447. New Tools

Two days later.

Star Luo Empire, Zhu Family's Back Mountain.

In the middle of a wide clearing in the forest lay the corpse of a freshly killed Ten-Thousand-Year Ghost Tiger.

Its pitch-black body still exuded a chilling aura, even under the sunlight.

Crack!

A sound like shattering porcelain echoed from within its dark form.

To the naked eye, the ghost tiger began to dissolve, transforming into black shards of ice that disintegrated, melted, and vanished without a trace.

In the clearing stood a youthful girl with a cold demeanor.

She had adorable cat ears, flowing black hair like a waterfall, and starry eyes that were tightly shut. Her figure, curvaceous and well-proportioned, was accentuated by her leather outfit.

Her cat tail swayed gently, outlining her flawless legs encased in tight-fitting leather pants. Beneath her feet hovered four soul rings—purple, purple, purple, and black.

"Level 42—not bad."

"Zhuqing, now that you’ve successfully absorbed the spirit ring, let’s test your soul skills."

A calm and commanding voice spoke—it was Qian Renjue.

"Yes, I’ll do as you say, Teacher."

Zhu Zhuqing opened her enchanting eyes, nodded slightly, and smiled faintly. Her gaze fixed intently on Qian Renjue, who was reclining under a tree.

"Your Highness~"

Qian Renjue, lounging on a grand chair, swallowed a grape handed to him by Ling Yuan. Then, with a casual motion, he retrieved a Zhuge Divine Crossbow from his system space.

Sitting upright, he looked at Zhu Zhuqing with a mischievous smile.

"Zhuqing, all you have to do is intercept everything I shoot."

"Understood, Teacher. Please shoot!"

Zhu Zhuqing nodded earnestly, her demeanor serious and focused—she never slacked off when it came to training.

Her bright, shining eyes began to emit a faint purple glow. After consuming the Autumn Water Soul Condensing Pill, refined from the Autumn Water Dew, her Purple Demon Eyes had reached the Seed Stage.

"Very well. Let’s begin!"

As soon as Qian Renjue’s words fell, he raised the Zhuge Divine Crossbow and shot behind him.

Clang!

The mechanism clicked, releasing sixteen black bolts that shot forward like shadows.

Whoosh!

Almost simultaneously, Zhu Zhuqing dashed toward Qian Renjue.

In a flash, she brushed past his grand chair, her silky hair flowing beside him and leaving a faint, pleasant fragrance in the air.

Her long legs created countless afterimages as her hands glowed with a mysterious jade hue. Her first purple soul ring lit up.

Using Nether Spike, she gained a sudden burst of speed, closing in on the bolts to intercept them.

But Qian Renjue didn’t stop there. Calmly and methodically, he reloaded and fired two more bolts in different directions.

Clang!

"Hm?"

Zhu Zhuqing raised an elegant eyebrow. Her second black soul ring flashed as she called out clearly:

"Fourth Soul Skill: Nether Shadow Clone!"

Before her words had fully settled, her body seemed to split into multiple forms.

Six identical figures emerged, dividing into two groups and rushing toward the incoming bolts.

The Nether Shadow Clone created six duplicates, each possessing 50% of the original’s power and capable of using the first three soul skills.

Whoosh!

Zhu Zhuqing’s main body swiftly intercepted the initial sixteen bolts. Meanwhile, her clones darted through the forest, weaving among the trees and intercepting the remaining projectiles.

She smiled, a sense of accomplishment lighting up her eyes. But before she could relax, a sharp whistling sound reached her ears—an unmistakable sign of another oncoming attack.



A Piercing Whistle

Whoosh!

A streak of silver arrow flashed by, narrowly grazing Zhu Zhuqing’s hair as it shot past her ear.

So fast!

Her purple eyes momentarily widened in surprise before she quickly regained her composure and dashed after the arrow.

Bang!

The silver bolt pierced through a thick tree trunk with ease, its momentum unrelenting.

Zhu Zhuqing frowned. This level of power wasn’t something a Zhuge Divine Crossbow could produce—not even an enhanced repeater crossbow could manage this!

She channeled her soul power to the maximum, dodging around the tree and reaching out to grab the arrow’s tail.

A muffled grunt escaped her lips.

"Urgh!"

Clenching her teeth, she gripped the arrow tightly with both hands, holding it horizontally against her waist. Her body spun swiftly to dissipate the force.

Thud!

Her delicate frame collided with a tree, finally stopping her momentum.

Staggering slightly, Zhu Zhuqing steadied herself and examined the arrow in her hands, her eyes brimming with curiosity. Looking up, she focused intently on Qian Renjue.

Sure enough, what he held wasn’t a Zhuge Divine Crossbow but a steel tube-like weapon.

"Your Highness, is this the new weapon you had the team in Gengxin City develop?"

Ling Yuan, who had been observing, stepped closer and curiously touched the steel tube. Her voice carried a tone of amazement.

"Judging from its performance just now, it could even take down a Soul King!"

"Yes, as long as it doesn’t encounter a defense-specialized Soul King," Qian Renjue replied with a nod, casting an annoyed glance at Ling Yuan, who was now fondling the weapon in his hand.

"Pfft—"

Ling Yuan couldn’t hold back her laughter, giving him a flirtatious look. Blushing slightly, she continued to stroke the steel tube, her movements deliberate and gentle.

"Uh, Sister Ling Yuan, please mind your behavior," Qian Renjue muttered, his lips twitching. He gently pried her hands off the weapon and pulled the fabric of his clothing tighter, wary of her playful persistence.

"If Your Highness ever has a need, I’m always ready," Ling Yuan teased, her red lips curling into a sly smile. But as Zhu Zhuqing approached, she quickly shed her coquettish demeanor.


---

"Teacher, Zhuqing has failed to meet your expectations," Zhu Zhuqing said softly, kneeling on one knee before Qian Renjue with her head lowered. She presented the arrow to him with both hands.

"Why do you always assume you’ve disappointed me? I never said that," Qian Renjue chided, a hint of exasperation in his tone.

He bent down, pinching her left cheek with just enough force to make her flinch.

"Ah—Teacher, it hurts!"

Zhu Zhuqing tilted her delicate face upward, her left eye half-closing as she winced.

"If it hurts, remember not to say such things in the future," Qian Renjue said, releasing her cheek and helping her to her feet.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked gently.

"No, I’m fine," Zhu Zhuqing replied, shaking her head slightly as she held her cheek. Her beautiful eyes, filled with affection, remained fixed on him.

"Good," Qian Renjue said, ruffling her hair with a smile.

Ling Yuan observed the scene with a strange expression, a sense of déjà vu washing over her. She touched her own cheek, recalling similar moments when she had enjoyed such playful treatment from Qian Renjue.


---

"Teacher, is this a new hidden weapon?" Zhu Zhuqing asked with a rare touch of warmth on her usually cold face. She leaned closer, wrapping her arms around his, completely unaware of the intimacy of her actions.

"Uh, yes," Qian Renjue replied, feeling slightly awkward. He couldn’t help but marvel at how much his student had grown. Subtly, he tried to withdraw his arm, but Zhu Zhuqing held on tightly, her face tinged with shyness.

"Teacher~ Are you uncomfortable?" she asked, tilting her head adorably.

"Not at all," Qian Renjue replied with a wry smile, regaining his composure as he decided to ignore the situation. In a calm tone, he continued, "Zhuqing, do you remember the Energy-Converging Formation I taught you earlier?"

"Yes, I practice drawing it every day," Zhu Zhuqing answered earnestly, nodding.

"This new hidden weapon uses the Energy-Converging Formation as its core power source. You could consider it a prototype soul tool," Qian Renjue explained with a smile, shaking his arm lightly.

Blushing, Zhu Zhuqing finally understood and let go of his arm, stepping back shyly.