Wu Jian didn’t know how long he spoke with Emperor Hou Jun, though he mostly just listened. The stories he’d been told had fascinated him. Wu Jian only ever knew his father as a stern, uncompromising individual who rarely showed his emotions, but according to the emperor, the man was a passionate warrior whose charisma had caused him to rise through the military’s ranks even though he wasn’t as strong as others. What had interested him the most was the story about how his father had saved the emperor’s life. That was the moment when Emperor Hou Jun had become sworn brothers with his father.

He returned to Hou Jingshu’s residence to find not just the princess and Yōuměi present, but Zhou Lihua as well. The woman sitting elegantly at a low-seating table smiled at him when he entered.

“Welcome home,” she said.

Yōuměi quickly bounded up to him and began rubbing her face against his legs. “Ah! Master! Welcome back!”

“How was my father?” asked Hou Jingshu.

“He’s doing well. He… told me stories about my father,” Wu Jian confessed as he sat down, removed his mask, and set it on the table.

The table was longer than it was wide, and he sat at one end. Hou Jingshu and Zhou Lihua were sitting on oppisite sides of the each other. Yōuměi, ever the indulgent one, plopped her head on his thigh and pawed at him, demanding he stroke her head. He obliged her.

“Muunya… Yōuměi likes when you pet her head…”

As the giant black panther blissed out on his lap, Hou Jingshu leaned back. “So you told him your identity?”

“I didn’t really have much of a choice,” Wu Jian confessed. He reached into his shirt and pulled out the pendant. “Fortunately, this thing is much stronger than the one I was using. It didn’t crack at all after I removed my mask.”

“The materials used in its construction are much higher quality than the other necklace,” Zhou Lihua said, studying the pendant with keen eyes. “I don’t recognize these materials, but it looks like jade was used to create the run array. That’s impressive.”

“I’ve already told her about Wu Meiying,” Hou Jingshu said.

“So you already know everything then,” Wu Jian looked at the brunette.

Zhou Lihua nodded. “Yes. I’m glad to know Mei is safe.”

“Me too,” Wu Jian said.

Hou Jingshu and Zhou Lihua looked at each other. He wondered about that exchange, but they quickly turned back to him.

“There’s something else I need to tell you,” Zhou Lihua paused. “I’m… going to be taking an apprenticeship under Master Yun Chi.”

“I remember he and Ruo Chong expressed an interest in taking you as an apprentice,” he said. Then he smiled. “This is great, though. I know how much you love alchemy. You won’t be able to progress much if you remain in the Shang Kingdom, but if you become Yun Chi’s apprentice, your alchemy will sore to new heights. I’m sure you’ll become a Platinum rank alchemist in no time.”

“Yes… I’m sure I will too,” Zhou Lihua said.

Wu Jian leaned back and sighed. “That said, I’m really going to miss you. Outside of our journey to the Zhou Kingdom, I feel like we still didn’t get to spend much time together. I’m happy for you, but it does suck that you’re going away again.”

Zhou Lihua’s expression brightened immensely. “Yes, it is unfortunate, but I’ll see if I can’t make time to come visit. At the very least, I will send letters.”

“And I promise to reply to every single one of them,” Wu Jian confirmed.

They spoke for most of the day, then had dinner. Zhou Lihua was going to stay the night. She would be leaving in a month, and she wanted to spend that time with him and Hou Jingshu. He understood her feelings. If a parting was necessary, then he wanted to spend as much time with her as he could.

Afternoon turned to evening, and Wu Jian decided to take a bath. The private outdoor bath in Hou Jingshu’s residence was far more luxurious than the dinky tubs he used back in the Wu Clan. As he relaxed underneath the stars, luxuriating in the warm water, the door slid open, the sound causing him to turn his head.

“Oh…”

He was rendered speechless.

Wu Jian had assumed Hou Jingshu was the one getting in with him, but it was not her. Zhou Lihua’s pearlescent skin glowed with an otherworldly light under the moon and stars. A towel was wrapped around her torso, but it did little to hide her superlative bosoms. Her chest was large. Her legs long. He glanced at her leg and watched as a droplet of sweat blazed a trail down her thigh, calf, and ankle.

He became hard.

“Lili… uh…”

“I hope it’s okay for me to intrude,” she said with a smile.

“It’s… fine,” Wu Jian got out.

Zhou Lihua removed her towel as she knelt before the bath. Wu Jian could only gawk as she filled a bucket with water and dumped it over herself. If he hadn’t been aroused already, he would have been now. The sight of a wet Zhou Lihua was something most men could never even dream of. She glanced at him with her seductive blue eyes, and he saw from the smile on her lips that she knew what this was doing to him.

She stood up. He got a full frontal view of her. His brain felt like it was turning to mush as she dipped a single toe into the water.

“Oh… this temperature is perfect…”

Zhou Lihua lowered her leg, calf disappearing into the water, then thigh, before she stepped fully in and submerged herself up to her chest. He was disappointed. This water was not fully transparent because of the medicinal liquids and minerals in the water, though all thoughts of disappointment flew out of his mind when Zhou Lihua sat beside him, so close their shoulders and thighs were touching.

“You’ve become even bolder, I see,” Wu Jian said.

Zhou Lihua’s smile widened. “But you like it when I’m bold, don’t you?”

“I do,” he confessed. “But I’m also worried.”

“Oh?” The way she quirked a single eyebrow caused his mind to sputter. “Do tell? What are you worried about?”

“Tch. Don’t say that like you don’t understand. I can’t deal with your teasing right now.”

She understood perfectly well. A woman as smart as Zhou Lihua had to understand. She knew exactly what this situation was doing to him, and that he was worried he would lose control and claim her virginity.

Zhou Lihua giggled. Her laughter was like the gentle tinkling of windchimes.

“Relax. I know what you’re worried about, but you needn’t concern yourself. You see… I’ve found a way around the Zhou Clan’s rules.”

“…What?”

“You seem shocked.”

“Of course I’m shocked. I just heard something ridiculous.”

“It’s not ridiculous at all.”

Zhou Lihua stood up, water sloshing off her amazing figure, then sat down on Wu Jian.

“I got the idea when I was talking to Hou Jingshu.”

He almost choked on his own spit when she backed up until her backside pressed against the very obvious proof of his arousal.

“She told me all about what you two did together, including how you took her backside.”

The young woman turned her head, wet hair clinging to her shoulders, face, and neck.

“I was actually hoping we could do this while we were in the Zhou Kingdom, but there was no time, so I didn’t bring it up.”

She grinned at him.

“Well, we’re not in the Zhou Kingdom anymore, and we have time. How about it?”

Wu Jian didn’t need to think long. What kind of man would he be if he denied her invitation? Not a very good one. Only weak-willed pussies denied a woman’s advances… hmm. Wait. He sounded kind of like Huo Schuchang just now. That wasn’t good. It was perfectly fine to deny a woman you felt nothing for. Zhou Lihua was someone he loved, and therefore, it would be the height of stupidity and an insult to her if he denied her.

Every random thought flitting through his mind was squashed when he reached out and cupped her chest. Zhou Lihua leaned back against him. The muscles in her back were lovely, and the way her wet skin and hair rubbed against his body sent thrills down his spine. Her moans in his ear made his breathing turn ragged as he played with her chest.

“My chest isn’t the only thing you can play with,” she whispered.

As though she didn’t want to wait for him, Zhou Lihua grabbed his left hand and slid it down her body. The smooth contours of her flat stomach were impressive. She didn’t have muscles, but it was clear she kept herself in shape, and it was so soft. The young Zhou clanswoman soon directed his hand between her legs. She bit her lip as he got the hint and began playing with her. He, uh, couldn’t tell if she was wet because they were in the bath, but she spread her legs to grant him more access.

“Wu Jian… Wu Jian… I! I’m--”

“Oh…”

Wu Jian blinked as he felt something against his hand. It felt like movement. Zhou Lihua slumped against him, but then she turned around and eyed him like a predator eying prey.

“Sit on the edge. It’s my turn to please you.”

“All right.”

Wu Jian stood up as Zhou Lihua climbed off him and sat down on the bath’s edge. It wasn’t long before the woman knelt between his legs, pushed her chest together, and engulfed him. His breath caught as she slid up chest up, then down, up, then down. The rhythmic movements to send him spiraling out of control, but then she began licking him as well. It was way too much stimulation.

“Lili, I’m going to--”

Zhou Lihua let go of her chest, then pressed forward. He watched in amazement as he disappeared down her throat. What the heck? How did she do that? Did she have no gag reflex? Such thoughts vanished when he felt blessed release. He leaned back, almost slipping on the wet rock when his hand couldn’t find purchase. Zhou Lihua stood up and turned around, baring her backside.

“Don’t move. I’m gonna put it in.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

Zhou Lihua slowly lowered herself down. She flinched when he touched her rear entrance, then grimaced when she lowered herself further.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine. I just… feel kinda like you’re going to split my backside in half.”

“Well…”

“Just be still.”

Zhou Lihua finished slowly lowering herself onto him. Her smooth back was barely visible through parts in her hair as she slouched over, but he had a great view of her behind as she sat on his lap. The way it was smooshed against him was a vision. Not even that bastard, Ci Chuan, in his most delusional imagination would be able to conceive this scenario. He hoped that bastard was crying blood in Hell.

She wiggled her hips, and Wu Jian hissed in response.

“I’m going to move now,” she said.

Wu Jian placed his hands on her hips. “All right.”

They picked a steady rhythm. The sound of her backside slapping against him echoed around the bath, slightly muted by their grunts and moans. Sweat quickly formed on Wu Jian’s skin. He stared at Zhou Lihua’s profile as she released lyrical sounds that caused his arousal to spike.

“Wu… Wu Jian… I have… haaah… a request…”

“Name it.”

“Wrap… wrap your hands around… my throat…”

He hesitated, but the situation demanded a response, and thus he grabbed her throat. It felt so delicate. He was worried it might break under his grip.

“Like this?”

“H-harder…!”

Wu Jian furrowed his brow, but then she wiggled against him, and he squeezed her throat harder.

“Y-Yes! Like that! Just! Like! That! It feels… oooh!”

Zhou Lihua’s rhythm became erratic. Her rasping breaths were heavy and sounded like she was in pain, but her face was one of rapture. He didn’t think this woman could make such a face.

“I… I…! Wu Jian! It’s close! Aaaah! Haaah! I’m--”

“M-me too!”

Their ending did not come at the same time. Hers came slightly after his. The moment it happened, Zhou Lihua arched backward, pushing him down. Her body spasmed several times against him and he slipped out of her backside. Wu Jian let go of her neck, worried he might have hurt her. He needn’t have bothered. Zhou Lihua soon turned around on top of him, pressed herself against him, and began ravishing his mouth with her tongue.

“That was… amazing… wow. I didn’t think it would be so good when someone else did it,” Zhou Lihua murmured against his lips.

“Someone… else? Wait. Have you choked yourself before?”

“Hee hee.” Zhou Lihua grinned as she rested on her elbows and idly drew circles on his chest. “Are you surprised? I never told you about this, but ever since you beat me in that tournament all those years ago, I picked up this desire to have you choke me. When I was younger, I would masturbate while choking myself, imagining it was you. Sometimes I would use a rope. It felt a little better than using my hands… but what you did to me just blew all that out of the water.”

It wasn’t too shocking to learn Zhou Lihua had a fetish, but he was shocked to hear it was a choking fetish. He’d never imagined the woman who often acted cool and seductive would have such a submissive desire. That was… well, it was kinda hot. No, it was really hot.

“Oh.” Zhou Lihua’s eyes widened, then narrowed as her lips curled into a smile. “It seems you’re ready for round two. Don’t go easy on me. Unlike our darling princess, I prefer it rough.”