novelbin Chapter 424 is owed... it's time to pay it.
Chapter 424 is owed... it's time to pay it.
At the other end of the orchard, a group of people were repeatedly practicing the coordination of hammering and chiseling on the ground.
One of them held the chisel, while the other wielded the hammer, carefully coordinating their rhythm and strength.
After several rounds of practice, although the movements were far less swift and powerful than Lin Feng's, the proficiency was much better.
Then, they mustered their courage and took action, and surprisingly succeeded.
........................
Half an hour later, it was noon.
The last group of team members had just broken the crystal and hadn't had time to climb the tree to pick the fruit yet.
Xia Ning's voice fell coldly: "Time's up!"
The group members were terrified and hurriedly pleaded, "Guide, please give us a little more time! We're just one last step away!"
Xia Ning shook her head, her voice as cold as frost: "The rules cannot be changed!"
The next second, the ground beneath the feet of the chosen ones suddenly became soft and muddy, and before they could react, they sank straight in.
They screamed and struggled desperately, grabbing at the ground with their hands, but only made them sink deeper and deeper.
The soil, like a greedy beast, slowly devoured their figures.
A moment later, the voices of the group disappeared completely, and the soft ground became hard and flat again.
Lin Feng's gaze slowly swept across the crowd.
The original sixty people have now been reduced to forty-six.
Moreover, several of them lost an arm.
This mission was extremely brutal!
Xia Ning clapped her hands lightly and announced in a clear voice:
"Congratulations everyone, you have successfully completed the task of picking Chengxin fruit."
"Now, let's go back to Zhaixintang for dinner."
"To reward everyone for their hard work this morning, lunch will be served without any poison testing required."
Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but their expressions became even more serious.
After all, it's only been three days, and so many people have already left.
Getting through the next four days smoothly is easier said than done.
For a time, a lingering gloom hung over everyone's hearts.
........................
At the entrance of Zhaixin Hall, Xia Ning raised her hand, gesturing for everyone to stop and rest for a moment, and her clear voice slowly rang out:
"After lunch, there's no need for everyone to stay any longer."
"You all go back to your rooms and rest. You have an hour and a half."
"Meet in front of the stone tower in the square at 2:00 PM sharp. I will announce the training tasks for this afternoon at that time."
She paused, then added, "Also, when you get back, be sure to tidy up your room properly—make the bed neatly, and put your clothes and belongings away in an orderly fashion, without making a mess."
"I will take some time at noon to check the cleanliness of each dormitory room. Those who do not meet the rules will have 5 merit points deducted."
After saying this, Xia Ning said no more, turned around and left with the two black-clad stewards on her left and right.
After walking a distance, she brought the bunch of chrysanthemums to her nose, took a gentle sniff, and a sweet smile unconsciously curved her lips.
The left steward beside him looked on with envy and tentatively whispered, "Lord Guide, these flowers are so beautiful... could I have some?"
Xia Ning paused slightly, her expression hardening: "No."
........................
After quickly finishing their vegetarian noodles at the Zhaixin Hall, the group did not linger and hurried back to their quarters.
For more than ten minutes, the only sounds in the dormitory were clothes being gathered, beds being made, and floors being wiped.
After everything was tidied up, the dormitory gradually quieted down.
Lin Feng lay down on his upper bunk, while Vassim closed his eyes to rest on the lower bunk.
About half an hour later, the door to the dormitory was gently pushed open.
Xia Ning walked in.
Her gaze slowly swept across the dormitory room. The beds were neatly made, the items were arranged in an orderly manner, the floor was clean, and everything was tidy and organized.
Xia Ning nodded slightly, a look of approval on her face.
Then, she looked at Wasim and said, "Go to the dormitory next door and rest for a while. I have a few words to say to Lin Feng alone."
Wasim nodded knowingly, immediately got up, quietly opened the door and went out, closing it behind him.
Xia Ning turned around and gently locked the door.
Lin Feng approached and asked in a low voice, "Wife, did you deliberately send Vassim away to reveal the secrets of the Temple to me?"
Xia Ning didn't answer, but suddenly reached out and pressed Lin Feng between the bunk bed posts, her posture intimate and somewhat coquettish:
"Honey, isn't it time to pay up on the 'marital obligations' you've been owing these past few days?!"
Before she finished speaking, she leaned closer and gently pressed her soft lips against Lin Feng's. Their breaths mingled as they kissed passionately and urgently.
Lin Feng was slightly taken aback, then raised his hand to embrace her waist and responded to her kiss. Their lips met, they shared a deep, intimate kiss.
As their kiss deepened, Xia Ning took the opportunity to pull Lin Feng and gently push him onto Vassim's bed.
Lin Feng quickly raised his hand and pressed down on her shoulder, whispering, "No, this is Vassim's bed. It's not appropriate to go up there..."
Xia Ning paused for a moment, looked down at the bedding beneath her, and then burst out laughing.
She rolled off Lin Feng and reached out to pull him along: "Let's go to the upper bunk."
Lin Feng nodded and climbed up to the upper bunk first, followed closely by Xia Ning, who nimbly climbed up as well.
Lin Feng lay down on his side, and Xia Ning naturally snuggled into his arms, her hand mischievously reaching to unbutton his clothes.
Just as the two were about to get down to business, Lin Feng had a thought, and a small square aluminum foil package appeared out of thin air in his right hand, which he waved in front of Xia Ning.
Xia Ning was slightly taken aback, a hint of doubt appearing in her eyes.
Lin Feng explained softly, "I don't want you to get pregnant with a second child so soon."
"Zhixia is still young, and my abilities are sufficient to handle the situation right now. There is no need to rely on having offspring to increase my strength. I would rather give you more time to be free and at peace."
Xia Ning felt a warmth in her heart, took the initiative to lean in and lightly kiss the corner of his lips, and said softly, "Honey, you're always so thoughtful."
The bed was old and creaked slightly with the slightest movement.
Xia Ning said softly with some concern, "This bed... won't collapse, will it?"
Lin Feng chuckled: "Then let's tone it down a bit."
Xia Ning shook her head, her breathing slightly disordered: "If you can't control yourself, then let's go to the ground."
Lin Feng nodded in agreement: "I will do as Madam says."
........................
The two dared not linger too long, mindful of their afternoon cultivation tasks and also afraid of attracting attention. In just half an hour, they tidied their clothes and calmed their breathing.
Afterwards, the two sat side by side on the edge of the empty bed.
Xia Ning looked up at Lin Feng, her tone serious: "You... really intend to clear this Silent Realm Temple with an S-rank rating?"
Lin Feng nodded slightly: "That's right. So I must figure out the core secrets of this temple as soon as possible in order to take the initiative."
Xia Ning frowned slightly: "As the guide, I have no right to know all the specific secrets."
"But one thing is certain: the temple's greatest secret is definitely related to the forbidden area behind it."
She paused, then continued, "Recently, I've also discovered that the Lord of Silence's physical body is gradually decaying, his aura is much weaker than before, and his actions are becoming increasingly mysterious."
"Almost every night late at night, he would go to the forbidden area alone, and no one knew what he did inside."
Lin Feng's eyes darkened: "Is there any way for us to infiltrate the forbidden area and investigate?"