She still had thousands of cult followers under her command—he simply took her for a liar.
If she really had thousands of followers, why had he never even heard the name Huazang Cult?
This waterside garden was not large; a stick of incense's time was enough to walk its whole circumference.
Green shade swayed, warm breezes blew soft and gentle, and daylight spilled across Shang Daoling's handsome face, lending this painted skin—gorgeous and sharp to the point of eeriness—a touch of worldly warmth.
It was rare for him to have a dream in which he did not dream of the waves of bloody stench by the shore, did not dream of the scorn and beatings along his vagrant road, did not dream of the immortals of the immortal paths who, time and again, tried to cut apart his limbs and burn and refine him. There was only this one clear, bright garden, its spring scenery as serene and beautiful as a painting, as vivid as yesterday.
And the one who had brought down this dream spoke again by his ear: "Have you ever tried to look for them in the past?"
Shang Daoling said casually, "No."
"Because they have long since ceased to exist."
Another fragment of his shattered memory was this: towering firelight blazing up, everything burned into brocade ash.
Rong Chunsong thought to herself that the original novel's text alone seemed insufficient to reveal the many hidden pasts of this young man. But this was his privacy; he did not want to speak further, and she could not be bothered to dig deeper either.
There was one more thing, though. Just now, although with the BUFF of the Dream-Weaving Rhinoceros Incense she had helped this male lead see his family's faces—only rough outlines, admittedly—some instinct told her that those two people did not really look like Shang Daoling. Were they truly his parents?
It seemed this abandoned novel still had a pile of unfilled holes.
The handsome man beneath the tree shade suddenly said, "Cult Leader, you will not show yourself even in this dream? Still only communicating with me by voice transmission?" He assumed that her not showing herself meant her true body was far away, but since this was a dream, why not "manifest her divinity and display her holiness" before him?
Rong Chunsong said, "Your level is too low. You are not yet worthy to have an audience with this seat."
She thought for a moment, then said, "Right now you are only a K6, an ordinary cult member."
What thing? Ke-six?
Sometimes Shang Daoling truly could not understand what she was saying.
"Then may I ask what level one must reach to glimpse the Cult Leader's true face?"
"At least K14, Left or Right Guardian."
Shang Daoling thought to himself, so this Ghost Immortal really did use numbers to rank her so-called cult members.
All her nonsense was just a hint that he should hurry up and sell his life for her, "establish merits and build achievements." Fine. Considering that she really had granted him some favors, if she assigned him any tasks, he would see how things went and pick one or two of them to complete.
"By the way, why do you wear the same clothes every day? I am sick of looking at them. Is your aesthetic really this fixed?"
"How can these be called the same clothes? Although they are all black Daoist robes, their patterns are different."
"Where are the patterns?"
Rong Chunsong zoomed in to look. All right, there really were patterns—just some small hidden patterns at the edges and corners. Probably the cheapest style in the tailor shop; they could not even be bothered to embroider a few more strokes.
Didn't the original novel say this male lead had fresh clothes and fine wine, flowers and brocade, flamboyant and gorgeous to the extreme? Who exactly was this plain, poor young man before her eyes, whose every garment was the same style?
This kid, once he got a taste of success, started running wild. It was probably also because he'd been suppressed for too long. Better let her gently guide him now, let him experience some material pleasures first—otherwise, one day he might go mad, saying the world wronged him while refining the entire world into pills!
"You mere little K6, heed my command at once."
Rong Chunsong cleared her throat and continued, "I order you to buy several different sets of clothes to change into, otherwise it'll be too boring when I inspect you every few days. Besides, dressing so plainly damages the dignity of this sect."
Shang Daoling thought she was bringing up that hierarchy system to hint that he should start working himself to the bone for her. Who would've expected she was just telling him to buy some clothes?
He laughed dismissively, "My aesthetic is simply like this. Even if I buy more clothes, I'll just buy identical Daoist robes."
Sure enough, that Ghost Immortal spoke up to refute him: "You little K6, daring to defy this sovereign—how rebellious."
He was just about to say something to snap back at her—
"Alright, I'm going to get a midnight snack. You play here by yourself."
The Ghost Immortal's voice faded away.
Leaving only the garden full of spring radiance she had bestowed upon him.
Forget it. Rather than trading barbs with her, better to…
Wisteria hung low, fresh green like mist. A few pink butterflies flew into the deep shade of the broad banana leaves. Fragrant flowers everywhere, sky light and cloud shadows—the garden's spring colors gently embraced him like an embrace from years past. He stood silently in this bewildering dream, his dark eyes fixed unblinkingly on the scene before him.
Until the vivid spring colors gradually faded.
This excursion of wandering the garden and startling from a dream thus ended.
The rhinoceros incense burned out, leaving specks of ash falling.
When Shang Daoling opened his eyes again, he was in the wild temple where he spent the night.
The gentle spring scene dispersed. What his gaze fell upon was the golden Buddha on the temple's altar. Though long unrepaired, its lacquer peeling and mottled, its pair of solemn, compassionate eyes still looked down at him from on high.
Ah, truly unpleasant.
What right do you have to look down at me from up there?
All those things I begged you for so many times… in the end, it was a female ghost who fulfilled my wish.
On the young man's handsome face, a cold smile suddenly split open.
He waved his hand casually, and blazing flames struck out. The mottled Buddha on the altar instantly shattered into pieces, and the entire temple burst into roaring flames.
Fire blazed up, crimson and gorgeous, illuminating his magnificent features to an almost demonic degree. Shang Daoling patted the dust off his Daoist robe and walked out of the ancient wilderness temple through the sea of scarlet flames.
[Ding. Target Shang Daoling's Favorability Value +1. Current Favorability Value: 27.]
[Target's Favorability Value has reached 20. Next stage unlocked: Half-Baked. Two draw chances provided. Special Wish Pool has been opened.]
The previous stage was zero favorability—we're not that familiar. After adding twenty points, it's only half-baked? If it weren't for the two draw chances and the unlocked Special Wish Pool, she really would want to heat up this suspected half-baked cheesecake of a male lead and see what happens.
Rong Chunsong decided to use one draw chance first to see what was in the Special Wish Pool.
She had to admit, this special wish was indeed somewhat special. The normal Wish Pool flashed with a burst of pink light—this one flashed with a burst of… multicolored pink.
[Congratulations on drawing the four-star Pleasure Feast "Endless Sorrowful Spring Rain." Use to trigger a special event.]
This "Pleasure Feast" probably refers to a date card. The special wish pool gives this? A date card?
She tapped her finger and scrolled down, finding a brief description of this four-star Pleasure Feast and a small line of tips.
【Four-Star Pleasure Feast · Lingering Regret of the Spring Rain.】
【Rain seals the southeast, mist veils the lake's glow.】
【Beneath the eaves where she shelters from the rain, a figure suddenly squeezes in beside her. This Daoist master, clad in thin pale-green robes, is drenched through. Seeing his disheveled state, she shifts slightly to the side, making room for him. The handsome, spirited man's brows and eyes stir faintly as he says, "Thank you, miss."】
【A faint silence spreads between the two. She lifts her gaze for a subtle glance, only to see a single droplet of water slowly roll down his exquisite features, past his straight nose bridge, past his thin, moist, pale-red lips, finally hanging from his pale chin. The raindrop hovers, about to fall, yet he seems to tremble faintly all over because of her gaze. At last, that glistening droplet slips along his slightly protruding Adam's apple and vanishes into his collar.】
【The green robes, moistened by the rain, are damp and translucent. The wet garments cling tightly to the man's jade-carved physique. Broad shoulders, a lean, powerful waist like a leopard's, and a clearly defined abdomen all rise and fall with his wet breathing, tracing contours full of strength and beauty. Those contours that tease her heartstrings are all gathered beneath the silver belt at his waist. Lifting her eyes again, she sees this handsome, towering Daoist casually wiping the rain from his brow. The motion tugs at his arms, and the raised contours of his shoulders and arms beneath the wet robes are clearly visible, rippling with definition… Droplets slide one by one over the jade mountain, lingering reluctantly on his firm, solid body…】
【The rain-mist is thick and hazy. His gaze, too, seems to drift toward her, faintly and ambiguously, through the drizzling light. The vexing spring, the vexing rain, sprinkling over her body—damp, clinging, sticky—yet with nowhere to vent… His ink-black long eyes slowly turn, his thin lips part slightly, and he says, "Miss, have you been staring at me all along…?"】
【Tip 1: Please choose an appropriate time to use the "Pleasure Feast." After the Pleasure Feast is used, the host and the target will enter the Domain of the Feast together until the special event of the Pleasure Feast concludes. It is recommended that the host not use it while handling important matters.】
【Tip 2: Once the special event is activated, regardless of the target character's affection level, they will be forced to perform the event—only once. The host can later revisit and savor it through the replay function.】
What nonsense, "revisit and savor" indeed.
She went back and "savored" that spring-rain description again, feeling it was nothing but borderline literary erotica.
Truly, nine out of ten words are "damp," and the tenth is "bulging"!
According to the system's introduction, the highest star rating seems to be six stars, and the lowest is three. So a four-star card sits somewhere in the middle—neither high nor low. And yet, even at four stars, it's already getting steamy? She'd thought they'd at least wait until five stars to show off the male lead's abs and muscles.
Fine, if they want to get steamy, so be it—but making her go in there to get rained on with Shang Daoling and squeeze together under shelter? Isn't that just suffering?
However… Rong Chunsong's eyes suddenly lit up.
Using this card lets her enter a place called the "Domain of the Feast." And it recommends she not use it while handling important matters.
Doesn't that mean this Domain of the Feast is a separate space where outsiders can't disturb her?
So if there's ever a critical moment, couldn't she first duck into this safe house to lie low?
Sigh, even if it is a safe house filled with all sorts of strange little scenarios.
It seemed that the permanent wish pool drew skills and items, while the special wish pool drew "events." Although this date card could serve as a safe room in an alternate space, for now, items were more practical for her.
Just then, she had spent three items on this male lead earlier, so it was time to restock.
So she exited the Pleasure Feast card description and tapped the permanent wish pool.
[Congratulations! You obtained A-rank item "Dream-Weaving Rhinoceros Incense: Spring Dream" x10]
[Congratulations! You obtained A-rank skill "Rapid Loot Grab—Sorry, Auto-Pickup Was Left On"]
[Congratulations! You obtained A-rank skill "Heavenly Fragrance Body Infusion"]
[Congratulations! You obtained B-rank skill "Tender Hand of Soft Shoots"]
Compared to those two skills that seemed to be mere variants of "Alluring Scent Infusion" and "Lotus Step Light Shift," Rong Chunsong's eyes immediately landed on those ten boxes of Dream-Weaving Rhinoceros Incense. This was… intentional? Not only had she drawn the Dream-Weaving Rhinoceros Incense again, but she'd drawn ten boxes in one go.
Was it because the System thought she hadn't used this incense for exercise by taking an unconventional path, so it gave her ten boxes to use on the "proper path" next time? She genuinely found it a bit amusing.
Oh well, ten boxes of incense delivered right to her door—no point wasting them. She had plenty of clever ideas and grand creations.
Now, let's see what this Rapid Loot Grab thing was.
[Skill "Rapid Loot Grab": Can obtain all equipment and Magic Treasures from a selected target whose HP has reached zero within one second, with no geographic range limit. Requires the host to be physically present when used.]
A selected target whose HP has reached zero—she couldn't help but think those words sounded awfully grim.
Whatever. It was rare to draw something from this Restricted Heroine System that could help her fight and have fun, so along with that "Become a Magical Girl" from last time, she'd gladly accept it.
Originally, Rong Chunsong had assumed that even if this male lead went to buy a new set of Daoist robes, he'd probably buy another identical black set just to spite her.
See? In the System screen, he was dressed all in black again.
She tapped her index finger and spun him around.
Huh, wait—the inner lining of this black Daoist robe was crimson red.
So flashy!
After silently murmuring "You're so flashy," she thought to herself, this stingy guy actually listened to her and bought a new outfit. It seemed that after raising his Favorability Value, he'd become much more obedient. Sigh, Xiao Shang, I still miss your wild and untamed side.
This Daoist robe—black on the outside but crimson on the inside—was far too subtly ostentatious. Clothes make the man, and with Xiao Shang changing into flashy attire, Rong Chunsong tapped the little figure on the screen and spun him around again and again, admiring him from every angle.
The interaction mode was still on, and the spinning stirred up a small whirlwind that lifted the Observation Avatar's Daoist robe.
His broad chest, lean and powerful waist, and those strong thighs forged through years of fighting—all were revealed as the black-and-red robe fluttered in the wind.
Meanwhile, on the other side of reality, Shang Daoling, who was making his way through knee-high wild grass in the wilderness, naturally noticed his clothes being blown up by a gust of wind.
Shang Daoling: "…"
Could this Ghost Immortal tone it down a bit?
He'd been trapped in this wilderness for an hour now, walking in circles no matter which direction he took, and he was already somewhat irritated. She, on the other hand, was adding fuel to the fire.
On the hillside, wild grass rustled desolately; below the hill, the sea was pitch black.
No matter how he walked, he always returned to this spot—a place where he could see a small fishing village not far away.