A month later, just as dawn was breaking.
The dew on the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest was still clinging to the blades of grass, not yet dried.
Su Zui and Qian Renxue emerged from the Lake of Life and headed towards the Spirit Hall.
The two didn't talk much on the trip. It wasn't that they had nothing to say; it was that they had said everything they needed to say in the past month. The rest was conveyed in their eyes and in the occasional moment when their shoulders touched as they walked side by side.
Qian Renxue wore a simple white dress, her hair casually tied up, and walked half a step to the left of Su Zui.
Her steps were as light as if she were walking on clouds. She had been cooped up at the bottom of the lake for a month, and once she was released, she exuded an irrepressible liveliness. One moment she was tiptoeing to reach the treetops hanging down by the roadside, and the next she would suddenly stop to watch a butterfly that had landed on a blue stone, the crimson on its wings shining brightly in the morning light.
Watching her like this, Su Zui felt a warm glow in her heart.
"You look like you've just been let out of a cage," he said.
"That's exactly right."
Qian Renxue turned around, her eyes bright, "At the bottom of the lake, besides the green light and the water plants, besides the water plants, there's only your face. I've been looking at it for a whole month."
Su Zui was taken aback by her words and didn't respond.
But he knew in his heart that she wasn't joking.
During the moon at the bottom of the lake, Gu Yuena was there, as was the remnant soul of Electrolux. The two had to be careful when speaking to each other, and even when getting close, they had to look to the side.
She endured that entire month by sheer willpower.
After all, in public, the two couldn't do anything too intimate.
The Spirit City was even more bustling than they remembered.
The city gates had barely opened when the main street was already packed with people heading to the morning market.
As soon as the two entered the city, they were swept along, surrounded by the sounds of people all around them. On the left, a steamer basket was lifted, and white steam shot straight into the sky, blurring half of the street.
The hot and sour soup in the pot on the right was bubbling happily, and the pungent smell of pepper mixed with bone broth made Su Zui's nose sting.
A dozen or so steps further on, the sweet aroma of freshly baked flaky cakes from the pastry shop wafted over on the breeze, mingling with the oily fragrance of fried dough sticks and the meaty aroma of steamed buns, creating a chaotic yet lively cacophony that filled one's nostrils.
This taste is completely different from the clean, spiritual energy of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Su Zui bought a fried dough stick, took two bites, and then his gaze wandered.
His mind hasn't stopped for the past month.
The Soul Spirit Method was completed, the Golden Hawksbill Turtle was completed, the Myriad Demon King was completed, and the Scarlet King was also completed.
But he wasn't confident about expanding this to the mainland.
This path is too new, so new that there's absolutely no precedent to follow. How do we find people? What kind of people do we look for? Will the Soul Masters even believe us?
One thing after another weighed heavily on his chest, so heavy that even the fried dough sticks in his mouth tasted bland.
Qian Renxue walked beside him, watching the fried dough stick in his hand go from hot to lukewarm, and then to cold, while he remained in a daze.
"The fried dough sticks are getting cold," Qian Renxue reminded her from the side.
Su Zui snapped out of her daze, looked down at the remaining half in her hand, and realized that she hadn't actually eaten much despite biting into it for so long.
"Thinking about Soul Spirits."
He stuffed the fried dough stick into his mouth and mumbled something.
"I have absolutely no clue how to promote this approach. I can't exactly run all over the continent knocking on doors and asking, 'Do you want to sign a contract with Soul Beast?'"
Qian Renxue laughed out loud. Her laughter was clear and crisp, and could be heard clearly even in the noisy street.
"You look like a nouveau riche who's got a treasure but doesn't know where to put it."
"More or less." Su Zui replied readily.
"Don't think about it yet."
Qian Renxue reached out and gently patted his arm. "Go back to the Spirit Hall and find Grandpa. He's lived for so many years and seen so much; he might have a reliable solution. If all else fails, talk to Grandpa first and let him help us figure it out. It's better than you sitting here looking so worried."
Su Zui thought for a moment and nodded. He had indeed been getting stuck on his own ideas.
The two crossed the main street and turned onto the long staircase leading to the Spirit Hall.
On either side of the long steps stood Angel God Statue from various dynasties; the morning light slanted down, casting long shadows on the stone statues.
The higher you go, the fewer people there are, and the hustle and bustle of the city is gradually left behind, leaving only the sound of footsteps echoing on the stone steps.
As she approached the last step, Qian Renxue suddenly slowed down and her steps became lighter.
Su Zui turned her head to look at her.
"I'm a little nervous."
She spoke very softly, then chuckled to herself, "It's a little strange, isn't it? Being nervous going home."
"It's not your fault," Su Zui said.
"You haven't shown your face for a month. What's that saying again? 'The closer you get to home, the more apprehensive you feel.'"
Qian Renxue smiled, looked up at the wide-open palace gates, took a deep breath, and then stepped forward again.
The palace doors were open, Qian Daoliu was already standing inside.
The old man had his back to the door, looking up at the huge Angel Statue. He was dressed in a white robe, his posture was upright, and he did not look old at all from behind.
Hearing footsteps, he turned around, a smile on his face. But the smile faded slightly the moment he saw the two of them.
He looked at Qian Renxue first.
His gaze moved down from her face and landed on the faint, almost imperceptible holy aura surrounding her.
His gaze immediately turned to surprise; Qian Renxue's aura was excessively powerful.
Could it be that Xiao Xue really possesses a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring? Did the two of them really go hunting Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts?
He shifted his gaze and looked at Su Zui again.
Su Zui's aura was much more solid than before he left. His Soul Saint cultivation was steady and solid, without any signs of weakness.
What surprised Qian Daoliu even more was that Su Zui was also surrounded by two auras that he couldn't distinguish.
Qian Daoliu remained silent for several breaths.
He raised his hand, a few steps away, and tentatively probed with his fingertips. This probe was without force; he simply wanted to gauge the depth of that aura.
The moment his fingertips touched the holy light surrounding Qian Renxue, Qian Daoliu's brow twitched, and his hand recoiled as if gently nudged by something.
He was stunned for a moment.
"What exactly did you encounter on this trip with Star Dou?" he began, his voice filled with barely concealed surprise.
Qian Renxue smiled but did not answer.
"Grandpa," she took a step forward, her eyes crinkling, "Don't ask yet. Tomorrow, at the Angel Training Grounds, you'll fight me."
Qian Daoliu was stunned. "A fight?"
"Yes," Qian Renxue said naturally, "You'll know our level after the match. You might not believe it just by talking."
Qian Daoliu stared at her for a while, then suddenly laughed and scolded, "You little rascal, you've learned to keep your grandfather in suspense."
"This isn't playing coy," Qian Renxue said matter-of-factly. "It's more convincing for you to see for yourself than for me to say a hundred words."
Qian Daoliu didn't press further. His gaze shifted to Su Zui, lingering for a couple of moments before he slowly asked, "You're going too?"
Su Zui shook her head and said honestly, "I'll watch tomorrow first. I'll see how Grandpa and Xue'er's fight goes, and then I'll have a better idea of what's going on."
Qian Daoliu raised an eyebrow, as if he had understood something, but didn't press further. He simply waved his hand and said, "Alright, tomorrow. I want to see just how capable my granddaughter has become."
Qian Renxue responded, turned around, and pulled Su Zui out, walking quite quickly.
"Hey, where are you guys going?" Qian Daoliu asked from behind.
"Go back to your room and rest!" Qian Renxue without turning her head.
Su Zui was dragged along by her, and even took the time to turn back and bow slightly to Qian Daoliu as a form of greeting before she was pulled out of the palace gate.
Once the door was closed, all the sounds from outside were immediately shut out.
The Saintess Hall was very quiet. So quiet that you could hear the wind rustling through the eaves outside the window. The morning light slanted in through the window frames, cutting out patches of bright light on the floor.
Qian Renxue stood behind the door, not immediately going inside. She turned around, leaned against the door, and looked at Su Zui.
Su Zui was a little confused by her gaze. "What's wrong?"
Qian Renxue remained silent.
She spent the last month at the bottom of the lake, practicing her skills during the day and at night.
The two of them stayed in that green light, either sparring or meditating.
She wanted to reach out too many times, but Gu Yuena and the remnant soul of Electrolux were nearby, so she could only suppress those thoughts little by little.
It was held up for a month.
Now that the door is closed, it's just the two of them in the hall.
"Su Zui," she said, her voice lower than it had been on the street.
"Um?"
"Come here."
Su Zui took one step forward, then two. Before he could even reach her, Qian Renxue had already moved.
She reached out and shoved him in the chest. It wasn't a hard push, but Su Zui was caught off guard. He stumbled backward, his back hitting the soft couch in the hall, and he sat down.
Immediately afterwards, Qian Renxue leaned over and pressed down on him, supporting herself with one hand on his side and placing the other on his shoulder, pinning him to the couch.
Her face was very close. Close enough that Su Zui could see the curve of her eyelashes and how the golden light in her eyes gradually brightened in the morning light.
"You've been holding it in for a month," Su Zui said. His words were a bit dry.
"You've been holding it in for a month too," Qian Renxue replied, "Stop pretending."
Su Zui opened his mouth, but no words came out. He really wasn't pretending. He knew better than anyone how he had felt over the past month.
However, being pinned down on the bed by Qian Renxue, Su Zui felt something was off, and he felt he should say something.
"It's only broad daylight, is it really appropriate to do this now..."
"What's wrong with it?"
Qian Renxue looked at Su Zui's eyes indifferently.
"Who says those kinds of things can only be done at night? It makes no difference if the curtains are drawn."
As Qian Renxue spoke, her toes were still restlessly hooking around Su Zui's calf.
Then she lowered her head and kissed him.
I touched it very lightly, moved it back half an inch, and then stuck it back on.
Her hand slid from his shoulder to the back of his neck, her fingertips pressing against the skin on the back of his neck. She could feel him tense up for a moment, then slowly relax.
After a rustling sound of fabric, Qian Renxue casually tossed her clothes onto the bedside table, placed her hands on Su Zui's chest, and leaned down to kiss him.
Su Zui raised his hand, intending to support her waist, but paused halfway before lowering it.
Forget it, it's more comfortable lying down, so let her move on her own.
The moonlight outside the palace slowly crept through the window lattice, onto the ground, and onto the bedside. In the distance, the faint cries of vendors could be heard from the street, but they were blurred through several palace buildings, leaving only the last syllable.
After a while, Qian Renxue finally sat up, her forehead pressed against his, her breathing still not fully even.
She lay resignedly on top of Su Zui, panting heavily.
"Regarding promoting the Soul Spirits," she said, "We'll discuss it properly after that fight tomorrow. Don't think about it now."
Su Zui looked at her for a long time before finally uttering a single word. "Okay."
But after he said that word, the look of unease that had been lingering in his eyes all morning actually darkened.
Qian Renxue noticed, propped herself up, sat down to one side, and tidied her disheveled hair. "You still can't let go."
"I can't let go," Su Zui confessed. "I thought about it all day on the street. The Soul Spirit Method was successful not because I'm so powerful, but because the Golden Hawksbill Turtle was willing. The Myriad Demon King was willing, but what about the other Soul Beasts? Are they really willing to give up their physical bodies to become Soul Spirits?"
Qian Renxue remained silent for a while.
"I've come up with a starting point," she said.
Su Zui raised her eyes.
"Let's choose people from the Spirit Hall first."
Qian Renxue said, "Don't choose the strongest, choose young disciples who are calm and haven't killed too many Soul Beasts. As for the Soul Beasts, let Gu Yuena choose those with gentle temperaments first. Gather a few pairs first, and conduct the interviews quietly in the hall. If they succeed, we'll have a second and a third example right here, which is more effective than any words."
After listening, Su Zui's eyes slowly brightened.
"You've been at the bottom of the lake for a month, and you haven't just been practicing your skills."
"Nonsense." Qian Renxue snorted. "Do you think you're the only one who can't sleep at night and keeps thinking about things?"
Su Zui smiled. For the past month, he had truly believed that he was the only one who was troubled.
"But,"
Qian Renxue changed the subject, her tone becoming more serious.
"There's one thing you need to understand first: when Soul Beast sees a human, its first reaction isn't 'whether it's willing or not,' but rather how to run away. Soul Beasts and humans have a deep-seated hatred between them."
These words were like a bucket of cold water.
Su Zui nodded. "That's why we need to proceed step by step."
So what do you plan to do?
"I haven't decided yet," Su Zui said honestly.
"But I have a thought in my mind. The Soul Spirit Method is not the Spirit Hall's method, nor should it belong solely to the Spirit Hall. If it is only tied to the Spirit Hall, it will become the Spirit Hall's weapon, and other forces will only be more afraid."
Qian Renxue looked at him as he said this and suddenly fell silent.
She recalled what Gu Yuena had told her at the Lake of Life: "The person beside you carries more burdens on their shoulders than they realize."
She didn't fully understand at the time. Now, seeing him sitting on the edge of the tatami mat, his hair a little messy, his clothes wrinkled at one corner, saying "I haven't thought about it yet," his eyes already seemed to be thinking.
She reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead.
"After we finish playing tomorrow, I'll help you think of something."
Qian Renxue stood up and shook her skirt. "I'll sleep for a while now."
Su Zui then realized he was sleepy. He nodded.
As she reached the door, Qian Renxue suddenly stopped and turned back. "By the way, that spicy soup place on the street, you said it was pungent earlier."
"Um."
"After the fight tomorrow, I'll take you for a bowl of drinks. The kind that won't make you choke." She laughed as she finished speaking, then threw herself into Su Zui 'Su Zui arms, gently nibbling at his skin with her small mouth.
Su Zui felt a tickle in her chest, and she gripped Qian Renxue's head tightly with her hands, holding her even closer.