Zhu Zhuqing's Confession

Perhaps Xia Ran's Martial Soul felt familiar to the girl, or perhaps she had caught a familiar scent.

Through her hazy consciousness, Zhu Zhuqing called his name again.

"Xia Ran..."

The soft murmur made his heart ache!

They had only known each other for a few short months. Why did she depend on him so much?

Usually, the girl barely said a word, yet now she kept murmuring his name.

Conflicting emotions knotted Xia Ran's brow, but he still did his best to keep his voice gentle as he spoke to the girl in his arms.

"Don't talk. Save your strength. I know how to save you!"

As soon as he spoke, darkness enveloped the figures in the room. When it faded, Xia Ran and Zhu Zhuqing were gone.

Back in his room on the Back Mountain, Xia Ran tried to lay Zhu Zhuqing on the bed.

"Xia Ran... I... won..."

The familiar presence stirred Zhu Zhuqing's hazy consciousness, and she seemed to find a little strength.

Amid the endless vortex of darkness, she struggled to say what she wanted to say.

Seeing this, the last of Xia Ran's defenses finally crumbled...

"Don't worry! I won't let you die!"

While she was briefly conscious, Xia Ran took the lead box out of his Storage Soul Tool.

The solid black lead box had no decoration and gave off an ancient air. When he lifted the lid, a rich surge of life energy burst out, as if it had found an outlet.

Xia Ran quickly set up another barrier, sealing away the Soul Bone's aura.

[Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone]

[Soul Bone Skill: Wildfire Never Dies, Spring Breeze Brings Life]

[Soul Bone Skill: Flight]

Given Zhu Zhuqing's condition, her only options were to find Tang San and Dugu Bo, find a high-level healing Soul Master, or wait to die.

Even those options weren't guaranteed to work. No one knew what ingredients were in Tang San's poison; probably not even Tang San knew how to make an antidote.

So Xia Ran thought of having her absorb the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone and rely on its Soul Bone Skill to heal herself.

Perhaps the life energy was already having an effect. Zhu Zhuqing's eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she wanted to open her eyes but couldn't.

"Zhuqing! Conserve all the strength you have. I'm going to channel Soul Power into your body to help you fuse with this Soul Bone."

"Stay conscious! You'll be all right!"

Xia Ran furrowed his brow, unsure whether she could hear him.

He took the crystalline blue leg bone out of the lead box. A gentle energy radiated from it, filling the entire barrier with pure life energy and a blue-gold glow.

Xia Ran gently pressed the Soul Bone against Zhu Zhuqing's right leg. It met no resistance; the all-embracing Blue Silver Emperor fused with the girl with ease.

The whole process went much more smoothly than Xia Ran had expected. The life energy released as the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone fused with her gradually brought Zhu Zhuqing back to consciousness.

At the same time, her body slowly absorbed the healing Soul Power left behind by the two healing Soul Masters.

Seeing this, Xia Ran's expression eased. He quietly increased the Soul Power he was channeling.

The first rays of dawn dispelled the darkness, but the Soul Bone fusion had been going on all night.

Xia Ran replenished his Soul Power with medicinal herbs while using it to help Zhu Zhuqing fuse with the Soul Bone.

At last, the girl's eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes.

Through her blurry vision, she saw Xia Ran sitting cross-legged on the bed, one hand pressed against her calf.

"Xia Ran, am I dead?"

As soon as Zhu Zhuqing regained consciousness, she saw him channeling Soul Power into her.

The Soul Bone had fused completely and was now repairing her organs at the cost of her Soul Power.

The blackness of the girl's skin gradually gave way to a healthy flush. The power of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone was truly heaven-defying.

"Accept my Soul Power and guide it into your right leg. That'll help the Soul Bone heal your injuries faster!"

"Soul Bone? Heal?"

Zhu Zhuqing had only just woken up and still had no idea what was going on. She thought she was already dead and had gone to heaven, where she'd found Xia Ran.

But when she carefully assessed her condition, she realized she had gained a Soul Bone—and it was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone!

The Soul Bone's information appeared in her mind. Zhu Zhuqing's beautiful eyes widened in shock as she stared at Xia Ran.

"What... happened?"

"The Soul Bone..."

"Don't get too worked up. Focus on recovering, or you might be left with lasting injuries."

Xia Ran didn't explain further.

But even Zhu Zhuqing could understand what had happened by now.

She remembered being gravely injured when Dai Mubai ambushed her in battle, and then losing consciousness.

If she was still alive, Xia Ran must have saved her with a Soul Bone.

A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Bone, a treasure of the Blood River!

If it appeared on the continent, it could change the balance of power across the whole land.

Gathering all her strength, she struggled upright and threw her arms around Xia Ran.

"Xia Ran... I thought I'd never see you again!"

Tears streamed from Zhu Zhuqing's purple eyes as she held him tight.

Xia Ran gently patted her back.

"I'm here. I won't let you die so easily."

[Zhu Zhuqing's current favorability toward the host: 100%]

[Reward: one Hundred-Thousand-Year Mysterious Cat Soul Bone, with a location of your choice]

The system notification rang out. Along with the girl's actions, it jolted the drowsy Xia Ran awake.

Another Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Bone!

As he comforted the emotional girl, Xia Ran quickly made his choice.

This time, he chose the right leg bone. Since Zhu Zhuqing had absorbed the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, he no longer had to worry about whether it suited him. That solved his indecision.

He didn't look at the Soul Bone's details right away, instead putting it in his Storage Soul Tool.

Zhu Zhuqing sensed a powerful aura of darkness flash by, then vanish.

Having only just woken up, she thought she must have imagined it.

"Xia Ran, I missed you so much..."

"Hm?"

The girl rested her chin on Xia Ran's shoulder, her voice tinged with shyness.

Xia Ran tried to sit up and look at Zhu Zhuqing, wondering what was going on and why she'd suddenly said that. But the moment he moved, she tightened her arms around him.

"Let me hold you a little longer..."

That familiar scent filled Zhu Zhuqing's nose again, easing much of the unease she'd felt lately.

She loved being in Xia Ran's arms. And after saying those words, she hardly dared to meet his eyes...

As for Xia Ran, his heart was pounding!

He wasn't clueless about romance. He had a sense of what might happen next, but even after living two lives, this was his first time experiencing something like this.

Besides, he had a system. He would inevitably have to interact with lots of girls in the future; that was the only way to keep earning rewards.

If he really got together with Zhu Zhuqing, would she mind? Should he still keep completing the system's missions...?

Countless thoughts crowded into his mind, making him uneasy.

Zhu Zhuqing was nervous too!

Perhaps surviving a brush with death had made her bolder. She had actually taken the initiative to say something so sweet.

This was different from when she'd asked Xia Ran to teach her how to cultivate. This time, she truly had those kinds of feelings for him.

Somewhere along the way, she had fallen for the man in her arms...

"Xia Ran... could we be... more than friends?"

Her nerves made her stumble over her words, but now that she had started, there was no reason to back down.

Zhu Zhuqing tightened her arms around Xia Ran. Her soft body pressed hard against him, beginning to deform slightly.

Xia Ran had felt it long ago. To keep another awkward situation from arising, he could only do his best to suppress his Evil Fire with Soul Power.

"Zhuqing, let go of me first..."

He had only meant to catch his breath. His body was already growing a little stiff, and if this went on, things could get awkward...

But Zhu Zhuqing took it as a gentle rejection.

The girl squeezed her eyes shut, her body beginning to tremble uncontrollably. She couldn't accept that outcome...

If that was his answer, she would rather have kept the secret buried in her heart forever.

But why? Did he find her undesirable? Did he look down on her because she was engaged to someone else?

Feeling something wrong with her, Xia Ran thought she was having another attack. He hurriedly pushed her away so he could check on her.

That push was all it took to make Zhu Zhuqing's emotions erupt. Her mind filled with a tangle of thoughts, and she did the bravest thing she had ever done in her life!