Zhu Zhuqing's cheeks flushed as Liu Erlong teased her. "Then I'll go absorb my Spirit Bones first."
With that, Zhu Zhuqing turned and walked into the secluded forest cottage.
Among the two Spirit Bones she had obtained, one was a right leg bone related to speed and over ten thousand years old; the other was a left leg bone of the Swift Pursuit type, with an age exceeding thirty thousand years. Both were incredibly well-suited for an Agility Attack System Spirit Master like Zhu Zhuqing.
She began with the absorption of the right leg bone. As she activated the process, a gentle glow gradually enveloped her.
Outside the cottage, Lin Jie lay casually on the grass, while Liu Erlong sat beside him, chatting softly. Liu Erlong and Lin Jie shared a very close relationship, so their conversation naturally drifted to intimate topics.
As she gazed at Lin Jie resting beside her, Liu Erlong couldn't help but feel dazed. A strange warmth welled up inside her. She was beginning to notice a unique aura around Lin Jie—one that subtly captivated her, pulling her in with a quiet intensity.
This mysterious aura was something even Lin Jie himself was unaware of.
Leaning slightly closer, Liu Erlong asked in a gentle voice, "Xiao Jie, now that you and Zhuqing have graduated, have you thought about what you want to do next?"
"The future, huh…" Lin Jie sat up, turning to face her seriously. "Erlong-jie, no matter what I decide to do in the future—will you support me?"
"Of course I will. I'll always support you," Liu Erlong smiled softly. "Didn't you once say you'd take care of me when I'm old? If I don't support you, who's going to look after me when I retire?"
A blush crept onto her face as she said this. Back then, when Lin Jie—barely ten years old—had made that promise, she had taken it as a joke. But now she was bringing it up herself, much to her own surprise.
"I didn't expect you to remember that," Lin Jie chuckled. "But don't worry, Erlong-jie—I'll take good care of you. You're still young and beautiful. Even decades from now, you'll still be young and beautiful to me. I really like you, Erlong-jie."
"Nonsense. Your Erlong-jie is old now" Liu Erlong said, though her smile grew more radiant, and a trace of shyness colored her cheeks at his affectionate words.
"You're not old at all," Lin Jie said quietly.
This time, instead of lying back on the grass, Lin Jie leaned into Liu Erlong's lap, resting his head on her soft, jade-like thighs. Slowly, he closed his eyes and began to relax completely.
At first, Liu Erlong felt a bit awkward. After all, something like this was usually reserved for lovers or those closest to one another. But Lin Jie's presence brought a calming aura that gently disarmed her. Their bond as sworn siblings—and something deeper, perhaps—allowed her to accept it.
She looked down at Lin Jie lying peacefully on her lap and couldn't help but smile faintly. On a whim, she reached out and gently brushed his cheek.
Lin Jie had laid his head on her lap subconsciously, and since Liu Erlong didn't object, he assumed she was fine with it.
As he lay there, the soft fragrance around him wrapped around his senses. It was a fresh scent, reminiscent of the forest air and green grass, but underneath it was a deeper, sweeter note—the unique fragrance of Liu Erlong. It reminded him of a fully-bloomed violet, and he found himself deeply entranced.
When her delicate hand touched his face, he instinctively reached up and gently grasped it. Startled, Liu Erlong withdrew her hand as if she had been caught doing something mischievous. Her cheeks flushed again, thankful that Lin Jie's eyes were still closed—otherwise, he surely would've teased her.
Feeling perfectly content on Liu Erlong's lap, Lin Jie slowly drifted off to sleep.
Liu Erlong was both amused and helpless. She hadn't expected him to actually fall asleep like that—but she made no move to wake him or push him away.
...
Some time later, Zhu Zhuqing finished absorbing both Spirit Bones and opened her eyes. Feeling the powerful flow of energy coursing through her, she smiled in satisfaction. The two leg bones had significantly enhanced her speed, which for an Agility Attack System Spirit Master, was the essence of offensive strength.
Now, Zhu Zhuqing possessed a pair of leg bones, one right arm bone, and one external Spirit Bone—four in total. When all four enhanced abilities were fully activated, even a Spirit Emperor would not be her match. It wasn't that Spirit Emperors were weak—it was that her Spirit Bones were too powerful.
Moreover, with the absorption of a 30,000-year and a 10,000+ year Spirit Bone, her Spirit Power jumped from Rank 45 to Rank 48, an increase of three full levels.
Unlike Lin Jie, who had taken two full days to complete his absorption, Zhu Zhuqing only needed a few hours.
She took a deep breath to steady her emotions, then stepped out of the cottage.
As soon as she emerged, her expression became slightly puzzled. She saw Lin Jie resting on Liu Erlong's lap, while Liu Erlong gazed at him in a daze, completely unaware that Zhu Zhuqing had arrived.
But Zhu Zhuqing didn't overthink it. Lin Jie and Liu Erlong had always been close. As sworn siblings, their relationship was affectionate but natural. To her, there was nothing strange about it.
"Erlong-jie," Zhu Zhuqing called out.
She had previously addressed Liu Erlong as "Dean Erlong" or "Aunt Erlong," but Lin Jie had insisted she switch to "Erlong-jie" instead. Liu Erlong, knowing about the relationship between the two, had agreed. After all, what woman didn't enjoy being called "sister" rather than "aunt"?
Snapped out of her daze, Liu Erlong noticed Zhu Zhuqing beside her and instinctively pulled her hand away from Lin Jie's face like a thief caught red-handed. She quickly composed herself. "You've finished absorbing the Spirit Bones?"
"Yes, I'm done," Zhu Zhuqing replied, glancing at the sleeping Lin Jie. "Is he okay?"
"Xiao Jie must be tired. He fell asleep just now," Liu Erlong explained.
"Is that so? Then let me hold him," Zhu Zhuqing said gently.
Although she didn't mind Liu Erlong supporting Lin Jie, she still felt this position should belong to her.
"Alright," Liu Erlong nodded and carefully transferred Lin Jie to Zhu Zhuqing's lap.
In truth, Lin Jie had woken up the moment Zhu Zhuqing spoke—but upon sensing something odd, he decided to keep pretending to sleep.
Zhu Zhuqing adjusted him gently, making sure he rested more comfortably, then sat quietly watching him.
She had already noticed he was awake while moving him, but didn't say anything.
Liu Erlong, too, looked on with a smile as Lin Jie lay contentedly on Zhu Zhuqing's lap.
Lin Jie nuzzled slightly into her lap and soon felt a pair of warm eyes watching him. He opened his eyes—and sure enough, Zhu Zhuqing was staring down at him with a smile. Liu Erlong, off to the side, was chuckling softly.
A little embarrassed, Lin Jie stretched and sat up. "Zhuqing, you finished absorbing the Spirit Bones?"
Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Mm! I did—and they were a perfect match for me. I've already reached Rank 48!"
Liu Erlong blinked in surprise. Now this… this is what a real little monster looks like.
She sighed with admiration. "Spirit Bones truly are priceless treasures. To gain three levels in just a few hours—and with such powerful enhancements—it's astonishing."
Just then, Lin Jie's expression turned serious.
"Erlong-jie," he said solemnly. "I hope you'll devote yourself to training over the next five years. Do everything you can to break through to the Spirit Douluo level—or even higher. Don't get involved in anything else. Focus only on cultivation."
His tone caught both Zhu Zhuqing and Liu Erlong off guard.
"Xiao Jie… what's going on?" Liu Erlong asked, confused.
He turned to them both, face calm but firm. "Zhuqing. Erlong-jie. You two are the people closest to me. Do you trust me?"
"Of course," they answered together.
Lin Jie continued, "Then listen carefully. Five years from now—maybe sooner—the continent will undergo a cataclysmic upheaval. Those with insufficient strength won't even be able to protect themselves. Erlong-jie, I need you to focus entirely on raising your strength. Don't worry about anything else."
"Cataclysm?" Liu Erlong frowned. "Why do you say that?"
Although tensions between the two empires were high, there weren't any real signs of war. With Spirit Hall caught in the middle, open conflict seemed unlikely.
Lin Jie replied, "I can't give you details yet. Just believe me when I say—it's all real. Right now, Shrek Academy has Dean Flender and Zhao Wuji managing it. You can cultivate without distractions."
Though Lin Jie hadn't explained the reasons, Liu Erlong chose to believe him. "Alright, I understand. What about you and Zhuqing? What are your plans?"
Lin Jie thought for a moment before answering. "I'll be heading home in a couple of days. Zhuqing, I'd like you to come with me. After that, I'll go hunt for my fifth Spirit Ring. My goal is to return within a year."
He looked at them both. "I want you two to train together. With Erlong-jie guiding you, Zhuqing, your strength will improve much faster. Erlong-jie, your Spirit Power is already at Rank 79. You've always had incredible talent—you've just been too busy running the academy to focus on cultivation. Otherwise, you would've already broken through to Spirit Douluo by now."