NOVEL NEXT Chapter 39: chapter 38
Three days later, Jun Tianlin bid farewell to Rongrong, Chen Xin, and the others and returned to heaven dou Royal Academy.
He was supposed to leave two days earlier, but Ning Rongrong had cried and clung to him, unwilling to let him go. As a result, Tianlin stayed with her for two more days before departing.
Upon returning to heaven dou City, Jun Tianlin didn't go directly to the Royal Academy. Instead, he visited the palace to inform Xue Qinghe of his return.
Although Xue Qinghe disguised herself as a man, her inner nature as a woman was apparent. Her sharp sense of pride and feminine stinginess often revealed themselves and Tianlin knew that if he didn't visit her upon his return, she would likely hold a grudge for a long time.
Thanks to the prince's special orders, Jun Tianlin didn't need to report his arrival when entering the East Palace. It was midday, and though it was supposed to be lunchtime, Xue Qinghe was still engrossed in handling government affairs. Her image as a diligent prince needed constant maintenance.
This relentless effort attracted many court officials who were previously hesitant about where to pledge their loyalty. Among the few remaining contenders for the throne, it was clear that Xue Qinghe's discipline and competence were far more promising than Xue Beng's notorious reputation for arrogance and hedonism.
"Your Highness, Master Tianlin is here" a maid whispered into Xue Qinghe's ear.
By now, Jun Tianlin had visited frequently enough that everyone in the East Palace recognized him. They all regarded him as a close confidant of the prince, a fellow disciple, and a trusted friend.
"Xiaotian, you've returned!" Xue Qinghe exclaimed, putting aside her work and rising to greet him with genuine joy.
"Yes, Brother Xue. I've successfully obtained my second soul ring and just returned today. I came to visit you immediately" Jun Tianlin said with polite restraint.
Xue Qinghe frowned slightly. "Xiaotian, how many times must I tell you? You don't need to be so formal when you're with me. Be at ease."
She then turned to her maids and dismissed them, saying "All of you may leave. I'd like to catch up with my junior brother in private."
Xue Qinghe assumed Jun Tianlin's formality was due to the presence of outsiders.
In truth, Jun Tianlin deliberately maintained a respectful distance.After spending several days interacting with her, he found Xue Qinghe to be a charismatic and captivating person. He couldn't deny her charm. If she ever dropped her disguise and returned to her true identity as Qian Renxue, her beauty and allure would undoubtedly leave many spellbound.
Yet Jun Tianlin reminded himself that they were destined to be enemies and If he allowed himself to grow too close, he feared he might hesitate to act when the time came, and such hesitation could cost him his life.
The current balance was ideal—cordial but distant and He benefited from Xue Qinghe's resources, using the Empire's power to accelerate his cultivation while she only gained from his unique meditative techniques that helped refine her soul power. Their relationship remained one of mutual advantage. If conflict arose in the future, neither would owe the other. Whether one killed the other, it wouldn't be unjust or dishonorable.
"By the way, Xiaotian, could you let me see your second soul ring?" Xue Qinghe asked and her curiosity evident as she approached him.
What she cared about most was Jun Tianlin's cultivation progress. The stronger he became, the greater their god level martial fusion and If Jun Tianlin reached her level, their combined power would multiply, significantly enhancing their training speed. She hoped this would enable her to return to Spirit Hall and reclaim the position of Pope from that woman.
"Alright" Jun Tianlin agreed and while he could conceal his second martial soul and external spirit bones, the soul ring itself wasn't something he could hide as It would inevitably come to light during battle.
Summoning his demon sword, two soul rings, one yellow and one purple, rose slowly around him.
"Purple... a thousand-year soul ring!" Xue Qinghe's eyes widened in shock"Your second soul ring is from a thousand-year-old beast? Even I wouldn't dare attempt such a thing!"
"Yes, Brother Xue. It came from a thousand-year-old Purple Fire Golden Eyed Beast," Tianlin confirmed.
"Ridiculous! How could Sword Douluo have allowed you to do something so dangerous?" Her voice trembled with anger.
"Is she truly worried about me?" Jun Tianlin wondered, momentarily stunned by the genuine concern in her tone and for a brief moment, it seemed as though Xue Qinghe wasn't just a benefactor or ally but someone who genuinely cared for his well-being.
"Brother Xue, I'm fine. Don't worry. Ever since I awakened my martial soul, my body has grown stronger each day. Even when absorbing the thousand-year soul ring, I didn't feel any pain" Jun Tianlin reassured her gently, his tone unexpectedly comforting.
At that moment, it seemed as if the roles had reversed—the younger brother consoling the older sibling.
Xue Qinghe smiled and her anger subsiding "Fine, just promise me you won't do anything so reckless again."
"You were lucky this time. The purple hue of your soul ring is light and it must have barely passed the thousand-year threshold. Moreover, the Purple Fire Golden Eyed Beast is a soul beast with relatively weak attack power. These factors allowed you to escape unscathed. You may not be so fortunate next time, understand?"
"Don't worry, Brother Xue. I promise not to take such risks again" Jun Tianlin vowed solemnly and though he knew deep down he wouldn't keep the promise and To grow stronger quickly, surpassing his limits with spirit rings was a necessity.
After hearing Jun Tianlin's assurance, Xue Qinghe finally calmed down. She insisted he stay for lunch in the East Palace, and after the meal, the two trained together for two hours using their combined abilities.
During training, Xue Qinghe noticed Tianlin's soul power had already reached the peak of level 22, on the verge of breaking into level 23. The boost from the thousand-year soul ring was indeed remarkable.
"With Xiaotian's cultivation speed, it's only a matter of time before he catches up to me" Xue Qinghe thought and watching him leave "I'm eager to see how powerful our god-level martial spirit with the spirit fusion skill will be when that day comes."
By the time Jun Tianlin returned to heaven dou Royal Academy, it was nearly dusk and he headed straight to the training grounds. Most of the academy's noble students had already abandoned their training to enjoy the nightlife, but Jun Tianlin's group of friends was different. Their dedication to becoming stronger kept them at the training ground until nightfall.
Sure enough, when he arrived, Teacher Qin Ming was guiding his team through combat exercises.
The Shi brothers had teamed up against Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan.
"The first soul skill: Thunder Dragon Claw!" Yu Tianheng roared as he gathered lightning in his palm and struck Shi Mo, the elder of the Shi brothers.
"Heh, first soul skill: Xuanwu Shield!" Shi Mo remained unfazed. The Xuanwu Turtle was a top-tier defensive spirit and even a powerful spirit like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon couldn't shake him. The strike not only failed to break Shi Mo's defense but sent Yu Tianheng retreating under the force of the countershock.
Meanwhile, Dugu Yan unleashed her Green Scale Snake Venom, but Shi Mo, the younger Shi brother, effortlessly blocked it with his tortoise shell.
Shi Mo's defensive shell differed slightly from Shi Mo's. While slightly weaker in defense, it provided exceptional resistance to various abnormal conditions.
To everyone's surprise, after a round of confrontation, the Shi brothers—despite their lower spirit power—gained the upper hand.