Bibi Dong: You're lying to ghosts!

"He's out!" Bibi Dong exclaimed excitedly, but the moment her gaze fell upon that figure, she let out a startled "ah," covered her eyes, and turned away, the tips of her ears turning red enough to drip blood.

"Oh no! This Saint is going to get a stye!" she muttered, her voice filled with both shame and annoyance.

Yan Lingji chuckled softly, unhurriedly retrieved a robe from her soul tool, and walked forward.

"Put this on quickly," she said, handing over the robe with a playful tone. "Otherwise, someone might not be able to sleep tonight."

Zhao Linchuan took the robe and draped it over his shoulders, his damp hair clinging to his forehead as water droplets trickled down the tips.

He raised a hand to wipe the water from his face and was just about to say something when a figure darted over like a dragonfly skimming the water, planting a light peck on his cheek.

The touch was warm and soft, vanishing as quickly as it had arrived.

"Thank you."

Bibi Dong's voice was light and hurried. Once she finished, she didn't dare linger for a second, turning and running away.

"I'm going to prepare dinner for you two!"

Yan Lingji watched the retreating figure fleeing in a panic, the smile at the corners of her lips deepening.

"Poor Dong'er," she tilted her head to look at Zhao Linchuan, her eyes shimmering with a hint of mischief. "She's fallen right into the clutches of a villain."

"Who are you calling a villain?" Zhao Linchuan reached out, gently lifting Yan Lingji's chin, his thumb rubbing against her delicate skin.

"The villain has already started thinking of wicked things!" She reached out to push his hand away. "Be patient, not out here."

She turned her head, casting a glance toward the direction where Bibi Dong had disappeared.

"Once we return... I'll let you do as you please. This time, I'll follow whatever you want."

After the meal, the afterglow of the sunset had completely sunk behind the mountain ridge, leaving only a faint, dark red hue on the horizon, like rouge smeared in water.

Bibi Dong and Yan Lingji were squatting by the stream, cleaning up the leftovers.

Zhao Linchuan leaned against a flat boulder by the stream, eyes closed, sinking his consciousness into his sea of knowledge.

[You have seized the greatest opportunity on the Shrek Seven Devils' path to godhood.]

[Rewards obtained: Immortal Herb Gift Pack *1, God-given Soul Ring *3, Character Summoning Card—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 had anticipated.

He opened his eyes and called out, "Wife."

"What is it?"

"Come for a walk with me to help digest the food."

"Oh, coming."

Yan Lingji handed the bowl she was washing to Bibi Dong, wiped the water from her fingers onto her skirt, stood up, and walked over, naturally linking her arm with Zhao Linchuan's.

The two walked side by side toward the exit of the canyon, their figures gradually swallowed by the twilight.

Bibi Dong squatted by the stream, clutching the bowl she hadn't managed to put away yet, watching those two figures drift further and further away, her mouth twitching.

"Hey—! Am I in your way or something?"

She muttered, her voice rising involuntarily.

"If you want to be lovey-dovey, just say so! It's not like I wouldn't give you space!"

"Going for a walk in the poisonous miasma outside..." she whispered, her voice growing lower and lower, the tail end of her words swallowed into her throat. "Who are you trying to fool..."

Not knowing what she had thought of, her face flushed bright red.

"Hmph—!"

Her voice was muffled, carrying a hint of petulance.

"Be lovey-dovey all you want, I'll be sleeping! Let's see who's exhausted tomorrow morning!"

With that, she stood up, rinsed the bowl she had stared at a hundred times in a rush, shoved it into her storage soul tool without even drying it, and headed toward the camp without looking back.

As she lifted the tent flap, she looked back one last time.

The entrance to the canyon was empty, the twilight closing in, and those two figures had long since vanished.

She bit her lip and ducked inside.

Late at night.

Deep within the Sunset Forest, in a clearing far from the canyon.

Cold moonlight spilled down as Yan Lingji sat cross-legged in the center of the clearing, eyes closed in concentration.

A moment later, she slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and opened her tightly shut eyes.

Black, black, black, black, black—five profound black soul rings rose from beneath her feet, circling her body and rotating slowly.

Yan Lingji looked down at her open palm, where a wisp of white flame began to rise.

The flame was neither fierce nor dry, resembling a blooming white lotus.

She clenched her fist slightly, the flames flowing between her fingers, a warm sensation spreading from her palm to her entire arm.

"This feels wonderful!"

She looked up at Zhao Linchuan, who was leaning against a tree not far away, and said with a cheerful tone:

"Husband, I want to use that God-given Soul Ring for my next one. I am confident that I can absorb a hundred-thousand-year soul ring as my sixth."

Zhao Linchuan walked over from beneath the tree, took a golden bead from his soul tool, and placed it in her palm.

He said in a flat tone, "Then use it."

Yan Lingji looked down at the God-given Soul Ring in her palm, then looked back up at him, puzzled:

"Husband, you have also reached level seventy. If you give it to me, what will you do?"

"I have another one."

Zhao Linchuan took another one out of his soul tool and waved it before her eyes.

"We aren't short on these things. Once we head back, I'll get you two more so your final two soul rings can also be hundred-thousand-year ones."

"Husband." Yan Lingji's voice suddenly turned a bit hoarse. "You are... truly too good to me."

"Isn't that how it is between husband and wife?"

Zhao Linchuan held her hand, folded her fingers, and enclosed the golden bead within her palm.

"Let's go, we're returning to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. With the environment there, you can fuse with the soul ring more smoothly."

"Mm." Yan Lingji responded softly, gripped his hand in return, and the two walked side by side toward the canyon.

Noon.

Beside the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

Yan Lingji sat cross-legged by the spring, closing her eyes to focus.

A blood-red soul ring slowly solidified around her body.

Bibi Dong stood not far away, her mouth slightly agape, her eyes wide and round, staring unblinkingly at the blood-red soul ring taking shape.

Her throat bobbed once, then bobbed again...

Something shiny glistened at the corner of her mouth, reflecting the sunlight.

"Want it?"

Zhao Linchuan's voice drifted over from the side, carrying a hint of playful amusement.

When they returned yesterday, he had already found an excuse to explain the matter of the God-given Soul Rings to Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong nodded subconsciously, nodding a few times before she realized what she was doing. She turned her head, coming face-to-face with Zhao Linchuan's half-smiling expression.

"As long as you agree to one condition," his voice drawled slowly, "I'll take care of all your remaining soul rings and get you nothing but hundred-thousand-year ones."

"Do you want them?"

"I do!"

Bibi Dong answered crisply and cleanly, without a moment's hesitation.

She quickly wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, her eyes shining with an alarming intensity as she leaned forward.

"What condition? Tell me! Tell me quickly!"

"It's simple..."