Where Did Your Cool Guy Persona Go

"You don't know anything! The status gap between Xiao Rui and me is too large right now. If I'm always serious and distant, it'll be hard to gain his favor."

"Spending time together privately is an excellent opportunity to get closer. The Saintess identity is currently too aloof. I'm trying to break through his psychological defenses as quickly as possible!"

If the Saintess were cold to others but only warm to him, what man could resist such favor from a beauty?

Seeing her smile brighter than starlight, Xiao Rui's face flushed. Fortunately, his black robe concealed his expression, saving him from embarrassment.

"Saintess, you flatter me. I merely came down the mountain and happened to see if there were any treasures suitable for cultivation."

Xiao Rui didn't want to say more, and Xia Wantang didn't intend to pry into his privacy.

A young man, maintaining boundaries, that's normal.

"It just so happens that I'll be staying in Azure Cloud City for half a day, but I'm not very familiar with it... Junior Brother Xiao, could I trouble you to be my guide?"

If she weren't in a hurry to depart for Luoxia City, Xia Wantang would have liked to stay a few more days.

It was a rare opportunity to gain Xiao Rui's favor, so why wouldn't she seize it?

Upon hearing this, Xiao Rui wavered. He had originally planned to refine pills that afternoon, but now the Saintess was actively inviting him...

At this moment, Elder Sword's voice echoed in his mind:

"Kid, since you're tempted, just agree. Refining pills can wait."

His thoughts exposed by Elder Sword, Xiao Rui cleared his throat, suppressing the joy in his heart, and replied:

"I happen to have nothing to do today, and I'm quite familiar with Azure Cloud City. If the Saintess doesn't mind, allow me to be your guide."

It seems if I don't make a move, Xiao Rui will continue to be so formal.

Thinking this, Xia Wantang blinked and said:

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

"Also, Junior Brother Xiao, stop calling me 'Saintess' all the time. It's too formal."

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

"We're not in Azure Cloud Palace right now, so there's no need for these formalities."

[Host gained 3 Favorability points with Xiao Rui. Current Favorability: 35. Faith points exchanged: 30.]

Well, a direct increase of three favorability points, that's good.

"Alright, then please excuse me... Senior Sister Xia."

Xiao—looking calm on the surface, but internally ecstatic—Rui.

By the time the two walked out of the alley, Xiao Rui had already taken off his black robe.

His physique seemed more robust, his features as handsome and deeply sculpted as ever, exuding an air of nobility.

What's more, after only a few days apart, he had gained a more spirited and dashing aura.

Xia Wantang couldn't help but comment:

"Junior Brother Xiao, we haven't seen each other for a few days, but why do you seem even more handsome?"

[Host gained 3 Favorability points with Xiao Rui. Current Favorability: 38. Faith points exchanged: 30.]

Hearing this, Xiao Rui almost choked on his own spit. Senior Sister Xia is definitely teasing me!

He turned his face away, his earlobes turning slightly red, and said:

"Senior Sister Xia, please don't tease me."

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

[Host, why does the latter half of that sentence sound a bit sour?]

Xia Wantang: Ignore him, it's just a little boy's jealousy.

Tsk, a young man who's never been in love is so easily teased.

However, she hadn't expected Xiao Rui to have such a pure side. Where was his cool guy persona?

"There are naturally many outstanding fellow disciples, but Junior Brother Xiao, you are also very capable. You shouldn't underestimate yourself."

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

Xia Wantang pretended not to understand the implication behind Xiao Rui's words, her tone serious and her expression earnest.

[Host gained 2 Favorability points with Xiao Rui. Current Favorability: 40. Faith points exchanged: 20.]

[Host is mighty! Xiao Rui's favorability has actually caught up to Ye Xing's all of a sudden.]

Xia Wantang: Don't let Xiao Rui's cold exterior fool you. He's still a young man not even twenty years old, so his psychological defenses are relatively easy to break.

On the other hand, Ye Xing's favorability has been stuck at 40 for a while now. Even with daily interaction, it's not increasing.

This means Ye Xing currently only has ordinary admiration and good feelings towards me. To continue increasing his favorability, I need to bring out the heavy artillery.

[Hehe, this System believes the Host definitely has a way.]

[Oh, right, Host has saved up twenty draws. You can do some gacha pulls later.]

While Xia Wantang was chatting with the System, Xiao Rui was also busy, starting a private chat with Elder Sword:

"Elder Sword, what did Senior Sister Xia mean by that? Does she really think highly of me? Could she have seen through my true cultivation?"

"Seen through your cultivation? Impossible. I helped you conceal it; she couldn't have possibly seen through it."

"Then she actually said I could achieve good results in the Inner Sect Grand Competition."

"...You kid, you're going to be a henpecked husband in the future! Maybe she was just saying it casually, don't get ahead of yourself."

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

Elder Sword: ...Just destroy me, I'm tired.

If anyone could see Elder Sword's soul, they would find him shaking his head and sighing uncontrollably in mid-air:

It's over for this kid, he's actually a love-struck fool!

After the conversation between the two sides, Xia Wantang was taken by Xiao Rui to stroll through the main street of Azure Cloud City.

Azure Cloud City, as expected of a major city in the surrounding area, had everything from spirit pets, spirit pills, spirit talismans, and precious swords, all sorts of magic treasures.

It was just a pity that most of the shops sold items of low quality.

That made sense, cultivation resources were extremely precious, and everyone wanted the good stuff, so there was naturally less of it.

After browsing, Xia Wantang didn't have anything she wanted to buy, but Xiao Rui bought some more spirit herbs.

Xia Wantang deliberately put on a confused expression and said:

"Junior Brother Xiao, you bought quite a few spirit herbs at the auction house just now, and you're buying more now. Does that mean you know how to refine pills?"

This time, Xiao Rui didn't deny it, perhaps because his favorability had increased:

"I know a little."

"Utility disciples don't have many cultivation resources, so I can only refine some basic pills for my own cultivation."

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

You call that "knowing a little"??

You know, in the novel, as soon as Xiao Rui's cultivation reached the Spirit Channeling Realm, he was already a Grand Alchemist, and countless major clans extended olive branches to him.

Now, he's at least an Intermediate Alchemist, how could he only know how to refine basic pills?