The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 981: Familiar Body Fragrance?

Familiar Body Fragrance? . . .

Xuan Bing's countenance remained serene; she wore a bland smile in response to Cha Eun Xiao's silence. "Well, since it's your secret, I won't press further," she uttered, her inner thoughts betraying her nonchalance. "A secret between two straight men... I will discover it sooner or later."

With that, she dismissed the topic from her mind.

Following the incident, Cha Eun Xiao beckoned Darky over, and the trio plus a horse resumed their journey. While Han Bingxue steadfastly maintained his stance of walking rather than riding, Xuan Bing opted for the same. Her remarkable strength negated any need for a horse.

Alone on horseback, Cha Eun Xiao couldn't help but be struck by the absurdity of the situation, as though he were a young lord of wealth traveling with his concubine and servant. The sensation was undeniably strange, and he grappled with its origins.

It was a peculiar journey.

Upon reaching a small town, the group prepared for a meal. However, Xuan Bing withdrew from their table, selecting another nearby, with her back to them as she partook of her food.

Cha Eun Xiao found this behavior odd. Observing her, Han Bingxue assumed the tone of an experienced lothario and remarked to Cha Eun Xiao, "Boss, despite Elder Xuan's generous disposition, she is averse to us witnessing her face. Take a look at her. She prefers dining alone to sharing a table with us. There must be something peculiar about it."

His expression was quite wicked as he hinted at knowing something hidden.

Cha Eun Xiao rolled his eyes and retorted, "Everyone has their idiosyncrasies. She is a lady, after all. It's only natural for her to retain a degree of modesty. Not to mention, I doubt many people in the Qing-Yun Realm have seen Xuan Bing's face…"

Han Bingxue leaned in closer to Cha Eun Xiao, his voice lowered. "You know… do you think she does this because she's, well, too ugly? That's why, you know, when she eats, she must cover her face…"

Cha Eun Xiao gazed at him, exasperated. "I think you deserve a punch to the face for that. What a foul mouth you have... Why should it concern you whether she is attractive or not?"

Han Bingxue's expression took on a mischievous quality as he smirked. "Not at all. Heh, heh, heh, heh..." He moved his head back and touched his nose.

Inwardly, he mused, "Why is Boss acting so aloof? I didn't say anything serious. Isn't casual conversation a part of brotherly camaraderie at the table? Why does he take everything so seriously?"

However, there was some truth to Han Bingxue's observation. Cha Eun Xiao indeed seemed preoccupied.

While Xuan Bing had initially sat at their table, her proximity was a little too intimate, bordering on personal. They gave off the impression of a couple, which Cha Eun Xiao found peculiar.

Once she had sat down, a delicate fragrance had wafted from her person, the natural scent of a woman. Despite her formidable martial prowess, she was, in the end, a woman. It was entirely normal for her to exude a distinctive feminine fragrance.

What puzzled Cha Eun Xiao was that the scent felt oddly familiar. He instinctively took a deep whiff. It was at that precise moment that Xuan Bing had abruptly risen from her seat and relocated to a different table to dine in solitude.

Cha Eun Xiao was hopelessly inexperienced in matters of love, so he couldn't comprehend what he had done to come across as a lecher to her. His mind was preoccupied with the inexplicable familiarity of her fragrance. "Why is it so familiar?" he mused. "I'm certain I've never met Elder Xuan Bing before, not in this life or the previous one. It's my first time encountering her... I'm sure of it."

"Why, then, does this fragrance feel so familiar?"

Cha Eun Xiao pondered over the situation, contemplating the source of a captivating fragrance that had caught his attention. He couldn't help but wonder if it was associated with the Ling Xiao Ice Art of the person in question. However, upon reflection, he realized that neither Bing Xinyue nor Wenren Chuchu emitted this distinct scent, even though he had been in close proximity to both of them. He couldn't recall ever detecting such a delightful aroma during his encounters with them.

Deep in thought, Cha Eun Xiao began to question his own memory and wondered if he had been too engrossed during those encounters to notice the fragrance. He couldn't help but wonder if it was possible that he had simply failed to register their scents due to his intense concentration.

To unravel this mystery, he decided to take a few more sniffs to trigger any latent memories that might help him understand the origin of this intriguing fragrance.

As he lost himself in contemplation, Cha Eun Xiao appeared lost in his own thoughts, pondering the various possibilities that might explain the source of the fragrance.

On the other side of the room, Xuan Bing adopted an air of indifference while seated at a separate table. She exuded an aura of aloofness, resembling an ancient ice mountain that had stood for eons. However, beneath her cool exterior, her heart raced with anxiety.

When Cha Eun Xiao began sniffing the air, Xuan Bing realized her mistake. She had allowed herself to be careless, and now it seemed like a significant error on her part.

"He has spent countless nights cuddling with me for the past six months. Of course, he knows the scent of my body! What if he recognizes me?" Xuan Bing thought to herself. She wasn't prepared for such a revelation, neither physically nor emotionally.

"I'm not ready," she decided. "Neither physically nor mentally."

Xuan Bing chastised herself for her proximity to Cha Eun Xiao and how her role as his maid had influenced her behavior. Although she had swiftly retreated once she realized her blunder, it was too late; he had already detected something amiss.

"His sense of smell is incredibly sharp," she remarked. "But even if he does recognize me, so what? I'll simply deny it. I don't know him. I have no connection to him."

Xuan Bing was resolute in her decision. She wrinkled her nose, bolstering her resolve.

Cha Eun Xiao, however, didn't give up easily. He attempted to get closer and catch another whiff of the fragrance, but Xuan Bing skillfully evaded his attempts. She continued to distance herself from him.

Growing impatient, Cha Eun Xiao spurred his steed, Darky, to pick up the pace. Darky, though a formidable horse, found itself outrun by the two powerful cultivators, Han Bingxue and Xuan Bing. They covered a significant distance, but as night fell, Cha Eun Xiao felt the strain in his legs from the long ride.

Just as they were contemplating their next move, a sudden development caught their attention. An unidentified figure hurtled down from the sky like a bolt of lightning, landing directly in front of Cha Eun Xiao with a resounding thud.

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