System Rewards, Seclusion Breakthrough

Yunxiao's voice suddenly rose several octaves.

She stood frozen in place, her red lips slightly parted, a pair of beautiful eyes filled with nothing but shock.

Qiongxiao's words echoed in her ears, lingering for a long time without fading.

A cultivator's Dao Companion was about the same as a mortal husband and wife?

The part about living together was fine—cultivators merely cultivated alongside each other.

But then there was bearing and raising children?!

She truly didn't know much about matters outside of cultivation, but she had heard a thing or two about mortals having children.

Wouldn't It Be that she would have to... with Lu Changsheng...

Yunxiao was completely dazed.

Just then, Bixiao was drawn over by Yunxiao's earlier shriek.

"Second Sister, what's wrong?"

Bixiao asked curiously.

But if Bixiao didn't know what was going on, how could Qiongxiao?

At this moment, Qiongxiao was equally bewildered.

"I don't know either. Eldest Sister just asked me about Dao Companions."

"I only said that Dao Companions bear and raise children like mortal husband and wife, and Eldest Sister just..."

Before she could finish, Bixiao's eyes went wide, her face full of disbelief.

"Second Sister, don't talk nonsense if you don't know."

"What do you mean, Dao Companions are the same as mortal husband and wife? There are some differences."

"What differences?"

Yunxiao suddenly asked.

Qiongxiao stared at Yunxiao in utter astonishment, completely baffled.

Bixiao, however, didn't notice this and kept talking on her own.

"Eldest Sister, you've come to the right person with that question."

"Mortal husband and wife do bear and raise children, but they don't just have kids right away."

"There's also a gradual process of emotional development."

Bixiao was sharing her own understanding of Dao Companions.

"If I had to put it, Dao Companions are probably similar to mortals falling in love."

"As feelings deepen, the two will Hold Hands, embrace, kiss, and only finally have children."

Qiongxiao was taken aback and instinctively asked.

"And how do you know that?"

"Don't worry about it."

Bixiao lifted her chin, looking quite proud.

"Oh? Are you proud of that, then?"

A cold voice suddenly rang out.

Having come back to her senses, Yunxiao let out a sharp rebuke.

"Instead of focusing on cultivation, you spend your days thinking about all sorts of pointless things."

After being scolded, Bixiao pouted and muttered under her breath.

"Wasn't it you who asked, Eldest Sister?"

Though her voice was very soft, there was no way it could escape Yunxiao's ears.

Yunxiao's willow-leaf brows furrowed tightly.

"I only wanted to see just how distracted you've become."

"Go quickly and refine what's needed for the formation. This time, if you don't break through to Primordial Unity Golden Immortal during seclusion, you're not to leave the Cave Mansion even half a step!"

Bixiao could only walk toward the inner part of the cave mansion with a look of grievance.

"Qiongxiao, you and Bixiao work together to perfect the formation as soon as possible and prepare for seclusion."

Yunxiao urged Qiongxiao again.

And Qiongxiao gave Yunxiao a meaningful glance.

On the surface, it seemed Yunxiao was scolding Bixiao for being distracted by matters of Dao Companions.

But she couldn't shake the feeling that ever since she and Bixiao returned this time, Yunxiao had become somewhat different.

Yet for the moment, she had no idea what had actually happened.

Forget it, maybe I was overthinking it.

After a moment of hesitation, Qiongxiao caught up to Bixiao.

Yunxiao was left standing alone in place. Only after Qiongxiao and Bixiao vanished from her sight did she finally let out a long breath.

That was close—I almost exposed myself.

If Bixiao found out about her and Lu Changsheng, who knew what kind of scene she'd cause.

Good news: Dao companions don't need to have children or anything like that.

But then what about all those intimate acts like holding hands and kissing?

After a long bout of thought, Yunxiao clenched her jade hand.

What was she even thinking, going on about Dao companions or not?

The top priority right now was to go into secluded cultivation, reach Primordial Unity Golden Immortal Peak as soon as possible, and break through to Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal—to bring glory to the Jie Sect!

As for Lu Changsheng, everything would wait until she saw whether he could break through to Primordial Unity Golden Immortal in a thousand years.

Having made her decision, Yunxiao immediately steadied her breath and focused her mind, beginning the final refinements of the formation.

On the other side.

Back in his cave mansion, Lu Changsheng still felt a sense of unreality.

Before leaving his cave this time, he had been nothing—an Earth Immortal Peak with severe injuries.

Now, he had successfully formed a Dao companion bond with Yunxiao and activated the system.

Thinking of this, Lu Changsheng couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips.

He had originally gone to Three Immortal Island for Bixiao—who knew he'd end up confessing to Yunxiao in a daze?

He really hadn't planned on becoming Yunxiao's Dao companion.

But no matter what, the outcome was good.

For now, he still needed to figure out what this system of his was all about.

After all, if he wanted to quickly raise his cultivation, he couldn't do without the system's rewards.

As this thought crossed his mind, a translucent panel materialized before him.

code
[Host: Lu Changsheng]
[Cultivation: Earth Immortal Peak]
[Dao Companion: Yunxiao (Primordial Unity Golden Immortal), Current Affection: 0 (Indifferent)]
[Magic Treasure: Ling Yun Jian (Xiantian Lingbao)]
[Cultivation Techniques and Divine Abilities: Nine Heavens Thunder Eyes (Not Yet Mastered)]
[System Functions Unlocked: None]

After scanning the panel, Lu Changsheng looked puzzled.

Everything recorded on this panel was his current situation—it didn't say anything about when rewards would be given.

[When the Host or the Dao Companion's cultivation improves, or when the Dao Companion's affection breaks through to the next stage, this system will issue rewards to the Host]

Hearing the system's explanation, Lu Changsheng couldn't help but take another look at the third column.

So Yunxiao's affection was only zero right now?

But thinking it over, that was normal.

After all, the two of them had only met twice—how much affection could a Primordial Unity Golden Immortal be expected to have for an Earth Immortal?

Still, this method of gaining rewards by raising affection wasn't bad.

Next, his gaze fell on the last column of the panel.

What was this "System Functions Unlocked: None" about?

[To unlock more system permissions, please work hard to raise your cultivation, or increase your Dao Companion's affection]

So it still came down to cultivation and Dao companion affection.

He'd have to think of a way to deepen his bond with Yunxiao.

But before that, the top priority now was to heal his injuries and raise his cultivation.

He took out the Three Revolutions Green Spirit Pill from the Beginner's Gift Pack and swallowed it without hesitation.

The next moment, the pill's effects erupted. A vast, surging healing force coursed through his body, and wherever the medicinal power passed, his injuries recovered at an astonishing speed.

In just a few breaths, the severe wounds he'd sustained from his earlier attempt to break through to Heavenly Immortal were completely healed.

Lu Changsheng let out a long breath. The system's rewards were truly extraordinary.

Next, it was time to elevate his foundation and make another attempt at Heavenly Immortal.

With a thought, a blood-colored fruit the size of a fist appeared in the center of his palm.

It was the Xuanhuang Lingxue Guo!

The moment it appeared, the entire Cave Mansion was shrouded in a blood-colored light.

And within that blood light lay an indescribable Profound Power.

Lu Changsheng immediately swallowed the Xuanhuang Lingxue Guo.

In an instant, all the blood light in the Cave Mansion converged toward him.

As the Blood Light entered his body, Lu Changsheng could clearly sense the changes taking place within him.

His foundation was being elevated.

The corner of his mouth lifted into a faint smile.

Defying Heaven and Changing Fate—it begins now!