Xiao Leng Gains Favorability Again and Unlocks New Memories

The atmosphere in the car was slightly awkward.

Gu Yan rubbed his hair, eyeing Xiao Xie—who was currently chewing on a strand of his hair—with hesitation. "You... like eating hair?"

"No! (munch munch) It's not that! (munch munch) My body just moved on its own! (munch munch)!"

Xiao Xie felt embarrassed. It wanted to stop, but due to the principle of equivalent exchange, it had to finish chewing the hair first.

Unbelievable. This man only had to pay such a trivial price to make It fulfill a request that was clearly disproportionate.

As Xiao Xie continued chewing, Gu Yan cast a doubtful glance at Xiao Leng. "Is this thing even reliable?"

The more he looked at it, the more this cursed tome seemed... kinda dumb.

"........"

Xiao Leng fell silent for a moment before replying expressionlessly, "I don't know."

Honestly, she’d never seen Xiao Xie act like this before either.

"....."

Gu Yan’s lips twitched. If you don’t know, who does?

Aren’t you the owner of this damn cursed tome?

Tch, a talking book...

Could this thing be some kind of ancient demon?

Is it really safe to make deals with it?

It won’t end up demanding my soul as payment, right? Scary, scary. After this, I should keep my distance...

Soon after—

"Phew..."

Xiao Xie exhaled. It had finally finished chewing Gu Yan’s hair.

And honestly...

"Huh... Not bad. Tastes pretty good."

"Kid, your constitution seems special—very suitable for use as a cultivation cauldron."

"Tsk tsk, too bad your other personality refuses to feed me your bodily fluids anymore. Otherwise..."

Realizing it was rambling and ruining its own imposing image, Xiao Xie shut its mouth and got to work.

"Anyway, the deal is done. Now... let me fulfill your wish!"

As soon as those words were spoken—

A blinding black light erupted from Its body.

Gu Yan glanced at Xiao Leng. "What’s this thing muttering about?"

Xiao Leng shook her head. "No idea. But show some respect—Xiao Xie is an ancient cursed tome, after all."

"Right."

Xiao Xie seethed internally. Ugh, kids these days have no manners.

Whatever. As an ancient entity, why should I bother with these mortals?

Still...

For some reason, when It looked at Gu Yan, It felt an odd sense of familiarity.

Almost like we’ve met before... a long, long time ago.

But... that’s impossible! A mere cauldron like him couldn’t possibly be worth remembering!

A few seconds later—

Something strange began happening at the Peach Blossom Society’s hideout.

As Xiao Xie’s power seeped into the area, layers of black mist spread through the night, as if ancient curses were oozing from the earth itself.

The defensive formation corroded under the mist, revealing the hideout’s interior in shadowy outlines.

The fog shimmered eerily under the moonlight, occasionally twisting into grotesque sigils—marking the land as territory claimed by an ancient evil.

The hideout’s stone walls cracked and eroded unnaturally, their surfaces roughening as if centuries of decay had struck in mere moments.

Dark, unnatural moss spread rapidly—its black-green hue pulsating with a sinister glow, as though devouring all traces of life.

The once-lush grounds of the Peach Blossom Society withered instantly. Flowers turned pitch-black, their petals twitching and writhing before sprouting jagged fangs.

Even more unsettling—

Mysterious runes crawled across the walls inside the hideout, glowing faintly as they released waves of unsettling energy.

These ripples conjured fleeting visions in the air: ancient battlefields, crumbling temples, drowned cities—each a fragment of primordial chaos and terror.

From beneath the ground came the faint clanking of chains and anguished moans, as if countless damned souls were trapped below, never to find peace.

The whispers hung in the night wind, sending chills down the spine and stirring an indescribable dread.

And yet—

Gu Yan remained oblivious.

"Done. Your wish has been granted."

Xiao Xie’s voice sounded weak.

Are you kidding me?

I ate a few strands of hair, and now I have to expend this much energy?

This is straight-up exploitation!

"Granted?"

Gu Yan blinked, eyeing Xiao Xie skeptically.

That fast? Did it really transform the hideout into an ancient ruin already?

"What’s with that look?! I don’t lie, kid!"

"It’s done! More than done, even—overachieved!"

Xiao Xie trembled with indignation. Ugh, mortals these days have no appreciation for my greatness!

After venting, It seemed utterly drained.

Whoosh!

Transforming into a streak of black light, It retreated into Xiao Leng’s forehead. "I need rest. Next time, feed me properly before asking for favors."

Xiao Leng sensed Xiao Xie’s weakened state and turned to Gu Yan.

"Cauldron... You really are interesting."

?

Gu Yan slowly formed a question mark in his mind. "Why do you and that cursed tome keep calling me ‘cauldron’?"

Xiao Leng didn’t answer, only stating coolly, "You ask too many questions."

"The other me is about to wake up. Do you plan to stay?"

Gu Yan clicked his tongue. "Playing the cryptic ally now, huh?"

Seeing his reaction, Xiao Leng—despite the impending switch—couldn’t resist adding, "We are allies. But I reserve the right to remain silent."

"Right, right. See you later, then."

"I’ll come find you if I need anything."

Though he still had questions, if Qingqiu was about to resurface, he couldn’t linger.

However—

Hearing his last words, Xiao Leng suddenly added, "You can come even if you don’t need anything."

Gu Yan fell silent, locking eyes with her.

They stared—until Gu Yan finally looked away, unable to hold her gaze. "I’ll stick to ‘when I need something.’"

"Tch. Men."

Xiao Leng scoffed.

"Alright, enough chatter. I’m out."

With a wave, Gu Yan waited for Xiao Leng to exit before hitting the gas and speeding off.

Alone in the car, he exhaled.

"Phew... Talking to Qingqiu’s second personality is exhausting."

Pulling out his phone, he dialed Old Gao.

"Hey, Old Gao. Send someone to check the Peach Blossom Society’s hideout. Report back when you have updates."

"Understood, Young Master."

After hanging up the phone, Gu Yan couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Old Gao actually picked up my call instantly despite the late hour—what would I do without you?

Once the moment of reflection passed, Gu Yan’s thoughts drifted back to Leng Qingqiu this time.

Compared to their previous encounters, she had been surprisingly agreeable this time.

Of course, Gu Yan had no idea what her true intentions or feelings were in agreeing to help him.

Could it really just be because of their alliance?

Then—

A notification suddenly flashed in Gu Yan’s mind.

【Pure Love Target’s Trust Level has increased to 91%!! New Memory Fragment Unlocked~~ Please Check~~】

“......”

Gu Yan fell silent.

Huh?

What’s going on?

Why did the favorability suddenly spike? What happened?

.......

......

Meanwhile.

Leng Qingqiu had already returned to her room, holding the Yeyue keychain in her hand.

Her eyes betrayed unreadable thoughts, as if something new had surfaced in her mind.

Her expression shifted slightly.

Her puzzled murmur echoed in the darkness...

“New memories… What in the world is this…?”

“Did I… share this memory with the furnace… or is it… from another version of me…”