Star Dou's Departure

Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle...

The resonance had faded, and Huo Wu had fully absorbed the medicinal effects.

Yet, the two of them remained locked in each other's arms, inseparable.

Murong Ci's breathing was erratic; he dared not move a muscle.

Stalemate was not a solution, so Murong Ci shifted his body slightly, attempting to break free from Huo Wu's embrace.

"Mmm..." Huo Wu let out a soft hum, tightening her grip.

[Don't bother struggling. She will let go once she wakes up.]

It would be a lie to say he wasn't enjoying it; after all, who could refuse the embrace of a fiery beauty?

"System, my soul power is at level thirty. What should I do next?"

[Ding-- Quest issued: Head to the Star Dou Forest to hunt a five-thousand-year-old Demon Eye Demon Tree to refine your wood attribute.]

"Wood attribute? Why is that the next step?"

[You are hopeless. According to the principle of the Five Elements, water generates wood, and wood generates fire. Water and ice are essentially the same concept; since you already possess the ultimate ice attribute, the wood attribute you obtain will also approach the ultimate wood. Furthermore, wood generates fire, which is even more beneficial for enhancing your fire attribute.]

"I feel this is quite awesome."

[Moreover, the Demon Eye Demon Tree belongs to the race of the King of Ten Thousand Demons. By obtaining its soul skill, you can eventually upgrade it to possess the same power as the King of Ten Thousand Demons.]

[As for why you are going to the Star Dou Forest, hehe, you will find out soon enough.]

"Alright, alright, System."

"Mmm..." Huo Wu hummed again, slowly opening her eyes.

Then, she saw her own arms wrapped around Murong Ci's waist, a truly awkward position.

"Ah!!! You lecherous scoundrel! Close your eyes!"

Huo Wu shoved Murong Ci away, shouting at the top of her lungs.

Murong Ci kept his eyes shut, ceasing his struggle, his heart pounding as he listened to the sound of her hurriedly putting on her clothes.

"You jerk! Why did you put our clothes together? Your clothes are still wet! You soaked mine too!"

Huo Wu was furious, chattering incessantly.

Then, Murong Ci's clothes were flung onto his face. Both of them scrambled to dress in a rush, neither daring to look at the other.

Once Murong Ci emerged from the spirit liquid, he saw Huo Wu staring at him intently, her eyes filled with shame and anger.

"No one can know about what happened today! Otherwise, I will burn you to death! Do you hear me!"

Murong Ci nodded and bowed repeatedly.

However, seeing Huo Wu wearing clothes soaked through with water made Murong Ci unable to resist a backward glance.

"You're still looking!" Huo Wu reached out to strike him, but Murong Ci was quick, catching her wrist.

"Let's go, we've already been here for a day," Murong Ci urged, pulling Huo Wu by the hand as they left the area.

"Let go of me, let go of me..."

The voice grew fainter and fainter...

Huo Lie stared at the man and woman standing before him, both soaked to the bone and disheveled, lost in thought...

"You two..."

"We didn't do anything!" Huo Wu snapped, immediately covering her mouth, glaring at Murong Ci with shame and rage.

"I meant... how is your soul power so high? Huo Wu, you're already at level thirty-six. You need to go into seclusion now to properly digest the medicinal power of the Geocentric Fire Lotus."

"Ci'er, your soul power has reached level thirty as well. You should go hunt for a soul ring. I will arrange for an academy teacher to accompany you."

"Father, I'll go with him!"

"You are going into seclusion! Do not participate in this mission."

Huo Wu looked at her father anxiously, then back at Murong Ci, glancing back and forth.

"Thank you for your kindness, Dean, but I would prefer to go alone to temper myself."

With that, he released his two purple soul rings. Huo Lie was instantly stunned, his pupils contracting.

"You, you weren't one yellow and one purple?"

"I killed a Fire Python and fused its soul ring onto my first soul ring."

Huo Lie began to reorganize his worldview...

Fusing another soul ring on top of an existing one? Was he joking?

However, it was the only explanation that made sense. He simply waved his hand, approving Murong Ci's solo soul-hunting mission; he wanted to see just how far this young man could go.

Murong Ci noticed Huo Wu standing to the side, looking anxious and dejected. He patted her shoulder, comforting her: "Sister Wu, trust me, I will definitely return safely, okay?"

He tilted his head and smiled at her, looking innocent and guileless.

Huo Wu grabbed the hem of his clothes, forcing herself to appear calm.

"Who... who cares about you..."

"...Come back safely."

Murong Ci gave a hum of acknowledgment, turned, and left.

"Bastard."

Huo Wu's soft whisper scattered into the wind.

[Affinity 72/100, entered the infatuation stage, character psychology: expecting return. Not bad, kid, keep it up.]

One day later, Murong Ci arrived at the Star Dou Forest; this speed was already quite fast.

During this period, the system taught him how to use other attributes.

With the help of the wind, he had traveled unimpeded the entire way.

"System, why can't I use lightning? Power strengthens my force, earth strengthens my physical body. Among these elements, besides the two special ones, time and space, why can't I use lightning either?"

[The lightning element is considered one of the most violent elements in nature. Using it now would only hurt yourself. Of course, these elements share a common trait: if you have seen someone use a certain elemental soul skill, you will be able to use the corresponding one. This is called Yongzhen Imprint.]

[In the six years you've spent, you haven't seen a lightning elemental soul skill. The disciples of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan wouldn't even pay attention to a servant like you, so where would you have seen one?]

Murong Ci pondered for a moment; it was indeed true. In those six years, countless people had visited the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and he had secretly witnessed soul skills of various elements.

Except for the people from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—as they were also one of the Upper Three Sects—a servant disciple was not worthy of seeing them.

[However, if you let me take over, this problem can be solved. I can briefly stimulate a portion of your future potential.]

This made Murong Ci look forward to the system taking over, though at this moment, he naively believed that a single Demon Eye Demon Tree was nothing to fear.

"System, where is the Demon Eye Demon Tree?"

[They are distributed in both the outer perimeter and the mixed zone. However, since you are looking for a five-thousand-year-old one, it should be in the transition zone between the outer perimeter and the mixed zone. Keep walking forward; if you get close, I will detect it.]

Murong Ci nodded and took a few more steps forward.

[Ding--]

"It appeared already?"

[Important characters detected: Shrek Seven Devils and Immovable Bright King Zhao Wuji.]

"??? So you brought me to the Star Dou Forest just to see them?"

[That is one of the reasons. You will definitely interact in the future, so go say hello to them, especially that Ning Rongrong.]

Murong Ci patted his head, speechless.

This system...

But since he was already here, he might as well go say hello.

Murong Ci deliberately made some noise in the bushes and then walked out.

"Who goes there!"

Zhao Wuji shouted upon hearing the movement; the hearing of a level 76 soul saint was naturally excellent.

"A passing soul master, here to hunt for my third soul ring."

"Murong Ci?"

Ning Rongrong was stunned when she heard this voice and asked in confusion.

"Young Miss, long time no see. Have you been well?"

Ning Rongrong's heart skipped a beat. It really was him. Had he already come to obtain his third soul ring?

But that wasn't right. It had only been three months since Murong Ci left the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. A twenty-level increase in three months?

This was something Ning Rongrong dared not even imagine.

"Rongrong, do you know him?"

Ning Rongrong nodded and gave a hum, but deep down she felt a lingering fear; she might not know Murong Ci at all.

I'm afraid my father and the two grandfathers also misjudged him.

"Since you are a friend of Rongrong, then stay and join us." Zhao Wuji offered an invitation with a simple, honest smile.

Murong Ci did not hesitate; he found a large tree and leaned against it.

Everyone greeted him.

Tang San also noticed him. "Brother Murong, since you know Rongrong, we can consider ourselves friends."

Murong Ci gave a perfunctory reply and ignored him thereafter.

He had no desire to be friends with Tang Buddha. The things this person did were absolutely mind-boggling.

Everyone chatted idly, and when the conversation turned to him being from the Blazing Fire Academy, they couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

The Five Elements Academies were quite famous on the continent!

Ning Rongrong was also somewhat different; she merely tugged at the corner of her clothes, remaining silent.

Level thirty... level thirty... he was even higher than her. The person she had once looked down upon now possessed a level higher than her own.

It made her feel incredibly aggrieved.

[Kid, do you want an opportunity to show off and slap some faces?]

"What is it, System?"

[Don't be impatient, listen to what they are saying.]

"Something is here!" Zhao Wuji shouted, signaling everyone to get up.

Zhu Zhuqing leaped into the air and climbed up a large tree.

"A snake that can fly, though it doesn't fly high, and it has a fleshy crest on its head."

Zhao Wuji's eyes lit up. "Oscar, you are in luck; this is a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent."

[Kid, prepare for battle!]

"Understood!"

Yongzhen released.