I Just Wanted to Teach Cultivation, But Goddesses Keep Coming!

Chapter 195: Chapter 195 The Empress Claims My Spirit Seed is a National Treasure

An hour later, Ling Lan and Lin Feng had finished their breakfast. The table was now almost empty, save for a few stray crumbs and the lingering aroma of the dishes they had shared.

“Thank you for the wonderful food, Ling Lan. It was absolutely delicious,” Lin Feng said. His tone had softened, becoming far less formal than before.

After their long conversation this morning and sharing a quiet meal together, the air between them felt lighter, more natural.

Both of them were aware of a gentle warmth spreading in their hearts, an unusual, pleasant feeling neither had expected at the start of the morning.

Ling Lan’s cheeks warmed slightly at his praise, and she responded with a bright, sincere smile. “I’m glad you liked it, Young Master Lin Feng. I hoped it would be to your taste.”

Lin Feng returned a half-smile, more restrained than hers, though his eyes carried a flicker of amusement.

His approach toward Ling Lan now was different from how he treated his earlier guests Xia Xinghe and Yun Luofeng.

He and Ling Lan had already met before, and he understood her temperament to a certain degree.

Being overly friendly or suddenly warm would feel forced, almost absurd.

Instead, he could be helpful, supportive, and even kind while maintaining the calm, aloof demeanor that had always defined him during their first meeting.

Different people required different strategies, and women were no exception. Blindly showering them with attention, care, or charm was a clumsy, ineffective way to earn their trust or affection.

So being a simp always was no good at all.

The two continued their conversation for a few more minutes before Ling Lan finally bade farewell.

As she walked back home, a bright smile spread across her beautiful face.

It was the kind of smile that seemed to stop people in their tracks, drawing the eyes of anyone nearby who could not help but be captivated by her charm.

Yet beneath that radiant expression, her mind was busy reviewing everything that had happened that morning.

“Was I too direct or pushy?” she wondered.

“Did I choose the wrong time?”

“Does he know that I like him?”

These questions swirled through her thoughts, each one making her heart beat a little faster.

Even though she could only dedicate two days a week to Lin Feng as she had a business to run, she had made a silent vow to fight for him, no matter what it took.

Ever since he had saved her restaurant, the image of his handsome face had lingered in her mind, refusing to fade.

Ling Lan knew that a man as extraordinary as Lin Feng would likely have many wives and concubines in the future, yet that thought did not deter her.

She cared little for what others might claim as inevitable.

“As long as he knows how I feel for him, that is more than enough. I won’t ask for anything else,” she thought firmly.

Her mind was already shifting to tomorrow, imagining the dishes she would prepare, hoping that even the smallest gesture could leave an impression on him.

The warmth in her chest mixed with anticipation, and her smile only grew brighter as she quickened her pace, eager for the next encounter.

***

Meanwhile, a very different scene was unfolding not far from Clear Moon City.

“Splash!” The water erupted as someone dove in, cutting through the clear surface, while another person surfaced moments later, clutching a fist-sized, sparkling stone.

The sunlight caught the gem, making it shimmer brilliantly.

Around them, perhaps hundreds of people were doing the same, diving into the water and emerging with the glowing stones, their hands trembling with excitement as they carefully placed each one into baskets or bags.

“What exactly is happening here? Why are we gathering these shining stones?” one man asked, his voice a mixture of curiosity and frustration. He turned the stone over in his hands, studying it.

To anyone else, the stones looked magical, almost otherworldly. But aside from their beauty, they seemed completely useless.

They emitted no spiritual energy, were useless for crafting, and were simply ordinary stones that, for some unknown reason, shimmered in a variety of colors.

“I don’t know. The less we know, the better,” his companion replied with a shrug, though unease flickered across his face.

The two men carried their haul carefully to a large tent at the edge of the area, where a clan elder sat, meticulously cataloging each stone.

His sharp eyes moved from pile to pile, and he occasionally nodded, as though satisfied with their weight or brilliance.

After depositing their stones, the men started to leave, planning to continue searching, when one of them paused, sensing something unusual.

Moving cautiously toward the back of the tent, he peered through a small hole at the side, curiosity getting the better of him.

“Don’t…” his friend whispered urgently, trying to pull him back.

But the first man shook his head slightly. “I have to see,” he murmured. “Just stay close.”

The second man sighed, unwilling to let his friend face danger alone. Together, they crouched near the opening, hearts pounding as they tried to remain unseen.

What they saw next left them frozen in place.

The clan elder reached into the pile of stones, picked one up, studied it for a long moment, and then, without the slightest hesitation, brought it to his mouth.

At first, it seemed impossible.

Their eyes widened as the elder chewed slowly, deliberately, the crunch echoing unnaturally in the otherwise quiet tent.

Then he swallowed, and reached for another.

The calm, methodical way he ate the stones, as though it were the most natural thing in the world, made their blood run cold.

Neither of the men spoke. Their minds raced, trying to find a rational explanation, but there was none.

Every instinct screamed at them to leave immediately, but their legs felt heavy as if rooted to the spot.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they retreated silently, keeping low to avoid being seen.

Only once they were safely away, back near the edge of the falls and away from anyone else, did one of them dare to speak, his voice trembling with disbelief…

“Why… why is the clan elder eating stones?”

The words hung in the air, absurd yet horrifying.