Meanwhile, within Zhu Zhuqing's spiritual sea, the lingering will of the Dark Night Demon Dragon was raging violently.
But she knew that if she could withstand this onslaught, her reward would be beyond anything she'd ever imagined.
"ROAR!!!"
The Dark Night Demon Dragon rampaged in her mindscape, completely unaware that a far greater being was about to descend.
"ROOOAR!!!"
A deafening dragon's roar shattered the defenses of her spiritual sea.
In the next moment, a colossal dragon, its body thousands of meters long and cloaked in purest darkness, loomed over Zhu Zhuqing and the fading remnant of the Dark Night Demon Dragon.
"ROAAAR!!!"
The terrifying Dark Saint Dragon unleashed another thunderous roar, and the next instant, it swallowed the Dark Night Demon Dragon whole!
Zhu Zhuqing stood frozen in disbelief.
How could such a terrifying dragon appear within her spiritual sea?!
There was only one explanation—her Yuan Longxuan was helping her from the outside!
"Rooaaar!!!"
The Dark Saint Dragon then merged into her spiritual sea, and Zhu Zhuqing felt her soul power surge violently as a cool sensation spread from her right arm.
At the same time, in the real world—
As Zhu Zhuqing fused the 200,000-year Fierce Beast-class Dark Saint Dragon soul bone, her entire body emanated an aura of absolute darkness.
The Dragon King and Snake Granny pair, along with Meng Yiran, could only stare in shock.
Clang!
The Dark Saint Dragon's right claw fused perfectly, and Zhu Zhuqing's soul power skyrocketed.
Just from this single external soul bone and the soul ring's energy, her level leapt straight to thirty-nine! She was now only one step away from reaching the Soul Master realm.
"Hu~"
Exhaling deeply, Zhu Zhuqing felt as if her whole body had become weightless.
Her strength was several times greater than before, yet when she checked her soul power, she couldn't help but panic.
"Brother Yuan… my soul power—"
Before she could finish, she saw three unfamiliar figures standing nearby.....one of whom was a battered, elderly man.
"Not bad," Yuan Longxuan nodded approvingly.
"Level thirty-nine already. You're not far from your next breakthrough."
As soon as he finished speaking, he walked over and drew her gently into his arms.
"Kya~ Brother Yuan, you're so bad!"
Though startled, Zhu Zhuqing didn't resist. Instead, she nestled obediently against his chest.
The entire scene played out before the stunned eyes of Meng Yiran and her grandparents.
"Since you've finished absorbing your soul ring and bone," Yuan Longxuan said lightly, "let's go."
He playfully pinched Zhu Zhuqing's small, delicate nose.
He was well aware that the pretty girl watching from the side—Meng Yiran—was present, but so what?
Zhu Zhuqing was his wife.
He had already claimed her.
If he neglected his beloved just to please another girl's fleeting admiration, wouldn't that make him no better than a scumbag?
"Heehee~ okay!" Zhu Zhuqing replied sweetly. She already knew why her soul power had skyrocketed...because of her husband.
The gigantic dark dragon within her spirit sea could only have come from Yuan Longxuan's intervention!
"Wait, young man!"
Just as Yuan Longxuan was about to leave with Zhu Zhuqing, Meng Shu suddenly called out to him.
"Hm? What is it? You want another beating?"
Yuan Longxuan turned around lazily, his tone carrying a faint chill. The Dragon Duke's heart skipped a beat.
"Your Excellency," said the old Snake Granny respectfully, "may I ask… which academy are you from?"
"Huh? Why? Planning to track me down for revenge later?" Yuan Longxuan frowned. He truly couldn't tell what these two old folks were up to.
He'd already been away with Zhu Zhuqing for four days....if he didn't return soon, Xiao Wu would surely stir up trouble again.
"No, no, Your Excellency misunderstands!" Snake Granny hurriedly said.
"I am Chao Tianxiang, and this is my husband, Meng Shu....the sect master of the Exotic Beast Sect, known in the soul master world as the Dragon Snake Duo."
"Huh?" Yuan Longxuan blinked. "And what exactly are you getting at?"
Meng Shu, too, was completely confused by his wife's sudden introduction.
Snake Granny smiled faintly. "I wish for my granddaughter, Meng Yiran, to join the academy you belong to."
Meng Shu: (⊙_⊙)
Zhu Zhuqing: (￣ω￣〃)
Yuan Longxuan: "???"
He blinked again. That's all?
"Well, that's not impossible," Yuan Longxuan said after a pause. "The academy I'm with is Tianshui Academy.....all female students. I just happen to serve as their lead instructor."
Allowing Meng Yiran to join didn't bother him. Of course, that didn't stop him from tightening his hold around Zhu Zhuqing's waist.
Once they returned, all those little girls would probably swarm him again...Zhu Zhuqing might not even get a turn to stay by his side.
After all, as the 'newlywed little wife,' certain privileges had to be upheld.
"However," Yuan Longxuan added, "your granddaughter's talent isn't particularly outstanding. You should've seen it yourself during her match against Zhu Zhuqing."
To be fair, Meng Yiran's talent wasn't poor by normal standards.....she was still considered a genius among ordinary soul masters.
But compared to Zhu Zhuqing and his other girls, the gap was still evident.
"Your Excellency," Snake Granny said sincerely, "Yiran works diligently every single day. And—"