Bengtie: My death fueled their madness.

Cranium-VIII.

A small-scale battle involving five tribes of monsters, which lasted for half a month, had just ended.

The Cloud Cavalry were clearing the battlefield. The smoke from the crossbow bolts had not yet completely dissipated, and the air was filled with the smell of blood and scorched earth.

"Don't you think the Mirror Stream has changed a lot since this expedition?"

A young Cloud Rider wielding a battle sword asked in a low voice.

He was chopping the corpse of the monstrous creature at his feet into three pieces, his movements quite practiced.

"There have been quite a few changes, but I don't know which aspect you mean?" Qianzhi lightly shook her weapon, wiping away the bloodstains on it.

The two continued working on the pile of carcasses and wreckage on the battlefield even as they talked.

Even in death, the remains of these creatures, born from the Houyhnhnms and their enslaved beasts, still emitted an unpleasant odor.

Chen Dong slashed at the corpse beneath his feet with another blow.

"It has improved in all aspects, especially in combat power, which is much stronger than the last expedition, almost exponentially."

"It's not that she's much better, it's that her progress is simply outrageous... Think about what she did when the captain ordered a free pursuit?" Qianzhi asked rhetorically.

The two simultaneously recalled a scene from not long ago—

The enemy forces were routed, and the captain ordered a pursuit, allowing them to temporarily break away from their coordinated formation.

As soon as the order was given, Jingliu, who had been closely following the team, seemed to have broken free of all restraints and appeared a hundred meters away in the blink of an eye.

Her figure flashed and darted among the fleeing monsters, surrounded by several protective flying swords.

Where the sword flashed, all the stubborn and defiant villains were reduced to pieces.

Not long ago, when they were fighting together to hold the front line, Jingliu would often chop the enemy into several pieces.

It's important to understand that the soldiers on the front lines are under the greatest pressure.

We must never allow the enemy to break through our defenses, and we must never allow their attacks to threaten our comrades in the rear who are responsible for long-range attacks.

Therefore, every attack by the frontline soldiers must be precise and efficient.

In other words, the best approach is to kill the enemy who charges in front of you with a single blow, thus conserving energy and allowing you to focus your attention on the next target.

Even though Jingliu could instantly kill the enemies who were heading her way, she never forgot to finish them off with a few more sword strikes on the spot.

It gives people the impression that it's unnecessary.

However, her premature finishing move did not hinder her teammates or disrupt the formation, so no one said anything.

The mirror flow speed is too fast.

While others launched an attack, she had already swung her sword three or four times, using the standard heavy sword of the Cloud Cavalry.

The blade contains a hidden fire, enough to slice through the inert outer armor of the beast the moment it makes contact with the enemy.

She could wield a heavy sword that most people would need both hands to swing, but she could do it with one hand, easily cleaving the monster in two at the waist.

Thinking of this, Qianzhi also chopped off the head of the monster at her feet to prevent it from reviving, a thoughtful look flashing in her eyes.

"I don't know if it's just my imagination, but I feel like she's not in a good mood."

"Really? She's always had that icy expression, radiating an aura that keeps strangers at bay. Although working with her greatly reduces the pressure, our teamwork is quite good."

"That's what they say, but a woman's intuition can sometimes be very accurate."

"Uh...you're even talking about intuition...so tell me, what's the reason?" Chen Dong asked.

"Based on my years of experience, it must be because of a failed relationship. He had nowhere to vent his frustrations on the Immortal Ship, but it's different on the battlefield. There are countless people he can take his anger out on," Qianzhi said earnestly.

"Huh? You're only 18 this year, and you're already an adult?"

"You don't understand. Every time my father has sex with my stepmother, the other two women release an aura similar to that of Jingliu."

"..." Chen Dong couldn't help but remain silent for a moment: "Your story is not simple either."

Although the Immortal Ship doesn't practice monogamy, and only procreation is subject to regulations, this is still too much...

"Don't interrupt."

Qianzhi pondered and said:

"Aura is a mysterious thing, but it definitely exists. Didn't the news about Jingliu's coming-of-age ceremony a while ago provide a perfect example?"

"That's true... When her master, Lord Zhimu, arrived, just one glance at him was enough to terrify anyone. His aura was so terrifying; one wonders how many monsters he must have killed on the battlefield to achieve that."

"The valiant guards are all powerful individuals who can command an entire army single-handedly, so don't overthink it. Let's get back to Jingliu. I really didn't expect her to have someone she likes. Who do you think it is?"

"Even if the sky were to fall, I wouldn't be able to guess. Your intuition is accurate, shouldn't you have the answer?" Chen Dong said helplessly.

Qianzhi looked around to make sure her nearby comrades couldn't hear her before lowering her voice:

"There is no conclusive evidence... but I can boldly guess that Jingliu is in love with her master, Lord Zhimu."

"...You seem to be going a bit too far." Chen Dong almost choked on his saliva.

"Really? The premise of a rebellious disciple against his master is so appealing."

"If this gets out—"

Before the words were even finished, both of them felt a chill rise up their spines.

Stiffly turning his head, he saw a familiar figure standing quietly not far away.

Jingliu appeared there at some unknown time, his heavy sword planted on the ground, with deep red blood still remaining on the blade.

Her crimson eyes, hidden behind her helmet, revealed no emotion, yet they made Qianzhi and Chen Dong's skin crawl.

The two immediately shut their mouths and bent down to clean up the mess, their movements several times faster than before.

The only sound in the air was the dull thud of a sword cutting through flesh.

Jingliu stared at the two for a moment, but in the end, he didn't say anything. He turned and walked towards the other side of the battlefield.

Watching her departing figure out of the corner of her eye, Qianzhi let out a soft breath and said in an almost inaudible voice.

"See? There's definitely something wrong with that aura."

"I told you gossiping about others isn't good behavior. Now that you've been caught red-handed, get to work!"

Chen Dong dared not say anything more and just buried himself in his work.

Just now, being stared at by Jingliu's seemingly calm eyes felt like being stared at by hundreds of incredibly hungry, drooling creatures.

No…that’s not right—

That's even more terrifying!

……

the other side.

Jingliu stopped in his tracks, his gaze sweeping over his comrades who were diligently cleaning up the battlefield in the distance, and he unconsciously tightened his grip on his sword.

In my mind, I uncontrollably imagined scenes of my master and senior engaging in procreation.

She quickly suppressed those images and forced herself to focus on the task at hand.

The ground beneath their feet was soaked in blood, turning a deep brown, and the remains of the monstrous creatures were scattered all around.

No matter how many people he killed, the frustration in his heart could never be quelled.

Jingliu raised the heavy sword in her hand, and her own eyes were reflected on the blood-stained surface of the blade.

Something seemed to be churning in her eyes, an emotion she herself didn't want to delve into.

Qianzhi just said that she likes her master?

The word "like" is not far from her.

During her time at the Cloud Rider training camp, many young men and women had told her they liked her.

However, seeing her expressionless silence, most of those who wanted to speak up chose to back down.

Those who dared to cause trouble were all defeated by her under the guise of inviting her to spar, and dared not say another word.

She could recall the different faces and different looks of different people when they said they liked her.

But she didn't know what her eyes looked like when she looked at her master.

What exactly is liking?

What should it be like?