228: Chapter 229 Shen Muyao's感动 (Moved/Touched)

Although she had long harbored feelings for Lin Muyang and their relationship had grown increasingly intimate, being alone in this private space with just the two of them—especially after witnessing that miraculous construction process—made her inevitably nervous and shy, her fingers curling slightly, unconsciously, as she felt the warmth radiating from Lin Muyang's palm.

Lin Muyang gently pressed her onto the soft, comfortable sofa, sat down beside her, and naturally reached out an arm to wrap around her shoulders.

This intimate gesture made Shen Muyao stiffen slightly, but she quickly relaxed, resting her head gently on Lin Muyang's shoulder, a sweet sense of security welling up in her heart.

"Close your eyes, I have a gift for you." Lin Muyang's voice sounded in her ear, carrying a hint of a smile.

Shen Muyao obeyed, closing her beautiful large eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly, revealing the turbulence in her heart.

Many thoughts flashed through her mind: Could it be equipment? Or a skill book? Or perhaps some precious item that could rapidly increase her level?

She knew her s-rank talent was unremarkable among the monstrously gifted young ladies around Lin Muyang. Lin Muyang had said before that he would help her, and she had always been grateful, but she had never dared to hope for any earth-shattering treasure.

Just then, she felt Lin Muyang place something cool, with a texture as smooth and warm as jade, into her hand.

She instinctively opened her eyes and looked down.

It was an exquisite, small crystal bottle, only palm-sized, crystal clear throughout, refracting mesmerizing colors under the daylight streaming in from the window.

The bottle contained about two-thirds full of liquid, an indescribable milky white, pure and devoid of any impurities, as if it had concentrated the softest and most sacred light in the world within itself.

The liquid rippled slightly, emitting a refreshing, strange fragrance with a faint floral scent. Just catching a whiff made her feel invigorated, clearing her mind of distracting thoughts, as if her soul had been cleansed and comforted.

Shen Muyao was stunned. She blinked, looking at the crystal bottle in her hand with a dazed expression, then looked up at Lin Muyang, seemingly unable to process what this was.

"Th-this is?" she asked instinctively, her voice trembling slightly with uncertainty.

The liquid in the bottle was clearly no ordinary object; the attraction stemming from life's instinct made her fingers tighten involuntarily around the bottle.

"Open it and use it." Lin Muyang smiled, tapping her smooth forehead with his finger. "This is the help I promised to give you."

"Help?" Shen Muyao repeated. Suddenly, a rumor she had almost forgotten flashed through her mind like lightning.

She remembered! Previously, the young ladies under Lin Muyang's command had seen their strength skyrocket, and their talents seemed to have received incredible upgrades. There were vague rumors that Lin Muyang possessed an heaven-defying item capable of upgrading talent ranks!

Although this news circulated in small circles among the upper echelons, causing countless speculations and shocks, it had never been confirmed, and no one dared to ask Lin Muyang about it.

Could the rumors be true? And was this what Lin Muyang wanted to give her?!

Shen Muyao's heart skipped a beat, and her hand holding the crystal bottle trembled.

She certainly knew what this meant! Talent was the cornerstone inherent to a Class Transferee, almost determining the limit of one's growth.

While an s-rank talent was indeed one in ten thousand, it seemed mediocre compared to the monstrous young ladies around Lin Muyang, who were often sss-rank or even more terrifying.

If she could upgrade her talent... that would be a transformative change for her!

But this was too precious! Shen Muyao's breathing became somewhat rapid.

This kind of divine object capable of breaking through talent barriers would, once the news leaked, be enough to drive any faction or powerhouse in the world mad, willing to do anything to snatch it! Its value was simply immeasurable!

Lin Muyang was actually going to give such a precious thing to her?

"Th-this is too valuable! I-I only need one!" Shen Muyao hurriedly shook her head, trying to stuff the crystal bottle back into Lin Muyang's hand, her small face filled with anxiety and panic. "I know this is very rare, you..."

"One?" Lin Muyang laughed, holding the hand she tried to pull back and firmly pressing the cool crystal bottle into her palm. "One can only raise your talent from s-rank to sss-rank. But there are twenty here, just enough for you to raise your talent all the way to Demigod Level."

Shen Muyao was instantly stunned, her beautiful eyes widened, her small mouth slightly agape, as if she had heard something utterly fantastical.

One, from s-rank to sss-rank? Skipping two major levels directly?! This was already enough to shock her into speechlessness!

And what did Lin Muyang say? Twenty? All the way to Demigod Level?!

Demigod Level?!

This unfamiliar term struck her heart like a heavy hammer.

Above s-rank is ss-rank, and above ss-rank is sss-rank; this was almost common knowledge for Class Transferees on Blue Star and the recognized ceiling of talent.

Even for those brilliant and talented young ladies around Lin Muyang, rumors only placed them at sss-rank. As for "Demigod Level"? She had never even heard of it! This was completely beyond her cognitive scope!

Lin Muyang looked at her dumbfounded expression and found it somewhat cute, patiently explaining: "Talent ranks do not stop at sss-rank. Above that, there are sub-god level, Demigod Level, and even higher tiers. Lilia, Elabess, and Seraphina have already reached Demigod Level. These 【tears of the angel】 are leftovers from Elena's production, just right for you to use."

Shen Muyao's brain could barely keep up. Lilia, Elabess, and the others... their talents were already Demigod Level? And these 【tears of the angel】, which sounded heaven-defying, were just leftovers here at Lin Muyang's place, just right for her to use? His casual tone made it sound as nonchalant as having an extra bowl of rice for dinner!

But it was precisely this casualness that made Shen Muyao's anxious heart settle a little.

If, to Lin Muyang, these were not irreplaceable treasures but rather surplus resources, then her psychological burden in accepting them would indeed be much lighter.

At the same time, an indescribable warmth and sense of being moved instantly flooded her heart.

Lin Muyang not only remembered what he had said in passing, but he had also given her such a precious opportunity without hesitation; how could she not understand the weight and affection behind this?

This meant that Lin Muyang truly, genuinely regarded her as one of his own, placing her in a position of equal importance to Lilia and Elabess.

Intense emotion, surprise, and a trace of relief at finally being fully accepted intertwined, making Shen Muyao's nose feel a bit sore.

She looked into Lin Muyang's gentle, smiling eyes, her heart pounding rapidly, and an unprecedented sense of courage surged into her heart.

She suddenly leaned forward, wrapped her arms around Lin Muyang's neck, and quickly, with a sense of shyness and nervousness, planted a light "kiss" on Lin Muyang's cheek.

After performing this bold act, she immediately sprang away like a frightened little rabbit, her entire face, neck, and ears turning bright red. She kept her head down, not daring to look at Lin Muyang, and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum: "Th-thank you, Lin Muyang..."

Lin Muyang was taken aback by this sudden sneak attack, but then he felt the lingering warm and soft sensation on his cheek. Seeing Shen Muyao's appearance, so shy she looked like she was about to smoke, he couldn't help but be in a great mood.

He reached out, affectionately ruffling Shen Muyao's smooth, black, shiny long hair, and smiled: "Alright, don't just focus on being shy. Let's get to business first and try the effect of these 【tears of the angel】. I'm also very curious to see what your talent can evolve into."

"Mm... mm!" Shen Muyao nodded vigorously, taking several deep breaths to barely suppress her pounding heart and the heat on her face.

She refocused her attention on the crystal bottle in her hand, her eyes becoming firm and expectant.

She carefully unscrewed the stopper made of an unknown material.

In an instant, a richer, more refreshing, and sacred fragrance permeated the air. The air in the entire room seemed to become fresher, and faint light particles even appeared out of thin air, drifting gently around the crystal bottle.

Shen Muyao no longer hesitated, tilted her head back, and drank the milky white liquid in the bottle in one gulp.

The moment the liquid entered her mouth, there was no taste, as if it were the purest spring water.

But the next second, a gentle yet immensely powerful energy, like a stream thawing in early spring, quickly slid down her throat and then exploded, turning into countless warm currents that rushed to her limbs and bones, every cell, and even deep into her soul!

"Ugh..." Shen Muyao couldn't help but let out a muffled groan, her body trembling slightly.

She felt her blood boiling, her bones making faint cracking sounds, her muscle fibers restructuring and strengthening, and her mental world violently shaking and expanding!

A sense of sublimation stemming from the very essence of life swept through her entire body.

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

Her originally fair skin now had a faint, crystalline luster, like the finest mutton-fat jade. Her hair moved without wind, and the tips actually condensed into tiny, diamond-like ice crystals that melted and vanished in an instant. The temperature in the room began to drop slowly with her as the center, and visible pale blue frost particles condensed in the air, drifting down slowly.

Lin Muyang sat quietly to the side, not disturbing her. He could feel that Shen Muyao's Aura was undergoing an earth-shaking change. The relatively pure ice element affinity originally brought by her s-rank talent Frost Mastery was now transforming and sublimating at an incredible speed, moving toward a higher level and more fundamental direction of the Ice Rules.

This process lasted for about ten minutes.

When Shen Muyao opened her eyes again, two extremely cold ice-blue flames seemed to burn quietly in the depths of her eyes, only to vanish in an instant, returning to their original clarity. But looking closely, one could find a hint of piercing and noble charm deep within those pupils. Her temperament had also undergone a subtle change, losing a bit of a young girl's greenness and adding a bit of coldness and majesty. However, when she looked at Lin Muyang, the dependence and tenderness in her eyes had not diminished at all; instead, they became more confident and bright because of the explosion in her strength.

"How do you feel?" Lin Muyang asked with a smile.

Shen Muyao didn't answer immediately. She lifted a fair palm, and with a slight thought, the temperature in the room plummeted. Above her palm, an incredibly exquisite and lifelike ice-blue rose condensed out of thin air. The petals were as thin as a cicada's wing, the veins were clearly visible, and it emitted wisps of cold air, yet under the control of some force, it remained condensed without a single drop of water falling.

This was not a skill, but the refined control over the ice element brought by pure innate talent!

"I... I feel great." Shen Muyao's voice carried a hint of unbelievable trembling, but more of it was the excitement after being reborn. "My talent has become [Frost Empress]! It's Demigod Level!"

She quickly pulled up her personal panel, which only she could see, and shared the talent description with Lin Muyang.

[Talent: Frost Empress (Demigod Level)]

[Effect:]

[1. Monarch of Ice: Ice attribute magic/skill damage is permanently increased by 500%. All ice attribute skill cooldowns are reduced by 30%, and mana consumption is reduced by 30%.]

[2. Absolute Zero: Passively significantly reduces the surrounding environmental temperature, causing continuous cold and slow effects to enemies. When actively activated, it can create an Absolute Zero domain in a designated area. All non-friendly units within range suffer from extreme cold erosion, significantly reducing movement speed, attack speed, and casting speed, and continuously taking massive ice attribute true damage.]

[3. Frost Control: Gain deep control over the concepts of 'Ice' and 'Cold'. Can freely control all frost and low temperatures within the line of sight, including ice attribute skills released by enemies (effect related to one's own Spirit attribute). Can grant temporary spirituality to ice creations for simple control. Has extremely high resistance to ice attribute damage and is immune to most freezing and slowing effects.]

[4. Empress's Majesty (Aura): Friendly units within a certain range of oneself gain a 20% ice attribute damage bonus and a layer of 'Frost Armor', which can block one non-lethal attack or weaken some damage.]

A Demigod Level talent! And the effects were simply heaven-defying! A 500% ice damage bonus, active and passive control and damage domains, controlling enemy ice skills, granting spirituality to ice creations, damage reduction and resistance, and even an Aura effect that adds ice damage and shields to teammates!

This was no longer simple Frost Mastery; it was a symbol of truly stepping toward becoming a controller of the Ice Rules! [Frost Empress] was worthy of its name!

In addition to the massive change in talent, Shen Muyao could clearly feel that all her attributes—Strength, Agility, Constitution, and Spirit—had received an explosive growth! Although her level hadn't changed, her current four-dimensional attributes were at least five to six times what they were before! This was a leap in the level of life!

This meant that her basic damage, survivability, casting speed, mana limit, and so on had all achieved a qualitative leap! Coupled with her massive 500% ice damage bonus, a casual low-level Ice Bolt she cast now would likely exceed the ultimate move of a Class Transferee of the same level!

"Too... too strong..." Shen Muyao looked at the exquisite ice rose in her palm and felt the surging, seemingly inexhaustible frost magic power within her body. She was so excited she almost shed tears. Just ten minutes ago, she was an s-rank talent, an unremarkable minor support in Lin Muyang's team. Now, she had suddenly gained the potential to contend for the top magical output in the world! This change was like a dream.

"Do you like it?" Lin Muyang's voice woke her from her excitement.

Shen Muyao nodded vigorously, crystalline tears welling in her eyes, this time out of pure joy and emotion. "I like it! I love it! Lin Muyang, thank you... I, I don't know how to repay you..."

"Silly girl, what are you talking about repayment for?" Lin Muyang smiled and scraped her nose. "You becoming stronger is the best repayment for me. From now on, you'll be one of our team's core damage dealers."

"Mhm! I will definitely work hard!" Shen Muyao clenched her small fists and waved them vigorously, her face full of determination. Having such a powerful talent, she was finally no longer the one who needed to be protected; she could also stand by Lin Muyang's side and become his aid!

"Talent alone is not enough; level and combat experience are equally important." As Lin Muyang spoke, he took out a thick stack of scrolls emitting various colored lights from his storage ring and placed them on the coffee table. "These are some Dungeon and secret realm scrolls I had people help collect earlier. The levels range from the 40s to the 70s. However, for you right now, these levels are still a bit high."

He thought for a moment and continued, "How about this: first, contact your father and have him use the resources of the Oracle Organization and your Shen Family to help you find some low-level secret realms or Dungeons around level 20 to 30. Go solo them first to quickly raise your level. With your current attributes, clearing those low-level Dungeons should be as easy as cutting melons and vegetables. When you reach around level 40, come back and use these scrolls."

"Solo..." Shen Muyao looked at the stack of high-level scrolls and then thought about having to face the monsters in the secret realm alone. She couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. Although her attributes had exploded, her practical combat experience, especially the experience of facing enemies alone, was almost zero.

Lin Muyang saw her nervousness and comforted her, "Don't worry about safety. I will provide you with God-Tier Aura support the whole time. Even if we aren't in the same space, part of my Aura effects can still work on you. Attack, defense, speed, recovery... all maxed out. With your current attributes plus my Auras, you'll basically be invincible in those low-level secret realms. Go and clear them with confidence; just consider it as getting familiar with your newly acquired power."

Hearing that Lin Muyang would provide Aura support, Shen Muyao immediately felt much more at ease. That's right, with Lin Muyang's bug-like God-Tier Aura, what did she have to fear? Those low-level monsters probably wouldn't even be able to touch the corner of her clothes before being crushed by terrifying frost magic power, right?

"I understand!" Shen Muyao took a deep breath, her eyes becoming firm and full of fighting spirit again. "I'll do my best! I'll catch up in level as soon as possible and not hold everyone back!"

"Don't feel pressured, safety first. If you encounter any trouble you can't solve, notify me immediately. Don't push yourself." Lin Muyang reminded her again, his tone gentle but beyond doubt.

"Mhm, I will." Shen Muyao felt the care in Lin Muyang's words, and her heart felt sweet.

Then, Lin Muyang took Shen Muyao's hand and stood up, walking to the large, window-frame-less opening in the master bedroom. From here, one could look down on more than half of the rapidly growing manor.

Outside was a scene of bustling activity. Fourteen National-treasure Constructors were each showing off their skills, with the glow of magic flickering everywhere. Pavilions and towers rose from the ground at a visible speed, rockeries and strange stones were cleverly placed, winding streams and peaceful lakes had already begun to take shape, and various rare flowers and trees were being precisely transplanted and dotted in between.

In the distance, the young ladies like Lilia and Elabess were surrounding several Constructors, chirping and discussing something, their fingers constantly gesturing. They were clearly planning the style and internal layout of their respective side buildings, with silver-bell-like laughter coming from time to time. Mo Mingxue and Mo Yingmei also followed curiously, listening to their sisters' discussion, their eyes full of expectation for their new home.