With a flick of Lin Xian's right hand, a small and exquisite ring appeared in his palm.
The ring was entirely black, unassuming at first glance. Yet upon closer inspection, it revealed a simple elegance. Its deep black hue resembled the darkest ink of the night sky—mysterious, profound, and quietly powerful.
Every curve seemed carefully crafted, giving it a unique and refined beauty.
Zhu Zhuqing was instantly drawn to it.
"In my hometown, a ring carries a special meaning," Lin Xian said softly. "It represents romance—a declaration of love, a promise of loyalty. It means staying together through everything, never abandoning one another."
He looked at her, his voice gentler now.
"Knowing what you've been through… it hurts to think about it. So, how about we face the future together and build something better?"
"Maybe it started as simple attraction. Maybe it was that first kiss when I treated your injuries… or the journey we shared, carrying each other through danger. Somewhere along the way, you entered my heart."
"So… may I put this ring on your finger?"
Before he even finished, Zhu Zhuqing had already sat up in his arms.
She said nothing.
She simply raised her right hand and held it out to him.
Lin Xian smiled, took the ring, and gently slid it onto her finger.
The ring adjusted itself automatically, fitting her perfectly.
"This is a spatial ring," he explained. "It has about a thousand cubic meters of storage space. It can only hold inanimate objects, but it'll make traveling much easier."
Zhu Zhuqing was stunned.
She knew how rare spatial items were on the Douluo Continent. Even among the imperial family, only core members possessed them—and the storage space they had was nowhere near this large.
Even the head of her own clan had one, but compared to this… it was insignificant.
"Isn't this… too valuable?"
"Just accept it," Lin Xian said gently, holding her hand. "Don't overthink it."
After a brief pause, he continued:
"My Spirit is called Star Abyss. It has its own storage space, and sometimes… it brings me strange items, as if from the universe itself."
"This… is my biggest secret."
He chose to be honest with her—at least, as much as he could.
The truth about Emotion Cards remained hidden, replaced with a more reasonable explanation.
Zhu Zhuqing understood immediately what this meant.
Even if he hadn't said anything, she would never have pried.
But the fact that he chose to tell her…
"I won't tell anyone," she said firmly. "I promise."
"I know," Lin Xian replied with a smile. "I trust you."
In this place—so meaningful to both of them—everything seemed to fall into place naturally.
Perhaps because her emotions surged so intensely, a black card quietly appeared beside Zhu Zhuqing.
Lin Xian noticed it immediately but stored it away without checking.
Right now, he had more important matters to focus on.
"Close your eyes," he said. "I'll take you somewhere."
Though puzzled, Zhu Zhuqing obeyed.
In the next instant—
The world around them changed.
"It's… beautiful…"
Before her eyes lay a breathtaking scene: the sea stretching endlessly beneath a luminous moon, its reflection shimmering across the water like a dream. The tide rose and fell gently, accompanied by a faint floral fragrance carried through the air.
Everything felt serene. Peaceful.
"This place is called Yuehai Cottage," Lin Xian said. "Another reward I got. It's very convenient for resting or traveling."
He led her inside.
Without hesitation, Lin Xian flopped onto the bed.
It was soft—unbelievably comfortable.
After days of searching for Spirit Beasts, exhaustion had built up, and now it finally caught up with him.
"Let's rest," he said lazily. "We haven't slept properly in days. There's no rush—we can take our time finding Spirit Beasts."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded and lay down beside him.
"Come here," Lin Xian added with a grin. "I'm used to it now. If I don't sleep while holding my little kitten, it feels like something's missing."
Zhu Zhuqing shot him an annoyed look…
…but still moved closer.
As they embraced, both instinctively began circulating Star Attraction.
Neither had fallen asleep yet, so they immediately noticed something unusual.
"Why does it feel like my cultivation speed has doubled when I'm with you?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, slightly unsure.
"That's normal," Lin Xian replied. "I forgot to mention—after your Spirit evolved and gained the Ultimate Shadow attribute, our compatibility must be incredibly high."
Zhu Zhuqing froze for a moment—then understood.
Her clan's connection to the Star Luo Imperial Family existed for a reason.
Their Martial Souls had the potential to perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
As long as compatibility exceeded sixty percent, fusion was possible.
And the higher the compatibility…
…the stronger the result.
"Should we try it?" Lin Xian suggested.
"We're already lying down… can't we test it tomorrow?" Zhu Zhuqing said softly. "Let's get some proper rest first."
"No, come on. Just one try—it won't take long."
"I don't want to."
"Then… I'll give you a kiss…"
That was all it took.
Lin Xian instantly sat up, fully energized.
"Let's go!"
"…" Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but laugh. "You're unbelievable."
Trying to maintain composure, she quickly added:
"Test it first… otherwise my legs might go weak…"
Her cheeks flushed red the moment she said it.
"Alright," Lin Xian said, pretending to be serious. "Let's do this properly. We don't want to damage this place."
With a thought, the two of them returned to the cave.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Mm."
He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.
Zhu Zhuqing wrapped her arms around his waist.
Their Spirits were released simultaneously.
Behind Lin Xian, the Star Abyss appeared—vast and brilliant. The first planet in the upper-left corner expanded rapidly, radiating shadowy light.
At the same time, the Dark Night Monarch emerged.
Their auras intertwined—colliding, blending, resonating.
Gradually becoming one.
In the next moment—
A brilliant black light erupted, completely enveloping them both…