Hearing Xu Xiao's aged voice, Lin Yan'er's delicate body trembled.

  She then nervously opened the low courtyard gate and cautiously walked in.

  Inside the courtyard were three houses, and Elder Xu, dressed in a grey robe, was sitting on an old armchair by the wooden table.

  He looked at her with a kind and friendly smile.

  Lin Yan'er hurried forward, holding a box of exquisite pastries in both hands, knelt on one knee, and stammered:

  "Elder... I came this time... to thank you for your kindness yesterday... These are famous pastries from my hometown, brought to thank you..."

  Her body was tense and stiff, her head lowered, not daring to meet Xu Xiao's gaze.

  The status gap between them in the Misty Sect was too vast; he was a highly respected Inner Sect Elder and the sect master's senior brother...

  While she was just an unnoticed Outer Sect disciple.

  She was very afraid of being presumptuous with Elder Xu this time, and also feared he would disdain her box of pastries.

  "Hehe, get up, put it on the table."

  Xu Xiao stopped rocking, sat up straight, and pointed to the wooden table beside him.

  Lin Yan'er quickly stepped forward and respectfully pced the pastries on the table.

  The pastries were packaged in a redwood box with gold patterns, clearly not something an ordinary family could afford.

  "Sit down, Lin, no need to be so formal."

  Seeing how nervous she was, Xu Xiao comforted her with a smile, "Just think of me as an ordinary old man nearing the end of his days."

  Lin Yan'er was fttered by his words and hurriedly said, "No, no! Elder Xu, you will surely... live for a long time!"

  After speaking, she regretted it a bit, as it seemed to touch on Elder Xu's sensitive topic.

  She didn't dare sit next to Elder Xu.

  His presence was too overwhelming... she felt very anxious and wanted to leave quickly...

  "Elder Xu... I... I won't disturb your rest any longer...

  Elder Xu, I will take my leave now..."

  Nervously babbling, Lin Yan'er stood beside Xu Xiao like a frightened kitten.

  Upon hearing this, Xu Xiao's white eyebrows slightly moved.

  Leave?

  He couldn't just let her leave like that; he needed to find a reason to continue giving her things.

  His old eyes shifted slightly, and he chuckled, "No rush, Lin Yan'er, do you have a master in the Outer Sect?"

  Lin Yan'er blinked her bright eyes and shook her head, "No... Elder, I'm only at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining, not yet at the Foundation Establishment Stage..."

  Xu Xiao nodded.

  Outer Sect disciples below the Foundation Establishment Stage were managed collectively, with Outer Sect Elders taking turns teaching in the main hall.

  Only upon reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage could they potentially be taken as disciples by an Outer Sect Elder for focused training.

  Xu Xiao smiled, "Lin Yan'er, I see you have good talent, with ten Foundation Establishment Pills, you should be able to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage. Meeting you yesterday was fate, if you encounter any difficulties in the sect in the future, don't hesitate to come to me."

  Lin Yan'er's heart was about to leap out of her chest with excitement.

  Elder Xu said it again!

  The first time might have been a casual remark, but the second time, Elder Xu must genuinely intend to help her!

  Overjoyed, Lin Yan'er quickly knelt before Xu Xiao, kowtowed, and sincerely said, "Disciple... thanks the Elder... thanks the Elder..."

  Xu Xiao waved his hand, "No problem, as I said, we are fated. Lin Yan'er, could you do me a favor?"

  Lin Yan'er stood up, her face flushed, and said, "Elder, just say the word, as long as I can do it, I'll do anything for you!"

  Her eyes were firm, filled with determination.

  She now understood that forming a connection with Elder Xu was the biggest turning point and opportunity in her cultivation journey!

  Xu Xiao sighed with a smile, "I'm getting old, my shoulders have been a bit sore, Lin Yan'er, could you massage my shoulders? My old bones are almost too stiff to move."

  Lin Yan'er was stunned.

  This... this is too simple, isn't it?

  Just a shoulder massage??

  "No problem!"

  Lin Yan'er quickly replied.

  She took a deep breath, rolled up her sleeves by three inches, revealing her fair and smooth forearms.

  Then, she walked behind Xu Xiao's rocking chair and began to gently massage his shoulders.

  "Elder Xu, just let me know if the pressure is right!"

  Lin Yan'er was very serious and gentle.

  She was afraid of using too much force and making the Elder uncomfortable.

  Xu Xiao felt the gentle movements on his shoulders, inhaled the youthful fragrance from her, and nodded in satisfaction.

  "That's about right, yes... continue."

  With a look of enjoyment on his face, Xu Xiao exhaled lightly.

  This girl indeed had some talent for massage.

  Seeing the elder's aged face slightly rex, Lin Yan'er couldn't be happier.

  Elder Xu had helped her so much, she wanted to do something for him...

  Moreover, Elder Xu was lonely as an old man, she wanted to spend more time with him.

  While receiving the massage, Xu Xiao opened the box on the table, took out a piece of pastry, and took a couple of bites.

  "Delicious, Lin Yan'er, these pastries are really good, much better than those in the canteen."

  Lin Yan'er was even happier hearing this, smiling brightly, "If Elder Xu likes them, I'll have my mother send more over, so you can enjoy them often!"

  Xu Xiao nodded with a smile, sipping tea, eating pastries, and enjoying the massage.

  Living out his days like this didn't seem too bad.

  Time passed by, and Lin Yan'er seemed tireless as she continued to massage Xu Xiao.

  During this time, her soft and tender fingers occasionally brushed against Xu Xiao's neck, but he said nothing, just closed his eyes in contemption.

  By noon, Xu Xiao finally called a stop, "Lin Yan'er, that's enough, thank you."

  Lin Yan'er quickly stepped aside, "No, no! Elder Xu has been so kind to me, this is nothing! If Elder Xu likes it, I'll come every day to give you a massage!"

  "Hehe, no need to come every day, let's wait until you reach the Foundation Establishment Stage."

  Xu Xiao stood up, his aged body still retively upright.

  Looking at the youthful and vibrant Lin Yan'er in front of him, he smiled, "Do you have any magical artifacts for protection?"

  Lin Yan'er was taken aback, "No... I don't have enough spirit stones..."

  Xu Xiao chuckled at her words and took out three low-grade magical artifacts from his spatial storage.

  A jade hairpin, a ring, and a sword artifact.

  These were magical artifacts he had previously selected at the Purple Arrival Commerce Guild, choosing these styles for the convenience of gifting to the Daughter of Destiny.

  "Lin Yan'er, you've helped me for so long, I must thank you. This jade hairpin is a low-grade attack artifact, this ring is a low-grade defense artifact, and this is a low-grade sword artifact."

  Seeing Lin Yan'er, who was already dumbfounded, Xu Xiao smiled, "I have no use for these artifacts anymore, you and I are fated, and you helped me, so I'll give them to you for protection."

  Lin Yan'er's eyes widened instantly.

  She was almost petrified with shock.

  Three low-grade magical artifacts, that's worth three high-grade spirit stones!

  This was too precious!

  Elder Xu, was giving them to her??

  Xu Xiao took her hand, pced the artifacts in it, and smiled, "No need to be polite, it's nothing to me.

  Lin Yan'er, with these three artifacts, no one in the Outer Sect will be able to bully you."

  Lin Yan'er looked at the artifacts in her hand, then at Xu Xiao's aged, wrinkled face.

  Her eyes began to redden, and tears fell one by one.

  Kneeling, she cried and thanked him, "Disciple... thanks the Elder for his great kindness... Elder, whatever you need in the future, I will do it without hesitation!"

  The shock gradually turned into joy.

  Lin Yan'er knew she had met a great benefactor!

  [Congratutions to the host for successfully gifting three low-grade magical artifacts, returning with a mid-grade artifact Jade Hairpin, a mid-grade artifact Mystic Light Ring, and a mid-grade artifact Meteor Sword.]

  [The three mid-grade magical artifacts have been stored in the spatial storage.]

  Hearing the system's voice in his ear, Xu Xiao smiled and nodded inwardly.

  This should be the regur tenfold return, without triggering a critical hit.

  A mid-grade magical artifact was roughly equivalent to the value of ten low-grade magical artifacts.

  Even without a critical hit, it was still a solid gain.

  Not bad!