Qian Renxue didn't say a word. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, eyes still closed.
"Would you like to tell me what happened? I'll listen to whatever you want to say."
Qian Renxue pursed her lips, her mind in turmoil.
What was she even thinking yesterday? How did she end up in his bed… and now she's even leaning against him. So embarrassing...
Knowing she couldn't keep up the act, Qian Renxue opened her eyes and struggled to sit up, turning her back to Lin Feng and lying beside him.
Her voice was hoarse, choked with emotion.
"Xiao Feng, I… sob—"
She hastily wiped the corners of her eyes, but couldn't stop the tears. Even though she didn't want Lin Feng to see her cry, she just couldn't hold it in.
"Sob... huh?"
Qian Renxue froze—Lin Feng had wrapped his arms around her from behind. The warmth at her waist made her feel something strange stir in her heart.
"If saying it out loud is too painful, then don't say it.
But whenever you need it, you're always welcome to come and talk to me."
Qian Renxue stopped crying. Though her eyes were still glistening with tears, she managed to choke out between sobs:
"Xiao Feng, my father… he's gone…"
Lin Feng was stunned. Thinking back to how she had disappeared the past couple of days—it must've been because of this.
He wanted to say something, but didn't know what.
"Xiao Feng, I should go. Grandpa will worry if he finds out I'm not in my room."
"Xiaoxue, you—"
She quickly fixed her messy hair, rubbed her cheeks, and got out of bed in a rush.
Lin Feng got up as well, watching her with concern.
Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed her hand.
"Come on, let's freshen up and get some breakfast."
Neither of them brought up what happened last night—they both silently agreed not to.
Qian Renxue took a sip of soy milk, but today it tasted strangely complex.
Sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet, sometimes utterly bland.
Frustrated, she set down the porcelain bowl and sighed.
"Xiao Feng, take a walk with me."
"Sure."
The two walked side by side through the halls of Spirit Hall. Today, the place felt especially empty, with far fewer people around than usual.
"You noticed it too?"
"Noticed what?"
Qian Renxue kicked a small stone aside.
"There are fewer people outside."
"Mm."
She stopped walking, gazing at Lin Feng with a deep, distant look.
"Grandpa grounded me here. I couldn't even watch my enemy fall with my own eyes.
Xiao Feng, tell me—if I wanted to destroy a top-tier force, how should I do it?"
"…"
Before Lin Feng could reply, she continued:
"I need more power. One person's strength isn't enough. Even Spirit Hall as it is now isn't enough."
There was an unfamiliar gleam in her eyes.
Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat. Is this little girl… going dark?
"Xiaoxue, the Grand Priest is just trying to protect you. Focus on cultivation. Once you've got real strength, then you'll be able to do more.
Don't let hatred become your obsession. It'll twist your heart."
Qian Renxue let out a soft laugh.
"I know all that… It just still hurts."
She wiped her eyes and turned around.
"I'm leaving for now. You won't see me for a few days—I need to sort myself out. I don't want to cry in front of you anymore."
"...Alright."
Lin Feng watched her fading figure with a trace of worry in his heart.
Suddenly, Qian Renxue turned around, moved by spirit power, and appeared before him in a flash.
She lightly tapped his lips.
"Hmm?"
Lin Feng stared at her in shock, cheeks blushing.
Even though they had shared a bed the night before, they hadn't actually done anything that intimate.But now… was that their first kiss—just like that?!
Qian Renxue smiled brightly, and whispered softly in his ear:
"Stamped—now you're mine, Xiao Feng."
With a wink and a sparkle in her eye, she gracefully turned and left.
Leaving Lin Feng standing there in a daze, touching the spot on his lips where she had kissed him.
"Lucky brat. He actually landed the Young Miss."
Ling Yuan sighed softly, a bit envious of youth. She had always focused on cultivation thanks to her talents, and now she was still single.
"…Maybe I should try finding someone too?"
Ling Yuan thought for a moment—of the people around her with matching strength, there were too many. Those of a similar age lacked the talent. And the rare ones who had both… weren't good-looking enough.
"Tch, what a pain. Better off single."
She shook her head and glanced back—only to see Lin Feng still touching his lips in a daze, which made her scowl.
In a flash, she appeared in front of him and tugged his ear.
"You little brat, stop daydreaming! Time for your research."
Lin Feng helplessly brushed her hand away and walked toward the private chamber in the Scripture Pavilion.
"Someone's getting impatient. I'm not telling~"
"You brat!"
Life in the Scripture Pavilion was getting a bit dull. With someone suddenly missing by his side, Lin Feng felt a bit off.
He looked at the Innate Pearl in his hand—wisps of energy flowed within it.
This martial soul contained immense vitality. The aura it released was warm and refreshing.
Qian Renxue often asked to borrow it as a pillow.
From an elemental perspective, Lin Feng's first soul skill came from a 300+ year Evergreen Vine—wood attribute.
In traditional medicine:
Liver corresponds to wood,
Heart to fire,
Spleen to earth,
Lungs to metal,
Kidneys to water.
Wood generates fire → fire generates earth → earth generates metal → metal generates water → water generates wood.
Lin Feng planned to use these five organs as the center of his early-stage soul meridian network.
Once the entire system was developed, he could use these as key nodes for circulating energy throughout his body.
So now, he had begun experimenting by integrating the soul ring into the liver's meridians.
He had deliberately chosen a lower-year soul ring, because the higher the year, the more energy it contains—and the greater the risk.
This was just an experiment; there was no need to gamble big.
And if the soul ring shattered, its year didn't matter anyway.
"Sister Ling Yuan? I'm ready to integrate my first soul ring."
A tall figure appeared. Ling Yuan frowned:
"So soon? You're confident?"
Lin Feng nodded:
"Ring integration is just a type of soul power compression. Although shattering a ring isn't the same as just exploding it for energy, the principles are traceable.
I've already figured out everything I need to.
My Innate Pearl can move freely inside my body and protect my meridians and blood.
If you're still worried, Sister Ling Yuan, you can go get a few more healing-type soul masters."
Ling Yuan nodded.
"Wait a bit, then."
Soon after, she returned with an elegant female soul master and signaled Lin Feng to begin.
Lin Feng recognized the woman—it was a teacher from the academy: Ye Zixin, a rank 73 Soul Sage, martial soul: Narcissus Flower.
Meanwhile, high in the sky, hidden from view, another figure appeared. It was Qian Daoliu, having received Ling Yuan's message.
"Phew—"
A pale yellow soul ring circled around the Innate Pearl, then was drawn into Lin Feng's right hand.
With a flip of his left hand, he sent the Pearl into his liver. A pure white light illuminated his body.
Ling Yuan and Ye Zixin were stunned.
Lin Feng softly said, "Shatter."
Ping!
A crisp sound echoed like shattering glass—the soul ring had lost its solid form.
From a water-like ring, it turned into a misty, expanded form.
"Cough cough…"
Lin Feng clenched his brows, enduring the pain of the soul ring's breakdown as he slowly pulled it into his body.