Chapter 381: Shared Bath

Chapter 381: Shared Bath

The male and female Spirit Springs were separated by an impenetrable stone wall.

Lin Nuo thought this would be two worlds apart, a peaceful night where no one would disturb him as he relaxed in the bath.

But everything was not as he imagined.

In the corner of the stone wall, a hole appeared, and a stunning beauty stepped through.

It was as if a sacred wall surrounding a kingdom had welcomed a giant who could cross it.

Mist billowed from the Spirit Spring, but it did nothing to hinder Lin Nuo’s keen observation of the woman’s graceful figure.

Tap, tap, tap.

He could clearly hear the subtle sound of delicate feet approaching.

The woman had a cascade of shiny black hair that resembled a waterfall, and her smooth, fair skin was covered with a white towel wrapped around her chest.

She approached.

And Lin Nuo saw her.

Lin Nuo began to suspect he had entered the wrong Spirit Spring.

Wasn’t this supposed to be for female cultivators?

“Did I enter the wrong Spirit Spring?”

Lin Nuo asked nonchalantly, glancing at the girl as she approached lightly.

“No, Junior Martial Brother, this is indeed the male cultivator’s Spirit Pool. You haven’t come to the wrong place,” she replied.

The girl stopped at the edge of the Spirit Spring, dipping her tender foot into the water to test the temperature.

Just right for soaking.

Lin Nuo was puzzled.

“If this is the male cultivator’s pool, why did you come in?”

“Because…”

The girl paused, her red lips parting,

“Both of my Junior Martial Sisters have bathed with you, yet I haven’t, so I want to bathe with you too.”

“That seems a bit ridiculous, and besides, it was just an accident. Are you really going to bathe with me?”

“Then, is it not allowed? If they can, why can’t I?”

The girl hesitated, her towel still covering her lower body, her soft voice filled with anticipation and grievance.

Am I being treated differently?

Lin Nuo said,

“Ladies of noble families should be cultured and well-mannered. Knowing this is a male cultivator’s Spirit Spring yet coming here is unbefitting of your status, isn’t it?”

“Junior Martial Brother, can’t I?”

Liu Shuqin didn’t heed Lin Nuo’s words, repeating her previous question.

Lin Nuo continued,

“You came here just for this question?”

“Junior Martial Brother, please reply. Can’t I?” Liu Shuqin persisted with her inquiry.

Lin Nuo fell silent, stopping his questioning.

Liu Shuqin was sentimental and prone to misunderstandings; he couldn’t grasp her thoughts.

What’s the point of this competition? The last time was just an accident.

But if she asked whether she could?

Lin Nuo replied:

“Yes.”

This wasn’t him trying to cater to her; it was his genuine opinion.

A lady like her was willing to disregard etiquette to enter the male cultivator’s Spirit Spring, saying she wanted to bathe with him. What was it for him, a big man, to hesitate?

Besides, Liu Shuqin was much more composed than Su Kexin and Qin Shili; she was gentle and measured, not as reckless as they were.

In his last life, before falling into darkness, to frolic in a Spirit Pool with beautiful martial sisters—even dying would have been an honor.

However, right now, he wasn’t interested. A stable soak was more comfortable.

As long as there was no fooling around, who he soaked with didn’t matter. He wouldn’t mind mixed bathing; you soak your way, and I soak mine, without disturbing each other.

“Thank you, Junior Martial Brother.”

Upon hearing Lin Nuo’s single word of “yes,” Liu Shuqin’s clouds of sorrow dissipated, replaced with a smile like spring rain.

“So now, I can bathe with Junior Martial Brother, right?”

“Am I supposed to kick you out? Go ahead.”

“Thank you, Junior Martial Brother.”

Liu Shuqin’s fair feet had already entered the Spirit Spring, and the only thing left was to remove her covering towel to soak completely.

“Junior Martial Brother, what do you think of me?”

Liu Shuqin deliberately turned her body, seeking Lin Nuo’s evaluation.

Lin Nuo replied calmly:

“Your figure is excellent, skin smooth and fair; perhaps it’s natural beauty or the result of years spent soaking in the Spirit Spring. A beauty bathing like this truly deserves more than to be seen by my eyes.”

“Deserves more? Are you making fun of me, Junior Martial Brother?”

“Not at all, just that I feel unworthy.”

“Not at all! To receive praise from Junior Martial Brother is an honor.”

Liu Shuqin chuckled, unreservedly releasing her towel and gently sinking into the Spirit Spring.

Out of respect for Liu Shuqin, Lin Nuo didn’t watch her as she undid the towel.

It wasn’t shyness—it was about respect. In truth, as a villain, he had seen beautiful girls before; there was nothing to be shy or excited about.

Liu Shuqin was fully submerged in the Spirit Spring. Whether it was psychological or not, having Lin Nuo there made her feel even more comfortable and relaxed.

There was a sense of security, devoid of the usual loneliness.

Liu Shuqin boldly approached Lin Nuo, and before she realized it, her right shoulder brushed against his left shoulder.

Lin Nuo involuntarily froze for a moment—not from a racing heartbeat but rather from shock.

Normally, when a beautiful girl approached, a slight brush of shoulders, and they’d share smiles, often leading to romance.

But for Lin Nuo, it was just a shock.

He was used to it; after all, the women who got close to him often had crazy antics, leaving him with psychological scars.

“Why are you? There’s plenty of space; it’s not crowded.”

“Just wanted to be a bit closer to you, Junior Martial Brother.”

“Reason?”

“No, is that not allowed?”

Liu Shuqin continued using that soft tone, making Lin Nuo feel strangely uncomfortable.

It sounded quite grievance-like, as if he had done something wrong.

“Why get closer? It’s just a bath; it doesn’t require sticking close together, does it? Even partners don’t do that.”

“Aren’t partners supposed to bathe together, embracing each other?”

“What? Have you tried it?”

“No, just heard about it. It’s only natural for partners in love to embrace while bathing,” Liu Shuqin replied.

“Where did you hear such nonsense? That’s utterly unreasonable.”

Lin Nuo critiqued, wondering where such bizarre partners hugged even during a bath.

“By the way, what’s up with the hole? Did it connect the male and female cultivator springs?”

“Yes, that’s the connection point,” Liu Shuqin said proudly.

“I helped with the construction of the Spirit Spring, and I had a little trick. Once I cast a spell, it could open the hole, and I could come from the female bloom spring. It’s now hidden; even if my Junior Martial Sisters used it, they wouldn’t notice.”

Lin Nuo was dumbfounded.

Wow, your method is more despicable than a man peeking through a small hole!

I never would have expected such behavior from a cultured lady.

Just to come and bathe with him?

He was stunned.

“I can’t believe you did that,” Lin Nuo grumbled.

“One can’t always stay the same; from the results, this is quite good.”

Liu Shuqin felt she had made the right decision; otherwise, how could she naturally bathe with Lin Nuo?

Meanwhile, on the female cultivator’s side.

“Where is she?”

Qin Shili, having just entered, noticed that Liu Shuqin was missing, though she clearly saw her walk in moments ago.

At this point, her gaze shifted to the stone wall.