Lin Xian never expected to run into Zhu Zhuqing being hunted.
In the original story, her Innate Spirit Power was only Level 7. Yet through sheer will and determination, she still managed to keep up with the main group.
She was someone Lin Xian admired quite a bit.
Now that he had seen this, there was no way he would just stand by and watch her die.
Moreover, his first planet had already awakened, but he hadn't formed a bond with anyone yet. Zhu Zhuqing, at this point in time, was the perfect candidate.
Although his first spirit ring was white, it still granted him two Spirit Abilities.
His first spirit ring flashed.
First Spirit Ability: Galaxy Fall!
Countless stars gathered in an instant and came crashing down toward the three masked men in black!
It happened too suddenly.
None of them had time to react.
Only their leader barely managed to escape the area by using a defensive skill.
Under the effect of the Spirit Ability, the other two were not only severely injured but also fell into a stunned state.
Zhu Zhuqing immediately seized the opportunity.
Her figure flickered, and her first spirit ring lit up.
Hell Rush Stab!
The two stunned men had no way to resist and were killed instantly.
Seeing the sudden turn of events, the leader felt a chill run down his spine.
But he had no choice. This was a family order. If he failed, he would die upon returning—so he might as well risk everything.
After forcing out that attack, Zhu Zhuqing no longer had the strength to fight.
The masked leader unleashed his second Spirit Ability. His long blade transformed into a surge of sword qi, slashing straight toward Zhu Zhuqing.
He was furious. If his subordinates hadn't been distracted earlier, they would have killed her long ago.
None of this would have happened.
Watching the incoming blade, Zhu Zhuqing slowly closed her eyes. A faint, relieved smile appeared on her lips.
So… this is the end?
Fine. At least it will all be over.
"Star Shield!"
The collision between blade and shield produced a sharp, piercing sound.
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes snapped open.
A transparent barrier had formed around her, faint starlight flowing across its surface, beautiful and otherworldly.
At the same time, the energy from the incoming attack was gradually being neutralized.
Even more astonishing—her exhausted spirit power was rapidly recovering.
Was that also an effect of the shield?
"First Spirit Ability: Galaxy Fall!"
A voice rang out, cutting sharply through the forest.
The masked leader's heart sank. He hurriedly tried to dodge.
He had already experienced how terrifying that attack was.
However, this was only a feint.
Lin Xian didn't release it immediately.
Instead, he was predicting the opponent's landing position.
It was a gamble.
If he hit, and Zhu Zhuqing followed up, it would be enough to kill him.
Even if he missed, it would still buy time for her to recover.
Luck does not favor fools.
But it favors the bold.
The falling stars struck exactly where the man in black landed.
Fear surged within him—
And at that moment, Lin Xian saw a white card drop.
Just as the man was about to use a defensive Spirit Ability, Zhu Zhuqing's attack arrived.
He was forced directly into the range of Galaxy Fall.
Her claws pierced straight into his neck.
But Zhu Zhuqing herself was also caught within the attack's range—
And she fainted.
Seeing this, Lin Xian finally relaxed—but a wave of nausea rose in his stomach.
Four living people had just died in front of him.
It still affected him, at least a little.
But he quickly regained his composure.
This was a forest. The smell of blood would easily attract Spirit Beasts if he wasn't careful.
Jumping down from the tree, he quickly approached.
As he neared, the dropped card automatically flew into his card space.
An auto-loot function?
That was convenient.
At least he didn't have to bend down and pick things up one by one.
Without checking the card, he hurried over to Zhu Zhuqing's side.
He gently lifted her into his arms.
She was light.
Her body was soft.
And… she felt surprisingly good to hold.
Damn it, what am I thinking?
Lin Xian shook his head, clearing his thoughts.
Earlier, while observing the area, he had noticed a river nearby—getting water would be easier there.
Carrying her, he headed toward it.
Soon, he spotted a small cave on a nearby hill—perfect for resting.
The cave wasn't deep, just a narrow space. That was precisely why he dared to enter.
He wouldn't risk going into a cave where he couldn't see the end—who knew what kind of Spirit Beasts might be lurking inside?
He took off his shirt and spread it on the ground, carefully laying Zhu Zhuqing down so her wounds wouldn't touch the dirt.
He had no medicine on him.
All he could rely on were the unopened cards.
Rubbing his hands together, he entered the card space.
The cards he had obtained were quietly floating there.
He flipped over two white cards first.
[One set of male and female school uniforms]
[One self-cleaning picnic mat]
Lin Xian's vision darkened.
Seriously?
Even if the system couldn't detect his own emotions, opening cards like this still caused emotional fluctuations, okay?
What a waste he couldn't exploit that.
Forget it—four cards left.
Keep going.
Yellow card:
[Spirit Master Level-Up Card ×1 (Increases spirit power by 2 levels, no side effects)]
This one was actually useful.
And perfect for him right now.
Purple card:
[Healing Elixir: For internal use. Seals spirit power for four hours and restores the body to a healthy state]
Finally.
Even if the description sounded a bit questionable…
It was still a purple-tier item.
It had to be effective.
After choosing to use it, a small bottle of green liquid appeared in his hand.
It radiated vitality.
Lin Xian finally felt reassured.
He opened the bottle and carefully poured it into Zhu Zhuqing's mouth.
But she was unconscious—she couldn't swallow at all.
In that case…
"This is my first kiss… sigh, saving a life comes first."
He poured the entire bottle into his own mouth, leaned down, and pressed his lips against hers.
Cool.
Soft.
Delicate… with a faint elasticity.
What Lin Xian didn't notice—
As he transferred the medicine…
Zhu Zhuqing's finger twitched slightly.