The layout was simple, no different from an ordinary household.
"Hello, is anyone home?" the princess called out to the door.
Creak!
The door opened.
Li Nianfan peeked out.
It had been five years, and this was the first time he had visitors.
He looked at the princess, and his eyes lit up with admiration.
What a beautiful woman.
Had the heavens heard his prayers and sent him a girlfriend?
Li Nianfan knew that was impossible.
The woman had an ethereal aura, clearly a cultivator, and her demeanor suggested she came from a noble background. How could she possibly be interested in him?
The princess also examined Li Nianfan and, seeing he was just a mortal, felt a hint of disappointment.
She had hoped to meet a reclusive expert who could help her escape her predicament.
But since she was here, she was curious to look around, so she said gracefully, "Hello, I'm Luo Shiyu. May I come in?"
"Of course." Li Nianfan opened the door and stepped aside.
She was not only a cultivator but also a beauty. Li Nianfan had no reason to refuse. Making more friends was always good.
"Thank you." Luo Shiyu entered with her maid.
Inside the courtyard was a path paved with pebbles, surrounded by various flowers emitting a delightful fragrance, creating a pleasing atmosphere.
In the center of the yard was a pavilion, with the main hall and rooms of the courtyard house on all sides.
For some reason, upon entering the yard, Luo Shiyu felt an immediate sense of peace, as if the yard had a magical power to calm the mind.
The robot walked out of the room and greeted the two girls warmly. "Welcome to our home."
"Ah! Princess—Miss, be careful!"
The maid was startled and quickly shielded Luo Shiyu.
Li Nianfan explained, "Don't be afraid, Miss. This is my butler, Xiao Bai. It's a robot."
"Xiao Bai, apologize to the ladies."
"Sorry for startling you." Xiao Bai apologized fluently and even bowed politely.
Luo Shiyu stared at Xiao Bai in surprise. "A robot? It has intelligence? Could it be a spirit artifact?!"
Spirit artifacts were legendary items, and only high-grade spiritual tools could produce spirit artifacts!
But the intelligence of this spirit artifact was too high. Could it be an immortal artifact?
The more Luo Shiyu thought about it, the more shocked she became, and a hint of awe appeared in her eyes.
Li Nianfan shook his head and smiled. "You've misunderstood, Miss. This is just high-tech, artificial intelligence. It's not a spirit artifact."
"High-tech? Artificial intelligence?" Luo Shiyu frowned, not understanding a single word.
"It's just a small trick, nothing special." Li Nianfan didn't bother explaining further and instructed, "Xiao Bai, go to the backyard and pick a watermelon to treat our guests."
Xiao Bai: "Yes, my honorable master."
A sentient humanoid weapon, and he called it a small trick?
Luo Shiyu gasped, her beautiful eyes looking at Li Nianfan with newfound respect.
She had heard that some supreme experts liked to disguise themselves as mortals and live among them. Could she have encountered one today?
Thinking this, she didn't dare breathe too loudly, her heart filled with both excitement and nervousness.
Li Nianfan led them to the pavilion and said with a smile, "Please, have a seat."
"Ah? Okay." Luo Shiyu was a bit distracted.
She glanced around and noticed a qin placed in the yard. "Do you enjoy music, sir?"
"Just a pastime in my spare time," Li Nianfan replied casually.
Luo Shiyu tried to build a connection with this possible expert. "I have a friend who's deeply into music. Perhaps I could bring her over to exchange ideas with you."
Li Nianfan waved his hand and smiled wryly. "No need. I'm only slightly familiar with it."
Luo Shiyu was a cultivator, so her friend was likely one too. Although Li Nianfan had the title of "Music Saint," he didn't dare exchange musical ideas with cultivators.
Who knew if their "exchange" might involve sound waves that could kill him on the spot?
At that moment, Xiao Bai returned with a watermelon, even cutting it open and serving it to everyone. "Please enjoy."
Luo Shiyu was amazed by the intelligence of this spirit artifact. Aside from its strange appearance, it was no different from a real person.
Among immortal artifacts, it would surely rank high.
"Miss, please eat."
Li Nianfan said this and started eating a slice of watermelon himself.
The afternoon sun was harsh, and after lunch, he was thirsty. Eating watermelon felt amazing.
Seeing Li Nianfan enjoy it, Luo Shiyu also picked up a slice.
To her, watermelon was an ordinary food. As a princess, she usually ate immortal fruits and drank divine nectar. Watermelon was just a mortal's food, nothing special.
But she couldn't refuse the possible expert's hospitality.
"Huh? This watermelon looks beautiful, like red crystal, sparkling brilliantly. It's completely different from any watermelon I've seen before."
Luo Shiyu was surprised as she took a bite.
Crunch.
So crisp!
So sweet!
The watermelon juice flowed into her mouth, teasing her taste buds like a playful child.
Instantly, a rich aroma exploded on her tongue, making her almost moan in delight.
It was delicious, so delicious!
She had never imagined that a watermelon could taste this good. This was no ordinary watermelon!
Gulp.
As she swallowed, the juice flowed down her throat, but in the next moment, she felt it turn into gas, spreading throughout her body!
This was... spiritual energy?
She couldn't help but take another big bite.
The taste was crisp and refreshing, and at the same time, a surge of spiritual energy flooded her mouth, exploding in her stomach.
Spiritual energy, it really was spiritual energy!
The amount of spiritual energy in this one bite was comparable to that of an ordinary spiritual fruit!
Crunch, crunch!
She was lost in the moment. The incredible taste and the rich spiritual energy overwhelmed her senses. Her only thought now was to eat more, eat more!
Soon, she finished one slice, then a second, then a third.
Li Nianfan, after eating two slices, quietly watched Luo Shiyu.
His eyebrows twitched, and a look of suspicion appeared in his eyes.
Is she really a cultivator? It's just watermelon. Why is she acting like this?
After eating six slices, Luo Shiyu finally stopped. Looking at the mess in front of her, her face turned red with embarrassment. She lowered her head, avoiding Li Nianfan's gaze.
But the next moment, a wave of heat surged through her body. From her abdomen, an immense amount of spiritual energy erupted!