Goodbye! We'll Definitely Meet Again!

Ten years, a hundred years...

The soul ring's age kept climbing, its color gradually shifting from white to yellow and deepening still further.

His right hand felt as though lava had flooded into it. An utterly domineering surge of energy poured in wildly, invading Qin Chao's meridians and flesh.

"No matter how the soul ring's power batters your body, remember that you must remain clearheaded. Only then will you be able to make better use of its power in the future..."

That was what Grandmaster had said in the novel, and Qin Chao did exactly that.

The soul power within him circulated wildly, sweeping through his entire body like a ferocious tide. His body felt as though it were melting, and the pain radiating from the inside out made Qin Chao let out an involuntary groan.

Before transmigrating, he had been nothing more than an ordinary man working nine to five. Now, however, he had to learn to become a true soul master.

Pain was an unavoidable part of growth. Having a system had already given Qin Chao far too many advantages, but there were some things he would ultimately have to learn to endure...

A crisp shattering sound seemed to ring out within his body. The bottleneck at level twenty finally broke, and the surging soul power within him spilled outward, nourishing his meridians and flesh. By then, his soul ring had already turned a pale purple...

A Thousand-Year Soul Ring!

Qin Chao had finally surpassed his limits, once again shattering Grandmaster's theory on soul ring ages...

The relief after pain was always especially enjoyable. A soothing sense of comfort spread throughout Qin Chao's body, and the pleasure of being brimming with strength was truly intoxicating.

"Your soul ring's age..." Xiao Wu's shocked voice pulled Qin Chao back to reality. "How could this happen?!"

As a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, Xiao Wu naturally had an exceptionally deep understanding of soul rings and soul bones. Yet no matter how she thought about it, she could not understand why Qin Chao could absorb a soul ring beyond the age limit. To her, that was utterly impossible.

"Maybe I'm just extraordinarily gifted!" Qin Chao said with a deliberately casual smile. "Or perhaps I've earned the favor of soul beasts..."

Qin Chao had merely been making something up offhand, but to his surprise, Xiao Wu took it seriously.

"That's right! There's no soul beast resentment in your soul ring. Maybe it really is a blessing from soul beasts!" Xiao Wu looked Qin Chao up and down. "Little bro, you're amazing! You can actually obtain soul rings out of thin air..."

The fluctuations of soul power around Qin Chao had already awakened Xiao Wu when he obtained his soul ring. Watching him summon a soul ring out of thin air had dispelled the last of her doubts, replacing them with intense curiosity.

She was curious about how Qin Chao, an ordinary human, could obtain soul rings out of thin air; she was curious about how Qin Chao, a mere child, could possess composure and maturity far beyond the norm; and she was even more curious about the naked eagerness in his eyes when he looked at her...

Perhaps she did not understand human emotions all that well, but her keen sixth sense as a soul beast told her that Qin Chao was a good person, and that his goodwill toward her was sincere.

Still inexperienced in the ways of the world, she had yet to realize that feelings between people were often built upon curiosity...

"Sister Xiao Wu, I have to go. My teacher will worry if he can't find me..."

Qin Chao had reaped a rich harvest from this trip. Though he felt reluctant to part with Xiao Wu, the time to leave had finally come.

"All right..."

Xiao Wu looked a little forlorn. Qin Chao was her first human little brother, and he was leaving before she had even had a chance to warm him in her hands. Naturally, she could hardly hide her disappointment.

This was the Star Dou Great Forest. For soul beasts, it might have been paradise, but for humans, it was certainly no haven of peace...

"Don't worry, Sister Xiao Wu. We'll definitely meet again!" Qin Chao looked at Xiao Wu earnestly and made his solemn promise.

"Pfft, what would a little brat like you know..." Xiao Wu clearly did not take Qin Chao's promise to heart.

She did indeed plan to enter human society, but her destination was Nuoding City, far from here. The world was so vast, with so many people in it. How could they possibly keep meeting by coincidence?

"I believe there's fate between us!" Qin Chao flashed a brilliant smile. "The Star Dou Great Forest is so huge, yet we still met. If that isn't fate, what is?"

"And even if there really is no fate between us, that's all right too..."

"Why?" As though compelled by some unseen force, Xiao Wu asked.

"Because I'll work hard to become outstanding and stand somewhere high, so very high that you'll be able to spot me at a glance!" Qin Chao's eyes shone, as though stars were twinkling within them.

"At a glance...?" Xiao Wu repeated softly.

"Oh, right, Sister Xiao Wu. This is for you!" Qin Chao took the Lovesick Heartbreak Red from inside his clothes.

Just as in the novel, it was an ordinary-looking white flower, palm-sized and shaped like a peony, with a large stone attached beneath its stem.

"Sister Xiao Wu, this is the immortal herb Lovesick Heartbreak Red. It'll be a great help to you in the future. Although you can't pluck it yet, sooner or later, you'll definitely have a use for it..."

"Lovesick Heartbreak Red?" Xiao Wu accepted the immortal herb and examined it curiously. "That name sounds a little strange..."

A sly smile curled Qin Yi's lips. "There's a story behind its name too. The next time we meet, I'll definitely tell you. Let's make that a promise between us!"

Xiao Wu's eyes darted about, as though she had remembered something. "I can't just take your things for nothing. Wait a moment. I'll be right back!"

Watching Xiao Wu bound away, Qin Chao sighed inwardly.

Xiao Wu's mother had died because of Spirit Hall, while he was now a member of Spirit Hall himself. No matter what happened in the future, this would remain the greatest barrier standing between them.

He had also harbored a little ulterior motive in giving Xiao Wu the Lovesick Heartbreak Red. He sincerely hoped that one day, Xiao Wu would be able to pluck this immortal herb through her feelings for him. He was a man who intended to build a harem in Douluo, after all. How could he let a peerless beauty like Xiao Wu slip away?

An ape's roar suddenly rang out from the other side of the Lake of Life, frightening the nearby soul beasts into scattering.

Qin Chao was still puzzling over it when Xiao Wu returned.

She held out her hand, a tuft of black fur resting quietly in her palm. "Here, this is for you. Once they smell it, ordinary soul beasts definitely won't dare hurt you!"

Qin Chao took it and discovered that the black fur had been combed exceptionally neatly. To make it easy to carry, it had even been tied with a pretty bow made from a long, slender blade of grass.

Carefully tucking it inside his clothes, Qin Chao gave Xiao Wu a grateful smile. "Thank you, Sister Xiao Wu. It's getting late, so I'm off!"

Xiao Wu waved, making a show of being carefree. "Go on, go on. Don't get lost again!"

Watching Qin Chao's departing figure, Xiao Wu looked distinctly downcast.

Ripples spread across the Lake of Life, and an enormous bull's head slowly emerged. "Sister Xiao Wu, this human seems a little different..."

"He does. It's a shame, though. Who knows whether we'll ever meet again..."

"Sister Xiao Wu! Sister Xiao Wu!" Qin Chao's calls drew closer from afar, and Da Ming, the Sky Azure Bull Python, hurriedly hid beneath the lake again in a panic.

The ripples on the lake had yet to settle, but Qin Chao paid them no attention.

He held out his hand, several golden soul coins resting in his palm.

"Sister Xiao Wu, these are Gold Soul Coins. You might have a use for them!" After pressing the coins into Xiao Wu's hand, Qin Chao turned and ran back the way he had come.

"Goodbye, Sister Xiao Wu! Make sure you remember that boys and girls are different. Don't share a blanket with any other little boys!" Even as he left, Qin Chao did not forget to dig a pit for Tang San.

Feeling the lingering warmth on the soul coins in her hand, Xiao Wu's lips curved into a smile.

"Goodbye, Qin Chao. I believe we'll definitely meet again..."

(Er Ming: As long as you're happy. Never mind whether I live or die...)