While eating, Zhu Zhuqing explained the changes in her Spirit to Lin Xian.
Naturally, Lin Xian was already aware of everything—because through their bond, he could utilize the same abilities.
Once the bond was formed, their attributes were shared.
Zhu Zhuqing gained enhancements from the Ultimate Shadow power, and Lin Xian could use them as well.
Just imagining it—a massive Shadow Planet crashing down, combined with armor penetration, damage amplification, and bleeding effects—
It was pure devastation.
Whether it was a Tool Spirit or a Beast Spirit, they would first have to withstand his Galaxy Fall.
"Are we going to the Great Spirit Arena next?" Zhu Zhuqing asked instinctively. "Or should we adapt to this new power first… or go hunt for spirit rings?"
Without realizing it, she had already begun relying on him. Perhaps even she hadn't noticed the change.
Lin Xian thought for a moment.
"We both need new spirit rings, so we'll have to return to the Star Dou Forest. But before that, we should decide on a direction and research suitable Spirit Beasts."
As he spoke, he felt a bit troubled.
Should he go to Nuoding City, find Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, beat him up a little, and try to trigger a drop like a Spirit Beast Encyclopedia?
…On second thought, forget it.
There was no guarantee it would even work, and it would waste too much time.
It wasn't worth it.
He could just rely on his own research instead.
"For me, I'll try to get a control-type or mental-type ability," Lin Xian continued. "You've seen my current abilities—I'm not lacking in offense or defense. What I need now is control."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded. She had personally witnessed how powerful his abilities were.
"My first Spirit Ability is burst damage, and the second is sustained damage," she said. "So for my third, I want something more focused on direct attack power."
"Then it's settled. Let's check the Spirit Beast archives and find suitable targets."
"Alright."
---
The two spent the entire day researching Spirit Beast records.
Because of that, they skipped the Spirit Duel Competition that night.
This, however, left someone extremely frustrated.
At Shrek Academy, Dai Mubai had spent a long time getting ready. He even sprayed on perfume, making himself look especially eye-catching.
Sitting in the VIP section, his gaze remained fixed on the entrance, waiting for Zhu Zhuqing to appear.
To present himself as a refined gentleman, he had even refrained from bringing any women with him today.
But after waiting for hours…
There was still no sign of her.
By the time the Spirit Duel Competition ended, his efforts had been completely wasted.
Furious, Dai Mubai returned to the Rose Hotel.
The twins were still asleep—but he barged in anyway, venting his frustration.
After enduring so many strange looks earlier, he had gained nothing.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
The twins were in for a rough night.
---
Meanwhile, back in their room—
Lin Xian and Zhu Zhuqing sat cross-legged on the bed, facing each other with their palms pressed together.
Under Lin Xian's guidance, Zhu Zhuqing relaxed her mind and allowed the Stellar Power within her body to circulate along a fixed path, completing a full Great Cycle.
This was none other than Star Attraction.
Lin Xian had never lied—
The prerequisite for learning this technique was gaining the recognition of Stellar Power.
Now that she had formed a bond with the Ultimate Shadow Planet, Zhu Zhuqing had officially obtained that qualification.
So after their research, Lin Xian began teaching her directly.
"Remember the path the Stellar Power takes. Once you've memorized it, you can cultivate on your own."
"Stellar Power can restore spirit power, strengthen your meridians, enhance your physical body, and greatly increase your cultivation speed."
Zhu Zhuqing carefully felt the flow—then suddenly opened her eyes.
The technique… was circulating on its own.
No wonder Lin Xian spent his days lying around like a "lazy fish."
It wasn't laziness at all—there was simply no need to actively cultivate.
At the same time, she felt deeply moved.
A cultivation method like this was unheard of. It had to be incredibly valuable—yet Lin Xian had taught it to her without hesitation.
Seeing the emotion in her eyes, Lin Xian smiled.
"You really don't need to thank me. Once we formed a bond, we became one. Of course I wouldn't hide anything from you."
"Although… if you really want to thank me, you could let me sleep a bit more comfortably."
Her words of gratitude were instantly cut off.
Zhu Zhuqing paused, then seemed to come to a decision. Taking a deep breath, she opened her arms toward him.
"What are you doing?"
"Didn't you say you wanted to sleep more comfortably? Wouldn't that mean… sleeping while holding each other?"
…
So that's how she understood it.
But honestly, that was even better.
Without hesitation, Lin Xian pulled her into his arms.
Normally, Zhu Zhuqing would never agree to something like this—she would have chosen to cultivate instead.
But now, Star Attraction could run on its own.
"Actually, what I meant was something like before—resting my head on your lap would be comfortable," Lin Xian whispered near her ear.
"Then…"
"Don't move. Since we're already like this, let's just rest. We're heading to the Star Dou Forest tomorrow."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't argue further. She gently wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest. Listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, she soon fell asleep.
As they held each other, the Stellar Power circulating within their bodies merged into a single Great Cycle.
The speed of circulation increased significantly—far faster than when cultivating alone.
---
The chirping of birds outside the window woke Zhu Zhuqing from her sleep.
Just like the previous morning, the first thing she saw was Lin Xian's face.
She quietly sensed the changes within her body.
After cultivating Stellar Power, her growth rate had increased severalfold. The progress from just one night exceeded what used to take her three days.
But something felt off—
Why had Star Attraction stopped circulating when she woke up?
Following yesterday's method, she guided the Stellar Power through one full cycle.
Instantly, a violent surge of energy rushed through her body.
Caught off guard, she trembled slightly.
Lin Xian woke up at the same time.
"Stellar Power is much more intense during the day," he explained. "You can only cultivate for about an hour at most. At night, it's different—it can circulate automatically the entire time."
Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing finally relaxed.
She got up and went to freshen up.
Meanwhile, Lin Xian lay there for a moment, lost in thought.
…
The pressure was real.