Lao Xie's lips curved faintly, though he didn't bother looking at her. "Wealthy, you say? Pfft… haha."
She tilted her head, watching him as they made their way toward the sect gates. "Honestly, I still don't know which is the real 'you'."
"Oh?" His tone was calm yet carried a playful undercurrent. "The real me? As in?"
"The first time we met, you were livelier, even a bit mischievous. But the more we meet, the quieter you get… and the harder it is to read you. Maybe it's just my imagination." Ling Ruxin gave a short laugh — one that didn't make it clear whether it was entirely genuine.
"Your imagination, hm? Could be. Who knows… haha."
"There you go again." She shook her head lightly, though her steps never slowed. Despite his elusive nature, she didn't seem to dislike it. If anything, there was something about him — a subtle, unspoken pull — that made her curious without realizing it. It was like a quiet, mysterious charm he carried effortlessly.
Her lips curved into a playful smile. "So… what exactly is that mysterious charm you've been hiding?"
Lao Xie glanced at her from the corner of his eye, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. "If I told you," he said in an almost lazy tone, "it wouldn't be much of a mystery, would it?" His gaze drifted forward again, as if the question had already been dismissed, yet there was something in his voice that seemed to hint at an answer she couldn't quite grasp.
Ling Ruxin narrowed her eyes, pretending to be dissatisfied. "Hmph… you're making it sound like you have women lining up just to figure you out."
Lao Xie chuckled softly. "And if I did?"
She glanced at him sidelong, catching the faint glint in his eyes. "Then I'd say… they're wasting their time."
"Oh?" His voice was light, but there was a subtle weight behind it. "And you? Would you waste yours?"
Ling Ruxin paused for a heartbeat, then looked away as if dismissing the question. "I don't waste my time… unless I feel it's worth it."
The corners of Lao Xie's lips lifted slightly, though he said nothing more. The sound of their footsteps filled the quiet path, and yet the air between them seemed to carry something unspoken — a thread neither of them tugged, but neither let go of.
Ahead, the looming gates of the sect came into view, and with them, the faint bustle of disciples coming and going. Whatever this strange undercurrent was, Ling Ruxin decided not to chase it — at least not yet..
They crossed through the gates, the familiar sights and sounds of the sect gradually replacing the market's lively noise. The mountain path ahead wound gently upward, splitting into different routes that branched toward each peak.
They walked together in silence for a while, until the fork in the road appeared before them. Ling Ruxin slowed her steps, glancing toward the path that led to Flowing Note Peak. "Looks like this is where we part."
Lao Xie gave a small nod.
She lingered for a moment, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek before speaking with a light smile. "Good luck with the tournament. I'll be there as usual."
His gaze shifted toward her, unreadable as ever. "I'll keep that in mind."
She held his eyes for a breath, as if weighing whether to add something more, but then simply turned away, her steps carrying her toward her own peak.
Lao Xie watched her figure recede into the distance before turning back toward his own path. The slope to his hut was quiet, the kind of stillness he preferred. By the time he pushed open the wooden door, the faint scent of old pine greeted him, along with the calm emptiness of his small home.
After returning, Lao Xie didn't move right away, instead he let himself fall onto the simple wooden bed. The faint creak of the frame blending with the whisper of wind through the cracks in the shutters. The quiet was a welcome change from the bustle of the Cloudsky Market. He closed his eyes for a short rest, letting the stillness settle in.
By the time he opened them again, the light had shifted — late afternoon spilling across the floorboards in slanted rays. A thought surfaced, and with it, the memory of the notification he had brushed away earlier.
With a flick of his wrist, the familiar translucent panel unfolded before him, its faint glow illuminating the dim room.
[Main Task – Ling Ruxin]
Progress: 50% (+40%)
Time Left: 16 Days
His brows lifted slightly. A forty-percent jump in one afternoon? He leaned back against the wall, considering what exactly had triggered such a leap.
Another thought came, and he swiped to the affinity tab.
[AFFINITY]
Ling Ruxin
Interest: 2 Star
Relationship: Fellow Disciple
Age: 17
Cultivation Stage: Qi Refinement, 3rd Stage
Affiliation: Silver Crescent Mountain Peak, Inner Disciple.
Not only had her interest in him risen by a full star, but her cultivation had advanced two levels. For most disciples, such progress in just a few weeks was almost unheard of.
"That's… quite the jump," he murmured, narrowing his eyes at the glowing panel. Whatever she had been doing lately, it wasn't small.
"System, how did it go up by forty percent just from hanging out?" he asked lazily.
"It doesn't increase just because of that," the System's voice echoed in his mind as a second panel appeared beside the first. "Your actions towards her are what pushed the progress forward. Remember—the mission is about gaining her trust."
Click!
[System Task - Main Task]
Task: Gain the trust of Ling Ruxin, she must willingly rely on you.
Time Limit: 1 Month
Failure Penalty: Cultivation will drop by one major realm.
Completion Rewards: 300 Spirit Stones, 3x Mystery Box, 1x Low Grade Artifact.
"My actions? mhmm, 16 days left anyway. There's no need to rush…" he thought to himself.
He glanced back at her profile.
"Qi Refinement, 3rd Stage? She was only at the 1st Stage when we first met…," he muttered, then flicked to his own details.
[INFORMATION]
Name: Lao Xie
Age: 15
Cultivation Stage: Qi Refinement 5th Stage
Physique: Heaven-Piercing Sword Physique
Race: Human
Luck: ???
Spiritual Root: Primordial Ancient Spirit Root
Traits: Observe Lv1
"She's only two stages away from me now," he said under his breath.
"System, is her speed considered fast for her age?" he asked casually, though his eyes stayed fixed on the glowing numbers.
"If compared to her peers, her speed is quite remarkable," the system replied in its usual calm tone. "She began cultivating at the age of fourteen, and within three years, she reached the Qi Refinement Stage. For some, it could take as long as ten years just to reach this level — if they could even reach it at all. The average lies somewhere around six to seven years."
It paused briefly before adding, "Of course, this comparison applies to those of mediocre or average talent. Wealthy children often begin as early as ten, and with better resources, they naturally possess higher cultivation at the start."
Lao Xie's lips twitched as he listened. A strange look crossed his face, as if he didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. "Ten years just to reach Qi Refinement…" If that was considered normal, then her so-called speed meant little in his eyes. After all, he had started cultivating only a few weeks ago.
"Compared to your speed, she is nothing," the system concluded flatly.