143: Chapter 143 Crimson Rainbow's Heart

Xu Changsheng did not hesitate and nodded immediately: "I can do that."

"That's great!"

Crimson Rainbow was instantly overjoyed, but then she suddenly thought of something: "Brother Xu, you're not going to ask me for some kind of promise, are you? We agreed that at most, I'll give you some Spirit Stones."

"No need. Based on what you just described, this trial is just a small favor."

"What do you mean, Brother Xu?"

"I want to know your true purpose for asking me to participate in this Hundred Sects Trial."

"What purpose could there be..."

"If you won't say, then forget it. Let's begin the treatment."

"Do I need to take off my clothes?"

...No need."

Fifteen minutes later.

Xu Changsheng's warm, thick hand moved away from Crimson Rainbow's flat lower abdomen:

"It's done. After your Foundation Establishment, your Meridians and Dantian have become much more stable. Moreover, this injury wasn't serious; you just need to rest for a while."

"Mm."

Crimson Rainbow looked at the man before her tenderly, her eyes like thick, slowly flowing syrup.

Xu Changsheng didn't pay it any mind as he returned the spiritual materials used during the warming process to his Storage Pouch one by one.

Crimson Rainbow toyed with her snow-white feet, crossing them over each other.

Lowering her head, she whispered, "Brother Xu, can you answer a question for me?"

"What is it?"

"What exactly is the relationship between you and Sister Tang? Back in the Ancient Wood Secret Realm, you said you were Dao Companions, but I don't think that counts at all."

"It truly doesn't count. Over these years, I've neglected her; I'm not qualified to be her Dao Companion."

"But I can tell that you have her in your eyes."

Xu Changsheng's hand paused while packing his things, but he didn't reply.

"Hmph, I wasn't wrong, was I?"

"Regardless, that's a matter between her and me. There's no need for Fairy Ni to worry about it."

Crimson Rainbow took a deep breath and slowly raised her head: "It's like this—I just wanted to ask, does Brother Xu have any plans to take a concubine?"

"Take a concubine?"

Xu Changsheng was truly a bit dazed this time and shook his head vigorously:

"I haven't even married a wife, so how could I have plans to take a concubine? Besides, no female Cultivator would be willing to be a concubine for a low-level, ordinary Loose Cultivator like me."

"What if there was one?"

Crimson Rainbow shifted her position, leaning closer toward Xu Changsheng, as a strange fragrance once again enveloped the surroundings.

The latter's eyes widened suddenly. No matter how dull he might be, he understood the meaning behind Crimson Rainbow's words.

Crimson Rainbow was essentially ready to pack herself up and travel thousands of miles to deliver herself to his door, taking the role of a concubine with a status equivalent to a maidservant.

Is this a joke?

For a moment, Xu Changsheng thought he was hallucinating. A golden light abruptly flickered from his forehead as he tried to dispel any illusion.

However, the surrounding scenery remained as it was, without any change.

"Brother Xu?"

"I'm tired. If Fairy Ni has nothing else, you might as well head back first."

Seeing Xu Changsheng playing dumb, Crimson Rainbow was first stunned.

Seeming to understand something, she pouted, put on her silk shoes by the bedside, and departed.

"I won't see you out."

Seeing that Crimson Rainbow had truly left, Xu Changsheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Even if he were given ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare take a Personal Disciple of the Jinyang Sect as a concubine. That would be like carrying a lantern into a latrine—looking for death.

Setting aside whether the Jinyang Sect would agree, the gossip of the cultivation world alone would be enough to crush him.

To achieve such a thing, he would at least need to be at the Golden Core True Person level.

He thought to himself: "I should try to keep my distance from this woman in the future."

Meanwhile.

Outside the door, Crimson Rainbow still stood in the corridor, unwilling to leave for a long time.

She sighed faintly: "Why did I ask you to come to the Hundred Sects Trial? Is it really that hard to understand?"

"I just wanted to be a little closer to you, even if only for a short time..."

...

The next day.

The Hundred Sects Trial proceeded as scheduled.

This time, it was the Jinyang Sect's turn to manage the trial, with True Man Zhuzhao overseeing the entire situation.

They had forcibly carved out a flat area on the mountainside and paved it with white jade bricks to create a large plaza.

Qi Refining Disciples from over thirty Sects, large and small, were divided into different areas, looking up at the white-haired old man on the high platform.

True Man Zhuzhao's steady and powerful voice, infused with magical power, echoed across the plaza.

"Young heroes, gathering today at Three Realms Mountain, you are all the pillars of your respective Sects. The Hundred Sects Trial is not for aggressive competition, but to prove oneself and temper one's Dao Heart..."

Much like a leadership speech on Earth, the non-stop talking lasted the entire morning.

As Foundation Establishment Cultivators, Xu Changsheng and the others had to set an example, standing in front of the Qi Refining Cultivators without moving.

He was truly bored to the point of sleepiness, so he simply closed his eyes to rest his mind.

However, just then, Li Hongxuan, who was beside him, tugged at his sleeve.

This man was truly thick-skinned, insisting on pestering him to come and see Crimson Rainbow. It didn't matter; at least he had some company.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, did you see that? That Fairy Su over there seems to have been looking our way the whole time."

"Fairy Su? Who is that?"

Looking out, there was a dense crowd, and he couldn't see anyone he recognized at all.

On the plaza, everyone deliberately suppressed the range of their Divine Sense to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, so they could only rely on their eyes.

"Over there."

Following the direction of the finger, he saw a cold and piercing deep-blue figure in the distance.

"Is it her?"

Xu Changsheng looked hesitantly toward the edge of the plaza.

"Yeah, does Fellow Daoist Xu actually not know Fairy Su Tinglan? She's known as the number one beauty in the Wu State's cultivation world!"

"The number one beauty?" This woman's smile was indeed a few degrees more stunning than the likes of Xie Wantang and Crimson Rainbow.

"Yeah, I actually think that title doesn't do her justice. She should be the number one beauty in the cultivation worlds of the three kingdoms: Chu, Yue, and Wu!"

Xu Changsheng rubbed his nose: "Which power does she belong to?"

This woman was none other than the female Cultivator he had encountered a few days ago in the Ice Ridge Mountains, with whom he had fought against the quasi-tier-three Frost Macropod Crab.

He had originally thought they would never meet again in this life, so he hadn't even exchanged names with her.

He didn't expect that by some stroke of luck, she was also here to guard the Hundred Sects Trial.

"Bihai Immortal City of the Wu State. It's a Golden Core-level Immortal City just like our Yellow Ox Immortal City. Look, she's looking over here again."

He happened to look up.

From a distance, his eyes met hers.

Su Tinglan seemed to realize she had been noticed and quickly turned her head back to the front.

Li Hongxuan struggled to suppress his joy: "Fellow Daoist Xu, do you think I have a way with women? Yesterday Fairy Chi was looking at me, and today Fairy Su is looking at me too, haha."

He teased: "Mm, which one do you plan to choose as your Dao Companion?"

"Good question. Let me think. Although Su Tinglan is prettier, she's icy cold. One look and you can tell she's someone with few desires; life as a couple would definitely be disharmonious later on."

"It's still Crimson Rainbow who's better. She wears less, so she looks more open-minded, and she has an equally graceful figure. I choose Fairy Chi!"

Xu Changsheng didn't reply, having already turned his gaze to the surroundings to look for his own targets.

Since Su Tinglan was here, then his several old acquaintances should have come as well.

Sure enough, in the Chixiao Sect's camp, he saw three Foundation Establishment Cultivators, including Xiao Tongguang.

Then, in the Yellow Ox Immortal City camp, there was Fourth Disciple and an exquisite, beautiful female Cultivator.

He also recognized this female Cultivator; she was Chu Linger's Sixth Senior Sister.

"That makes things interesting. I can just find Xiao Tongguang to settle some old scores."