Eighteen—The Age to Venture Forth

The host has gained 5 Favorability from Xiao Rui. Current Favorability: 15. Converted into 50 Faith Points.

Wow, Host, not bad! Save up a little more and you'll be able to pull another ten-draw!

"System, you said Favorability has a limit. What happens if it reaches full?"

Then you can only switch targets and fleece someone else.

But Host, I don't recommend maxing out their Favorability.

If their Favorability is full and they're a Son of Destiny, then if they're powerful and obsessive enough, who knows—they might pull some imprisonment play or forced-love nonsense.

Xia Wantang: Good heavens, that's wild.

"Looks like I'll have to control my score, then."

"Keeping it around seventy or eighty should be safe, right?"

Advance when I can attack, retreat when I need to defend—who wouldn't call me a little genius?

That's right, Host. Such a smart Host.

Xia Wantang: ...Why does that tone make it sound like it's talking to a kindergarten kid?

System, without you, who else would treat me like a child?

"Then if I become strong enough, I won't need to worry, right?"

If one day, her strength surpassed that of every Son of Destiny...

Hehe, just thinking about it got her fired up.

It's wonderful that the Host has such grand ambitions. Keep it up, keep it up! At eighteen, you're at the perfect age to venture forth!

While Xia Wantang chatted with the system, Luo Ao was the first to come to his senses.

Faced with such a breathtakingly beautiful face, his heart could not help but stir.

Beauty bewitched the soul. His face reddened, and he hastily lowered his head in salute.

"This outer disciple, Luo Ao, greets the Saintess."

"Please do not take offense, Saintess."

"It was this menial disciple, Xiao Rui, who indulged in wishful thinking. He has relentlessly harassed Junior Sister Ye Yilan, causing her great distress. That was why Junior Sister Yilan asked me to step in and seek justice."

With all his people around him, Luo Ao cast propriety to the wind and began spouting utter nonsense.

Xiao Rui panicked at once.

He loathed Luo Ao's twisting of right and wrong, and feared even more that Xia Wantang would believe him and misunderstand Xiao Rui.

"Saintess, please do not listen to his nonsense."

"I have always regarded Ye Yilan as my own younger sister. I have never had any other thoughts."

"She wishes to fly together with Luo Ao, sharing the same roost. I have nothing but blessings for her, and I will certainly draw a clear line between us. From now on, our waters will not mingle with each other's."

"I simply do not understand why Luo Ao and Ye Yilan have come looking for trouble today."

"I am merely a lowly menial disciple, without power or influence. Why is Senior Brother Luo Ao so unwilling to tolerate me?"

Xiao Rui's ultimate move left Luo Ao and the others speechless.

They looked at one another, clearly having no idea how to refute him.

Xia Wantang could not help thinking:

Xiao Rui isn't stupid. He knows when to bend and when to stretch, and he shut Luo Ao and the others up in one go.

My lady, times have changed. Silly sweethearts are no longer in fashion.

Xia Wantang: ...Fine.

Ye Yilan bit her lip as she looked at Xiao Rui, her face full of grievance, as though crystal tears might spill at any moment.

At this moment, silence spoke louder than words. She said nothing, yet made Xiao Rui seem like some heartless, faithless scumbag.

At the sight of this, Xiao Rui snorted coldly in his heart.

She was the one who had broken faith and betrayed him first!

Just then, an aged sigh rang out in his mind.

"Alas, that little girl was your childhood sweetheart after all. What a pity she has eyes but fails to see; she missed a potential treasure like you."

Hearing the voice in his mind, Xiao Rui naturally conversed with the other party in his thoughts.

"Elder Sword, this junior has always regarded Ye Yilan only as a sister. Back then, she secretly developed feelings for me, and that troubled me as well."

"Now that she has chosen to let the bridge return to the bridge and the road return to the road between us, this junior no longer needs to consider her feelings."

As a Son of Destiny, Xiao Rui naturally possessed many insanely overpowered cheat abilities.

His first cheat ability was a Sword-shaped White Jade Pendant he had worn since birth.

Though the sword-shaped jade pendant looked ordinary, it was actually an Immortal Grade Ninth Tier treasure capable of housing the souls of mighty experts.

And Elder Sword was the remnant soul currently residing within it.

Xiao Rui truly was a cultivation genius.

The reason his cultivation had not advanced over the past few years was that he had been nurturing Elder Sword's soul and healing his injuries.

Elder Sword possessed numerous cultivation secrets and treasures.

He had promised Xiao Rui that once his soul was restored, Xiao Rui's cultivation would surely surge by leaps and bounds.

Just a few days ago, Elder Sword's soul had fully recovered, and Xiao Rui had also obtained an Immortal Grade cultivation technique and treasures.

In merely a few days, his cultivation had soared from the late Human Martial Realm to the peak of the Human Martial Realm.

At this rate, he would surely achieve his goal in the upcoming Inner Sect Grand Competition—becoming the personal disciple of the Azure Cloud Palace's Palace Lord and reaching the pinnacle of life.

The four years he had spent as a menial disciple in Azure Cloud Palace, enduring countless cold stares, had made him deeply realize that only dragons and phoenixes among men could earn the world's respect.

Xiao Rui had originally wanted to share this good news with Ye Yilan, because she had been the person he trusted most.

Yet who would have thought that in only a few days, Ye Yilan would reveal her true colors, attempting to prove her devotion to Luo Ao by persecuting him? She had gone too far in bullying others!

In truth, even if the Saintess had not appeared, the Immortal Grade First Tier Purple Lightning Sword Technique he had learned not long ago would have been enough to deal with Luo Ao and the others.

Not even Ye Yilan knew about this.

Xia Wantang had already known the full story, and coupled with her original purpose, she naturally knew whom she should help:

"Luo Ao, I have heard of you. Apparently, you have a long record of misdeeds among the outer sect disciples."

"Xiao Rui is only a menial disciple. He has no ability to provoke trouble on his own. You must have been the ones picking a fight first."

Her tone was gentle, yet her words made Luo Ao and the others feel as though they had fallen into an icy abyss.

The cultivation level Xia Wantang publicly claimed was the late Mystic Martial Realm. Not a single outer sect disciple could stand against her.

Rumors that she might be all show had only spread among the inner sect disciples and had not yet reached the outer sect disciples' ears.

Thus, for now, her words still carried considerable intimidation.

Knowing he was at fault, Luo Ao was already guilty and uneasy. He hurriedly led his subordinates to their knees and begged for mercy.

"Saint—Saintess, please see the truth clearly. What happened today was merely an accident. We beg the Saintess for forgiveness!"

Xia Wantang's pale, pear-blossom face remained expressionless as she said coldly, "Go receive your punishment from the disciplinary elder yourselves. Do not repeat this next time."

"Yes!"

What amorous thoughts could Luo Ao and the others possibly still have at this moment?

It was good enough that the Saintess was not holding them accountable. They had better grease the soles of their feet and run!

When Ye Yilan saw the Saintess speaking up for Xiao Rui, a strange feeling rose within her. It was as if something were quietly slipping away, leaving her somewhat uneasy.

Though unwilling, she did not dare defy the Saintess and could only follow Luo Ao and the others to receive their punishment.

After watching Luo Ao and the others leave, Xiao Rui immediately bowed in thanks.

"Thank you, Saintess, for upholding justice for Xiao Rui!"

After saying that, he slowly raised his head, though his gaze remained lowered, not daring to look directly at Xia Wantang's face.

Xia Wantang's face was even more dazzling than a tree full of hibiscus blossoms; staring at it for too long could easily disturb one's Dao heart.

In truth, as a Son of Destiny, Xiao Rui would certainly not lack beautiful women in the future.

But at present, the two were merely acquaintances who nodded in passing, and Xiao Rui had yet to grow strong.

For now, Xia Wantang's cultivation and status both surpassed Xiao Rui's, and she was so extraordinarily beautiful besides. He could not help but feel somewhat inferior.

Moreover, the Saintess had helped him out of danger. No matter what, he could not possibly act rashly toward her.