Lu Changsheng seemed to have been frozen in place.
He stared at the figure before him, dumbfounded, his mind completely blank.
Bathed in the fading light of the formation, the figure seemed especially radiant.
Her tall, alluring figure was perfectly accentuated by her white dress. Her exquisite features were the very embodiment of breathtaking beauty, and her long hair, tied up with a Golden Hairpin, added a touch of unique charm.
A peerless beauty!
Lu Changsheng was at a loss for words. He couldn't think of anything else to describe the woman before him.
But the cold, angry look that appeared on the woman's face the next moment made his heart sink.
He had seen that face on Golden Ao Island not long ago.
It was Yunxiao!
He had been too slow. Yunxiao and Qiongxiao had already returned to Three Immortal Island ahead of him.
Why had he dared to come and confess to Bixiao?
Because he had read Honghuang extensively and knew Bixiao's temperament quite well.
He was confident his confession would succeed.
On the way here, he had even imagined countless ways Bixiao might react after his confession, along with how he would respond to each.
But he had never once considered that he might confess to the wrong person.
This unexpected turn of events had completely caught him off guard.
"Lu Changsheng..."
Yunxiao spoke coldly.
"Leave now, and I'll pretend I never heard what you said."
At that moment, she was both shocked and furious.
She was shocked because she had never expected anyone to come to Three Immortal Island and ask to become her Dao Companion.
She was angry because Lu Changsheng was a Jie Sect Disciple with only Earth Immortal cultivation, yet he wasn't working hard to cultivate and spent his days distracted by other things.
If all Jie Sect Disciples were like Lu Changsheng, how could the Interception Sect claim to be the greatest sect in Honghuang?
Yunxiao's words pulled Lu Changsheng out of his daze.
What was he supposed to do now?
Tell Yunxiao the truth—that he had actually meant to confess to Bixiao, and had simply confessed to the wrong person?
Would that work?
Of course not!
He had just said all those lovely things about love at first sight, and now he was going to admit he couldn't even recognize the person he was talking to?
Even if Yunxiao didn't punish him, she would never allow Bixiao to become his Dao Companion.
Or should he do as Yunxiao said, turn around, and pretend none of this had happened?
But what had he come here for?
If he failed to confess and couldn't find a Dao Companion, he wouldn't activate the system. With his Earth Immortal cultivation, how long could he survive in Honghuang?
Never mind anything else—what would he do the next time Dingguang Xian came after him?
Looking at Yunxiao's stunning face, Lu Changsheng suddenly had a daring idea.
If he could become Yunxiao's Dao Companion...
He hadn't specified who he was confessing to, after all. Since things had already gone this far, he might as well go along with it.
He was only an Earth Immortal. What did he have to be afraid of?
The worst that could happen was Yunxiao turning him down.
But if he succeeded, he would not only complete the task and activate the system, he would also win the heart of a beauty.
Having calmed down, Lu Changsheng made up his mind.
"Every word I said just now came from the heart."
"From the very first moment I saw you, Fairy, I fell for you."
"As far as I know, you don't have a Dao Companion. So why not give me a chance?"
"If we spend some time together, I believe you'll come to feel the same way about me..."
Before he could finish, Yunxiao stepped forward.
A flash of Spiritual Light passed through her palm, and in an instant, a Spirit Sword appeared in her hand.
Then she pointed its tip at Lu Changsheng's throat.
"Enough!"
It wasn't just Bixiao—Yunxiao had never had a Dao Companion either, nor had anyone ever confessed to her.
Lu Changsheng's words left her both embarrassed and furious.
She had even helped him back on Golden Ao Island, and this was how he repaid her?
"Now that you've joined the Interception Sect, you should devote yourself to cultivation. How can you be so distracted and neglect your training, bringing shame upon the name of my sect?!"
As her icy words rang out, Yunxiao's pressure grew even stronger.
That left Lu Changsheng in a miserable state.
He had already been unable to withstand the pressure of a Taiyi Golden Immortal. Now, as it intensified, his old injuries flared up. His body shuddered, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
He toppled backward.
Yunxiao was taken aback. Confusion filled her eyes as she looked at Lu Changsheng.
Was this for real?
Her cultivation was indeed far above Lu Changsheng's, but the pressure she had just released shouldn't have left him this badly injured.
The next moment, when she saw the state of Lu Changsheng's injuries, the confusion in her eyes was instantly replaced by panic.
Lu Changsheng wasn't merely seriously injured. He was on the verge of death!
The Spirit Sword in her hand vanished in an instant, and she hurried to Lu Changsheng's side.
She used her power to protect him while taking out a Jade Bottle.
Lu Changsheng caught the panic in her eyes.
He was secretly delighted.
It seemed his injuries weren't entirely a bad thing.
He wore a desolate expression and gave a bitter laugh.
"I want to cultivate hard, too, and bring honor to the Interception Sect."
"But all I can think about is you, Fairy. I can't focus on cultivating at all."
At his words, Yunxiao's hands stopped moving. Her lips parted slightly, and she stared at him in astonishment.
When it came to cultivation, her Taiyi Golden Immortal level was far beyond Lu Changsheng's.
But when it came to matters of the heart, how could a novice like her compete with a crafty man like Lu Changsheng?
A wave of guilt welled up in Yunxiao's heart.
Had she been the reason Lu Changsheng had neglected his cultivation?
No, this wasn't the time to dwell on that.
She poured a Healing Pill from the Jade Bottle.
"Take this at once!"
But Lu Changsheng made no move to take the pill. He staggered to his feet, a self-mocking look on his face.
"Since you're unwilling to give me a chance, Fairy, I won't trouble you any longer."
"We'll never meet again."
But just as he turned around, he staggered and fell to the ground. His eyes slowly dimmed.
He wasn't faking it. The injuries the Original Host had suffered while trying to break through to Heavenly Immortal had already been severe.
Yunxiao was now completely panicked.
Seeing Lu Changsheng on the verge of death, Yunxiao was frantic with worry.
She could tell that his physical injuries were severe, and his state of mind had also taken a tremendous blow. There was no sorrow greater than a broken heart, and he seemed to have reached that point.
It was fair to say that she bore most of the responsibility for Lu Changsheng's terrible condition.
Just earlier, at Biyou Palace, Master had instructed her and Duobao to help their fellow disciples who had joined the sect later whenever possible.
And now Lu Changsheng had fallen into such a state because of her.
She couldn't just stand by and watch him die.
What should she do?
Maybe she should agree for now?
She was still hesitating.
Meanwhile, Lu Changsheng's eyes had already closed. His breaths were faint, and he seemed only a moment away from death.
Yunxiao's eyes widened, and the words escaped her before she could stop them.
"I'll agree to become your Dao Companion!"
The moment she said it, Lu Changsheng's eyes flew open. Unprecedented joy flashed through his dim eyes.
"Fairy, do you truly mean it?"
"I do."
After receiving Yunxiao's confirmation, Lu Changsheng immediately swallowed the pill and sat down cross-legged.
The pill's effects took hold, and his terrible injuries gradually began to heal.
Just then, the system prompt that had been silent for a long time rang out.
[Congratulations, Host, on becoming Dao Companions with Yunxiao! System successfully activated. You have received a Beginner's Gift Pack.]
Before you continue