Is She Your Dao Companion As Well

Being dragged by the sleeve like this by Niya, Ye Chuan placed one hand on his hip.

"What do you want me to listen to? If it's about the pain of your dysfunctional family, that’s fine, but accompanying you for a chat requires a service fee."

Niya: "..."

"Cheapskate."

"Go on, why do you think you don’t deserve to live?" Ye Chuan sat down on a rock.

Niya sighed. "Never mind, I won’t say it."

"Even if you don’t say it, I’ll still charge you."

"What do you want?!"

"I stayed, didn’t I? You owe me money," Ye Chuan said with a sidelong glance. "Might as well speak up. At least you won’t waste your money."

Niya took a deep breath, crossing her arms in irritation, but soon her expression dimmed as she pulled out a piece of jewelry from her pocket.

Ye Chuan glanced at it—it was the pendant he had retrieved from the giant spider’s labyrinth earlier. Niya had left in distress after seeing it.

"This belonged to my comrade," Niya clenched the pendant tightly before continuing. "We were a team, but we underestimated our enemy’s strength. Almost everyone was wiped out in that labyrinth—only I survived."

"My companions were all so kind… Every time I close my eyes, I can still see their faces," Niya’s voice was hoarse.

"Ever since I survived alone, I’ve felt like living each day is a sin."

"When I went back to that labyrinth with you, I held onto the hope that maybe they weren’t dead, just… but…"

"I…"

Tears as large as beans began to fall, and the girl’s shoulders trembled.

"..." Seeing Niya crying before him, Ye Chuan didn’t know what to say for a moment. "What were your companions’ names?"

"Seba, Elona…" Niya choked out between sobs.

"Ah." Ye Chuan responded casually before waving his hand. A soul banner materialized in his grip, thick violet-black mist swirling around it, exuding an ominous aura.

Niya froze when she saw Ye Chuan summon the sacred artifact again. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"Just trying something." Ye Chuan remembered using the soul banner to collect spirits back at the Spider King’s lair in the Sunset Cavern.

A few seconds later, he spoke. "Oh, got it."

His hand reached into the banner and yanked out the confused soul of a burly man, forcibly pulling it into the open.

Next came a dark elf archer with ample curves, then a dwarven mage, followed by a healer.

"These are them, right?" Ye Chuan pointed at the translucent spirits beside him. The names in the soul banner seemed to match these few.

Sniff Niya wiped her nose, staring dumbfounded at the souls before her.

"Hey, Niya! Long time no see."

"Huh? Didn’t I die?"

"Eh? How’d we get out of the Sunset Cavern?"

"E-everyone?!" Niya finally snapped out of her daze. Seeing her companions all in spectral form, her eyes brimmed with unrestrained excitement and joy before she immediately turned to Ye Chuan.

"Th-they!"

"While I was locked in a fierce battle with the Spider King, I came across these lonely souls and took them in with my sacred artifact of light," Ye Chuan waved the soul banner.

"Amitabha, the soul banner knows no bounds of love."

"Since fate has brought us together, that’ll be thirteen thousand silver coins."

By now, Niya had completely ignored Ye Chuan, throwing herself at her companions—even if her arms just passed through their translucent forms.

"Waaah, everyone! I thought your souls were gone forever! Now we can go to the church for resurrection… waaah…"

Ye Chuan crossed his arms, watching the scene with a faint, crooked smile but said nothing more.

When Niya finally came to her senses and turned to say something to Ye Chuan, he had already vanished.

"Xixi?"

Meanwhile, Ye Chuan had already returned to the adventurer’s guild. To his surprise, his daily quest was marked complete.

"That wraith counted as one, then the cursed sword, and that old pervert? Exactly three. Good enough."

Meh, passable.

"Daily’s done, the princess still needs to gather troops, and I’ve already visited the succubus." With nothing else to do, Ye Chuan simply saved and logged out.

Aiser Continent, logging off!

……

……

His vision blurred for a moment before Ye Chuan felt himself enveloped in warmth. Looking down, he saw Lan Xiaoke still nestled in his arms.

After all, they had been linked in a duel before logging in, so it made sense they’d still be connected after logging out.

"Almost forgot how I logged in." Ye Chuan checked Lan Xiaoke’s pulse, then got up to fetch some spirit liquid to treat her.

"Mmm."

"Don’t turn around. I’ll apply the medicine."

"..."

By dawn, Lan Xiaoke groggily opened her eyes. She couldn’t remember what time she had fallen asleep last night, but her body felt perfectly fine—no discomfort whatsoever.

Thanks to Ye Chuan’s healing magic.

"Eep!" As if suddenly realizing something, Lan Xiaoke yanked the blanket over her head.

"It really happened!"

The bed was empty except for her. Wrapped up like a caterpillar in a cocoon, she wriggled to the edge before rolling around frantically.

"Ah!" Only after bumping her head against the wall did she finally settle down.

The door suddenly opened as Ye Chuan walked in. Spotting Lan Xiaoke hiding under the covers, he seemed to understand and sighed.

"Awake?"

"Mm." Lan Xiaoke avoided his gaze, still buried in the blanket.

"Breakfast is ready."

"I’m not hungry. I’m full." Lan Xiaoke peeked out, her face flushed.

Seeing the white-haired girl staring at him, Ye Chuan raised an eyebrow. "Did you eat that much?"

"Then go back to sleep."

"But carry me out." Lan Xiaoke stretched her arms out from under the blanket.

Ye Chuan didn’t mind, opening his arms. "Come here."

Lan Xiaoke immediately leaped into his embrace, only to freeze a second later. "Actually, I’m too shy. Never mind."

With that, she scrambled out of the room in a fluster.

"Hey, you’re not dressed—" Before Ye Chuan could finish, Lan Xiaoke had already vanished.

"..."

Whatever.

Ye Chuan didn’t bother chasing after her and instead left the room.

At the breakfast table, a long-haired girl with raven-black hair sat quietly eating, her expression neither happy nor sad—just a touch aloof.

After greeting Bai Qianshuang, Ye Chuan took his seat.

"Ye Chuan." Bai Qianshuang suddenly spoke up.

"Yeah?"

"We’re cultivation partners." Bai Qianshuang said softly. "Right?"

"Right." Ye Chuan nodded.

"Is Junior Sister Xiaoke also your cultivation partner?" The question caught Ye Chuan off guard. "Uh…"

Seems Bai Qianshuang had been fully aware of last night’s commotion. Ye Chuan hadn’t bothered to conceal anything, and given Bai Qianshuang’s abilities, it made sense she’d notice.