231: Chapter 232 Xu Ruohan's Wrong Thoughts

Hearing Lin Muyang's detailed questions about the "plane core," a trace of helplessness and apology appeared on Feng Ling's exquisite face. She shook her head gently, shifting her body as she snuggled in Lin Muyang's arms to find a more comfortable position.

"I'm sorry, Master. Regarding the specific location, form, and how to find or obtain the plane core... these more critical memories have not yet awakened." Feng Ling's ethereal voice carried a hint of regret. "The information inherited in my bloodline is more like ancient legends and vague warnings rather than a detailed manual. Perhaps this is a form of protection in itself. Some knowledge and power levels are too high; knowing them too early would not be a blessing for me and might even invite unimaginable calamity."

She looked up at Lin Muyang, her eyes—which seemed to burn with fire yet contain the starry sky—holding a trace of determination. "But what is certain is that my bloodline memories unlock gradually as my own strength increases. This Nirvana has greatly increased my strength, allowing me to touch upon the concept of the plane core. If I can undergo Nirvana again and become stronger, perhaps I can see deeper and more specific memory fragments."

Lin Muyang nodded in understanding. Power and knowledge went hand in hand; if one's level was insufficient, forcing the issue was useless and might even backfire. This was a universal law in any cultivation system or transcendent path.

"It seems the priority is to help you reach level 80 as soon as possible and then prepare for your next Nirvana." Lin Muyang stroked Feng Ling's silky hair, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. "As for the conditions for the next Nirvana, no matter what rare materials, special environments, or massive amounts of energy are required, they shouldn't be a problem given our current capabilities and resource acquisition speed."

He had various channels to collect resources, his subordinate forces were growing daily, and he had the support of the Xia Country officials and potentially future tributes from other nations. As long as the conditions were clear, he was confident he could gather everything in a short time.

The night passed without further word.

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the exquisite magic barrier, casting a soft and bright glow that dispersed the morning mist. In the garden, birds sang and flowers bloomed amidst the sound of trickling water. After a night's rest, this newborn garden possessed an even greater sense of peace and tranquility.

Lin Muyang had already planned to use a batch of high-level secret realm scrolls he had recently collected through various channels to first push his level to the 90 mark. Then, he would use the newly acquired mythical grade skill book to summon a new partner. With his current Dungeon-clearing efficiency and experience gain speed, this wouldn't be difficult.

However, plans often fail to keep up with changes.

Just as he had finished breakfast with Shen Muyao and was preparing to send her off for her first independent secret realm challenge, Xu Ruohan's message arrived. It wasn't through a phone or magic communicator; she had arrived in person at the entrance of the outer magic barrier, requesting entry.

Shen Muyao had changed into a light blue magic robe suitable for movement today, which outlined her slender figure. Her silky black hair was tied into a clean ponytail, making her look less gentle than usual and more heroic, as if ready for the battlefield. She held a dungeon scroll of an appropriate level given to her by Lin Muyang, her small face showing both nervousness and eager excitement. With her Demigod Level talent [Frost Empress], vastly increased attributes, and Lin Muyang's promise of full God-Tier Aura support, she was full of anticipation for this solo run.

"Don't be nervous. Remember what I told you. The Aura effects are always active, and your current attributes crush those mobs. Watch your positioning, get familiar with your skills, and safety first," Lin Muyang nagged like a parent sending their child to school for the first time.

"Mm-hmm! I'll be careful. If I can't win, I'll run!" Shen Muyao nodded vigorously, clenching her small fists to cheer herself on.

Just then, the magic barrier at the garden entrance rippled like water. A tall, slender, and beautiful figure wearing a crisp combat suit walked in, guided by a magician responsible for the barrier's daily maintenance. It was Xu Ruohan.

She immediately saw Lin Muyang and Shen Muyao standing on the plaza in front of the main building. In the morning light, the two stood side by side—one tall and confident, the other clear and lovely—looking like a perfect couple. Xu Ruohan's footsteps faltered imperceptibly, and a complex emotion flashed in her beautiful eyes—admiration, and a hint of faint envy she hadn't even noticed herself—but it was quickly replaced by a perfect smile.

"Lin Muyang, little Mu Yao~ Good morning!" Xu Ruohan walked over quickly and greeted them with a bright smile. Her gaze lingered on Shen Muyao for a moment, keenly noticing that the girl's temperament and Aura seemed different from yesterday—she had become more confident and stronger? She suppressed her curiosity and winked at Shen Muyao. "Is little Mu Yao going out? Looking at this outfit, are you about to show off your skills?"

"Good morning, Senior Xu." Seeing Xu Ruohan, Shen Muyao smiled somewhat shyly. "I... I'm preparing to try soloing a Dungeon."

"Oh? Soloing? You have ambition!" Xu Ruohan praised, though she was even more surprised internally. She knew Shen Muyao's talent; while S-rank Frost Mastery was good, soloing a Dungeon of the same level, especially for a first attempt, carried significant risk. Was Lin Muyang really that at ease? It seemed some unknown change had definitely occurred in this girl. Recalling Lin Muyang's miraculous methods, Xu Ruohan had a vague guess but tactfully didn't ask further.

"Group Leader Xu, is there something you need since you've come so early?" Lin Muyang looked at Xu Ruohan and got straight to the point. He knew that unless it was something important, Xu Ruohan wouldn't make a trip personally first thing in the morning.

Xu Ruohan put away her smile and said seriously, "There is indeed something I need your opinion on. It's an emergency request for help from Bear Country."

"Bear Country?" Lin Muyang's brow arched slightly.

"Yes. About half a month ago, deep in the Siberian Tundra of Bear Country, a stable spatial rift suddenly appeared and evolved into a level 92 legendary-rank team secret realm with a capacity of 40 people." Xu Ruohan introduced at a steady pace. "A legendary secret realm of this level and scale is extremely rare in Bear Country's history. The resources it contains and the potential boost to national strength are significant. But the problem is that while Bear Country has many experts, it's too difficult for them to assemble 40 top elites around level 92 with at least SS-rank talents who can trust and cooperate with each other perfectly on short notice."

She paused and continued, "So, they sent out requests for help to several friendly nations, including ours, hoping we could send eligible experts to form an international joint team to clear this secret realm. Our country's policy on this has always been based on the principle of voluntary participation; the officials are only responsible for relaying information and acting as a bridge, without forcing anyone to participate. In the end, seven eligible experts from our country volunteered, and together with a top Summoner from Ice Bird Country, a total of eight people joined the clearing team organized by Bear Country."

"A Summoner from Ice Bird Country? A woman?" Lin Muyang asked casually.

"Yes, a young genius female Summoner. She's skilled at summoning various frost-elemental creatures—ice birds, ice wolves, ice bears, and so on. Her combat power is impressive, and her summons can play vital roles as tanks and fodder in a team, greatly increasing the margin for error." Xu Ruohan nodded. "Precisely because of her, the clearing team has made several attempts over the past half-month. Although the process was bumpy and they wiped several times against mobs, they managed to clear the first two waves of mob areas without casualties by relying on her summons to sacrifice themselves and cover the retreat."

Her expression became somewhat grave. "However, they are stuck at the first gatekeeper boss. According to the reports, that boss's mechanics are very complex, its damage is extremely high, and it has large-scale control and debuff skills. The team has tried over a dozen times, and each time they only escaped in a pathetic state by having the Ice Bird Country Summoner's elemental creatures buy time while everyone else retreated. They haven't even managed to take off 20% of the boss's HP. Bear Country is very anxious; the longer it drags on, the higher the risk of the secret realm becoming unstable or being coveted by other forces. Coincidentally, the news of your battle at Crocodile Shark Island has spread globally, giving them new hope. So, early this morning, the highest levels of Bear Country sent an urgent request, hoping you would step in."

After Xu Ruohan finished, she carefully observed Lin Muyang's expression and added, "Of course, we haven't agreed to this, and we will never agree on your behalf. Whether you go or not is entirely up to your own will. With your current status and strength, no one can, and no one dares to, force you to do anything. We are only responsible for delivering the message."

"Level 92, 40-man scale, legendary-rank secret realm..." After listening, a glint of interest flashed in Lin Muyang's eyes. For him, a secret realm of this level meant massive amounts of experience and rich loot! Especially mythical grade equipment and skill books! He currently needed these to further improve the strength of himself and the young ladies. If he could clear this secret realm, the gains would be staggering.

"Do you have the specific coordinates and detailed information of the secret realm?" Lin Muyang asked.

Seeing that he seemed interested, Xu Ruohan felt relieved and quickly said, "Yes, Bear Country provided detailed coordinates, a partially explored map, and known skill intelligence for that gatekeeper boss. I've brought it all." She took out a specialized memory crystal.

Lin Muyang took the crystal and scanned it with his mental power, and a large amount of information flooded into his mind. The secret realm was located deep within the Siberian Tundra, in a harsh environment. The first gatekeeper boss was a massive creature known as the 'Frost Calamity Beast,' which possessed troublesome abilities like manipulating extreme cold, summoning ice storms, and freezing souls.

"Tell them I'll go to this secret realm." Lin Muyang put away the memory crystal, his tone flat but indisputable. "However, the rules remain the same. I'm used to acting alone. Have their people all withdraw and clear the entrance for me. I'll go in and handle it myself."

Xu Ruohan wasn't surprised by this answer. With the strength Lin Muyang had shown, bringing others might actually be a hindrance. She nodded. "Alright, I will inform Bear Country immediately. They'll be more than happy to cooperate. However..."

A trace of worry appeared on her beautiful face, and her tone became solemn. "Lin Muyang, I know you are strong—strong beyond common sense. But a legendary-rank team secret realm, especially one with a 40-man scale, has a difficulty that isn't just a simple addition of individual strengths. It might involve complex team coordination mechanics, environmental puzzles, or even the need to deal with attacks from multiple directions simultaneously. Are you really okay alone? Would you consider taking one or two of the girls with you? For example, Sylvie or Octavia; their support and healing abilities are very strong."

Lin Muyang saw the concern in Xu Ruohan's eyes and knew she was genuinely worried for him. He felt a warmth in his heart, but his tone remained confident. "Don't worry, Group Leader Xu. I know what I'm doing. If coordination is really needed, the partners I summon can respond at any time. For me, having too many people can sometimes be restrictive."

Seeing Lin Muyang's firm attitude, Xu Ruohan stopped trying to persuade him and only said solemnly, "Then please be extremely careful. If you need anything, contact me or the country at any time; we are your strongest backup."

"Mm, I will." Lin Muyang nodded, then looked at Xu Ruohan's travel-worn appearance and suddenly said, "By the way, Group Leader Xu, there's something I want to discuss with you."

"Hmm? What is it?" Xu Ruohan was puzzled.

"Look, as the person in charge of liaison between us, you're running from Jingdu City to my place every few days. The travel time alone is significant, and it's exhausting for you." Lin Muyang pointed to the magnificent garden around them. "I have plenty of space and empty rooms here. The magic barrier is also set up, so safety is guaranteed. Why don't you just move in? I can arrange a private courtyard for you; the environment is quiet and convenient for your cultivation. In the future, if there's anything, you can just come find me or I can find you. It'll save you from traveling back and forth and give you more time to handle other things. What do you think?"

Lin Muyang's words were purely out of practical and considerate concerns. Xu Ruohan was now essentially his exclusive liaison officer and half-housekeeper, often needing to deliver sensitive information in person that wasn't convenient to discuss over communication devices. Having her move in would improve efficiency and make her more comfortable. After all, given her current importance, the Xia Country officials would surely be happy to see this happen.

However, hearing this, Xu Ruohan was momentarily stunned. Then, her exquisite face suddenly flushed with a suspicious crimson hue, and even her ears felt hot. Her bright eyes blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering as her gaze toward Lin Muyang became a bit strange, carrying a hint of bashfulness and an indiscernible panic.

"You... what do you mean by that?" Xu Ruohan's voice lowered unconsciously, carrying a hint of coyness she didn't even notice. "What kind of... 'needs' are you referring to?"

Lin Muyang: "???"

Looking at Xu Ruohan's suddenly blushing cheeks and her subtly reproachful gaze, Lin Muyang was first dazed, then realized what was happening, feeling both amused and helpless.

"My dear Group Leader Xu, where is your mind going?" Lin Muyang touched his forehead and explained helplessly, "I mean, if you have any needs in your life—like lacking cultivation resources, daily necessities, or special requirements for your residence—you can tell me, and I'll have someone arrange it for you. If you live here, you won't have to run between Jingdu City and Zhongnan City, which will save a lot of time for official business. It's that simple!"

He deliberately emphasized the words "official business."