"Sigh." Zhao Linchuan looked at her like this and suddenly let out a soft sigh, withdrawing his hand.
Just as Yue Shen's thoughts grew even more tangled, Zhao Linchuan flipped his palm. A torso bone radiating a gentle golden glow appeared out of thin air in his hand.
The moment the bone appeared, the air around them seemed to freeze for an instant, and a powerful aura burst forth.
"Take it." Zhao Linchuan handed the Soul Bone to Yue Shen as casually as if nothing were amiss. "I won't take your 'lip balm' for free."
Yue Shen's gaze was instantly drawn to the Soul Bone, and she could hardly look away.
She reached out with trembling hands and carefully cradled it.
"Young Master... what, what age is this Soul Bone?"
"A Hundred Thousand Year, Self-Adaptive Soul Bone." Zhao Linchuan's answer was brief and clear. "It'll automatically generate the Soul Bone Skill best suited to you, based on your Martial Soul's attributes and your Soul Power's characteristics."
"Absorbing it will greatly strengthen your physique, especially your comparatively weak body."
A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone!
Those words exploded in Yue Shen's mind like a thunderclap!
Her embarrassment, grievance, and confusion from a moment ago were swept away by overwhelming joy!
She clutched the Soul Bone tightly to her chest, as if afraid it might disappear, then stood and bowed deeply to Zhao Linchuan. "Th-thank you for this generous gift, Young Master! I will do everything in my power and never disappoint you!"
At the same time, a voice in her heart screamed wildly, Yan Fei! Did you see that? A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone! What can you possibly use to compete with me now?!
Zhao Linchuan saw the fleeting pride and competitive fire in Yue Shen's eyes clearly, but merely curled the corner of his mouth without comment.
He turned and looked toward a distant part of the forest, where faint sounds could be heard. That was where Yu Xiaogang and Tang San were fighting the Mandala Snake.
"You'd better gather a full set of Soul Bones before you think about obtaining a Soul Ring."
With his back to Yue Shen, Zhao Linchuan spoke in an even voice. "By then, with the terrifying physical boost from a body covered in Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones, perhaps... you really could try setting your sights on a Hundred Thousand Year First Soul Ring."
At his words, Yue Shen's delicate body shuddered, and her eyes blazed with an unprecedented brilliance!
A full set of Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones! A Hundred Thousand Year First Soul Ring! What an astonishingly audacious ambition!
But now, with this young man here and the Soul Bone in her hands as proof, that ambition no longer seemed so far out of reach!
She forced down her excitement, her voice turning unusually gentle. "Yes! I will obey your instructions, Young Master! I'll work hard and never let down the care you've shown me!"
While the two were speaking, Tang San finally killed the Mandala Snake with his short sword, relying on his Silent Sleeve Arrow and his own ruthlessness.
A yellow Hundred-Year Soul Ring slowly rose into the air.
Yu Xiaogang, meanwhile, had been severely injured by the backlash from Luo Sanpao and poisoned by the snake. His breath was faint, and he looked as if he might not last much longer.
Tang San stood between the Soul Ring and his dying teacher. His expression darkened and shifted as he gripped his short sword tighter and tighter, apparently weighing something...
Zhao Linchuan's divine sense stirred as he sensed what was happening over there. He sneered inwardly.
Without showing it, he crushed the two "Green Goblin Summoning Cards (Special Edition: Priest)" he had prepared in the system long ago. Then, from afar, he gave clear instructions to the two "little gifts" about to be summoned.
Once he was done, he acted as if nothing had happened and said to Yue Shen, "All right, that takes care of things here. Yue Shen, let's go back."
"Yes, Young Master." Yue Shen answered at once, stepping forward and naturally taking Zhao Linchuan's raised wrist in her delicate hand.
In the next instant, deep-blue Soul Power surged around her, enveloping them both.
A flash of light, and like meteors streaking backward, the two became a brilliant deep-blue streak that shot across the dusky sky above the Soul Hunting Forest, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Time passed.
Tang San successfully advanced to Soul Master. As he felt the transformation of his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul upon gaining its first Soul Skill, "Bind," a hint of joy appeared on his face—then he remembered his gravely injured teacher, Yu Xiaogang.
He hurried to his feet and was about to run toward where Yu Xiaogang had fallen.
But just then—
"Kehehehe..."
A low, hoarse, unpleasantly strange laugh came from behind the bushes ahead.
Tang San halted, instantly on guard. He activated his Purple Demon Eye and looked toward the sound.
Two humanoid creatures, about half his height, slowly emerged from the shadows. Their skin was a dark green, and their faces were hideously ugly.
They wore ill-fitting white hemp robes, and strange cross pendants, crudely strung together from tiny bones of an unknown kind, hung on their chests.
An odd green light gleamed in their eyes as they fixed their gaze on Tang San, who had just finished absorbing his Soul Ring and whose aura had yet to settle.
What kind of Soul Beast is this? Tang San's blood ran cold as his Mysterious Heaven Skill churned furiously.
And just then, the two Green Goblins grinned wickedly.
Tang San's life or death was anyone's guess...
In the courtyard of the western residence, deep-blue light flashed, and Zhao Linchuan and Yue Shen appeared.
Just then, Yan Fei came from the other end of the covered walkway. Seeing them, a gentle smile appeared on her beautiful face, and she dipped into a slight curtsy.
"Young Master, you're back."
Zhao Linchuan paused, somewhat surprised.
Yue Shen's pupils contracted, alarm bells ringing in her heart!
Yan Fei's attitude had changed far too quickly!
Yesterday, she'd still been watching him with scrutiny and keeping her distance. How had she suddenly...
Before they could think any further, Yan Fei continued in a soft voice, "You must be tired from your journey, Young Master, and I imagine you haven't eaten yet. I've prepared a simple meal. Please, this way."
She turned to lead them, poised and graceful.
Yue Shen stared in astonishment, hardly daring to believe her eyes!
Yan Fei?! The haughty, aloof Eastern Lord Yan Fei, who looked down on everyone? She'd cooked a meal herself? And now she was inviting him so gently and attentively?
This... this was more unbelievable than seeing the sun rise in the west!
But she quickly caught on, and a nameless anger and intense sense of crisis surged through her.
Well, well! So that was how it was, Yan Fei!
You put on such an aloof front, but behind my back, you were plotting the very same thing as me!
Trying to win favor by being so gentle and considerate?!
Honestly... shameless!
Yue Shen cursed inwardly, but didn't dare show a hint of it. Instead, she quickly composed herself, forced a gentle smile, and silently followed on Zhao Linchuan's other side.
The dishes in the dining room weren't luxurious, but they were quite exquisite, clearly prepared with care.
During the meal, Yan Fei acted like a thoughtful older sister next door, serving Zhao Linchuan food and soup from time to time, introducing the dishes, her voice gentle and her eyes full of concern.
Unwilling to be outdone, Yue Shen immediately joined the "service" as well, serving food and pouring tea, her movements delicate and her gaze demure. With two peerlessly beautiful women attending him from either side, the meal took on a flavor all its own.
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