Hearing the notification that the bond had been successfully formed, Lin Xian finally let out a breath of relief.
It was done.
He had also witnessed the evolution of Zhu Zhuqing's Spirit. Everything was moving in the right direction.
Soon after, his white spirit ring gradually turned yellow.
Zhu Zhuqing's two spirit rings were 300 and 500 years old respectively. Even combined, they didn't reach a thousand years, which was why Lin Xian's Star Abyss spirit ring only advanced to yellow.
Around the ring, strands of black light began to gather, coiling around it and giving off an eerie aura.
This was the Ultimate Shadow attribute awakened by the first planet.
It manifested directly through the spirit ring.
If the second planet awakened in the future, the spirit ring would likely display dual-colored light.
After all the changes settled, Lin Xian felt his mental energy completely drained. He collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep instantly.
For some reason, in his sleep, he felt as if a small kitten was constantly burrowing into his arms.
He couldn't tell whether it was real or just a dream.
Once it finally settled down, he instinctively hugged it and drifted into a comfortable, deep sleep.
---
After dawn, the streets gradually became lively and noisy.
Zhu Zhuqing slowly opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was Lin Xian's face.
They were so close that she could clearly feel his breath brushing against her.
Memories of last night flooded her mind.
Skipping over the earlier parts, she recalled the final moment—
Because of instinct and the bond's influence, she had taken the initiative to throw herself into his arms…
And that was how things had ended up like this.
Her face instantly flushed red.
She tried to move away, but his arms were wrapped tightly around her. If she used more force, she would definitely wake him—something even more embarrassing.
But soon, her attention shifted.
She could clearly feel it—her spirit power had reached the Rank 30 bottleneck.
Just last night, she had only been at the peak of Rank 26. Even breaking through to Rank 27 would have taken several more days.
Yet in a single night, her spirit power had jumped four entire ranks.
It was unbelievable.
Almost like cheating.
Feeling the transformed power within her, Zhu Zhuqing was stunned.
Ultimate Shadow.
Any attribute that reached the "ultimate" level was a peerless existence.
And this power suited her Spirit perfectly.
Although her original Spirit Abilities hadn't changed, they were now enhanced with new effects granted by Shadow Power:
Speed Boost: Activating a Spirit Ability increases speed by 100%.
Shadow Power: Consumes a large amount of spirit power to merge into darkness and enter stealth; the first attack after breaking stealth deals 100% increased damage.
Armor Penetration: All attacks ignore 30% of defense.
Bleeding: Attacks apply a bleeding effect, dealing damage per second equal to 1% × number of spirit rings. The effect weakens against opponents with much higher spirit power.
The Dark Night Monarch Spirit granted her four powerful combat talents, each perfectly suited for an agility-attack Spirit Master.
Even more terrifying—these abilities would grow stronger over time.
Each additional tail would increase their effects by 10%.
By the time she reached nine rings and became a Titled Douluo, these abilities would nearly double in strength.
A truly monstrous evolution.
And beyond these four abilities, there was still a hidden talent—one that seemed inaccessible at her current level.
Powerful.
Unimaginably powerful.
Zhu Zhuqing had never imagined that her strength could change so drastically in just one night.
And all of this…
Had been given to her by the person in front of her.
He must have paid a heavy price last night. Otherwise, he wouldn't be sleeping so deeply now.
All the burdens she had carried—
The pressure from the imperial family.
The oppression of her clan.
Her sister's relentless pursuit.
Her unreliable fiancé.
Her once-average talent.
All of it seemed to vanish in this moment.
For the first time in her life, Zhu Zhuqing felt truly happy.
This might have been the happiest day she had ever experienced.
Gently, she rested her head against Lin Xian's chest.
Closing her eyes, she fell asleep again.
This time, however, there was a faint smile on her lips.
---
Lin Xian had actually woken up long before.
He hadn't woken naturally—he was awakened by the aura of a newly dropped Black Card from Zhu Zhuqing.
[Yuehai Cottage ×1]
Function: A rare spatial item with a Spirit-gathering effect. Creates an independent sanctuary—perfect for travel and residence.
He examined it carefully.
The environment inside was exquisite.
A bright moon hung over a vast sea beneath a star-filled sky. The house faced the ocean, with refined interior decor and a high degree of automation.
It truly lived up to its name—Yuehai Cottage.
There was only one flaw.
The space contained only a single bed.
Although the bed could be resized at will, no additional furniture could be added. Anything that conflicted with the space—like another bed or cabinets—was impossible to bring in.
Was that really a flaw?
For Lin Xian, it was practically a feature.
No matter how many people entered, there would always be just one bed.
Sleeping together under one blanket would no longer be a dream—it would be reality.
As expected of a Black Card reward. High-end, elegant, and… very practical.
Feeling the soft weight in his arms, Lin Xian tightened his hold slightly and continued pretending to sleep.
Soft. Warm. Comfortable.
He didn't want to move at all.
---
By the time they both opened their eyes, it was already past noon.
Neither of them spoke at first.
"Get up and eat. Aren't you hungry?"
"A little. Let's go eat."
"If you don't let go, how am I supposed to get up?"
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but laugh despite herself.
He was telling her to get up, yet still holding her so tightly.
After spending the night in each other's arms, the distance between them had quietly disappeared.
Lin Xian smiled and loosened his grip, letting her get up.
Outside, the owner had already prepared lunch. As always, everything was punctual and neatly arranged.
Lin Xian was quite satisfied with the service.
"Um… thank you, I…"
Sitting at the table, Zhu Zhuqing tried to express her gratitude, but Lin Xian interrupted her.
"You don't need to thank me."
She paused for a moment, then smiled softly.
"Okay. I understand."
Between them, only a thin veil remained—ready to be broken at any moment.
Everything felt natural.
To Zhu Zhuqing, it was as if Lin Xian had appeared in her life exactly when she needed him most.
These past few days had been more vivid and meaningful than everything she had experienced before.