When Lin Jie saw Zhu Zhuqing walk back into the room, his expression was a little blank.
"You came back? Weren't you just leaving?"
Zhu Zhuqing sat down beside him without replying. She was never one for flowery words—her silence was the best answer.
Lin Jie's earlier sour mood vanished as soon as she appeared. The two chatted for a while, then made their way back to his room.
Lin Jie had promised to give her something.
Zhu Zhuqing sat on his bed, clearly uneasy. She shifted slightly from time to time, seemingly unsure what to expect.
Then Lin Jie pulled something from his spatial ring—an object that looked somewhere between bone and metal. It was a Spirit Bone.
This was the Spirit Bone Lin Jie had acquired from a spirit beast some time ago. He had originally planned to study it to understand the mechanics of its formation, but after failing to yield any real results, he had simply stored it away.
The Man-Faced Demon Spider that should've become Tang San's third spirit ring had, through Lin Jie's intervention, gone to Zhu Zhuqing instead. As a result, Tang San had only ended up absorbing a relatively ordinary thousand-year spirit beast. Lin Jie didn't feel even a shred of guilt—on the contrary, he was rather pleased with himself.
Though he had once considered absorbing the Spirit Bone, it didn't suit his path. But Zhu Zhuqing—it was perfect for her.
"I looked into it," Lin Jie said softly, placing the bone in her hands. "It's a four-thousand-year-old Thunder Spider Right Arm Bone. It complements your Eight Spider Lances perfectly. I won't use it—it's all yours."
Zhu Zhuqing was stunned. Spirit Bones were legendary—extremely rare and incredibly valuable. And now one sat in her hands, freely offered to her. As Lin Jie's words sank in, her eyes misted. A few tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Why are you crying?" Lin Jie asked gently.
Choking back emotion, Zhu Zhuqing whispered,
"No one's ever treated me this well... Really. Thank you, Lin Jie. But this is too precious—I can't accept it."
Lin Jie's voice turned firm.
"Zhuqing, I don't want you to treat me like a stranger. I told you—I would protect you, and I meant it. I also said I'd help you grow stronger. I never go back on my word. Besides, this Spirit Bone isn't useful to me. I've got better options."
"Really?" she asked softly.
"Really," he replied.
Lin Jie wasn't sure whether she was asking about his promise to protect her—or about having a better Spirit Bone. But in the end, it didn't matter.
What mattered was that he said, "Really."
"You should absorb it now," he said, placing the Spirit Bone in her palm.
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for only a moment before she placed the bone against her right arm and began the fusion.
Waves of multicolored light shimmered over her body as the Spirit Bone began to merge into her right arm, gradually fading from view. Several minutes passed before the fusion completed.
Suddenly, her spirit power surged.
Level 32...
Level 32 peak...
Level 33...
Level 33 peak...
Level 34.
Her spirit power finally stabilized at Level 34, matching Lin Jie's own level—yes, Lin Jie had also just broken through to Level 34.
Overjoyed, Zhu Zhuqing stood up and threw her arms around Lin Jie.
"Thank you—thank you, Lin Jie!" she exclaimed.
"Did you sense what ability the Spirit Bone gave you?" he asked.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded excitedly.
"My right arm can now produce spider silk—and not just that. It can form webs. The silk has strong adhesion, neurotoxic paralysis, and even lethal venom."
"That's great," Lin Jie smiled, gazing at her radiant face. "If you really want to thank me..."
Zhu Zhuqing answered without hesitation:
"Mm."
And Lin Jie showed her exactly how she could thank him.
The two were already familiar with each other by now. Their physical closeness no longer felt awkward. Zhu Zhuqing's usual icy exterior had melted, her face warm and flushed, a rare smile lingering on her lips.
As for Dai Mubai? Neither of them brought him up—nor would they. Right now, Dai Mubai was out carousing with Ma Hongjun, and frankly, he had no place in this conversation.
Later, after they had relaxed and talked some more, Lin Jie sat up and pulled out a few odd-looking objects from his ring.
"These," he said, "are Spirit Power Grenades—something I invented. Their explosive power is massive. Just infuse them with spirit power through this conductor, pull the safety ring, and boom. A single one could seriously injure a Spirit Ancestor. If you use a few at once, even a Spirit Emperor might not walk away."
He handed her a small pile of grenades along with a plain-looking storage ring—about two cubic meters in capacity.
Threading the ring onto a chain, he gently placed it around her neck.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't protest this time. After accepting something as priceless as a Spirit Bone—and giving her heart to him—it seemed natural to accept everything he offered.
Lin Jie carefully explained the dos and don'ts of using Spirit Power Grenades. Afterward, he escorted her back to her room so she could rest and recover, despite knowing Spirit Masters recovered quickly. They lingered there a little longer before Lin Jie finally reminded her to get some rest and quietly slipped out.
Walking back through the academy grounds, Lin Jie couldn't help but grin to himself.
"Finally made it. Not easy... but worth it."
As he passed by a small pavilion, he spotted a lone figure sitting inside—a girl, seemingly deep in thought.
Meanwhile, in Zhu Zhuqing's room, her face still a little flushed, she was being teased by Xiao Wu.
It turned out Xiao Wu had dropped by unexpectedly. Tang San had gone into Soto City, and Ning Rongrong wasn't around either. Feeling bored and lonely, Xiao Wu had gone looking for company. When she passed by Zhu Zhuqing's room, she happened to see Lin Jie leaving.
That explained why she'd come in smiling and teasing.
What the two girls discussed afterward—well, only they would know.
Back at the pavilion...
"What are you doing out here alone?" Lin Jie asked.
Ning Rongrong looked up, her expression gloomy. When she saw it was Lin Jie, her face fell further.
"Just bored. Daydreaming."
The two had grown quite close, especially after the Star Dou Forest incident where Lin Jie had risked himself to protect her.
Lin Jie sat down beside her.
"Let me guess—you're feeling discouraged. Everyone around you has hit Level 30, and you, the proud daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, are still stuck at Level 26. Am I right?"
Ning Rongrong pouted.
"How'd you know?"
He chuckled.
"It's written all over your face."
"Then let me ask you—how did you get so strong so fast?" she asked bluntly.
Lin Jie blinked. He hadn't expected her to ask that.
Should I just tell her I'm cheating with plot armor? he thought.
Drawing out his words, he said,
"Well..."
Ning Rongrong huffed.
"Forget it. If you're not gonna tell me, then don't."
Lin Jie smiled.
"It's not that I won't—it's just..."
"Just what?"
"My method probably isn't suitable for you."
She huffed again.
"Hmph. What could be so unsuitable? Cultivation is cultivation!"