8: Chapter 8 The School Beauty's Team Invitation

Fortunately, the journey after getting off the taxi, which had been such an ordeal for Lilia, wasn't too long—only about ten minutes.

If it had been any longer... this noble Elf Princess might have truly suffered an even greater misfortune.

Even so, Lilia's face remained pale at this moment. Her originally agile blue eyes appeared somewhat dim, and her delicate body could only barely stand steady with Lin Muyang's support, her brow etched with obvious fatigue and discomfort.

"Hang in there, let's get to the side of the road first." Lin Muyang supported her, slowly walking to the edge of the sidewalk so she could lean slightly against a roadside tree to rest.

Seeing Lilia in such a miserable state, Lin Muyang felt somewhat helpless. He concentrated his mind once more, searching carefully within the sea of his Supreme Halo. While combat-type Auras were powerful, they seemed to have no effect on this kind of physiological discomfort.

"Found it!" Hard work paid off; he finally found a halo that looked like it might treat the symptoms in a subcategory labeled [Auxiliary Buffs]—Soothing Power.

[Soothing Power (God-Tier Aura)]: Once activated, eliminates physical and mental discomfort caused by non-combat factors (such as illness, dizziness, poisoning, mental anxiety, etc.) for you and your summoned creatures. (Note: This Aura cannot clear negative status effects caused by skills, attacks, or curses.)

"This is it!" Lin Muyang's eyes lit up. He had tried activating Auras like [Holy Purification] while in the car, but it was completely ineffective against motion sickness. It seemed he needed an Aura specifically targeting life-related discomfort.

He no longer hesitated and immediately chose to activate Soothing Power!

A soft and warm, pale white light, like the gentle sunshine of early spring, quietly descended, lightly enveloping Lin Muyang and Lilia.

This light seemed to carry a peculiar soothing energy that permeated every bone and limb. Lin Muyang felt his spirits lift, but Lilia's sensation was even more pronounced!

The nausea that had been lingering in her chest and the dizziness in her head quickly receded, like snow melting under warm sunlight. Her pale complexion returned to a rosy hue at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the feeling of weakness was replaced by a warm current. It was as if her entire being had come back to life.

In less than three seconds, the Elf Princess, who had been sickly just a moment ago, stood tall again. She moved her limbs in surprise, feeling better than she ever had before.

"Just now... was it you who did something?" Lilia raised her clear eyes, looking at Lin Muyang with an undisguised sense of wonder. This ability to instantaneously dispel discomfort was considered a high-level healing spell even among the elven magic she was familiar with.

"You're the partner I summoned; I can't just stand by and watch you suffer without doing anything, can I?" Lin Muyang smiled, his tone casual, as if he had only performed a trivial task.

These words gave Lilia a slight start, and a warm current quietly flowed through her heart.

It seemed this seemingly detestable human master wasn't entirely cold and heartless; at least he cared about her condition. Moreover, his ability to solve a problem that even she was helpless against with just a flick of his hand made her feel he was quite miraculous.

Of course, as a noble Elf Princess, this small bit of touched emotion would absolutely not be easily shown on her face! She merely gave a soft "Hmph" and turned her head away, though the wariness in her eyes seemed to decrease by a fraction.

"Let's go, we need to head inside and find a suitable Dungeon." Lin Muyang didn't mind her little tsundere act and turned to look at their destination not far away.

In front of the two of them stood a striking, giant notice board:

[Zhongnan City, City South Secret Realm Area (Levels 1-10)]

[Precautions: Monsters within the zone are dangerous; please act according to your strength! It is recommended to enter in a party of three or more!]

Behind the notice board was a towering, seemingly endless giant metal wall! The wall was over twenty meters high, cast entirely from a dark gray special alloy that shimmered with a cold luster under the sun, its surface covered in various reinforcing structures and energy patterns.

This magnificent barrier completely isolated a special area covering dozens of square kilometers—where Secret Realms and Dungeons refreshed periodically—from the bustling inner city, forming the first solid line of defense for the city's safety.

In front of a grand metal gate over ten meters high that required mechanical power to open, hundreds of new Class Transferees had already gathered. The air was filled with the clamor of voices, making it exceptionally lively.

These young people, who had just obtained power, mostly wore expressions of excitement, nervousness, and anticipation. They gathered in groups of three to five, shouting loudly to find teammates:

"Strong Warrior seeking party! We're ready to go once we get a healer!"

"One Mage and one Assassin, looking for a tanky daddy who can take hits!"

"Priest sister, look over here! Our team has DPS and a tank; we're just missing you!"

"A-rank Talent Archer, seeking a stable party for long-term cooperation!"

There were also some who had already formed their parties, checking their equipment and supplies, preparing to enter the gate directly to begin their first adventure.

When Lin Muyang led Lilia through the crowd toward the entrance, their combination instantly attracted a massive amount of attention.

Especially Lilia's stunning beauty, non-human pointed ears, and flowing silver hair; she was as dazzling as a pearl in the dark night amidst the crowd.

"Look! It's Lin Muyang! From our school! I heard he changed classes to a Summoner, and his constitution is called something like 'Friend of Beautiful Girls'?"

"Holy crap! The one next to him... is an Elf? For real? So pretty?"

"My god, his first summoned creature is actually an Elf girl? This luck is way too insane!"

"She looks pleasing to the eye, but I wonder how her strength is? She couldn't just be a pretty vase, could she?"

"A vase? Even if she is a vase, with one of such high quality, I'd be willing to take her with me every day! I'm crying from envy!"

There were plenty of students from First High School in the crowd who recognized Lin Muyang, and discussions rose one after another.

A moment later, a tall, sturdy youth with dark skin, holding a heavy metal shield, squeezed through the crowd and came before Lin Muyang. He was Lin Muyang's classmate, named Zhao Gang, who had transferred to the defense-type Shield Warrior class.

"Muyang, not bad! Summoning such a beautiful Elf without a word!" Zhao Gang laughed heartily, his gaze lingering on Lilia for a moment as he judged based on his professional knowledge, "Looking at this outfit and staff... your Elf partner is a Priest, right?"

He scratched his head and extended an invitation: "Our party just happens to be missing a healer; we have DPS and a tank. How about it, want to party up? We're all acquaintances, so it'll be easier to coordinate."

Lin Muyang looked at Zhao Gang, then glanced at Lilia, who seemed a bit constrained by everyone's gaze and subconsciously hid behind him. He smiled and shook his head:

"Thanks, Gangzi. But I'll pass on the party for now." He made an excuse, "She just arrived and is still a bit unfamiliar with the environment, and she's quite shy. I plan to take her inside for a couple of laps first to get used to the rhythm of combat."

"I see... alright then." A look of regret appeared on Zhao Gang's face. In the rookie stage, a reliable Priest was truly in high demand. He sighed, "Then be careful. If you change your mind, look for me anytime."

Just then, another figure walked over. This was a girl who wasn't very tall and had a slightly chubby build, but her eyes were very bright. She carried a heavy-looking battle-axe on her back, clearly a power-type class.

She walked straight up to Lin Muyang, sized him up, then focused her gaze on Lilia behind him, her tone carrying a hint of entitlement: "Hey, you're Lin Muyang, right? Our party is currently missing a healer; bring your Elf and party up with us."

She paused, and as if to increase the appeal, added: "I'm an A-rank Talent Berserker; my attack power is absolutely guaranteed. Plus, our captain is Shen Muyao. Being allowed to join is practically a bargain for you."

"Shen Muyao?" Lin Muyang was somewhat surprised. This was the recognized school beauty of First High School. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but her family background also seemed extraordinary. Moreover, she had a cold personality and was the goddess in the hearts of countless boys.

He looked in the direction the girl pointed and indeed saw a young woman standing quietly at the edge of the crowd not far away.

She wore a well-tailored ice-blue mage dress that outlined her graceful and moving figure. Her ink-like black hair fell smoothly to her waist, her skin was as white as snow, and her features were as exquisite as if carved from ice and snow. She held a staff embedded with a blue gemstone, and her entire being seemed to be surrounded by a cold Aura that warned others not to approach. This was Shen Muyao, who had transferred to the rare class, Frost Mage.

As if sensing Lin Muyang's gaze, Shen Muyao also turned her head to look over. To everyone's surprise, on her usually cold face, she actually revealed a faint but friendly smile toward Lin Muyang and nodded slightly to him.

This smile was like the thawing of an icy river or the return of spring to the earth. In an instant, it made the boys around who had been secretly watching her stare blankly, their hearts screaming wildly!

"My god! The ice mountain goddess Shen Muyao... she actually smiled?"

"And she smiled at that Summoner? Am I seeing things?"

"She actually took the initiative to invite Lin Muyang to her party? What kind of treatment is this?!"

Countless envious, jealous, and disbelieving gazes instantly focused on Lin Muyang. Simultaneously possessing an Elf summon and gaining the favor of the ice mountain goddess—this was practically the template for a winner in life!

However, what made everyone's jaws drop was...

Lin Muyang looked at Shen Muyao from a distance and shook his head politely but firmly.

Then, he said calmly to the slightly chubby girl in front of him, "Sorry, thank Classmate Shen for her kindness for me. However, we have no plans to join a party for the time being."

"Huh?"

The expression on the girl's face instantly froze, her eyes widening into circles, as if she had heard something utterly fantastical.

He... he actually refused?

Refused Shen Muyao's personal invitation?!