Ningguang had indeed been slightly immersed in the kiss. Her breathing grew heavier, her gaze unfocused, so she didn't immediately notice Lu Lin's wandering hand.
Until he grabbed her.
"Grab" wasn't quite accurate—one hand simply wasn't enough to fully hold it.
Even through layers of clothing, the soft yet elastic sensation sent a surge of satisfaction through him. He had already seen and even admired the "snowy peaks" earlier that day, but once was hardly enough. Naturally, he intended to seize every opportunity.
However, the sudden move snapped Ningguang back to clarity.
She seized the moment and bit down hard on his invading tongue.
"Hiss!" Lu Lin pulled back in pain, speech slightly slurred.
"Shameless rogue. Serves you right!" Ningguang retorted, embarrassed and furious. The thought that she had nearly lost herself in his kiss made her want to slap him again.
She quickly distanced herself and opened the envelope.
"Relax. I keep my word. All photos and negatives are inside."
They were indeed all there.
The photos captured her stunning beauty perfectly—her cool, faintly disdainful gaze contrasted sharply with the snow-capped peaks and plum blossoms, the "strawberries" placed symmetrically.
The composition was flawless.
Even Ningguang, with her refined taste, could not fault the technique.
That only made it more infuriating.
After confirming everything was intact, she glared at him, activated the mark he'd shown her, and left the Serenitea Pot.
She vowed never to return.
Lu Lin watched her leave, smiling.
"Lady Ningguang, this story is far from over. We have plenty of time."
System Panel Updated
Resident Member: Ningguang
Age: 28
Greatness Rank: E
Element: Geo
Exclusive Weapon: Jade Chamber
Traits: Empathic Link
Conquest Progress: 20%
As expected, her "Greatness Rank" exceeded Ganyu's. His earlier estimate had been accurate.
Her exclusive weapon being the Jade Chamber also made sense.
Only 20% progress. A long road ahead.
The Exchange Shop
He then checked the system shop.
He wasn't joking about building another Jade Chamber in the sky.
And there it was.
A ready-made Jade Chamber replica—priced at 3000 points.
Expensive, but acceptable.
He currently had 2550 points. Not far off.
The Green Orb
It was still early, so he retrieved the jade box Zhongli had given him—the green orb from Guizhong's palace.
It contained the lifetime knowledge of Guizhong's mechanical arts.
With his [Spiritual Insight] trait enhancing comprehension, learning wouldn't be difficult.
He activated the orb with the incantation Zhongli taught him.
A flood of information poured into his mind, leaving him dizzy for nearly five minutes.
When it subsided, he found vast knowledge of mechanics within his thoughts—though full mastery would require time.
Then—
A sudden change.
The Serenitea Pot flashed with brilliant light, like lightning illuminating the night sky for a split second.
The light condensed into the orb, which glowed bright green and shot straight into his forehead.
He had no time to react.
Inside his mind now floated a small green light.
A system notification followed.
New Random Mission Triggered
Mission: Revive Guizhong
Description: Host has accidentally obtained a fragment of Guizhong's remnant soul. Repair the remnant soul and restore her.
Rewards:
1,000,000 Mora
10,000 points
5,000 EXP
1 random residency trait
A new special panel appeared:
Pending Resident: Guizhong
Remnant Soul Integrity: 0.01%
Status: Remnant state. Not yet registered. No further data available.
So the green orb contained a sliver of Guizhong's soul?
Only 0.01% remained.
Reviving her would clearly be difficult.
The rewards alone proved that.
But how was he supposed to repair a shattered divine soul?
No instructions given.
He sighed.
"No point guessing. I'll figure it out later."
Time to sleep.
Meanwhile — Ningguang
After leaving the Serenitea Pot, Ningguang returned immediately to the Jade Chamber.
"Shall I prepare your bath?" Baishi asked.
"No. Bring the brazier I use for burning confidential documents to my bedroom. Then leave. No one is to enter."
Inside her room, Ningguang sat before the brazier and burned the negatives without hesitation.
When she picked up one of the printed photos, however, she paused.
Objectively speaking—
They were works of art.
The lighting, the composition, her elegance perfectly captured.
Was it a waste to burn them?
She shook her head.
"What am I thinking? Keeping something that scoundrel took?"
She lifted it toward the flame—
Then stopped again.
If the photos were only in her possession, what harm was there in keeping them?
When had she become this self-admiring?
As she hesitated, her peripheral vision caught another photo.
Her pupils tightened.
There was something wrong with it.
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