After crossing the corridor and entering the small lounge, Qin Ran saw the tavern's proprietress gasping for breath. Though she showed no visible injuries, he keenly sensed her weakness. He instinctively raised a hand, about to envelop her in a gentle radiance.
"Don't!"
"You'd be getting in the way of me growing stronger!"
"It wasn't easy finding this kind of continuous force that can break down my defenses."
Realizing what Qin Ran was about to do, the proprietress waved her hands repeatedly to stop him.
"Even if you're testing it out, you should know your limits."
Qin Ran spoke.
He knew all about the proprietress's idea of "tempering," and understood even more clearly why she was doing this.
"I'll start with the simplest form of contract backlash."
The proprietress leaned back, sprawling gracelessly on the sofa, before continuing, "Our situation seems a little bad right now."
Despite the seemingly contextless remark, Qin Ran did not look confused.
He sat on the sofa opposite her and asked calmly, "Because of that breeze?"
"It's not just 'that' one."
"It's everything 'that' one represents."
The proprietress practically weighed every word to avoid revealing more and suffering contract backlash.
Although she did not mind tempering herself, she still preferred to proceed gradually.
Starting straight off on hell difficulty would not be "tempering." It would be suicide.
"Everything it represents?"
The index finger of Qin Ran's left hand began tapping lightly again.
After a dozen or so taps, Qin Ran took a deep breath.
"I understand."
That was what he said.
"What do you understand?"
The proprietress was startled.
She believed she had revealed nothing crucial. If Qin Ran could still figure out what had happened from that, she really wanted to cut him open and take a look.
"I understand everything you said."
As