[Bai Yiyi experiences intense shock toward host +2200]
Based on the various tests over the past three days, Ye Ling had roughly figured out the upper limit of Experimental Subject Bai Yiyi's emotion points—around 5,000.
However, once that cap was reached on a given day, the maximum would drop significantly the next day.
Unfortunately, the sample size was still too small. He hadn't yet grasped the exact pattern behind it, and further experiments were needed to pin down precise values.
For now, gaining a little over 4,000 emotion points per day seemed to be the optimal solution. But this kind of thing wasn't easy to control, and this time Ye Ling had accidentally gone over the limit.
It was worth noting that while any emotion caused by him could be harvested, the System actually had a hidden condition—the person generating the emotion had to clearly understand why that emotion arose.
Bai Yiyi's shock came from her understanding the meaning behind Ye Ling's words.
But she didn't understand why, these past few days, her heart would inexplicably tighten when she looked at Ye Ling, or why she would suddenly feel shy.
It was precisely these emotions she couldn't make sense of that made her afraid to initiate conversation with him.
As his Master, she could respond smoothly enough. But once Ye Ling tried to steer the conversation in another direction, she would subconsciously bring it to an end.
She knew something was off, but she didn't know what exactly was wrong.
As a result, the emotions Ye Ling had been collecting from Bai Yiyi were mainly frustration, shock, envy, and admiration.
"Master, if I told you I've had the ability to foresee the future since childhood, would you believe me?"
Ye Ling didn't answer Bai Yiyi's question directly. Instead, he kept the mysterious smile on his face, slowly guiding her step by step into the trap.
To be honest, he simply couldn't find any chance to casually chat with Bai Yiyi. Otherwise, tricking this girl would have been effortless.
"Foresee the future?"
A hesitant look appeared on Bai Yiyi's cute face. She wasn't stupid, just a bit clumsy, so she didn't fall for it right away.
"I've never heard of such a thing," she said thoughtfully. "My dear disciple, can you explain how this ability of yours manifests?"
She didn't deny Ye Ling outright, instead adopting an attitude of investigating the truth.
"Isn't the fact that I'm standing here right now proof enough?"
Ye Ling had already prepared his response. He put away his smile and said seriously,
"Master, to enter the mountain gate, one has to deal not only with the Qiuqiu Monkeys, but also with the Maze Formation outside the main gate."
"But back when I was still a mortal, didn't I just walk straight up to you and ask to become your disciple?"
"Master, faced with all this, aren't you even a little suspicious?"
Over these past few days, Ye Ling had been thinking about how to explain his sudden appearance at the sect gate, so he had come to understand the situation outside the Heavenly Gate Sect quite well.
After all, Bai Yiyi might not care because of how unreliable she was, but there was no guarantee his martial aunts wouldn't notice this blind spot.
"Eh!"
Prompted by Ye Ling, Bai Yiyi let out a cute exclamation, her beautiful wine-red eyes widening.
"That's right! How did you get up here, my dear disciple? Even I can't break Xiao Qi's Maze Formation."
"..."
Ye Ling fell silent.
His Master really hadn't given this any thought at all.
But since he had prepared for this long ago, Ye Ling didn't stay silent for long before continuing.
"This is foreseeing the future."
"Actually, ever since I became aware of things, I've kept having the same dream. A dream of becoming Master's disciple."
Seeing Bai Yiyi's expression gradually brighten, Ye Ling went on,
"So after I came of age, I traveled everywhere in search of famous mountains. In the end, I found the scene from my dream right here. Following what I saw in that dream, I climbed Heavenly Peak step by step."
"I avoided the Qiuqiu Monkeys, passed through the Maze Formation, and finally got to meet you, Master."
"Master, I've dreamed of becoming your disciple for as long as I can remember."
Ye Ling's handsome face was filled with sincerity. Though his eyes instinctively flickered away now and then, anyone less than a seasoned veteran of human affairs would never notice the guilt beneath it.
"..."
Under Ye Ling's "sincere" offensive, Bai Yiyi froze in place. She had truly never imagined he had gone through something like that. She murmured unconsciously,
"Then… why did you only say it now?"
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized what she'd said and hurriedly added,
"My dear disciple, it's not that I don't believe you, it's just—"
Before she could finish, Ye Ling interrupted her with a bitter smile.
"Master, if I'd said right from the start that I came here because I foresaw the future, would you have believed me?"
"Well, of course your master would—"
"If I'd said something like that back then, it would've been far too abrupt. Master definitely wouldn't have believed me. You'd probably have thought I was from a Demonic Sect, right?"
Ye Ling didn't give Bai Yiyi a chance to speak, continuing,
"I remember that three thousand years ago, the Heaven-Defying Demon Emperor infiltrated small sects under the pretense of seeking a master. He led them step by step into becoming Transcendent-Grade Sects, and in the end, at a Righteous Path Alliance assembly, he suddenly attacked the sect masters of the major sects and rose to dominate the world."
"With Master's knowledge, you wouldn't be unaware of this, right?"
To be honest, Ye Ling admired the Heaven-Defying Demon Emperor quite a bit. Aside from being powerful, he was also extraordinarily patient.
He spent nearly a thousand years nurturing a third-grade minor sect into a Transcendent-Grade Sect. It took immense effort, but the results were impressive.
After that incident, there was practically no one in the Cultivation World who could stop him. That was the fundamental reason he was able to run rampant.
It was also precisely why, now, even the most insignificant sects had to register with the Righteous Path Alliance. The Alliance simply couldn't afford another Heaven-Defying Demon Emperor appearing.
"I… I know. Of course I know."
Stimulated by Ye Ling's words, Bai Yiyi nodded quickly, but her wine-red eyes didn't dare meet his at all, making her look extremely guilty.
What she hated most were history books. She never wanted to read that stuff in the first place, so how could she possibly remember such details?
That said, she never suspected Ye Ling of being from the Demonic Sect. Back then, the Heaven-Defying Demon Emperor could run wild because he preyed on small sects that lacked the ability to see through him. She, however, was not like those worthless small fry.
Moreover, the sect's formations had already examined Ye Ling's soul and body long ago, confirming that her disciple wasn't being controlled by anything strange. Otherwise, she would never have felt at ease letting Ye Ling live in her private chambers. She still had that much vigilance.
After all, when her junior sisters went down the mountain, they'd nagged her about these things until her head nearly exploded.
So she could be sure that Ye Ling was safe.
Which meant—
Could her disciple really foresee the future?
Looking at Ye Ling's handsome face, Bai Yiyi's cheeks flushed slightly, and she chose to believe him.
[Host has obtained the "Future Vision Dream" setting and gained permission to purchase Heavenly Fate Eye · Fragment]