And thus, she learned her lesson.
On the 999th time she burned the diary instance, a divine lightning bolt was unexpectedly drawn down upon her from the heavens.
Had it not been for her extraordinarily lofty cultivation and strength far surpassing that of cultivators of the same realm, she would likely have been struck into a state of grievous injury on the spot.
Although that divine lightning did not cause her any actual harm, it was not without cost.
The diary forcibly bound itself to her in an incredibly overbearing manner!
For a time, this left her both alarmed and incredulous. Fortunately, no hidden dangers appeared after the binding, and only then did she finally feel at ease.
Because of this, she developed an intense curiosity toward the diary's owner—the one named Chu Ge. That was also what led to her later attempt to intervene and take Chu Ge as her disciple.
Feeling the searing heat continuously emanating from her hand, Dantai Jinglian looked at the exquisitely red Golden Crow Origin Crystal in her palm.
Though it looked somewhat inconspicuous, she understood clearly that this was her future—even if it was only one percent of it.
"Chu Ge… how should I repay you?"
Her tone no longer carried its usual light teasing. At this moment, Dantai Jinglian was exceptionally serious. Flames flared brightly within her eyes, flickering as if dancing, as though narrating the turbulence within her heart.
She recalled the items she had once given to Chu Ge. Though they were precious, in hindsight, they were utterly insufficient to repay such a favor.
And just as all three of them were unable to calm their minds because of the rewards they had received, the voice in their minds rang out once more.
[Ding. This is the first time the diary instance holders have obtained rewards. Therefore, this reward is of the highest specification that matches the individual. From this point onward, rewards will return to normal levels.]
[Note 1: When the diary owner settles daily rewards, the instance holder has a small chance of obtaining a highest-specification reward again. Increasing the diary owner's favorability and upgrading the diary will both increase this probability.]
[Note 2: If, after obtaining a highest-specification reward, the diary owner's favorability drops sharply, all rewards will be reclaimed, the diary instance will be unbound, and all related memories will be erased!]
Dantai Jinglian fell into deep thought. After a long while, she finally revealed her usual captivating smile.
"Increase favorability, hm… that's rather interesting."
She murmured softly, her tone carrying an inscrutable emotion.
With her intelligence, she naturally had no difficulty understanding the meaning behind the system's prompts.
The first condition was plainly urging her to create more interactions with Chu Ge—or even to actively pursue him.
Of course, she could also choose not to do so.
Though the system said the probability was small, given enough time, she would still be able to gather the hundred portions of Golden Crow Origin Crystal she needed.
Even if it were only one portion per year, that would be a mere hundred years.
Even if it were one portion every ten years—spanning a thousand years—it would still be nothing of great consequence to a cultivator at her level.
She was only a little over a hundred years old now. Her lifespan was still vast. A thousand years was not short, but she could afford it.
As for the second note, it was clearly meant to guard against diary instance holders with sinister and devious intentions.
Dantai Jinglian, however, did not care. She disdained using false affection and pretense to achieve her goals.
That was not her style, nor did it accord with her true heart.
If one wished to obtain what one desired more quickly, how could one avoid paying a certain price?
In her dealings with Chu Ge, she would only treat him with sincerity. If, in that process, she were to develop true feelings for him, she would not flee from them—she would accept them openly and straightforwardly.
In her life so far, there had never been any person or matter connected to romance.
But if she invested some effort, and in the course of interacting with Chu Ge, gradually molded that little man into the form she liked… it seemed to be quite an interesting thing indeed…
As Dantai Jinglian contemplated this, Chu Ge's face inevitably surfaced in her mind.
The smile on her face unconsciously grew even more radiant.
As for making Chu Ge fall in love with her—this was something Dantai Jinglian found rather intriguing.
She had not forgotten that, at present, Chu Ge's highest favorability was with Luo Huangjun.
But if she were to, step by step, draw Chu Ge—Luo Huangjun's personal disciple—closer and closer to herself…
By then, her junior sister's expression would surely be splendid to behold…
At the thought of this, Dantai Jinglian felt a wave of heat surge through her body, as if her strange flames were stirring restlessly, and her mood inexplicably turned joyous.
A throbbing sensation she had never experienced before welled up within her heart, causing the firelight flickering in her eyes to grow ever more dazzling.
The originally bright smile on her face now carried several traces of bewitching allure.