Gao Wu: Oh no! Young Master Zhen is a cultivator!

"Because this place is clearly connected to your energy, and I can even smell the scent of that dragon."

The little fox stopped and looked up at the lake, its eyes revealing its intelligence.

"Indeed, this is the celestial realm within a pot that I created myself!"

"I didn't expect that you, despite your low cultivation level, would possess such considerable skill."

The little fox swayed its fluffy tail, its tone tinged with surprise.

Lin Ran raised an eyebrow: "I think you're asking for trouble, you don't know your place!"

"Master, I was wrong." Xiao Wushuang immediately changed her attitude, moved closer to Lin Ran's feet, and obediently lowered her head to admit her mistake.

Looking at the obedient and gentle little fox, Chu Xining said softly, "Little Wushuang seems to really like it here."

Lin Ran tilted her head slightly: "Do you like it?"

"Yes, I like it too." Chu Xining nodded emphatically, her eyes filled with joy.

"We can build a house here sometime and come here to play often," Lin Ran suggested casually.

Chu Xining's heart skipped a beat: "Won't there be any danger?"

"Of course not, because I'm in charge of everything here!" Lin Ran said calmly and confidently.

As soon as he finished speaking, he snapped his fingers again.

Snapped!

The lake surface churned and a huge black shadow burst out of the water.

Splash!

The black dragon's scales gleamed with a cold light, and its hundred-foot-long body soared into the air, circling above the center of the lake.

"roar!"

The deep, gentle roar of the dragon echoed throughout the cave, without a trace of ferocity.

Following closely behind, several mermaids emerged from the lake, stepping out of the water.

With a humble and respectful demeanor, he presented the two with exquisite pastries and spiritual fruits.

Watching the merman place the food on the stone platform, Chu Xining's eyes widened in shock, and she remained speechless for a long time.

After a moment, she came to her senses and quickly asked, "Does that dragon listen to you too? Do these merfolk listen to you too?"

"Obviously," Lin Ran said calmly, his expression indifferent.

Chu Xining asked with wide curiosity, "How did you do that?"

"Practice the 'Mysterious Ice Tempering Technique' diligently, and you can do it too in the future," Lin Ran replied earnestly.

Upon hearing this, Chu Xining's eyes brightened even more: "Really?"

"certainly."

"Yes, I will definitely cultivate diligently!"

Chu Xining raised her fist, her eyes filled with unwavering determination.

The black dragon withdrew its soaring momentum, its massive body gently swaying as it steadily returned to the depths of the lake.

thump.

Layers of water splashed and burst open, carried by the wind, and landed on the blue stones on the shore.

Several mermaids standing on the water bowed slightly and slowly disappeared into the lake bottom, stepping on the fine ripples.

In an instant, the noise subsided, and the lake returned to its clear and tranquil state, with only a gentle breeze rippling the water in faint circles.

Lin Ran raised his hand and took out a Vermilion Fruit, a faint fragrance wafting out: "Try this."

"This..." Chu Xining's gaze fell on the Vermilion Fruit, a hint of curiosity in her eyes: "Is this the Vermilion Fruit recorded in the documents?"

"That's right."

Chu Xining smiled sweetly and gently declined, saying, "Brother Lin Ran, you eat first."

The next instant, Tu Shan Wushuang's consciousness entered Lin Ran's mind: "I want to eat too!"

"Do you understand what you're eating?" Lin Ran glanced down at the little fox that was tiptoeing and wagging its tail among the flowers.

Tu Shan Wushuang narrowed her fox eyes: "If you don't give me food, I'll cause trouble."

"I think you really need to be taught a lesson," Lin Ran said, feigning displeasure.

Tu Shan Wushuang leaped up and landed lightly back in Chu Xining's arms, her wet fox eyes fixed on the vermilion fruit on the stone table.

"Eek..." came a coquettish sound from its throat.

Chu Xining looked down at the fluffy little creature in her arms and asked softly, "Do you want some too?"

"Waaah..." Tu Shan Wushuang nodded her little head repeatedly, her eyes full of anticipation.

Chu Xining looked up at Lin Ran beside her: "Can I have one too?"

"Alright, there are still some left anyway." Lin Ran casually took out another Vermilion Fruit and handed it to Chu Xining.

To him, the spiritual power of the Vermilion Fruit was equivalent to that of a fifth-tier alien beast core.

Even though its medicinal value and body-tempering effect far exceed those of ordinary crystal cores, he has a sufficient reserve and doesn't need to worry about the quantity.

Chu Xining picked up the vermilion fruit and held it to Tu Shan Wushuang's lips.

The little fox opened its mouth, caught it, and swallowed it in one gulp, quick and efficient.

Then, it got down from Chu Xining's arms and went back to hopping on the grass.

He had only taken a few steps when his head lolled to the side and he fell into a deep sleep.

Seeing that it had suddenly stopped moving, Chu Xining quickly got up and went to check on it.

"What's wrong with her?"

Lin Ran thought for a moment and replied seriously, "It's probably because I'm sleepy after eating."

"Did it faint from carbon monoxide?" Chu Xining gently brushed her fingertips across the little fox's fluffy fur, looking slightly puzzled.

"More or less."

"If I eat the vermilion fruit, won't I also get dizzy from the heat?"

"Humans are different from mythical beasts. After you eat it, you can circulate your cultivation techniques and digest the medicinal effects, so you definitely won't faint."

Chu Xining stuck out her tongue: "If I faint, Brother Lin Ran, please don't take the opportunity to do anything naughty!"

After saying that, she picked up the vermilion fruit on the stone table and took a small bite.

The flesh is sweet and soft, melting in the throat, and a warm, pure medicinal power flows rapidly along the meridians.

After a few bites, the warmth quickly rose, turning into waves of heat that spread throughout my body, leaving a slight burning sensation on my skin.

Chu Xining's cheeks flushed red: "Brother Lin Ran, I'm so hot."

"Now that you're circulating the 'Mysterious Ice Tempering Technique,' you should be able to easily suppress this heat," Lin Ran said sincerely.

The six members of the Special Affairs Bureau who had previously practiced ordinary guiding techniques found it extremely difficult to digest the medicinal power of the Vermilion Fruit. They had to rely on Lin Ran to guide them to avoid disrupting their true energy.

Chu Xining is different; the "Mysterious Ice Tempering Technique" she cultivates is fundamentally different from ordinary martial arts techniques.

This technique is a powerful body-refining technique, and it also has a built-in icy-cold effect, which will surely be able to refine the medicinal power and stabilize the mind.

Chu Xining pursed her lips, cleared her mind of distractions, and slowly began to circulate her cultivation technique.

A wisp of icy spiritual energy rose from the dantian, circulating through the meridians of the entire body, gradually neutralizing the violent and fiery medicinal power.

The scattered spiritual energy was continuously sorted, condensed, and absorbed.

The cultivation barrier that was originally stuck at the early stage of the Innate Realm gradually loosened under the flushing effect of a massive amount of pure medicinal power.

hum!

A faint, shimmering white light rose from her body, then instantly receded back into her body.

Chu Xining suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze bright and filled with joy: "Brother Lin Ran, I've broken through!"

"Hmm." Lin Ran nodded slightly: "You're just about to break through, so this Vermilion Fruit will save you some time."

Chu Xining's eyes were full of admiration: "The cultivation technique that Brother Lin Ran gave me is really amazing. The speed at which I am improving my Innate Realm is even faster than when I was in the Body Tempering Realm."

"That means this cultivation method is very suitable for your physique, and you will be able to achieve twice the results with half the effort when practicing it."

"Brother Lin Ran is so good to me, how should I thank you?" Chu Xi asked softly, looking at Lin Ran quietly.

Lin Ran looked up at her: "How would you like to thank me?"

"I want..." Chu Xining's cheeks flushed again. She leaned forward slightly, gently put her arm around Lin Ran's shoulder, and slowly brought her soft lips closer.

Inside the grotto, flowers bloom in abundance, their fragrance filling the air, and a gentle breeze caresses the branches, creating a tender and enchanting atmosphere.

The two were enjoying their tender moment when a soft, hazy voice suddenly broke the silence.

"Mmm...it's delicious."

Chu Xining's body stiffened slightly, then she snapped back to reality, her expression one of astonishment: "Who...who is speaking?"

"No, right?" A hint of helplessness flashed across Lin Ran's eyes, thinking to himself that this guy must be doing it on purpose.

"I heard a woman's voice, it sounded like she was saying how delicious it was."

"There are only the two of us here now."

Chu Xining quickly looked around, her gaze finally settling on the little fox that had just woken up on the ground.

"Little Wushuang, is that you speaking?"

Upon hearing this, Tu Shan Wushuang instantly snapped to attention, a panic gripping her heart. She quickly transmitted her voice to Lin Ran: "Master, what should I do? Have I been exposed?"