Zhu Zhuqing Becomes Gu Ye's Disciple

"Sit."

Gu Ye glanced at his bed, signaling for Zhu Zhuqing to sit on it.

Zhu Zhuqing did not stand on ceremony and walked over to sit on the bed.

After rushing back to Shrek Academy today, she had been exhausted for the entire day. The moment she sat on Gu Ye's bed, she actually felt like lying down and going to sleep.

However, remembering that she still had things to tell Gu Ye, Zhu Zhuqing quickly composed herself and looked at him seriously.

Without thinking much of it, Gu Ye went over and sat down on the bed as well.

Zhu Zhuqing and Gu Ye sat very close together on the bed, looking at one another.

"I did it."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Gu Ye, a faint smile appearing on her cool face.

Clearly, she had always kept the condition Gu Ye had set for taking her as his disciple in mind.

Now that she had accomplished it, it was as though she were claiming credit and sharing good news with him.

"Is that so? Then tell me what happened."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded and, without hiding anything, told Gu Ye everything that had happened during her trip to the Star Dou Great Forest.

She told Gu Ye every detail without omission: Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the others causing trouble at the hotel; encountering Dragon Duke and Snake Woman in the Star Dou Great Forest; Xiao Wu being captured when they were attacked by the Titan Giant Ape; obtaining the Black Flame Fox soul ring; Xiao Wu returning safely a few days later; Tang San breaking through level thirty; and all the rest.

Gu Ye was somewhat surprised after hearing it.

He had not expected the events in the Star Dou Great Forest to differ so greatly from the original story, to the point that even Tang San's first major cheat, the Eight Spider Lances, was gone.

There was nothing surprising about Xiao Wu being taken by the Titan Giant Ape. After all, the Star Dou Great Forest was Xiao Wu's home, and the Titan Giant Ape was her family.

Gu Ye guessed that Xiao Wu had probably been taken home by the Titan Giant Ape to meet that Sky Azure Bull Python.

Then Zhu Zhuqing told Gu Ye about her own situation.

"Gu Ye, the third soul skill I obtained from the Black Flame Fox is called Netherworld Spirit Flame Slash. When activated, it releases a slash wreathed in black flames. Aside from its powerful destructive force, those black flames also have the effect of burning Soul Power."

This was Zhu Zhuqing's third soul skill. She had not told anyone else at Shrek Academy and had instead told Gu Ye first. That alone showed just how much she trusted him now.

"Also, after absorbing the Black Flame Fox's soul ring, this appeared on my hand. I don't know what it is."

Zhu Zhuqing held out her hand for Gu Ye to see.

Two intricate black-and-red flame-shaped patterns were attached to her fair palm.

Then, Zhu Zhuqing activated the black-and-red flame patterns on her palm. Before long, an eerie black-and-red aura began to emerge. As the aura enveloped her hands, a pair of incomparably sharp claws appeared.

The claws were around three or four inches long, entirely black and red, their blades glinting with a cold light.

"A soul bone—an External Soul Bone!"

The moment Gu Ye saw Zhu Zhuqing summon those claws, he knew what they were.

He looked at Zhu Zhuqing with slight surprise.

He had not expected her luck to be this good.

Could it be because of me? Gu Ye narcissistically began to doubt himself.

"What is an External Soul Bone?" Zhu Zhuqing had only heard of the six types of soul bones. This was the first time she had heard of an External Soul Bone.

"External Soul Bones are the most precious type among all soul bones. Those black-and-red claws in your hands are an External Soul Bone."

"The reason External Soul Bones are so valuable is because they can grow. In other words, they grow stronger along with their owner's strength. It could be said that the claws on your hands are the External Soul Bone most suited to you."

After explaining, Gu Ye looked at Zhu Zhuqing sternly.

"Zhuqing, I need to tell you seriously: aside from me, you cannot tell anyone that you possess this soul bone. You cannot even tell the people at Shrek Academy. Do you understand?"

"Mm!" Zhu Zhuqing nodded in understanding.

She knew what soul bones meant to soul masters in this world.

She would not be foolish enough to tell anyone else.

Naturally, Gu Ye was an exception. He was the person she trusted most now, and before long, he would become her teacher.

One of Zhu Zhuqing's External Soul Bone's most basic abilities was the Black Flame Fox's black flame that burned Soul Power. When the claws struck an enemy, the flames would directly penetrate the soul master's body and burn their Soul Power.

Beyond that, the claws could greatly enhance her attack power and piercing ability. That was their most powerful aspect.

Of course, Zhu Zhuqing would have to experience and explore for herself what other abilities they possessed.

After learning about the abilities of Zhu Zhuqing's External Soul Bone, Gu Ye thought of the black flames produced by her Netherworld Spirit Cat Martial Soul.

Looking at the External Soul Bone on Zhu Zhuqing's hands, he came up with a rather good idea.

"Zhuqing, now that you have this External Soul Bone, you can try an experiment. Try fusing the Soul-Devouring Black Flame produced by your Netherworld Spirit Cat Martial Soul into the External Soul Bone. If they can merge, allowing you to unleash black flames that burn the soul and inflict spiritual damage together with black flames that burn Soul Power, then the offensive power of this External Soul Bone will become unimaginably strong."

Hearing Gu Ye's words, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes lit up. If she could truly do as he said, then her Netherworld black flames would gain the ability to burn Soul Power and inflict spiritual damage, and then combine with the black flames on her External Soul Bone that also burned Soul Power. At that point, anyone struck by her claws... As Zhu Zhuqing thought of this, she looked at Gu Ye, her breathing growing slightly hurried.

"Gu Ye... you promised to take me as your disciple." Zhu Zhuqing looked at Gu Ye and excitedly voiced the truest thought in her heart.

She wanted to grow stronger—very, very strong. Gu Ye was the one who had let her see hope.

She admired Gu Ye's knowledge, his medical skill, and the air of mystery around him.

Although Gu Ye looked a few years older than her, she did not care about age. He was the person she wanted.

"Zhuqing, are you serious?" Gu Ye's expression turned slightly solemn.

Zhu Zhuqing nodded firmly. "I'm very serious. I want you to take me as your master."

"Are you sure?" Gu Ye asked again.

"I'm sure." Zhu Zhuqing's expression was serious and resolute.

"Alright, then get on the bed."

Zhu Zhuqing: ???

She stared at Gu Ye, her mind full of confusion, unable to understand what he meant by "get on the bed."

"Cough, cough. Um, sorry, I misspoke. I misspoke." Gu Ye awkwardly waved his hand.

The words had just slipped out as a joke. How could he possibly tell Zhu Zhuqing to get on the bed? Wait, no—it seemed they were already on the bed.

Gu Ye glanced at Zhu Zhuqing sitting on his bed, then looked at himself. Weren't they sitting on the same bed already? Spending a night sitting on the bed with Zhu Zhuqing seemed... acceptable too.

"Cough, cough. Well, Zhuqing, before the apprenticeship, I need to tell you something."

"This is my first time taking on a disciple, so we'll skip all that apprenticeship ceremony stuff."

"In other words, from today onward, you are my disciple. Understand?"

Gu Ye looked at Zhu Zhuqing very seriously.

Zhu Zhuqing nodded in understanding and said, "Yes, Master."

"Very good. From now on, you, Zhu Zhuqing, are the disciple of me, Gu Ye." Gu Ye looked at his beautiful, well-built disciple with satisfaction.

At that moment, for some reason, Gu Ye thought of Bibi Dong as he looked at Zhu Zhuqing.

After becoming Gu Ye's disciple, Zhu Zhuqing felt somewhat happy. However, there was one thing she was curious about: Gu Ye's strength.

Now that Gu Ye was her master, it was only natural for her to learn about her teacher's strength.

Zhu Zhuqing then asked, "Master, I heard Dai Mubai say that you knocked him down with a single move. May I know what your strength is?"

"There's nothing I can't tell you. At present, your teacher is a level forty-nine Soul Ancestor." As he said this, Gu Ye smiled at Zhu Zhuqing. "Do you think my strength makes me unworthy of being your teacher?"

Zhu Zhuqing shook her head.

Although Gu Ye's strength was a little beyond her expectations, when she considered his age and then his strength, she knew that her teacher, Gu Ye, was definitely a genius.

Gu Ye got off the bed, leaving Zhu Zhuqing with his back as he declared loudly, "Zhuqing, you need to understand something. To a genius, rank is not the entirety of one's strength. Take me, for example. Although I'm only level forty-nine, my strength is not. And besides strength, I possess more than that."

It was not that Gu Ye was bragging.

With what he possessed now—the Surgical System, Martial Soul Serum, and Cell Reinforcement Potion—he could cultivate a genius at any time.

And since he had taken Zhu Zhuqing as his disciple, he would train her into one of the strongest people in this world.

Raising a disciple and slowly making his advances—Gu Ye liked that process very much.

After that, Gu Ye began discussing things with Zhu Zhuqing in depth in the room.

Since she was his disciple, he naturally had to pay close attention to what he needed to teach Zhu Zhuqing and what Zhu Zhuqing needed to do.

Zhu Zhuqing listened, and she listened very attentively.

Zhu Zhuqing had already been exhausted from rushing back from the Star Dou Great Forest. Now, as she listened seriously to Gu Ye's words, she unknowingly... fell asleep.

Moreover, she had a dependent sort of trust in Gu Ye, her master. Having been tired for days, she slept very soundly.

"She actually... fell asleep!" Seeing Zhu Zhuqing fall asleep on his bed just like that, Gu Ye smiled helplessly.

Zhu Zhuqing trusted him so much that Gu Ye was almost too embarrassed to do anything improper.