The World of Bengtieli: They All Have designs on me

Luo Ning was completely bewildered by this scene.

He was like a small boat in the eye of a storm, surrounded by three older sisters. One of them was touching him all over with great enthusiasm, while the other two were desperately trying to pull the sister who was touching him away.

He felt his back getting hotter and hotter, and the older sister named Su Chang was breathing almost into his ear. "Sister...no. Stop touching me," Luo Ning protested weakly, "It's so itchy, it's going to break."

Just as this farce reached its climax, with March 7th already rubbing ice arrows and White Dew opening her mouth to bite someone...

A calm, slightly lazy male voice came from the doorway without warning, clearly drowning out all the noise inside. "Have you had enough?"

The voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable majesty.

Everyone, including Su Chang who was in a state of excitement, suddenly froze. They all turned to look at the door.

Two people were standing in the shattered door frame.

The leader was tall with long, flowing white hair and a dark robe. He had a faint smile on his face. He was none other than Jing Yuan, the Cloud Cavalry General of the Luofu Immortal Ship.

Beside her stood a cold-faced young woman, her hand on the hilt of her sword, its blade gleaming sharply. This was Yan Qing, Jing Yuan's personally trained disciple. Jing Yuan's gaze slowly swept across the chaotic room.

She saw the sullen March 7th, the white dew hanging on someone's arm like a pendant, the blushing and strange-looking Su Chang, and the wary Dan Ji standing with a gun in hand, and the helpless Himeko beside her.

Finally, her gaze passed through everyone and settled on the boy in the bathtub, who was being half-held by Su Chang, with only his small head showing and a look of utter nonchalance on his face.

The lazy smile on Jing Yuan's face faded slightly the moment she looked at Luo Ning.

Her gaze deepened, as if piercing through the mist, through that small body, to see something more essential. She ignored the simple attire and the astonishment of the others, and instead began to walk slowly, step by step, towards the bath.

The bucket came over.

Chapter 215 The General Also Wants to Touch It

The appearance of General Jing Yuan was like a bucket of ice water poured over her head, instantly extinguishing all the noise and heat in the bathroom and freezing Su Chang's body.

Her hand, which was still wandering around Luo Ning's back, seemed to be frozen in place, stopping at an extremely subtle position.

The blush on her face quickly faded, replaced by a deathly paleness. "General..."

Su Chang stammered, trying to pull her hand back, but because she was too nervous, it seemed as if she had touched Luo Ning's back again.

March 7th and Bailu, like two frightened cats, instantly released Su Chang and obediently stood aside, not daring to breathe. Jing Yuan ignored Su Chang, who was almost petrified on the spot. Her steps were slow, each one seemingly treading on everyone's heartbeats.

She finally stopped at the edge of the bathtub, lowered her eyes, and saw that the little boy Luo Ning in the water was also looking up at her with his little face.

This tall, white-haired man, with a smile on his face, exudes even more pressure than the cold-faced, black-haired man from before.

你 叫 什么 名字？

Jingyuan's voice was gentle, revealing no emotion.

"My...my name is Luo Ning," Luo Ning answered softly.

“Luoning.” Jing Yuan repeated the name, her smile seeming to deepen slightly. “A nice name.” She extended a finger and gently tapped Luo Ning’s forehead.

In that instant, Luo Ning felt a cool and gentle aura coming from the other person's fingertips, instantly soothing the chaotic energy within his body caused by Su Chang's haphazard guidance.

Su Chang felt that the mysterious energy connection between herself and Luo Ning had been effortlessly severed by this finger.

The warm current that had made her feel like she was floating on air suddenly stopped, and a huge sense of loss made her almost lose her balance. "Xiao Wei Su Chang."

Jing Yuan finally turned her gaze to her. "Yes!"

Su Chang jolted awake, straightened up abruptly, and gave a standard military salute.

“Yu Qing, the disciple of the Medicine King, whom you were hunting, is already unconscious here.” Jing Yuan pointed to the unconscious figure in the corner. “Leave the rest to the Earth Balance Division. You must return to the Divine Strategy Mansion immediately and write a detailed report on the course of this mission for me.”

"Yes! General!"

Su Chang was terrified, not daring to linger for even a moment, let alone glance at Luo Ning. She practically fled in panic. Yan Qing, who had been standing at the door, merely gave Su Chang a cold look when she came out before stepping aside to let her pass.

"As for Lady Dragon Girl..." Jing Yuan's gaze fell on Bai Lu again, her tone tinged with helplessness, "This place has been made a mess by your patient. Let the people from the Earth Balance Division clean it up first."

"Hmph!" Although Bai Lu was still somewhat unconvinced, she could only puff out her cheeks and reluctantly reply, "I know," in front of Jing Yuan.

She kept turning back to look at Luo Ning in the bathtub, her eyes filled with the urge that her most treasured possession was about to be snatched away. The crowd of bystanders was finally cleared out.

Jingyuan then turned to Jizi and Danji and made a "please" gesture.

"This is not the place to talk. You two, and this young friend Luo Ning, if you don't mind, would you be willing to come with me to the Shence Mansion for a chat?" Her invitation sounded polite, but it carried an implication that left no room for refusal.

Himeko and Dan exchanged a glance and nodded. "Thank you for leading the way, General."

The quiet chambers of the Shence Mansion were a stark contrast to the chaos of the Dan Ding Division. The air was thick with the scent of sandalwood, and the light and shadows were deep and mysterious.

A chessboard made of starwood sits in the center, its black and white jade pieces shimmering warmly under the lamplight. Jing Yuan and Ji Zi sit facing each other, engaged in a game of chess.

March 7th was a little restless. She looked at this person and then at that person, and finally moved closer to Luo Ning.

Luo Ning had been changed into clean clothes, a small-sized Cloud Cavalry uniform that Yan Qing had found somewhere, which was a bit too big on her.

Her large breasts only accentuated her slender figure, making her even more endearing.

She was kneeling curiously beside the chessboard, gazing at the world of black and white. "Snap."

Jingyuan placed a piece seemingly casually, but instantly cut off one of Jizi's large groups of stones.

"Ms. Himeko's playing style is like a raging fire, fierce in its attacks, but also prone to leaving weaknesses." Jing Yuan picked up her teacup and spoke leisurely.

"General's strategy is unfathomable, every move calculated, leaving no opening for counterattack." Himeko replied with a smile, calmly removing several dead pieces, but the situation on the board did not improve. Their conversation was like an annotation of the game, or perhaps another silent struggle.

Danfu, holding the Cloud-Striking Spear, stood quietly behind Ji Zi, half of her attention on the chessboard and the other half fixed on Jing Yuan.

Jing Yuan seemed oblivious to her wariness, and suddenly turned to Luo Ning, who was watching the game. "Young friend Luo Ning, what does this chessboard look like?"

Luo Ning glanced at him, thought seriously for a moment, and then answered in her childish voice, "Like... lots and lots of people, fighting." "Oh?" Jing Yuan became interested, "Then tell me, why are they fighting?"

“Because… the black ones want to eat all the white ones, and the white ones want to eat all the black ones.” Luo Ning pointed to the chessboard, “They both want to leave only themselves on the board.”

Children speak without thinking, yet their words revealed the true nature of Bo Ben. Ji Zi's hand paused slightly.

Jing Yuan's smile deepened as she continued, "This power is like a seed that keeps sprouting in spring. If it were planted all over Luofu, what kind of flowers would bloom? Or, if everyone could have your kind of vitality, do you think it would be a good thing or a bad thing?"

This issue is no longer just casual conversation among children.

Himeko and Dan's expressions both turned serious. This was a test.

This is the most direct inquiry into the nature of Luo Ning's strange power. "I don't know."

Luo Ning shook his head honestly.

"But I think... if everyone could be like me, full of energy every day, never getting sick, never being unhappy, that would be a good thing, right?"

His answer was pure and without a trace of impurity.

Jing Yuan gazed into Luo Ning's clear eyes, remaining silent for a long time.

The room fell silent for a moment, with only the crisp sound of chess pieces hitting the board.

On the rooftop, unseen by the crowd, in the shadow of the highest eaves of the Shence Mansion, stood a figure in icy blue.

She seemed to blend into the night; if it weren't for her white hair reflecting the moonlight, no one would have noticed her presence.

The previous sword pommel of Luofu.

She was drawn here by the immense life force that suddenly erupted in the Pill Refining Division and then quickly moved to the Divine Strategy Palace. That aura was pure, vast, and full of primal life pulse.

For someone like her, who had been tormented by the chilling and madness of the "Demon Body" for years, this aura was like the sweetest poison in the world, a mirage appearing before the eyes of a desert traveler.

It's a fatal temptation.

She could feel the simmering fire within her body becoming more restless and eager than ever before, stirred by this aura.

Her gaze pierced through the layers of glazed tiles and the heavy beams, precisely locking onto the small figure kneeling beside the chessboard in the quiet room.

The source. It's him.

Within that small body lay a colossal power capable of overturning life and death. Jingliu's hand unconsciously tightened around the hilt of the sword at his waist.

A chilling sword intent emanated from her, instantly causing a fine layer of white frost to condense on the roof tiles.

It's poison, and it's medicine.

It can cure her madness, or it can condemn her to eternal damnation.

She closed her eyes, suppressing the desire that was almost overwhelming her reason, but the sweet scent seeped into her senses. Suddenly, she opened her eyes, and a flash of red appeared deep within them.

She saw Jing Yuan in the quiet room and suddenly reached out her hand, as if she wanted to imitate Su Chang's actions and touch the boy.

Chapter 216 Sister, your hands are so cold

Jingyuan's hand finally reached out.

The long, strong hand, clad in a black glove, slowly approached Luo Ning in the bathtub under the flickering lamplight. Himeko's fingers stopped above the chessboard, not taking any more pieces.

Danji's knuckles, gripping the Cloud-Striking Spear, turned slightly white. She leaned forward slightly, her muscles tense, ready to strike at any moment.

March 7th held her breath nervously, her large eyes darting back and forth between Jing Yuan and Luo Ning, fearing that the general might do something strange to Luo Ning, just like Su Chang had done.

However, Jing Yuan's hands were not as eager and greedy as Su Chang's. His movements were calm and unhurried, carrying a sense of composure as if he were in control of the situation.

The hand didn't land on Luo Ning's chest or back, but gently covered the top of Luo Ning's head. It wasn't hot, nor was it cold.

An indescribable, grand, and peaceful aura slowly and gently seeped into Luo Ning's body through Jing Yuan's palm. This feeling was completely different from Su Chang's guidance.

If Su Chang forcibly opened the sluice gates, letting the flood rage, then Jing Yuan was carving out the widest and smoothest channel for the rushing river.

The life energy within Luo Ning's body, which had been somewhat agitated due to being haphazardly drawn in, instantly became docile under the soothing influence of this aura, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, slowly settling and returning to the Dan You Qi Sea.

Luo Ning comfortably closed her eyes, her little head unconsciously rubbing against Jing Yuan's large palm, like a cat being stroked. Jing Yuan's hand remained on Luo Ning's head, and she closed her eyes.

His expression was no longer the usual laziness, but an unprecedented focus.

In his perception, the boy's body was not a river, but a boundless ocean filled with the primordial essence of life. Pure, vast, and brimming with infinite possibilities.

This force can nourish all things, bringing withered trees back to life; it can also unleash towering waves, overturning everything.

It is not internal energy, nor is it immortal magic, but something more primordial, something more ancient. A power that is almost equivalent to "creation."

After a long while, Jing Yuan slowly opened her eyes and withdrew her hand.

His gaze subtly rose upwards, as if piercing through the heavy roof of the Shence Mansion and seeing the deep night sky, or rather, seeing a figure under the night sky.

He turned his gaze back to Luo Ning, and the faint smile on his face returned, but now it held something more complex and difficult to decipher.

"kid."

Jingyuan's voice broke the silence in the quiet room.

"It seems that we're not the only ones who like you. Some old friends need your warmth even more than we do."

These words were spoken casually, yet they instantly made Himeko's expression turn serious. "An old friend?"

She keenly grasped the meaning of that word. Someone whom General Luo Fu called an "old friend" and who needed this kind of "warmth" was certainly no good person.

Dan's brows furrowed even deeper. He followed Jing Yuan's gaze to the rooftop, but although he couldn't see anything, the faint yet sharp feeling that almost froze his soul sent alarm bells through every cell in his body.

"What old friend?" March 7th didn't think much of it. She leaned closer to Luo Ning and whispered, "Is she another strange person like that woman in plain clothes from earlier?"

Luo Ning tilted her little face up, looking at Jing Yuan with her clear, big eyes full of innocence and curiosity. "Do...they want to play with me too?"

Looking at his pure appearance, Jing Yuan smiled but did not answer directly. Instead, she changed the subject back to the chessboard.

"Ms. Himeko, it's your turn to make a move. If you don't find a way to finish off this huge dragon, I'll completely destroy it."

Himeko gave him a deep look, but ultimately returned her attention to the chessboard. She knew that Jingyuan was reminding her that some things were not suitable for the children to know.

But she also understood that from the moment they set foot on Luofu, and from the moment Luo Ning's strange power was exposed to everyone, they had been drawn into a vortex far larger than they had imagined.

At the end of the game, Ji Zi lost by a mere half a point.

Jingyuan showed no smugness, but simply waved for Yanqing to remove the chessboard and replace it with tea and snacks.

It's getting late, and the port is closed. Why don't you all stay at the Shence Mansion tonight? Jingyuan extended an invitation. "I've already ordered guest rooms to be prepared."

Himeko did not refuse.

She knew this was both a form of hospitality and a veiled surveillance. The Shence General probably wouldn't let them leave easily until he uncovered the secrets surrounding Luo Ning.

"Then I'll trouble you, General."

Yanqing led everyone through the corridor to the guest rooms.