Taking the Elixir
Dawn in the Star Dou Great Forest was not a gentle awakening, but a triumphant declaration. The sky shifted from deep velvet to bruised purple, then erupted in streaks of fiery orange and gold that set the dew-drenched leaves glittering like a million scattered jewels. Chu Tianxiu sat on a smooth boulder by the lake's edge, Zhu Zhuqing nestled securely in the circle of his arms, a blanket wrapped around them both against the morning chill. They watched in comfortable silence as the sun crested the distant mountains, its light painting a shimmering path across the placid water.
After several minutes of this shared peace, Chu Tianxiu's left hand, which had been resting lightly on her arm, began to gently stroke her hair. "Zhuqing," he began, his voice quiet against the dawn chorus of birds. "You must be from the Star Luo Empire, right?"
He felt the subtle tensing of the slender form against him. Her breath hitched for a fraction of a second. Then, she relaxed, leaning her head back against his shoulder. "That's right," she confirmed softly, her gaze fixed on the glowing horizon. "I am the second young lady of the Zhu family in the Star Luo Empire."
Chu Tianxiu shifted slightly, resting his cheek against the crown of her head. Her hair smelled of forest air and the faint, clean scent of the herbs he'd used to treat her wounds. "It seems your Zhu family has a tradition," he murmured, his words a warm vibration she could feel. "Sending women to marry into the Star Luo royal family, the Dai family. A political bond."
Another pause, longer this time. Zhu Zhuqing's fingers, resting on the blanket, curled slightly. "That's right," she whispered, the words carrying the weight of a lifelong sentence. "In every generation, two sisters from our family are pledged to the two princes of the Dai family. Our Netherworld Cat martial soul and their Evil Eye White Tiger can fuse... creating the powerful Netherworld White Tiger. In this generation... it is my sister and I."
A smile, unseen by her, touched Chu Tianxiu's lips. He pressed on gently. "So... you have a fiancé?"
The hesitation was palpable. She gave a small, stiff nod, her hair brushing against his chin. "His name is Dai Mubai. The second prince of the Star Luo Empire." Then, as if the words were being dragged from her, she rushed to add, "But I don't... I don't love him. I despise him."
"Why?" His question was a soft prompt, giving her the space to voice the bitterness she'd carried alone.
Zhu Zhuqing seemed to curl inwards slightly, drawing strength from the solid presence at her back. Her voice, when it came, was low and laced with a cold, old anger. "The Star Luo Empire has a... brutal tradition for its heirs. Two princes compete. Only one survives to rule. But my brave prince..." she spat the word, "gave up years ago. He ran away. He abandoned the empire, his duty, and... me. He left me alone to face the scrutiny of the crown prince and the disdain of my own sister."
Chu Tianxiu's mind raced. 'So Dai Mubai has already fled. If the story holds, Zhu Zhuqing will eventually go to Shrek Academy to confront him.' A protective instinct, sharp and sudden, flared within him. Dai Mubai had better keep his distance.
He filed the thought away for later strategy and focused on the present. "What's your current soul power level?" he asked, his tone shifting to one of practical curiosity.
"I just obtained my second spirit ring before... before all this," she replied, a touch of shame in her voice. "I'm a level 21 agility-attack type battle soul master."
Chu Tianxiu nodded against her head. "Not bad at all." His praise was genuine.
Zhu Zhuqing gave a soft, self-deprecating snort. Her talent was decent among nobles, but compared to the monster who casually summoned four ten-thousand-year rings? It was laughable.
Seemingly satisfied, Chu Tianxiu's hand left her hair. There was a brief flash of light, and when she glanced over, he was holding a flower. It was not a fierce or exotic bloom, but one of breathtaking, delicate purity. Its petals were a luminous white, layered like the finest jade, with a heart of soft gold. It looked like a lotus carved from winter frost and summer light. The very air around it seemed fresher, cleaner.
"This is the Narcissus Jade Bone and Muscle," he said, presenting it to her. "It will nourish your tendons, cleanse your meridians, and consolidate your foundation. It should raise your soul power by eight or nine levels. Absorb it."
Zhu Zhuqing stared at the immortal herb, then at his face, which held only calm certainty. Doubt warred with unwavering trust. The trust won. Without another word, she took the exquisite flower, held it in her palms, and closed her eyes, beginning the process of drawing its gentle, potent energy into her body.
...
Two hours later, a pulse of energy emanated from the lodge, rustling the leaves of nearby bushes. Zhu Zhuqing stood in the center of the room, transformed. Her Netherworld Cat martial soul was actively possessed. A pair of sleek, purplish-black cat ears twitched atop her head, and a long, gracefully curled cat tail swayed behind her. A powerful, stable aura rolled off her in waves. The soul power of the Narcissus Jade Bone had been perfectly absorbed, its energy seamlessly integrating with her own. She had shattered through nine levels of bottleneck in one sustained, glorious surge, landing firmly at the 30th rank—a Soul Elder.
Moreover, a warm, potent reserve of medicinal energy settled deep within her dantian, promising to accelerate her cultivation for years to come.
She opened her eyes, which seemed to shine with a new, inner light. The first thing she saw was Chu Tianxiu leaning against the doorframe, a proud smile on his face.
"Congratulations," he said, pushing off and walking toward her. "You've leaped from a second-ring Great Soul Master to a third-ring Soul Elder in one afternoon."
But instead of a verbal reply, she moved. In a blur of newfound speed and emotion, she crossed the distance between them and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face against his chest. After a moment's stunned silence, he felt her press her lips lightly, swiftly, against his cheek before she pulled back, her face flushed a brilliant scarlet.
She couldn't meet his eyes. "Brother Xiu," she mumbled into his robe. "Thank you."
Chu Tianxiu's heart did a strange, gentle flip. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close for a long moment, resting his chin on her head. "Alright, alright," he murmured, his voice rough with unexpected emotion. "Why are you thanking me? Let's go get your third spirit ring."
She nodded against his chest, not letting go. "Okay."
The target Chu Tianxiu chose was a predator that mirrored her own nature—a Ghost Tiger, just over 3,400 years old. They found it in a gloomy, mist-shrouded hollow. The beast was a phantom of stripes and shadows, its eyes burning with pale blue fire.
With Chu Tianxiu present, it never stood a chance. There was no glorious battle, no test of her new skills. This was a surgical execution. The moment the tiger charged, Chu Tianxiu moved.
He didn't use spirit skills. He used speed and overwhelming physical power. He sidestepped the initial pounce, his hand snapping out to grab the beast by the scruff of its neck as it passed. With a grunt of effort, he swung the massive tiger and slammed it into the trunk of an ancient ironwood tree. Before it could recover, he was upon it, his foot coming down with precise, brutal force on each of its limbs. Four sharp cracks echoed in the hollow. The Ghost Tiger's furious roars turned to pained whimpers, its body paralyzed.
"Now," Chu Tianxiu said, stepping back, his expression unreadable.
Zhu Zhuqing approached the helpless beast, her cat ears flat against her head. There was no pity in her eyes, only a solemn understanding of the forest's law. With a quick, merciful strike from her own sharpened soul power, she ended its life.
A deep, majestic purple spirit ring, shot through with wisps of ghostly grey, slowly coalesced above the tiger's corpse. Zhu Zhuqing sat before it, guiding the potent energy toward her spirit. The 3,000-year soul power was a raging river threatening to burst her channels, but just as the pressure became unbearable, a steady, immense stream of pure soul power flowed into her from behind—Chu Tianxiu, acting as her anchor, her limitless reservoir. He weathered the storm so she could harness it.
When she stood up again, three spirit rings—yellow, yellow, and a glorious, shimmering purple—swirled at her feet. The residual energy from the immortal herb pushed her one final step forward, solidifying her advancement at the 33rd rank.
She turned to Chu Tianxiu, her eyes shining. Without a word, she strode forward, rose onto her toes, and planted a firm, grateful kiss on his cheek before quickly turning away, the tips of her cat ears burning red.
Chu Tianxiu touched the spot on his cheek, a slow, genuine smile spreading across his face. The forest, for all its dangers, was beginning to feel more like a home than any palace ever had.