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Page 43
After taking turns guiding both of them to their peak, Lu Lin arranged for them to exchange and learn from each other. Ningguang learned the superb swordsmanship of controlling the sword with her feet, while Keqing learned Ningguang's technique of holding her heart.
Although the two did not receive any corresponding stat boosts after the exchange, the process of going from awkward to gradually becoming proficient was still quite interesting.
It wasn't until late at night, after both women had been thoroughly sedated, that they finally fell into a deep, satisfied sleep.
Lu Lin left Qunyu Pavilion and quietly slipped into Ying's bed.
Ying went to bed early today, and after being woken up by Lu Lin, she had already habitually blocked out Paimon's hearing. Lu Lin reached out and asked with a smile, "Did you change into a nightgown just to wait for me today?"
"A nightgown is more convenient," the girl replied, biting her lip.
The skirt was indeed much more convenient. Lu Lin lifted the hem of the skirt, and the room was instantly filled with spring colors.
......
Time slipped by day by day, and five days passed in the blink of an eye. Lu Lin had a rare period of leisure since coming to this world.
During the day, without fail, he would go to Xianyun to discuss mechanical arts, and occasionally flirt with this mature beauty. Although Xianyun was a virgin and had not yet been developed, her mature charm was unmatched even by those real mature women.
Flirting with such a mature woman is undoubtedly a very pleasant experience.
Because Lu Lin had a good sense of propriety, Xianyun, though disgusted by his occasional overstepping of boundaries in behavior or speech, always refrained from reacting.
The main reason, of course, is Shen He.
Shen He's condition has been getting better and better recently. He can communicate with strangers without much trouble. The changes are even more obvious in front of acquaintances. His eyes are no longer indifferent and distant. Sometimes he can even take the initiative to start a conversation.
Xianyun knew that Lu Lin had played a significant role in making this change possible. He was the one who guided her to gradually integrate into human society, and a few days ago he even found her a job—helping Master Mao and Xiangling at Wanmintang.
Although she occasionally causes some trouble at work, it is undoubtedly a huge step forward for her. Xianyun can see that Shenhe is only one step away from reintegrating into human society.
Under these circumstances, she couldn't predict what kind of impact a falling out with Lu Lin would have on Shen He, nor did she dare to try.
Another reason is that she hasn't figured out what the relationship is between Lu Lin and Gan Yu yet.
These days, Lu Lin has been keeping her busy researching mechanical arts during the day, so she hasn't been able to get away to ask Gan Yu for advice. She thought she would go see Gan Yu at night, but she found that Gan Yu was not home every night.
This made her even more puzzled. Where could Gan Yu have gone if she wasn't resting at home late at night?
Gan Yu doesn't go home, of course, because she goes straight back to Chen Ge Hu after get off work.
These past few days, Lu Lin has been living like an emperor every night, with different combinations every day: the Jade Capital Terrace trio, the big-breasted group, the flat-breasted group, the [telepathy] group, and one day even five girls together.
It was because of this joint battle against the Great Demon King that the girls became even closer.
Ying hasn't joined the big brawl yet, mainly because she's not quite ready to let loose yet, and having Paimon around makes things a bit inconvenient.
But Lu Lin never neglected her. Every night, he would sneak into her room and feed her until she was full in front of Paimon.
Unable to find Gan Yu to verify her identity, and unwilling to directly confront Lu Lin, Xianyun could only try to be wary of this guy she had already determined to be dishonest.
For example, every day after Shen He got off work, she would personally go to Wanmintang to pick him up, which meant that Lu Lin hadn't had a chance to be intimate with Shen He since the last time.
However, this was not a long-term solution, and after careful consideration, Xianyun made a decision.
......
In the attic, as Xianyun finished writing, a design drawing of an exquisite machine was completed. She breathed a sigh of relief, very satisfied.
"Congratulations, Sister Xianyun, on successfully completing the design blueprints for the mechanical cooking machine."
Xianyun had grown accustomed to being called "Auntie Xianyun" in public and "Miss Xianyun" or "Sister Xianyun" in private. Her expression remained unchanged as she spoke:
"I have taught you all the theories of my mechanical arts. You are exceptionally talented, so you only need to master them. I don't need to teach you anything else."
Lu Lin's theoretical knowledge of mechanical arts is indeed lacking. He has been cramming on this knowledge with Xianyun these past few days and has benefited greatly.
But his focus wasn't on the mechanical arts at the moment; instead, he asked with a hint of doubt, "What does Sister Xianyun mean by that? It seems like there's a hidden meaning in her words."
"Since you can't learn anything from me, I hope you'll come here as little as possible in the future," Xianyun said coldly.
"Is Miss Xianyun trying to get rid of me?" Lu Lin's voice also turned somber.
“Shenhe and I are women after all. You, a man, come here every day. There will inevitably be gossip among the neighbors. Shenhe has just adapted to human life, and I don’t want her to be hurt by words.”
Xianyun's revelation today is the result of careful consideration; he even had a reason in mind.
"Heh, the ethereal immortals, do they care about idle gossip?" Lu Lin laughed angrily. "Then what about Shen He?"
"Shen He is gradually integrating into human life now, and I hope you will gradually keep your distance from her."
I know that Shen He's success today owes a great deal to you, so I'm passing on all my mechanical skills to you as a way of repaying you. I hope you won't bother her again.
"Heh, so this is how immortals repay kindness with ingratitude and discard their usefulness after they've served their purpose." Lu Lin's anger intensified, and he spoke very rudely.
His attitude ignited Xianyun's anger. These days, he would provoke her from time to time, which had long made her very angry.
Xianyun sneered, "You don't need to feel wronged. Do you really think I can't see through your ulterior motives towards me?"
"What ulterior motives could I possibly have? Lord Liuyun, why don't you tell me?"
"shameless!"
"Hehe, True Lord Liuyun, don't forget you lost a bet to me, there's still one bet you haven't fulfilled."
Chapter Seventy-Nine: Yao Yao and Qi Qi, Let's Go! To the Cloud-Piercing Pass!
Enraged, Xianyun's chest heaved, but upon hearing Lu Lin's words, he suddenly choked!
"Speak your demands! I have made it clear beforehand that if you violate my principles and try to use this opportunity to blackmail me, I will not agree!"
"Don't worry, I'm not as shameless as you think." Lu Lin said this without even blushing.
"I'm here to learn mechanical arts. If you want to send me away, I'll have to learn it properly first. My request is simple: I want a chance to test my learning results."
"What do you mean?"
"I will spend five days designing a novel and practical mechanism based on all my knowledge. You, True Lord Liuyun, will personally conduct a practicality test and make a comprehensive evaluation based on its technicality, practicality, and innovation."
If you judge me as qualified, it means I have mastered the skills and am ready to graduate, and I will not bother you again; if you judge me as unqualified, then I will have to stay and continue learning.
"Of course, I promise I'll give it my all and take it seriously, and I won't deliberately go easy on you. You also need to promise to be fair, impartial, and objective in your judgment, okay?"
Xianyun was somewhat surprised that Lu Lin would make such a simple request.
This request was not only simple, but also particularly kind to her, which was actually very disadvantageous to Lu Lin.
With Lu Lin's current talent and skill in mechanical engineering, designing a novel and practical mechanism would not be difficult at all, unless he deliberately holds back!
"Are you sure you won't deliberately hold back, but will show your true abilities?" she asked again, just to be on the safe side.
“Of course, we can draw up a contract!” Lu Lin shrugged.
"Alright, then we'll do as you say and give you a chance to test the results. We'll judge based on the final outcome!"
Xianyun couldn't find any trap in this condition, so she readily agreed. Lu Lin didn't take the opportunity to blackmail her with unreasonable demands, which made her think of him a little more highly.
“Then the contract is complete—” Lu Lin extended his palm.
"Snapped!"
Xianyun's slender palm struck it.
"Those who break their promises shall be punished by eating rocks!"
“I have other important things to do for the next five days, so I won’t be coming. You should find a reason to explain to Shen He so that she can get used to things in advance.”
After saying this, Lu Lin left the pavilion. Once he stepped out into the courtyard, the anger on his face quickly subsided, replaced by a meaningful smile.
He dared to provoke an immortal in this way because he had considered all possible scenarios and made contingency plans.
Xianyun's sudden confrontation and demand for him to leave was not without its countermeasures; everything was within his plan!
......
Xianyun was in a good mood. She was finally able to get rid of this wicked guy, so of course she was happy.
In fact, she admired Lu Lin very much. He was excellent in every aspect, including talent and intelligence. Apart from his poor character, he had no other flaws.
This person's bad character is limited to being frivolous and lecherous; otherwise, he doesn't seem to have any major flaws.
But based on this alone, we can't let him have any more contact with me and Shen He!
In a good mood, she left early to wait for her apprentice to get off work.
"Why did you come earlier than usual today, Master?" After Shen He finished get off work, the two of them took a leisurely stroll side by side.
"I finished the blueprints for my mechanical cooking machine today. I'm in a good mood, so I'm going out for a walk early."
"Congratulations, Master! Where's Lu Lin? Why didn't he come?" In the past few days, Lu Lin had been picking up Shen He from school with Xianyun every time. The Ice Queen was a little concerned when she didn't see him today.
She has changed a lot; she never used to care about these things.
"I've taught him all the mechanical arts I could, and he won't be coming over anytime soon," Xianyun said calmly.
"You won't be coming back?" Shen He's beautiful eyes flashed, revealing an unreadable emotion.
"That's normal. I've lived alone in Jueyun for thousands of years and have seen many people seeking immortality. Once they get what they want and leave, they never come back. Lu Lin is just one of many people seeking immortality, so there's no need to overthink it."
Xianyun portrayed Lu Lin as an ordinary immortal seeker who needed something from others in order to weaken Lu Lin's image in Shen He's mind.
She felt that given her apprentice's personality, even if he had changed now, he wouldn't care too much about Lu Lin's behavior, and he would gradually adapt in a few days.
Besides, Shen He has a good relationship with Ying, Xiang Ling, and Yao Yao. With so many friends, losing Lu Lin shouldn't have a big impact.
"So it was just for mechanical arts?" Shen He murmured to himself, without asking any further questions.
The dim light of the streetlights lengthened the shadows of the master and apprentice. For some reason, Shen He's shadow seemed somewhat lonely.
......
On the other side, Lu Lin was also in a good mood, humming a little tune as he walked through the streets and alleys, preparing to pick up Gan Yu and Ning Guang from get off work at Yujingtai.
Although returning to Chengehu would be a simple matter for them, and there was no need for them to be picked up, everyone still preferred that Lu Lin pick them up, as it would feel more ceremonial.
However, a small accident happened today.
Lu Lin was walking on the road when two girls came walking down from the direction of Bubulu.
A green-clad girl with two bells hanging from her head carries a small basket on her back and leads another adorable girl in a blue-purple dress with talismans pasted on her body.
"Hello, Brother Lu Lin~" Yao Yao greeted Lu Lin from a distance.
Yao Yao has been going to Xianyun's place often lately, and she's become quite familiar with Lu Lin.
"Hi Yao Yao, where are you going so late?"
"Qiqi and I are getting ready to go out to gather herbs! This is Qiqi!" Yaoyao held up Qiqi's hand and introduced her enthusiastically.
"You... hello! I'm Qiqi! I'm a zombie... ah, what else should I say?" The adorable zombie girl's reactions were always a beat slow.
"Hello Qiqi~" When he met such a cute girl, Lu Lin's voice became much softer without him.
Then the system notification sounded.
[Ding! Random quest triggered: Gather herbs in the mountains]
[Mission Objective: Accompany Yao Yao and Qi Qi to gather herbs and safely escort them back to Bu Bu Lu.]
[Task Rewards: 1 million Mora, 200 points, 200 experience points, and one randomly assigned keyword]
Now that the quest had been triggered, Lu Lin was determined to make the trip, so he asked, "Where are you two planning to gather herbs so late?"
"We're planning to go to Jueyun Pass because we're in dire need of Glass Bags and Tranquil Minds, so we'll be setting off tonight!"
"Going to Jueyun Pass? It's so far and we'll be traveling at night. It's really not safe. How about I go with you?" Lu Lin said casually.
"Hmm~ Actually, it's fine for the two of us to walk at night, but it would be best if Brother Lu Lin could come along. I hope it won't interfere with your plans."
Yao Yao truly lives up to her reputation as a gentle and considerate little angel; she was even worried that it might interfere with Lu Lin's important business.
"Don't worry, I don't have anything important to do lately, but you guys come with me to Yujingtai first, I need to report to Gan Yu."
Chapter 80 Danger Encountered While Gathering Herbs (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)
"Huh? Why do we need to report to Senior Sister Gan Yu?" Yao Yao was a little confused.
"Because Gan Yu is my girlfriend, I have to tell her before I go out, otherwise she will worry about me."
"So that's what your relationship is like?" Yao Yao did know what "girlfriend" meant.
The three arrived at Yujingtai, told Gan Yu, Ning Guang, and Ke Qing who happened to be there, and then set off towards Jueyunjian.
As for his agreement with Xianyun, he wasn't in a hurry. In fact, he had already made this novel and practical mechanical contraption, and it was just a matter of final adjustments before it could be declared complete.
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