311. Soul Hunting

Bang!

It didn’t take long.

The Cloud-Piercing Leopard, now barely alive, was thrown in front of Zhu Zhuqing.

Qian Renjue’s figure appeared beside the two women.

"Teacher!"

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Qian Renjue with excitement and admiration in her eyes.

Qian Renjue smiled and nodded slightly, taking out a dagger sharp enough to cut through iron like mud from the system space.

"Zhuqing, this is a Cloud-Piercing Leopard over 1,300 years old. It’s perfect for you—go ahead and make your move."

"Thank you, Teacher," Zhu Zhuqing said, bowing and respectfully receiving the dagger.

Looking at the charred Cloud-Piercing Leopard, she bit her lip, took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and plunged the dagger into its head.

Squish!

With her eyes still closed, Zhu Zhuqing felt the Cloud-Piercing Leopard stop twitching. Only then did she anxiously open her eyes.

A purple soul ring floated in midair, swaying up and down.

"Teacher," she looked up at Qian Renjue, her eyes revealing a trace of nervousness.

"Haha, you did well." Qian Renjue smiled, gently ruffling her hair, understanding her fear of not performing well.

"Alright, quickly begin absorbing the soul ring."

"Yes," Zhu Zhuqing nodded with joy.

She immediately sat cross-legged, without hesitation, guiding the purple soul ring above her head.

Qian Renjue was her confidence.

Her teacher would never harm her.

Meow—

Behind Zhu Zhuqing, a purple Nether Spirit Cat leaped and dove into her body. Its cat ears twitched, and its tail swayed.

Wisps of purple mist flowed down from the soul ring, like a waterfall, pouring into Zhu Zhuqing's body.

Soon, a faint purple ring appeared under her.

Qian Renjue turned to look at Lingyuan Douluo and said with a smile, "Sister Ling Yuan, let’s sit down and rest for a while."

"Alright," Ling Yuan nodded slightly, moving closer to Qian Renjue.

Whoosh!

A purple-black triangle appeared at the center of Qian Renjue’s brow, floating into the air and quickly expanding to cover them.

Ling Yuan watched the arc of lightning flashing around the triangle, curious. "Your Highness, were the self-created soul skills you used just now derived from this?"

"Yes, that’s correct," Qian Renjue nodded, sitting down cross-legged.

He explained, "Currently, I’ve mainly mastered wind and thunder attributes, along with a bit of spatial ability to teleport up to three meters."

"I see," Ling Yuan sat down beside him in understanding.

In a gentle voice, she asked, "Would Your Highness like to lie down? It might be more comfortable."

"Alright," Qian Renjue lay down without hesitation, resting his head on Ling Yuan’s soft, well proportioned thighs. Closing his eyes, he kept his ethereal sense locked on Zhu Zhuqing, ensuring nothing unexpected occurred.

Ling Yuan gently stroked his face, murmuring, "Your Highness..."

Qian Renjue lifted his hand, holding Ling Yuan Douluo’s delicate hand and gently massaging it.

With his eyes closed, he instructed, "Ah Yin, go find a two-thousand-year-old Nether Wolf and bring it back."

"Yes, Master," responded Ah Yin as her figure appeared beside him.


---

After about half an hour.

The purple soul ring above Zhu Zhuqing’s head had nearly faded away, replaced by a new ring beneath her.

Meow!

With a feline cry, the ring at her feet suddenly contracted, and the purple Nether Cat emerged from her body along with the soul ring, circling her twice before disappearing.

"Your Highness, Zhuqing has completed the process," Ling Yuan noted.

"Mhm, I’ve been watching. Sister Ling Yuan, make sure it doesn’t burn," Qian Renjue replied warmly.

Hearing his gentle voice, Zhu Zhuqing smiled, her clear eyes opening to see Qian Renjue sitting cross-legged in front of her. Beside him, Ling Yuan was roasting meat over a fire.

"Teacher," she called out softly.

"Since you’ve finished absorbing the ring, come over and fill your belly first. Then you can absorb the second soul ring," Qian Renjue said with a smile, pointing to a Nether Wolf lying immobilized a short distance away.

"Thank you, Teacher," Zhu Zhuqing responded with joy, standing up and running over to him.

"Thank Ah Yin for that—she’s the one who caught it," Qian Renjue said, pulling out some of her favorite dishes as Ah Yin’s vines extended from his sleeve, waving towards Zhu Zhuqing.

"Thank you, Sister Yin," Zhu Zhuqing said with a laugh, bowing to Ah Yin.

The blue-gold vine seemed to nod before retracting.

"Your Highness, Zhuqing, here you go," Ling Yuan handed them the roasted meat.

Zhu Zhuqing accepted it with thanks, eagerly digging in.

"Eat slowly," Qian Renjue reminded her, and she nodded, cheeks puffed out with food. "Mhm."


---

As lunchtime drew to a close, Qian Renjue and Lingyuan had stopped eating, while Zhu Zhuqing was finishing up.

Suddenly, while gnawing on a large bone, she remembered something, her lips dotted with bits of meat. She looked at Qian Renjue, puzzled. "Teacher, now that I’m hunting for soul rings, what should I tell my family?"

"Don’t worry. Your cultivation level can be hidden," he said, wiping the grease from her lips. "In a few months, just tell them you’re going to hunt soul rings, and I’ll take a few people into the Soul Forest for a ‘trip.’ No flaws will be left behind."

"Understood. Thank you, Teacher."

Reassured by her teacher’s words, Zhu Zhuqing felt at ease.

With that, she stood, wiped her mouth, and looked at Qian Renjue.

"Teacher, I’m ready to absorb the second soul ring."

"Mhm, I’ll watch over you."

With a slight hesitation, Zhu Zhuqing walked close to Qian Renjue, looking as if she had something to say.

"What’s wrong?" he asked, just as a familiar sound came to his ear.

Smooch!

To Lingyuan’s surprise, Zhu Zhuqing gave Qian Renjue a small peck on the cheek. Blushing, she turned and ran towards the Nether Wolf, her voice trailing behind her.

"Teacher, don’t worry, I won’t disappoint you!"

"Heh," Qian Renjue chuckled, touching the spot on his cheek where she’d kissed him. Kids have such enthusiastic ways of showing gratitude.

Ling Yuan suddenly remembered that their Holy Son had a fiancée at the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect—just seven years old.

Perhaps it’s not too young in comparison?

Squish!

Zhu Zhuqing’s dagger pierced the Nether Wolf’s head as its mournful cry echoed.

A purple soul ring floated into the air.