Chapter 56 ·In the End… Is It All Because I’m Too Handsome?

After ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍hearing Nether Soul’s question, Ning Hongye not only did not answer directly—

she ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍instead let out a soft chuckle.

She ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sat down again and spoke leisurely, “Why? Mm… if I had to say, it’s probably because I find you… quite interesting?”

Interesting? ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍A faint alarm rang in Nether Soul’s heart.

“As ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍for these things, to me, they really aren’t much. Leaving them around is still just leaving them around. I took a liking to you, so I gave them to you. The path of cultivation is long and fraught with obstacles—having a bit more resources at your side is never a bad thing.”

Ning ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Hongye spoke as if it were only natural.

She did not feel at all that a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator casually taking out a supreme-grade magic treasure and a cultivation technique pointing directly to the Integration Realm was something earth-shattering.

This effortless, innate display of extravagance made the corner of Nether Soul’s mouth twitch slightly.

Wait…

Junior Sister, did you take the wrong script?

Mid-stage Foundation Establishment? Since when does a mid-stage Foundation Establishment treat supreme-grade magic treasures like candy to scatter around?

This was no longer something that could be described as “having mines at home”—this was more like having a supreme spirit vein mine connected to an ancient secret realm.

A deeper suspicion surfaced in Nether Soul’s mind.

Could it be that his true cultivation at the Transformation Spirit stage had been seen through?

No, impossible.

The effect of Traceless Dao Concealment clearly stated that anything below the Immortal King Realm absolutely could not see through his disguise.

Unless… the Ning Hongye before him was an Immortal King?

Or she possessed some secret treasure beyond the comprehension of this world?

Or perhaps she was some even more ancient, transcendent existence playing in the mortal world?

No matter which possibility, they all pointed to one fact—

this Junior Sister’s depth was unfathomable.

Her surface cultivation absolutely could not be judged at face value.

In a flash, Nether Soul made his decision.

He stepped back, clasped his hands, and gave Ning Hongye a deep bow:

“Senior’s generous gift—Lin You… is deeply grateful.”

“Previously, I did not know Senior’s true identity and was somewhat negligent and disrespectful. I ask Senior for your magnanimity. I will remember this opportunity in my heart.”

Nether Soul lowered his gaze, his posture extremely humble, while his mind rapidly calculated various possible developments.

Did this count as living off a woman?

No, this had already gone beyond that.

This was like a full imperial banquet falling from the sky—with a top-tier chef included.

The key was, you didn’t even know who the chef was or why it just happened to land on your head.

The smile on Ning Hongye’s face faded slightly.

She waved her hand, her tone carrying a hint of complaint, “Ah, how boring. Calling me ‘Senior’ and all—it makes me sound old.”

“I still prefer you calling me Junior Sister. It sounds more pleasing… makes me feel like I’ve become a few thousand years younger.”

A few thousand years…

Mid-stage Foundation Establishment?

Nether Soul was screaming internally, but outwardly he could only maintain composure.

“In that case… many thanks… Junior Sister, for your generous gift.”

“That’s more like it.” Ning Hongye nodded in satisfaction, her bright smile returning.

“Don’t worry. This seat… hm, I mean—I said it already. I found you interesting, so I casually bestowed a few things. I’m not going to eat you.”

As she spoke, she actually reached out again and gently pinched Nether Soul’s cheek.

Nether Soul’s body stiffened slightly, but this time, he did not dodge.

Not only did he not dodge, he even slightly relaxed his facial muscles, allowing that soft hand to do as it pleased on his face.

The “soft rice” had already been brought to his mouth—he had to at least open it, even if it was force-fed.

Although this “soft rice” was hard to chew and of unknown origin, stabilizing this mysterious powerhouse and preventing her from causing greater trouble out of boredom was the top priority.

Face? In front of risks involving his life and his main body’s grand plans, face could be set aside for now.

Even if this evil body of his main form were destroyed,

it could still be re-condensed—but that would only cause trouble for the main body.

After all, he, Nether Soul, was merely an incarnation.

If face was lost, then so be it—it wasn’t worth much anyway.

Ning Hongye seemed quite pleased with his compliance. After pinching him twice, she withdrew her hand.

She stood up and stretched lazily.

“Alright, keep the things safe and cultivate well. I’m very much looking forward to your future achievements!”

After saying that, without waiting for Nether Soul’s response, her figure flickered and vanished like a breeze.

Only a faint lingering fragrance and the pile of gleaming magic treasures on the stone table remained.

Nether Soul stood in place, gazing in the direction where Ning Hongye had disappeared, unmoving for a long time.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he finally raised his hand and slowly touched the cheek that had just been pinched, his expression complicated and unreadable.

In the following months, Nether Soul’s life seemed to return to its usual calm.

However, he stopped continuing to catch small animals for his main body.

He also no longer rashly initiated any cross-realm teleportation with Gu Yan.

Even though these things looked extremely tempting, the string in Nether Soul’s heart remained tightly drawn.

Who knew whether this several-thousand-year-old “Junior Sister” had left some extremely hidden backup plan, mark, or tracking method in these pills, magic treasures, or especially within that jade slip of 《True Explanation of the Star River》?

To directly send potentially risky items back to the mortal world where his main body resided—to the headquarters of the Taiyi Dao Sect—

that would be no different from opening the door to a thief and exposing his own home.

To be safe in case he was being monitored, Nether Soul used every investigative method he could mobilize to examine these items.

But several days passed, and he found nothing.

Whether jade bottles, magic treasures, or the jade slip, everything appeared perfectly clean on the surface.

Spiritual energy circulated normally, and their structures were flawless.

There was no sign whatsoever of any tampering.

But this only made Nether Soul even more vigilant.

Either the other party’s methods were too profound—so high that he currently had no way of detecting them.

Or… the other party had truly just casually given him things that, to her, were insignificant—without any interest or need to tamper with them.

“…Forget it.”

“This trouble—in the end… it’s all because I’m too handsome.”

RelatedRelatedRelated