Looking at the heavy Storage Ring before her, Ye Luqing fell into deep thought.
Hiss.
If she really gave it, exchanging that for accepting the Dream-Building Lotus’s memory reshaping… it didn’t seem entirely impossible?
Her bottom line was still very flexible, or rather, very pragmatic.
If negotiations failed, it was simply because the price hadn’t been set high enough.
The reason she’d pushed the idea of memory reshaping to after the Sect Grand Tournament was only because of the System’s task that night: “Refuse all of Xiao Qingxuan’s requests.”
She could push it off for a while, but she couldn’t push it off forever.
So, accepting the Dream-Building Lotus’s dream was already a foregone conclusion. Sooner or later, the reshaping would happen.
If just pushing the timeline forward a bit meant getting benefits… why not?
Besides, Xiao Qingxuan’s current “Desireless Emotionless” state definitely wouldn’t be easy to brush off.
After weighing the pros and cons, Ye Luqing decided to agree to Xiao Qingxuan’s request.
“Alright, I accept.”
She reached out, preparing to take the ring.
However, Xiao Qingxuan directly took Ye Luqing’s hand and gently slipped the ring onto the ring finger of that jade-like hand.
The moment the ring touched her finger, Ye Luqing felt like she’d been shocked by electricity, instinctively yanking her hand back.
“You…”
Her pretty face flushed, filled with bashfulness, yet she looked at Xiao Qingxuan with a complex expression.
Being treated this way instinctively brought her pleasure, even happiness, but a voice kept echoing from the bottom of her heart.
‘Can’t fall in love. I am a substitute, I am a substitute…’
Xiao Qingxuan reached out and tucked the stray cyan hair behind Ye Luqing’s ear, then wrapped her arm around her waist and leaned close to her ear.
“Don’t be afraid. This time, I’m only reshaping some of the good memories.”
“Those parts that aren’t good… I’ll follow our agreement and wait until after the Grand Tournament.”
She had broken her promise, but only by half.
Having said this, she channeled Sword Qi into the small, deep purple flower, preparing to unlock the seal.
“Wait, wait, wait!”
“Y-You’re not planning to use the Dream-Building Lotus here, are you!” The corner of Ye Luqing’s mouth twitched.
This was a bathing pool. The water on her body hadn’t even been wiped off yet.
And with Xiao Qingxuan providing the dream material and her directly entering the dream, both of them would be practically defenseless. What if something interfered? Wouldn’t that be dangerous?
“Let’s just go to my little courtyard.”
Ye Luqing sighed, pulling out her hair tie, letting her cyan hair cascade down like a waterfall.
The two of them began to walk. As they went, Ye Luqing probed into the Storage Ring to inspect its resources.
Just as Xiao Qingxuan had said, many items that belonged to her were indeed stored inside.
Beyond that, Xiao Qingxuan’s own possessions were also considerable, each item highly valuable—various high-rank techniques and divine weapons. Their recycle prices in the Blackening Value Shop were probably several thousand, maybe even tens of thousands of points.
Not to mention half-step Spirit Transformation; even a true Spirit Transformation Stage cultivator would fall far short compared to Xiao Qingxuan.
Aside from the resources allocated to the Head Disciple of the Profound Firmament Upper Sect, most had come through heaven-sent opportunities.
Whether it was picking up overlooked treasures at auctions, accidentally stumbling into Secret Realms, or finding the cave dwellings of ancient masters, Xiao Qingxuan had nearly maxed out her luck.
‘As expected of the Destined Female Lead.’ She thought to herself.
Such heaven-defying fortune was something only those cherished by heaven and earth could enjoy.
However, as the person closest to Xiao Qingxuan, Ye Luqing had also reaped considerable benefits. This was easy to see from the items belonging to her.
First was a Sect Token, which could serve as identity verification when traveling outside the sect.
Whether it was undertaking sect missions or engaging in Dao discussions with other cultivators, the name of the Profound Firmament Upper Sect—a Transcendent-Rank Power second only to the Five Great Immortal Sects—carried significant weight.
Within the sect, the Sect Token also allowed entry into restricted places like the Scripture Peak Pavilion, the Myriad Affairs Peak’s Sect Treasury, and the Direct Disciple Hall on various peaks.
Additionally, contribution points for sect missions were recorded within the token.
Her current token held 3,000 points, and she could even see previous purchase records.
Ascending Dragon Bone, Heavenly Origin Ice, Heavenly North True Mushroom…
‘All materials for formation artifacts and grand arrays…’
Hm?
She suddenly spotted an incredibly expensive item.
Green Feather Jade Pendant, cost: 2,000 points.
After a moment of dazed realization, Ye Luqing suddenly remembered.
This jade pendant… was the love token that the original host had given to Xiao Qingxuan.
It was also the key turning point that led to the end of her first life.
After taking stock of the items belonging to herself, she looked again at the other things inside the Storage Ring.
Although Xiao Qingxuan had said these things were given to her, she couldn’t use any of them.
Most were Spirit Swords and sword path techniques. Even though they were premium quality and could fetch a high price in the shop’s recycle…
She didn’t want to owe Xiao Qingxuan anything.
Call it throwing a tantrum, or call it “jealousy” of the original host.
If she really exchanged all these things in the Storage Bag for points at half price, it wouldn’t feel like her own style anymore.
After much deliberation, she picked out only what she considered a reasonable reward.
One Ancient Scabbard.
It was rather strange. Among Xiao Qingxuan’s many collections—dazzling Spirit Swords, powerful Earth-Tier Sword Decrees—she had taken a particular liking to this unremarkable scabbard.
According to the System’s appraisal, the Ancient Scabbard’s recycle value was 660 points.
Though unassuming, considering its valuation, this was at least an Earth-Rank Item.
Using this to trade for Xiao Qingxuan breaking her promise and using the Dream-Building Lotus early seemed fair and reasonable.
As for the other Spirit Swords, techniques, and unrecognizable pills, she would simply return all of them to Xiao Qingxuan.
She would only take fair compensation. No debts between them.
Ye Luqing pulled her mind back to the present. Sometime during her thoughts, she and Xiao Qingxuan had already returned to the small courtyard.
After entering the room, Xiao Qingxuan sat down on the bed before her.
Then, Xiao Qingxuan gently patted her own leg.
“Sit.”
Ye Luqing looked at Xiao Qingxuan a bit speechlessly. She felt she was starting to get used to this version of Xiao Qingxuan.
Even if Xiao Qingxuan said the next second, “This is a notification, not a request,” like some CEO, she wouldn’t find it strange.
She quickly sat over. Afraid that if she was a second slower, Xiao Qingxuan would hook her chin and say something like, “Dare to refuse me? Woman, you’re playing with fire.”
The moment she settled between Xiao Qingxuan’s legs, she felt an inexplicable sense of security, as if she had sat like this many times before.
Her body instinctively leaned back, completely nestling into the other’s embrace. A cool yet soft sensation transmitted from her back.
‘It’s quite comfortable…’
She adjusted her position slightly and ultimately found the most comfortable spot was in the hollow of Xiao Qingxuan’s shoulder.
Xiao Qingxuan’s body stiffened momentarily the instant Ye Luqing sat down. It was an instinctive reaction from years of sword cultivation, lack of intimate contact with others, and her “Desireless Emotionless” state.
But very quickly, Ye Luqing’s softness and warmth, like a spring breeze, melted that layer of hard ice.
Xiao Qingxuan’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly. Even without realizing it, the “Desireless Emotionless” state itself had loosened a fraction.
She could clearly feel the weight and warmth of the young girl’s small body in her arms. Light as a feather, yet capable of warming her sword heart, which was like ice and snow.
A trace of reluctance flickered through her eyes, but she still lifted the seal on the Dream-Building Lotus.
In an instant, a deep purple radiance erupted, filling the entire room with a thick, exotic fragrance.
Ye Luqing merely took a light whiff, and then her vision immediately went dark as she entered the dream.
Looking at Ye Luqing, who had gone limp in her arms, her sleeping face like that of an angel, a tenderness appeared on Xiao Qingxuan’s icy, frost-like face.
She leaned down slightly and left a soft kiss on Ye Luqing’s forehead.
