CHAPTER 273: CHAPTER 273 CAN YOU HELP ME BUY A SET

On my honor, when Ren Suo said these words, his thoughts were utterly void of any color—pure and innocent, akin to how a child longs to touch a super cool four-wheel drive upon seeing one.

Bathed in the afternoon sunlight, the Truth Seeker tilted her head, pondered for a moment, and looked at Ren Suo with a smile in her eyes, her dazzling aquamarine pupils reflecting his silhouette.

Ren Suo was slightly entranced by that look.

"What are you thinking about?" the Truth Seeker proactively reached out her hand, responding to Ren Suo’s unspoken desire.

Ren Suo grasped her hand; it was smooth and tender, yet his heart harbored no improper thoughts. "It reminds me of a friend."

"Is she someone who looks like me? A girl as beautiful as I am?" the Truth Seeker was unexpectedly quite talkative.

"No, she’s from the Mysterious Country, looks nothing like you, and she’s not as pretty as you," Ren Suo laughed.

"It’s just that both of you have such strong willpower. Seeing your eyes makes someone like me, who drifts through life in a daze, feel as if I’ve received a baptism of the soul."

The Truth Seeker nodded slightly. "Thank you for your appreciation."

Ren Suo let go of her hand and said, "I thought your hand would be rougher, but it’s smoother than mine, even though I’m not diligent in any work."

"It used to be rougher." The Truth Seeker ran her palm across her fair cheek, which seemed as if jelly was rubbing against water. "Even after Joining the Way, my body didn’t change much."

Once again, the Truth Seeker nodded at Ren Suo. "This I must thank you for, allowing me to learn the ’Mysterious Sovereign’s Secret Record Chapter One.’ After mastering the Cultivation Technique, the persistent problems within my body have been cleansed, and my skin has improved too. Although I don’t mind the appearance of my body, an enhancement in my Physical Condition does indeed bring me a bit of happiness."

Ren Suo was taken aback for a moment before realizing she was referring to the events in ’Mage Under the World Tree.’ He opened his mouth, filled with questions but unsure which to ask first.

"How did you learn the Mysterious Sovereign’s Secret Records?"

The Truth Seeker smiled and pointed to her head. "I learned it with my mind; it’s not that hard to understand."

Ren Suo almost wanted to kneel in response.

The Truth Seeker’s Skills should be similar to my own. After I equip a Spell, I also just seem to know it. But just like using a smartphone doesn’t mean you can build one.

After equipping the Truth Seeker with the ’Mysterious Sovereign’s Secret Record Chapter One,’ had she fully grasped and refined the Cultivation Technique to its peak in such a short time?

Thinking of this, Ren Suo blinked and stared at the Truth Seeker seriously. "Do you still retain the traces of cultivating the Mysterious Sovereign’s Secret Records now?"

"Yes, it’s an ability I’ve permanently learned."

"But why can’t I feel any Qi Cyclone Pressure from you?"

The Truth Seeker was briefly stunned. In the next second, Ren Suo’s back broke out in a cold sweat, feeling as if thorns were pricking him, a terrifying chill ran down his spine, adrenaline surged, and his mind went almost blank—

The Truth Seeker reined in her aura and said, "I thought it was normal to control one’s own aura, to maintain it at a level that doesn’t affect others. Do you all prefer to show off your strength to suppress others?"

"No, please do control your aura," Ren Suo panted, waving his hand.

That’s when he truly understood that the Truth Seeker’s control over Spiritual Energy far exceeded his own. While Tactical Bureau Cultivators needed external objects to suppress their Qi Cyclone Pressure, she could disguise herself as an ordinary person merely by controlling it herself.

The Truth Seeker could learn on the spot and master it immediately. Although her combat power still couldn’t match the Devouring the Spirit of the World or Ren Woxing, she could defeat Ren Suo without even lifting a finger if she wished.

Something occurred to Ren Suo, and he shook hands with the Truth Seeker again—

’Target type: Adult female of the Primate Order’

’Physical condition: Normal’

’Cultivation state: third turn 10,000% (You have outstripped 99.9% of Upright Apes globally!)’

’Skin: Put on some nicer clothes, or don’t wear any (highly recommended)’

Third turn 10,000%... Is it due to the Cultivation Technique that she can’t advance to the fourth transformation?

But what the heck is this 10,000%? Is it like refining Qi for three thousand years and reaching level 65,536?

"So, did you just want to chat with me?" The Truth Seeker looked around the living room. "I don’t mind, although isn’t the time you’ve summoned me quite precious?"

"Yes," Ren Suo took a deep breath and calmed down.

Although he had many questions, he couldn’t spend all his summoning time just chatting; knowing that he could indeed summon a game character with its own personality was enough.

With that in mind, Ren Suo glanced at the mark on his ring finger and pressed his lips tightly together as he looked at the Truth Seeker.

The Truth Seeker blinked and asked, "Would you like me to answer you in the same way as before, or should I just say it outright?"

Then she nodded. "Alright, to me, you are the person who gave me a new life, and at the same time, you are my friend."

Hearing this response left Ren Suo dumbfounded, and he blurted out involuntarily, "Friend?"

"Yes, friend," said the Truth Seeker. "When I awoke from the profound, dark stillness, I knew nothing, understood nothing, had no past, no future, no present. It was then that you guided me, helped me, providing the ignorant me with the meaning and goals of life."

These words made Ren Suo quite embarrassed; playing a game shouldn’t feel like becoming a paragon of the Mysterious Country, should it?

"I don’t mind being commanded by you. To me, you are my most familiar friend. Moreover, being commanded by you isn’t without its benefits. You ask what benefits? This benefit is related to your second question: when you don’t give me commands, where am I, and what am I doing?"

The Truth Seeker raised her forefinger to her pink lips and smiled. "That’s confidential; I can’t say. Sorry. Even if commanded, I cannot respond."

Ren Suo’s mind churned upon hearing the Truth Seeker’s response.

Through the Ring channel, he directly asked the Truth Seeker two questions with a Mind Link:

What does Ren Suo mean to her?

When Ren Suo doesn’t summon the Truth Seeker, where is she and what is she doing?

The Truth Seeker’s response startled and delighted Ren Suo. He was delighted that the Truth Seeker did not hold any grudge against him because Ren Suo felt that if some Sand Sculpture controlled him with a remote from somewhere else, with his personality, he would certainly beat the controller’s head upon meeting. It’s also possible that the Truth Seeker was lying, but Ren Suo chose to believe because he trusted her eyes. As for his shock, it was naturally due to the Truth Seeker’s reply. She didn’t directly answer the second question, but by first saying "it’s not entirely without benefits," and second, "the benefits are related to the second question," it indicated that when Ren Suo didn’t mobilize the Truth Seeker, the Truth Seeker wasn’t locked away in the dark. And she wasn’t willing to say any more.

After chatting for several minutes, Ren Suo asked the Truth Seeker, "How will you leave?"

"Don’t worry, just like when I came, no one will notice," the Truth Seeker said. "But I have a request."

"What request?"

"If possible, could you buy me a set of clothes?" the Truth Seeker said, looking down at the coarse hemp garment she was wearing. "Although this outfit isn’t bad, it would be even better if I had more suitable clothes."

"No problem. But I don’t know your measurements."

"Just pick anything, as long as it’s roughly my size," she replied.

Then the Truth Seeker pulled open the glass door to the balcony, walked into the warm yellow sunlight with a smile, and naturally blended into it, disappearing without a trace.

Ren Suo went out to the balcony to look around. There was no one downstairs, but he saw Black Bell sitting among a group of cats, as if a king surrounded by his entourage. Black Bell also saw Ren Suo, turned its head away to ignore him, and snuggled comfortably against a white Persian cat beside it.

Tsk, even the cat lives a better life than I do? Ren Suo muttered, then sat down to continue checking the rewards from this round of the game.

The Treasure Box would naturally remain in the storage vault until Ren Suo gathered enough keys to open it. However, crafting a four-star key required four three-star keys, which could be quite a challenge...

The other reward was the exclusive "Desire Detection."

"Desire Detection"

"Quality Rank: Four-Star Ability, Prerequisite: Possession of sight, hearing, and smell."

"Effect: After the player equips it, they can sense the cravings of other living beings through their appearance, language, and scent."

"Note: Not everyone can clearly understand their own thoughts, nor can everyone comprehend the thoughts of others. Rejecting the desires of others isn’t bad, and satisfying the desires of others isn’t necessarily good. Regardless, please maintain your own heart and keep moving forward."

This was an ability completely unrelated to combat and cultivation. Ren Suo equipped it on himself but didn’t feel any changes.

Let’s find someone to try it out, thought Ren Suo, preparing to go out and pet Black Bell to see if it would reveal a craving like ’I want to keep being petted.’

But when Ren Suo opened the door of his house, he happened to see someone coming out of the elevator.

"Cheng Ling?" Ren Suo was slightly startled. "Do you need me for something?"

It was still afternoon, not yet time for dinner.

Dong Chengling also didn’t expect to see him right away. "Are you going out?"

"If I run into you, I won’t go out," Ren Suo said. It would be better to see the effect of the ability on a True Human than on a cat,

he thought.

This response seemed to take Dong Chengling by surprise. She paused for three seconds before smiling and walking into Ren Suo’s house, where she sat primly on the sofa.

"I’ve advanced."

As soon as Ren Suo sat down, Dong Chengling announced.

Ren Suo was taken aback. He immediately activated his Qi Cyclone and, indeed, felt that the Qi Cyclone was even more condensed; moreover, there was a chilling sensation emanating from Dong Chengling.

If it had been before, Ren Suo should have noticed Dong Chengling’s change as soon as they met. However, he had just been startled by the Truth Seeker. And although Dong Chengling had also reached the third turn, the difference between her and the Truth Seeker’s third turn 10,000% was simply too vast, which is why Ren Suo only realized it now.

"Congratulations," Ren Suo smiled. "You’re one step closer to your goal. I believe you will eventually become the strongest female cultivator in the Mysterious Country."

Dong Chengling didn’t show modesty but earnestly nodded. "I will keep working hard."

While staring into Dong Chengling’s eyes, Ren Suo suddenly smiled. "Indeed, very similar."

"Similar to what?"

"I have a friend whose eyes are very much like yours, just as beautiful and dazzling, inspiring people’s aspirations."

Dong Chengling slightly parted her lips but didn’t speak, just silently looked at him.

After waiting for a moment, seeing that she didn’t bring up a topic, Ren Suo had to say, "So... did you come here especially to tell me this?"

Dong Chengling nodded. "Yes, I just broke through and immediately came over to tell you after changing my clothes."

Just broke through, and immediately came to tell me?

At this moment, Ren Suo suddenly widened his eyes because he heard two words echoing in his ears—

"Share"

"Clothing"

The echo came and went in an instant, so fast that Ren Suo’s expression didn’t betray anything. After pondering for a moment, he said, "If I advance in the future, I’ll also tell you right away."

—Share probably means this, right? She wants to share her happiness with others and longs for others to also share their happiness with her?

Dong Chengling hummed. "Alright, I am looking forward to it."

Then the clothes... Ren Suo observed Dong Chengling intently, only then noticing that the clothes she was wearing today seemed to be the same outfit from their last date; in any case, it wasn’t her usual loungewear.

Hmm, or maybe not? The style and color are so similar, I can’t be sure, Ren Suo mused, a bit uncertain. However, after a few more glances, he suddenly let out a soft "Ah!" as his gaze swept over Dong Chengling’s body.

Seeing Ren Suo’s gaze on her body, although Dong Chengling blushed a little, she did not shy away but instead asked gently, "What’s wrong?"

"You look very nice in the clothes you’re wearing today."

Qiao Muyi’s advice was really good, Dong Chengling thought. Wearing beautiful, less common clothes on important days really does attract more attention—yes, advancing is an important day! She didn’t show her delight, however, merely pursing her lips and saying, "Thank you."

"So," Ren Suo looked at Dong Chengling seriously and asked,

"Could you help me buy a set?"