Where Is Your Cool Persona

"What do you know! The gap in status between Xiao Rui and me is too big right now. If I keep acting all serious and out of touch, it'll be way too hard to farm affection points."

"Hanging out privately is the absolute best chance to close the distance. The Saintess identity feels way too distant right now, so I'm doing this to break through his psychological defenses ASAP!"

If the Saintess acted coldly toward everyone else yet showed closeness only to him, I ask you, which man could withstand that kind of tender favor?

Watching the other person's smile outshine the starlight, Xiao Rui's face flushed. Fortunately, his black robe concealed his expression, saving him from making a fool of himself:

"The Saintess speaks too seriously. I just came down the mountain and happened to check out if there are any treasures suitable for cultivation."

Xiao Rui didn't care to say more, and Xia Wantang had no intention of prying into someone's privacy.

A young fellow needs boundaries, right? Totally normal.

"I happen to be staying in Azure Cloud City for half a day, but I'm not very familiar with it... Junior Brother Xiao, would it be too much trouble for you to act as my guide?"

If she weren't in a rush to set off for Luoxia City, Xia Wantang would've wanted to stay a few more days.

It's a rare chance to farm Xiao Rui's affection, so she had to seize it.

At those words, Xiao Rui wavered: he originally planned to practice alchemy this afternoon, but now that the Saintess took the initiative to invite him...

At that moment, Elder Sword's voice rang out in his mind:

"Kid, if your heart's moved, just say yes. It's not like alchemy can't wait a moment."

Having his thoughts called out by Elder Sword, Xiao Rui gave a light cough, suppressed the joy bubbling at the bottom of his heart, and replied:

"I happen to have nothing to do today, and I'm quite familiar with this Azure Cloud City. If the Saintess doesn't mind, let me handle it."

It seemed that if she didn't show some initiative, Xiao Rui would keep acting all polite like that.

Thinking to herself, Xia Wantang blinked and said:

"Then I'll have to trouble Junior Brother Xiao."

"And Junior Brother Xiao, don't keep calling me 'Saintess' and 'Saintess'—it's way too formal."

"You don't need to use honorifics with me in private; just call me Senior Sister."

"Neither of us is at the Azure Cloud Palace right now, so there's no need to stand on such empty ceremony."

The host has gained 3 affection points from Xiao Rui. Current affection points: 35. Exchanged for 30 faith points.

Oh ho, her affection points jumped by three right away. The effect was pretty sweet.

"Alright, then I'll overstep... Senior Sister Xia."

Xiao—looking very calm on the outside, leaping with joy on the inside—Rui.

When the two of them stepped out of the alley, Xiao Rui had already taken off the black robe he wore.

His build seemed a bit more sturdily built, and his facial features remained handsome, as chiseled and deep, high-spirited and magnificent.

What's more, after just a few days apart, he also carried a few more points of high-spirited vigor about him.

At this, Xia Wantang couldn't help commenting:

"Junior Brother Xiao, I haven't seen you in a few days, how come you look even more handsome?"

The host has gained 3 affection points from Xiao Rui. Current affection points: 38. Exchanged for 30 faith points.

Hearing this, Xiao Rui almost choked on his own saliva: Senior Sister Xia was definitely teasing him!

His face turned away to the side, his earlobes slightly red as he said:

"Senior Sister Xia, please don't make fun of me."

"I heard there are many outstanding senior and junior brothers in the inner sect, and that Holy Son in particular is the cream of the crop."

Host, how come the second half of that sentence sounds a bit sour to me?

Xia Wantang: Don't mind him, just a little boy's jealousy.

Tch, a youth who has never been in relationships really can't take a tease.

Yet she didn't expect Xiao Rui to have such a pure side to him either. Where is your cool persona?

"Of course there are many outstanding fellow disciples, but Junior Brother Xiao, you're amazing too, so there's no need to belittle yourself."

"I'm sure you'll win great results in the Inner Sect Grand Competition."

Xia Wantang feigned not understanding the subtext in Xiao Rui's words, her tone serious and wearing a completely earnest look as she spoke.

The host has gained 2 affection points from Xiao Rui. Current affection points: 40. Exchanged for 20 faith points.

The host is mighty! Xiao Rui's affection points actually caught up to Ye Xing's in one go.

Xia Wantang: Don't look at how ice-cold Xiao Rui seems; at the end of the day, he's a young fellow under twenty, so his psychological defenses are relatively easy to break through.

On the contrary, with Ye Xing, after his affection reached 40, even though they spent every day together, it refused to budge upward.

This showed that Ye Xing only held ordinary appreciation and goodwill toward her right now. If she wanted to keep farming affection points, she had to drop some heavy moves.

Hehe, this system believes the host definitely has a way.

Right, the host has saved up twenty draws again, so you can pull cards shortly.

Over there, Xia Wantang was chatting with the system, and Xiao Rui wasn't sitting idle either, opening up a private chat mode with Elder Sword:

"Elder Sword, what do you think Senior Sister Xia meant by those words? Does she really think highly of me? Could it be she saw through my true cultivation realm?"

"Saw through your cultivation? Impossible. This old man helped you conceal your realm; she couldn't possibly see through it."

"Then how could she actually say I can win great results in the Inner Sect Grand Competition?"

"...You brat, you'll definitely be a henpecked husband in the future! She's probably just saying it casually, don't flatter yourself."

"But she actually told me to call her Senior Sister and not use honorifics, hey."

Elder Sword: ...Just let it all burn, this old man is tired.

If anyone else could see Elder Sword's soul, they would find him shaking his head and sighing endlessly in midair:

This kid is finished, he's actually still a love-struck fool!

Once both sides finished talking, Xia Wantang let Xiao Rui lead her on a tour of Azure Cloud City's main street.

Azure Cloud City truly lived up to being a major city in the surrounding region. Spirit beasts, spiritual pills, spirit talismans, precious swords, all kinds of magical treasures were available in every variety.

It's just a pity that the product grades of the treasures sold in most shops weren't very high.

True enough, cultivation resources were extremely precious; everyone wanted the good stuff, so naturally there was less of it to go around.

After strolling around a circle, Xia Wantang didn't find anything she wanted to buy, but Xiao Rui instead bought some more spiritual herbs.

At this, Xia Wantang deliberately put on a puzzled look and said:

"Junior Brother Xiao, you bought quite a few spiritual herbs back in the auction house just now, and now you're buying more. Could it be that you practice alchemy?"

This time, Xiao Rui didn't deny it, likely because his affection points had increased:

"I know a little bit."

"A handyman disciple has no cultivation resources, so I can only refine some basic pills for my own cultivation use."

Xia Wantang: I spit! If I hadn't read the novel, I almost would've believed you.

Is that what you call "knowing a little bit"??

You must know that in the novel, the moment Xiao Rui's cultivation reached the Spirit Channeling Realm, he was already a Grand Alchemist, and countless major clans tossed olive branches his way.

As for now, he was at least a Intermediate Alchemist, so how could he possibly only know how to refine basic pills.