The Most Difficult Target to Conquer So Far

"Don't misunderstand. I didn't ask you here to actually be my rented Dao companion. I merely want to ask you a few questions," Luo Qingxue said, taking a step back to put some distance between herself and Qin Hao.

Seeing Luo Qingxue so eager to distance herself from him, Qin Hao couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"Alright, no misunderstandings. Miss Luo, whatever you wish to ask, please go ahead."

Luo Qingxue bit her lip, unsure of where to begin. Having lived for nearly twenty years, she had cultivated the Great Dao and comprehended the laws of heaven, yet no one had ever taught her how to discern what it meant to like someone.

Her master had told her that the Imperial Son of the Qin Family would arrive in a few days and asked her to try interacting with him. If they got along, she would be married off to the Imperial Son of the Qin Family.

Before that happened, Luo Qingxue wanted to figure out exactly what it meant to like someone. Since she was going to get married, she should definitely marry someone she liked, right?

With this thought in mind, Luo Qingxue organized her words and finally spoke:

"Young Master Qin, I am an orphan, picked up and raised by my master. Growing up, I've only ever been surrounded by my master and my senior and junior sisters of Yaochi. The books I have read spoke of cultivation and the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, but not a single one ever taught me what it means to like someone."

Luo Qingxue's voice was very soft, like ripples stirred by the wind blowing across a lake:

"You work as a rented Dao companion. I figure that with your experience, you must know what it means to like someone. Therefore, I want to ask you: how can one be certain that they like someone?"

After hearing Luo Qingxue's question, Qin Hao pursed his lips and pondered for a moment before replying:

"Miss Luo, I'm afraid I cannot answer this question for you."

Hearing this, Luo Qingxue couldn't help but reveal a puzzled expression. "Why? Could it be that even you don't know what it feels like to like someone?"

Qin Hao shook his head. "That's not it. I have people I like myself, and more than just one."

As soon as these words came out, Luo Qingxue's small face flushed slightly. She glanced at Qin Hao and secretly cursed in her heart, "Bah! What a womanizer."

Luo Qingxue did not voice her inner dissatisfaction. Instead, she asked, "Since you have people you like, why can't you tell me what it feels like to like someone?"

Qin Hao shrugged. "Because there is simply no standard answer to this question. When it comes to liking someone, everyone's answer is different. I've encountered some perverts who feel more joy the more they are beaten by others. If this kind of 'liking' were applied to you, could you accept it?"

Luo Qingxue shook her head. "I couldn't accept that. Since you can't give a standard answer, could you tell me what your own feelings of liking someone are?"

Qin Hao smiled gently and said, "To me, liking someone means that when I see her, my heartbeat quickens. Not out of nervousness, and not out of fear, but it just speeds up uncontrollably and inexplicably."

"Liking someone means that in a crowd, your eyes will automatically find her. When she smiles, you feel happy along with her; when she is sad, you try to find ways to comfort her; and when she isn't around, you uncontrollably think about her."

"What else?" Luo Qingxue's gaze unconsciously drifted to Qin Hao's face. Seeing that Qin Hao was looking at her with a smiling face, she hurriedly withdrew her gaze.

"Also, when you like someone, you are willing to make sacrifices for them. You become clumsier than before, and you often do things you would never have done in the past."

After listening to Qin Hao's words, Luo Qingxue furrowed her brows. "This is what it means to like someone? Isn't that just losing oneself? If a person revolves around someone else all day long, can they still be considered an independent individual?"

Qin Hao did not refute her. Instead, he looked Luo Qingxue up and down, then leaned forward slightly, his gaze falling upon her face.

Flustered by Qin Hao's sudden movement, Luo Qingxue hurriedly took a few steps back, her cheeks inevitably flushing a faint shade of red.

"Thump, thump, thump—" Luo Qingxue realized that when Qin Hao drew near, her heartbeat had accelerated. This made her recall Qin Hao's earlier words—he had said that when you like someone, your heartbeat quickens. Could this be what it meant to like someone?

"I like him? How is that possible? We've only just met."

The innocent Luo Qingxue had yet to realize that her racing heart was not out of affection at all. It was simply because she had never interacted with the opposite sex before, and having a man suddenly approach her made her a bit uncomfortable.

Seeing Luo Qingxue's reaction, Qin Hao also felt a bit of a headache. He had a feeling that this would be his most difficult target to conquer thus far. She was like a blank sheet of paper, devoid of desires, knowing only how to cultivate.

"But I just love this feeling of a challenge. The previous ones were far too easy and lacked any pressure."

With this in mind, Qin Hao said to Luo Qingxue, "It seems that figuring out what it feels like for you to like someone won't be a simple task. How about this: I'll take you out of Yaochi and help you properly search for that feeling?"

Faced with Qin Hao's proposal, Luo Qingxue shook her head. "There is no need. If I can't find it, then so be it. Let our association end here. Yaochi does not allow male cultivators to enter, so you should leave as soon as possible."

Luo Qingxue's order for him to leave made Qin Hao pause for a moment. Interesting. The last person to drive him away was Qin Kexin. However, unlike Qin Kexin, the current Luo Qingxue simply did not want to have any ties with him.

That girl Qin Kexin was purely just being a tsundere.

"And what if I say no?" Qin Hao looked at Luo Qingxue with a faint smile. Seeing this, Luo Qingxue shook her head helplessly.

"You people in this line of work just want to exchange your services to women for resources, right? How much is your fee? I will pay you right now."

"So you really are trying to drive me away. However, I'm afraid you won't be able to afford my fee."

Hearing this, Luo Qingxue smiled. "Mr. Ye, you must not know where you are. This is Yaochi, one of the Top Ten Holy Lands of the Three Realms and Nine Heavens! My master is a mighty Immortal King. Do you really think I cannot afford the fee of a rented Dao companion?"

"You should stop being unreasonable. I will give you your compensation, and you will leave at once. It will save you a lot of trouble as well. Yaochi does not permit male cultivators to enter, so do not bring misery upon yourself."

"I told you when we met that I only brought you here to ask you a few questions, not to actually have you act as my rented Dao companion. I've finished asking my questions, so it is time for you to go."

Looking at the cold and aloof Luo Qingxue, a surge of competitive spirit rose in Qin Hao's heart. It's this difficult? Then I like it even more! I just love gnawing on hard bones like this!

"Fine, you want me to leave? We can do that. Let's have a chat about my compensation then."