44. Really?

Soft skin, heaving chest, her breathing, everything so enchanting… Noah, half-entranced, slowly said.

"Images, memories appearing in your mind are interruptions, unnecessary now, cast them aside."

Just as his fingertips were about to touch those alluring, round peach blossoms.

Her breathing slowed, then steadied, the room silent save for her gentle breaths, like butterfly wings. Noah heard the steady heartbeat in her chest. Her calmness… An uneasy feeling stirred in him. The thrill, the excitement, gone. It felt like… falling.

What am I doing?! How could you exploit someone's trust like this?

Looking at the girl in thin clothing, eyes tightly shut, lying on his bed, in a pose offering everything…

…

Noah swallowed hard, whispering to himself. Surely, she'll breathe heavily for me someday.

He slowly moved his fingertips up to her shoulders, then to her palms.

Then circled her torso, down to her soles, ending at her abdomen.

Admittedly, during the process, she shivered several times, blushed, but then calmed. This made Noah admire her endlessly. A girl who could conquer her body's emotions… Truly admirable. Silently vowing, Must make her willingly offer her body to me…

"Alright, you did well. In the future, with Liora or Luna's help, it'll be faster. Then you can focus, no longer hindered by stray thoughts."

Lalatina, very calm, slightly pensive, asked.

"Manor Lord, do people normally focus like this?"

Noah, unsure, still answered.

"I don't know. But just now, your thoughts were too chaotic. So I used this method. Now, you can focus on one thing. In the future, when troubled, try focusing on your breath, your pulse, and so on… But the key is, your mind will be clearer."

"Oh, adjust your clothes first… I'll step outside."

Stepping outside, the air felt warmer.

It must be near noon, what to do now? Wonder how Luna's doing…

…

In the nearby room of the three maidens, Luna and Liora sat around a beauty. She wore golden robes, slender waist, full chest, a delicate golden hairpin in her hair. Every gesture, every smile radiated myriad charms, unmatched by the young girls beside her.

Kim Lian recalled.

Since her injury, reduced to a Nascent Soul, she initially planned to possess this child, Luna. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Watching the child grow, she long saw Luna as a granddaughter.

After aiding Luna through dangers, she fell into extreme weakness, sinking into a slumber. Reconstructing a body… an impossibly distant dream.

But then… she was here, with a complete physical body. Normally, reconstructing a body is immensely difficult, time-consuming, especially in her case.

But he… with a single sentence… Such means…

And this place, the token, the rules, the rewards…

Kim Lian sat on the bed, holding Luna's hand, gently advising.

"Ding'er, you must obey the Manor Lord, understand? He is clear in grace and authority, seeing through the mortal world. He saved you and me. Otherwise, we'd still be drifting, barely surviving."

"Kim Lian, I understand, but how did you connect with the token so quickly…?"

Liora, sitting beside, curiously asked.

"Kim Lian, I want to know too. I've never seen anyone gain token recognition so fast."

Kim Lian patted Liora's glossy black hair, smiling.

"Oh my, what a lovely girl, so thoughtful, so obedient. I, Kim Lian, will cherish you, won't let anyone bully you anymore. Must repay your help today."

Patted and pinched, Liora's cheeks puffed up, saying.

"Kim Lian, you're bullying me, the sisters bully me too. Why do you all love bullying me? If you like teasing, go bully the Manor Lord. I told you, you won't believe me, but if any of you can bully the Manor Lord, I'll let you do whatever you want. Hmph."

"Really…?"

Noah, unnoticed until now, stood outside, behind him Lalatina, clothes neatly adjusted.