Chapter 28: An Indirect Kiss? Xiao Wu's Self-Conquest Strategy!
At the same time,
In Nuoding City, along its bustling streets,
Lin Yuan—the instigator behind it all—was currently wearing a relaxed, satisfied expression as he leisurely enjoyed his "raising" phase.
"Wow! This looks so tasty!"
Xiao Wu pointed at a skewer of candied hawthorn on a roadside stall, her eyes practically glowing.
"Buy it."
After all, he had just received his subsidy, and together with his previous savings, raising a little rabbit was more than affordable.
Watching Xiao Wu happily munching on the candied hawthorn, her face full of bliss, the corners of Lin Yuan's lips lifted slightly.
Although his diary was filled with all kinds of unrestrained thoughts—things like "raising," "definitely not lolicon," and so on—
He knew very well that this wasn't just about farming rewards. It was also about finding himself a companion in this unfamiliar world.
Living alone, doing nothing but dull cultivation every day—how boring would that be?
Not to mention, kids being unable to calm down and cultivate, even he himself, a freshly graduated college student in his previous life, would find it hard to immerse himself in cultivation for long periods.
Even knowing that cultivation meant progress, meant power—
Resisting that kind of monotony required immense mental strength.
So cultivation had to be balanced with rest and enjoyment.
Besides, who could possibly resist a fragrant, soft, hundred-thousand-year-old rogue rabbit whose eyes were filled with nothing but you?
Right now, she was still just a delicate, pink-cheeked little loli who hadn't fully grown yet.
But Lin Yuan had read the original novel.
Give it ten more years—once she fully matured, that figure, that build, that "modeling"—it would absolutely be stunning!
So while Xiao Wu had just stepped into the world of soul masters and was still relatively pure, this was the perfect time to guide her—ahem, no, to make a move!
Take advantage of proximity—this was wisdom passed down by the ancestors.
Just as Lin Yuan was busy calculating in his head—
"Lin Yuan, you have a bite too!"
Xiao Wu suddenly tiptoed up and held the half-eaten candied hawthorn to Lin Yuan's mouth, grinning as she spoke.
Lin Yuan froze for a moment, then didn't stand on ceremony and took a bite directly.
"Mmm, pretty sweet."
"Hehe, right?"
Xiao Wu smiled even brighter, two faint dimples appearing on her cheeks.
However—
The very next second,
After swallowing the hawthorn in his mouth, Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow and said in a rather meaningful tone:
"But Xiao Wu, you really shouldn't do this kind of thing with other people in the future."
"Only someone like me, kind-hearted and magnanimous, wouldn't mind your saliva."
Xiao Wu: ???
Her smile instantly stiffened.
One second later, she finally processed his words.
"Y-You… who are you saying has saliva?!"
Shame and indignation surged into her heart instantly, and Xiao Wu's delicate pink face flushed red to the roots of her ears.
She lifted her right foot—clad in pink leather shoes—and stomped fiercely toward Lin Yuan's foot!
"Hmph! What if I have saliva?! This young lady is still fragrant!"
"And you still dare to complain? I didn't even mind you!"
Lin Yuan had been prepared. He shifted his body slightly and easily dodged the "rabbit kick."
Looking at Xiao Wu's flustered, furious expression, Lin Yuan shrugged, wearing an utterly "innocent" face.
"I'm just stating facts. Girls should be more reserved."
"Y–You…!"
Xiao Wu stomped her feet in anger. In the end, she snorted heavily, turned her head away, and viciously bit into the remaining candied hawthorn—as if it were Lin Yuan's flesh.
Yet, the moment she turned her back to him, doubts quietly surfaced in her heart.
"I wouldn't do this with other people anyway…."
Just now, the atmosphere had been too good. Seeing Lin Yuan watching her eat, she had subconsciously handed it over.
She hadn't thought about it at all.
Now that Lin Yuan had pointed it out, she belatedly realized—
The same skewer of candied hawthorn.
You take a bite, I take a bite…
"Th–This… isn't this what books call an indirect kiss?"
Boom!
Xiao Wu felt heat rush through her entire body, especially her cheeks, burning as if they were about to catch fire.
She hadn't even thought of it that way at first!
Yet this straight-man jerk Lin Yuan had gone and spelled it out so bluntly!
Ahhh!
So embarrassing!
'I must be crazy…'
Xiao Wu covered her burning cheeks, wailing internally.
'We only met yesterday!'
'Could it be because he carried me back to the dorm yesterday that I let my guard down around him?'
Watching Xiao Wu's slightly flustered figure walking ahead, Lin Yuan's lips curled into a mischievous smile.
This rabbit's self-brainwashing progress bar seemed to be filling faster than expected.
...
After finishing lunch in the city, Lin Yuan brought Xiao Wu—who still hadn't fully recovered from her shyness—back to Nuoding Academy.
That afternoon, the two of them tacitly chose to spend their time in the library and classrooms.
Although Lin Yuan was a transmigrator with a god's-eye view,
He wasn't omniscient.
When it came to detailed knowledge about soul beasts, herb compendiums, history, and geography of this world, he didn't actually know much more than the natives.
If he wanted to establish himself in this world, relying solely on cheats wasn't enough—he needed brains too.
So aside from training with the spear in the early morning, he spent most of his remaining time madly absorbing knowledge or cultivating through meditation.
Of course, at his current level, he still couldn't go without sleep for days and nights like high-level soul masters.
Meditating for a few hours a day was already his limit.
Soon enough, a fulfilling day passed amidst busy studying and cultivation.
...
Late at night, midnight.
The familiar mechanical prompt sounded punctually in Lin Yuan's mind.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing today's diary entry!]
[Reward obtained: Mental Power Cultivation Technique — Shattered Soul Tempering Scripture (Beginner Level)!]
Lin Yuan's eyes snapped open as a trace of joy flashed through his heterochromatic pupils.
A mental power cultivation technique!
This was good stuff!
One had to know that in the early stages of the Douluo Continent, aside from Tang San's Purple Demon Eye, there were almost no systematic methods for cultivating mental power.
And the strength of one's mental power directly determined their control over soul skills, resistance to illusions, and—most importantly—whether they could absorb soul rings over ten thousand years!
"Directly starting at the beginner level, saving me the comprehension process. Not bad."
Lin Yuan immediately began reviewing the technique's information in his mind.
However, the more he read, the stranger his expression became.
"Hiss…"
"Continuously shatter, reconstruct, and regenerate mental power?"
"Using that process to temper its toughness and strength?"
Isn't this straight-up self-abuse?!
This was basically like breaking your bones and letting them regrow—sure, they'd be stronger afterward, but the process…
"System, are you sure you're not messing with me?"
Lin Yuan's mouth twitched.
He seriously suspected the system thought his life was too comfortable and decided to crank up the difficulty on purpose.
Moreover, according to the technique's description,
This method consumed mental stamina to an extreme degree. It was best used together with herbs that nourished mental power as catalysts to achieve optimal results.
"Herbs that nourished mental power…"
A location immediately surfaced in Lin Yuan's mind.
"Sunset Forest. The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well!"
"There's an immortal herb there called Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew that can enhance mental power. And with such a massive area, there should definitely be other herbs suitable for mental cultivation!"
"It seems that once my strength improves a bit more, I absolutely must make a trip to Dugu Bo's old lair."
—
End of Chapter