### Chapter 9: Double Trouble (10)
Cold Yi originally didn’t care what Lin Nan wanted to do after handing over the mountain stronghold to him. But the moment he saw her walk over to the monk, a peculiar emotion surged up in his heart that he had never experienced before.
In the flickering firelight, that red figure drifting away from him looked like a translucent butterfly, and each dazzling appearance left him inexplicably shaken.
He frowned slightly, confused by this feeling, but couldn’t help but ask, “Hey, where are you off to?”
Lin Nan turned back with a hint of a smile, “I have some personal matters to discuss with this master. I’ll leave this place to you.”
“Ha, personal matters? What could possibly be so tough that Cold Yi can’t handle? Spill it!”
Lin Nan shrugged, “Like I said, it’s personal. No need for dear Leader Cold to worry. Once I’m done, I’ll treat you to some drinks.”
Cold Yi turned his head away, “You better hurry back then—or I might just gobble up your mountain stronghold, and you’ll never be able to be the mountain king again.”
“Do as you please!”
Ding! Evil Shiyuan’s affinity for you is now 30%.
You’ve gained 500 Luck Value. Your current Luck Value is 2890 points.
Who knew Cold Yi had such a possessive streak? Just a brief departure with another man sent his feelings spiraling, and it even boosted his affinity for her a little! Now that was unexpected for Lin Nan.
She initially thought the system’s “0 affinity” label meant the person disliked her, but it actually represented a complete lack of familiarity.
After all, there had been instances when someone had negative affinity before.
And yet, the system failed to provide a clear definition of affinity values at the start.
“System, does each stage of affinity have a specific meaning?”
Of course!
-100 bl**d feud
-80 Intractable enmity
-60 Bitter enemies
-40 Mutual dislike
-20 Conversationally at odds
0 Complete strangers
20 Dog meat buddies
40 Kindred spirits
60 Growing old together
80 Bound by vows
100 Unwavering devotion
Lin Nan snickered again.
Sure enough, the system had some kind of affinity standards; while not particularly useful on the surface, they could serve as a reference.
So, Cold Yi’s 30% affinity meant he was still some distance from being kindred spirits. Meanwhile, Liao Chen had a measly 5% affinity—barely enough to be friends with a dog!
She had approached Liao Chen with the idea that fairness mattered, thinking she should also explore the monk’s potential Luck Value contribution. Little did she know, it only ended up provoking Cold Yi, inadvertently upping his feelings for her.
This guy might seem cold but had a surprisingly warm heart—it was kinda interesting.
“Master Liao Chen.”
For some reason, every time she spotted that bald monk, her mind floated to elegant little Qing, and her tone became softer and flirtier. Even her posture took on a more graceful sway. If it weren’t for the night’s veil hiding her figure, everyone around would surely double-take, eager to be her minion.
Lin Nan sneaked another peek at the monk’s affinity rating.
It hadn’t gone up or down. Apparently, Liao Chen wasn’t put off by her actions.
“Monk, is it alright if we walk and talk?”
Liao Chen glanced at the crowd illuminated by firelight in the distance, muttering a Buddha chant, “Amitabha. Your Highness the Saintess, this humble monk was unaware of everything you’ve done for the people. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have broken my vows during our previous match. Oh dear…”
“No need to apologize, monk. I must admit I had my faults too.”
Then Liao Chen added, “If that’s the case, I won’t be fussy. Just what is this ‘private matter’ you mentioned?”
“Have you forgotten the beautiful dream from last night?”
Lin Nan looked at him, her icy demeanor from before thawing into a delightful spring bloom of a smile.
Liao Chen never expected that even on this dimly lit night, Lin Nan’s smile could be so radiant. He kept his gaze fixed on the deeper night sky, avoiding her face.
“I haven’t forgotten.”
Lin Nan, grinning, replied, “I just wanted to test if you monks really have your minds pure. If you can’t resist something like this, you shouldn’t really be calling yourselves great monks.”
“So, does this mean this humble monk has passed your test?”
Liao Chen’s expression didn’t waver. Even Lin Nan couldn’t gauge if he was feeling any sort of way.
At least his affinity stayed the same. That put her at ease, ensuring he didn’t hold any grudges against her.
“Exactly.”
Lin Nan pulled her smile back, her expression becoming serious.
She decided to spin a story. Even if it threw the world into more chaos, she had to do it.
Otherwise… how could she find an opportunity to be alone with him?
“The Demon Emperor is about to resurrect. According to the prophecy left by the first leader of the Demon Sect, it will take a monk to stop him, but he needs the guidance of the Demon Sect’s Saintess—both are essential!”
Liao Chen’s eyebrows furrowed.
As the keeper of the Demon Sect’s secrets, Lin Nan obviously wouldn’t casually fabricate something concerning such a critical issue. But just how trustworthy was this prophecy?
At that moment, he distinctly sensed an eruption of demon energy rising like a fountain from a direction to the northeast.
Could it be…
That was where the Demon Emperor hid!
Lin Nan’s gaze aligned with his as she, too, noticed the peculiar change in the demon energy.
She sighed softly, “Things are getting lively. With the Human Emperor stirring and the Demon Emperor reviving at the same time, if these two bosses—I mean, these two guys join forces against humanity, we might just be looking at a catastrophe!”
“Amitabha! I, this humble monk, will risk my life to prevent the Demon Emperor from returning!”
Lin Nan was initially concerned, fearing the monk would ask why he wasn’t bringing more people along for support. But she was taken aback when he immediately strode northeast as if declaring, “If I don’t go to hell, who will?”
She hurried to keep pace with him, “Hey, aren’t you worried about those bald heads at the Demon-Subduing Temple?”
“Letting them recite the Diamond Sutra to strengthen their spirits isn’t a bad idea. If we can’t stop the Demon Emperor and Human Emperor, they’ll just end up dead at the hands of the demoness.”
“That’s true. But I really like how serious you were just now.”
“Hey, monk, did other girls ever tell you they liked you?”
Liao Chen, “…”
“Hey, monk, before the age of 16, I hadn’t seen a single guy in the Demon Sect. You didn’t happen to be in Shaolin without seeing a single woman, did you?”
Liao Chen, “Think again—didn’t that prophecy only mention this humble monk alone?”
“Wow, are you thinking of ditching me? That’s a no-go! I’m afraid of the dark!”
