"Want some? You can have it."
Lin Qiu slowly closed the lid, cutting off that enticing fragrance. "But there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. This is my treasure. What makes you think I'd give it to you?"
The fragrance vanished, and Ning Rongrong instantly panicked, like a child whose favorite toy had been snatched away.
"You... How much do you want? I have money! Lots of Gold Soul Coins! Ten thousand? A hundred thousand? Or more?" Ning Rongrong asked urgently.
Lin Qiu scoffed, his eyes full of disdain.
"Gold Soul Coins? Such vulgar things are only prized by mortals like you."
He sat back down on the bed, stretched out his long legs, and said lazily:
"I'm a little tired from cultivating. My legs are a bit sore."
Ning Rongrong froze.
That hint... No, that outright declaration couldn't have been any more obvious!
She was the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Other people had waited on her all her life. Since when was it her turn to serve someone else?
"Keep dreaming! There's no way I'd..."
Lin Qiu didn't bother replying. He lightly tapped the jade box with his fingers, making a crisp "tok, tok" sound.
"Never mind, then. I'll just take this and feed it to that big yellow guard dog."
As he spoke, he began to put the jade box away.
"Wait! Don't put it away!"
Ning Rongrong instantly broke.
The thought of such a wonderful thing being fed to a dog made her heart bleed.
She bit her lip, glanced at the jade box, then looked at Lin Qiu's excessively handsome face.
A fierce struggle began inside her.
It was a battle between dignity and evolution.
"Anyway... anyway, no one saw."
"And he's so powerful. He can even create that terrifying phenomenon. He must be an unparalleled expert."
"Giving a powerful person a leg massage isn't embarrassing, right?"
"Besides, he's so handsome. I'm not... I'm not losing out, either."
Ning Rongrong quickly found excuses for herself.
The next moment.
The little demoness, who had been so haughty just moments ago, instantly plastered on a smile sweet enough to make your teeth ache.
"Big bro~"
She drew out the words "Big bro" with a sweetness that could melt your heart.
Ning Rongrong scampered over to the bed, squatted down without a care for appearances, and gently placed her two soft, fair hands on Lin Qiu's calves.
"Big bro, is this pressure okay?"
"Oh, big bro, your muscles are so firm. You can tell you've trained."
"Big bro, should I give this spot a few extra presses?"
For the sake of that Nine Wonders Ganoderma, Ning Rongrong had thrown all caution to the wind.
Self-respect? What was that? Could you eat it?
As he enjoyed the future deity's service, Lin Qiu couldn't help finding it a little amusing.
The girl was a bit spoiled, but he rather liked how she knew which way the wind was blowing.
"Mm, a little farther to the left."
"Right, there."
Lin Qiu directed her like a pampered old master.
About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea passed.
Seeing beads of sweat form on Ning Rongrong's forehead, Lin Qiu stopped teasing her.
With a casual toss, he sent the jade box tracing an arc through the air and into Ning Rongrong's arms.
"Your reward."
Ning Rongrong clutched the box like a priceless treasure, afraid Lin Qiu might change his mind.
"Thank you, big bro! You're such a wonderful person! The best person in the whole world!"
She eagerly opened the box. Forgetting all about decorum, she grabbed the Nine Wonders Ganoderma and stuffed it into her mouth.
It melted as soon as it touched her tongue.
A cool yet immense energy flowed down her throat and spread throughout her body. Then the energy turned scorching hot, as if a fire were burning inside her.
"Mm..."
Ning Rongrong let out a muffled groan, her body trembling uncontrollably.
She hurriedly sat cross-legged and guided the energy according to her clan's meditation method.
Boom!
Brilliant light burst from her body.
This time, it wasn't merely seven-colored light. Among those seven colors were two more: a sacred gold and a profound silver.
Nine-Colored Divine Light!
A crystal-clear little tower slowly rose from her palm.
The tower had originally had only seven stories, representing the limit of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
But now, under the flood of power from the Nine Wonders Ganoderma, the shackles that had bound the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for countless years shattered with a bang!
An eighth story slowly took shape!
And then, a ninth!
The moment the ninth story solidified, the entire room was bathed in the tower's dreamlike, nine-colored radiance.
"This... This is..."
Ning Rongrong opened her eyes and gazed at the nine-story pagoda glowing in her hands, tears streaming down her face.
"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda... It really is the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!"
It was her father's lifelong dream, and the greatest regret of Sword Grandpa and Bone Grandpa.
The curse that had plagued the sect for hundreds of years had been broken right here, in this humble side hall, by an unknown "herb"?
She lifted her head and looked at the boy who still seemed so calm and unruffled.
At that moment, Lin Qiu was no longer just a "handsome young man" in her eyes. He was a true deity who had descended to the mortal realm!
"Big bro!"
Ning Rongrong lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Lin Qiu's leg, nearly rubbing her tears against him.
"From now on, you're my real big bro! If you tell me to go east, I won't go west! If anyone dares say a bad word about you, I, Ning Rongrong, will be the first to bite them to death!"
Lin Qiu pushed her face away in disgust. "You're filthy. Back off."
Ning Rongrong didn't mind at all. She giggled foolishly as she scrambled to her feet and thumped her chest.
"Big bro, since you've given me such an incredible gift, I can't just take it for nothing. My family may not have much else, but we have plenty of money!
"If there's any Soul Tool or heavenly treasure you want, just tell me. I'll have my dad buy it for you! I could even buy half the shops in Heaven Dou City and give them to you!"
Lin Qiu glanced at her, the corner of his mouth lifting. "You're a quick learner."
The girl wasn't particularly strong, but she certainly had money to throw around.
"All right, don't just stand there celebrating. Let me see how this evolved Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda measures up." Lin Qiu said coolly.
"On it!"
Ning Rongrong was brimming with confidence.
"Nine Treasures Turn Into Glazed Glass!"
With a sweet cry, she sent the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda spinning into the air, where it hovered.
"Nine Treasures Have Names. First: Strength! Second: Speed!"
Two beams of nine-colored light shot from the tip of the pagoda and sank into Lin Qiu's body.
Lin Qiu felt his body grow lighter. The power within him seemed to catch fire, surging upward by a huge amount out of nowhere.
"Oh? A forty percent increase?"
Lin Qiu was a little surprised.
Ning Rongrong was only a Soul Grandmaster, yet she could produce such a terrifying amplification. No wonder this was the complete form of the world's number one support martial soul after its evolution.
"In that case, I'll give it a try, too."
Lin Qiu stood and loosely clenched one hand.
He didn't use any weapons.
But at that moment, he seemed to become a blade of wild grass swaying in the wind.
This seemingly fragile grass contained supreme sword intent capable of cleaving the sun, moon, and stars.
Shrouding the Heavens Secret Art—Grass Sword Art!
Even though Lin Qiu could only wield a billionth of a fraction of its power, it was still an overwhelming advantage on the Douluo Plane.
Before you continue