Chapter 46: Training and Breaking Through to Spirit Elder

Behind the barrier, Zhu Zhuqing heard the voice, immediately opened her eyes, and stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment.

"Huh? I remember I should be in the bathtub, right? Why am I lying in bed?"

Zhu Zhuqing recalled what had happened, realized her current situation, and looked at the quilt covering her body with a sense of bewilderment.

Hearing Ling Xiao call out to her, a sudden sense of foreboding arose within her.

Gently lifting the quilt, Zhu Zhuqing's expression froze; she was completely bare underneath, wearing nothing at all.

Zhu Zhuqing instantly sat up, clutching the quilt tightly around her body, her face flushing crimson red in an instant. Catching sight of the clothes placed neatly on the bedside table, she hurriedly put them on.

After a while, Ling Xiao, who was sitting in the courtyard, saw Zhu Zhuqing walk out, though her face was abnormally flushed.

"Zhuqing, what's wrong?" Ling Xiao asked softly, his voice carrying a trace of soul power to soothe Zhu Zhuqing's emotions.

"Master!"

Zhu Zhuqing walked up to Ling Xiao and asked in a low voice, "May I ask if it was you who put me in the bed?"

"Yes, you fell asleep yesterday!" Ling Xiao nodded.

Zhu Zhuqing opened her mouth, not knowing what to say.

"Rest assured, I only used chains to place you on the bed. I didn't touch you!" Ling Xiao looked at Zhu Zhuqing and understood her thoughts with a slight consideration.

Hearing this and seeing the black chains materialize before her eyes, Zhu Zhuqing felt slightly relieved and sat down in front of Ling Xiao.

"Come, have breakfast. Once you finish, you can officially become my disciple and begin your training!" Ling Xiao said, pushing the breakfast toward Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhu Zhuqing's heart surged with excitement. She could finally take him as her master, become stronger, and take control of her own destiny!

After finishing breakfast, Zhu Zhuqing wore a respectful expression, held a cup of clear tea with both hands, handed it to Ling Xiao, and performed the traditional kowtow ceremony.

Ling Xiao took the cup, drank the tea, and looked at Zhu Zhuqing before him.

"From now on, you are my disciple!"

"Yes, Master!"

"Congratulations, Master, the task is completed. You have obtained the God Position of the Heavens and unlocked the Divine Trials of the Heavens!" Lan Xue's voice resounded.

Ling Xiao looked at Zhu Zhuqing, produced four weighted pouches from his hand, and said, "Bind these four weighted pouches to your limbs, and then follow me!"

Zhu Zhuqing took the four weighted pouches, and the actual weight she felt made her expression change slightly.

Combined, these four pouches must weigh around a hundred catties. She was an agility-type soul master, specializing in speed rather than physical strength.

However, she did not object and diligently bound the weighted pouches to her limbs.

She then followed Ling Xiao to an open clearing. Merely running a distance of several hundred meters left Zhu Zhuqing feeling exhausted.

"Now, attack me. As long as you can touch me even once, I will reward you!" Ling Xiao said.

Zhu Zhuqing nodded, sprinted toward Ling Xiao, and lashed out with a claw.

Ling Xiao shifted slightly, and Zhu Zhuqing brushed right past him.

"Do not make your movements too large. Sweeping, open gestures not only consume stamina, but also easily leave openings for the enemy to exploit!" Ling Xiao instructed while dodging her attacks.

Zhu Zhuqing listened attentively, gradually altering her offensive style.

Although she still occasionally lapsed into expansive, overly wide movements, there was a noticeable improvement compared to before.

However, as time passed, Zhu Zhuqing's stamina visibly declined, her attacks became chaotic, and she resorted to sweeping, wide motions once again.

"Adjust your breathing. Do not panic. Observe my breathing pattern!"

Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing instantly perked up, carefully observing Ling Xiao's breathing rhythm and attempting to mimic it. However, doing so made her feel short of breath, her vision darkened, and she nearly stumbled and fell.

Ling Xiao stepped forward to steady Zhu Zhuqing. Once she had caught her breath, he spoke again, "Pay attention to your breathing frequency. If your breathing falls into disorder, your person will fall into disorder as well. In combat, that is fatal!"

"Yes, Master!"

Zhu Zhuqing nodded, slowly readjusted her breathing once more, calmed her mind, and felt a flash of absolute clarity in her consciousness.

"Again!"

Zhu Zhuqing launched another attack, maintaining a steady and even breath.

Ling Xiao nodded imperceptibly, looking at the girl before him with a measure of approval.

She was hardworking enough. Although her natural talent wasn't top-tier among soul masters, she had the Water of Life, making talent irrelevant. What mattered more was this unyielding spirit.

After hundreds of exchanges, Ling Xiao looked at Zhu Zhuqing and deliberately exposed an opening.

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze sharpened as she spotted the imminent target area, her left hand instinctively reaching out to grab it.

Just as Ling Xiao was about to dodge to the other side, Zhu Zhuqing's right hand suddenly moved, faster than her left, and successfully grabbed him.

Ling Xiao paused in mild surprise, stopping his movements and looking at Zhu Zhuqing with immense satisfaction in his eyes.

"How did you know to reach toward my left side?"

Zhu Zhuqing stopped as well and replied, "Because I figured Master wouldn't be careless enough to let me catch you so easily. I guessed it was intentional on Master's part, so while I feigned an attack on your right with my left hand, my right hand was actually prepared all along!"

"Very good! In combat, one must pay meticulous attention to many details!"

Ling Xiao's satisfaction with Zhu Zhuqing grew deeper by the moment.

"Since you touched me, you win. This is your reward!" Ling Xiao produced a vial of the Water of Life.

Zhu Zhuqing looked at the Water of Life in a daze; it looked remarkably like the liquid poured into the bathtub yesterday.

"This is the Water of Life. I also put some in your bathtub yesterday; it is beneficial for your body!" Ling Xiao explained.

"So that was it! Thank you, Master!" Zhu Zhuqing bowed deeply and accepted the vial of the Water of Life.

"Drink it! It will quickly restore your stamina!"

"Yes!"

Zhu Zhuqing uncorked the vial and drank the Water of Life. Instantly, the fatigue throughout her body was swept away, her stamina was fully restored, and even her soul power showed a slight increase.

"Master, this..."

Sensing that her soul power had broken through to the twenty-eighth rank, Zhu Zhuqing was completely dumbfounded.

"It's normal, no need to make a fuss. There will be plenty of this stuff in the future!" Ling Xiao said casually.

Zhu Zhuqing cast a deep look at Ling Xiao, wondering silently in her heart what kind of person her master truly was, to be able to casually produce such treasures.

However, Zhu Zhuqing soon shook her little head and stopped pondering the matter.

*Zhu Zhuqing, oh Zhu Zhuqing, instead of being endlessly grateful when Master gives you such a treasure, you're sitting here letting your mind wander! That is simply unacceptable!*

If other people's masters were like hers, there was no telling how overjoyed they would be!

"Now, continue training. Remember not to use overly expansive movements."

Sparring resumed. Zhu Zhuqing's speed had increased, and the impact of the weighted pouches on her body felt somewhat lessened.

Ling Xiao nodded inwardly. Having soaked in the Water of Life last night, drinking it again today, and undergoing rigorous training that accelerated the absorption of its energy, Zhu Zhuqing's physical constitution had clearly and substantially strengthened.

After about an hour had passed, Zhu Zhuqing could no longer sustain the exertion, and Ling Xiao told her to take a short break.

Through the practice, Zhu Zhuqing could distinctly feel her strength increasing.

In the past, if she had bound one-hundred-catty weights to her limbs, let alone continuously sparring for an hour, she wouldn't have lasted even half an hour.

After resting for thirty minutes, Zhu Zhuqing resumed her sparring matches with Ling Xiao.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the training. By noon, the two randomly caught a spirit beast to eat, rested for a while, and then resumed their combat drills.

It wasn't until dusk fell that the two returned to the wooden cabin.

Ling Xiao filled the bathtub with water, added a portion of the Water of Life, and left. Zhu Zhuqing also shed her clothes and stepped into the tub.

This time, however, she kept her wits about her and dared not fall asleep again.

On the other side, Ling Xiao also retrieved a bathtub filled to the brim with the Water of Life. He removed his garments, stepped in, slowly closed his eyes, and projected his soul once more before the temporal barrier to launch another assault.

After leaving a new fracture upon the barrier, Ling Xiao awoke, pouring the diluted Water of Life—now turned to ordinary water—onto the flower beds.

Over the next ten days, the two spent their time entirely immersed in combat training.

Zhu Zhuqing's strength grew at a rapid pace, and the one-hundred-catty weighted pouches on her limbs no longer exerted any restrictive influence on her.

"Very good. Your soul power has now reached the thirtieth rank, and your speed is barely comparable to that of an agility-type soul emperor," Ling Xiao said, looking at Zhu Zhuqing.

"It is all thanks to Master's guidance that Zhuqing has achieved this!" Zhu Zhuqing bowed, her eyes filled with boundless gratitude as she looked at Ling Xiao.

"Very well, then let us head into the forest today to acquire your soul ring!" Ling Xiao stated.

After all, soul masters in this world did not cultivate like him; they still needed to hunt spirit beasts.

"Yes, Master!"

Ling Xiao nodded, grasped Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder with one hand, and amidst a sudden shift in scenery, the two arrived swiftly at the outer periphery of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Looking at the scenery before her, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes widened in shock. She had clearly been standing in place without moving, yet how had she arrived in a completely unfamiliar place?

"This is the Star Dou Great Forest. We shall find a suitable soul ring for you right here!" Ling Xiao said.

Simultaneously, his soul power swept outward, blanketing half of the Star Dou Great Forest until he locked onto a Wind Shadow Cat of over five thousand years—an agility-type spirit beast skilled in stealth, which suited Zhu Zhuqing quite well.

Ling Xiao selected this beast, and concurrently caught sight of the Titan Giant Ape sleeping beside the Star Dou Lake, shaking his head inwardly.

That Titan Giant Ape spent every single day sleeping without learning from the Azure Bull Python. Look at how hard the latter worked, constantly cultivating deep within the Star Dou Lake.

Withdrawing his soul power, Ling Xiao looked at Zhu Zhuqing and said, "I have located a soul beast. You shall take this creature as your third soul ring!"

As he spoke, a black chain emerged from the void, bound tightly around a black-and-purple feline spirit beast that was roaring incessantly, its slender limbs kicking wildly in the air.

Zhu Zhuqing gazed at the spirit beast before her, sensing the powerful aura emanating from it, and felt a shock ripple through her heart.

"Master, how many years of cultivation does this soul beast have?"

"A little over five thousand years. You can absorb it."

*Over five thousand years?*

Zhu Zhuqing stared at the spirit beast with hesitation. She had never heard of any soul master absorbing a five-thousand-year soul ring for their third ring.

Generally speaking, choosing something around two thousand years was already considered exceptional!

Yet, looking at Ling Xiao, Zhu Zhuqing ultimately resolved herself to absorb this ring.

After all, Ling Xiao was her master, and for so long he had treated her exceptionally well, bestowing upon her treasures like the Water of Life and helping her reach the thirtieth rank so swiftly. He had no reason whatsoever to harm her.

At this thought, Zhu Zhuqing's gaze grew firm and resolute.

"Very well, Master, I will absorb this soul ring!"

The chains tightened, reducing the Wind Shadow Cat to its final breath in an instant.

Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward, produced a dagger, and thrust it directly into the Wind Shadow Cat's head. It struggled briefly before perishing, its eyes filled with reluctance and resentment.

A purple soul ring materialized. Zhu Zhuqing immediately seated herself and used her soul power to guide the soul ring toward her, while the residual resentment of the beast assaulted her consciousness.

Yet, after enduring such prolonged pursuit and training, Zhu Zhuqing's mental fortitude far surpassed that of her peers.

Following a brief, sharp pain in her mind, the soul ring was successfully absorbed by Zhu Zhuqing. Three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—fluctuated rhythmically around her body.

Exhaling a breath, Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes, looked at Ling Xiao, and smiled.

"You succeeded," Ling Xiao smiled.

"Many thanks, Master. Had it not been for you, how could I have become a soul master of the Spirit Elder realm so quickly, and with a third soul ring exceeding five thousand years!" Zhu Zhuqing stood up and said, her current soul power level having surged directly to the thirty-second rank—and she was only twelve years old.

"This is not solely due to me; your own hard work was indispensable. Without it, one cannot become a strong expert even with prime resources!"

As Ling Xiao spoke, his thoughts drifted to the Serpent Spear Doubro and the Pufferfish Doubro, wondering why those two still hadn't reached the ninety-seventh rank after all this time.

At that very moment, deep within the shadows of the Heaven Dou imperial palace, where the Serpent Spear Doubro and Pufferfish Doubro were jointly safeguarding Qian Renxue's safety, both men sneezed in unison.

"Pufferfish, what is going on? Could someone be speaking ill of us behind our backs?" The Serpent Spear Doubro rubbed his nose and asked in puzzlement.

He was a Title Doubro; how could he possibly catch a cold?

"Probably not! After all, very few people know where we are, and who would have nothing better to do than talk bad about us?" The Pufferfish Doubro shrugged, dismissing the thought.

"That's true!" The Serpent Spear Doubro nodded in agreement.

"Still, aren't our improvements too slow? The Holy Son gave us such wonderful treasures, yet we still haven't reached the ninety-seventh rank. Nowadays, the baseline in the Spirit Hall is the ninety-seventh rank, and I've heard several people have even reached ninety-nine!" The Pufferfish Doubro said, a look of worry clouding his face.

The Serpent Spear Doubro's expression froze in silence; after all, they were at the ninety-sixth rank!

Such a level of power was something they hadn't even dared to imagine in the past.

Previously, within the Spirit Hall and across the entire continent, there were very few individuals above the ninety-sixth rank, whereas now, the ninety-sixth rank was practically looked down upon.

"Sigh, it can't be helped. We aren't like those fellows in the Spirit Hall who can devote themselves heart and soul to cultivation. We have duties to fulfill. If we fail to protect Her Highness properly and let her get injured, forget about increasing our strength—the Holy Son himself might personally execute us!"

"True!" The Pufferfish Doubro sighed helplessly.

"Even if our progress is slow, it is still growing nonetheless. At worst, we'll just be mocked by that bunch of old fogies!"

*Sigh!*

At the mere thought of the boorish Demon Bear Doubro finding out he was still only at the ninety-sixth rank and flashing that mocking grin, the Serpent Spear Doubro couldn't help sighing once more, before snapping back to attention to diligently guard Qian Renxue's safety.

Seeing that the soul ring absorption was complete, Ling Xiao once more grasped Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder. Amidst another shifting of the surrounding environment, the two instantly returned before the wooden cabin.

"Master, how is this feat accomplished?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, gazing at the miraculous display.

"Nothing much, merely a simple application of spatial principles. When you become strong enough, accomplishing such things is effortless," Ling Xiao explained. This was a method of spatial application he had comprehended through observing the Law of Space.

Zhu Zhuqing fell silent. She certainly didn't consider such a feat simple.

At the very least, she had never witnessed anyone else achieve such a thing before.

Even Title Doubros could never manage this! Just how unimaginably powerful was her master?

"Master!" Zhu Zhuqing spoke up abruptly.

"What is it?"

"I need to leave for a period of time," Zhu Zhuqing said.

"Where are you going?"

"I have an arranged fiancé. I left my family precisely to find him," Zhu Zhuqing stated, her eyes tinged with disappointment.

That fiancé of hers had fled the Star Dou Empire out of cowardice, leaving her behind to face hardships all by herself.

"Very well, I will not restrict your freedom."

Ling Xiao replied, producing a crystalline, translucent jade stone and handing it to Zhu Zhuqing.