"He's out!" Bibi Dong cried excitedly, but the moment her gaze landed on that figure, she let out a yelp, covered her eyes, and turned around, the tips of her ears red enough to drip blood.
"Good grief! I'm going to get styes!" she muttered, her voice embarrassed and annoyed.
Yan Lingji chuckled and leisurely took an outer robe from her Soul Tool before walking over.
"Quick, put this on." She handed him the robe, her tone teasing. "Otherwise, someone won't be able to sleep tonight."
Zhao Linchuan took the robe and draped it over himself. His wet hair clung to his forehead, and droplets trickled from the tips.
He raised a hand and wiped the water from his face. Just as he was about to say something, a figure skimmed over like a dragonfly touching the water and pecked him lightly on the cheek.
The touch was soft and warm, there and gone in an instant.
"Thank you."
Bibi Dong's voice was light and quick. As soon as she finished speaking, she hurried off without daring to linger.
"I'll go prepare dinner for you!"
Watching her flee, Yan Lingji's smile deepened.
"Poor Dong'er." She tilted her head toward Zhao Linchuan, her eyes glimmering with mischief. "Just like that, she's fallen into some bad man's clutches."
"Who are you calling a bad man?" Zhao Linchuan reached out and gently lifted Yan Lingji's chin, his thumb stroking her delicate skin.
"The bad man's already thinking up something naughty!" She pushed his hand away. "Be patient. Not out here."
She turned her head and glanced toward the distant spot where Bibi Dong had disappeared.
"Once we get back... I'll let you do whatever you want. This time, whatever you want, I'll go along with it."
After dinner, the sunset had completely sunk behind the ridge. Only a faint streak of dusky red remained along the horizon, like rouge bleeding into water.
Bibi Dong and Yan Lingji squatted by the stream, cleaning up after the meal.
Zhao Linchuan leaned against a flat boulder by the stream, eyes closed as he sank his mind into his sea of consciousness.
[You have seized the greatest opportunity on the Shrek Seven Devils' path to godhood.]
[Reward obtained: Immortal Herb Gift Pack*1, God-Bestowed Soul Ring*3, Character Summoning Cards—Yue Shen, Yan Fei.]
Immortal Herbs, Soul Rings, Yue Shen, Yan Fei...
Zhao Linchuan muttered to himself. The rewards this time were even more generous than he'd expected.
He opened his eyes and called out, "Wife."
"What is it?"
"Come take a walk with me and help me digest."
"Oh, coming."
Yan Lingji handed the bowl she was washing to Bibi Dong, casually rubbed the water from her fingers against her skirt, then stood and walked over, naturally taking Zhao Linchuan's arm.
The two walked side by side toward the exit of the gorge, their figures gradually disappearing into the dusk.
Squatting by the stream, Bibi Dong held the bowl she hadn't yet put away and watched the two retreating figures. The corner of her mouth twitched.
"Hey! Am I in your way or what?"
She muttered, her voice rising a little without her meaning to.
"If you want to be lovey-dovey, just say so. It's not like I wouldn't make room for you!"
"Going for a walk in the poisonous miasma outside..." she murmured, her voice growing softer and softer until the end of the sentence was swallowed in her throat. "You think you can fool the ghosts..."
Something seemed to occur to her, and her face suddenly flushed.
"Hmph!"
Her voice was muffled, tinged with a petulant sulk.
"You two can be lovey-dovey all you want. I'll get my sleep. Let's see who's tired tomorrow morning!"
With that, she stood up and hastily rinsed the bowl she'd been staring at for ages. She didn't even dry it before stuffing it into her Storage Soul Tool, then headed toward the tent without looking back.
As she lifted the tent flap, she glanced back once more.
The entrance to the gorge was empty beneath the gathering dusk. The two figures had long since vanished.
She bit her lip and ducked inside.
It was now deep into the night.
In a clearing far from the gorge, deep in the Sunset Forest.
Cool moonlight poured down as Yan Lingji sat cross-legged in the middle of the clearing, eyes closed in concentration.
A moment later, she slowly breathed out a mouthful of stale air and opened her tightly shut eyes.
Black, black, black, black, black. Five deep-black Soul Rings rose from beneath her feet, circled her body, and slowly revolved.
Yan Lingji looked down at her open palm. A wisp of white flame rose from it.
The flame was neither fierce nor scorching. It was like a white lotus in full bloom.
She curled her fingers slightly. The flame swirled between them, and a warm sensation spread from her palm throughout her arm.
"This feels amazing!"
She lifted her head and looked at Zhao Linchuan, who was leaning against a tree not far away. Her voice was bright with excitement.
"Dear, I want to use that God-Bestowed Soul Ring for my next Soul Ring. I'm confident I can absorb a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring as my Sixth Soul Ring."
Zhao Linchuan walked over from beneath the tree, took a golden bead from his Soul Tool, and placed it in her palm.
His tone was calm. "Then use it."
Yan Lingji looked down at the God-Bestowed Soul Ring in her palm, then looked up at him in confusion.
"Dear, you're already level seventy. You're giving it to me, but what about you?"
"I have another one."
Zhao Linchuan took another out of his Soul Tool and waved it before her eyes.
"We're not short on these. I'll get you two more later and make your last two Soul Rings hundred-thousand-year ones too."
"Dear..." Yan Lingji's voice suddenly grew hoarse. "You're just... too good to me."
"Isn't that how it should be between husband and wife?"
Zhao Linchuan took her hand, curling her fingers around the golden bead and enclosing it in her palm.
"Come on, let's head back to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. The environment there will help you fuse with the Soul Ring more smoothly."
"Mm." Yan Lingji answered softly and clasped his hand in return. Together, they walked toward the gorge.
Noon.
Beside the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
Yan Lingji sat cross-legged by the spring, her eyes closed in concentration.
A blood-red Soul Ring slowly took shape around her.
Standing not far away, Bibi Dong stared at the forming blood-red Soul Ring, her mouth slightly agape and her eyes wide as saucers.
Her throat bobbed once, then again...
Something glistened at the corner of her mouth, shining in the sunlight.
"Want one?"
Zhao Linchuan's voice drifted over from beside her, laced with a teasing laugh.
When they'd returned yesterday, he had already found an excuse to explain the God-Bestowed Soul Rings to Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong nodded unconsciously. It took her a few nods to realize what she was doing. She turned and came face-to-face with Zhao Linchuan's half-smiling expression.
"If you agree to one condition," he drawled, "I'll take care of all your remaining Soul Rings and make every one of them hundred-thousand-year."
"Want them?"
"Yes!"
Bibi Dong answered without hesitation.
She quickly wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, her eyes shining so brightly it was alarming. She leaned forward.
"What's the condition? Tell me! Come on!"
"Simple..."
Before you continue