Qingtan clutched Lin Xuan's hand, inching closer to him. Then, without warning, she hugged him tightly.
"What the hell? How did I suddenly succeed in winning her over?" Lin Xuan was dumbfounded.
He had helped Qingtan dispel her cold energy many times before, and she had never reacted like this.
Why was she suddenly so attached this time?
Still, this was no time to think too much. He was at the most critical juncture.
The icy blue cold energy within him surged straight into his dantian without resistance.
Lin Xuan gritted his teeth and endured. He could feel an intense battle raging inside his dantian.....his own yuan power clashing, eroding, and merging with the yin fiend qi.
The process was painful… but also exhilarating.
When he focused inward, he clearly saw the icy blue energy gradually blending into his yuan power.
Not only did it make his strength grow, but the sharp pain of the cold also faded.
As the fusion deepened, his once-colorless yuan power slowly turned into a deeper shade of blue.
The seed of yuan power, originally the size of a watermelon, swelled dramatically, transforming into a glowing sphere of icy-blue energy.
Around it, faint wisps of cold energy drifted, as though waiting to be commanded.
When the icy-blue sphere fully formed, Lin Xuan's body shuddered violently.
A wave of unprecedented power surged from deep within, flooding every fiber of his being.
Crack! Crack!
The icy crust on his body fractured and fell away in chunks.
Inside his dantian, the beautiful sphere spun slowly, emanating an aura of coldness and power.
Wisps of blue energy circled around it like loyal guardians, ready to obey his will.
His body had transformed.....and his spirit, too.
Lin Xuan's mind was sharper than ever. A strange ripple expanded from his consciousness, projecting the world within a hundred meters into his perception, down to the tiniest detail.
"So this is the Earth Yuan Realm…" he murmured in awe.
No wonder they said the Earth Yuan Realm was leagues beyond the Body Refinement Realm.
They weren't even on the same level.
An Earth Yuan cultivator could crush ninefold Body Refinement experts with ease.
Lin Xuan felt like he could take on ten of his old self without breaking a sweat.
[Mission: Break through to the Earth Yuan Realm. Reward: +2 Root Bone, +2 Comprehension, Cultivation Manual 'Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill.' Completed. Claim reward?]
The system prompt echoed in his mind.
But Lin Xuan put it aside for the moment....Qingtan came first.
The little girl clung to his chest, sobbing uncontrollably, overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude.
Lin Xuan gently patted her back, comforting her.
Now that he thought about it, he understood why Qingtan reacted this way.
Girls were prone to imagination, and since she had been blindfolded, her imagination had run wild. His reactions earlier must have fueled her thoughts even further, probably enough for her to imagine an epic love story in her head.
"Should I explain it clearly?"
The thought crossed his mind, but he immediately dismissed it. Only a fool would explain!
With women, logic didn't work...and explanations only ruined the moment.
Though Qingtan misunderstood, the fact remained: he helped her.
She simply exaggerated the cost of his sacrifice. In truth, neither of them lost anything.
Besides, Lin Xuan already had feelings for her. Why else would he have created a 'strategy mission' for her?
Now he had helped her, gained his breakthrough, and won her heart.
Three birds with one stone...why ruin it by explaining?
As for Qingtan, her feelings clearly weren't mere gratitude.
If they were, she would've said something like "I'll repay you." Instead, she said, "Wait for me to grow up."
That said everything.
"Alright, Qingtan," Lin Xuan said gently.
He hugged her once more, then leapt out of the alchemy furnace, swiftly putting away the Scarlet Spirit Flame before untying her blindfold.
A pair of tear-streaked eyes looked up at him, shimmering like pear blossoms in the rain. Little Qingtan, so adorable, gazed at him full of affection.
She still couldn't let go, her small hands hooking around his arm. "Brother Lin Xuan… are you still in pain?"
"Don't worry. My body is strong. I'm fine," he reassured, stroking her soft cheek.
This little girl had such a tender heart. Having suffered herself, she empathized deeply with others' pain...especially his.
"Go home now, alright? Don't let your parents worry.
You've been following me for two or three days already," Lin Xuan urged.
He simply couldn't stand the watery tenderness in her gaze.
No! I promised to wait for her to grow up, so I must wait!
Once Qingtan finally left, Lin Xuan returned to his room.
"Claim reward!" he commanded.
The gains this time were tremendous.
Breakthrough reward: +2 Root Bone, +2 Comprehension, and the top-tier cultivation manual Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill.
Qingtan's affection reward: +10 Charm, and the Innate Yin Fiend Qi.
As the attribute energy fused into him, his charm instantly increased by ten points.
[Charm 13 (Outstanding) → Charm 23 (One in a Hundred).]
He had ascended an entire grade!
Lin Xuan felt subtle changes to his features. His skin grew smoother, healthier, his eyes more radiant, carrying a natural depth of emotion.
Confidence surged through him, making every gesture elegant and commanding.
"So this is charm…" he muttered, admiring his reflection. No wonder attractive people were always so cheerful....they only needed a mirror to feel happy!
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