Douluo: Poisonous Tongue, Loves Telling the Truth

It seemed that Xia Ran's martial soul made the young girl feel a sense of familiarity, or perhaps she had simply caught a scent she recognized.

In her hazy state of consciousness, Zhu Zhuqing called out his name once more.

"Xia Ran..."

The whisper made his heart ache terribly!

They had only known each other for a few short months, so why was she so dependent on him?

Usually, this girl had very little to say, yet now she was murmuring his name over and over.

Complex emotions caused Xia Ran to furrow his brows, but he still tried his best to keep his tone gentle as he spoke to the girl in his arms.

"Don't talk, save your strength. I have a way to save you!"

As his voice fell, the figures in the clearing were shrouded by dark elements. By the time the shadows dissipated, Xia Ran and Zhu Zhuqing were already gone.

Back in the rear mountain, Xia Ran returned to his room, intending to lay Zhu Zhuqing on the bed.

"Xia Ran... I... win..."

In her blurred consciousness, Zhu Zhuqing sensed a familiar aura and seemed to regain a sliver of strength.

Within the endless dark vortex, she struggled to voice what she wanted to say.

Seeing this, the final line of defense in Xia Ran's heart finally crumbled...

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

Taking advantage of her brief moment of clarity, Xia Ran retrieved the lead box from his storage Soul Tool.

The pure black lead box lacked any decorative patterns and exuded an ancient, simple aura. As he lifted the lid, a surge of rich life energy rushed out as if it had found an outlet.

Xia Ran hurriedly set up a barrier again to seal in the aura of the Soul Bone.

[100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone]

[Soul Bone Skill: Wildfire Cannot Destroy, Spring Breeze Brings Life Anew]

[Soul Bone Skill: Flight]

Given Zhu Zhuqing's current symptoms, short of finding Tang San and Dugu Bo, or a high-level healing Soul Master, she was as good as dead.

Even those methods were not guaranteed to succeed; no one knew the exact composition of Tang San's poison, and it was likely that even he didn't know how to formulate the antidote.

Therefore, Xia Ran had decided to have her absorb the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, relying on the Soul Bone's skills to heal herself.

Seemingly bolstered by the presence of this life energy, Zhu Zhuqing's eyelashes trembled slightly. It looked as though she wanted to open her eyes, but couldn't manage it.

"Zhuqing! Conserve all your current strength. I will inject a stream of soul power into your body to help you fuse with this Soul Bone."

"You must stay conscious! You will be fine!"

Xia Ran frowned, unsure if she could even hear him.

He took the crystal-blue leg bone from the lead box. It radiated a gentle energy, filling the entire barrier with a pure life attribute and emitting a blue-gold light.

Xia Ran gently pressed the Soul Bone against Zhu Zhuqing's right leg. There was no resistance at all; the all-encompassing Blue Silver Emperor easily merged with the young girl.

Moreover, the entire process was far smoother than Xia Ran had imagined. The life energy generated during the fusion of the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone made Zhu Zhuqing's consciousness increasingly clear.

At the same time, the healing soul power left in her body by the two healing Soul Masters was slowly absorbed as well.

Seeing this, Xia Ran's expression softened slightly, and he silently increased his output of soul power.

The morning sun rose, dispelling the darkness; the fusion of the Soul Bone had lasted the entire night.

Xia Ran spent the time alternating between using medicinal herbs to recover his soul power and using that power to help Zhu Zhuqing fuse with the bone.

Finally, the eyelashes of the girl on the bed fluttered, and she opened her eyes.

In her blurred vision, Xia Ran was sitting cross-legged on the bed, his palm pressed against her lower leg.

"Xia Ran, am I already dead?"

As soon as Zhu Zhuqing regained consciousness, she saw him channeling soul power into her.

The Soul Bone had fully fused and was currently taking effect, consuming Zhu Zhuqing's soul power to repair her internal organs.

The girl's previously dark, sickly skin was gradually regaining its color. It had to be said, the ability of the 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone was truly heaven-defying.

"Actively accept my soul power and gather it in your right leg. This will accelerate the Soul Bone's repair of your injuries!"

"Soul Bone? Repair?"

Having just woken up, Zhu Zhuqing had not yet grasped the situation. She still thought she had died and reached heaven, only to see Xia Ran there.

When she carefully sensed her current physical state, she discovered that she had gained a Soul Bone—and it was a 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone at that!

As the information about the Soul Bone surfaced in her mind, Zhu Zhuqing widened her beautiful eyes, looking at Xia Ran in shock.

"This... how is this possible?"

"Soul Bone..."

Chapter 44: Zhu Zhuqing's Confession

"Don't get too excited. Focus on recovering from your injuries so you don't suffer any lasting effects."

Xia Ran did not offer much of an explanation.

However, even if Zhu Zhuqing were slow-witted, she understood the sequence of events by now.

She remembered being ambushed and severely wounded by Dai Mubai during their battle, after which she had lost consciousness.

The fact that she was alive now meant that Xia Ran must have saved her using a soul bone.

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

The mere appearance of such an item on the continent would be enough to shift the balance of power across the entire land.

She used every ounce of her strength to struggle into a sitting position and embraced Xia Ran.

"Xia Ran... I thought I would never see you again!"

Large tears fell from her purple eyes as Zhu Zhuqing held him tightly.

Seeing this, Xia Ran gently patted her on the back.

"With me here, I won't let you die so easily."

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

[Reward for the host: A self-selected Hundred Thousand Year Mysterious Cat soul bone]

The system's chime rang out, and combined with the girl's current actions, it roused the somewhat drowsy Xia Ran.

Another Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone!

While soothing the emotional girl, Xia Ran quickly made his choice.

This time, he chose the right leg bone. Since the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone had already been absorbed by Zhu Zhuqing, he no longer had to worry about compatibility issues, which conveniently solved his indecision.

He did not immediately check the details of the soul bone, instead placing it into his storage Soul Tool.

Zhu Zhuqing felt a powerful aura of darkness flash by, only to vanish in an instant.

Having just regained consciousness, she assumed it was merely a hallucination.

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

"Hm?"

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

Xia Ran tried to straighten up to see what was going on with Zhu Zhuqing and why she had suddenly said that, but the moment he moved, she hugged him even tighter.

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

The familiar scent filled his nostrils once more, and the anxiety that had been plaguing Zhu Zhuqing began to subside.

She enjoyed the feeling of being held by Xia Ran, yet after saying those words, she didn't dare to look him in the eye.

Meanwhile, Xia Ran's heart was pounding wildly!

He was no fool when it came to romance; he vaguely guessed what might happen next, but having lived two lifetimes, this was his first time experiencing such a moment.

Furthermore, he possessed a system and would inevitably interact with many women in the future to continuously earn rewards.

If he were to truly be with Zhu Zhuqing, would she mind? Would he still be able to continue completing the system's tasks...

Countless thoughts flooded his mind, leaving him feeling somewhat apprehensive.

Zhu Zhuqing herself was also incredibly nervous!

Perhaps the brush with death had made her bolder, leading her to take the initiative to speak such "sweet nothings."

Unlike the times she had sought Xia Ran out to teach her cultivation, this time, she truly had those kinds of intentions.

She didn't know when it started, but she had fallen for the man in her arms...

"Xia Ran... can we... be more than just friends?"

Her nervous state made her somewhat incoherent, but since she had started, there was no turning back.

Zhu Zhuqing tightened her grip on Xia Ran, the softness of her body pressing firmly against him, already beginning to deform under the pressure.

Xia Ran had felt this long ago, and to avoid any awkward incidents, he had to use his soul power to suppress his rising desires.

"Zhuqing, let go of me for a moment..."

He had intended to take a breather, as his body had already stiffened slightly and things might get awkward if this continued...

But to Zhu Zhuqing, it sounded like a polite rejection.

The girl squeezed her eyes shut, her delicate body beginning to tremble uncontrollably; she could not accept such an outcome...

If this was the answer, she would rather have kept this secret buried in her heart for the rest of her life.

But why? Is he disgusted by me? Is he disgusted that I am betrothed to someone else!

Feeling the strange tension in her body, Xia Ran thought something was wrong with Zhu Zhuqing and hurriedly pushed her away to check on her.

That single push was all it took; Zhu Zhuqing's emotions completely erupted, and as chaotic thoughts flooded her mind, she made the bravest move of her life!