Keqing had Lu Jingming pressed to the wall, not noticing where his eyes were. She gritted her teeth: "First I somehow get the title of Fatui Harbinger, then command of a unit whose equipment, uniforms, and even name are identical to the Fatui in my world—I could just electrocute you! As a Liyue Qixing, I don't like the Fatui at all. Are you messing with me?"
"Keqing, calm down. This Fatui isn't the same as your world's. It's just a name. Haiyuan City really does lack suitable people for Harbinger right now. I just want you to hold the position for a while."
Lu Jingming quickly explained, watching Keqing's chest rise and fall with anger.
He couldn't admit there was a bit of personal amusement in his arrangements.
Not just Keqing, but Ningguang, Ganyu, and Yae Miko had all gotten stuck as Fatui Harbingers.
So, there was no way he'd admit it was just for fun, or else he'd face a scene worse than a Shura field.
"Whatever. Find someone else soon. I don't want everyone calling me Fatui Harbinger—just thinking about it makes me uncomfortable. Can't you use my Liyue Qixing title for my job?"
Keqing looked helpless.
She knew the city's rapid growth meant there was a huge need for capable people, and she was already juggling many roles. She couldn't really blame Lu Jingming for the arrangement.
Being a Harbinger wasn't a random job—it meant real power: commanding a strong unit and high-level soul tools. Only someone trustworthy and highly capable could handle it.
That's why, even if she disliked it, she reluctantly accepted the post.
"I knew you were the best, Keqing!" Lu Jingming's tone softened, guilt welling up.
He admitted there was a bit of mischief in his plans, but mostly he had no other choice.
Though many people had joined Haiyuan City, only a few like Ye Wuqing were truly trustworthy—and they hadn't matured yet.
Everything needed time to develop.
As Ye Guyi, Lan Susu, and Lan Luoluo twins grew up, the pressure on Keqing and the others would ease.
Haiyuan was developing so fast that it was desperate for talent, leaving Keqing and her peers constantly overwhelmed.
Slowing down would ease the burden, but neither Lu Jingming nor the city could accept that.
Thankfully, things were still manageable and hadn't reached a breaking point. Before long, everything would improve.
"Keqing, thank you for your hard work."
Lu Jingming spoke with rare gentleness, softly cupping Keqing's cheek, his eyes full of affection.
Feeling his touch and warmth, Keqing's heart trembled, overwhelmed by a surge of emotion.
At that moment, all her hard work felt beautifully rewarded.
On impulse, Keqing slowly closed her eyes.
Lu Jingming immediately understood, drawing her into his arms and finding her lips with his own. The kiss started gentle, but soon deepened, passion rising between them. His hand slid lower, caressing her curves with unspoken admiration.
Just as he'd guessed, Keqing's figure was as alluring as he had imagined—she might not match Changli or Ningguang, but among all the summoned girls, she was still exceptional.
A sudden touch made Keqing gasp, her eyes flying open in a mixture of surprise and indignation. But Lu Jingming's lips and tongue left her no room to protest, her only resistance shining in her eyes.
Oblivious, Lu Jingming pressed her gently against the wall, raising her hands above her head and holding them firmly.
Keqing, unable to break free, could only close her eyes again, surrendering to his embrace.
Suddenly, she felt him pulling off her black stockings. Alarmed, she struggled, finally breaking free enough to speak.
"No, we can't!" Keqing gasped, her voice trembling with urgency.
The time was wrong, the place unsuitable, and most importantly, Lu Jingming was still underage—everyone's unspoken bottom line.
She couldn't break that boundary; how could she face the other girls otherwise?
Even Zhang Lexuan, his official fiancée, had never crossed that line.
So, no matter what, Keqing firmly refused at the final step.
Lu Jingming was a bit frustrated. He'd gotten carried away, but since Keqing was unwilling, he would never force her.
"Then… I won't go in!"
As Lu Jingming transported them to Keqing's room with a flash of spatial energy, the air crackled with tension and desire. They materialized beside her ornate four-poster bed, its silken purple sheets beckoning invitingly.
Keqing's breath caught in her throat as she gazed up at Lu Jingming, her violet eyes dark with longing. "We shouldn't..." she whispered, but her body betrayed her words as she pressed closer to him.
Lu Jingming's control snapped. With a low growl, he captured her lips in a searing kiss, one hand tangling in her long violet hair while the other gripped her waist. Keqing melted against him, returning the kiss with equal fervor.
Their tongues danced as eager hands roamed, mapping out curves and planes. Lu Jingming trailed kisses along Keqing's jaw to her neck, drawing a breathy moan from her lips. "Jingming..." she gasped, tilting her head to give him better access.
He nipped and sucked at the sensitive skin, leaving a trail of marks that would be hidden by her high collar. Keqing's fingers clutched his shoulders, nails digging in slightly as pleasure coursed through her.
With trembling hands, Keqing began unfastening Lu Jingming's robes. He shrugged them off eagerly, revealing his toned chest. Keqing ran her hands over the firm muscles, relishing the way they jumped beneath her touch.
Lu Jingming's fingers found the clasps of Keqing's elaborate outfit. He paused, meeting her gaze. "Is this okay?" he asked huskily.
Keqing bit her lip, then nodded. "Yes," she breathed. "Please..."
Slowly, reverently, Lu Jingming began to undress her. Each inch of creamy skin revealed drew a soft gasp from his lips. When she stood before him in just her delicate undergarments, he stepped back to take in the sight.
"You're so beautiful," he murmured in awe.
A blush spread across Keqing's cheeks and chest. "You're not so bad yourself," she replied with a coy smile, reaching for the tie of his pants.
Soon they were both down to their underwear, drinking in the sight of each other. Lu Jingming's eyes roamed hungrily over Keqing's curves, while she admired the defined muscles of his abdomen and arms.
Unable to resist any longer, Lu Jingming pulled Keqing flush against him. They both gasped at the sensation of skin on skin. His mouth found hers again in a passionate kiss as he backed her toward the bed.
Keqing's legs hit the edge and she tumbled backward, pulling Lu Jingming down with her. He braced himself on his forearms, hovering over her as he peppered her face and neck with kisses.
Keqing's hands explored his back, tracing the lines of muscle. When Lu Jingming suckled a particularly sensitive spot behind her ear, her hips bucked up instinctively. They both moaned at the friction.
Lu Jingming began working his way down her body, lavishing attention on every inch of skin. He nuzzled the swell of her breasts, inhaling her intoxicating scent. His tongue darted out to trace along the edge of her bra, making her squirm.
"Jingming, please," Keqing whimpered, arching into his touch.
He smirked against her skin. "Please what, my lady?" he teased.
"Touch me," she gasped. "I need to feel you."
Lu Jingming was all too happy to oblige. His hands caressed her sides, thumbs brushing the undersides of her breasts. Keqing's breath hitched as he cupped them fully, kneading gently through the thin fabric of her bra.
Her own hands weren't idle—they roamed over his chest and abs, nails lightly scraping his skin. When she brushed against the waistband of his underwear, Lu Jingming's hips jerked.
Their eyes met, both dark with lust. Without breaking eye contact, Keqing slowly slid her hand lower. Lu Jingming's breath caught as she palmed him through the thin fabric.
"Keqing," he groaned, dropping his forehead to her shoulder.
She stroked him teasingly, relishing the way he twitched and pulsed beneath her touch. Lu Jingming's breath came in ragged pants against her neck.
Not to be outdone, he slipped a hand between her thighs. Keqing gasped and spread her legs wider, granting him better access. Even through her underwear, he could feel how wet she was.
Lu Jingming's fingers danced along her slit, applying just enough pressure to drive her wild. Keqing's hips rocked against his hand, seeking more friction.
"You're so responsive," Lu Jingming murmured in wonder. "So beautiful like this."
Keqing flushed at the praise, turning her head to capture his lips once more. As they kissed deeply, their hands continued to explore and tease.
Lu Jingming ground his hips down, creating delicious friction. They both moaned at the sensation. "If we don't stop soon..." he panted.
Keqing nodded in understanding. They had already pushed the boundaries further than intended. With great reluctance, Lu Jingming rolled to the side.
They lay facing each other, breathing heavily. Lu Jingming reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind Keqing's ear. "That was..."
"Amazing," Keqing finished with a shy smile.
Lu Jingming grinned. "Yeah. Definitely amazing." He leaned in for a soft, sweet kiss. "Thank you for trusting me."
Keqing snuggled closer, resting her head on his chest. "Always," she murmured.
As their breathing slowed and their heart rates returned to normal, a comfortable silence fell over them. They basked in the afterglow, trading lazy kisses and gentle caresses.
Though they hadn't crossed that final line, the intimacy they'd shared felt profound. A deeper bond had formed between them, built on trust and mutual desire.
…
As Key of Infinity's owner, Herta immediately sensed someone using its spatial authority.
And aside from herself, only Lu Jingming could do so.
When she saw the destination was Keqing's room, she narrowed her eyes and sneered, "Men!"
Still, compared to Lu Jingming's private life, what she cared more about was blowing open the black hole.
She was also deeply interested in the world's highest energy—chaos power.
Since Lu Jingming had no objections, she'd already contacted the Six Divine Realms, and everything was set for helping them blast open the black hole.
Her plan was to use Key of Infinity's authority to overlay the coordinates of a distant star with the black hole, then detonate the star, using its explosion to open a passage through the black hole.
A single star's explosion couldn't destroy the black hole, but all she needed was a passage, not destruction.
….
The Demon Empress, having wiped out the Demon Soul Great White Shark clan and been wounded by the Sea God's power, also ran into serious trouble at sea.
Thousands of soul tool warships surrounded the Demon Empress like steel beasts.
Each ship was manned by soul masters and artificers, ready for battle.
Aboard the flagship, a young man with long blue hair held a sea-blue helmet.
Divine power surged from the helmet, locking onto the Demon Empress like an invisible rope.
"Deep Sea Demon Whale! No wonder the Sea God Helmet reacted so strongly!"
Seeing the Demon Empress's massive form, Chen Huijie, the current Sea God Clan leader and this generation's Sea God Douluo, grew solemn.
As descendants of the original Sea God Poseidon, their clan had long lived on Sea God Island.
Only after Tang San, the new Sea God, succeeded did they choose to retire from public life.
Even so, their faith in the Sea God never wavered, and Tang San had specially left behind the Sea God Helmet as a family heirloom.
Four thousand years ago, when the Sun-Moon Continent collided with Douluo and the Sun-Moon Empire waged war on the three great empires, the Sea God Clan had considered coming forward to suppress the Sun-Moon Empire.
But at that time, they received Tang San's divine edict.
In it, Tang San explicitly told them not to intervene in the continent's conflict, as it would benefit Douluo.
Thus, the Sea God Clan stood down and did not appear in that era.
But just days ago, the long-silent Sea God Helmet suddenly reacted.
As the current Sea God Douluo, Chen Huijie also sensed something unusual in the sea.
His martial soul was the sea itself, and as an Ultimate Douluo, his bloodline was purely Sea God.
In the ocean, his combat power was no less than half-god level.
With the Sea God Helmet in hand, Chen Huijie was confident that aside from actual gods, he had no equals at sea.
Every generation of clan leader was an Ultimate Douluo, each inheriting the Sea God Helmet.
That's why, four thousand years ago, the clan leader boasted they could suppress the Sun-Moon Empire—they really did have the power.
If not for Tang San's edict, the Sea God Clan's glory might have overshadowed even Shrek Academy's in that era.