Opening True Space, Dragon God's Minor Plane!

The night deepened, and moonlight spilled over the two people embracing.

Lin Yuan looked down at Gu Yue Na, who was docile in his arms, his violet eyes filled with an unyielding tenderness. "Sister Nana, I've actually wanted to do this for a long time, ever since I started thinking about you every day back at the academy."

Gu Yue Na buried her face in Lin Yuan's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. A subtle smile played on her lips. "I remember when there were other girls bothering you at the academy? I also heard you were quite popular at the human academy." Her tone carried a hint of undetectable jealousy as she lightly poked his side.

Lin Yuan chuckled, catching her mischievous hand and bringing it to his lips for a kiss. "What other girls? Just a bunch of little fans clamoring for autographs. Besides, my heart only has room for Sister Nana. How could anyone else catch my eye?" He paused deliberately, leaning closer to her ear, his voice lowering slightly. "And besides, who's as beautiful and gentle as Sister Nana?"

"You only know how to coax me. The Auspicious Beast, Biji, Zi Ji, and that little one who shares a dorm with you – I don't believe Xiao Yuan can't tell she's a girl?" Gu Yue Na said, her finger tracing circles on Lin Yuan's side. Her tone was teasing, but a knowing smile was hidden in her eyes. "That child's pinkish-blue eyes, the way her voice softens unconsciously when she speaks, and the way her earlobes blush whenever you get close – how is that like a boy? Only you would pretend to be oblivious when you know perfectly well, and still call her 'Xiao Dong' so casually every day."

Lin Yuan blinked, then chuckled. He reached out and gently stroked Gu Yue Na's hair. "Nothing gets past Sister Nana. I knew long ago, but she didn't want to say, so I saw no need to expose her." He paused, recalling how Wang Dong would always rush to shield him from admiring girls, and how she'd quietly shift her pillow closer to his at night. The smile on his lips softened further. "Besides, having a stubborn-hearted deskmate accompanying me made my academy days less boring."

"Stubborn-hearted?" Gu Yue Na looked up at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I heard she specifically requested to be in the same dorm as you, saved your seat every day, and fought for the braised pork in the cafeteria?" She pinched Lin Yuan's cheek, her tone laced with deliberate jealousy. "It seems I'm not the only one keeping you company when I'm away, Xiao Yuan."

Lin Yuan caught her playful hand and gently rubbed it in his palm, his violet eyes reflecting her image, filled with sincerity. "No matter who else keeps me company, it can't compare to Sister Nana." He leaned in, pressing his forehead against hers, his warm breath brushing her lips. "She's a friend, but you, Sister Nana, are the one I want to keep by my side forever. That's always been different."

Gu Yue Na's heart skipped a beat, and a blush crept from her earlobes to her cheeks. She gently pulled Lin Yuan's hand away, but then wrapped her arms around his neck, hooking her fingers through the silver ribbon in his hair. Her voice softened. "You always know what to say." Even so, the smile in her eyes was undeniable, and the air around her grew even more tender.

The evening breeze, carrying the moisture from the Lake of Life, gently brushed past the embracing couple. Lin Yuan looked at the flushed earlobes of the woman in his arms and couldn't resist another light peck on her lips, his voice tinged with cunning. "So, does Sister Nana believe me, or not? If you don't believe me, I don't mind proving it again."

"Stop fooling around," Gu Yue Na gently pushed him away and turned to open the door of the wooden cabin. The hem of her silver dress swept across the floor with a soft rustle. "It's cold out here at night. Let's go inside. Otherwise, when the Ice Empress wakes up tomorrow and sees us standing here for so long, she'll probably complain about you being clingy again."

Lin Yuan chuckled and followed her, closing the wooden door behind him, shutting out the night and the cool evening breeze. The glass lamp on the low table by the window cast a warm glow, softening Gu Yue Na's profile. He walked up to her and gently embraced her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, his voice muffled. "It's okay even if she complains. I just want to be close to Sister Nana."

Gu Yue Na's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed. She reached up and covered his hands around her waist, her fingers intertwining with his. "I know." She paused, turning her head to look at him, her eyes full of tenderness. "But when we get back, you can't be this clingy. After all, you still have to bring your little loli bodyguard, and deal with that stubborn-hearted little deskmate."

"That's different," Lin Yuan tightened his embrace, burying his face in her neck, greedily inhaling her scent. "In front of them, I'm the class monitor, the one who needs to put on a brave face. But in front of Sister Nana, I just want to be the Xiao Yuan who can act spoiled."

The firelight flickered, reflecting their clasped hands, and even the air seemed to be tinged with a sweet warmth. Gu Yue Na didn't speak further, merely gently patted Lin Yuan's hand, letting him hold her as they enjoyed this rare, quiet time meant only for them in the warm yellow light.

At dawn, sunlight streamed through the wooden cabin's window, falling on the couple sleeping in each other's arms.

Lin Yuan was the first to wake, the crisp scent of Gu Yue Na's hair lingering in his nostrils, the soft touch of her waist still on his palm. He carefully moved his arm, afraid of disturbing the person sleeping soundly in his embrace. Gu Yue Na's silver hair was spread across the pillow, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath her eyelids. The usual coolness was gone, replaced by a rare tranquility.

Lin Yuan tiptoed out of bed and walked to the window, pushing it open. The morning mist over the Lake of Life had yet to dissipate, and the humid air, carrying the fresh scent of plants, flowed in. A few faint cries of Soul Beasts echoed in the distance, sending ripples across the morning's tranquility. He leaned by the window, his fingers unconsciously tracing the windowsill, his violet eyes filled with softness. The warmth of the previous night, coupled with the current peace, made even his breathing lighter.

"You're awake so early?" Gu Yue Na's slightly hoarse voice came from behind him, carrying the languor of just waking up. As Lin Yuan turned, she was propping herself up to sit, her silver nightgown slipping off her shoulder, revealing a patch of fair skin. Her eyes were still slightly misty.

"Did I wake Sister Nana?" Lin Yuan walked back to the bed and helped her tuck a stray strand of silver hair behind her ear. His fingertip inadvertently brushed against her earlobe, causing her to flinch slightly. "The morning scenery at the Lake of Life is beautiful."

Gu Yue Na chuckled, reaching out to grab his wrist and pull him down to sit on the edge of the bed. "No matter how beautiful it is, it's not as interesting as you being clingy." Her fingertip traced the dragon tattoo on the back of Lin Yuan's hand, her tone teasing. "Yesterday you said you were the class monitor who had to put on a brave face, but after falling asleep, you were like a child afraid of being abandoned, holding on so tightly."

Lin Yuan didn't argue, leaning in and resting his forehead against hers, his warm breath brushing her lips. "In front of Sister Nana, why would I pretend to be mature?" He raised his arm to embrace her waist, gently pulling her into his arms. "Besides, sleeping while holding you is much more comfortable than sleeping on a hard bed at the academy."

Gu Yue Na was amused by his direct words, reaching out to pinch his side, her tone a playful scolding. "You're just a smooth talker. No matter how uncomfortable it was at the academy, you still managed a year, didn't you?" She leaned her head on Lin Yuan's shoulder, feeling the warmth radiating from the young man, a gentle ripple appearing in her eyes. "However, since you're back, I'll let you relax to your heart's content this month."

Lin Yuan looked at Gu Yue Na, who was docile in his arms, and gently stroked her silver hair, his voice filled with contentment. "With Sister Nana's words, I'd be willing to spend this entire month just looking at the lake view in front of the wooden cabin." As soon as he finished speaking, a slight noise came from outside the wooden cabin, accompanied by the faint sound of colliding ice crystals.

The two exchanged a glance, a smile flashing in Gu Yue Na's eyes. "It seems your little loli bodyguard is awake."

Lin Yuan chuckled and released his embrace, tidying the slightly messy neckline of Gu Yue Na's nightgown. His voice held a hint of mischief. "Perfect timing. Let's see if my bodyguard has been slacking off."

As they walked out of the wooden cabin side by side, they saw the Ice Empress standing by the lake. Her emerald green hair was still tied in twin ponytails, though the tips were damp with morning dew. The cold aura around her was much gentler than yesterday, and the drop of Dragon God's Blood Essence in her palm had vanished, indicating it had been completely refined.

Seeing the two emerge, her golden eyes brightened, but she deliberately looked away, kicking at the pebbles at her feet. "You're awake? I thought you'd sleep until noon."

"My bodyguard is quite diligent. She didn't slack off while I was sleeping in." Lin Yuan walked forward, condensing a wisp of wind element with his fingertip and gently brushing away the dew from the Ice Empress's hair. "How did the refinement of the blood essence go? Any problems?"

The Ice Empress's earlobes grew warm, and she subconsciously turned her head, but didn't dodge the wisp of warm wind. She clenched her fists, her tone stiff but unable to hide her joy. "It's... it's alright. My realm has stabilized, and my cultivation has even improved." Though her words were brief, the light in her eyes didn't lie. The effect of the Dragon God's Blood Essence far exceeded her expectations. It not only cleansed the impurities in her bloodline but also increased her cultivation by nearly fifty thousand years after the breakthrough.

Gu Yue Na stood to the side, watching their interaction, a faint smile on her lips. She stepped forward, tapping the air with her fingertip, and a luminous white light landed on the Ice Empress. "The refinement was thorough. The dragon power has integrated well with your origin. You don't need to worry about backlash in the short term."

The Ice Empress nodded slightly at Gu Yue Na, her tone much more respectful. "Thank you, my liege." In front of this true ruler of Soul Beasts, she maintained a sense of awe, unlike the slightly awkward stubbornness she showed towards Lin Yuan.

"Sister Nana, can you help me create a True Space within the Dragon God's Heart?" Lin Yuan turned to Gu Yue Na and said.

Hearing this, a knowing glint flashed in Gu Yue Na's eyes. With a slight lift of her finger, divine power flowed like water, wrapping around Lin Yuan's wrist and entering his Sea of Consciousness through his meridians. She could clearly sense the Dragon God's Heart, suspended at the core of his consciousness, emitting a soft yet majestic nine-colored halo, like a microscopic cosmic embryo, containing infinite spatial potential.

"Creating a True Space isn't difficult, but it requires your Dragon God Bloodline as a guide to deeply connect your mental power with the Dragon God's Heart, so that the space is stable and solely under your control." A luminous white light emanated from her palm, and a rune embodying spatial laws slowly took shape. "Relax your mind and follow my guidance. Infuse the Dragon God Power into this World Seal; it will become the core hub of the space."

Lin Yuan closed his eyes upon hearing this. The Dragon God's Heart suddenly surged, and golden-red dragon blood flowed through his veins to his fingertips, intertwining with Gu Yue Na's divine power. The moment the World Seal came into contact with the Dragon God Bloodline, it erupted with brilliant light, transforming into a stream of light that drilled into his Sea of Consciousness, precisely embedding itself in the center of the Dragon God's Heart.

The next second, Lin Yuan felt a slight tremor in his mind, as if a new world was quietly unfolding.

He could see that within the Dragon God's Heart, layers of spatial folds were originating from the World Seal. Soil, plants, and streams were condensing from the void, and even the air carried the scent of moist vegetation, the same aroma as the Lake of Life.

"It's done," Gu Yue Na withdrew her divine power, a faint warmth lingering on her fingertips. "Although this space is only a hundred zhang in size initially, it will expand as your cultivation grows. As long as you wish, Xiao Yuan, you can even move spiritual herbs and lake water from the outside into it, creating your own exclusive small world."

Lin Yuan opened his eyes, his violet irises reflecting intricate spatial patterns. He raised his hand and made a grasping motion, and a small, nine-colored key appeared out of thin air in his palm. It was the key to opening and closing the space. He tried to sink his consciousness into it and instantly found himself "standing" in the newly formed space. Beneath his feet was soft grass, and in the distance, a small lake shimmered with a faint glow. Even the wind carried a familiar warmth.

"With this Dragon God's Minor Plane, it'll be much more convenient to take my little loli bodyguard out from now on." He smiled, shaking the key in his hand, and turned to look at the Ice Empress beside him, his eyes full of mischief. "If you make me angry in the future, I'll lock you inside and make you reflect by looking at the lake."

The Ice Empress's golden eyes widened, and a cold aura emanated from her again. However, she didn't retort as she had before, merely muttering, "You only know how to bully me."

Despite her tough words, her earlobes quietly turned red. She had clearly sensed that a patch of ice field, condensed with cold air, had been specifically prepared for her within that space.