Nan Gong Huan couldn’t help but twitch her lips and opened her eyes. Turning her head, she saw the window being opened from the outside. Dong Yan Cuo silently flipped in and quietly closed the window behind him.

  This was the fifth floor, buddy!

  There were also dormitory mentors guarding the building. She had no idea how he managed to avoid them and climb in.

  "Cuo Cuo, this is the girls' dormitory," Nan Gong Huan sighed, rubbing her forehead. It seemed he didn’t have much of a concept of boundaries between men and women.

  "I can cultivate with Huan Huan," Dong Yan Cuo immediately scooted over to her side and sat cross-legged.

  "What about your... roommate?"

  Dong Yan Cuo replied indifferently, "I just left him in the dormitory and came to find you."

  Poor Xie Zhishang was still lying on the cold floor of the dormitory.

  It was already a mercy that he didn’t leave him lying on the grass in the cold wind, Dong Yan Cuo thought with a huff.

  "Alright, come with me," Nan Gong Huan had an idea and pulled Dong Yan Cuo into the Diming Ring space.

  The sundial on the clock tower was still slowly turning, showing the current time.

  "Let’s go to the simulation hall and practice with me," Nan Gong Huan led Dong Yan Cuo to the main hall of the castle.

  This main hall could simulate anything she imagined, and it wouldn’t cause her any harm. It was the perfect place to practice new techniques.

  Before she had built her spiritual platform, she would enter this hall through her divine sense to conduct similar simulated practices.

  And now that the clock tower was unsealed, she could also use its power to slow down time in the main hall, making the time flow half as fast as the outside world.

  "Then... is there a reward?" Dong Yan Cuo’s eyes instantly lit up, a flash of eagerness crossing his gaze.

  "Yes, yes, yes," Nan Gong Huan nodded dismissively. It was just a few sticks of candied hawthorn or snacks, no big deal.

  Thus, Dong Yan Cuo excitedly started practicing with Nan Gong Huan.

  "Don’t hold back. I want to see if I can defeat you," Nan Gong Huan’s eyes sparkled with excitement. At the same time, she wanted to test Dong Yan Cuo’s limits and see if she could get a rough idea.

  Don’t hold back? Dong Yan Cuo thought for a moment and decided against it. He didn’t want to hurt her, so he would go easy.

  Thinking this, Dong Yan Cuo concentrated, and countless ice spikes appeared behind him, sharp and menacing, raining down on Nan Gong Huan like a storm!

  Holy cow! Nan Gong Huan’s heart skipped a beat. This move was at least on par with a Fifth Spirit Life technique!

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  Nan Gong Huan steadied herself, lowering her stance. She used the first level of her time authority to slow down the ice spikes in the one-meter area in front of her. The other ice spikes whooshed past her body, carrying a chill as they crashed into the ground.

  Seizing the opportunity, Nan Gong Huan darted forward, dodging the ice spikes in front of her and closing in on Dong Yan Cuo. She clenched her fist and aimed a punch at his waist!

  Dong Yan Cuo seemed to understand her intention and stopped using magic, relying on his instincts to dodge and counter her moves. The two of them fought hand-to-hand, relying almost entirely on pure martial skills.

  It had been a long time since she had been able to unleash her martial skills so freely. A fierce light appeared in Nan Gong Huan’s eyes, a wild charm radiating from her as she smiled.

  Dong Yan Cuo, too, seemed to have some switch flipped in him. His eyes filled with excitement, and he felt a sense of regret for not having met her sooner. His silver hair, tinged with frost, floated without wind, and his tall, slender frame was both flexible and powerful, his movements smooth and fluid.

  The two of them fought with increasing intensity, and the entire castle trembled under their punches and palm strikes!

  "Girl, lower your arm a bit more, yes, yes! And Xiao Cuo, spin around and go for her neck! Well done, my disciple, you dodged it..." Elder Ling danced around on the side, passionately commentating and occasionally giving pointers.

  Bo Jing Rabbit glanced at the excited Elder Ling and snorted disdainfully. At some point, it had made a flag with the word "Cuo" on it. It waved the flag vigorously and started cheering, "Go, inheritor! Take down the little girl, knock her down! Yes, just like that, grab her hand, pin her down!"

  Seeing Bo Jing Rabbit so enthusiastic, Little Nine wasn’t about to be outdone. It also pulled out a small flag with the word "Huan" written on it and started waving it wildly.

  "Go, Master! Master is the best!"

  The two of them fought fiercely, evenly matched, until dawn, when they finally showed signs of fatigue.

  Nan Gong Huan was the first to step back, but Dong Yan Cuo closed in. Seeing her stop, he quickly withdrew his strength.

  "Master, drink some water!" Nine-Headed Dragon rushed over with a cup of water and handed it to Nan Gong Huan.

  "Well done, Little Nine," Nan Gong Huan took the cup and drank a few sips, letting out a long, comfortable sigh. She was drenched in sweat and figured it was time to take a bath and head to class.

  Bo Jing Rabbit, not wanting to be outdone, tried to hand a cup of water to Dong Yan Cuo, but his gaze was fixed on Nan Gong Huan’s neck, his eyes burning with intensity. As she swallowed, the sweat traced a delicate curve down her neck and into her collar.

  Seeing that Nan Gong Huan had only drunk half the cup, Dong Yan Cuo snatched it from her and drank the rest in one gulp.

  Bo Jing Rabbit’s eyes welled up with tears as its heart shattered once again.

  After cleaning up, Nan Gong Huan felt refreshed, and the two of them left the Diming Ring.

  "With your skills, you shouldn’t be caught, right?" As Nan Gong Huan said this, she suddenly felt something was off. Why did it feel like they were doing something wrong...

  "They won’t notice me, but Huan Huan hasn’t given me my reward yet," Dong Yan Cuo said in a low voice, full of anticipation.

  Nan Gong Huan chuckled and sent her divine sense into the Diming Ring, asking, "What do you want to eat? Candied hawthorn or fairy crisp cakes? Elder Ling just roasted some chicken legs. You can take one for the road."

  As she spoke, she took out an oil-paper-wrapped chicken leg.

  But Dong Yan Cuo didn’t immediately take it. He seemed a bit nervous, pinching his fingertips before finally gathering the courage to point at her lips and say, "I... I want this reward."

  His words were cautious, but they touched Nan Gong Huan’s heart like a gentle ripple, stirring waves of emotion.

  Nan Gong Huan’s face couldn’t help but flush, her eyes softening with a hint of spring. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Do you know what you’re saying?"

  He might not realize how dangerous his words were, or perhaps this simple guy just didn’t think that much.

  "It’s sweet, I like it... Last time, Huan Huan also tasted me, didn’t you?" Dong Yan Cuo blinked, his innocent gaze tinged with a hint of fear that she might reject him.

  Last time... Nan Gong Huan sighed and explained, "Last time was because your power went out of control, and I had no choice. You might not understand what that action represents, but you can choose to forget about it now."

  "Go on, it’s time for class. We can talk about this after class," Nan Gong Huan shoved the oil paper package into his hands and hurriedly pushed him toward the window.

  She was afraid that if she waited a few more seconds, her wildly beating heart would give her away.