198: The Land of Tenderness and the Shura Field

"You may all rise."

Lin Fan's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

He raised his hand, and an invisible force lifted the Qingyun Sect Sect Head and the Grand Elder.

The earth-shattering cry of "Welcome, Old Ancestor Lin" caused the minds of all the Disciples present to stop functioning.

Watching Fatty Zhang still wailing while clinging to Lin Fan's leg, and then looking at the respectfully bowed heads of the Sect's highest echelon, they felt their understanding being ruthlessly torn apart, reorganized, and torn apart again.

The Sect Head and the Grand Elder wanted to say more, but Lin Fan had already lost interest.

"A celebration won't be necessary."

He waved his hand, directly refusing the Sect's suggestion to hold a grand ceremony for him.

His gaze passed through the crowd, finally settling on the pale green figure.

"I will first catch up with an old friend."

As his voice fell, he took Li Hanyue, who was beside him, and pulled Fatty Zhang, who was still hanging onto his leg. Their figures slowly faded where they stood until they vanished.

The entire process occurred without any spatial fluctuations or traces of Spiritual Energy.

It was as if they had never appeared.

Only the petrified Qingyun Sect Disciples and the high-ranking Sect members, who exchanged glances with colossal waves churning in their hearts, remained... in the Pill Pavilion.

Inside that familiar Alchemy Room, which was perpetually filled with the fragrance of medicinal herbs.

Wisps of smoke rose from a small Pill Furnace, and the air was filled with a sense of tranquility and peace.

Fatty Zhang was sent by Lin Fan to guard the outside.

At this moment, only Lin Fan, Li Hanyue, and Zhao Linger remained inside the Alchemy Room.

The atmosphere became subtly quiet for a moment.

Zhao Linger lowered her head and offered a cup of freshly brewed clear tea to Lin Fan and Li Hanyue respectively.

Her fingers trembled slightly when they touched the teacups.

"Are you... well, after all these years?"

She finally raised her head, gathered her courage, and asked softly.

Her gentle eyes were filled with worry and lingering fear.

Lin Fan looked at her face, which was slightly haggard from the exhaustion of her Mind and Spirit, and his heart softened.

He recounted his experiences in the Burial Immortal Valley, trimming the beginning and end, deleting all details about the System and resurrection, telling the story casually in a half-truth, half-false manner.

He merely claimed that he had accidentally entered an Ancient Ruin, was trapped within, and was lucky enough to achieve a Breakthrough, thus managing to escape.

Even such a plain narrative made Zhao Linger's heart pound wildly.

When she heard Lin Fan mention the Heavenly Tribulation descending, the hands resting on her lap involuntarily clenched the corners of her clothes.

Li Hanyue sat nearby, quietly drinking her tea without speaking.

She was just looking at Lin Fan.

This man seemed capable of turning danger into safety, no matter what desperate situation he faced.

But only she knew what kind of crazy and tragic price lay behind that so-called "turning danger into safety."

After the recounting was finished, the room fell into a brief silence again.

Zhao Linger took a deep breath, as if making a momentous decision.

She turned and took a heavy Jade Box, carved with complex Seal Formation Patterns, from a Jade Shelf deep inside the Alchemy Room.

She gently placed the Jade Box on the table in front of Lin Fan.

The Jade Box opened, and an intensely rich Life Aura and Medicinal Fragrance, almost materializing, instantly filled the entire Alchemy Room.

Inside the box lay a Medicinal Pill, the size of a Longan fruit, glowing with nine-colored Treasure Light.

On the surface of the Medicinal Pill, one could even see subtle Law patterns slowly circulating.

Nine Revolutions Soul Restoration Pill.

"I used up all my century-old treasures and spent sixty years of effort to refine this."

Zhao Linger's eyes had unconsciously turned red.

Her voice carried a hint of a choke.

"I predicted you would face a Great Calamity, one that offered no chance of survival."

"I knew I couldn't help you much; the only thing I could do was refine this Medicinal Pill."

"Although... although it seems now, you no longer need it..."

She lowered her head, and her tears finally spilled, dripping onto her lapel.

"But this is the only thing I could do for you."

At this moment, the entire Alchemy Room fell silent.

Li Hanyue's hand, holding the teacup, paused slightly.

Looking at the Medicinal Pill, she naturally understood its value given her perspective.

This had nearly exhausted the entire life's work and foundation of an Alchemy Grandmaster.

The depth of the affection far exceeded the worth of the Medicinal Pill itself.

Lin Fan's heart was deeply moved.

He reached out, not to touch the Medicinal Pill, but gently grasped Zhao Linger's cold hand.

Under Zhao Linger's astonished gaze, he picked up the Nine Revolutions Soul Restoration Pill and, without hesitation, tossed it directly into his mouth.

The Medicinal Pill dissolved instantly upon entering his mouth, transforming into a massive torrent.

Of course, the next second it was converted by the System into pure Points.

"The effects are excellent."

Lin Fan showed her a reassuring smile.

"I feel that the minor Hidden Injuries left over from Undergoing Tribulation before are completely healed."

Zhao Linger stared blankly at him, her eyes teary.

She naturally knew that, given Lin Fan's current Realm, it was impossible for him to have any Hidden Injuries.

He did this simply to put her mind at ease.

Lin Fan held her hand, and a supremely pure Life Origin, carrying an profound aura like the beginning of heaven and earth, slowly flowed into her body.

Zhao Linger's body trembled.

She felt that her Alchemy Grandmaster Realm, which had been somewhat unstable due to forcibly refining the Nine Revolutions Soul Restoration Pill, was completely consolidated by this power at this moment.

Her Divine Soul and her Dao Foundation became unprecedentedly refined and clear under the nourishment of this power.

"In the future, I won't let you worry like this again."

Lin Fan promised solemnly.

Zhao Linger looked at his serious gaze, felt the warm power within her body, and finally couldn't hold back, letting her tears flow freely.

She made no sound, just wept silently.

It was the release after worry, the joy of being found again.

Just at this moment.

The door to the Alchemy Room had silently opened at some unknown time.

Li Hanyue, having finished dealing with the inquiries from the high-ranking Sect members, did not walk in.

She just stood there quietly, outside the door.

She watched the heartwarming scene inside the Alchemy Room: Lin Fan holding Zhao Linger's hand and wiping away her tears.

Li Hanyue's eyes were crystal clear.

There was no jealousy, no resentment, only a hint of understanding.

As if sensing it in her heart, Zhao Linger also noticed the presence outside the door.

She stopped her tears, tidied her appearance, slowly stood up, and proactively walked out of the Alchemy Room.

The two women, vastly different in style yet equally peerless in grace, formally looked at each other for the first time.

The air lacked the expected scent of gunpowder.

Instead, there was only a subtle mutual appreciation and understanding between the women.

"Thank you."

Zhao Linger spoke first, bowing slightly to Li Hanyue.

"Thank you for staying by his side during his most dangerous time."

Li Hanyue watched her quietly, and after a moment, slowly spoke.

Her voice was still cool and detached.

"This is my Dao."

Three words, simple and pure, yet containing an unshakable resolve.

Lin Fan also walked out of the Alchemy Room.

He looked at the two women facing each other and felt a dull ache in his head.

This was probably more troublesome than facing a World-Destroying Heavenly Tribulation.

However, just as he was about to speak and break the subtle atmosphere.

His Mind and Spirit suddenly stirred.

A feeling of being spied upon came from the distant horizon.

Lin Fan's expression instantly darkened.

He suddenly raised his head, looking toward the direction of the Burial Immortal Valley.

Under his Eye of Breaking Illusions, he clearly "saw" that the Spatial Rift, which he had destroyed via "Conceptual Self-Detonation," had not disappeared.

Instead, it had become even more stable.

Strange Laws from Outside the Heavens, which did not belong here, were leaking out from the rift, slowly and steadily assimilating the surrounding Heaven and Earth Rules, like ink dripping into clear water.

That so-called "Chess Player" had left a Hidden Move.

Almost at the same time.

In his Storage Ring, a Communication Jade Pendant representing the Demonic Path Temptress Su Meier suddenly became intensely hot.

A Divine Thought was transmitted from it.

The message was brief and urgent.

"Heavenly Demon descends, the Demonic Path seeks to welcome its Lord, come quickly!"