Thinking back to what he'd done back then...
"Xia Ran, how about bringing Xiao Wu along too?"
[Detected an increase in Xiao Wu's favorability. A system mission has been issued: raise Xiao Wu's favorability to 100%. Complete the mission to claim a "generous" reward.]
[Xiao Wu's current favorability toward the host: 5%]
As Zhu Zhuqing finished speaking, the system's notification rang out in Xia Ran's mind.
Unlike the missions triggered by Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong before, this time the system had emphasized the word "generous."
Just as Xia Ran had guessed, since Xiao Wu was the heroine of this world, completing her Favorability System mission would bring a reward that was definitely more than just a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.
While he was pondering what the reward might be, a voice suddenly came from behind him.
"I'm talking to you! Are you bringing Xiao Wu or not?"
Xia Ran turned around and met Zhu Zhuqing's somewhat reluctant gaze.
Seeing her like this, he couldn't help finding it amusing.
She clearly didn't want to, yet she was still pretending to be magnanimous.
But the system mission had already been triggered. Giving it up now would really hurt...
"Xia Ran, please! I promise I won't bother you two. I really mean it."
"I don't have anywhere else to go. Please, have some pity on me~"
Xiao Wu suddenly switched into pleading mode, startling Xia Ran. Zhu Zhuqing was right there beside them, and this girl really had no sense of timing.
"Ask Zhu Zhuqing, not me. I don't know anything."
Leaving them with that, Xia Ran used his Second Soul Skill and darted onto the tree opposite.
He left the two girls standing there. He didn't want to get involved in a scene like this.
He and Zhu Zhuqing were already together. If Xiao Wu came along and her favorability rose, that would be best; if not, he could always put in a few more years of cultivation.
Watching Xia Ran flee, Zhu Zhuqing stamped her foot in anger. Her purple cat ears swayed gently, making her look rather adorable.
After a long while, the two girls finally seemed to reach an agreement. At any rate, Zhu Zhuqing eventually took Xiao Wu by the hand and went to find Xia Ran.
Xia Ran glanced at them, his expression unchanged.
Zhu Zhuqing, on the other hand, looked rather disgruntled the whole way.
By dusk, the three of them arrived at an inn and decided to rest for a while.
Xia Ran planned to head for Sunset Forest to hunt for his fifth Soul Ring and see if he could sneak into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes at the same time.
With two Soul Bones bolstering him, he was confident he could survive a fight with Dugu Bo. Besides, the two of them didn't necessarily have to become enemies.
When the receptionist saw the guests arrive, he hurried over to greet them.
Xia Ran glanced at the two girls and then said calmly, "Two rooms, and bring up some food and two tubs of bathwater."
"Certainly. This way, all three of you."
The attendant replied cheerfully as he led them upstairs.
The two rooms were identical, and each had a large bed.
Xia Ran and Zhu Zhuqing shared one room, while Xiao Wu had a room to herself.
Zhu Zhuqing looked a little bashful, but she didn't object.
Before long, two attendants brought the bathwater to their rooms. As they left, they made sure to close the doors behind them.
"Did you see that woman? She's really something..."
"And that waist of hers, tsk, tsk..."
As Soul Masters, their mental power far surpassed that of ordinary people. There was no way the two of them could miss the conversation outside.
The corners of Xia Ran's mouth lifted in a wicked grin.
"Did you hear that? They're talking about you!"
As soon as he spoke, he flashed over to Zhu Zhuqing, grabbed her wrist, and pressed her down onto the enormous round bed.
Whether it was the attendants' comments or Xia Ran's aggressive move, the girl's face quickly flushed. Her eyes held a hint of shyness and nervousness, and her lashes trembled like a lively butterfly.
"Why did you agree to let Xiao Wu come with us?"
Her breathing was ragged, and Zhu Zhuqing's voice quavered slightly, but she still stared at Xia Ran defiantly.
This time, Xia Ran didn't avoid the question. He looked steadily into her violet eyes and answered slowly.
"I'd only dare if you gave me permission..."
At first glance, he hadn't really answered her. But his words had made his position clear.
He cupped the girl's face and, under her scrutinizing gaze, kissed her passionately.
Just as domineering as before.
At first, the person beneath him seemed angry and resisted him.
But gradually, that familiar feeling swept over her once again, and she surrendered to it. Her body relaxed without her even realizing.
Her pale arms wound around his neck...
Chapter 49: Listen to Your Zhuqing Sis~ Ask Her~
After a long while, the barrier dissolved.
Xia Ran carried Zhu Zhuqing into the bathroom, and the two of them settled into the spacious bathtub together.
Zhu Zhuqing enjoyed the soothing warmth of the water as she rested quietly against Xia Ran's back. Her beautiful eyes held a trace of melancholy.
Her faintly flushed skin made her look even more delicate. A few strands of hair clung to her cheek and the side of her neck. Her usual cool demeanor had vanished, replaced by a smoldering, languid charm.
"Are you really planning to let Xiao Wu come with us...?"
Setting aside their identities in the outside world, she was nothing more than a girl in love right now.
With Xiao Wu traveling alongside them, it was hard to avoid the possibility that she'd develop feelings for Xia Ran.
Allowing the other girl to stay by their side was no different from handing Xia Ran over to her.
But, having been born into the imperial family, Zhu Zhuqing also knew that strength ruled the Douluo Continent, and the strong only grew stronger.
With Xia Ran's abilities, he would surely meet many women who were even more outstanding than she was.
And when all was said and done, Xia Ran had saved her with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone. Afterward, she'd been the one to make the first move...
Thinking of that, she felt a little uneasy.
"She'll still have to get past you."
Xia Ran gently took the jade-like hands wrapped around his waist. His fingers caressed her smooth skin, and his voice was tender.
He'd been thinking about this all day: how exactly should he handle things with Zhu Zhuqing?
With the system at his disposal, Xia Ran was bound to cross paths with other women. If he handled things poorly when that happened, it would drive a wedge between them.
He wasn't heartless. He couldn't ignore how she felt.
But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't come up with a particularly good solution.
After all, when you loved someone, you wanted all of them.
Now that Zhu Zhuqing had brought it up again, all he could do was try to help her accept it.
"I promise you: as long as you don't agree, I won't accept anyone else in the future."
"You'll always be the woman I love most!"
He slowly placed the girl's hands against his chest, hoping she could feel how sincere he was.
"Xia Ran..."
Zhu Zhuqing held him tightly, as if she wanted to pull him into her very body.
She knew that this was the greatest respect Xia Ran could offer her.
No one she hadn't agreed to could be accepted.
Even if the final outcome remained unchanged, at least his answer and attitude gave her a little sense of security.
To be fair, Xia Ran had already treated her well enough. Who would give away a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone just like that?
Besides, he'd helped her grow stronger and obtain a Soul Ring and an External Soul Bone.
Even a true relative might not have been as generous as Xia Ran.
Thinking of this, Zhu Zhuqing slowly shifted closer to him...
The next day.
Xiao Wu was woken by the attendant knocking on her door. She pulled the blanket over her head, her expression deeply annoyed.
The inn's bathroom and her room were separated by only one wall, and it wasn't much of a soundproof barrier.
Whenever Xia Ran was alone with Zhu Zhuqing, he usually used his Second Martial Soul to create a barrier.
But last night in the bathroom, he'd made the barrier's range a little too large. It had ended up covering Xiao Wu's room too.
That meant the barrier blocked other people's voices, not theirs.
All night long, Xiao Wu had desperately tried to cover her ears with her quilt and pillows. Unfortunately, her rabbit ears were too long to cover completely...
At long last, the two of them had finished. She'd only just managed to sleep for a little while when the knocking woke her again!
"Miss, the two guests downstairs asked me to call you for breakfast..."
The moment the attendant opened the door, he saw Xiao Wu's dark circles and extremely irritated expression. He spoke with great caution.
At the same time, he couldn't help wondering what on earth the three of them had gotten up to last night!
Being scrutinized like that made Xiao Wu's anger boil over!
Before you continue