Huo Yun'er: Teacher?

"It must be Mom thinking about me."

Huo Yuhao consoled himself.

These past few days, he had been under constant surveillance. Fortunately, he could still cultivate. Relying on the memories of his previous life, he began practicing Tang Sect secret arts such as the Mysterious Heaven Skill, Purple Demon Eye, and Mysterious Jade Hand.

He was confident that he could reach Level Ten within three years with these.

But how to escape Duke's Mansion—a problem he had never paid attention to in his previous life—had now become a difficult obstacle before him.

Huo Yuhao limped out of his room. When he saw the leftover scraps outside the door, his fists immediately clenched.

"Endure!"

Huo Yuhao silently warned himself that he had to endure. Only after the Duchess had forgotten about him would he have a chance to escape Duke's Mansion, like a hidden dragon emerging from the abyss.

He silently picked up the leftovers and turned back into his room.

Before closing the door, he looked back at the shadowy Duke's Mansion. It felt like a prison.

Time slowly passed amid cultivation, and more than ten days went by in the blink of an eye.

During these days, aside from continuing to cultivate the Longevity Skill, Lin Ran had also been studying the Marrow Cleansing Scripture and Soul Dragon Wander.

He had not begun cultivating the Marrow Cleansing Scripture, mainly because he was worried it would conflict with the Longevity Skill.

Both were internal cultivation methods. The Longevity Skill leaned toward refining qi, allowing one to directly enter the innate realm and harmonize the human body with heaven and earth, directly absorbing the essence of all things between heaven and earth for one's own use.

The Marrow Cleansing Scripture, meanwhile, leaned toward body refinement. It cultivated the body's qi and blood, advocating that one must first cultivate oneself before cultivating immortality. Once a cultivator underwent I Ching Marrow Cleansing and was remade from the marrow up, internal energy would arise naturally. Only after the cultivator became clear within and without, with an indestructible vajra body, could they then touch upon nature, unite heaven and man, and comprehend the origin of life.

Although the two paths ultimately led to the same destination, they were still different. Lin Ran needed to understand the martial principles behind them before attempting to cultivate both at once.

As for Soul Dragon Wander, it was not a mental cultivation method, so there was no issue with cultivating it alongside another.

The reason he had not cultivated it was that he had yet to even get started.

Soul Dragon Wander required powerful soul power as support. The lower one's Soul Power Level, the harder it was to get started.

He did not dare rush it either. The Yin Yang School's secret techniques were powerful, but if they were not cultivated properly, it was easy to turn oneself into a lunatic.

He had no desire to one day develop a split personality.

When Lin Ran awoke from meditation and opened his eyes, he saw Huo Yun'er sitting by the table, one hand supporting her fair cheek, her gentle and bright eyes staring at him without blinking.

This was a sight he had often seen over the past few days.

The two of them had been here for half a month already. He spent every day cultivating, living a fulfilling life, while Huo Yun'er seemed to spend every day, aside from doing some housework, watching him cultivate?

Realizing that Huo Yun'er had a little too much free time, Lin Ran made a decision.

"Aunt Huo, let me teach you how to cultivate. Otherwise, watching me like this every day is far too boring."

Huo Yun'er subconsciously shook her head. "Not at all. Watching you cultivate makes time pass very quickly."

Lin Ran: "?"

He was not a phone or a computer. He did not have that kind of magic.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Ran said, "Doesn't Aunt Huo want to become healthier and prettier? Cultivation can also help you stay young."

"Aunt Huo, you don't want to see yourself grow old so quickly in the future, do you?"

Huo Yun'er hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

After giving it some thought, Lin Ran decided to first teach Huo Yun'er the first layer of the Marrow Cleansing Scripture.

Huo Yun'er's innate soul power was only half a level. The Marrow Cleansing Scripture, which could improve one's aptitude, was the most suitable for her.

The Marrow Cleansing Scripture had three layers. The first was Tendon Severing and Marrow Cleansing. Once mastered, it could remake a person from the marrow up, cause internal energy to arise naturally, and improve aptitude and talent. The second was Spirit Condensation and Aperture Refinement. Once mastered, it could make one clear within and without, with an indestructible vajra body. The third was Touching Nature and Comprehending the Origin of Life, allowing one to comprehend the laws of life.

For now, teaching Huo Yun'er the first layer was enough.

"Aunt Huo." Lin Ran grew much more serious as he said calmly, "I am your teacher now."

Huo Yun'er looked at Lin Ran's solemn expression, her face turning strange for a moment before she finally could not help covering her mouth and laughing.

After a while, she finally stopped laughing and said gently, "Alright, Teacher Xiao Ran."

Lin Ran began explaining knowledge related to meridians and martial arts.

As Huo Yun'er listened to Lin Ran's explanation, she felt somewhat strange.

Although Lin Ran had always acted maturely before, she had still habitually regarded him as a child, as a junior.

But after calling him teacher and seeing his serious, earnest appearance, things seemed a little different.

That was also Lin Ran's purpose.

He wanted to use the teacher-student relationship, which placed them in reversed positions, to subtly change Huo Yun'er's fixed impression of him as a junior.

Of course, he had no ill intentions in doing so.

Half a month later.

Huo Yun'er's academic performance was not ideal.

The Marrow Cleansing Scripture truly deserved to be called one of the hardest cultivation methods to learn. Lin Ran had done his best to teach her, but Huo Yun'er had still not managed to get started.

"Aunt Huo, for the next move, spread your legs, bend at the waist and press your abdomen to the ground. Then try to circulate your Soul Power through the designated meridians."

Lin Ran used his little hands to help Huo Yun'er correct her posture.

Sweat slid down Huo Yun'er's smooth, gleaming forehead. Her cheeks were flushed, though it was hard to tell whether it was from exhaustion.

The Marrow Cleansing Scripture was a Buddhist Cultivation Method that had been passed down from Tianzhu, so many of its movements resembled the yoga poses from his previous life.

Although Huo Yun'er had yet to master the Marrow Cleansing Scripture over the past few days, it still strengthened her body and somewhat made up for the damage her health had previously suffered.

Just then, someone suddenly knocked on the courtyard gate.

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

Lin Ran ran over to open the door.

When the gate opened and he saw the little girl before him, Lin Ran was somewhat surprised.

"Vina, what are you doing here?"

Vina stood at the entrance in a white dress, her little face slightly red as she looked somewhat awkward.

"M-My Imperial Father told me to come play with you."

The Soul Douluo secretly protecting Vina: "...Your Majesty, Her Highness the Princess sold you out the moment she turned around."

Lin Ran's expression turned strange for a moment, but he quickly guessed the Heavenly Soul Empire Emperor's intentions. Smiling, he ushered the little girl inside.

"Then you'll have to come often from now on. It's pretty boring when I'm at home."

Huo Yun'er, who had temporarily stopped cultivating: "..."

"Xiao Ran, aren't you going to introduce this young lady to me?"

Huo Yun'er looked at the pretty young girl before her, then at Lin Ran, a gentle and warm smile appearing on her face.

She had no idea when Lin Ran had met such a pretty girl. The little girl had even come all the way to their home, yet Lin Ran had never mentioned her.

Once the little girl left, she would have to have a proper talk with Xiao Ran.

If Lin Ran had told her earlier, she could have made preparations and left a good impression on the girl.

Though she did not know what kind of relationship the two had, she at least could not hold him back.

"Hello, Auntie. My name is Vina. You can call me Little Na."

Vina introduced herself to Huo Yun'er with graceful composure, showing none of her earlier awkwardness or shyness.

"Hello, hello. Little Na, right? Come in and sit down."

Huo Yun'er hurriedly welcomed Vina, while Lin Ran, standing to the side, became a mere spectator instead.

After bringing out pastries and fruit, Huo Yun'er left the two children alone.

Once only the two of them remained in the room, Vina became somewhat uneasy again.

Lin Ran suspected this little girl was putting on an act for him.

"Is there something wrong with me? I feel like you get a little uncomfortable whenever you see me." Lin Ran spoke bluntly.

Vina opened her mouth, not knowing how to answer.

She recalled the day they first met. Her Imperial Father had suddenly told her to get along well with a child she had never met before, which she found very strange.

On the way there, Grandpa Liu had secretly told her the truth. Her Imperial Father actually wanted to marry her off to the child she was about to meet!

Filled with unease and curiosity, she had finally met her "fiancé."

He was very handsome.

She had never cared much about other people's appearances before, but now she could not help caring.

Later, her "fiancé" had spoken eloquently with Grandpa Liu, not at all like a child three years younger than her! Huh, Grandpa Liu had even wanted to trick him? Hmph, no, I have to expose Grandpa Liu.

After that meeting, she had gone to the Auction House several times, yet she had never managed to see him again.

Perhaps her Imperial Father had noticed her feelings. He had given her Lin Ran's home address and told her to come play with him.

Sure enough, her Imperial Father truly intended to marry her to him. He had specifically told her to come build a relationship with him.

Well then, she wanted to see him too.

But—after seeing him, she had become completely at a loss again.

Was this beautiful auntie his family? I have to leave a good impression!

The beautiful auntie had left, leaving only her and him behind.

What should I do? Trying her best not to blush after seeing him was already the limit of what she could manage.