Lin Ling. Even among the Dao Integration experts of the Nine Provinces and the ancient beings of the forbidden zones, her existence was unique.

Even Dao Integration experts couldn’t rewrite the rules of heaven and earth and were still bound by the Heavenly Dao.

But Lin Ling’s existence could influence the Great Dao. Every word she spoke would come true, although her word spirit ability had side effects. Some things couldn’t be spoken casually, lest it bring karmic retribution.

Words like “No lewd acts allowed here” wouldn’t have karmic consequences.

But she couldn’t use her word spirit ability to alleviate her own karmic fire because that involved causality.

Before dawn, Mu Zhian and Lin Ling arrived in Tianxuan City in the carriage.

The Mu family now dominated Tianxuan City. The Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce, having no ambitions beyond its own business, had branches in every major city of the Eastern Continent.

Near midday, Mu Zhian and Lin Ling strolled leisurely through the streets of Tianxuan City.

The carriage was too conspicuous, so they had disembarked outside the city. Spring flowers and plants rustled along the roadside, peach blossoms about to bloom, swaying in the wind. They walked across the mossy ground and entered an inn.

The inn was bustling with activity. Mu Zhian ordered a private room, and when the waiter brought tea and snacks, Lin Ling looked at them with excitement, writing in her notebook: “Are these the special pastries you mentioned?”

Mu Zhian hummed in response, smiling. “This is the first time I’ve brought a girl here for afternoon tea.”

Lin Ling looked at Mu Zhian thoughtfully, her brows relaxed, seemingly in a good mood.

This was probably also her first time in an inn.

There were similar teahouses within the Two Polarities Sect, but those were usually filled with disciples, either discussing the Dao or enjoying a leisurely chat with their Dao Companions. If she appeared there, she would attract too much attention.

Most people might not recognize the Spiritual Dragon, but ‘most’ didn’t mean ‘all.’ If her identity were discovered, it would cause a commotion.

However, there were no such concerns in Tianxuan City, as most people here were mortals. They only saw Lin Ling as a beautiful woman and wouldn’t think that one of the two Dao Integration experts of the Two Polarities Sect would come to an inn for snacks like an ordinary person.

“Is this your first time bringing someone here?” Lin Ling wrote in her notebook.

She probably thought Mu Zhian had brought many girls here for dates.

Mu Zhian nodded slightly. “I was quite innocent and socially awkward when I was in Tianxuan City, so I rarely went out, let alone bringing someone to an inn for snacks.”

From the private room, they could see the distant forest and the peach trees planted outside Tianxuan City.

The peach blossoms hadn’t bloomed yet, but the buds were also beautiful. There was also a lotus pond in the distance, and Mu Zhian saw more than one type of snow lotus within. A faint floral fragrance filled the room.

It was as if everything had been meticulously arranged, but Mu Zhian hadn’t planned on bringing Lin Ling here, let alone planting peach trees or creating a lotus pond.

Lin Ling looked out the window, then turned to Mu Zhian and showed him her notebook: “This place is no worse than the Pilgrimage Palace.”

Mu Zhian smiled and nodded. “Since every word you speak comes true, does your word spirit ability also work on you?”

“Some of them do, but most don’t,” Lin Ling wrote in her notebook, sounding disappointed.

“But most word spirit abilities directed at you will take effect,” she said, looking at Mu Zhian with her bright red eyes.

Mu Zhian’s interest piqued. “For example?”

“Mu Zhian is not allowed to lie,” Lin Ling suddenly said.

Mu Zhian was stunned, then heard her ask, “Is this your first time bringing a girl out?”

Mu Zhian was about to shake his head and deny it when he felt an invisible force changing his thoughts, and he instinctively answered, “I often brought girls out when I was in Tianxuan City—”

Lin Ling nodded, then hesitated and wrote in her notebook: “Did you… do ‘that’ with them?”

Where did she learn such a modern term? Did Sect Master Lin teach her…? Mu Zhian was about to deny it, but he instinctively answered truthfully, “Yes, but rarely.”

Almost instantly.

Lin Ling blinked her red eyes, looking at him silently.

Mu Zhian rubbed his forehead, speechless. “Your word spirit ability isn’t meant to be used like this.”

Fortunately, she had asked about ‘that’ and not ‘intimacy.’ He had… done ‘that’ with girls a few times, but he had been intimate with them much more often… These were two different concepts.

Lin Ling seemed disappointed and wrote in her notebook: “This is my first time here with you, but you’ve been here many times with others.”

Mu Zhian was silent for a moment, then pushed the pastries on his table towards Lin Ling.

Lin Ling’s eyes flickered, but she turned her head away, refusing to be swayed.

However, she subconsciously gulped.

She held up her notebook: Don’t try to bribe me.

Mu Zhian picked up a pastry and offered it to her. “It’s not a bribe. I just want you to have some snacks.”

The tempting aroma seemed irresistible, and Lin Ling glanced at Mu Zhian, then took the pastry and happily nibbled on it.

Mu Zhian watched the adorable Spiritual Dragon, and just as she finished and reached for another pastry, he gently placed his hand on hers.

The silver-haired beauty looked up, blinking her red eyes, puzzled. “Aaa?”

“Was it good?” Mu Zhian asked.

“Aaa,” she nodded in satisfaction, completely forgetting their previous conversation.

Among the girls Mu Zhian knew, Lin Ling was probably the easiest to please. Just some snacks were enough to cheer her up.

Mu Zhian looked into her beautiful red eyes. “Although I’ve been to this inn with other girls before, this is the first time I’ve enjoyed this view with someone.”

“Aaa?”

Lin Ling tilted her head, then looked at Mu Zhian’s sincere eyes, his gentle voice echoing in her ears. For some reason, she felt a warmth spreading through her body, her heart racing.

She had never felt this way since reaching Dao Integration.

She averted her gaze, her eyes downcast, the pastry in her hand no longer appealing, her cheeks slightly flushed. She instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but Mu Zhian held on tighter.

Mu Zhian took her hand and they left the inn, strolling through the streets of Tianxuan City. Before dusk, he took Lin Ling back to the Mu family to visit Old Man Ren, the guest elder.

“I didn’t expect you to bring such a beautiful girl back to the Mu family. You’ve grown up, Young Master,” the old man said, stroking his beard and looking at the girl beside Mu Zhian with a satisfied expression.

“She’s a disciple from my sect, still at the Qi Condensation realm. I’ll have to ask for your guidance in the future, Old Man Ren.”

The old man smiled and nodded.

“I’ll take her for a walk outside and come back to visit you later,” Mu Zhian said.

Old Man Ren nodded slightly and watched them leave, sighing inwardly.

I didn’t expect Young Master to find such a beautiful girl, almost as beautiful as Miss Bai.

It’s just that her talent isn’t as good as that talented girl Young Master found before.

…

“Did you enjoy yourself today?” Mu Zhian asked as they left the Mu family’s estate.

Lin Ling nodded like a little chick, making an “Aaa” sound to express her approval.

Mu Zhian smiled in satisfaction.

Being with the adorable Spiritual Dragon always gave him a sense of accomplishment.

Although she was a Dao Integration expert, she had never experienced anything like this, so even having snacks at an inn was a novel experience, making her as excited as a little girl.

This was something no other girl in Mu Zhian’s ‘pond’ could offer him.

No wonder Sect Master Lin sent Sister Lin Ling to me… Mu Zhian suddenly understood.

Shang Yanfei probably had the same thoughts as him.

Lin Ling had endured the burning karmic fire in her pocket dimension for too long. Now that she was finally free, neither he nor the Sect Master wanted her to return to that place and suppress the karmic fire for another thousand years.

Shang Yanfei must have sent Lin Ling to him for this reason.

Looking at the silver-haired beauty, who seemed to be enjoying their date, Mu Zhian suddenly sighed softly. “Unfortunately, after today, I won’t be able to enjoy such delicious snacks and beautiful scenery with you, Sister Lin Ling.”

“In a thousand years, I’ll probably be just dust.”

Lin Ling’s heart trembled, and she looked at Mu Zhian instinctively.

“A thousand years is just a blink of an eye for a cultivator. You won’t die so soon,” she quickly wrote in her notebook.

Clearly, she was worried.

But Mu Zhian continued his melancholic act, sighing. “I only hope that when you emerge from seclusion a thousand years later, Sister Lin Ling, you’ll still remember that spring day when a young cultivator enjoyed the blooming flowers of Tianxuan City with you. Then, I’ll have no regrets.”

Lin Ling put down the candied hawthorn in her hand and wrote in her notebook: “I’ll give you an Emperor-grade herb. After refining it, you’ll definitely still be at the sect when I come out.”

“Thank you, but I don’t need it,” Mu Zhian chuckled.

He stroked Lin Ling’s hair, thinking that although she was a Dao Integration expert, her experience was probably far less than his, a young cultivator less than twenty years old. If it weren’t for Sect Master Lin, he wouldn’t be at ease.

Lin Ling could sense good and bad intentions, but she disliked conflict, which made her ill-suited for the scheming world of the Nine Provinces.

“It’s getting late. I’ll take you back to the sect,” Mu Zhian said softly.

Lin Ling paused, glancing out the window and realizing it was dusk.

She looked up at Mu Zhian, as if trying to memorize his appearance.

…

“Do you have any other unfulfilled wishes?” Mu Zhian suddenly asked as they walked down the street under the setting sun.

She shook her head gently and whispered, “Aaa.”

“Do you want me to take you back?” Mu Zhian asked again.

Lin Ling held up her notebook: I can go back faster on my own.

She peeked at Mu Zhian like a kitten, not wanting him to try to keep her, yet hoping he would say something. But Mu Zhian didn’t move, just stared at her, as if seeing her off.

As the sun gradually set, the light in Lin Ling’s bright red eyes seemed to dim.

Mu Zhian remained silent, looking at her, his heart filled with complex emotions.

This Spiritual Dragon had taken care of him when his Innate Celestial Furnace hadn’t even evolved.

She had even been willing to confront the Southern Wilderness for him when he ‘died’ in the Jade Pool Holy Land.

Now, considering his difficulties, she didn’t want to trouble him and planned to return to her pocket dimension to suppress the karmic fire herself.

“Such an innocent girl… if I wanted to, I could probably trick her into bed a hundred times…” Mu Zhian sighed inwardly.

He watched as Lin Ling walked towards the city gates of Tianxuan City, glancing back at him several times, as if hoping for something.

She walked further and further away, until finally, the light in her eyes dimmed completely.

Lin Ling opened her mouth, about to speak.

Suddenly, a pair of hands grasped hers from behind.

Lin Ling paused, about to turn around, when she heard a gentle voice, “If you don’t want to go into seclusion, I can help you.”

“I don’t want to wait a thousand years to see you again. I want to see you every day, Sister Lin Ling.”

Lin Ling’s heart trembled. The setting sun’s light was fading, but her red eyes gradually brightened.

After a long silence, she slowly turned around, her eyes filled with hope. She whispered, “Won’t that cause trouble for you?”

She could speak, but her words also carried the power of the Great Dao, so she rarely did.

“No, but the decision is yours,” Mu Zhian said, looking at Lin Ling intently.

If Lin Ling decided to return to her pocket dimension, he would respect her decision.

“As for me…” Mu Zhian shrugged. “I already have enough troubles. One more won’t make a difference.”

The setting sun painted the clouds red. She carefully observed Mu Zhian’s expression, then slowly reached out to him.

Finally, as the sun completely set and darkness fell, she wrapped her arms around Mu Zhian’s neck.

Her soft body and familiar fragrance made Mu Zhian breathe a sigh of relief.

He embraced her small, soft body and whispered, “I thought you were really leaving.”

“Will you be lonely if I leave?” Lin Ling tilted her head, looking at him, her face so close that their noses almost touched.

Mu Zhian imitated her voice and made an “Aaa” sound.

“Of course I’ll be lonely.”

“So I’ll do everything I can to help you,” Mu Zhian said seriously.

Lin Ling, like a happy little girl, made a joyful “Aaa” sound in his arms.

Then, a faint blush colored her cheeks, and she looked up at him with moist, shy eyes, whispering,

“Then… can you help me suppress the karmic fire?”

…

…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay