Thousand Wishes Kingdom of Heaven.
Tamashi lightly dipped the tip of her toe into the milky-white water of the Wishing Pool. Tonight, the water was comfortably warm. She dove in like a fish, swam two laps, and leaned back against the pool's edge. Her damp black hair draped past her collarbones, meeting the water lapping gently against her chest.
Exhaling a long breath, she let every muscle in her body relax. Arching her back and thrusting her chest upward, she stretched her toes taut beneath the surface in a languid, luxurious stretch that sent two graceful, circular ripples outward.
Splash!
Xiaomeng stripped naked in an instant and leaped into the Wishing Pool, settling right into Tamashi's embrace. Tamashi skillfully began massaging its head.
Giving the Dream-Awakened God a head massage while bathing in the Wishing Pool had become part of Tamashi's daily routine. As a sorcerer, she was not supposed to touch the pool water in the first place, but Xiaomeng had thrown a fit when deprived of its head rubs, insisting it could control the water so that it wouldn't harm her. Tamashi found that this was indeed true, and so the practice continued—only someone as daring as her would be bold enough to entrust her life to a god.
"I ran into Yaxiu, the Sword Princess, and the Witch just now."
"What?! You met the Masters?!" Xiaomeng tried to twist its head around, but Tamashi immediately turned it back forward.
"I didn't have the Wish Heart with me when I saw them, so I couldn't return the Thousand Wishes Kingdom of Heaven to them," Tamashi explained. "However, I already know where they are. Once a Void Gate leading to their location is opened, you will be able to see them."
"Hooray!" Xiaomeng cheered.
Curiosity suddenly struck Tamashi. "When you return to Yaxiu and the others, will you miss me?"
"Maybe I will, maybe I won't," Xiaomeng answered honestly. "But I will definitely miss my Masters."
"'Maybe,' 'definitely,' huh..." Tamashi murmured. "Come to think of it, I don't really seem to miss Igola or Harvey, but I think of Yaxiu almost every day..."
"Is Master your Master too?" Xiaomeng clapped its hands in delight. "Then we can follow Master together!"
"Of course not. Yaxiu and I are companions," Tamashi said. "Still, I will definitely follow him, so we will still be able to stay together in the future."
"Though for some reason, the Sword Princess didn't seem willing to let me follow Yaxiu. Even though Igola and Harvey follow him all the time," she said, lowering her gaze. "Is it just because I'm a woman? But I could just put the Black Crow suit back on. That way, no one would recognize who I am."
Xiaomeng asked, "Did Master miss Xiaomeng?"
"No," Tamashi answered honestly. "Speaking of which, the moment I saw Yaxiu, I couldn't help hugging him. I thought I disliked physical intimacy, but when we were pulled apart, I actually felt rather disappointed. Strange... I really do dislike intimate contact with others, so why is Yaxiu an exception?"
"Master didn't miss Xiaomeng..." Xiaomeng drooped dejectedly.
"Still, at least I still really enjoy fighting him." The corners of Tamashi's mouth curled up slightly, and she said softly, "Fighting him feels as wonderful as ever. Once I find him, I want to fight him every single day."
Xiaomeng shivered. "You want to hit Master? Will you hit Xiaomeng too?"
"No, and I won't hurt him either. I just want to knock him down."
"And then?"
"And then?" Tamashi blinked. "Then I'll pin him down and wait for him to admit defeat."
"What if Master refuses to admit defeat?"
"He isn't allowed to refuse. If he won't admit defeat, I will punish him until he does."
"How are you going to punish Master?"
"Well, of course by..."
Xiaomeng waited for a long time, but no answer came. It turned around to see Tamashi's delicate, porcelain cheeks flushed with a soft rosy hue, her gaze drifting and unfocused as she was lost in thought.
Xiaomeng felt a little frightened. "Wuwu, don't punish Master too harshly!"
"But I really do want to punish him, and have close contact with him..." Tamashi subconsciously rubbed her thighs together, tilting her head as she murmured gently, "I even want to knead him right into my body. How strange. Why would I want to do that?"
"So scary," Xiaomeng whined pitifully, but then perked up again. "Still, I believe Master won't lose!"
"That's right." Tamashi's gaze grew resolute. "No matter what, I must defeat them first, then defeat Yaxiu. Only then can I negotiate with Yaxiu about whether I can punish him."
"The Sword Princess and the Witch may be strong, but I will never lose!"
"Crow Dance Dragon... lend me your power!"
Tamashi had inherited the knowledge inheritance of the Senluo Azure Lord. Every time her strength grew, another portion of its contents unlocked. It was only after summoning the guardian spirit Crow Dance Dragon this time that she realized the reason she had been hunted by the Death Wish Crow Corrosion Dragon in the Void Realm was actually that she had received the favor of the Crow Dance Dragon—hostility existed among guardian spirits as well.
Yet once she successfully summoned her guardian spirit, the Death Wish Crow Corrosion Dragon was no longer an issue. Now, she had not only acquired detailed knowledge regarding guardian spirits from the inheritance, but had also unlocked another Senluo legacy!
The previous Senluo legacy had granted Tamashi the qualification to communicate with the 'No-Hunting Zone' ahead of time. She believed this legacy would certainly not disappoint her!
The Death-Herald Black Crow had finally found the rivals of her life, and she would never let go!
***
Blood Moon Country.
Freya felt the glaring light seeping past her eyelids. She rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed, a strap of her camisole slipping down over her shoulder.
"Drink this water."
By the window, Xifulin held out a glass of warm water. Still half-asleep, Freya gulped it down. Just then, the doorbell rang outside. Xifulin muttered, "That's the air freshener I just ordered," went out to collect the delivery, returned, and began vigorously spraying air freshener all around the room.
Only now did the Veela's mind gradually clear. She asked blankly, "Xifulin, why are you at my place?"
"I messaged and called you, but you didn't answer, so I came straight over and found you passed out on the bed." Xifulin gave Freya a sidelong glance, her expression dripping with disdain as though looking at trash. "Do you remember what you did?"
Freya blinked as memories slowly surfaced: the moment she exited the Void Realm, she had stripped naked to take a bath, and then started rewarding herself...
Looking down at her camisole, the newly changed bedsheets, and the air freshener Xifulin had just bought, she couldn't help trembling all over, a blush rising on her skin.
Unable to hold it in any longer, Freya let out a wail, holding her head as she curled into a ball. "Why did you have to come looking for me?! Now I've completely lost all face in front of my little bat!"
*When did you ever have any dignity in my eyes?* Xifulin sighed. Only after the air freshener began to take effect did she pluck the cotton wads from her nostrils. "I'm not surprised that you'd do that. The problem is that from the moment we exited the Void Realm to when I arrived at your place, less than thirty minutes passed in total... How on earth did you manage to reward yourself until you passed out in under thirty minutes? You are an absolute disgrace to the Veela race!"
"B-but this time is different from before." Freya raised her hand, staring infatuatedly at the ring on her finger. "This is the wedding ring Yaxiu put on me."
Xifulin was sorely tempted to retort that it wasn't a wedding ring at all, and that the ring had originally belonged to Freya herself, but after a moment's thought, she decided not to do Yaxiu any favors. "So what's the difference?"
"It's just different, okay?!" Freya rubbed her bare feet together restlessly, biting her lower lip. "It felt like Yaxiu was right beside me."
*Huh? Could a Veela's constitution become exceptionally fragile when facing someone they love?*
*If that's the case, then Yaxiu might actually have a chance to survive...* Xifulin pondered for a moment, then raised her eyes to find Freya looking at her with wide, watery eyes. Her expression was utterly pitiful, and that strange fragrance began wafting through the air once again.
Expressionless, Xifulin sprayed another burst of air freshener. "Got it. I'm leaving right now, but don't forget you still have to go to work tomorrow."
"Can I take some time off?" The Veela paused, then gingerly held up three fingers. "Three days."
"You..." Rendered speechless for a moment, Xifulin could only offer a reminder: "Drink more water."
"Mm, thank you, Xifulin!" Freya giggled.
"Speaking of which, didn't Yaxiu also give you a sorcery spirit?" Xifulin asked. "You gave him so many precious sorcery spirits; I want to see what he brushed you off with."
"I love whatever he gives me!" Freya pouted in retort and opened the Ring of Unremembered.
A pink sorcery spirit resembling a glamorous pixie emerged in midair. Xifulin let out a disdainful scoff. "He's a legendary sorcerer, and he gave you a two-winged sorcery spirit...?"
"Xifulin!"
"Alright, alright, I won't say another word. Hurry up and subdue it, let's see what kind of sorcery spirit it is."
Freya cupped the pink sorcery spirit in her hands and drew it into her soul using her spiritual feeler. The instant their mental energy connected, the pink sorcery spirit abruptly promoted from a two-winged sorcery spirit to a three-winged sorcery spirit, its form cloaked in attire resembling a wedding gown. Both of them were stunned.
Not to mention Freya, even Xifulin had never seen an instance where a sorcery spirit promoted the very moment it was subdued!
"Eh?" Freya wore a bewildered expression.
Xifulin asked, "What's wrong? What sorcery spirit is this?"
"This sorcery spirit is named Affection Sword," the Veela said after a pause. "Its summoning formula and accompanying miracles are also recorded in the Mind Bewitchment Inheritance."
Xifulin found it strange. "Then didn't the Mind Bewitchment Inheritance leave you an Affection Sword?"
"No, because the Affection Sword sorcery spirit is extremely rare. Almost none exist in the wild; a sorcerer has to summon it themselves."
Freya recalled the contents of the Mind Bewitchment Inheritance:
"To summon an Affection Sword, the sorcerer must be at least of the Mind Sanctuary tier, must have someone they are infatuated with, and that beloved must wield a sword. Only then can the sorcerer summon the Affection Sword sorcery spirit through their love."
"However, when summoning the Affection Sword sorcery spirit this way, sorcerers usually gift it to their beloved rather than keep it for themselves. Notably, if the sorcerer keeps the Affection Sword sorcery spirit for personal use instead of gifting it away, the Affection Sword will maintain the same virtual-wing tier as the sorcerer without requiring additional promotion. Once gifted, though, the Affection Sword reverts to its original virtual-wing tier..."
Freya's voice grew softer and softer, and she stared blankly at the dancing three-winged Affection Sword.
"When did you summon an Affection Sword for Yaxiu?" Xifulin asked.
"I haven't had the chance to summon one yet! This definitely isn't mine!" Freya shook her head, feeling a bit downcast. "I was originally planning to summon an Affection Sword to give him as a gift..."
Xifulin thought for a moment and said, "Could it be possible that Yaxiu altered the summoning formula for the Affection Sword? What if it no longer maintains the same virtual-wing tier as the sorcerer who summoned it, but matches the tier of the person the sorcerer is infatuated with?"
Freya's eyes lit up, and the wilting narcissus on the bedside table bloomed at a visible rate. Even though this wasn't the first time she had witnessed it, Xifulin couldn't help marveling that this Veela was truly beyond saving.
Storing away the Affection Sword sorcery spirit, Freya suddenly asked, "Xifulin, can you stay the night?"
"Huh?"
"I have to go to work tomorrow, Yaxiu is still not safe, and the Sword Princess is so formidable... I can't indulge myself like this," Freya said earnestly. "I need you to keep me in check!"
"Fine."
"You can wear my pajamas, and there are clean towels inside. Go take a shower first," Freya said happily. "We can chat all night!"
Xifulin helplessly rolled her eyes at her, carried a change of clothes into the bathroom, and stripped. Just as she was about to turn the shower valve, she faintly heard a melodious, gentle song drifting from the other side of the wall.
*Guess I'd better take a long shower.*
Chapter 943