Chapter 298: A Steamy Bath Amidst Snowy Scenery

Chapter 298: A Steamy Bath Amidst Snowy Scenery

As the sun rose and set, the door on the second floor of the wooden house opened, and Ji Xinghuo stepped out onto the balcony, clad only in a silk cloth wrapped around his waist. The cold wind sent shivers down his spine.

He took a deep breath of the fresh air, feeling refreshed.

It had been three whole days in the Star Realm.

From Ren Mian's birthday until now, this was the first time he had stepped out of his room. For over 160 hours, he had barely rested or eaten, working tirelessly day and night in a frenzy of absurd yet exhilarating activity!

"Hehe..."

A smug look appeared on Ji Xinghuo's face.

With the addition of titanium-cobalt dragon blood and a rotating magnetic field, his body knew no fatigue, especially with the assistance of his sixth-grade spirit limb. In the end, even Ren Jie had softened.

"No wonder Xia Qingyu never gets tired of it and doesn't cultivate all day." Ji Xinghuo finally understood a little, "It does feel great..."

He stretched his limbs, feeling a sticky sensation on his body.

It was midday, and the sun was shining brightly.

"I'll take a bath." Ji Xinghuo gazed at the snowy landscape of the Peach Blossom Valley and suddenly had an idea. He flew from the balcony, cutting through the secret realm and landing on the surface of the lake in the canyon. The ice was still two to three meters thick, hard and cold.

A segment of the Spirit Sword ring on his hand detached and transformed into a "fire sword." The high-temperature blade cut into the ice, carving out a circle with a diameter of about three meters without penetrating the ice. The sword light plunged into the center of the circle, and a crimson glow blossomed, releasing a large amount of heat.

In just over ten seconds, the ice melted away.

Then, the icy water was quickly heated, and white mist rose, transforming the area into an outdoor hot spring pool in the blink of an eye.

Ji Xinghuo retracted the sword light, tossed aside the silk cloth around his waist, and jumped into the pool, naked. He immersed himself in the scorching hot water, his pores expanding, and felt refreshed all over.

"Comfortable."

He leaned against the edge of the pool for a few minutes, reheating the water when it cooled down. "Ren Jie, come and join me in the hot spring."

After calling out several times, Ren Mian finally emerged, wrapped in a blanket.

Compared to three days ago, her expression held a hint of languor, and her bare shoulders exuded an astonishing charm with every move. Her skin was smooth and soft, as if thoroughly moisturized, white as congealed fat, setting off the peach blossom mark between her eyebrows, making her look even more alluring and delicate, full of allure.

Even though Ji Xinghuo had already feasted his eyes and indulged to his heart's content, he still found himself unable to tear his gaze away as she walked towards him slowly.

"There's no one else here, yet you're still so wrapped up." Ji Xinghuo teased.

His electromagnetic induction scan had a radius of five kilometers, and within the Peach Blossom Valley, there were only wild beasts and monsters besides himself and Ren Jie.

"I don't want to go streaking."

Ren Mian shot him a sideways glance and only untied her blanket when she reached the edge of the ice-covered hot spring pool, slowly sinking into the hot water and leaving only her head above the surface.

Satisfaction also spread across her face, and she gently exhaled.

Splish!

Ji Xinghuo moved closer, noticing that Ren Mian subconsciously placed her hand across her chest. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "I've savored every inch of your body from head to toe, and you're still guarding against me?"

"I know your nature too well. You're like a hungry ghost when it comes to desires. Once you start, you never stop, exhausting me for hours," Ren Mian retorted with a hint of annoyance. "At least let me rest for half a day, and we can continue tonight."

Ji Xinghuo's face reddened, and he said, "I just wanted to give you a massage, to help you relax."

"Then go ahead and massage."

Ren Mian turned away from him, leaning against the edge of the pool and presenting her smooth back.

Ji Xinghuo obediently began to massage her.

Although he was not a professional masseur, he understood the principles and had the assistance of his spirit limb. It didn't take long for him to grasp the technique.

Pat, pat, pat, pat...

Rhythmic sounds of impact echoed in the hot spring pool as Ji Xinghuo's hands moved with agility and speed, resembling a pair of intricate mechanical arms. He pushed, pressed, kneaded, and pinched, moving up and down, with each motion perfectly gauged in force, fully exercising her limbs and promoting blood circulation.

Ren Mian narrowed her eyes, her face reflecting sheer enjoyment. "Your technique is quite good. If you were a masseur, you'd be a top-notch therapist."

"Of course."

Ji Xinghuo laughed, "There's a lot more my hands can do, as I'm sure you're well aware, Ren Jie."

"Peh!" Ren Mian's ears turned pink, as if recalling something.

"Hahaha..." Ji Xinghuo felt the water cooling down again, so he heated it up for a few more seconds with his fire sword.

Ren Mian turned back and asked him to stop, "That's enough. You should rest too. You've been working hard these past few days. Don't overwork yourself."

"You're the only one who cares about me." Ji Xinghuo stopped massaging and sat in the hot water beside her to relax his body. Although there's a saying that only oxen die from overwork, fields never suffer from over-plowing, he wasn't tired at all.

He gazed at the woman before him, admiring her peerless beauty, and sighed, "It feels like a dream, so unreal."

"Me too..."

Ren Mian leaned against his chest, her eyes closed as she murmured.

"I've held back my cultivation for twenty-five years, and now I've finally released it all. I never knew the pleasures of intimacy could be so wonderful!" Ji Xinghuo joked.

Ren Mian's expression softened, "You've only held back for twenty-five years. I've held back for six..."

"Hmm?

"So it starts with a six, and you're only a little older?" Ji Xinghuo asked, feeling perplexed.

If she were in her sixties, that would be acceptable, but surely she couldn't be in her six hundreds? That would mean she was born during the Ming Dynasty, before the Star Gate even opened.

Holy crap!

"Don't jump to conclusions!" Ren Mian could tell what Ji Xinghuo was thinking just by looking at his expression, and she couldn't help but feel helpless. "Okay, fine. I'm sixty-five this year."

"Phew, that's a relief." Ji Xinghuo breathed a sigh of relief. It was only a forty-year age gap; she was just forty years older than him. But then he thought again, she and Xia Qingyu were the same age, from an older generation. If they had married and had children earlier, they could have been grandparents by now.

Although it was the 23rd century, and due to the increase in average life expectancy, aliens could live longer, May-December romances were common, and people could accept them.

However, a forty-year age gap between lovers was still a bit outrageous.

Ji Xinghuo couldn't help but quip, "When I first met you, you said you were 26, four years older than me. So, you were actually 62, forty years older than me..."

"What? Are you disgusted by my age?" Ren Mian's eyes turned dangerous.

"Absolutely not!" Ji Xinghuo quickly denied, "No matter how old Ren Jie is, you will always be the most beautiful. You're more youthful than an eighteen-year-old girl, and even more beautiful."

He was telling the truth. If Ren Mian hadn't mentioned it, no one would have guessed that she was already sixty-five.

They had known each other for three years, and she hadn't changed at all.

She still looked to be in her early twenties, and even up close, there was no sign of her age. Her youthful vitality and firm allure were soul-stirring and enchanting, literally breathtaking.

However, a sixty-five-year-old virgin was indeed a rare find.

Ji Xinghuo suddenly remembered that he had called her an old cow eating young grass a few times, and it turned out to be true, but he dared not show it.

"That's more like it."

Ren Mian was pleased with Ji Xinghuo's response. She gently stroked her delicate skin and said softly, "I fused with an extremely powerful plant-based alien species, which allows me to stay forever young, and my body will never age. It's all for your benefit."

"What kind of alien species is that powerful?" Ji Xinghuo was a little curious.

In fact, he had already made some guesses.

With Ren Jie's talented strength, her rapid evolution speed, and the fact that she was only a super alien at sixty-five, it must have something to do with this alien species.

It had to be a Starfall species, or even an Eclipse!

"I'll tell you later." Ren Mian shook her head, refusing to elaborate further.

Ji Xinghuo didn't ask any more questions.

Although their relationship had become very intimate, it was important to maintain some personal privacy. A secret as important as an alien species was not something he could casually inquire about.

Despite his curiosity, he felt a little unhappy. She had too many secrets.

She wouldn't tell him about this, and she wouldn't tell him about that.

"It's not the right time yet, don't be angry. One day, you will know everything about me." Ren Mian smiled gently and hugged Ji Xinghuo's neck apologetically. She bit her lip and suddenly dunked her head into the water.

"Ah..."

Ji Xinghuo inhaled sharply, his toes curling.

Soon, ripples formed on the water's surface, cooling and then heating up, creating a soothing massage effect.

That night, the two of them returned to the wooden house, dressed, and cooked their first meal in three days.

For the next dozen or so days, Ji Xinghuo was immersed in the happiest days of his life. He indulged himself, let go of all inhibitions, and barely cultivated. Most of the time, he went without clothes, sticking by Ren Mian's side like a Siamese twin.

Ren Mian also enjoyed herself immensely, as if making up for the decades of lost time. She accommodated Ji Xinghuo's sexual interests and preferences, obediently experiencing a myriad of pleasures.

As spring arrived, the world came back to life.

After the "Star Moon" phase, the second month of the warm season, "Dew Moon," marked the mating season for animals.

Ji Xinghuo disentangled himself from Ren Mian's embrace and reached for the voice transmitter. The crystal disc vibrated slightly.

A message of war had arrived from Chief Han Qiu, not far from their location, in the southern region of Cliff of Heaven's Fall. It would take just over a day to fly there from Peach Blossom Valley.

"It's time to focus."

Ji Xinghuo put down the transmitter and reminded himself to get back to business.

After indulging for so many days, he finally understood the saying, "A hero cannot pass the beauty hurdle," and why "the emperor no longer holds court in the morning." With his robust physique, possessing a peerless beauty, and having his every desire fulfilled, it was incredibly challenging not to become addicted.

That kind of joyful and wonderful feeling was indescribable, and even the most resolute person would be corrupted.

It took her a few seconds to realize what Ji Xinghuo meant, and she quickly became alert, asking, "When are you leaving?"

"Now," Ji Xinghuo replied.

"Okay, go ahead." Ren Mian nodded gently, "Be safe and come back soon."

Ji Xinghuo struggled out of the warm bed, quickly putting on his clothes, armor, and the Violent Armguard, once again disguising himself as a Highlander. He slung the Ice Vein Axe and the Black Hengjing War Bow over his back.

He leaned over and gave Ren Mian a light kiss before turning and flying out from the balcony.

Qinghong instantly shifted and shrunk, hiding on his body.

Boom...

Ji Xinghuo accelerated as soon as he exited the secret realm, soaring into the sky like a rocket and soon disappearing into the horizon.

Ren Mian watched as Ji Xinghuo flew out of sight, and when he was gone, she reached out and gently touched her abdomen, her expression soft as she thought about something.

High in the sky, Ji Xinghuo sped through the air like a bolt of lightning.

His speed had increased yet again.

After his Stellar Power reached 8,000 points, the repulsive force generated by the rotating magnetic field became stronger, allowing him to fly faster.

Perhaps at the beginning, magnetic field flight was not as good as turbulent flow, but its potential was greater.

As Stellar Power increased, so would his speed.

At the same time, the Photosynthesis Ring had an 'etheric resonance' effect, almost doubling his Stellar Power recovery, allowing him to maintain a balance between consumption and recovery even at higher flight speeds. When necessary, he could also sustain his top speed for a longer duration.

Ji Xinghuo felt the howling wind as he weaved through the clouds, free as a bird.

Then he began to explore.

After a moment.

"My current cruising speed can be maintained at around 56 meters per second." He calculated quickly, "That's about 200 kilometers per hour, which is pretty fast, but still a bit slower than I expected."

He had long discovered that the increase in flight speed was a curve.

Even though his Stellar Power recovery had doubled, his speed had not, only increasing by about 60%. The consumption had also increased accordingly.

The faster he went, the harder it was to improve.

The same was true for full-speed bursts. After testing, Ji Xinghuo found that his current maximum flight speed was 150 meters per second, or about 540 kilometers per hour, with an even smaller increase.

However, his endurance at full speed had improved.

Previously, he could only maintain it for 5 minutes, but now he could keep it up for around 20 minutes, covering a distance of 180 kilometers in one go.

"I'm still far from supersonic flight..."

Ji Xinghuo sighed inwardly. The speed of sound on Earth was 340 meters per second, but in the Star Realm, it was even higher, reaching 1,021 meters per second.

With his current speed, even on Earth, supersonic flight would be out of reach.

That would require too much Stellar Power.

"If I integrate 'Acceleration', the difficulty should decrease significantly." Ji Xinghuo thought of the Star Meteor exotic species he had, lacking only a capacity-expanding artifact. So, he lowered his altitude and rapidly scanned the highland ground with electromagnetic induction.

However, after flying for almost a full day, he still hadn't found any Speedstorm Beasts.

Ji Xinghuo landed.

Two days later, he had harvested nearly 30,000 points of spiritual source energy and quietly left the battlefield.

Scout, disguise, infiltrate, slack off, leave.

Ji Xinghuo had gone through this routine many times and was now very familiar with it.

After receiving the spiritual source energy, he immediately flew towards Peach Blossom Valley, but on his return trip, he slightly altered his flight path, using electromagnetic induction to search areas he hadn't been to before, increasing the chances of encountering Speedstorm Beasts.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

The snow-capped peaks below shrank, and the clouds sped backwards.

As dusk fell, high in the sky, Ji Xinghuo's heart stirred, his eyes focusing on a figure flying at a low altitude, dozens of kilometers away. There was a flame blazing around the figure, and upon closer inspection, he recognized a person within the fire, moving at a decent speed.

"Blazing Maniac."

Ji Xinghuo wasn't surprised. This advanced profession was known for its speed, so it was normal for them to be able to fly.

Whenever he flew over the Bloody Highlands, he would usually avoid any other flying creatures, whether monsters or aliens, to prevent conflict.

This time was no exception.

Ji Xinghuo was about to change direction to go around when the Myriads Star Pupils magnified the figure in his vision, and he was surprised.

"It's actually an Earthling!"

This Blazing Maniac from Earth had a strange appearance, one he hadn't seen before, but it gave him a familiar feeling.

Ji Xinghuo thought for a few seconds before finally remembering, "It's Shen Yuchen."

"Damn!"

It was because of Shen Yuchen that he had been targeted by the Qianyuan Association, and while Ji Xinghuo was attacked multiple times, Shen Yuchen had taken the opportunity to slip away, living a carefree life. Ji Xinghuo had long suspected that this guy wasn't dead, and indeed, he had encountered him on the Bloody Highlands.

Without hesitation, Ji Xinghuo changed direction and accelerated, diving towards the human-shaped flame.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end