The events of last night still lingered in Shu Yan's mind like a vivid dream. Although he hadn't truly tasted the final fruit, they had been only a single step away.
Of course, Shu Yan wasn't the kind to torment himself. After Xu Jiujing suffered through much teasing and finally fled in embarrassment, a golden ribbon lazily fell onto the soft couch, and scattered pieces of clothing lay messily across the floor, leaving clear evidence of how wild things had gotten earlier.
More than an hour later, Xu Jiujing returned wearing a white silk nightgown, her long golden hair still damp, clearly having just bathed.
Shu Yan slowly opened his eyes, meeting Xu Jiujing's resentful gaze—and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Jiujing, why didn't you invite me to join you for your bath? Honestly, I wasn't thinking anything bad... Just thought we could save water, that's all…"
Hearing his teasing tone, Xu Jiujing angrily grabbed a pillow and gave Shu Yan a fierce beating before finally feeling satisfied enough to turn and walk toward the quiet chamber in the back. As she walked away, she said softly,
"I can't wait any longer. I'll go absorb that left leg bone tonight. If you can't sleep, keep watch for me. Anyway, don't you dare stray more than twenty meters from me."
Watching her figure disappear behind the curtains, Shu Yan let out a helpless sigh. But really, where he cultivated didn't matter. If his little princess wanted him by her side, how could he possibly say no?
Kidding aside, after all the flustered effort she'd put in earlier, how could he let her down…
The night passed quickly. Xu Jiujing's fair calf still faintly glowed, and her delicate brow was lightly furrowed as if in discomfort. Shu Yan sat cross-legged in a courtyard less than ten meters away, cultivating while also studying the soul imprint that Elex had left within his spiritual sea.
According to Elex, this soul imprint contained access to the undead demi-plane and some basic undead spells. Elex still needed to sleep for a while longer, so he had left this imprint for Shu Yan to study on his own. It was a way to give Shu Yan a head start on necromancy, making it easier for him to learn more advanced undead magic later.
Shu Yan wasn't opposed to learning necromancy. Compared to the complicated, time-consuming study of soul tools, he was far more intrigued by this foreign power from outside the Douluo Plane. Naturally, he was willing to invest effort into it.
Everything had been peaceful lately, with no pressing matters requiring his attention, making this the perfect time for him to explore a brand-new power.
After several attempts, Shu Yan stared blankly at the convoluted incantations before him.
Due to the difference between planes, undead magic on the Douluo Plane required fusing the spells with soul power to cast them effectively.
Shu Yan's comprehension had always been top-tier, but this time, learning undead magic seemed a bit rushed. Watching his supposedly simple spells turn into chaotic failures in his hands, Shu Yan decisively spared the few trembling Soft Bone Rabbits and ended their lives in a far simpler way—before tossing them onto the grill…
When Xu Jiujing awoke from absorbing the soul bone, the first thing she noticed was the strong, mouthwatering aroma in the air. She glanced at the time, slipped on her shoes, and stepped outside.
Shu Yan was skillfully brushing seasoning onto the sizzling Soft Bone Rabbits. Beside him, the Ice and Snow Emperors sat together, casually chatting while enjoying the enticing smell. Stretching lazily, Xu Jiujing's mood lightened, and she happily walked over to the three of them.
"Sister Xue, Sister Bing, good afternoon..."
Noticing her approach, the Snow Emperor nodded first and pointed to an empty chair nearby, gesturing for Xu Jiujing to sit.
The Ice Emperor set down her drink, tilted her head toward Xu Jiujing, and remarked:
"I heard from Shu Yan that you broke through. Not bad, a Soul Ancestor at fifteen. If you work hard, you should have a decent shot at reaching high-rank Soul King before twenty."
Xu Jiujing smiled and nodded.
"I certainly hope so. After reaching Soul Ancestor, my martial soul's absorption of starlight energy should increase by about twenty percent. With the help of some special soul tools, I'll be focusing on training hard from now on, aiming to break through to Soul King as soon as possible. Otherwise, I'd be embarrassed at the tournament in three years…"
The Ice Emperor thought for a moment, then asked with a puzzled expression:
"You mean that tournament thing humans hold every five years... What's it called again? The Continental something-something Grand Tournament? "
Xu Jiujing nodded, then glanced somewhat wistfully at Shu Yan, who was still patiently grilling the rabbits.
"I once asked A'Yan to enter the tournament with me. With his help, combined with my Star Crown's full control and defense, breaking Shrek Academy's undefeated myth wouldn't be hard. But A'Yan has no interest in competitions like that, and I don't want to force him, so I haven't brought it up much since…"
Hearing this, the Snow Emperor lifted her eyes slightly and glanced at Shu Yan, then softly asked:
"Are these tournaments really that important to you? "
Xu Jiujing paused, then explained:
"In a way, they are extremely important. Hosting such a grand event greatly boosts a nation's and city's prestige. Plus, during the tournament, revenue from ticket sales and other opportunities can bring in significant income—helping the empire's finances quite a bit."
"More importantly, if we can defeat Shrek Academy on the battlefield and shatter their millennium-long undefeated streak, the gain isn't just fame. There are deeper meanings behind it. Even for a vast empire, that would be a momentous, inspiring victory."
The Ice Emperor wrinkled her little nose and frowned.
"You humans are so strange. Always making a big fuss over things like this. Our soul beast tribe handles things much more directly…"
"Uh…"
Xu Jiujing was briefly at a loss for words. She thought for a moment but couldn't find the right way to explain.
At that moment, the Snow Emperor spoke again:
"Bing'er, don't speak carelessly. Different races have different ways of life. If it's something that even a princess like Jiujing values so much, it surely isn't meaningless."
"You're absolutely right, Sister Xue," Shu Yan's voice drifted over from the grill, carrying a teasing undertone. "Whether the Soul Master Tournament means anything depends entirely on one's perspective. Honestly, it means nothing to me. But for example—if I win the championship and Jiujing's so happy that she agrees to marry me on the spot, then suddenly, the tournament has meaning for me too. Just a matter of perspective, that's all…"
Feeling the playful looks from the Ice and Snow Emperors, Xu Jiujing couldn't stop herself from blushing again.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/XenTronix