The bluestone road winding through the mountains and forests was rugged and uneven, but for soul masters as powerful as Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi, it posed no hindrance whatsoever.
Ye Guyi held onto Xu Zihuang's arm, walking leisurely while chatting as they went.
After passing through several mountain peaks in succession, a boundless purple bamboo forest came into view for the two of them. The bamboo leaves rustled under the assault of the sea breeze.
From here onward, the terrain became much flatter. Neat wooden fences were built on both sides of the bluestone road. The dozens-of-meters-tall purple bamboos and the surrounding mountains blocked the sunlight, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere.
Xu Zihuang transmitted everything that had happened since the two had parted, completely and intact, to Ye Guyi through his spiritual force. This included, in the end, some intimate actions with Ning Tian and Ju Zi.
However, thinking that this might cause a huge shock to Ye Guyi, he temporarily concealed certain attempts he had made with Ju Zi.
Along the way, Ye Guyi had been asking for specific details, especially regarding Xu Zihuang condensing his soul core and encountering the Demon Empress.
There was no need to say much about condensing the soul core; even peak eight-ring Soul Douluo experts had to be extremely cautious when preparing to condense a soul core to break through level 90. Seeing that Xu Zihuang had condensed a soul core at the Soul Emperor cultivation level, how could she not worry?
And from the scenes transmitted by Xu Zihuang, seeing him encounter a terrifying sea soul beast like the Devil Emperor, Ye Guyi was even more frightened and kept pressing for details.
It was not until she confirmed that Xu Zihuang's body truly had no issues that she breathed a sigh of relief. But at that moment, she received even more detailed memory images transmitted by Xu Zihuang, and the expression on her face suddenly froze.
Xu Zihuang's interactions with Weina, Mu Xue, and Ma Xiaotao only made her delicately frown, but those intimate actions with Ning Tian and Ju Zi directly touched her thunder zone.
Ye Guyi stopped in her tracks and turned her head to look at Xu Zihuang beside her. With her tall figure, her height was not much different from Xu Zihuang's, so their lines of sight remained basically level.
The tenderness and smile in her golden eyes instantly melted away, replaced by a slightly cold gaze full of pressure and a rather sarcastic movement of her red lips.
"Quite the ladies' man, huh? How far have you gone with them? Have you slept—"
"No!" Before Ye Guyi could finish that sentence, Xu Zihuang hurriedly denied it. He had not anticipated that Ye Guyi's question would be so direct and sharp.
Over these years, he who had always been calm and composed was, for the first time in interacting with someone, reacting so strongly.
But there was no helping it; Ye Guyi's position in his heart was far too special.
Seeing Xu Zihuang vehemently deny it, Ye Guyi's expression softened a little. She was unable to understand Xu Zihuang using Ning Tian and Ju Zi and making such sacrifices.
Back then, she had also seen, through Xu Zihuang's memories, his rather intimate actions with Ning Tian, but at that time, she had not said anything.
However, now she clearly felt that Xu Zihuang's attitude toward Ning Tian and Ju Zi was gradually changing. This made her feel a bit uncomfortable. So she subconsciously gave Xu Zihuang a warning knock.
Perhaps this was a woman's nature. Even the most obtuse person, when it came to emotions, had their own little schemes.
"As long as you haven't, that's good."
The coldness in Ye Guyi's eyes gradually eased, and a soul-stirring smile reappeared on her beautiful face. She extended her right hand to gently stroke Xu Zihuang's cheek.
"Zihuang, I'm really happy that you can be honest with me about these things."
Then, her tone suddenly shifted.
"But I want to know how you view them. Ning Tian has been by your side since she was eleven, right? That senior sister Ju Zi, on the other hand, took care of you personally for such a long time when you were seriously injured. One is constant companionship, the other is sharing hardships. Zihuang, have you ever been moved in your heart? Or rather, have they ever entered your heart?"
Ye Guyi's tone was very calm, but every word struck at the heart.
Xu Zihuang met Ye Guyi's gaze. Ye Guyi still wore an undiminished smile, seemingly very much anticipating Xu Zihuang's answer.
"I'm sorry, sister Lingyi, I don't want to lie to you." After pondering for a moment, Xu Zihuang sighed wistfully.
"I cannot completely deny it."
Ye Guyi, who had already known the answer in her heart, still felt a stifling sensation in her chest upon hearing Xu Zihuang's response personally. While asking these questions, how could she not have been questioning herself inwardly?
Why was it not she who accompanied Xu Zihuang day and night by his side? Why was it not she who faced that Deep Sea Demon Whale's attack together with Xu Zihuang? If she had been there, she definitely would not have let Xu Zihuang be in such a sorry state.
After calming her own emotions, Ye Guyi placed both hands on Xu Zihuang's shoulders, stood on tiptoe to touch foreheads with Xu Zihuang, and looked into each other's eyes.
"Zihuang, I don't blame you. But I hope you know that from now on, I will be by your side, sharing everything with you."
"Mm." Xu Zihuang responded softly with an apology, but a pair of moist and sweet cherry lips had already come over.
A moment later, after exchanging breaths, the two continued walking toward the castle in the center of the manor.
A blush appeared on Ye Guyi's pretty face as she leaned on Xu Zihuang's shoulder, her tone faint and softly murmuring.
"Zihuang, after this is over, let's go to Dragon City first. I want to see what the city where Aunt Qing grew up is like."
"Okay." Xu Zihuang nodded without hesitation. Going to Dragon City had already been in his plans. With his current cultivation, plus the special nature of his ultimate martial soul, he should be able to safely enter that special water well inside the Earth Dragon Sect.
It was time to retrieve the ten-thousand-year Profound Ice Marrow.
There was also the Heavenly Dragon Sect from which his mother originated; he needed to visit there as well. Although he had received a royal education from the Sun Moon Empire since childhood, it was undeniable that half of the bloodline in his body came from the Heavenly Dragon Sect of the Heavenly Soul Empire.
The Heavenly Dragon Sect held some special meaning in his heart. His ability to enter Shrek Academy to study had also relied on the Heavenly Dragon Sect.
Moreover, he could appropriately display the ability of his second martial soul, the Purple Inferno Thunder Prison Dragon's ultimate lightning. The Heavenly Dragon Sect might not be impossible to maneuver.
Xu Zihuang, immersed in his thoughts, completely failed to notice the trace of shyness and determination deep in Ye Guyi's eyes.
By the time Xu Zihuang came back to his senses, a seven-story ancient castle was already close at hand.
A total of twenty-eight figures stood neatly divided on both sides of the main path in front of the castle.
Wang Xiao was not present; the leader had changed to Lin Long, standing at the right head. Back then, Lin Long had broken through to the Soul Sage realm, and later fused with the right leg bone soul bone dropped by that twenty-thousand-year Evil Demon Tiger Whale. His martial soul, the Black Scaled Dragon Shark, was already a considerably powerful martial soul; relying on the twenty-thousand-year Evil Demon Tiger Whale right leg bone to strengthen his foundation, his soul power had just recently broken through to level 79.
Although with his age, the hope of breaking through to the Title Douluo realm was slim, becoming a Soul Douluo was practically guaranteed.
Meng Cang, whose cultivation was second only to Lin Long and also at the Soul Sage level, stood at the left head. Everyone present was a familiar face. They were precisely the original members of the Imperial Dragon Soul Mentor Group, along with the newly joined Nana.
"Young Master!" Led by Lin Long and Meng Cang, everyone respectfully knelt on one knee in salute, their eyes filled with excitement.
Xu Zihuang smiled and nodded slightly, indicating that everyone need not be so courteous. Then, looking at Lin Long, he said, "Elder Lin, Elder Wang will be away for a period of time due to matters. Tell me about everyone's recent situations."
"Nana, you come over too." Then, Xu Zihuang added.
"Yes!"
Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi passed by the crowd and walked toward the hall on the first floor of the castle.
Lin Long and Nana quickly followed. After more than half a year of not seeing each other, Nana's appearance and figure had not changed much; her wheat-colored skin was evidently very healthy, and her tall stature, no less than Ye Guyi's, also possessed an extremely wild beauty. The most obvious change was her aura, which had become much steadier and condensed; her soul power cultivation was not far from breaking through to level 60.
The hall on the first floor of the castle covered an area of about one hundred square meters, spacious and luxurious.
Xu Zihuang and Ye Guyi sat on the sofa in the center of the hall, carefully listening to Lin Long's report. Nana obediently stood to the side.
From Lin Long, Xu Zihuang learned that over these five years, nothing major had occurred; everyone had been cultivating steadily as usual, and their respective cultivations had advanced.
The best news was that Wang Xiao had successfully advanced, becoming a rank 9 soul engineer, and had successfully produced several rank 9 soul tools.
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