Soul Power Fusion!

She had only ever experienced this kind of Soul Power fusion with one person before.

No, her compatibility with the boy was even higher than it had been with that person!

"How could this be?!" Zhu Zhuqing's thoughts churned as she tried to sever the connection between their Soul Powers, but a pulling force came from within the boy's body.

The Soul Power in her body immediately slipped out of her control and flowed entirely into him.

As her Soul Power was gradually drained dry, Zhu Zhuqing collapsed weakly against the boy's chest.

"Is this how it ends for me? Maybe dying at his hands wouldn't be so bad... Hm?" Zhu Zhuqing thought despairingly. Just as she was about to fall completely into darkness, a familiar Soul Power unexpectedly flowed back from the boy's body into her own.

A mixed scent of blood and dragon saliva incense filled her nose, while the steady, powerful heartbeat in her ears gave her an inexplicable sense of security.

Zhu Zhuqing groggily opened her eyes and found herself facing a bare chest covered in blood-red tattoos.

Her final memories came rushing back.

Her cheeks flushing red, Zhu Zhuqing immediately sat up and gently pushed the boy's shoulder twice. There was no response. She pushed him again, but he still did not react.

Zhu Zhuqing immediately panicked. She bent down again and listened carefully to the boy's chest over and over.

"No, I have to find a healing-type Soul Master as soon as possible," Zhu Zhuqing said anxiously.

She swept her gaze across the surroundings. The sun had already risen, and Ling Feng and Shi Yue's corpses still lay nearby. The aura from the earlier battle between powerful opponents had scared off the surrounding animals, but there was no telling when they might return.

Zhu Zhuqing immediately ran to the two corpses. Suppressing her physical nausea, she pulled the silver-bright dagger from Ling Feng's neck.

Only then did she return. Using all her strength, she hoisted the boy onto her back and temporarily left this dangerous area.

The boy's weight made her legs buckle. After struggling to determine the direction, Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth and began walking.

After walking for most of the day, her physical strength and Soul Power were completely exhausted. Only then did Zhu Zhuqing set him down against a tree, take out her water flask, and drink deeply herself before carefully aiming the spout at the boy's mouth, intending to give him some as well.

But after several attempts, she could not get even a drop into him.

Gently wiping away the water trickling from the corner of the boy's mouth, Zhu Zhuqing looked at the still-unconscious boy. Her gaze passed over his somewhat slender frame and silver hair, and she seemed to make up her mind.

"This won't do. I have to recover faster!"

She had never wanted to passively accept her fate, nor was she willing to. Otherwise, she would not have risked death to flee the imperial capital.

Her trembling fingers reached toward the boy's eyelids.

But in an instant, Zhu Zhuqing jerked her hand back as though electrocuted.

The boy's originally ordinary blue eyes were gone. In their place was a pair of Evil Eyes she knew all too well, unique to the Star Luo Imperial House. They were the same deep blue as that person's, with only one difference: the color of the pupils.

That person's double pupils were black, inherited through the Dai family line.

The boy's double pupils, however, were a more gorgeous rose gold and violet gold. Around the edges of both pupils was a ring of strange white patterns, making them all the more mysterious.

"You're also... a member of the Dai family."

"Maybe I'll regret it someday, but right now, I don't want you to die."

With that thought, Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath, shifted slightly, and leaned back against the tree as well.

She knew exactly what she was doing. Once she became accustomed to the aura of this boy, whose compatibility with her was higher, she would no longer be able to fuse with Dai Mubai in the future...

She stretched out her arms and wrapped them around the boy, resting his head against her shoulder as she no longer restrained her own Soul Power.

Their auras gradually drew closer, and their Soul Powers gradually fused. Feeling the circulation speed of her Soul Power double, Zhu Zhuqing silently held him a little tighter.

Once she felt her Soul Power had fully recovered, Zhu Zhuqing carried him on her back again. Although night was approaching and it was not suitable for traveling, she could not wait any longer.

She did not dare gamble on how much longer the boy could hold on—whether he would miraculously wake up the next second or stop breathing without warning.

The boy's steady breath brushed against her neck, bringing a faint tickle. Zhu Zhuqing could not help tilting her head slightly, and then she heard his nearly inaudible murmur.

"Qiu... Xue... I'm... sor...ry..."

The voice was quiet, yet it struck Zhu Zhuqing's heart like a heavy hammer.

Zhu Zhuqing bit her lip. Her steps paused for only a brief moment before she continued forward.

"Qiu Xue" seemed to be a girl's name. Was she the owner of this necklace?

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze unconsciously lowered. The sapphire-blue butterfly lay quietly against her chest.

"She must be someone very important," Zhu Zhuqing suddenly felt a pang of bitterness in her chest.

Huo Yuhao felt that he had slept for a long time. Countless people had appeared and disappeared in his dreams.

A faint medicinal fragrance lingered in his nose, while his mouth tasted bitter. Had his master researched some new medicinal cuisine and made him taste-test it again?

"!!!"

The instant that thought crossed his mind, Huo Yuhao snapped awake.

He grabbed the hand that was about to feed him medicine, then countered in a single motion.

"Crack..." It was the sound of a porcelain bowl shattering.

His final memories before losing consciousness returned. Huo Yuhao immediately released his grip and saw that he was sitting within a curtained bed.

Zhu Zhuqing had been feeding him medicine just now.

"Sorry, did I hurt you?" Huo Yuhao asked apologetically.

Zhu Zhuqing rubbed her wrist and shook her head.

"How do you feel? The healing-type Soul Master here only has two rings, so she could only barely suppress the poison in your body for now."

"I heard that there's a seven-ringed Food-type Soul Sage at a nearby academy. His soul skills have some healing effects. I was planning to take you there after feeding you the medicine. Now that you're awake, that's perfect..." Zhu Zhuqing's eyes were filled with surprise and concern, but Huo Yuhao interrupted her before she could finish.

"This is Suotuo City?" Huo Yuhao looked around and guessed. Judging from the crude map and Zhu Zhuqing's route over the past few days, this should be the place.

"Yes. Listen to me, the academy here isn't ordinary. They'll definitely have a way to cure your poison."

"No need to trouble yourself. I know how to cure my poison; I just need some time. Since you've safely arrived in Suotuo City, it's time for me to go where I need to go."

Huo Yuhao stood up and stretched his limbs.

He had been poisoned by two things. One was the poison in Bloody Mary, which he could cure simply by preparing some antidote pills. The other was Er Bai's corpse poison, which was nothing much to him either. With the Golden Dragon Bloodline suppressing it, these were all minor matters.

The most critical issue was still the injury to his divine soul.

Not to mention a seven-ringed Soul Sage—even a Titled Douluo would have limited effect on him if their soul skills could not repair the soul.

The reason he had been unconscious for so long this time was entirely because he had forcibly controlled two Soul Kings, causing a backlash against his divine soul.

But with Qiu'er's skull bone, he was not worried about such a minor injury.