Little Cold's Favorability Increased (98%), New Memories

"Oh?"

Xiao Leng reached out, grabbed Gu Yan's fingers, and leaned in for a closer look. "So this is the legendary Three-Life Demon Claw?"

"It even carries a faint aura of the Divine Dragon."

"You actually fed something as precious as dragon energy to this little thing?"

She looked up at Gu Yan with a meaningful gaze. "How did you tame it?"

"Through the power of love between me and Qingqiu."

Well, if it was tamed by pure love, then wasn't that indeed the power of love?

"Tch, fine. Keep your secrets."

Xiao Leng let out a cold laugh.

She examined the claw again, then suddenly frowned.

Grabbing Gu Yan's fingers, she looked up at him expressionlessly. "You... have been feeding it your blood all this time?"

Gu Yan was taken aback. It was true—the Three-Life Demon Claw had been feeding on his blood since the very beginning.

After all, the most delicious sustenance for it seemed to be its master's blood.

"Yeah, why? Is there a problem?"

Gu Yan replied hesitantly. Could there be something wrong with this arrangement?

Xiao Leng fell silent, staring at the trembling Three-Life Demon Claw.

Then she released Gu Yan's hand, her voice devoid of any emotion. "What a waste."

Gu Yan's constitution was incredibly unique, yet he was using it to feed an ordinary Three-Life Demon Claw.

Well, now that Gu Yan had been feeding it, the claw had evolved into something more advanced.

At this thought—

Whoosh!

A spatial rift opened beside them.

Xiao Leng raised her right hand.

"Meow~!"

Yeye, still half-asleep, was yanked out and scooped into Xiao Leng's arms.

"What a waste?"

"Xiao Leng, what do you mean by that?"

"Also... Yeye was sleeping just now..."

Gu Yan was puzzled by Xiao Leng's words.

The latter, however, simply rubbed Yeye's ears and said coldly, "None of your business. I just wanted to check how you've been raising Yeye."

With that, she lifted Yeye and peered into the cat's eyes.

When she noticed a flicker of human-like joy—the kind reserved for seeing one's owner—in Yeye's gaze,

She nodded in satisfaction. "Good."

Xiao Leng stood up, set Yeye down, and turned to Gu Yan. "From now on, you can add a bit of your blood to Yeye's food too."

Squeak?!

"Meow?"

Gu Yan: "..."

So now I'm just a nutrient dispenser?

Given Xiao Leng's words, Gu Yan wondered—could his blood have some special property?

Because of his Pure Love Constitution?

"Alright, if you say so, I'll take your advice this time."

Gu Yan nodded, then smiled. "After all, Yeye is a cat we adopted together."

"Even though I'm the one doing all the caregiving..."

"..."

For some reason, Gu Yan felt that the moment he said these words,

Xiao Leng's expression flickered with something unusual... something almost... tender?

"Good. You understand."

But the shift was fleeting. Xiao Leng quickly reverted to her usual impassive demeanor.

Then her figure began to fade, and her voice echoed in Gu Yan's ears:

"Gu Yan, there's another way to control the Power of Night."

"If it comes to the worst... I'll help you."

"But only if... you still have the will to see your plan through."

With that, Xiao Leng vanished.

Leaving Gu Yan stunned by her words.

Another... way?

What was it? From the sound of it, she knew?

For some reason, Gu Yan's heart grew heavy.

Xiao Leng seemed... less and less like the Xiao Leng he knew.

The old her would never have said such things.

Sigh.

Gu Yan opened his system panel.

Displayed on it...

Was the affection level between him and his Pure Love target.

[Pure Love Target Affection: 98%]

Just moments ago.

Xiao Leng's affection... had risen by another 2%.

Another fused memory bubble had also been unlocked.

Just a little more. According to the system, once affection reached 100%, he would learn the full truth.

And what... would that truth be?

Gu Yan closed the panel and took out the memory bubble.

A familiar aqua-blue bubble floated before him.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Yan steeled himself.

No matter what the truth was.

He... would never waver from the plan he had long since decided on!

With that resolve,

Gu Yan reached out and touched the memory bubble.

Instantly, the familiar sensation of weightlessness and dizziness overtook him.

......

...

......

"The Crown Prince! The Crown Prince is born!!"

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! It's a boy!"

"...Quick... let me see him..."

Amid the clamor,

A flood of memories poured into Gu Yan's mind as he slowly opened his eyes.

Where... was this?

Before him lay a woman—pale and exhausted, yet radiating an extraordinary grace.

Gu Yan realized he was in the body of an infant.

She pressed a gentle hand to his cheek, gazing at him with warmth.

"Gu Yan... your name shall be Gu Yan."

"You are now... the Crown Prince of our Great Qian Dynasty..."

Crown Prince?

Gu Yan was stunned. Then, like a narrator's voice, a stream of memories unfolded.

This world was known as the Great Thousand World, home to countless sects and mighty dynasties.

Among them, the Great Qian Dynasty stood supreme.

Emperor Qian's cultivation had reached the Seventh Grade of Immortality, making him the strongest of the seven immortal-tier experts in the world.

He had once dominated an entire era.

Gu Yan pieced it together—he was now... the Crown Prince of this dynasty!

Time passed swiftly.

Gu Yan soon displayed his prodigious talent.

While others only met the requirements for cultivation at age eight,

Gu Yan had already cultivated true energy in the womb. By eight, he had reached the [First Grade of Earth] stage!

Earning him the undisputed title of the strongest among his peers.

This memory bubble was vast.

Gu Yan experienced everything from birth to his eighth year.

Throughout, he acted entirely of his own will, with no forced plot progression.

Yet... it was on the very day he broke through to the First Grade of Earth that

He encountered... something that sent chills down his spine.

It was a rainy night.

Gu Yan's personal guard presented him with an object.

"Your Highness, this is a sinister weapon confiscated from the assassins we eliminated."

"Please decide its fate."

Jet-black, etched with eerie runes, and exuding an unfathomable aura.

Most importantly... it was a dagger.

Gu Yan recognized it at once.

This was... Night?!

He was about to order its immediate destruction and sealing.

But... the "him" in the memory was forced by the narrative to reach out and grasp the dagger.

He lifted it, studying it closely.

After a long pause,

A suppressed, exhilarated voice escaped Gu Yan's lips.

"Excellent... this is... perfect."

A wicked smirk curled at the corners of his mouth, his eyes gleaming with a chilling malice.

Clearly under the dagger's influence.

Gu Yan: "????"

Seriously, how the hell does this damn dagger keep showing up everywhere??