After being jilted by the saintess at the beginning, why is she crying?

She said nothing, but gently placed the jade plate on the table beside her.

"Yes, young master, I won't disturb you any longer while you're on your business."

"I still need to boil some water. Young master, there's no rush. You can take your time, but please take care of your health."

After saying that, she stopped looking at anyone, turned around, her clothes fluttering, and thoughtfully closed the door.

Silence returned to the palace once more.

One on the left, one on the right, both with warm, soft skin, their gazes intense.

On the left is a sweet, lively little fairy, exuding the fragrance of tea.

On the right is a gentle, shy, and understanding flower.

A world of ice and fire, yet unexpectedly harmonious.

Lin Fengmian gave an awkward smile.

That's good now.

Gu Qingge and Cang Yuhan became close friends because of their good relationship. Over time, they developed feelings for each other and went through hardships together, so they naturally became good sisters and even teamed up for cultivation.

Now, even Fu Yinqiu and Yu Chan'er, who are meeting formally for the first time and whose relationship is not even close yet, seem to be united in their hatred of the enemy and are quickly forming an alliance after being frightened by Xiao Ling'er.

One of them is cute, bold, and fiery; the other is gentle and sweet.

This combination... is pretty good.

That's it, it's really over.

Previously, he could defeat them one by one, but in the future, he might have to face combo attacks more often. One Fu Yinqiu was enough for him to handle, but if he adds the gentle and tender Yu Chan'er... who could withstand that?

And judging from this situation, my palace will probably become more and more lively, and more and more... a test for my kidneys.

Fortunately, he possesses the Pure Yang Holy Body; who else could have such strength?

Lin Fengmian sighed.

"It seems I have a long way to go and will be quite busy in the future."

"Never mind, I am the King of the Sea. Let the winds blow from the east, west, south, or north, I will remain unmoved."

After saying that, he bent down, deciding to test his skills first.

……

For two days in a row, Lin Fengmian couldn't find a single moment to get out of bed, let alone go to see Qin Lan and savor the mature charm of his neighbor's wife.

Whether it was a natural understanding between Fu Yinqiu and Yu Chan'er, or their competitive spirit was ignited by Xiao Ling'er, these two girls actually figured out a set of skills that left Lin Fengmian speechless without any teacher.

A sweet and proactive one.

A gentle and tender person.

They had Lin Fengmian completely under their control.

Even the Pure Yang Holy Body, at full power, had to unleash its true strength.

Lin Fengmian was secretly amazed; this power was probably no less than that of the combination of Gu Qingge and Cang Yuhan.

"The Wood elemental body possesses enduring vitality, and Jade Cicada's gentle nature conceals a hidden resilience... These two qualities, when combined through the Yin-Yang Harmony Technique, surprisingly produce a complementary effect. It seems that this path of dual cultivation is far more than simply absorbing nourishment; it emphasizes the resonance between spirituality and physical constitution. Perhaps the key to my bottleneck in the five spiritual roots lies in this..."

He seemed to be deep in thought.

Moreover, after the two women diligently absorbed spiritual energy, their cultivation levels advanced by leaps and bounds.

However, Lin Fengmian's own cultivation bottleneck remained as imposing as a towering mountain. His cultivation had indeed improved, but not by much.

Xiao Ling'er has been unusually quiet these past two days.

She reheated the cooled tea, then watched it slowly cool down, repeating the cycle over and over. Her cool profile was like a drawn sword.

Occasionally, palace maids would pass by, but they dared not even tread heavily, for fear of disturbing this girl who seemed indifferent to joy or sorrow, but whose heart was actually in turmoil.

She was unwilling to admit it, and refused to admit it.

But during those two days, every time she passed by the palace gate and heard faint laughter and whispers coming from inside, her fingertips would unconsciously tighten around the sword tassel.

It wasn't until a palace maid carefully reminded her that she snapped out of her daze.

Xiao Ling'er took a deep breath, suppressed the emotions she couldn't even explain, mustered her courage, walked to the door, and gently knocked.

"Young master, the day for the grand competition has arrived."

Lin Fengmian was finally freed.

As he stood up, Fu Yinqiu and Yu Chan'er tidied his robes on either side of him. One smiled secretly, while the other blushed and lowered her head, showing a real sense of "sisterly harmony".

When the door opened, Xiao Ling'er stood in the morning light, dressed in a plain white dress, with a long sword on her back, her brows and eyes cold and frosty, as if the abnormality of the previous two days had never existed.

Lin Fengmian looked at her and smiled, "Ling'er, let's go."

Xiao Ling'er lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze, and simply replied, "Yes, young master."

But the slightly reddened tips of her ears betrayed her.

Lin Fengmian felt a slight stirring in his heart, but he didn't expose it. With a mix of helplessness and amusement, he stepped outside.

The grand competition is just around the corner.

After a moment's thought, Lin Fengmian finally decided to bring Xiao Ling'er along.

This woman is exceptionally talented and has a superior temperament. Her cultivation has now reached the Golden Core stage, and thanks to his careful nurturing over this period, her foundation is impeccably solid.

The only thing lacking is practical experience.

In this grand competition, if the Golden Core disciples from Song Mingguo's side are not strong enough, or if something unexpected happens during the competition, having her as a substitute will basically guarantee a victory.

Moreover, having Xiao Ling'er with me can at least alleviate the boredom and awkwardness of the past two days in the palace.

As for Fu Yinqiu and Yu Chan'er, they have indeed been cultivating diligently these past two days, and they are probably really tired.

Lin Fengmian also decided to let them stay in the palace to rest and consolidate their cultivation. After all, not everyone can withstand the full power of the Pure Yang Holy Body continuously.

……

When Lin Fengmian and Xiao Ling'er arrived at the central square of the meeting point, the teams from the nine immortal sects and Fengming Kingdom had already assembled and were ready to depart.

Xiao Ling'er was dressed in a plain white dress, carrying a long sword on her back, with a cool expression and composed steps.

She followed quietly beside Lin Fengmian, her exquisitely beautiful face revealing no emotion whatsoever, her cold eyes like a deep pool, reflecting no ripples.

Yet it is precisely this cold and aloof temperament, coupled with her stunningly beautiful face, that evokes a sense of awe and reverence, a feeling that one can only admire from afar and dare not profane.

The square was bustling with noise, with disciples from various sects gathered in small groups, some whispering amongst themselves, others looking around.

But the moment Xiao Ling'er appeared, the surrounding noise seemed to be instantly suppressed.

Countless eyes turned towards them, a mixture of amazement, curiosity, and apprehension.

"Who is that woman? She has such a cool and aloof air about her..."

"It seems she came with Young Master Lin; she's said to be his Daoist partner."

"Hiss—such a stunning beauty, she's actually one of Young Master Lin's... Just who is this person?"

Whispers rose and fell, but no one dared to get too close.

On the high platform, Mu Xunxiang, the Supreme Elder of the Ice Palace, glanced at the two of them with her beautiful eyes, especially lingering a few more glances on Xiao Ling'er, who was cold and otherworldly beside Lin Fengmian, like a goddess descended from the heavens.

His calm, expressionless face paused slightly, a barely perceptible look of amazement flashing across his eyes, but he quickly regained his indifferent, ink-like expression.

"Now that everyone has arrived, let's set off immediately. Follow me onto the flying boat."