(A beautiful picture of Zhu Zhuqing)
The two kissed and embraced, cuddling for quite a while.
Only then did Xiao Jue clear his throat and return to the subject.
"Rongrong, your Heart Separation Control Method happens to work with Jewel Magecraft too. You can use it to control several jewels at once. How you practice from here is up to you!"
Ning Rongrong clenched her little fists, her face full of fighting spirit. "Don't worry! I'll give you all a huge surprise when the time comes! Hehe~"
Ning Rongrong played with the jewels nearby, experimenting with different tricks. One moment she arranged them in a line, and the next she tried stacking them together...
Xiao Jue leaned against a bamboo stalk with his arms crossed and grumbled inwardly, System, their systems are all fragments of you. Don't you know what functions their systems have?
[The corresponding ability can be unlocked once Envy Points reach 30~]
Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow and opened his system panel for a look.
[Pride Points: 10] [Wrath Points: 5] [Greed Points: 6] [Sloth Points: 1] [Envy Points: 30] [Gluttony Points: 4] [Lust Points: 11]
Xiao Jue: "..."
[It's already unlocked! Host, you were just too lazy to notice!]
The corner of Xiao Jue's mouth twitched, and he roared inwardly, You little shit! Envy Points reached level 30 and unlocked an ability. Shouldn't you have notified me?!
The system played dead and remained silent.
Xiao Jue was speechless. He couldn't be bothered arguing with it, so he turned, concentrated his mental power, and directed it toward Ning Rongrong.
As soon as he did, a phantom line of text appeared above Ning Rongrong's head.
[Tycoon System] [Special ability obtained: Jewel Magecraft]
Xiao Jue narrowed his eyes, and his lips slowly curled upward. I knew I'd guessed right. This girl really does have the Tycoon System!
It seemed he could also start with Xiao Wu's and Zhu Zhuqing's systems to improve their abilities.
He turned and called out to Ning Rongrong, "Rongrong, keep practicing on your own. I'm going out for a bit."
Ning Rongrong didn't even look up. Busy arranging the jewels into various formations, she waved a hand.
"Go on, go on. When you get back, I'll give you a huge surprise!"
Xiao Jue turned and went to find Zhu Zhuqing.
At the other end of the bamboo grove, Zhu Zhuqing was cultivating alone. When she saw Xiao Jue approaching, her face turned red in an instant, and she lowered her head.
Today, she was also wearing her tight-fitting leather outfit. Her long black hair fell loosely over her shoulders, setting off skin as pale as fine mutton-fat jade.
Her figure was slender and toned, trim where it should be and generously curved where it counted,
especially the full swell of her chest, which stretched the leather into soft curves. Together with her long, straight legs, it made her look both aloof and alluring.
Xiao Jue moved closer, quietly gathering his mental power.
A system panel appeared above Zhu Zhuqing's head.
[Favorability System] [Increase Xiao Jue's favorability to become stronger!]
Xiao Jue's heart jumped. ?! It's actually a Favorability System! No wonder Zhu Zhuqing helped me with my work for no apparent reason before, and even offered to give me a massage...
Then another thought struck him. Well, that's easy.
He looked at Zhu Zhuqing again. She had been standing there for a long time without managing to squeeze out a word, her fingers twisting together and her head hanging so low it was almost buried in her chest.
Xiao Jue spoke first, keeping his voice gentle. "Zhu Zhuqing, it's just the two of us now. There's something I want to tell you."
Zhu Zhuqing raised her head and met Xiao Jue's eyes. She grew shy at once. "What is it?"
Xiao Jue looked at her with complete seriousness. "Zhu Zhuqing, let's go on a date."
Zhu Zhuqing stared. "Huh? Xiao Jue, shouldn't we be cultivating now? I want to get stronger."
Xiao Jue shook his head. "Going on a date will help you relax, so you can cultivate better. You're wound too tight, Zhu Zhuqing."
Zhu Zhuqing blinked, still a little bewildered. "Am I?"
Xiao Jue said no more and took her hand.
Her hand was even cooler than Ning Rongrong's, slender and soft.
Zhu Zhuqing's face grew even redder. She didn't know where to look and kept her head down, but she didn't pull her hand away.
A system panel popped up in front of Xiao Jue.
[Lust Points +1] [Current Lust Points: 12]
A system panel also popped up in front of Zhu Zhuqing.
[Conquest target's favorability increased by 4%!] [Current favorability: 20%] [Reward obtained: The age of all Soul Rings increased by one thousand years! Including all Soul Rings obtained in the future!]
Zhu Zhuqing's heart gave a sudden leap. Just holding hands increased his favorability by 4%! So that's how it works? Then a date... might really help!
She felt her Soul Rings. The light of her two yellow Hundred-Year Soul Rings rippled, and both turned into purple Thousand-Year Soul Rings, their color deeper and their presence steadier.
Her Soul Power rose with them, soaring straight to level 30!
She could obtain her third Soul Ring now!
Xiao Jue held Zhu Zhuqing's little hand and set off in the direction of Suotuo City.
Xiao Jue strolled with Zhu Zhuqing through the bustling streets of Suotuo City.
People streamed along the street, and vendors' cries rose and fell. There were candied-hawthorn sellers, monkey performers, and people making dough figurines. The place was lively beyond belief.
As they walked, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly slowed, her gaze drawn to a stall.
It was a blown-sugar figurine stall. The old craftsman had his head lowered, holding a lump of warm syrup as he puffed out his cheeks and blew into a thin tube.
The lump of syrup gradually swelled in his hands. He pinched and pulled it a few times, and in the blink of an eye, it became a round little cat,
translucent all over, its amber sugar gleaming in the sunlight.
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes lit up, and she stepped closer. "Wow, that's amazing."
Xiao Jue followed her and chuckled. "Zhu Zhuqing, haven't you seen anyone blow sugar figurines before?"
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head, her gaze still fixed on the sugar cat.
"No... I've never been to a lively place like this before."
Xiao Jue thought about it. That made sense.
Ever since she was little, Zhu Zhuqing had done nothing but cultivate. Who would have brought her to a place like this for fun?
He turned his head to look at her. "Do you like it? I'll buy it for you."
Zhu Zhuqing came back to her senses and hurriedly waved her hands. "There's no need. Just looking is enough. It isn't cheap, either."
Xiao Jue wasted no words and waved his hand. "Sir, I'll take this little cat."
Xiao Jue was delighted. Rongrong gave me plenty of Gold Soul Coins. It feels great spending this money!
The old craftsman deftly removed the sugar cat from the tube, stuck it on a thin bamboo skewer, and handed it over.
Xiao Jue took it, then turned and put it straight into Zhu Zhuqing's hand.
Zhu Zhuqing looked down at the translucent little sugar cat in her hand and paused.
Though she said nothing, the corners of her mouth quietly curved upward, and a glimmer of warmth shimmered in her usually icy eyes.
Xiao Jue could tell she was genuinely happy.
Zhu Zhuqing rarely showed an expression like that.
Xiao Jue smiled. "That's more like it. Zhu Zhuqing, you're a young girl too. You don't have to wear the weight of the world on your shoulders every day, thinking of nothing but getting stronger."
As he spoke, he raised a hand and patted Zhu Zhuqing's head.
Zhu Zhuqing's heart ached, and a thin film of tears gathered in her eyes.
She had been born into Star Luo Empire nobility. Ever since she was little, all she had heard around her was "get stronger," "compete," and "survive." No one had ever shown her such gentle concern...