I'm quitting!

Chapter 25 I know you're shocked, but don't be shocked yet.

Boom, boom, boom.

Three knocks, neither too loud nor too soft, were like three fine needles piercing Lin Xiaofan's temples.

Dan Ling'er's eyelashes trembled slightly, her breath hitching slightly. It wasn't fear, but anticipation.

Lin Xiaofan's back molars ached from clenching them.

It’s over.

How do you explain this?

Hi~ Senior Sister! This is the junior sister I just stabbed. She's lying on my bed recovering from her injuries, and she's also had an epiphany about life...?

Boom boom boom!

The knocking suddenly became more urgent, and the visitor outside clearly knew that someone was inside.

Lin Xiaofan clenched his fist tightly.

Instead of waiting for trial, take the initiative!

He strode to the door, met Shan Ling'er's meaningful gaze, and opened the wooden door.

The morning light is like a waterfall.

Outside the door, Su Qingxue, dressed in flowing white robes, her hair glistening with morning dew, carried a food box. Her eyes, like a moon reflected in a cold pool, parted slightly, as if about to speak—

Lin Xiaofan grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the bamboo shadows outside the woodshed.

"Senior Sister Su, listen to me." He lowered his voice and spoke very quickly, "Shan Ling'er is in my room."

Su Qingxue paused slightly, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly before smoothing out in an instant: "And then?"

"I know you're shocked, but don't be." Lin Xiaofan took a deep breath and steadied his voice. "Last night, Shan Ling'er was identified as abnormal data by the Script Management Bureau and they wanted to erase her. I... used some special methods to save her, and now she has fully awakened."

He paused, then realized his wording was inappropriate and added, "My initial guess is that this matter is mostly related to me... She shouldn't have died. Whether out of loyalty to my fellow disciples or from my personal standpoint, I must save her."

Su Qingxue listened quietly without saying a word.

But his gaze had already passed over his shoulder and landed on the half-closed door of the woodshed.

"Junior Brother Lin..." Her voice was calm as still water, "You've said so much, but you've missed a crucial point."

"What?"

"Why are you so nervous?" Su Qingxue's lips curled slightly, but her smile concealed a hint of barely suppressed resentment. "If it were just a simple rescue, why bring me here and deliberately avoid the people inside?"

Lin Xiaofan opened his mouth, but all his carefully crafted words got stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

What Su Qingxue truly cared about was never whether Shan Ling'er had awakened.

Rather, it's... some kind of inexplicable and indescribable barrier.

Before he could respond, Su Qingxue had already picked up the food box and headed straight for the woodshed: "Instead of speculating here, let's meet face to face."

"Senior Sister Su! Now is not the time—" Lin Xiaofan said urgently.

"When is the right time?" She didn't stop walking, her voice was soft but her tone left no room for argument.

The door to the woodshed was pushed open, and the morning light poured in, illuminating every detail of Shan Ling'er's face.

She leaned against the headboard, a defiant smile playing on her lips. Her eyes no longer held the awe and timidity of the past; instead, they held a burning, almost warlike expectation.

Two gazes clashed in mid-air.

There were no flashing swords, yet it seemed as if thousands of troops were fighting silently.

That's terrible.

Lin Xiaofan gripped the door frame with both hands, a thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead.

He secretly accessed the interface of the Rebellious Wonderful Library:

Hurry! I remember there was one...

Oh! That's it!

[Verbal Amplifier: Reduces the target's logical consistency by 30% and verbal credibility by 50%. Limited to 6 uses per day. One additional use is deducted for each failed judgment. A successful judgment rewards "Target Awakening Level × 100" Rebellion Points.]

400 rebellion points were deducted instantly.

Amplifying your verbal skills, saving the world!

"Senior Sister Su, you've arrived so early." Shan Ling'er spoke first, her voice sweet as honey, yet chillingly cloying. "Senior Brother just saved my life, and Senior Sister arrives with a food box... What a coincidence."

Su Qingxue gently placed the food box on the bamboo table with a composed movement: "Junior Sister Ling'er is joking... This is a refreshing lotus seed soup, which is beneficial to the heart and meridians, and is just right for Junior Brother Lin to nourish himself." Her gaze was slightly lowered, and her tone was indifferent, "As for Junior Sister, she did not return all night, and the elders were quite worried."

Dan Ling'er's smile deepened: "Worried? I wonder which 'elder' is so concerned, worried that I'll break the sect rules?" She looked directly into Su Qingxue's eyes, enunciating each word clearly, "After all, being alone in a room with my senior brother, and lying on his bed..."

Su Qingxue paused slightly, and when she looked up again, a hint of frost appeared in her eyes: "Junior Sister Ling'er is weak and should focus on resting. Don't let 'idle talk' hurt your tongue."

Dan Ling'er slowly stood up, her bare feet touching the ground: "Senior Sister Su is absolutely right, but—" She glanced at Lin Xiaofan, "Senior Brother went to great lengths to save me, even using his unique skill. I, Dan Ling'er, will remember this kindness."

The air suddenly froze.

Su Qingxue dug her fingertips into her palm, and Lin Xiaofan sensed something was wrong. He coughed lightly and stepped between the two: "Um... you two, actually—"

"Junior brother, there's no need to explain." Su Qingxue interrupted him, her voice calm to the point of being almost chilling. "Some things only count if you see them with your own eyes."

"Then Senior Sister should 'look' carefully. Last night, Senior Brother risked his life force to save me. Have you ever seen such a sense of responsibility before, Senior Sister Su?"

"Responsibility?" Su Qingxue's gaze grew colder. "Indeed, selfless responsibility... Junior Brother Lin saved you out of loyalty to his fellow disciples. If it were anyone else, he would have done the same."

"Is that so?" Shan Ling'er slowly approached, a few strands of hair falling onto Su Qingxue's shoulder. "Then, Senior Sister Su, dare you say... if you were lying here, Senior Brother would not hesitate to expend his own life force to save you?"

Lin Xiaofan's palms were sweaty. Taking advantage of this brief moment, he deliberately softened his voice: "Senior Sister Su, Junior Sister Ling'er has just experienced a life-or-death situation, so her emotions are bound to be agitated... How about we let her warm up with that bowl of lotus seed soup first?"

[Detection successful]

[Rebelliousness Value +100]

Su Qingxue's lips moved slightly, a hint of confusion appearing between her brows, but the words that came out of her mouth had already changed: "Alright... health is the most important thing."

She was stunned as soon as she finished speaking.

Lin Xiaofan breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Shan Ling'er: "Ling'er, the lotus seed soup that Senior Sister Su makes is the most refreshing and calming... Now that you have escaped danger, you should know that the road ahead is long, so don't dwell on the things of yesterday."

[Detection successful]

[Rebelliousness Value +100]

A look of confusion flashed in Shan Ling'er's eyes. The stubborn words that were about to come out turned into a soft sigh: "Senior sister is so kind... I am indeed hungry."

She took the porcelain bowl, her fingertips touching the warmth of the rim, but her mind was still adrift in that inexplicable daze.

The apparent stalemate was broken, but undercurrents surged beneath the steaming soup.

Su Qingxue stood to the side, her gaze icy, never leaving Shan Ling'er; Shan Ling'er sipped her soup, the rim of the bowl obscuring half her face, but unable to hide the glimpses of her eyes that kept glancing at Su Qingxue.

Lin Xiaofan's shoulders relaxed slightly as he thought to himself: Why are they suddenly so excited? Could it be... because of me? Haha... This isn't a palace drama, I don't have that much charm... Hmm... I don't think so, right?

He turned to Su Qingxue, his tone regaining its composure: "Senior Sister Su, shall we begin today's cultivation guidance?"

Su Qingxue's eyes remained icy: "Very well." Her gaze swept over Shan Ling'er's lowered profile, "But... you must remain focused."

Dan Ling'er put down the porcelain bowl, the bottom of which collided with the table, making a crisp sound. "Senior Sister, just focus on your cultivation." After saying that, she turned around and lay back on the bed, pulling the thin blanket up to her chest, closing her eyes and saying nothing more.

Su Qingxue looked at that slender figure and her heart trembled inexplicably.

Why did I suddenly get angry with her?

This thought is like a fine thorn, stuck in my heart, and the more I think about it, the more confused I become.

Lin Xiaofan sat cross-legged, palms facing upwards, and cleared his throat: "The Pure Heart Mantra has eight levels and can be cultivated up to the Nascent Soul stage... Now, Senior Sister is about to enter the third level, the Fusion stage. She needs to promote the blooming of the lotus seed in her dantian and achieve unity of body and mind in order to lay a solid foundation for the subsequent realms."

Su Qingxue listened intently, a thoughtful expression spreading across her face.

"But how can a lotus flower bloom if the lotus seed is not condensed?"

Lin Xiaofan was secretly relieved—she hadn't pressed for deeper methods.

"If the heart is pure as ice, one will not be alarmed even if the sky collapses... Those who cultivate this technique should use the cold path as a guide, concentrate their mind and calm their breath, only then can they glimpse the true meaning of the lotus heart."

He paused deliberately, lightly tapping his knee with his fingertip to observe Su Qingxue's reaction. Seeing her eyes brighten slightly, as if she understood something, Lin Xiaofan was secretly delighted: Excellent, let's move on to the next step…!

But Su Qingxue had already closed her eyes and concentrated, a faint blue light rising from her dantian. The spiritual energy around her flowed slowly, actually operating according to the method of the third level of the "Purifying Heart Technique".

Lin Xiaofan's eyes widened: Huh?! She's already starting? I haven't even exchanged for the Nine Cold Pill yet!

He originally planned to use his rebellion points to exchange for the Nine Cold Pill to help her condense her lotus, but now...

This level of comprehension... well, every little bit helps.

Lin Xiaofan was both surprised and delighted, and subconsciously activated his Extreme Cold Dao Body. Cold air emanated from his palm, like a thin mist enveloping the woodshed, and subtly resonated with Su Qingxue's true essence.

In that instant, he seemed to see the green lotus seed in Su Qingxue's dantian tremble slightly under the nourishment of the cold air, its petals beginning to bloom. At the same time, the cold crystal in his own dantian also trembled—it showed signs of a breakthrough.

I see... Perhaps I should also try to break through the fusion stage.

Lin Xiaofan, suddenly inspired, entered a meditative state in sync with Su Qingxue's breathing rhythm. Their breathing gradually synchronized, as if only the spiritual energy of this small space remained in the world.

Dan Ling'er watched this scene quietly from the bed, pulling the thin blanket over half her face, leaving only her eyes to gaze at the two figures.

His eyes held a complex mix of emotions, churning for a long time before finally settling into a sigh.