Never mind Xia Li...

  Even Lin Ye felt helpless and bewildered right now.

  "Brother Xia, Lin Ge is the Third Elder's biological granddaughter. Her status in our Lin Family is even higher than Lin Yu's."

  "I have no idea why she's suddenly latched onto you."

  Lin Ye wasn't particularly close with Lin Ge either. Lin Ge helped him because she saw potential in him. Though they seemed close, he didn't have the standing to hold his head high in front of her.

  "That habit of hers, randomly kissing people—she needs to fix that..."

  Xia Li wiped his face with the back of his hand, feeling quite disgusted. He really wanted to find somewhere to wash his face.

  Regarding Lin Ge's sudden display of affection, he didn't feel lucky at all. Instead, he felt like he'd been targeted by a venomous snake.

  Setting everything else aside...

  The young talents around them were already attacking Xia Li with envious, jealous, and hateful glares.

  "No no no, she's never had this habit. How would I know she'd suddenly kiss you? Could it be... love at first sight?"

  "Then we might actually become real relatives—my dear brother-in-law!"

  Lin Ye wouldn't mind if Lin Ge actually got together with Xia Li. If it really happened, he'd be quite happy.

  "You think that attitude of hers is her liking me? Forget it... I should just run."

  Xia Li immediately started backing out. Why join any sect? He should just flee now!

  He'd rather be targeted by a hundred enemies than be troubled by some inexplicable woman.

  【Based on prior contact analysis...】

  【Considering heart rate, eye movement, body temperature, and multiple other factors】

  【Suspected emotional arousal】

  【Insufficient information to analyze subject's psychological state】

  【Speculation: Self-confident Closed Syndrome】

  【Patients with this condition have strong inner selves but typically live in extremely closed environments. Upon contact with novel things, they develop fervent pursuit desires】

  【They also exhibit strong possessive tendencies toward novel things to a certain degree】

  【Toward objects, they attempt to claim ownership. Toward people, they develop irresistible feelings of affection.】

  At this moment, Heaven Chip began analyzing Lin Ge's previous behavioral factors. And it had to be said—

  The analysis was quite logical, perhaps very close to the truth.

  However, this made Xia Li feel even more troubled. What kind of weirdo kisses someone on their first meeting?

  What about the next meeting?

  And the one after that?

  He feared that when he returned to Earth for modifications, Ke Xiao would ask why his kidney was shriveled and whether he wanted to install a turbo kidney.

  "Don't leave, Brother Xia! Lin Ge isn't a bad person—she's just a little... a little willful. I hope you can bear with it."

  "Of course, I'm not forcing you to accept. If it really won't work, then forget it."

  Lin Ye was also in a difficult position now. Who knew what medicine Lin Ge had taken wrong today, going crazy like this.

  She had absolutely no restraint, acting like she'd caught some serious illness.

  If he hadn't been present today, he'd even worry whether Lin Ge might grab Xia Li and refine him on the spot!

  "Just make sure your cousin doesn't cause me trouble in the future."

  "Alright, I'll go talk to her right away!"

  Lin Ye clasped his fists, stepped back a few paces, and walked to an empty spot where he took out a communication jade slip to immediately contact Lin Ge.

  "Xiao Ge, what's wrong with you? He's a close friend I finally made with great difficulty. How could you just take liberties with him right off the bat!"

  Lin Ye felt too embarrassed to even say it. He'd seen plenty of men taking liberties with women, but this was his first time seeing a woman take liberties with a man.

  And it was his own dear cousin taking liberties with his good brother—this was making things very difficult for him!

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Brother Lin Ye, if you're close with him, could you do me a favor and ask what color he likes?"

  "Huh? What for!"

  "So I can use a matching colored Immortal-Binding Rope to tie him up and take him away!"

  "Wait, no! Why are you tying up my brother!"

  Lin Ye was truly panicking. Nothing could happen to Xia Li—Xia Li was his hope for rising up.

  "I probably, maybe, perhaps have fallen for him. I can't help it, I really can't help it..."

  "I really want to tie him up and bring him back to my room right now! Brother Lin Ye, won't you help me?"

  Lin Ge's transmitted voice carried an inexplicable breathiness. Lin Ye's expression changed drastically upon hearing this.

  No good—he couldn't stay at Lingxu Cave Heaven.

  Otherwise, it would harm Xia Li. Seeing Lin Ge's crazed state, even Lin Ye was frightened.

  However...

  Lin Ge's conditions were definitely excellent. If there was even the slightest possibility of truly becoming relatives with Xia Li through marriage...

  "Xiao Ge, this matter—you can't rush it. Do you trust me?"

  "Of course I trust you. So you'll help me tie him up?"

  "That's not what I mean. What I'm saying is, matters of the heart are deep waters that you can't handle. How about this—let me handle it for you."

  "How?"

  "Acting like this will scare him off. Don't think that being beautiful means you can do whatever you want. Listen to me—I'll help you slowly work things out. I guarantee you'll most likely become Dao companions."

  "Really?"

  "Absolutely. But weren't you always proud and aloof? You looked down on even the Lingxu Holy Son. Why are you suddenly so interested in my brother?"

  "You wouldn't understand. The reason I got close to you, Brother Lin Ye, is because you have a unique color about you. He has even more—to me, it's as eye-catching as an oasis in a desert."

  "Alright then... but we agreed—you can't go bother Brother Xia."

  "Fine, but Brother Lin Ye, you must also fulfill your promise!"

  After finishing their exchange, Lin Ye sighed, thinking he'd finally resolved this inexplicable mess.

  Then he returned to Xia Li's side and examined Xia Li up and down with a scrutinizing gaze.

  "Not even that handsome—I feel like I'm better looking..."

  "Hey, what do you mean by that? You don't want the goods anymore?"

  "No wait, I apologize, I apologize. Here's the thing, Brother Xia—my cousin really seems to have fallen for you at first sight. What do you think? Why not just..."

  "I'm not in the mood for that right now."

  Xia Li refused directly. Through the failed attempt to unite the rogue cultivators in Wind Crane City, he'd already realized he was merely a passerby in this world.

  The cognitive gap was as vast as a chasm, difficult to bridge.

  Even in his homeland, on Earth, he was likewise a passerby.

  Whether it was the disparities between worlds or the gap between eras, everything made him feel out of place.

  Everything he knew, everything he was interested in, everything he understood—it had all been buried by time. No one would be willing to listen or understand.

  So emotions would only be a burden for him. Trying to please him would be exhausting; him trying to please someone else would be even more exhausting.

  Why bother?

  Treating each other with courtesy was enough. Being sworn enemies was also fine.

  Just don't get close. No good comes from getting close. What value was there in getting close to a relic from a bygone era with one foot in the grave?

  "Brother Xia..."

  Lin Ye keenly caught Xia Li's emotional shift. A wordless loneliness suffused Xia Li's entire being.

  "My cousin really is quite good. Think it over some more. But she won't cause you trouble anymore—you can rest assured about that."

  "Mm, as long as she doesn't cause trouble, that's fine."

  Xia Li only cared about the latter half. If she didn't cause trouble, that was already a blessing.