Blood Shadow Instant Kill

Three hours later, a glow flowed around Lu Chen as two purple Soul Rings and one black Soul Ring slowly revolved around him.

With a thought, Lu Chen withdrew the Asura Domain surrounding him like a receding tide, concealing it within his body.

As soon as Lu Chen opened his eyes, he saw Xiao Wu staring at him with undisguised curiosity.

Lu Chen asked calmly, "What is it?"

It was better to let Xiao Wu see his secret than Dugu Bo. At least he could keep Xiao Wu in check; with Dugu Bo, he would be the one under someone else's control.

Besides, after a year and a half together, he and Xiao Wu had grown very close. He could trust her completely.

Xiao Wu pressed her lips together, murmuring with confusion and disbelief, "Are you even human? What human Soul Master has a thousand-year Soul Ring as their First Soul Ring?"

Lu Chen smiled faintly, teasing her. "And what One-Ring Soul Master can come and go freely in the Star Dou Great Forest?"

Xiao Wu's ears turned pink. She mumbled, "I... I was just lucky."

Lu Chen smiled and stopped teasing the "Little White Rabbit." His expression turned serious as he looked at Xiao Wu. "Xiao Wu, apart from Grandpa, you're the only one who knows the secret of my Soul Rings. I want you to keep it that way."

Xiao Wu froze, her lashes trembling as she murmured, "Apart from... Grandpa, I'm the only one?"

Looking into Lu Chen's serious eyes, Xiao Wu nodded firmly. "I won't let a fourth person learn the secret of your Soul Rings!"

Lu Chen patted Xiao Wu on the head. Perhaps because she was a Soft Bone Rabbit in human form, he really liked patting her head.

At that moment, in the Small Town a hundred miles from the Star Dou Great Forest, Dugu Yan sat by the window, staring at the Silver Pattern Ring in her hand. The image of Lu Chen throwing her toward Dugu Bo kept replaying in her mind.

"Lu Chen, you'll be all right, won't you?"

She whispered to the ring, her voice trembling slightly.

Dugu Bo stood nearby, watching his granddaughter's distraught expression. A pang of sorrow crossed his eyes.

He slowly walked over to Dugu Yan and said softly, "That boy's no ordinary person. He won't die so easily!"

Dugu Yan couldn't hold back any longer. She threw herself into Dugu Bo's arms, tears streaming down her face as she choked out, "Grandpa, it's... it's all my fault. If I hadn't insisted on bringing him along to hunt for a Soul Ring, Lu Chen wouldn't have... wouldn't have been in danger..."

Dugu Bo gently patted Dugu Yan's back to comfort her. "That boy's clever. He'll be fine."

But he knew that, in those circumstances, Lu Chen had almost certainly been doomed. Still, seeing his granddaughter sobbing uncontrollably in his arms, he could only offer her those words.

Dugu Yan carefully slipped the ring onto her right index finger. It adjusted itself to fit.

Her pale green eyes turned toward the Star Dou Great Forest. "I'm going to find him!"

Seeing her determination, Dugu Bo couldn't bring himself to discourage her. He sighed. "I'll go with you."

When Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan reached the scene, they found nothing but destruction.

Dugu Bo helped Dugu Yan search the surrounding area. All they found was a skeleton completely corroded by Jade Phosphorous Snake Venom.

As if grasping at her last hope, Dugu Yan said, "Grandpa, do you think... do you think Lu Chen might have escaped? Is that why we can't find him?"

"Alas..."

Dugu Bo struck the back of Dugu Yan's neck with a Hand Blade. Her body went limp, and she collapsed into his arms.

Dugu Yan was under tremendous mental strain, and her emotions were in turmoil. If this continued, it would affect her mental health.

Looking at the skeleton, Dugu Bo murmured, "Lu Chen, if you're still alive, I'll give up anything except Yan Yan if that's what it takes..."

Dugu Bo turned and carried Dugu Yan away from the Star Dou Great Forest. He never noticed the faint sword mark on the skeleton!

Five days later, Lu Chen and Xiao Wu returned to Nuoding Academy.

Outside the academy gates, Lu Jinnian looked at Lu Chen and Xiao Wu with a face dark enough to rain. As they approached, he said sternly, "You two, come with me!"

Lu Chen and Xiao Wu exchanged a glance, then obediently followed Lu Jinnian into his office.

Lu Jinnian sat down and looked from one to the other before settling his gaze on Lu Chen. "Lu Chen, you first. What were you and Xiao Wu doing during the days you were gone?"

Hearing Lu Jinnian address him by his full name, Lu Chen knew his grandfather was truly angry.

He gave Xiao Wu a look. She immediately understood, hurried behind Lu Jinnian, and began gently massaging his shoulders.

With a thump, Lu Chen dropped to his knees in front of Lu Jinnian and confessed, "I went to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for a Soul Ring!"

Seeing Lu Jinnian about to erupt, Xiao Wu hurried to explain on Lu Chen's behalf. "Grandpa, we ran into a very powerful Soul Master these past few days. We only got our Soul Rings because we secretly followed that Soul Master..."

Xiao Wu then told the story she and Lu Chen had prepared in advance, blaming everything on Dugu Bo.

As Lu Jinnian listened, his tightly knitted brows gradually relaxed. At last, he gave Lu Chen an exasperated glare. "Get up! You and Xiao Wu have already gotten your stories straight. What else can I say?"

Lu Chen grinned, went over to Lu Jinnian, picked up the teapot, and poured him another cup of hot tea. "Grandpa, I successfully obtained a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring. My Third Soul Skill is an incredible teleportation skill, and I can even use it repeatedly!"

The Third Soul Skill granted to Lu Chen by the Magic Shadow Blood Falcon was called "Blood Shadow Instant Kill." It let him teleport once within a radius of twenty meters, and he could use it repeatedly. Most importantly, the skill had room to grow!

Lu Jinnian took a sip of hot tea and reminded them, "Chen'er, Xiao Wu, don't let anyone else find out about this. Understand?"

"Understood!"

Lu Chen and Xiao Wu answered in unison, their voices obedient and sweet.

As soon as they left the office, they both let out a long breath and exchanged a glance. They could see the relief in each other's eyes. At last, they'd managed to cover up what had happened in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Just then, Tang San came toward them and said to Lu Chen, "Lu Chen, my teacher would like to invite you and Xiao Wu to attend his Spirit Theory Class this afternoon!"

Xiao Wu moved closer to Lu Chen, quietly tugged at his sleeve, and leaned in to whisper, "Who is he? And who's his teacher?"

Seeing how close the two were, Tang San felt a strange pang in his heart. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. What's wrong with me?

Lu Chen took the invitation from Tang San and replied calmly, "We'll be there."

Seeing that he had agreed, Tang San suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and turned to leave at a brisk pace.

Looking at Xiao Wu's puzzled expression, Lu Chen said, "You know about that freeloader at our academy, the 'Grandmaster,' right?"

Xiao Wu nodded. She'd heard Teacher Wang curse the Grandmaster more than once, calling him unfit to teach. He drew a teacher's salary but had never taught the other students a thing about Spirit Theory.

"Tang San's teacher is Yu Xiaogang, the one known as the 'Grandmaster.'"