169: Dating savior! The Divine Child: Stop the awkward small talk, let's go watch the show!

The interlude ended.

Ling Qingzhu was still staring at Su Chen.

Those phoenix eyes, once as cold as winter stars, were now brimming with an overflowing affection, as if she wanted to melt him entirely within them.

Every hair on Su Chen's body stood on end as if they had received a command to stand at attention.

That agonizing feeling of social anxiety—of being watched like a monkey by thousands of Demonic Cultivators and roasted over a fire—once again flooded every cell of his body.

He felt that the gazes stuck to him had acquired actual temperature and weight.

Su Chen subconsciously moved his hand, which was being held.

His palm was already damp; he couldn't tell whose sweat it was, and the sticky sensation made him feel uncomfortable all over.

He gave a dry cough, his throat tight, desperately wanting to inject a breath of fresh air into this suffocating scene.

"Um..."

His gaze wandered frantically, not daring to meet Ling Qingzhu's eyes at all.

His eyes happened to land on her temple, where a disobedient strand of hair, ruffled by the strong wind earlier, clung playfully to her jade-smooth cheek.

A thought exploded in his chaotic mind as if guided by some unseen hand.

[Follow the procedure! According to those damn melodramatic dramas from my past life, this is the moment the male lead should make a move!]

[Show off that so-called 'boyfriend power'! Yes, that's the KPI!]

Su Chen's brain CPU roared at an unprecedented speed, frantically searching through the "Boyfriend Standard Operating Manual V3.0 Revised Edition" derived from tens of thousands of works like "The Overbearing President Falls for Me" and "The Pure School Hunk and the Pretty School Belle."

He stiffly raised his other hand.

The movement was so clumsy it looked like a marionette that had just been powered on for a factory test.

His arm paused in mid-air for a full half-second, as if engaged in a fierce internal battle with his deep-seated social anxiety.

[Go for it! Don't be a coward! It's just a movement!]

In the end, the self-cultivation of a wage slave triumphed over all.

His fingertips reached out.

Gently, he tucked that strand of hair behind her ear.

His fingertips eventually brushed against her slightly cool yet incredibly smooth cheek.

The sensation was a hundred times finer than the highest-grade Divine Silkworm Silk, carrying a crisp, icy coolness.

In an instant.

A faint tingle, like static electricity, surged through both their bodies simultaneously.

Ling Qingzhu froze completely.

Even her breathing stopped for a moment.

With a "whoosh," a brilliant crimson blush spread instantly from the base of her ears to her snowy-white neck.

Her mind went blank, with only one thought roaring repeatedly.

He... he touched me.

He's so gentle... Su Chen also pulled his hand back as if he had been burned, feeling the incredible softness and coolness still lingering on his fingertips.

He swallowed hard.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally squeezed out a "year-end summary" through his teeth, which he thought was very appropriate and carried the air of a master.

"Ahem, just now... your performance was... acceptable."

"Whether it was reaction speed or the timing of Spiritual Power manipulation, you basically met the expected standards."

"You're starting to look a bit like a master."

[Damn! Complimenting people is way too hard for someone with social anxiety! I sound exactly like a cold-faced boss giving a performance review to an intern!]

[Why is the atmosphere even more awkward than before? The air is practically turning solid!]

Su Chen was frantically scratching the walls of his mind, feeling his social battery drop below 5%, on the verge of shutting down.

However, these words, which sounded incredibly awkward to him, fell upon Ling Qingzhu's ears sounding more beautiful than any heavenly music in the world.

He praised me!

He acknowledged my strength!

He observed even the tiniest details of my Spiritual Power manipulation clearly!

As expected, he is always watching me silently in his own way!

An indescribable surge of immense sweetness and satisfaction, like a bursting galaxy, instantly filled Ling Qingzhu's entire heart.

She shyly lowered her eyes.

Her long eyelashes trembled incessantly like the wings of a startled butterfly.

Yet the curve of her lips couldn't help but rise, sketching a smile that could captivate all living beings.

Seeing her extremely bashful and overly sweet appearance, Su Chen's social anxiety alarm reached the highest level, and his head buzzed.

[Alright, I've praised her, held her hand, and touched her face. What's next? What should I do now?]

[Should I go straight to the point and eat barbecue? No, this atmosphere... I'm afraid I'll get indigestion on the spot! The barbecue won't even taste good!]

While Su Chen and Ling Qingzhu were holding hands, staring at each other under the watchful eyes of the crowd...

The ground suddenly shook!

Boom—!

A massive pillar of pitch-black demonic light, as thick as a pillar supporting the heavens, shot up unreasonably from the center of Ten Thousand Demon City, tearing a hideous scar across the dim sky!

A desolate, ancient, and terrifying aura mixed with endless life and death swept through the entire city like a bursting flood!

"The Yellow Springs Secret Realm... has opened!"

"It's the Ten Thousand Bones Arena! The arena has also appeared! What a heaven-sent Opportunity!"

After a moment of dead silence, the entire Ten Thousand Demon City completely boiled over!

Countless Demonic Cultivators turned into streaks of light, their eyes blood-red, rushing madly toward the direction of the soaring demonic light; the scene instantly spiraled out of control!

For Su Chen and Ling Qingzhu, this sudden change was like rain after a long drought, a gospel of salvation!

[It's here! Finally, something important! My spirit is instantly recharged!]

A blazing fire named "spectating" ignited in Su Chen's eyes!

What social anxiety? What awkwardness? What energy-consuming romance procedures?

He kicked them all into the far-off clouds!

He had only one thought now—spectate! Watch the show!

The plot is finally reaching its climax! That unlucky guy Qin Feng and that Chuunibyou Wang Teng will definitely be there! Now there's a good show to watch!

Ling Qingzhu also breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

She wasn't good at handling these sentimental scenes, but when it came to sabotaging that Hypocrite Qin Feng's Opportunity, she was a professional!

Seeing Su Chen's eyes shining with excitement, Ling Qingzhu's heart stirred, and she took the initiative to speak, her voice carrying a hint of joy.

"Shall we... go take a look too?"

"What are you waiting for! Hurry up, if we're late, the best viewing spots will be gone!"

Without a second thought, Su Chen tightly gripped Ling Qingzhu's hand and pulled her toward the most chaotic part of the crowd.

The movement was incredibly natural, as practiced as if it had been rehearsed a thousand times.

"Let's go! Let's watch the fun!"

Being pulled tightly by his warm, large hand, she felt the excitement in his words—as if he were eager for the world to fall into chaos—and the urgency in his steps.

Ling Qingzhu was slightly startled.

[In the chaos, he grabbed me tightly first to prevent me from getting lost... He is caring about me every single moment!]

Then, beneath that cold veil, a doting smile bloomed from her heart, one she hadn't even noticed herself.

Mm.

As long as he likes it.

An "date" filled with frequent accidents, awkwardness, and sweetness thus raced toward the grand main plot under a twist no one had expected.