Passing Air

The springhead of this frigid spring lay several meters beneath the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal Mine.

Though they were only a few meters apart, the temperatures of the two places differed by several levels.

Before long, the three of them had dived to a position above the springhead.

The springhead was enormous, large enough for a person to pass through.

"Lan, I'll go in first and take a look. If there's no danger, you can come in afterward," Shui Qinghan transmitted to him.

The temperature near the springhead was simply too low. Without the protection of Jiang Lan's innate domain, they would be frozen stiff by the cold in an instant and perish here completely.

Whether for the safety of all three of them or to fulfill her duties as a teacher, she would not allow Jiang Lan to take such a risk.

"Alright~" Although Jiang Lan did not think any creature could survive in a springhead as cold as ultimate ice, he was not some fool with zero emotional intelligence and naturally would not reject his teacher's goodwill.

Seeing Jiang Lan nod, Shui Qinghan gave a slight nod of her own, then held Shui Bing'er and dove into the frigid springhead.

As Shui Qinghan entered the springhead, an intense cold current immediately rushed toward her. It brushed over her body like a spring breeze, only to be blocked outside by an invisible force. It could merely swirl around her, making the soul power within her body increasingly active.

The extreme chill of that oncoming current even made Shui Qinghan's skin feel a faint, needle-like pain.

Shui Qinghan's expression changed drastically. Had she not seen that the cold current was completely blocked outside by the power of Jiang Lan's domain, she truly would have turned and fled.

That cold current could freeze even an ice-attributed Titled Douluo to death, let alone a Soul Douluo like her.

"What a terrifying place. If not for the protection of Lan's innate domain, I probably wouldn't even be qualified to take a look at it." Shui Qinghan gently exhaled, secretly rejoicing.

"Bing'er, you can try absorbing a little of the ice-attributed elemental energy of heaven and earth here. It will be of great benefit to you. But only absorb a tiny bit at a time. Your strength is still too weak. If you absorb too much at once, even your meridians will freeze," Shui Qinghan instructed, looking down at Shui Bing'er in her arms.

"Mm!" Shui Bing'er nodded and immediately closed her eyes to meditate.

This environment truly was well suited for her cultivation.

Shui Qinghan descended a little farther. After confirming there were no other dangers, she turned back and called Jiang Lan down.

After the three of them dove more than thirty meters in one breath, Shui Qinghan suddenly furrowed her brows.

The oxygen in the space maintained by her soul power was nearly depleted.

Of course, as a Soul Douluo, she could hold her breath for a long time, but Shui Bing'er could not.

Shui Bing'er was merely a level-twenty quasi-Great Soul Master. Even holding her breath, she could not last long.

Shui Qinghan glanced at Jiang Lan, who was breathing freely underwater, and an idea immediately came to her.

Ah!

Since Lan could breathe underwater, couldn't he just pass air to Bing'er?

"Lan, Bing'er is about to suffocate. Come over quickly and pass air to her," Shui Qinghan transmitted.

"Huh?" Jiang Lan looked utterly bewildered. Scratching his head, he asked, "Teacher, can't you pass air to Senior Sister Bing'er?"

"What? Are you planning to pass air to your teacher instead?" Shui Qinghan looked at Jiang Lan with a teasing smile as she transmitted to him.

Jiang Lan's expression immediately turned awkward. He waved his hands repeatedly and gave a sheepish laugh.

"H-how could that be?"

Alright, he really did have just a tiny little thought about disrespecting his teacher.

Of course, only the tiniest bit.

"Enough. Hurry over. Bing'er won't be able to hold on much longer." Shui Qinghan looked down at Shui Bing'er in her arms, whose face was already flushed red from suffocation, and urged him through soul transmission.

In truth, the oxygen inside the soul power barrier could have lasted a while longer, but Shui Qinghan had pulled a small trick and emptied it out.

"I understand!" Seeing Shui Bing'er's flushed face from suffocation, Jiang Lan did not think too much about it. He hurriedly took a deep breath, quickly swam to Shui Qinghan's side, then slipped into her soul power barrier. He cupped Shui Bing'er's delicate, adorable face in his hands and lowered his head to press his lips to hers, passing air into her mouth.

Shui Bing'er greedily drew in the oxygen. Her consciousness, slightly muddled from suffocation, gradually recovered. As she looked at Jiang Lan's face so close to hers and felt the softness on her lips, her lake-blue eyes widened. Her mind went completely blank, and a vivid blush instantly spread across her fair, lovely face.

T-this was her first kiss!

"Senior Sister, the situation was urgent just now. Please forgive me," Jiang Lan said solemnly as he raised his head and wiped the corner of his mouth.

"Mm~" Shui Bing'er lowered her head shyly and answered softly.

With a smile in her eyes, Shui Qinghan struck while the iron was hot.

"We don't know how deep this springhead is. The little air you passed to Bing'er probably won't last long, so for the rest of the journey, you'll have to keep passing air to her."

Shui Bing'er's cheeks flushed like sunset clouds, and her heart pounded wildly. She lowered her head slightly, utterly afraid to look at Jiang Lan.

"Yes~" Jiang Lan scratched his cheek, his feelings somewhat complicated. He did not know how to face Shui Bing'er either.

The three continued diving, but before they had gone even a few meters, Shui Bing'er took the initiative to tug on Jiang Lan's sleeve.

Jiang Lan halted mid-dive and instinctively turned to look at Shui Bing'er.

Shui Bing'er's face burned red. She turned her head slightly, not daring to meet Jiang Lan's gaze.

Jiang Lan immediately understood. He took another deep breath, plunged into the soul power barrier, and met Shui Bing'er's eyes.

"Junior Brother, I'll have to trouble you..." Shui Bing'er clasped her hands tightly, her voice as soft as a mosquito's. Then she raised her head slightly and closed her eyes. Yet her fluttering butterfly-wing lashes revealed that she was far less calm than she appeared.

Seeing Shui Bing'er's adorable appearance, her cheeks pink and her face like a peach blossom, Jiang Lan's heart skipped a beat before beginning to race.

Jiang Lan slowly lowered his head and pressed his lips against Shui Bing'er's cool ones, passing the air over.

Shui Bing'er's lips were soft, like tender, springy jelly, carrying a faint minty coolness and sweetness.

With her eyes closed, Shui Bing'er's fair, lotus-root-like arms unconsciously wrapped around Jiang Lan's neck as she drew in the oxygen he passed to her.

Soon, Jiang Lan finished passing the air and prepared to pull away. However, noticing the arms around his neck, he could not help softly reminding her, "Senior Sister Bing'er, your arms."

Shui Bing'er opened her eyes. When she saw that her arms had somehow wrapped around Jiang Lan's neck, her porcelain-white face instantly turned scarlet. She jerked her hands back as though shocked by electricity, and even the tips of her ears reddened.

So cute~

Jiang Lan pursed his lips and smiled, then turned and slipped out of the soul power barrier to continue diving.

Shui Bing'er gently touched her lips, her cheeks burning hot.

No wonder the male and female leads in storybooks liked kissing at the drop of a hat.

It really did feel rather nice.

Shui Qinghan looked at Shui Bing'er in her arms. Though her face was flushed with embarrassment, she did not seem particularly resistant to it. Where no one noticed, a knowing smile appeared on Shui Qinghan's face.

This way, Lan and Bing'er were practically a pair.

Yue'er would be easy enough, and Bing'er would readily accept her.

But getting Bing'er to accept anyone else would be somewhat difficult.

After passing air to Shui Bing'er twice more, the three of them finally reached the bottom of the springhead.

At the bottom of the springhead, an entrance large enough for one person to enter slowly appeared before them.