Was Zhang Lexuan traditional? Absolutely.
She had faithfully kept to her role as a "child bride" for nearly twenty years.
Even after Bei Bei made it clear that he wasn't interested in her, she continued to honor the promise made back then, out of gratitude for Mu En's kindness.
Anyone less traditional would have found a new love long ago. How else could she have waited until Zhang Yang appeared, only to be drawn in by his max-level charm?
And the reason she had deliberately said that was clear.
She was telling Zhang Yang that Xiao Xiao and the others didn't matter.
She was traditional enough not to mind being a "child bride," so why would she care if her husband had a few more confidantes? As long as she had a place, that was enough!
Zhang Yang even suspected that if Bei Bei had agreed to the marriage, Zhang Lexuan might have been willing even with Tang Ya involved. Unfortunately, the guy had no interest whatsoever.
No matter. That worked out nicely for him.
If the opportunity arose later, he could invite Tang Ya along too.
They could make faster progress by teaming up to discuss their cultivation insights. Zhang Yang had already planned out the future.
Having figured out the key point, he caught up with Zhang Lexuan, stood beside her again, and took her hand.
"Actually, I'm a traditional man too." Zhang Yang's words were somewhat asking for a beating, but Zhang Lexuan didn't mind and was happy to hear them.
"We're both traditional. That's nice." She even smiled back of her own accord. Not only did she not pull away from their interlocked fingers, she squeezed his hand tighter.
A traditional man? Didn't that just mean three wives and four concubines?
That was still better than Bei Bei rejecting her and finding her repulsive.
Not to mention that Zhang Yang was handsome, carried himself with distinction, and was immensely charming. He perfectly matched her tastes.
Someone so outstanding and sought-after was bound to be popular with the opposite sex. Even if she wanted him all to herself, that would be far too difficult, so she might as well take it easy.
The two shared an unspoken understanding...
And so, they continued on their way, hand in hand.
After they had traveled some distance, Zhang Lexuan seemed to feel they were moving too slowly, so she simply channeled her Soul Power.
As a powerful Eight-Ring Soul Douluo, she could already fly freely, and carrying another person was no problem at all.
"Although your Martial Soul is a Body Martial Soul, it has mutated into the realm of spiritual power, with a pronounced Charm Attribute."
"On this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest, our main target should be related Soul Beasts, foxes for example."
Flirting and ambiguity aside,
they couldn't neglect the real purpose of the trip.
On the way, Zhang Lexuan earnestly analyzed and made plans, but as she spoke, her cheeks couldn't help turning slightly red.
The Charm Attribute really was powerful. Even she had been severely affected, which showed just how strong its effects were.
A Soul Master who specialized in one area could increase their strength faster. Without a doubt, she thought Zhang Yang was like a "fox spirit"!
"What are you looking at? Is there a flower on my face?"
Hearing no answer, Zhang Lexuan turned her head in puzzlement.
She found Zhang Yang staring intently at her, his eyes seemingly shining.
She could talk about Soul Masters and Soul Beasts with great confidence, but when it came to romance, she was practically an idiot.
She had never encountered anything like this. Her already flushed face turned as red as a ripe apple, and she began to stammer.
Her tone sounded like a chiding rebuke, but anyone with even a little experience could have heard the secret delight in it. Eldest Senior Sister was still far too easy to read.
"Mm, there is. A very beautiful one."
Zhang Yang nodded with a smile, deliberately teasing her.
That hardly counted as a hint. He was flirting with her right to her face.
Zhang Lexuan rolled her eyes slightly and replied, "That doesn't work on me," before speeding up even more.
But anyone could see that this twenty-five- or twenty-six-year-old woman, who had been single since birth, had actually fallen for Zhang Yang's charms.
[Zhang Lexuan's favorability +10, current: 60 (check-in available)]
He had to admit, Eldest Senior Sister's favorability was pretty hard to raise.
They had come all this way before finally triggering an increase.
It had just risen from 50 to 60, meeting the requirement for the first check-in. Naturally, Zhang Yang wouldn't waste any time.
System, check in with Zhang Lexuan!
He began silently reciting the command while still in midair.
In an instant, the feedback and rewards appeared before his eyes.
[Check-in complete. Rewards obtained: Power of the Sun, Body of Yang] [Sun and moon alternate, yin and yang complement one another. All things carry yin on their backs and embrace yang, blending their Qi to achieve harmony]
The system had given him two attributes this time.
Power of the Sun allowed him to control the fire element, like blazing flames.
Body of Yang enhanced the masculine side of his Body Martial Soul. From a certain perspective, it also enhanced his charm.
Zhang Lexuan's Martial Soul was [Moon], the "yin" mentioned in the description. All things carried yin on their backs and embraced yang, and this reward made the two of them complementary.
The increase in combat strength wasn't great, since this was only the first check-in, but it was extremely beneficial to their current relationship, like adding more to the prize pool.
For some inexplicable reason, Zhang Lexuan felt that the younger man beside her...
Already brimming with charm, his face had become even more attractive.
He seemed a little sunnier, a little more cheerful, and a little more suited to her.
Could we really be a match made in heaven? Unaware of the system check-in, she found the thought surfacing instinctively.
How else could she explain the sudden, extraordinary feeling, as though every part of her body were cheering for his presence?
"We're here. The Star Dou Great Forest is just ahead."
Zhang Lexuan didn't understand what was happening to her, and it wasn't convenient to ask.
She could only pretend to be reserved and fight the urge to pull Zhang Yang into her arms and take a deep sniff.
Yes, they were out in public. What kind of behavior would that be? At the very least, she had to wait until they were deep enough in the Star Dou Great Forest that no one was around.
Originally, according to her thoughts before setting out,
she hadn't planned to be proactive while they were obtaining his Soul Ring.
She had hoped to let Zhang Yang take the initiative while she half resisted and half yielded. That would better suit her image as "Eldest Senior Sister."
At first, everything had gone quite smoothly. She occasionally dropped hints and flirted, and Zhang Yang responded every time. They were flirtatious without crossing the line, and everyone was happy.
But now, things seemed to be gradually spiraling out of control.
Zhang Yang's appeal seemed to be growing stronger and stronger.
Zhang Lexuan pursed her lips and circulated her Soul Power to suppress the impulse, feeling privately glum.
If this continued, she was afraid she would be the first to lose control. What would become of her "Eldest Senior Sister" image then?
Forget it... If it has to go, it has to go.
Without dwelling on it, Zhang Lexuan flew into the forest.
As soon as she reached its outskirts, she landed with Zhang Yang.
"It's getting late. Let's build a fire here and begin searching tomorrow morning." Zhang Lexuan looked up. The moon was already high in the sky.
"Mm, leave it to me. You get some rest first." Of course Zhang Yang wouldn't refuse. Obtaining a Soul Ring was important, but raising her favorability was just as important.
Soon, the campfire and sleeping bags were ready.
This was the edge of the forest, where the nearby Soul Beasts were relatively weak.
With Zhang Lexuan's cultivation as an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo, there was no need to worry about anything unexpected happening. Keeping basic watch was enough.
They had brought dinner with them, so there was no need to hunt. The two sat by the campfire, deliberately keeping very little distance between them. A little closer, and they would be touching.
"I heard you're quite good at playing music. Would you mind letting me hear you?" Zhang Lexuan suddenly asked, smiling gently.
"Here? Won't it disturb the nearby Soul Beasts?" How could Zhang Yang bear to refuse such a wonderful request? He deliberately answered with a question.
Zhang Lexuan gently shook her head.
The breeze lifted her glossy black hair.
Her eyes fixed on Zhang Yang, an expression of absolute confidence appeared on her stunningly beautiful face.
"This is only the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. It doesn't even count as the outer region. There's nothing threatening here."
"Don't worry. Even if a Soul Beast really does come over, big sister will take good care of... I mean, protect you..."