Chapter 271: There's Definitely Something Suspicious, and They're Hiding It from Her!
Behind Zhu Zhuqing, the phantom of the Nether Spirit Cat appeared. It bore an eighty-percent resemblance to her but looked more mature.
Seeing this, Kong fell into deep thought.
So Lovesick Heartbreak Red has this kind of effect?
It directly evolved Zhu Zhuqing's martial soul?
Zhu Zhuqing, her face flushed, pushed Ning Rongrong's hand away, rolled her eyes at her, and then withdrew her martial soul.
"My soul power level has already reached the bottleneck at level 40, but I'm not exactly sure of the precise value."
Ning Rongrong, unfazed, cheerfully approached Kong.
"Kong, both Zhuqing and I have broken through to level 40! Take us to hunt soul beasts, won't you?"
"It's already late. Let's go tomorrow instead."
Kong didn't refuse, but it was indeed very late. If they went hunting now, they might have to spend the night in the forest. Thinking it over, it was definitely safer to go in the daytime.
If other soul masters heard this, they'd probably be speechless!
Hunting soul beasts isn't something that can typically be done in one go. Staying overnight in the forest is completely normal!
Hearing his response, Ning Rongrong's face lit up with joy—Kong didn't refuse!
She had never gone to the Soul Beast Forest with him before!
However, Kong didn't look at Ning Rongrong at that moment. Instead, he scrutinized Zhu Zhuqing again, lost in thought.
"Zhuqing, come here for a moment."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't hesitate and obediently walked over to Kong's side.
Under Ning Rongrong's surprised gaze, Kong placed his hand on Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder.
After sensing her condition briefly, he spoke.
"Zhuqing, your physique can already withstand soul rings below twenty thousand years. However, in terms of mental strength…"
Absorbing a ten-thousand-year soul ring isn't just about taking in its energy; one must also endure the soul beast's spiritual shock.
For soul beasts over ten thousand years old, this is the only way they can exact revenge on soul masters after death. To absorb their soul rings, one must pass their 'test'!
Under normal circumstances, only at the Soul King level do a soul master's body and mental strength become strong enough to withstand the soul power cleansing and spiritual impact.
However, there are exceptions—like the original Tang San, who cultivated the Ice and Fire Alchemical Body and trained his Purple Demon Eye from a young age. His mental strength was so powerful that a ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring posed no problem for him.
Suddenly, an idea struck Kong.
Since Zhu Zhuqing's physique can endure a ten-thousand-year soul ring, wouldn't it be fine as long as her mental strength is enhanced?
With this thought, Kong took out a head soul bone—one of the rewards from the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.
As soon as this soul bone appeared, the hall was immediately filled with waves of soul power fluctuations.
This head soul bone was originally meant for Elder Yu Yuanzhen. However, during the last transaction with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, they had exchanged a head soul bone that was over fifty thousand years old.
Thus, Kong had stored this one away.
After all, a fifty-thousand-year head soul bone with a mental attribute was of top-tier quality, an absolute treasure among soul bones.
"Kong, isn't this the head soul bone that was a reward from the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament?"
Ning Rongrong was visibly shocked. She looked at Kong, then at Zhu Zhuqing, whose face was flushed red, and seemed to realize something.
First the immortal herb, now a soul bone?
Kong and Zhu Zhuqing… something is definitely off!
She couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong, but something definitely didn't feel right!
"Yes. If Zhuqing absorbs this soul bone, she should be able to absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring for her fourth ring."
Kong nodded and handed the soul bone to Zhu Zhuqing.
"This… this is too valuable…"
Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head, not daring to look at Kong, let alone meet Ning Rongrong's questioning gaze.
Kong patted Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder. When she looked up, he gave her a knowing look and said, "It's nothing. We're friends, after all."
"???"
Ning Rongrong was utterly baffled.
Since when do friends casually give away things like this?
Zhu Zhuqing bit her lip. Seeing the firm look in Kong's eyes, she knew she couldn't refuse.
"…Alright then."
Besides, he's already my person. In the future… the future… I'll just raise a few more children to make up for it.
She glanced down at her toes, full of confidence.
I can afford it!
"???"
Ning Rongrong was even more confused.
Zhu Zhuqing just accepted it like that?
Something's not right. This is definitely not right!
Ning Rongrong was very smart. Otherwise, she wouldn't have earned the title of the little witch of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. She had a vague feeling that there was definitely some secret between Kong and Zhu Zhuqing.
And they were hiding it from her!
"Oh right, there's also a ten-thousand-year soul bone suitable for agility-type soul masters. Its age is a bit low, but Zhuqing, see if you want to absorb it."
This soul bone originally belonged to Zhu Zhuqing in the original timeline. However, its age was indeed a bit low—only around thirty thousand years.
Ning Rongrong: "???"
If there wasn't something going on between those two, she would write her name backward!
"Hiss…"
Ning Rongrong took a sharp breath, her gaze toward Kong and Zhu Zhuqing completely changed.
"Damn it, since when did this happen?"
"Hmph, I have to figure out exactly what's going on!"
She muttered to herself. For some reason, she felt like she was just there as a sidekick.
Zhu Zhuqing and Kong seemed more like a couple, while she was just the best friend tagging along, receiving some benefits because of Zhu Zhuqing…
"No way, right? Kong and I grew up together, childhood friends who knew each other inside and out. How could this be?"
Time flew by, and soon, morning arrived. The four of them set off early from Heaven Dou City, heading toward Sunset Forest.
This wasn't Kong's first time visiting Sunset Forest either.
"Rongrong, what type of enhancement do you plan to get for your fourth ring?"
The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda's soul skills were typically single-attribute amplifications.
Ning Rongrong's first three soul rings enhanced strength, speed, and soul power.
For her fourth soul ring, she planned to acquire a defensive attribute.
"Kong, I plan to absorb a defense-type soul ring for my fourth ring."
Right now, amplifying Kong was nearly impossible. So, her only choice was to coordinate with those around her.
Zhu Zhuqing was now her protector, so her amplification abilities naturally needed to be tailored to Zhu Zhuqing.
Strength, speed, and soul power all complemented Zhu Zhuqing's role as an agility-type soul master. Right now, Zhu Zhuqing wasn't lacking in speed or attack—those were the specialties of agility-type soul masters.
The only thing she lacked was defense.
That was one of the reasons Ning Rongrong chose a defense-type soul ring.
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Kong glanced at her and smiled. "Rongrong, you've matured."
"Hmph, you might as well just say I was immature before! What's with this 'you've matured' nonsense?"
Ning Rongrong pouted, but the slight squint of her eyes betrayed her mood.
Zhu Zhuqing was also a bit touched. Of course, some things still needed to be kept secret!
"Rongrong, I can't help you with this. You'll have to work hard on your own…" (End of chapter)
🌟 Unlock the World of Stories with Early Access on Patreon! 🌟
Hello, beloved readers and supporters!
I am thrilled to offer you an exclusive opportunity to dive deeper into our captivating stories before anyone else. By joining the Patreon community, you'll unlock a treasure trove of benefits, including:
📚 Early Access to 20 Chapters: Be the first to explore new chapters, experiencing the twists and turns of our tales well ahead of regular readers. Your journey through our stories doesn't have to wait!
💬 Connect with the Community: Join a vibrant, like-minded group of readers who share your passion. Engage in exciting discussions, share theories, and make new friends who love the stories as much as you do.
👏 Support the Creator: Your patronage directly contributes to the ongoing creation and improvement of the content you love. Be a vital part of the creative journey!
Patreon.com/anish_44
https://ko-fi.com/anish_44