144: Chapter 144 You're Narcissistic

"Boom..."

That thick tree branch, which had served as the drive shaft for the "human-powered windmill" for so long, suddenly stiffened, instantly dimmed, and then slumped and loosened.

The restraints wrapped around Qi Yun's wrists also vanished along with it.

Having lost their support, the two, who were tightly embracing, obeyed the call of gravity and fell from several meters in the air toward the open ground below.

Li saw this.

A gust of wind blew up from the ground, steadily and gently cushioning the two as they landed.

On the ground, the two remained in that tightly intertwined posture that would make anyone's imagination run wild, motionless for a long time.

The world went quiet.

There was only the sound of their heavy, ragged breathing, as if they had just finished a marathon.

Li watched all of this from mid-air.

Interesting, and a bit familiar.

However, Li tilted her head slightly; she herself hadn't been this disheveled back then.

The dust gradually settled.

Qi Yun lay on top of Xia Ran, feeling dizzy and disoriented.

He lifted his head slightly and looked at Xia Ran beneath him.

Xia Ran lay on the ground, her pink hair spread out among the dirt and the debris of petals.

Her eyes were hazy, the flush on her cheeks and neck had not yet completely faded, her breathing was equally rapid, and her chest rose and fell with her gasps.

Qi Yun steadied himself and forced his weak arms to support him: "Do you admit defeat?!?"

Xia Ran just wanted to end all of this quickly at this moment.

She closed her eyes: "I... admit defeat."

Success!

Qi Yun felt a sense of relief, but immediately after, an even greater anticipation welled up.

"Where is my reward?!" he immediately asked.

After struggling for so long, wasn't this the whole point!

"Hum..."

A translucent screen appeared before Qi Yun's eyes.

【Congratulations!】

【You have successfully defeated 'Flower Island Guardian · Xia Ran', and completed the ultimate challenge!】

【Please select your ultimate reward:】

【Option 1: Recruit 'Flower Whisperer Xia Ran' to join your Tribe and become your companion.】

【Option 2: Obtain 'Unique Class Transfer Scroll' ×3, and Golden Epic Defense Item: Flower Blessing ×1.】

【Please choose carefully; choices cannot be changed once made. Countdown: 60 seconds.】

Qi Yun stared at the screen before him, completely stunned.

Three Unique Class Transfer Scrolls! A Golden Epic defense item!

For other Tribes, this reward was indeed too generous!

But for his own Tribe, it didn't seem that powerful.

Qi Yun's gaze involuntarily fell upon Option 1.

Recruit Xia Ran to join the Tribe.

He had personally experienced Xia Ran's strength.

Remote control of flowers and trees, area-of-effect attacks, and even that eerie "Petal Transformation" ability were all extremely powerful and difficult to deal with.

Qi Yun took a deep breath, his gaze becoming resolute.

He reached out a finger and gently tapped on 【Option 1】.

"Ding!"

Selection confirmed.

The next second, a blue virtual screen appeared before Xia Ran's eyes.

On the screen, there was only a single line of concise, large text:

【Congratulations, Xia Ran.】

【You have become an official member of Qi Yun Tribe.】

【Please abide by the Tribe regulations and get along well with other members.】

Xia Ran: "???"

She was dumbfounded.

Her eyes went wide, staring at the line of text before her, as if she could no longer read.

Become a member of his Tribe?

He chose Option 1? He chose me?!?

Turning down three Unique Class Transfer Scrolls and a Golden Epic defense item, and choosing me instead?!?

Immense shock and disbelief flooded her.

She suddenly turned her head to look at Qi Yun, her voice filled with extreme shock:

"Are you stupid?!?"

"Those are three Unique Class Transfer Scrolls! And a Golden Epic defense item!!"

"By choosing them, your Tribe could immediately add three Unique Classs! You would instantly become a force to be reckoned with in the Land of Beginning! And you chose me?!?"

Qi Yun was stunned by her sudden, impassioned questioning, then rubbed his nose.

He couldn't exactly say that his Tribe already had too many Unique Classs; if he said it, she probably wouldn't believe him anyway.

So, Qi Yun began to feign:

"Those transfer scrolls and items are indeed very tempting."

"But I feel that you are more important than they look."

Xia Ran was stunned.

I am more important than three Unique Class Transfer Scrolls?

Am I that important in his heart?

Xia Ran's heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something.

An indescribable palpitation and sweetness quietly sprouted from the bottom of her heart.

The way he was looking at her seemed quite serious? It didn't look like a joke.

Could it be that this man who defeated me actually likes me?

That's why he gave up such precious Unique Class Transfer Scrolls and items, and chose to take me away?

The person Li likes... likes me?

Doesn't that mean I am more charming than Li? At least in Qi Yun's eyes?

The displeasure in Xia Ran's heart instantly dissipated by more than half.

Hmph! Li, did you see that?

Your man thinks I am more important than three Unique Class Transfer Scrolls! He chose me!

In an instant, the way Xia Ran looked at Qi Yun became incredibly complex.

The previous disgust, shame, and murderous intent quickly dissolved.

Replacing them was a faint sense of affection.

Qi Yun watched Xia Ran's expression shift from shock and questioning to confusion and complexity, and finally to a blush and a suddenly softened gaze.

What did this woman imagine? Why does it feel like the way she's looking at me is weird?

"It seems I missed the most exciting part?"

A cold and calm female voice came from above the two.

Qi Yun and Xia Ran looked up at the same time.

They saw Li's figure slowly drifting down from the air.

Her gaze looked at the screen in front of Xia Ran displaying "Become a member of 01 Tribe".

"I didn't expect that one day, I would actually be in the same Tribe as you, Xia Ran."

Li spoke indifferently.

Upon seeing Li, the subtle sense of superiority and the joy of "victory" that had just arisen in Xia Ran's heart were instantly ignited:

"Yeah, I really didn't expect to be in the same Tribe as you, you damn woman."

"However, it seems the person you like likes me a bit more."

"He gave up three Unique Class Transfer Scrolls and a Golden Epic item, and chose me, you know."

After saying this, she looked at Li with composure, waiting to see expressions like shock or embarrassment appear on the other's face.

However, Li's reaction was completely beyond her expectations.

There was not the slightest change on Li's face.

She only tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling on Qi Yun, who had just scrambled up from Xia Ran in a panic.

Then, in Xia Ran's stunned gaze, Li stepped forward, extended her slender, fair fingers, and gently hooked Qi Yun's chin.

"Like?" Li's voice was very soft, yet carried a strange magnetism.

Before Xia Ran's suddenly widened eyes—Li deeply and lingeringly kissed Qi Yun's lips.

This was a deep French kiss.

A few seconds later, Li slowly pulled away, a trace of crystal seemingly still lingering on her lips.

She looked at the completely stunned Xia Ran: "Can you do what I can do?"

"I didn't expect, Xia Ran, that you too have become narcissistic."