Taking the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, Soul Power Breaks Through Level 30!

"Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone."

Lin Ye placed the Immortal Herb on the table beside the bed.

"One of the Immortal Herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. It can nourish tendons and strengthen bones, reinforce the meridians, and improve the body's speed and flexibility."

Zhu Zhuqing blinked, looking at the herb before looking back at Lin Ye.

"This is for me?"

"Who else would I give it to? That bald guy?"

Lin Ye rolled his eyes.

"Your Martial Soul is the Netherworld Spirit Cat, focused on speed and agility. This herb is perfectly suited to your attributes."

"After taking it, the strength of your muscles and bones will undergo a qualitative leap, and your speed will rise to another level."

"Besides, you've only just recovered from your internal injuries. This can repair those as well."

In truth, Lin Ye had not initially planned to give her an Immortal Herb, but Zhu Zhuqing's performance in tonight's battle had completely moved him.

At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing stared at the herb radiating a clear glow, a trace of complicated emotion flashing through her eyes.

Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?

What was that?

Still, this Immortal Herb looked rather precious.

And Lin Ye had just handed it to her so casually?

"Hurry up and eat it. Stop spacing out."

Lin Ye urged.

"...All right."

Zhu Zhuqing did not hesitate any longer.

She took the herb and placed it in her mouth.

The instant it entered her mouth, a cool force surged from the tip of her tongue straight down her throat, then swiftly spread through her meridians.

That force was somewhat intense, as though she were being washed over by spring water.

Whenever it passed through a meridian, that meridian grew faintly warm before becoming more flexible and resilient.

Her bones felt slightly sore and swollen.

Her muscles were being stretched anew.

The lingering internal injuries Iron Mountain had inflicted on her were also being repaired bit by bit by the medicinal power.

Zhu Zhuqing closed her eyes, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began refining the herb's effects with all her strength.

Lin Ye watched as she entered her cultivation state. Only after confirming there was nothing wrong did he walk over and sit on the sofa by the window.

Leaning against the armrest, he crossed his legs on the coffee table and closed his eyes.

He had expended quite a bit today.

Time to rest.

In any case, refining an Immortal Herb would take her some time.

Lin Ye's breathing gradually steadied.

Who knew how much time passed.

"Buzz—!"

A powerful aura suddenly erupted from the center of the room!

"Holy shit, what's going on?"

Lin Ye's eyes flew open.

On the bed, visible white radiance surged around Zhu Zhuqing.

The radiance continuously spread from her body, carrying an aura more than twice as powerful as before.

A moment later.

Zhu Zhuqing suddenly opened her eyes and lowered her head to look at her hands.

The feeling of Soul Power coursing through her meridians was completely different from before.

It was fuller and denser, and every meridian through which a thread of Soul Power flowed was several times tougher.

Her body's flexibility and explosive power were even more incomparable to before.

What shocked her most was that her Soul Power had directly broken through to Level 30!

"My Soul Power actually broke through."

Even Zhu Zhuqing herself was startled.

She had jumped straight from Level 28 to Level 30, crossing two levels at once. Moreover, the Soul Power reserves within her were absurdly abundant.

Such a foundation was something an ordinary breakthrough could never achieve. If she absorbed her Third Spirit Ring, her Soul Power would definitely rise by another large margin.

"This Immortal Herb... its effects are actually this terrifying?"

"Oh? You're awake?"

Zhu Zhuqing turned her head and saw Lin Ye rising from the sofa.

His hair was a little messy, and there was a red mark on his right cheek where the sofa armrest had pressed against it.

It seemed this big bad guy had fallen asleep leaning against the sofa just now.

Zhu Zhuqing stared at the red mark on his face, froze for a moment, and then an inappropriate thought surfaced.

This guy doesn't seem quite so annoying when he's asleep.

"You broke through?"

Lin Ye rubbed his eyes and asked.

"Mm, I just reached Level 30."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded, then added.

"And my Soul Power is very full—much more substantial than it would be after a normal breakthrough to Level 30."

"Then that's right." Lin Ye stretched his neck.

"Besides strengthening your muscles and bones, the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone also raises your Soul Power. It's normal for your Soul Power to be higher than that of Soul Masters at the same level right now."

Zhu Zhuqing lowered her eyes and fell silent for two seconds.

She wanted to say thank you.

But those words rolled around in her mouth several times, and she still could not say them.

It was not that she did not want to.

It was that the words "thank you" no longer felt sufficient.

From the Star Dou Great Forest until now, this big bad guy had given her too much.

He had saved her life, blocked attacks for her, and even casually shoved an absurdly precious Immortal Herb into her hands to eat.

She was a fugitive hunted by her own family.

What could she possibly use to repay him?

"All right, since you've already broken through to Level 30."

Lin Ye's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Tomorrow, we'll hunt a Soul Beast and obtain your Third Spirit Ring."

"Level 30 is a hurdle. Without a Third Spirit Ring, you'll be stuck there. While the herb's effects are still present, the sooner you absorb one, the better."

"Mm." Zhu Zhuqing answered.

"Get to sleep early. We're leaving before dawn tomorrow!"

With that, Lin Ye stretched lazily and turned toward the door.

"Lin Ye."

Zhu Zhuqing's voice suddenly came from behind him.

Lin Ye turned around, about to ask what it was.

But before the words could leave his mouth.

A soft, warm body suddenly crashed into his arms.

"Damn, Big Cat, what are you—"

Zhu Zhuqing was hugging him tightly.

Her arms were wrapped around his waist, and her face was buried in his chest.

She held him with unreasonable force.

Lin Ye was instantly dumbfounded.

What was wrong with this Big Cat?

She had been perfectly fine just now, hadn't she?

And besides.

That softness when she crashed into me... seems a little more substantial than the last time in the Star Dou Great Forest?

Pah, pah, pah. This isn't the time to be thinking about that.

"Lin Ye, thank you."

Zhu Zhuqing's voice was muffled, carrying a faint sob.

Honestly.

She did not know why she had done this either.

A second ago, she had been sitting perfectly well on the bed, thinking about what she could use to repay him.

Then, when she saw Lin Ye's back as he turned to leave.

For some reason, that figure overlapped with the figure that had stood before her in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Then her body moved faster than her mind.

By the time she came to her senses, she was already in Lin Ye's arms.

And since she had already hugged him, letting go now would be even more embarrassing.

So she might as well not let go.

At that moment, Lin Ye looked down at the head pressed against his chest.

Long black hair spilled down, revealing a small stretch of her fair neck.

He was silent for two seconds.

Then he raised a hand, placed it atop Zhu Zhuqing's head, and gently rubbed it.

"All right, stop crying."

"You've even gotten snot all over my clothes."

"Hmph, I didn't. I wasn't crying snot at all!"

Zhu Zhuqing refuted him in a muffled voice against his chest, but she neither raised her head nor let go.

Lin Ye said nothing more. His palm slid from the top of her head to the ends of her hair, slowly smoothing it down.

The room was utterly quiet.

Moonlight streamed in through the gauze curtains outside the window, stretching their shadows long.

A full minute passed.

Only then did Zhu Zhuqing's arms slowly loosen.

She took a step back and swiftly turned around.

The tips of her ears were already bright red.

"All right."

Lin Ye's voice came from behind her as he said with suppressed laughter.

"We're leaving before dawn tomorrow, so get some rest. Your Third Spirit Ring won't wait for you."

Zhu Zhuqing heard his footsteps begin moving toward the door.

"Oh, right."

At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing's ears suddenly perked up.

"Next time you want a hug, just say so. No need to launch a sneak attack."

"Got it? Big! Cat!"