That sudden voice startled Hua Mei so badly that the carving knife clattered onto the floor. She sprang up from her stool and spun around at top speed. Nie Kong’s smiling face came into view, and Hua Mei couldn't help a tremor run through her delicate body. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief.

"Un... Uncle..."

She murmured the word, instinctively raising a hand toward the familiar figure before her.

A moment later, her palm rested upon Nie Kong's chest, tentative, as if afraid the vision might shatter. Her fingers moved slightly, and a genuine sensation transmitted through her fingertips. Hua Mei’s eyes brightened, and a flush of excited crimson instantly bloomed across her cheeks. "Uncle, is it really you?"

"It's me. I’m back."

A simple sentence, yet it conveyed more than a thousand words. Nie Kong couldn't resist drawing Hua Mei into an embrace. Inhaling the faint, delicate fragrance that filled his senses, Nie Kong felt an overwhelming surge of gratitude. His arms tightened, wishing he could fuse her fragile body into his own.

"Uncle."

Hua Mei offered no resistance, resting her elegant head submissively against his chest.

In that moment, the longing she had suppressed for so long completely overwhelmed her shyness, and her hands instinctively wrapped around Nie Kong’s waist. As their bodies pressed closer, Hua Mei could clearly feel the warmth emanating from him across her chest and abdomen, flooding her with a soothing heat, as if she were bathing in a hot spring. Every emotion vanished, leaving only profound peace.

"Ah!"

After a long silence, Hua Mei gasped, as if suddenly remembering something, trying to pull away from his embrace. But no matter how she struggled, they remained intimately close. She secretly lifted her head to find Nie Kong gazing at her with a faint smile. Her delicate features instantly grew scorching hot, the tender skin flushing with an intoxicating red, ripe and glistening like an autumn persimmon.

Deeply embarrassed, Hua Mei whispered, "Uncle, let me go first..."

"What did you call me?" Nie Kong’s grip did not loosen at all.

"I called you Uncle," she replied.

Hua Mei feigned not understanding the implication behind his words, but the blush on her cheeks deepened. Nie Kong remained silent, keeping his hold, merely watching her with a smile.

"Gege..."

Hua Mei stammered for a long time before finally forcing out the two words, her voice a mere mosquito's whine. Though she had called him that before when she thought she was alone, saying it now in front of him brought a wave of shyness that clung to her expression.

"That’s more like it."

Nie Kong laughed heartily and finally released Hua Mei's soft waist.

Gaining her freedom, Hua Mei turned and retrieved the carving knife. She then began gathering the jade carvings, which had dulled and ceased moving, from the table. Her right hand wielded the knife swiftly, making small adjustments to the statues, her movements fluid and graceful, like flowing water.

Nie Kong didn't disturb her, standing behind her and listening quietly. The faint sounds of hissing and scraping were, to him, like celestial music, not the least bit jarring.

After a few minutes, Hua Mei set down the knife and the last carving, channeling wisps of spiritual energy back into the sculptures. Instantly, all eighteen carvings blazed with light once more, resuming their movements on the tabletop. Every raised brow, every gesture, was now more than twice as lively as before.

To achieve such a dramatic enhancement in the effectiveness of a spirit-patterned artifact through subtle adjustments to the spiritual circuit in such a short time was a feat that even highly skilled Spirit Inscription Masters might struggle with, yet it was accomplished here by Hua Mei, a girl barely in her twenties.

At this moment, Nie Kong couldn't help but feel a spark of admiration for her. "Hua Mei, did you carve all of these after returning from the 'Prison Fire Nether Spring'?"

"Mm."

Hua Mei nodded softly, her face still flushed with shyness. Knowing that Nie Kong realized she had carved so many of his likenesses made her heart race wildly. However, she hadn't even sensed his presence when he entered the room, leaving her no time to hide the jade figures.

Touched, Nie Kong gently pulled her soft body back into his embrace and chuckled, "In the future, when you miss me, you don't need to carve these. Just look at me every day."

"I... I wasn't missing you..."

Hua Mei squirmed slightly, the tips of her ears turning an alluring shade of red, and she stammered, "I... I was just practicing etching spirit patterns."

Seeing her like this, Nie Kong couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Hua Mei was most captivating when embarrassed, which made Nie Kong unable to resist teasing her. "If you weren't missing me, why were you calling me 'Gege' to the statues just now?"

"No, no. You must have misheard..."

When Nie Kong brought that up, Hua Mei adopted an ostrich-like posture, shaking her head quickly. Her face was fiery red, and her beautiful eyes seemed so moist and expressive they could spill over.

"You really didn't miss me?"

"Didn't... didn't..."

Sensing the intensity in Nie Kong's gaze, Hua Mei’s eyes darted away guiltily.

But before she could finish her denial, a scorching breath washed over her, and her red lips were sealed tightly by his mouth. Hua Mei's delicate body tensed, her eyes snapping wide open. Although this wasn't their first kiss, such intimate contact still left her with a breathless sensation.

Like a desert traveler long parched suddenly finding an oasis, Nie Kong drank greedily from the fragrance of Hua Mei’s lips. Soon, his tongue breached her two rows of ivory-like teeth, trailing through the inside like a spirit snake parting the grass, or a bee exploring the heart of a blossom.

"Mmm..."

A shuddering sound escaped her. Hua Mei resignedly closed her eyes, and her stiff frame slowly softened. Yet, her beautiful eyelashes fluttered rapidly. Her small hands clumsily wound around Nie Kong's back, sometimes loosening their grip, sometimes clutching his garment tightly.

But not long after, Hua Mei’s hands drooped limply around Nie Kong's waist. It felt as if he had drawn out all the strength from her body; she was utterly pliant, buffeted by waves of dizzying sensation that dragged her down deeper.

Time melted away as their four lips remained pressed together. Nie Kong and Hua Mei forgot their surroundings; it seemed only the two of them existed in the world.

Unknowingly, Nie Kong’s right hand, which had been around her waist, slid down to cup her hip. He kneaded the rounded curve, which shifted under his five fingers, yielding a sensation of fullness, resilience, firmness, and silkiness that made his blood boil.

By this point, Hua Mei was breathing shallowly, her cheeks flushed crimson, seemingly oblivious to Nie Kong’s actions.

After only a moment, Nie Kong was no longer satisfied with this level of touch, and his right hand quietly slid lower. Soon, the hem of Hua Mei’s skirt was lifted, and his fingers slipped silently underneath, tracing upward along her smooth, rounded thigh inch by intimate inch.

"No..."

Hua Mei suddenly jolted awake. Their sealed lips parted abruptly. Panting softly, she looked up at Nie Kong, her small hands desperately pressing against her own hip. Beneath her palms, a larger hand was vaguely outlined beneath the thin fabric of her skirt.

Seeing Hua Mei’s face crimson and on the verge of tears, Nie Kong forcefully suppressed the fierce desire burning in his chest. He lightly brushed his lips against her forehead and smiled, "Did you miss me during this time? Tell me the truth, and I'll let you go."

"I missed you!" Hua Mei lowered her head, biting her red lip, finally forcing the word out, her expression overflowing with shy emotion.

"That’s a good girl."

Nie Kong reluctantly withdrew his hand from beneath Hua Mei's skirt, filled with lingering affection for the satin-smooth feel. Of course, even if Hua Mei hadn't stopped him, no matter how impulsive he felt, he would have halted at the final moment; this was hardly the optimal time for them to consummate their relationship.

Hua Mei let out a long breath of relief. The little strength she had managed to muster moments ago vanished completely, leaving her body hanging softly against Nie Kong's chest. The thought of his recent actions made her heart tremble, her entire body feeling hot as if placed over a furnace.

"Hua Mei, once we separate your soul, we will celebrate our wedding night, alright?" Stroking the smoothness of her back, although Nie Kong's fervent desire hadn't entirely subsided, his movements were extraordinarily gentle, as if the one beneath his hand were a priceless treasure.

"..."

Hua Mei’s cheeks were burning, and her heart hammered as if threatening to leap from her chest. Though she remained silent, she harbored no thought of refusing his proposal. A sweet sensation surged from the depths of her heart, flooding every part of her being, so evident in her shy expression that a hint of joy could be detected.

"Alright or not?"

Even a fool could understand the meaning in Hua Mei's expression. Yet Nie Kong acted as if he saw nothing. Seeing she hadn't spoken, he gently patted her rounded hip and asked again.

Expecting another boundary-crossing action, Hua Mei flinched. Only when she realized Nie Kong's right hand had returned to her back did she secretly sigh in relief. He was doing it on purpose, and a small spike of annoyance flared within her. Gritting her teeth, she huffed, "No..."

Before the syllable fully escaped her throat, Nie Kong leaned down, his finger hooking her chin, their lips drawing closer. "Alright or not?"

"Yes!"

Feeling the warm breath puffing onto her lips and recalling that dizzying, marvelous sensation from before, Hua Mei felt her entire body and spirit melting away. Her crimson lips parted subconsciously, emitting a sound so faint it was barely audible.

As soon as the word was out, Hua Mei snapped back to awareness, finding Nie Kong looking at her with a mischievous grin. She was simultaneously mortified and wronged, and she opened her mouth to deliver a fierce bite to Nie Kong's arm.

Nie Kong was taken aback by such an endearingly cute reaction. Though Hua Mei’s strength couldn't possibly harm him, he deliberately grimaced and let out a dramatic yelp before wrapping his arm around her waist and laughing, "Don't be angry, don't be angry. I'll help you check on your soul situation."

... ... (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to come to (.) to cast recommendation votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.) RO