64: God's Grace Fruit Salad

The air, at this instant, seemed to solidify.

Lin Mo was momentarily stunned.

He could clearly feel the soft, warm touch of her lips still lingering, a touch that had been there for only a split second.

A reward?

He could sense her deepening affection, and he could also feel his own unconscious closeness to her.

But he had never expected that this girl, who always disguised herself with a sharp tongue and indifference, would act so uncharacteristically direct.

Gu Zhixia's cheeks were as red as the burning evening clouds in the sky.

She herself didn't know what she had just done.

It didn't seem to be a command from her brain, but an uncontrollable impulse stemming from the depths of her soul.

She saw Lin Mo's face, filled with shock and bewilderment, and her heart felt as if it was being squeezed by an invisible hand; even breathing became difficult.

It's over.

She thought.

There was no way to explain it now.

She stiffly turned her head away, not daring to look into Lin Mo's eyes again, her gaze aimlessly drifting towards the distant sea surface, which was dyed golden by the sunset, trying to hide her rapidly beating heart with her usual coldness.

Just as the atmosphere was so awkward it was almost suffocating.

With a "bang"!

The door of the lounge was suddenly pushed open.

"Brother Mo! Sister!"

Gu Nianqiu's vibrant voice, like a clap of thunder, broke through the dead silence.

She held a fruit that glowed with a soft golden light, as if showing off her most precious treasure, her small face full of excitement and pride.

"I know how to make that golden fruit taste the best!"

"Come with me quickly!"

The girl was completely oblivious to the strange atmosphere on the deck; she grabbed Lin Mo's arm with one hand and tugged at Gu Zhixia with the other, her steps light as she headed for the kitchen.

Gu Zhixia clutched at this lifeline; the stiffness in her body instantly vanished, and she almost fled, following her sister's footsteps, not daring to look back at Lin Mo the entire time.

Lin Mo watched her slightly flustered back, the shock in his heart caused by the sudden situation gradually replaced by a hint of helpless amusement.

He followed the two sisters into the kitchen.

The warm light and the aroma of food instantly dispelled the enchanting yet awkward atmosphere from outside.

Here was Gu Nianqiu's absolute domain.

The girl, dressed in a cute Lolita dress, now looked as focused as a priest about to perform a sacred ritual.

She first carefully placed the fruit of the world tree on the brand-new alloy countertop.

The fruit wasn't large, yet it seemed to be a miniature light source itself, flowing with a liquid gold-like luster, its surface adorned with profound and intricate patterns resembling tree rings.

Just looking at it made one feel a pure energy full of Life.

Gu Nianqiu took a deep breath and, from a specially designed knife rack, took out a crystal knife as thin as a cicada's wing.

This was a utensil from the [Intermediate Kitchen], specifically for processing high-grade ingredients.

Her movements were gentle and precise; the crystal blade sliced through the peel without a sound, and the golden fruit was cut open.

An indescribably sweet and sacred aroma instantly filled the entire kitchen.

The aroma seemed to possess Life, entering the nasal cavity and invigorating one's spirit, as if the fatigue of days had been washed away.

The flesh was translucent gold, like the finest beeswax, and within it, one could even see tiny, starlight-like energy particles slowly flowing.

Even if consumed directly, this fruit could provide a terrifying +5 to all attributes for the consumer.

But Gu Nianqiu clearly had a grander plan.

She placed the diced golden fruit into a large crystal bowl, and then, as if by magic, she took out a series of rare fruits radiating various colored halos from the ingredient storage cabinet.

The [Strength Fruit], entirely fiery red, radiating a scorching aura.

The [Agility Fruit], like a green vortex, with faint air currents swirling around its surface.

The [Endurance Fruit], as heavy as the earth, exhibiting a rocky texture.

And the [Spirit Fruit], as deep as the night sky, shimmering with tiny specks of starlight.

These were all picked from that tree earlier.

Now, Gu Nianqiu, without a hint of regret, processed them one by one, cutting them into evenly sized small pieces and adding them to the crystal bowl.

The colorful fruit pieces piled together, each emitting a different energy halo.

Gu Nianqiu picked up a silver, long-handled spoon and began to stir gently.

A miracle occurred.

The different colored fruit pieces did not become cloudy upon contact.

Their juices mingled together, and far from repelling each other, they seemed to find a perfect home, transforming into streaks of brilliant flowing light that swirled and chased each other in the crystal bowl.

Red, green, yellow, purple, gold.

The five divine lights shimmered in harmony, finally merging into an indescribable, brilliant color, like a nascent nebula.

The entire crystal bowl seemed to hold a handful of crushed galaxies.

The rich aroma was no longer a mere olfactory experience, but an energy fluctuation that directly acted upon the soul, making Lin Mo and Gu Zhixia, who stood by, feel their bodies emit joyful, yearning moans.

Finally, Gu Nianqiu picked up a bottle of thick, honey-like juice, brewed from the fruit of the Tree of Wisdom, and slowly poured it along the rim of the bowl.

Sizzle—

A soft sound.

The brilliant nebula in the bowl instantly burst into a great light!

A surging Life energy erupted with a roar!

"It's done!"

Gu Nianqiu raised the crystal bowl in her hands, her face beaming with a brilliant smile of triumph.

"I call it the 'Divine Grace Hundred Fruit Salad'!

She carefully carried this dish, which was enough to move even gods, to the dining table, and then looked at Lin Mo with wide eyes full of anticipation.

"Brother Mo, quickly try it!"

Lin Mo picked up a spoon and scooped a small piece of golden fruit, enveloped in a brilliant halo.

He put it in his mouth.

Boom—!!!

An indescribable, ultimate deliciousness, like the Big Bang, exploded on his taste buds!

It wasn't just sweetness, nor any known flavor.

It was a pure, warm torrent of energy that slid down his throat, instantly surging through all his limbs and bones!

He could feel every cell in his body cheering, every muscle fiber greedily absorbing this sacred energy.

The fatigue in his body was swept away, the mental barriers were violently broken, and even his soul seemed to have undergone an sublimation!

A dazzling system prompt popped up before his eyes!

[You have consumed the Epic-grade dish 'Divine Grace Hundred Fruit Salad', all attributes permanently +15!]