Bixiao's simple question instantly left everyone else stunned.
Lu Changsheng froze in place.
Wait, she could guess that?
He'd only mentioned a condition.
How had Bixiao jumped to Dao Companions?
Yunxiao's heart was already in her throat, her beautiful eyes filled with panic.
What should she do?
She hadn't prepared at all to tell Bixiao about her Dao Companion now.
How was she supposed to explain this?
Think, quick!
Fortunately, someone stepped in to help at the crucial moment.
"Little Sister, what nonsense are you talking about?!"
Qiongxiao glared at Bixiao, her eyes full of reproach.
She couldn't believe Bixiao would say something like that.
"How is it nonsense? When I used to visit the Mortal World, lots of mortals did things like that."
Now that she'd recovered, Yunxiao let out a sigh of relief, too.
Just what had Bixiao been learning in the Mortal World?
"The Mortal World is the Mortal World. Don't make wild claims."
"I never promised Lu Changsheng anything like giving myself to him."
Yunxiao offered an explanation.
That was completely true.
After all, the two of them were already Dao Companions. Her fight with Dingguang Xian had nothing to do with it.
"Then what exactly did you promise Lu Changsheng, Big Sister?"
Bixiao was terribly curious.
"I..."
"I only said that after he won, I'd give him some pointers on the Shangqing Sword Art."
In her panic, Yunxiao could only make up an excuse on the spot.
As she spoke, she didn't forget to shoot Lu Changsheng a look, signaling for him to play along.
Lu Changsheng hurriedly smiled.
"That's right. Fairy, please come to my Dojo and give me some pointers."
"I'm coming too, I'm coming too!"
Bixiao jumped forward again.
"I know the Shangqing Sword Art, too."
This time, it was Lu Changsheng's turn to panic.
What was going on? Did Bixiao love butting in that much?
If he let her tag along, how was he supposed to discuss his condition with Yunxiao?
Fortunately, Yunxiao spoke up.
"You're not going anywhere."
"In a hundred years, the Dao Discussion Quota will be decided."
"During this time, you must stay on Three Immortal Island and cultivate properly, consolidating your cultivation."
Bixiao pouted.
"But..."
"No buts. Qiongxiao, take your little sister back to the island."
"Lu Changsheng, let's go."
With that, Yunxiao set off first.
Seeing this, Lu Changsheng immediately hurried after her.
"Big Sister is so unfair!"
Bixiao stamped her foot angrily.
"Enough. Big Sister has a point."
"When your cultivation catches up, Big Sister naturally won't keep you on a leash."
Qiongxiao tried to comfort her.
"Fine, I'll go back. Once my cultivation surpasses Big Sister's, I'll let her see what it's like to have someone boss her around!"
As she spoke, Bixiao soared into the sky on a cloud.
Qiongxiao, however, watched in the direction Yunxiao had gone, a trace of doubt rising in her heart.
Was it just her imagination?
Why did it seem like Big Sister already knew where Lu Changsheng's Dojo was?
"Second Sister, what are you doing? Aren't we going back to Three Immortal Island?"
Bixiao's reminder interrupted Qiongxiao's thoughts.
"Coming."
The two returned to Three Immortal Island.
Lu Changsheng and Yunxiao returned to the cave dwelling.
Yunxiao gazed at Lu Changsheng with a serious expression.
"Next time, don't say things like that in front of Bixiao."
If she hadn't reacted quickly and used the Shangqing Sword Art as an excuse, their secret might really have been exposed.
Strangely enough, she was usually composed and calm.
But whenever the subject of Dao Companions came up, she became completely flustered.
Even now, she was still a little shaken.
But after she finished speaking, Lu Changsheng didn't answer. He simply stared at her.
One breath, two...
"Beautiful."
Lu Changsheng suddenly blurted out.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm seriously talking to you about Bixiao."
Yunxiao's cheeks warmed again.
"I'm serious, too."
"My Dao Companion really is beautiful."
"And this Golden Hairpin suits you perfectly."
Lu Changsheng spoke with utter sincerity.
Yunxiao froze in place, her fair neck instantly turning rosy.
What was he even saying?
He hadn't acted like this when he fought Dingguang Xian earlier.
Seeing her like this gave Lu Changsheng a great sense of accomplishment.
Those romance novels he'd read before transmigrating hadn't been a waste after all.
"Why couldn't you break through to Heavenly Immortal for a thousand years, but now you've reached Mysterious Immortal in two hundred?"
Yunxiao changed the subject and asked what had been puzzling her.
Lu Changsheng smiled.
"Didn't I tell you when I first went to Three Immortal Island to confess my feelings?"
Why? Of course, it was because he'd activated the system.
But there was no way he could tell Yunxiao the truth.
Even if he did, she might not believe him.
Yunxiao recalled meeting Lu Changsheng on Three Immortal Island.
She hadn't expected that she really had held Lu Changsheng back.
[System Prompt: Your Dao Companion Yunxiao's favorability has increased by ten. Current favorability: ten (concerned)]
Lu Changsheng was a little dazed.
That increase in favorability had truly caught him off guard.
Feeling guilty, Yunxiao wanted to make it up to Lu Changsheng.
"Tell me, what condition do you have after defeating Dingguang Xian?"
Lu Changsheng smiled slightly. He'd already thought of one.
"Simple. Give me a kiss."
He'd have loved to spend a night of passion with her, but he knew these things had to happen gradually. There was no rushing them.
"No!"
Yunxiao refused without a moment's thought.
"You said it had to be a reasonable request."
She'd never imagined anything like kissing.
"Between Dao Companions, how could a kiss be unreasonable?"
"If you don't believe me, you can ask someone else."
Lu Changsheng argued his case.
Yunxiao stood frozen, her neck crimson.
Thinking about it carefully, Dao Companions did seem to kiss each other.
But for her to...
"You're not going to go back on your word, are you?"
"Of course not. I, Yunxiao, always keep my word!"
Yunxiao steeled herself. She wasn't the kind of person who went back on her word.
She closed her eyes and simply let Lu Changsheng do as he pleased.
Lu Changsheng stepped forward and kissed her.
But before he could savor it, Yunxiao pushed him away as if she'd been shocked.
"O-okay, that's enough."
Yunxiao lowered her head, her gaze darting away.
"I've kept my promise to you."
"I'm going back to Three Immortal Island."
As she spoke, Yunxiao hurried toward the exit.
"Don't go! Weren't you going to teach me the Shangqing Sword Art?"
Lu Changsheng chased after her.
Yunxiao's pretty face was flushed, her heart in turmoil.
"What Shangqing Sword Art? I don't know!"
Without looking back, she vanished from Lu Changsheng's sight in an instant.
Lu Changsheng couldn't help laughing.
He hadn't expected composed, calm Yunxiao to react so strongly to a kiss.
Interesting. Was this the contrast?
He looked forward even more to life with his Dao Companion.
But before then, he still needed to improve his strength as much as possible.
Defeating one Dingguang Xian was nothing. His Mysterious Immortal Peak cultivation was still far too weak.
Besides, today's battle had changed his plans.
Originally, he'd planned to use Dingguang Xian's Cultivation Resources and the system's Alchemy Function to reach Taiyi Golden Immortal or even Daluo Golden Immortal as quickly as possible.
But Tongtian's words in Biyou Palace had sounded an alarm.
In the end, Cultivation Resources, pills, and the like were all external forces—a kind of shortcut.
The result of relying too heavily on external forces to improve his cultivation was an unstable foundation that would limit his future potential.
This time, Tongtian had given him the Sacred Flame Golden Crystal to resolve the problem.
But what about next time?
He couldn't keep hoping Tongtian would solve the problem for him every time.
Yet cultivating steadily on his own would be far too slow.
Perhaps cultivating for a few hundred or even a few thousand years would be enough to reach Earth Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, or True Immortal.
But realms like Taiyi Golden Immortal and Daluo Golden Immortal could require tens of thousands of years—or even longer—of accumulated cultivation.
Even in Honghuang, where time was of little consequence, he didn't want to spend that long accumulating cultivation.
That would be far too slow.
Was there really no way to perfectly eliminate the Side Effects of pills?
Or even make someone else bear those Side Effects?
After thinking it over, Lu Changsheng gave up.
At least for now, he had no good solution.
Forget it. Where there's a will, there's a way.
For now, he'd check the system.
After his favorability rank increased, there was still a draw he hadn't used.
Before you continue