Ge didn't suspect anything, nodded.

There's nothing that can't be said about this, during the Cloud Upper Five Braves period, his experience was actually quite monotonous, the vast majority of time spent campaigning north and south, cleansing abundant monstrosities in the star sea.

The story contains more of warfire, blood, comrade bonds, and those legendary figures that have become past clouds and smoke.

Moonlight cold and clear as water, quietly flowing across the boundless grassland.

A divine steed black horse carried two people, advancing at a relaxed pace.

On the horseback, the man's black high ponytail swayed gently with the rhythm of the hooves, hair tips brushing past his splendid robes;

The woman sitting before him, crossed legs swaying slightly with the horse's movement, both hands properly stacked on her thighs, posture graceful and composed.

The man narrated the past in a calm tone, those years of golden spears and iron horses, high spirits and vigor;

The woman listened quietly, occasionally emitting light sighs of surprise or understanding, timely raising a question or two, guiding the story's direction.

The evening wind still blew gently, yet seemed unable to disperse that era's unique aura carried in the man's words, mixed with hot blood and vicissitudes.

Ling Sha acted like the most qualified listener, face always wearing a just-right, interested expression.

Finally, under her seemingly casual questioning, the topic smoothly turned toward the General and that "Jing Liu"'s past.

Hearing the General admit he refused the proposal to become Jing Liu's disciple, she sneered slightly in her heart.

But she noticed more keenly that when narrating, the General cleverly concealed the most crucial point:

Back then he had bluntly told Jing Liu that her "white hair red eyes" cold appearance was precisely the look he liked.

The gentle smile on Ling Sha's face didn't change in the slightest, even became softer.

However, her hands stacked on her thighs, slender fingers slightly curled inward, nails nearly digging into the soft flesh of her palms.

Xuan Ge seemed completely immersed in memories, tone carrying a rare trace of youthful high spirits and teasing:

"Hehe~ When Jing Liu saw me abandon sword for spear back then, that expression, tsk, from stunned to icy, finally scolded me 'Reverse Disciple'.

Back then I couldn't beat her, but a manly man, how could he let a woman...

Uh, how could he let her gain the upper hand in words?

So I retorted with a 'Female Demon Head'....."

Just as he was narrating somewhat self-forgetfully, Ling Sha's gentle voice brushed past like a feather, interrupting his rhythm that was getting into full swing:

"General~"

"Hm?" Xuan Ge lowered his head to look at her.

Ling Sha slightly lifted her face, moonlight illuminating her flawlessly docile features, voice steady, carrying pure curiosity:

"You and Jing Liu, what relationship counts as now?"

Xuan Ge didn't suspect anything, seriously pondered a moment, answered:

"Relationship... I indeed didn't want to learn sword at first, but Jing Liu had the actual merit of teaching and resolving doubts for me. So, if forced to say, she counts as my teacher, half a master."

He paused, looked somewhat strangely at Ling Sha whose sitting posture seemed even more upright and straight than just now:

"What's wrong Ling Sha? Suddenly asking this?"

Ling Sha raised her head, looked at him seriously and squarely, eyes clear to the bottom, as if merely conducting a routine Strategist Corps intelligence analysis:

"General~ Concubine is just hypothesizing. If... if one day, Jing Liu returns to the Xian Zhou, even... comes to find you, how would you treat her?"

Xuan Ge didn't detect in the slightest the carefully laid trap hidden beneath these gentle words.

He almost blurted out, with a matter-of-course puzzlement:

"She comes to find me for what? Could it be she wants to come to Shen Wu Xian Zhou to be Sword Chief?"

He stroked his chin, actually followed this line of thought and thought a bit, then nodded to himself, feeling this idea wasn't bad either:

"Hmm... if that's the case, seems it could work too? Anyway Shen Wu Xian Zhou currently doesn't have a proper Sword Chief position, if she's willing to come, strength and qualifications are both enough.

As long as she doesn't shout 'Reverse Disciple' at me in front of Shen Wu Corps soldiers like before, damaging my General's dignity....."

"Can."

All of Ling Sha's hearing, as if the moment it captured these two words, was isolated by an invisible barrier.

What Xuan Ge said after, "Sword Chief", "dignity" and such vocabulary, like muffled static transmitted through a thick glass, could no longer enter her thoughts.

The core of her question was "Jing Liu returns to find you, how will you treat her".

The core of his answer was "can".

Simple, direct, fatal.

Ling Sha lowered her head slightly, the waterfall of black hair at her brow falling down, just right to cover most of her face, and also cover those eyes that had suddenly lost all temperature, all soft light.

The gentle smile was still frozen at the corner of her mouth.

But in the depths of her pupils, something that had been suppressed for too long, brewed for too long, like a flood bursting a dam, like a fierce beast breaking free from its cage, surged out uncontrollably!

That was not the pink peach blossoms flashing in Xing Xiao's eyes, obsessive and blazing.

But a kind of even more gloomy, even more cold, even more viscous pink color.....

Like rotten blood mixed with the poisonous juice of desire, condensing, rolling in the deepest part of her eyes, almost about to overflow!

That was adoration, and also the madness of marking all things as one's own.

That was the absolute desire for control to lock the target firmly in a domain known only to oneself!

(Yandere Value Progress Bar: 1000%)

'General.....'

The voice in her heart, cold and smooth like the sharpest blade scraping across the ice surface.

'You really aren't obedient at all~'

'It seems, this Strategist Chang of yours has been too indulgent with you normally.'