After equipping the Dark Night Star Armor, the pressure on Zhu Zhuqing instantly eased.
Her aura steadily climbed, and with sheer willpower, she pushed the enhancement to its limit—
The spirit ring age finally stabilized at 3,500 years.
As she withdrew from that state, exhaustion hit her like a tidal wave.
Her entire body felt like it was falling apart—especially after using the Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
But she had no time to dwell on it.
Because something far more shocking caught her attention.
Right beside her, Lin Xian had released his Martial Soul.
The vast galaxy behind him looked noticeably different.
In addition to the first Ultimate Shadow Planet in the upper-left corner, the second planet beside it was now shining brightly.
After absorbing his second spirit ring, he had already unlocked it. All that remained was forming a bond to gain a new elemental attribute.
But that wasn't the main point.
Zhu Zhuqing's gaze locked onto Lin Xian's first spirit ring.
Originally yellow, it suddenly transformed into purple—and continued deepening in color.
Then—
Black streaks began to emerge.
This wasn't shadow power.
It was the pure evolution of the spirit ring itself.
The black spread rapidly, devouring the purple entirely.
At that moment—
Lin Xian's first spirit ring officially advanced to the ten-thousand-year level.
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes widened in disbelief.
A first spirit ring… at ten thousand years?
Was that even humanly possible?
It was nothing short of miraculous.
But after everything she had experienced these past days, even something this outrageous no longer felt completely unimaginable.
The Star Abyss Martial Soul… was simply terrifying.
More than anything, she felt fortunate.
Fortunate to have met Lin Xian in the Star Dou Forest.
Fortunate to have stepped onto a completely different path in life.
The way she looked at him softened even more.
Meanwhile, Lin Xian slowly opened his eyes, feeling the overwhelming power surging through his body.
As expected of a spirit ring condensed by the Star Abyss—
There was no pain during the breakthrough at all. Instead, it felt… refreshing.
Before he knew it, the process was complete.
After absorbing his second spirit ring, his spirit power had reached Rank 22.
With this upgrade, it jumped directly to Rank 25.
A leap like that was practically rocket speed.
"Done breaking through?" Zhu Zhuqing asked.
"Yeah. Around Rank 25 now. Not bad."
She inhaled sharply.
Five ranks in a single day… and he called that "not bad"?
Thinking about how long it took her to climb from Rank 20 to Rank 25—
She immediately stopped herself.
Better not compare, or the blow would be too much.
As her focus relaxed, the exhaustion she had been holding back finally caught up with her.
Her body gave out, and she fainted on the spot.
Lin Xian quickly caught her, checking her condition.
Just as he thought—
Overexertion and excessive spirit power consumption.
Nothing serious. A good night's rest would fix everything.
---
By the time the sun rose again, they were already inside Yuehai Cottage.
Zhu Zhuqing slowly opened her eyes.
She didn't even need to think—she knew exactly where she was.
She had grown used to this place.
Memories of the previous night resurfaced, and her expression grew slightly embarrassed.
If Lin Xian hadn't supported her with their Martial Soul Fusion Skill at the critical moment…
She might not have recovered even after lying there for days.
Then she sensed something—
Her spirit power.
Her eyes widened.
Rank 33.
In less than a month, her strength had undergone a complete transformation.
In the past, she wouldn't have even dared to dream of such progress.
And all of it…
Was because of the person in front of her.
"Why are you staring at me like that? Did I get even more handsome?" Lin Xian teased.
"Stop being so full of yourself," she replied, though there was a faint smile. "Shouldn't we head back to Soto City?"
"Yeah. Let's eat something first. Honestly, everything out here is fine except the food…"
That was the problem.
Neither of them could cook.
They had been surviving on simple rations bought in Soto City.
Lin Xian suddenly wished he could get a card that improved cooking skills.
If even something like the Myriad World Wardrobe existed, then a "Myriad World Kitchen" didn't sound impossible.
That thought sparked an idea.
Could the wardrobe be installed inside Yuehai Cottage?
The description had mentioned conflicts with external buildings…
But since this also came from a card, maybe it would work?
He tried it.
After selecting "use," a prompt appeared:
[Replace the existing wardrobe with the Myriad World Wardrobe?]
No hesitation.
He confirmed immediately.
In the next moment, the old wardrobe in the corner was silently replaced.
The new one looked exquisite—ancient, elegant, and perfectly integrated with the room.
"Little kitty, come take a look. I've got something fun to show you."
Zhu Zhuqing blinked in confusion.
A wardrobe… was fun?
Lin Xian stood before it, imagining an outfit in his mind and applying it to her.
[Production will begin. Cost: 10 gold coins]
"…?"
His face stiffened.
Ten gold coins?!
That was the same amount Zhu Zhuqing earned from an entire Spirit Arena match!
And worse—
He had been spending her money this whole time.
For a moment, he genuinely felt like he was living off her.
"…Zhuqing, can you lend me 10 gold coins? I'll pay you back soon," he said, slightly embarrassed.
Fortunately, his skin was thick enough to say it out loud.
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but smile at his expression.
Without hesitation, she handed him the coins.
Lin Xian fed them into a small slot on the wardrobe.
The moment the coins disappeared, the wardrobe door creaked open slightly.
…
That's it?
No flashy effects?
No dramatic lighting or sound?
For something that cost 10 gold coins, this felt way too underwhelming.
Still, Lin Xian stepped forward and opened the door.
After all—
He had to see what those 10 gold coins had turned into.