After Dugu Yan left, Ning Rongrong entered Gu Xuan's carriage. Seeing Gu Xuan sitting upright and serious, Ning Rongrong went straight over and threw her arms around him.
At this moment, Gu Xuan had just finished wiping Dugu Yan's lipstick from his lips; the faint scent of roses still lingered, leaving him with a lingering aftertaste.
"Brother Gu Xuan, what was Big Sister doing in here? Why did she stay for a full three hours?" Ning Rongrong knit her beautiful brows, her tone carrying a hint of interrogation.
Gu Xuan gave the quirky little girl a flick on the forehead and said indifferently, "What are you thinking! Your brother is a man of integrity!"
Ning Rongrong pouted but didn't dare to talk back. She immediately switched to an expectant look. "Big Sister said you had a surprise for me. What kind of surprise is it?"
Looking at how quickly Ning Rongrong's expression changed, Gu Xuan didn't tease her. He reached into his storage tool, pulled out the Wisdom Illusion Left Arm Bone, and handed it to her.
"Absorb this Soul Bone now," Gu Xuan said calmly.
Seeing the Soul Bone, even Ning Rongrong became incredibly excited. After all, Soul Bones weren't cabbages, and just by the name, this one was clearly a perfect fit for her. Most importantly, this wasn't one of the three reward soul bones from the tournament. Where did Brother Gu Xuan get it?
Ning Rongrong didn't stand on ceremony with him. She knew that every decision Gu Xuan made was well-considered. Taking the soul bone, she asked, "Brother Gu Xuan, where did this come from?"
Gu Xuan didn't hide the truth. He told her about Tang San being ambushed, how he had rescued him, and how he had obtained this soul bone from Shi Nian. Ning Rongrong found it hard to believe; his luck was simply too good! And more importantly, Brother Gu Xuan had slain a Soul Saint while only at the Soul King rank!
Wait, that wasn't right. Brother Gu Xuan already had that kind of power; after all, he had suppressed that freak Qian Renxue during the tournament. It wasn't surprising.
Still, obtaining this soul bone made Ning Rongrong ecstatic. She hugged Gu Xuan and gave him a quick "bite" on the lips, leaving a faint cherry scent behind.
Gu Xuan felt helpless. He had just wiped his mouth, and now he had to do it again. He hadn't given them these soul bones for this!
Ning Rongrong began her absorption. Another three hours later, her soul power broke through from Rank 49 to Rank 50, successfully merging with the Soul Bone. However, Gu Xuan didn't give her time to linger and sent her to call Ye Lingling.
Ning Rongrong was reluctant to leave; opportunities to be alone with Gu Xuan like this were rare. Finally, after giving him another "bite," she left the carriage with a face full of longing.
A few minutes later, just as Gu Xuan had finished wiping his lips—the cherry scent hadn't even dissipated yet—Ye Lingling walked in.
Ye Lingling gave Gu Xuan a slight smile. "Well, calling us in one by one and staying for three hours each... is our Brother Gu Xuan really that fierce?"
This was Ye Lingling's true self. To outsiders, she was cold and aloof, but after being with Gu Xuan for so long, she was more open than anyone when they were alone.
Gu Xuan's face darkened with lines as he pulled her into his arms. "It seems you're already impatient."
Ye Lingling wasn't afraid at all; in fact, she seemed eager to try. "Is it true? Will they hear us from outside the carriage?"
Gu Xuan's face grew even darker. He pinched her cheek. "What's going on in that head of yours? Be serious!"
"I'm thinking of you," she smiled. "Why? Don't you think of me?"
"I do, I'm dying of it," Gu Xuan said, pulling out a brocade box and handing it to her. "Here, open it."
Ye Lingling curiously opened the box. As it opened, a surge of soul power and dense life force poured out, causing her beautiful eyes to widen. "This Soul Bone..."
She looked at Gu Xuan in surprise. From the moment she felt its aura, she felt as if this soul bone was tailor-made for her; she had an instinctive urge to absorb it immediately.
"This isn't one of the tournament rewards. Where did it come from?" she asked.
Gu Xuan explained the "accidents" that happened when he took her to get her fifth ring. Ye Lingling felt it was surreal—the coincidence was just too extreme.
"Xiao Xuan, so does this mean we've made an enemy of Tang San?" she asked, cradling the soul bone. In her eyes, while Gu Xuan wasn't as close to Tang San as he was to them, they were still good friends. Now that Gu Xuan had essentially robbed Tang San's family, was that friendship over?
Gu Xuan nodded and gently stroked her nose. "So, you need to be careful when using this soul bone in the future to avoid exposure." He then laughed, "But don't worry too much. Our path forward is destined to be filled with enemies. I've already discussed it with Uncle and Second Grandpa; we'll solve the problem at the root by killing Tang San and Tang Hao. You won't have to worry about exposure then."
Ye Lingling felt no pity. In this world of the strong devouring the weak, pity was the most useless thing. Furthermore, if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan wanted to unify the continent, the Clear Sky Clan was a formidable foe; this was simply weakening the competition.
'This is a 100,000-year old Soul Bone… From the Blue Silver Empress. If I can absorb it, how terrifying will my healing abilities become?' she thought with excitement.
Ye Lingling looked at Gu Xuan with happiness and love, her rosy lips instinctively moving closer. How could Gu Xuan refuse such a test? A minute later, the cherry scent was gone, replaced by the rich fragrance of crabapple flowers.
Ye Lingling began her absorption. Three hours later, her soul power jumped from Rank 53 to Rank 56, matching Gu Xuan and Dugu Yan. Her physical constitution was also greatly enhanced. The Blue Silver Empress Right Leg Bone granted her the same two skills Tang San had in the original story: Spring Breeze Brings Life and Flight.
The former allowed her to recover her own soul power and heal injuries, vastly increasing her sustainability. The latter granted a support master like her a brand-new survival skill. It was a perfect fit.
Ye Lingling gave Gu Xuan another "stamp" of affection before reluctantly leaving to send Zhu Zhuqing in. During the interval, Gu Xuan wiped his lips again, leaving only the faint scent of crabapple.
When Zhu Zhuqing entered, she sat right down beside him. She was never timid; once she set her mind on something, she moved forward relentlessly. Now that she had a chance to be alone with him, she intended to seize it. After all, it had been nine hours since Dugu Yan first entered; the long wait had been agonizing for her!
Of course, it was even more agonizing for Li Li, who still hadn't had her turn...
"The sisters won't say a word about what happened when they go back," Zhu Zhuqing said, staring at Gu Xuan. "They just say there's a surprise. So, what is it?"
Gu Xuan smiled and pulled out the Wind-Chasing Left Leg Bone. "This is the surprise."
Zhu Zhuqing froze. She knew the value of a Soul Bone. "Is it... for me?" she asked in disbelief.
Gu Xuan nodded. "The others have each absorbed one. This one is yours. Absorb it quickly; I'll protect you."
Zhu Zhuqing's voice choked up. Her relationship with Gu Xuan didn't have a long history; they had only officially been together for a few days. Before that, it was mostly a mental connection. And yet, he gave her this? It was a perfect fit for her, but it was a Soul Bone, not a cabbage!
Seeing her hesitation, Gu Xuan pinched her cheek. "You're the youngest, but your talent is indeed slightly behind theirs. With this soul bone, you won't fall too far behind in the future."
The move touched her deeply. Compared to Dai Mubai, there was no contest. "Brother Gu..." she leaned into his chest. "I won't fall behind. I'll keep up with everyone. I won't be a burden."
Gu Xuan felt the pressure of her "D-grade resolve" against him and struggled to stay calm. He patted her head. "I believe you. Start absorbing."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't try to force a kiss; she just nodded and began. She didn't want to be spoiled; she wanted to stand by his side. Three hours later, her soul power rose from Rank 41 to Rank 43. Gu Xuan didn't let her leave yet, giving her two pieces of thousand-year Whale Glue to bolster her foundation.
Two more hours passed. After she finished the Whale Glue, Gu Xuan let her leave. Before she went, her lips met his, and Gu Xuan enjoyed the moment. His hand accidentally strayed toward her "D-grade resolve," nearly shattering his mental discipline. Zhu Zhuqing left with a red face, the lingering warmth of his touch making it impossible for her to calm down.
A few minutes later, Li Li arrived. She didn't get a Soul Bone because she already had the Eight Spider Lances, and the current soul bones weren't as suitable for her. But she wasn't neglected; for the rest of Gu Xuan's recovery period, she stayed by his side, making up for the lack of a new soul bone.
(End of Chapter)
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