Beneath the shifting shadows of the trees, a lone figure stepped forward. It was Song Wanníng.
From the start, she had known someone was hiding in the cave, and she had been on guard the entire time.
But since the other party never made a move, she would not kill someone on sight without cause.
Still, to be safe, she had deliberately circled back. That was when she saw him holding a Recording Stone, capturing everything that had happened.
So, his intentions were malicious.
There was no need for her to be polite.
"Senior, I truly didn't mean—"
The man's voice was deferential, his head bowed, but in the next breath he lunged forward. A cloud of powder with hallucinogenic properties burst from his hand, while a ground-escape talisman in his other hand flared to life.
All he could think of was getting away.
But the moment he moved, through the swirling haze of powder, he saw the cold light in Song Wanníng's eyes.
A red lotus flared on her forehead, and in the next heartbeat his entire body froze. The world before him turned crimson.
A golden longsword pierced clean through his heart from behind, the icy blade churning inside him, shredding his heart to pulp.
It all seemed to happen slowly, yet in truth it was over in the space of a single breath.
His life force drained rapidly. Shock jolted him into action, and his Yuányīng tore free from his body, panic and confusion written across his face as he tried to flee.
But when he looked around, there was nothing but endless scarlet lotuses.
The entire world had been replaced by them.
Dazed, he turned back in a panic and saw Song Wanníng's emotionless gaze.
In the next instant, the blood-red lotuses surged inward.
"Ah—!"
His scream was cut short as his Yuányīng was crushed to pieces, dissipating into the air.
Yet his body still stood perfectly intact, without a single wound on his chest. His eyes were lifeless. He was now nothing more than an empty shell, a perfect vessel for possession.
Song Wanníng's expression remained cold, the lotus mark on her forehead already fading. From start to finish, she had never physically struck him.
Instead, she had merely attempted to stir the blood lotus in her sea of consciousness.
The result astonished her. The lotus could generate a "domain," creating its own world. This domain primarily targeted the Primordial Soul, forcing the victim to face the things they feared most. Which meant this man had died inside his own terror.
A ruthless, unpredictable method.
"Only a few days since ascension, and my strength has already leapt forward. This feeling is intoxicating…"
She flicked her hand, disposing of the corpse, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Trailing these invaders for easy pickings was truly delightful.
Without them, where else would she find such treasures?
A glint of cold light flashed in her eyes as she took the man's storage ring. A quick glance told her he was likely a talisman cultivator.
The ring was stuffed with talismans, though his own ability seemed lacking—otherwise he would have fought instead of fleeing. She tucked the ring away without ceremony, crushed the Shadow Stone, and finally left.
…
"Are you all right?"
Xiao Heyun bent slightly, extending a hand to Yun Yunzou.
He had reverted to his true appearance—his outstanding looks and refined demeanor were enough to make most people lose themselves at a glance.
He had even angled himself to show off his sharp jawline, determined to display his most handsome side.
After all, he had finally found another chance to play the hero saving the beauty. No way was he going to miss this boost to her favorability.
Yet it was maddening how everything in this world seemed to require a woman's favorability score to advance. He was clearly the protagonist of this transmigration story, yet he had to constantly worry about how women saw him. It was suffocating.
One day, when he stood at the very peak of the cultivation world, he would finally be free.
In a daze, Xiao Heyun was already picturing his grand harem, beauties in both arms.
But Yun Yunzou, injured though she was, pushed herself up with a cold expression, ignoring his hand entirely. Her gaze toward him held no trace of admiration—only open wariness and disgust.
Xiao Heyun waited for the system's notification, but none came. His heart skipped a beat. Something was wrong.
Why did Yun Yunzou have no reaction to him at all?
That was impossible.
Even the saintess of the barbarian tribes had been swayed by him. So why hadn't Yun Yunzou's favorability moved an inch?
Perplexed, he forced himself to maintain his aloof persona, withdrawing his hand.
"It was nothing but a small effort. You need not dwell on it. Now that the threat is gone, you can take what's inside for yourself."
He stepped aside, revealing the cave behind him.
That was where Yun Yunzou had been injured in the first place—chasing after whatever lay within. She glanced at him, then stepped inside. A short while later, she emerged again, evidently having claimed the prize.
Xiao Heyun thought surely she would gain a little goodwill toward him now.
Even a single point would do.
But nothing happened.
Yun Yunzou passed by with an ugly expression, her eyes filled with contempt.
She curled her lip and tossed over her shoulder, "East Shi imitating West Shi," before flying off without another glance.
Leaving Xiao Heyun frozen in confusion.
"System, what the hell does that mean? I want to check Yun Yunzou's favorability right now!"
He felt humiliated, his aura growing fierce.
"Host, Yun Yunzou's current favorability toward you is… -30!!!"
Even the system's voice trembled, clearly agitated.
"What? Minus thirty?"
Xiao Heyun nearly lost it. "I just saved her! How the hell is it negative?"
He had never encountered such a thing before. His mind reeled.
With his looks and cultivation, how could any woman dislike him?
"Host, I have no idea. Her starting favorability toward you was already -30…"
Which meant that from the moment she first laid eyes on him, she had disliked him.
Love at first sight? Not even close.
"Damn it!"
Xiao Heyun swore violently. He had been cursing more and more lately.
"This damn woman, ungrateful to the core. Once I've conquered her, I'll make her pay for this!"
The anger burned hotter. It reminded him of his previous life as an overweight shut-in. Women had avoided him on sight back then too, their faces full of disgust. Gold-diggers, the lot of them. Shallow and materialistic.
"Let's go. I refuse to believe I can't conquer one woman."
…
"Pfft—"
Watching the entire scene from start to finish, Song Wanníng nearly burst out laughing.
"This Yun Yunzou is… interesting."
A thoughtful light flickered in her eyes. In terms of talent and background, Yun Yunzou was top-tier. It was a waste for her to play the role of the vicious supporting character. If they could work together against the invaders, that could be useful.
"Sister, why does Yun Yunzou dislike Xiao Heyun so much?"
Xiao Jin drifted over, brimming with gossip.
"He did save her, didn't he?"
It had been worried that Xiao Heyun might actually succeed, but the outcome was far more satisfying than expected.
At the question, Song Wanníng's lips curved faintly, and another figure surfaced in her mind.