Dark Star Collapse

"Would you two be willing to join Spirit Hall?"

"You're from Spirit Hall, miss?" Qin Muchu sighed inwardly. Of course. After seeing his and Xiao Wu's talent, how could Qian Renxue let them go?

Qian Renxue nodded. "That's right. With your talent, the heights you two could reach by joining Spirit Hall are limitless."

Qin Muchu glanced at Xiao Wu. She looked ready to leave the decision to him. After a pause, he said, "Xiao Wu and I are still young. This is the best time for us to study at an academy, so we're not considering joining any faction yet. Once we graduate, if we decide to join one, Spirit Hall will be the first we consider."

"Once you join Spirit Hall, I can arrange for you to enter Spirit Hall Academy and give you the best educational resources."

"Sorry, miss. We admire Spirit Hall Academy, but we've already joined Shrek Academy. We couldn't simply switch to another. I don't think you'd want to recruit people who would do that, either," Qin Muchu said earnestly.

"Good," Qian Renxue said approvingly. "You're talented and principled. I won't force you. Take these two tokens. If you change your minds, you can go to Spirit City at any time and have someone notify me."

Qin Muchu accepted the tokens. "If the opportunity arises, we'll be sure to visit."

Qian Renxue smiled and said no more. Taking the Puppets' bodies with her, she flew off through the air with the two Titled Douluo.

Only after Qian Renxue and the others had gone did Qin Muchu finally breathe a sigh of relief. Inwardly, he groaned. He hadn't expected to run into her now. This would probably bring no end of trouble.

He looked at Xiao Wu beside him, curiously examining the token in her hand, and the bitterness in his heart eased. So what if trouble came? What mattered was that they were both alive.

In the distance, after the three had flown for a while, Porcupinefish Douluo could no longer hold back. "Young Mistress, those two may be more than they seem. Should we investigate them when we return?"

Qian Renxue thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No. Leave them alone for now. That woman currently holds sway in Spirit Hall. If we investigate, word will inevitably reach her. I'll find a chance to get close to those two and bring them under my command. We can investigate them afterward."

"Yes!"

"Xiao Chu, are you really all right? You lost so much blood." Xiao Wu's voice was full of concern.

"Of course. Who am I? Qin Muchu, the God of Wealth's godson! Who could kill me?" Qin Muchu planted his hands on his hips and tilted his head forty-five degrees toward the sky.

"Oh, stop it. You can never be serious." Xiao Wu gave him a light punch, and he immediately grimaced in pain. "Ow! Trying to murder your future husband? My wounds haven't even healed!"

Xiao Wu hurried to support him and check his wounds. "Ah, I'm sorry, Xiao Chu. I..."

The girl's lips trembled, and she looked about to cry. Qin Muchu quickly stopped teasing her. "Hey, hey, I'm really fine. That angel lady purified all the dark energy in my body. All that's left are flesh wounds. I just need some time to recover."

"Xiao Chu."

"Hmm?"

"You're not allowed to do that again. Hear me?" Xiao Wu looked at him solemnly.

"Do what? Say you're trying to murder your future husband? I won't say it if you don't hit me."

"That's not what I mean! I'm serious. Don't put yourself in danger to save me again."

"No can do. I've already given you my family heirloom, so you're my future wife. What kind of man wouldn't protect his wife?"

"You! You're awful. I'm not talking to you anymore. Listen or don't."

"All right, all right. Let's hurry and get your Soul Ring."

Seeing that Qin Muchu was still thinking about her Soul Ring despite his injuries, Xiao Wu felt both exasperated and touched. In the end, she could only slip one of his arms over her shoulders and help him into the forest.

Qin Muchu grinned. "That's my good Xiao Wu."

Blushing, Xiao Wu turned her head away and ignored him.

Two days later, Qin Muchu and Xiao Wu were resting beneath a tree when the nearby grass suddenly rustled. A little pink rabbit hopped out, its red nose twitching as if sniffing for something.

Qin Muchu's eyes lit up. "A thirty-thousand-year Soft Bone Rabbit! Xiao Wu, its Soul Ring is perfect for you. Quick! Second Soul Skill, Spiritual Storm! Fourth Soul Skill, Great Sword, Blunt Edge!"

The poor Soft Bone Rabbit was weak in a fight to begin with. It had never expected the sneaky fellow before it to attack without warning. Before it could react, its eyes rolled back and it fainted.

Xiao Wu opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, Qin Muchu had already finished the fight. He grabbed the rabbit by its ears and held it out to her.

A flicker of pity crossed Xiao Wu's eyes. She was still trying to think of an excuse to release one of her own kind when Qin Muchu frowned. "Looks like that angel didn't completely purify the dark energy in my body. Absorb the Soul Ring first, Xiao Wu. I'll find somewhere to force the energy out, then come back for you."

Without waiting for Xiao Wu to speak, he placed the Soft Bone Rabbit in her arms and vanished from sight in a few bounds.

"Does he know something?" Xiao Wu stroked the Soft Bone Rabbit's soft fur without thinking. She remembered how Qin Muchu had always found some sudden reason to leave whenever she condensed a Soul Ring. "Of course. He must know. With that uncanny way he seems to know everything, how could he not?"

Panic flashed in Xiao Wu's eyes. Then she thought of all the moments they had shared over the years. The panic gradually faded, replaced by tenderness. "Idiot."

She channeled Soul Power into the Soft Bone Rabbit in her arms and woke it. It nuzzled against her, and she smoothed its fur. "Run along now. Don't let anyone catch you again."

The Soft Bone Rabbit gave an obedient squeak and hopped away into the grass. Xiao Wu smiled softly, sat down cross-legged, and began condensing her Soul Ring.

A day passed. The glow around Xiao Wu faded, and outside her two black and two red Soul Rings, a fifth ring of deep black slowly appeared. She opened her eyes, releasing a wave of Soul Power far stronger than before.

Her eyes curved with delight. She drew back the wave of Soul Power, concealed the colors of her first four Soul Rings, and quietly assessed herself. Level 54. A seventy-thousand-year Soul Ring. I've drawn out all the energy in my bloodline memories. Next time I need a Soul Ring, I'll have to hunt a Soul Beast...

Just then, Qin Muchu came hurrying back from tending to his wounds. "Xiao Wu, how did it go? Did you absorb the Soul Ring?"

Xiao Wu gave him a knowing look. "I did. What about you? Did you drive that energy out?"

"Mm. I'm fine now." Qin Muchu stepped forward and took her hand. "Since you've succeeded, let's get back. We've been gone so long the dean and the others must be worried. Oh, tell me about your fifth Soul Skill."

"My fifth Soul Skill is called Dark Star Collapse. I compress Soul Power into an energy sphere in my hand. I can throw it from a distance to cause a large explosion, or get close enough to drive it into an enemy's body and detonate it there." A pink sphere formed in Xiao Wu's hand.

Qin Muchu studied the energy sphere in her hand. Sure enough, the story has changed completely.