504. Wholehear Effort

Faced with Qian Renjue's question, Ling Yuan chuckled softly, shaking her head as she gently replied:
"Your Highness didn’t corrupt Zhuqing. She just happened to meet you at a time when her heart was beginning to stir."

"These feelings are something Zhuqing herself can’t control."
"What could Your Highness do in such a situation?"

Qian Renjue rubbed his temples, sighed deeply, and said,
"Even so, as her teacher, isn’t this still my failure?"

"Only Your Highness would think of it as a failure," Ling Yuan whispered soothingly.


---

Time flew by.

By the time Qian Renjue and Ling Yuan settled into the room prepared by the business alliance, Tang San and the others had already gathered in the inn’s dining hall for a meal.

There wasn’t much interaction between the men and women. Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu spent the morning shopping in the town’s bustling market, took a rest in the afternoon, and wandered the streets again in the evening.

Unbeknownst to them, Ling Yuan was on the verge of draining her fiancé's life force.


---

The elegant room was decorated in a classical style, exuding a rich, timeless charm.

Qian Renjue sat on the sofa, his hand gently stroking Ling Yuan’s hair, watching her intently. This seemed to be the first time he had faced her with such calm, openly gazing into the abyss of her devotion.

At that moment, Ling Yuan knelt devoutly on the ground, her delicate eyes filled with a mix of tenderness and reverence. Bowing low, she emitted a strange, warm aura full of vitality.

The icy-hot tension from before had dissipated, replaced by a sense of comfort. Despite this rare opportunity, Ling Yuan approached her task with utmost seriousness, wholly devoted to her efforts.

Her actions seemed to cleanse Qian Renjue's very soul.

As moonlight filtered softly through the window, blending with faint noise from the streets outside, Qian Renjue leaned his head back, his body tingling slightly.

Through Ling Yuan’s prayers and dedication, his soul power surged, heating up and coursing through his body in a steady flow.

Ling Yuan raised her dazzling eyes, which sparkled with vitality. Her complexion was rosy and radiant, glowing with the life force she had absorbed.

For Qian Renjue, she was willing to give her all, to surrender completely in the name of love. Her deepest wish was for Qian Renjue to spare her a little more of his warmth.

After half an hour, the outside noise faded.

As night deepened, Qian Renjue finally granted Ling Yuan the passion she had long desired. He fulfilled her hopes and poured his energy into her.

Exhaling a long breath, Qian Renjue leaned back in exhaustion. Ling Yuan, her face flushed with joy, bowed deeply once more as a conclusion to her work, carefully gathering the fruit of her efforts.

When she looked up again, her gentle and shy gaze met his. Her lips curved into a sincere smile.


---

Morning arrived.

The inn where Ning Rongrong and the others stayed echoed with Zhao Wuji’s hearty voice. After finishing breakfast, the group set off to return to Soto City.

Meanwhile, Qian Renjue and Ling Yuan still lay entwined on the bed.

Initially, Qian Renjue had planned to set off for Heaven Dou City that evening, using his refreshed spirit bone ability. However, the deep bond between them delayed his departure, forcing him to rest a little longer.

Qian Renjue held Ling Yuan tightly, breathing in her delicate fragrance as he slept soundly.

Ling Yuan nestled against him, gazing at his handsome face, a smile of pure contentment gracing her lips.

Reaching out with her slender fingers, she wiped away the crystalline droplet at the corner of his lips. Leaning closer, she lowered her head to his neck and bit down gently, her warm breath brushing against his skin.



Qian Renjue frowned slightly, tightening his embrace and gently kneading the soft curves before him.

“Mmnh~”

Noticing his actions, Ling Yuan’s face flushed with embarrassment. She lightly covered Qian Renjue's hand resting on her chest, her delicate lips slightly parted, breathing softly.

“Your Highness?”

“All right, it’s time to get up. Get ready—we’re heading straight to Heaven Dou City.”

Qian Renjue lazily flipped over to lie flat on his back, narrowing his eyes as he gestured for Ling Yuan to use the bathroom first.

“Yes~”

Ling Yuan replied softly, her slightly hoarse voice carrying a hint of warmth. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Qian Renjue's neck, and offered a lingering kiss, letting her lips leave a glossy sheen on his.

As she rose, Ling Yuan looked down at him, her gaze filled with a mix of longing and reverence.

Qian Renjue sighed, covering his face with one hand before opening his eyes and watching her retreating figure. His lips twitched in helplessness.

He knew exactly where Ling Yuan's frustration came from.

To some extent, her love for him was far greater than his for her. Ling Yuan could embrace every part of him without hesitation, but he couldn’t bring himself to reciprocate fully.

“I’m not heartless,” he thought to himself, “even a tiger won’t harm its own cubs. How could I?”


---

Later, after Ling Yuan had finished preparing, she knelt down briefly, her emotions stirring as she attempted to kiss him again.

This time, Qian Renjue pushed her back with a firm palm, causing her to topple over onto the floor.

As he activated a soul ring on his left hand, a playful voice echoed in his ears from one of his companions, informing him that they were heading back to the academy.

“Your Highness, I’m ready. Please get up as well,” Ling Yuan called out in her husky voice, standing by the bed as she began to assist him in dressing.

“Fine.” Qian Renjue rose quickly, his mind shifting to other matters.

By now, Yu Xiaogang had likely already reached Shrek Academy. However, Qian Renjue wasn’t particularly concerned—Yu Xiaogang posed no threat to him. Even if given time to grow, the man was too weak to make a difference. With a flick of his fingers, Qian Renjue could easily deal with him.

What occupied his thoughts more was how to get Shrek Academy to head for Heaven Dou City. After all, with people like Dugu Yan growing so strong, the Soul Arena would no longer serve as a fitting battlefield. He needed to ensure Shrek wouldn’t encounter unnecessary opposition.

As Ling Yuan draped his cloak over his shoulders, she asked softly, “Your Highness, are we going directly to see Miss Rongrong?”

“We’ll head to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan first,” Qian Renzhe replied.

“After all, they’ve gone deep into the Star Dou Forest, and even the clan’s spies can’t keep up. We need to prevent Ning Rongrong’s family from worrying unnecessarily.”

As he spoke, Qian Renjue already had a plan in mind. Moving Shrek Academy to Heaven Dou City would be as easy as saying the word.


---

The setting sun slowly faded as the group finally reached Shrek Academy.

Outside the gates, Zhao Wuji led Dai Mubai and the others back.

“Finally back!”

“Ah, there’s nothing like the feeling of home!”

Oscar, holding a sausage in hand, exclaimed dramatically. Despite the day’s travel, he still had to produce recovery sausages for Tang San, who was gravely injured and being supported by Dai Mubai.

“Keep it down. Can’t you see it’s getting dark already?” Zhao Wuji glared at him before waving everyone off.

“All right, head back to your dorms and rest. I’ll report our journey to the headmaster.”

After traveling all day, everyone was exhausted and dispersed to their respective rooms. Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu walked together in a small group.

Still feeling shy about reaching out to Qian Renzhe after receiving his generous gift, Zhu Zhuqing hesitated before turning to Xiao Wu.

“Xiao Wu, have you managed to contact our teacher?”

“Yes, I have,” Xiao Wu replied with a smile, nodding repeatedly. Her expression soon turned sour, though.

Ning Rongrong noticed and frowned. “Xiao Wu, why the long face? Did something happen to my family?”