Chapter 21: Toying with Ling Yao

"Eh..."

Lu Fan opened his heavy eyelids, the sudden light stinging his eyes. The surroundings were misty with water, steam rising, and he couldn't see clearly at all.

"Where am I?"

He was slightly stunned, scanning his surroundings, only to realize he was sitting in a large bathtub filled with healing medicinal liquid.

"Splash, splash!" There was the sound of flowing water, and there was even a faint, fragrant scent—it seemed someone was bathing.

Lu Fan was bewildered. Following the sound, through the hazy water mist, a graceful figure appeared before his eyes.

Skin like snow, eyebrows like a painting, a thousand kinds of charm, ten thousand kinds of gentleness—all contained in this graceful figure.

What was even more unbelievable was that this figure was only wrapped in a blanket, covering her full chest and revealing long, straight, jade-like legs.

"Little brat, do I look good?" Ling Yao looked gentle, her bright eyes like a pool of autumn water, full of charm, as she slowly leaned toward Lu Fan.

Lu Fan was slightly stunned. A slight glance made his blood surge uncontrollably.

But he was a person of what kind of status? He immediately understood.

This Ling Yao was clearly toying with him, and her audacity was not small.

*Hmph, hmph, it seems Yue Ruxue didn't teach you well! I'd like to see who is toying with whom? *

With this thought, he pretended to be panicked, like a young boy who hadn't experienced the world, and screamed:

"Don't come over, I'm a man of principle!"

Although he said that, one hand had already reached out, feeling a softness, filling his grasp.

"Ah!" With a scream, Ling Yao was clearly stunned by Lu Fan's sudden action.

She hadn't expected this teenager, only ten-something years old, to be so bold.

Then her expression changed, filled with cold malice, and her Martial King aura suddenly appeared.

"Heaven Star Palm!"

She shouted in anger, furious to the extreme, clearly not holding back at all.

As soon as she struck, she regretted it. If Lu Fan were beaten to death by her, how would she explain it to the teacher?

Just at this moment, Lu Fan waved his palm, suddenly slapping the water in the tub. With a flip, it rolled out, turning into heavy waves of water that blocked in front of him.

"Slap, slap, slap!" A series of continuous palm-striking sounds boomed, splashing water mist into the sky like a water curtain, separating the two.

Lu Fan leaped out, only then putting on his clothes.

The water curtain fell, and Ling Yao looked shocked, unable to believe it.

Lu Fan had actually blocked her attack. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed that a Martial Warrior brat could block her full-strength attack as a Martial King.

Lu Fan smiled faintly, clearly seeing through her thoughts, and said nonchalantly: "The Heaven Star Palm's power is like a mountain, its momentum like a meteor. This palm of yours looks infinitely powerful, wave after wave, but in fact, it's inferior—truly shameful!"

Ling Yao was slightly stunned. This little brat was actually lecturing her, but these words made some sense—compared to what the teacher taught her back then, it seemed more transparent, reaching the ultimate truth of heaven and earth.

She was both angry and furious, and a bit shy, her face flushed, making her look even more charming.

Lu Fan shook his head slightly, looking as if he were wondering how he had ended up with such a grand-disciple and didn't know how to guide her!

He sighed and stopped paying attention to her strangeness, then asked about what had happened after he passed out.

Ling Yao clearly hadn't recovered yet. She had suffered a big loss in that scene just now.

Toyed with, then toyed back by Lu Fan, and with the later words, she could only answer honestly, though unwillingly.

It turned out that after he passed out, Li Qingshan wanted to make trouble again, trying to snatch the art refining crystal furnace and take him away.

Ling Yao didn't agree, directly taking Lu Fan away and returning to her residence to heal him. Three full days had passed before Lu Fan woke up.

"Follow me!"

Lu Fan followed Ling Yao into a secret room. A slight glance showed the art refining crystal furnace currently floating on an array, rotating slowly.

He was slightly stunned, then looked at Ling Yao again, remembering that he had once taught Yue Ruxue the Rune Dao, and she must have passed it on to Ling Yao.

That was why Ling Yao was able to break the restriction he had placed on the crystal furnace and operate it.

"Hmph! Little brat, when Yue Ruxue taught you this seal technique, didn't she tell you that she also taught me?"

Ling Yao looked at Lu Fan's thoughtful expression, slightly proud. She thought that she knew those seal techniques by heart and that they couldn't stump her.

"Ahem..." Ling Yao clearly regarded herself as another disciple of Yue Ruxue.

Lu Fan didn't care, asking slowly: "Yao girl... Instructor, when Yue Ruxue passed this seal technique to you back then, did she say anything?"

"Say anything? That old woman has always been arrogant, nothing more than how amazing this seal technique is, and she seemed to mention..."

When Ling Yao spoke of Yue Ruxue, she had both longing and a slight resentment—clearly, it wasn't as simple as a master-disciple relationship.

She stopped there, her expression changing, and she said coldly: "Are you testing me?"

Lu Fan was slightly surprised, looking as if he had been found out. In his heart, he thought, *This little grand-disciple doesn't respect her master enough. *

He couldn't help but put on an air and lectured: "Yue Ruxue has eternal youth, how is she an old woman!"

He looked at the crystal furnace again, sniffed lightly, and smiled: "Cardamom flowers, rouge grass—you're refining beauty pills! This refining method is problematic; do you want me to guide you a bit?"

Ling Yao frowned, looking very displeased. Lu Fan was so arrogant; having luckily blocked one of her moves, he was actually so presumptuous—it was truly laughable.

"Hmph! Just based on you, you want to guide me? You didn't have your brain knocked out and broken, did you?"

Lu Fan frowned. The Martial Kings and Martial Emperors who had begged him for guidance in his past life could circle Yuyang City twice holding hands.

A mere Martial King dared to be so arrogant—this Yue Ruxue's disciple really wasn't taught well!

"Your Martial Dao is mediocre, that's fine; considering your age, if you work hard in the future, you can still be saved."

"It's just that your Rune Dao is so poor; Yue Ruxue is truly outrageous, she's making me angry!" Ye Fei shook his head, his tone rising and falling, and after speaking, he even straightened his face.

Hearing this, Ling Yao frowned, feeling puzzled. This kid must have a broken brain, even his speech was so old-fashioned.

"Little brat, I ask you, what is your relationship with Yue Ruxue?"

"Little brat? How can you be so disrespectful!" Lu Fan raised his eyebrows and was about to scold the other party, but then remembered his current appearance and couldn't help but change his words, "I am Lu Fan; you can call me Young Master Lu from now on!"

"Young Master Lu?" Ling Yao's pretty face turned cold, and she raised her palm ambiguously, wanting to use that Heaven Star Palm again, thinking, *This time without external objects, I'll see how you block it. *

Lu Fan didn't even frown. Just kidding, if he were scared by his own grand-disciple, he would probably be mocked by Yue Ruxue for a lifetime even after he recovered his cultivation.

But the current situation wasn't a solution either. With his identity here, he really couldn't show the majesty of a grand-master, so he said:

"You call your own master by her name, our relationship..." Lu Fan really couldn't figure out his relationship with Ling Yao. From Yue Ruxue's side, it was grand-master and grand-disciple; from the Academy's side, it was teacher and student.

"Hmph! I don't care what your background is; under my command, you must be honest, otherwise..."

A murderous gaze was cast over, leaving Lu Fan speechless, thinking: *I wasn't honest just now, and you couldn't do anything to me. *

"You'd better be sensible. Don't speak of today's events, otherwise, I'll make you look good!"

Ling Yao frowned, seeming to remember the shameful scene from before, her face flushed.

Lu Fan was speechless again upon hearing this.

Just as he was about to put away the art refining crystal furnace, a solid gaze suddenly fixed on his back. A Martial King's aura pressed down, and he was actually restrained by the other party.

"Fine! I was planning to enlighten her; her Rune Dao is too poor. I'll wait until the pills are refined."

He used his strength to break the restraint, took his Universe Bag, and was about to leave.

"Lu Fan, didn't you want me to guide you? Come with me to the Martial Refining Hall!" Ling Yao saw Lu Fan break her restraint for no reason, and her surprise grew.

Having blocked her palm for no reason earlier and speaking so exquisitely.

Connecting it to the current situation, Ling Yao was amazed. For a moment, she couldn't figure it out, thinking: *I'll keep you by my side first; I have plenty of ways to deal with you. *

"Martial Refining Hall, it seems to be on the upper level of the Wulian Tower. The cultivation conditions should be good; I'll go take a look!" Lu Fan whispered to himself, completely ignoring Ling Yao's words about "guidance."

The Martial Refining Hall occupied the entire second floor of the Wulian Tower. As soon as Lu Fan walked in, a hundred times gravity pressed down on him, his body heavy, and even breathing became difficult. But the Origin Qi around was also exceptionally abundant, actually ten times that of the outside.

Ling Yao swayed her figure, twisting and turning, walking as if on flat ground. Her slender waist, which could be held in one hand, wasn't broken by the hundred times gravity—truly worthy of being a Martial King.

People around looked over, and upon seeing Ling Yao, they all fell silent, their gazes respectful. They didn't dare to look more than once, afraid of being noticed.

However, when it came to Lu Fan, things became strange.

One by one, they were ill-intentioned, and a few had particularly lewd gazes, bold enough to secretly look at Ling Yao and Lu Fan, both envious and jealous.

"Hey! It really is you!" A cheerful and lively voice reached Lu Fan's ears—it was none other than Xiao Ling'er.

"So your name is Lu Fan, mysterious, but I found out after all!" Xiao Ling'er jumped over, pulled Lu Fan toward a seat on the side.

Ye Fei was slightly stunned, then surprised, "How can you be here..." He himself was panting; this Xiao Ling'er's strength was much weaker than his, yet she wasn't affected at all!

"Hee hee! Look!" Xiao Ling'er proudly raised her wrist, a bracelet made of several beads radiating rich Earth Origin Qi protecting her body.

Lu Fan finally understood and was slightly enlightened.

"Xiao Ling'er! Why are you chattering, what kind of decorum is this!"

Ling Yao looked angry and scolded directly, "If it weren't for the Dean's plea, I wouldn't have accepted you; you must strive for success yourself!"

Xiao Ling'er pouted, turning her face away angrily. Lu Fan found it funny—big and small beauties competing for glory; this Martial Refining Hall was quite good!

"Lu Fan, your foundation is not bad, although your cultivation is a bit poor, as long as you cultivate diligently, you can still reach the average level of our Martial Refining Hall. Don't be led astray!"

Ling Yao's gaze was cast over, but Lu Fan looked nonchalant. Clearly, the hundred times gravity around him was a huge burden, yet he had a lazy expression, as if he were enjoying it.

People around looked over, some curious, some hostile, and some with deep hatred.

Wang Wu's entire gaze was fixed on Ye Fei. She hadn't believed the rumors about Lu Fan a few days ago. Now it seemed that what was said might not be false.

"Instructor Ling, the disciple heard that Lu Fan is proficient in the Rune Dao and has even fought with the Great Rune Master Li Qingshan. The disciple is untalented and wants to ask Lu Fan for advice—Martial Dao or Rune Dao, which one is the true orthodoxy of the world!"

As he spoke, a figure stood out, elegant and extraordinary—it was the famous Nie Xing in the Academy.

The eyes of everyone in the hall changed, all of them wonderful, looking at Ye Fei's direction and laughing lightly.

Xiao Ling'er pulled Ye Fei's sleeve and whispered, "Lu Fan, this Nie Xing is rotten to the core, don't spar with him!"

Lu Fan's expression was calm, and he looked at Nie Xing very casually, then lost interest.

Just at the middle Tendon Refining Realm, yet daring to be arrogant in front of him—it was truly the ignorance of the fearless. He naturally didn't take the words of a little brat to heart.

"Ask for advice on the Rune Dao? You can't even handle the Martial Dao, yet you want to ask for advice on the Rune Dao?" Ling Yao looked cold, her aura filling the hall.

The people who had wanted to watch the show a moment ago all withdrew their gazes, watching their noses and hearts. They were afraid of angering Ling Yao and bringing disaster upon themselves.

Nie Xing didn't dare to say anything more, withdrew his gaze, stared heavily at Lu Fan, and then sat down.

"Hmph! You little brats, you really don't let people worry. Outside, they say you are the pride of heaven, but I see you as a bunch of wastes!" Ling Yao snorted coldly and began to reprimand them.

"In the whole class, apart from the two newcomers, twenty-eight Martial Masters are all marking time."

"Nie Xing, Wang Wu, Ling Xiao, you three were originally the models of our Martial Refining Hall, yet in half a year, you haven't made any progress, stuck at the middle Tendon Refining Realm."

"Others are not even worth mentioning, all hovering at the early stage..."

People around lowered their gazes, clearly feeling embarrassed.

"Hmph! Starting today, special training, third floor of the Wulian Tower. Lu Fan, Xiao Ling'er, you two come too!" ===== CHAPTER 22 =====