Chapter 196 – Feels Like a Token of Love

Su Ming had always held onto one belief.

“Women will only slow down my growth.”

Thus, Su Ming consistently maintained an attitude of keeping women at a distance.

However, as if the things you least want to encounter are the ones most likely to appear, ever since arriving in this world, Su Ming felt that strange women were constantly gathering around him.

It started with Yun Langyue, who inexplicably sought out Su Ming shortly after he arrived in this world and was still a first-year student at the Demon Hunter Academy. She then clung to him persistently.

Soon after, not long after advancing to the second year, he became entangled with Xu Qianqian, the rising star and goddess senior of the Demon Hunter Academy, due to various twists of fate.

Finally, even An Zijin, his childhood friend, reappeared. As soon as she showed up, she threw herself at him, and when that didn’t work, she turned dark—it was just unbelievable.

And that’s not even counting those two mysterious juniors who occasionally did subtle things around him, even going so far as to “sneak into his room at night.”

Fortunately, Su Ming’s ambitions lay elsewhere.

Even with so many women coveting his body, Su Ming still believed that women would only slow down his growth, and he continued to keep them at a distance.

As a result, it seemed he had fallen into a vicious cycle.

The more he distanced himself from women, the more strange women seemed to appear around him.

Now, even though he had disguised himself as someone else, the number of peculiar women around him seemed to have only increased.

“Hurry up, bring the scar-removing alchemical potion.”

“These wounds can’t be left untreated, or they’ll definitely leave scars.”

“This clothing is too torn to wear anymore. Does anyone have a spare set?”

“Hey, you over there, don’t strip so suddenly here.”

“Oh, what’s the big deal? It’s so dark here, no one can see anything.”

“Then I’ll take mine off too. My clothes are covered in blood and dust, and they’re all sticky and uncomfortable.”

“Yeah.”

As these lively, chattering sounds drifted from the darkness behind him, Su Ming, sitting on a rock, was beginning to regret why he had allowed these female Hunters from the Bai Family to follow him.

At that moment, the female Hunters of the Bai Family were taking the opportunity to rest and prepare to set off.

The reason they hadn’t departed immediately was simply that, before Su Ming’s arrival in the previous battle, many of the Bai Family’s female Hunters had been injured and needed proper treatment.

Their injuries ranged from minor to severe, but all were treatable with alchemical potions.

To help, Su Ming generously provided a batch of low-Rank alchemical potions for them to temporarily treat their wounds before preparing to leave.

But as they got ready, strange scenes like the ones described above began to unfold.

Watching (or rather, listening to) the increasingly outrageous commotion behind him—scar removal, changing clothes, and even playful banter—Su Ming really wanted to shout:

“Can’t you all read the situation!?”

Testing an old cadre’s resolve like this is absolutely wrong.

If only my growth (referring to strength) weren’t still incomplete, you little girls wouldn’t dare tempt me like this—I’d make sure you regret it!Su Ming thought indignantly in his heart, forcibly resisting the urge to turn his head for a glance. He picked up a few small stones and began tossing them idly.

Tap… tap… tap… tap…

The rhythmic sound of stones hitting the ground echoed.

Yet even while playing with the stones, Su Ming couldn’t calm his mind. Listening to the commotion behind him, his Dao Heart began unconsciously wavering.

“Have I become so susceptible to temptation?”

Su Ming started doubting himself.

“Is it because I’ve been holding back for too long?”

Should he find an opportunity to try having a girlfriend?

As this thought emerged, the figures of several young women involuntarily surfaced in Su Ming’s mind.

“No, no, no, why am I thinking about them?”

Su Ming startled himself and quickly shook his head, dispelling these dangerous thoughts.

Though those women were truly rare gems in this world, the mere thought of them—including a female vampire who could drain him until his legs went weak, a childhood friend prone to sudden yandere tendencies, and a seductive enchantress constantly trying to bewitch him—made Su Ming dare not entertain any further fantasies.

His intuition told him that provoking any of these women would be disastrous.

Otherwise, the second half of his life would surely be filled with unbearable ecstasy and agony.

“Enough thinking! I’m Lord Ming Wang who aspires to be an extra character—how can I dwell on such romantic trivialities?”

“Sinful, sinful…”

“Amitabha…”

Su Ming muttered to himself, gradually strengthening his Dao Heart.

But just then, a soft, sticky voice sounded by Su Ming’s ear.

“Um…”

The sudden soft voice instantly shattered Su Ming’s firming Dao Heart.

Su Ming involuntarily turned to look behind him.

Only then did he notice that someone had approached him unnoticed.

It wasn’t Xu Yanyan, nor Bai Ruxiang, but a young woman Su Ming didn’t recognize.

“What’s wrong?”

Su Ming asked curiously.

The young woman shrank back, cautiously lifting her gaze to peek at Su Ming, her small face completely flushed.

Su Ming blinked, looking utterly confused.

Surprisingly, he didn’t feel impatient but found the girl’s timid demeanor rather amusing.

So he blurted out:

“Do you want to add me on WeChat or QQ?”

This question completely baffled the young woman.

“Wh-what?”

She looked utterly bewildered.

“No?” Su Ming said with a playful smile. “Aren’t you here to hit on me?”

“Hit—” The girl’s pretty face instantly turned crimson, and she shook her head vigorously, stammering timidly, “No, no! I… I came to thank you!”

As she spoke, she pulled something from her bosom and, as if mustering all her courage, shoved it into Su Ming’s hand.

“Th-thank you for saving me…!”

After leaving these words, the girl seemed to have exhausted all her bravery and ran off with a red face.

“Wait—”

Su Ming instinctively tried to stop her, but she had already vanished.

Left holding the object she’d pressed into his hand, Su Ming could only laugh wryly.

“Was just saying thank you really that embarrassing?”

She seems even softer than that Yao Beibei girl (referring to personality).At that moment, Su Ming heard another wave of chattering voices from a group of young girls.

“How did it go? Did you give it to him?”

“You already gave it? Really?”

“Impressive, Xiao Yan! It’s rare to see you so bold.”

“Should we also go express our gratitude to Lord Ming Wang?”

“Would you dare?”

“N-no… I wouldn’t dare!”

“He’s an Upper-Rank Professional, existing on a completely different level from us. I really don’t have the courage…”

“Who would’ve thought Xiao Yan could muster such bravery? Quite unexpected…”

“Yeah…”

Such murmuring discussions drifted over, making Su Ming unconsciously rub his nose.

Then, Su Ming finally looked down at what was in his hand.

Upon closer inspection, it was an exquisitely crafted dagger that resembled an ornamental accessory more than a weapon.

“What’s the meaning behind giving a dagger?”

Su Ming couldn’t quite understand this gesture.

Fortunately, someone had been secretly observing the situation all along and appeared at just the right moment to offer Su Ming an explanation.

“Daggers hold extraordinary significance in our Bai Family.”

The person who spoke these words was none other than Bai Ruxiang.

She approached from behind Su Ming and softly explained, “Because our Bai Family possesses a special Bloodline, and those who venture in professional circles are mostly women, carrying a dagger at all times is extremely necessary for us.”

Why is that?

Quite simply, because the women of the Bai Family need to protect themselves.

They are inheritors of a top-tier Family’s Bloodline, born with noble heritage. In the eyes of others, they are undoubtedly Prey constantly parading before them.

Bloodline can be inherited and refined. The more excellent Bloodlines combine, the more outstanding the offspring will be.

Under such circumstances, women with high-purity Bloodlines are undoubtedly the best tools for continuing family lines in the eyes of many Hunters.

Why does Li Wei persistently pursue Xu Qianqian?

Aside from Xu Qianqian’s genuine beauty, isn’t the greater reason because she is the most outstanding Bloodline descendant of the Xu Family in this generation?

If he could marry her and produce many offspring inheriting excellent Bloodline, Li Wei’s status in the Li Family would undoubtedly skyrocket.

The Bai Family, as a female-dominated top-tier Family, has mostly female descendants among their outstanding heirs, making them even more coveted by countless people.

Su Ming had heard from Xu Qianqian that among Longyao City’s several major top-tier Families, almost all now have members married to Bai Family women.

In other words, people from several major top-tier Families have married Bai Family women.

In the eyes of those great Families, the Bai Family is undoubtedly the best marriage alliance partner.

And in the hearts of those with ill intentions, Bai Family members are also the best Prey, for which they might even resort to evil deeds.

Throughout history, cases of Bai Family women inexplicably disappearing or being abducted have been frequent occurrences.

This has made every woman in the Bai Family live in constant fear.

Therefore, virtually every Bai Family woman carries an exquisite small dagger with them.

The dagger’s purpose is simple – to be used for ambushing when necessary, or even for committing suicide.

However, as times have evolved, the significance of daggers in the Bai Family has gradually become less singular.It symbolizes both loyalty and purity, and has gradually become a token of profound significance.

Thus, on special occasions, when encountering special individuals or experiencing extraordinary events, the women of the Bai Family would present their personally carried small daggers to express their most sincere gratitude.

“Xiao Yan gave you the dagger to thank you for saving her.”

Bai Ruxiang explained everything, causing Su Ming to blink again.

His first thought was simple.

“Why does it feel like a love token?This was rather subtle.

(End of Chapter)