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Zhu Zhuqing was absorbing the soul ring of the Netherworld Spirit Cat. Unfortunately, she didn't have a head soul bone, so resisting the soul shock wasn't easy for her.
Fortunately, she possessed Xiao Wu's hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone, which had significantly increased her physical constitution and spiritual power. Without those enhancements, absorbing a soul ring from an eighty-thousand-year-old soul beast as her seventh would have been extremely difficult.
Li Luochen was contemplating how to acquire a head soul bone for Zhu Zhuqing. Currently, Zhu Zhuqing already had three soul bones, and with the addition of the Netherworld Spirit Cat's torso bone, that made four.
- A forty-eight-thousand-year Rapid Pursuit Wind Right Leg Bone.
- A hundred-thousand-year Soft Boned Rabbit Left Leg Bone.
- An external soul bone, the Dark Shadow Spear (Eight Spider Lance).
Add to that the eighty-six-thousand-year Netherworld Spirit Cat torso bone—this configuration was already quite impressive.
However, head soul bones were exceedingly rare, and finding one with compatible attributes was even rarer. Li Luochen had already distributed all the good soul bones he had, leaving only some barely ten-thousand-year-old ones.
This left him somewhat troubled. Should he ask his mother-in-law? She likely had some decent soul bones.
Wait—what about Xue'er? As the young miss of the Spirit Hall, securing a dark-attribute head soul bone shouldn't be too difficult. Perhaps he could ask Xue'er when they returned—it might work!
Three days passed, and Zhu Zhuqing finally finished absorbing the soul ring. While the energy of the soul ring itself wasn't too problematic, the soul shock from the Netherworld Spirit Cat had required her to proceed with extreme caution, which prolonged the process by three days.
Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes and, before she could stand up, a soul bone flew toward her, which she caught firmly.
"Zhuqing, this is the Netherworld Spirit Cat's torso bone. Absorb it—the soul ring and soul bone from the same soul beast are the most compatible, and since it's of the same type as your spirit weapon, there might be some interesting changes. Absorb it quickly so I can see."
Hearing Li Luochen's words, Zhu Zhuqing didn't say much. She directly pressed the torso bone against her chest, allowing it to merge into her body and begin absorbing the soul power it contained.
Absorbing a soul bone was easier than absorbing a soul ring, and it took only half a day to complete.
Zhu Zhuqing's soul power reached Level 73. The soul ring added two levels, and the soul bone added one, officially propelling her into the ranks of the continent's powerful soul masters.
"Finished absorbing? Then let's go. There are still a few days until the reunion—we'll head back to the academy to rest."
Li Luochen stood up, brushed the dust off his behind, and prepared to leave.
"Wait, Teacher Li..."
"Hmm? What is it... Mmph!?"
Before Li Luochen could finish turning his head, his lips met something soft, conveying the young girl's feelings and boldness.
Li Luochen thought: 'I didn't expect this little wildcat to be so aggressive—I never saw it coming.'
He activated his ninth soul skill, creating a three-meter-wide barrier that enveloped the two of them.
What followed was a story of using the earth as their bed and the sky as their blanket.
...
Half a day later
Li Luochen carried Zhu Zhuqing princess-style out of the Star Dou Forest.
Zhu Zhuqing rested her head against Li Luochen's chest, one hand gently touching her abdomen, which throbbed with intermittent pain and felt slightly swollen.
What Zhu Zhuqing found most unbearable, however, was the aftermath of being thoroughly "plowed." As expected, men were all the same—they just loved a voluptuous snowflake like her.
But Zhu Zhuqing had already set her heart on Li Luochen. She liked him, and she liked that he liked her even more.
As for Li Luochen, his face glowed with satisfaction. Since emerging from seclusion, he hadn't just planted flowers—he'd also tamed a cat, adding two more mothers to his children.
Li Luochen brought Zhu Zhuqing straight back to his residence.
Since Ye Lingling had also become his partner recently, she now lived here as well, helping Dugu Yan take care of the children.
When the two women saw Zhu Zhuqing arrive, her unsteady steps told them everything they needed to know. Dugu Yan had already seen through it all. She didn't mind Li Luochen taking in more women as long as he kept her in his heart.
Enjoying Li Luochen all to herself? That would be terrifying! Dugu Yan needed allies. Otherwise, she and Qian Renxue would eventually collapse under the pressure. Having a couple more sisters around helped share the burden.
They were waiting for the day when Li Luochen would exhaust himself—that would be their chance to take control. Every time, they were the ones left unable to get out of bed, while Li Luochen always walked away unscathed.
The closest he ever came to stumbling was during his Soul Emperor days, when Dugu Yan almost managed to subdue him.
But after absorbing the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone and the Golden Dragon Torso Bone, everything changed. His stamina seemed inexhaustible.
Hadn't they seen how Qian Renxue was repeatedly left unconscious? Dugu Yan, with her superior physical strength, bore the brunt of the pressure each time. Only by using her dragon transformation to amplify her strength could she endure it.
But every time Dugu Yan transformed, Li Luochen seemed to gain a second wind, his speed increasing exponentially as he grabbed her dragon horns or tail and relentlessly plowed her.
Was this amplification really for her—or for him?
Qian Renxue faced similar treatment. Li Luochen especially enjoyed grabbing her wings and dominating her.
Speaking of Qian Renxue, she had been incredibly busy lately. This year, she not only broke through to Title Douluo and obtained her ninth soul ring but also witnessed the death of Emperor Xue Ye.
Emperor Xue Ye had passed away in the middle of the night in one of his concubines' chambers, succumbing to excessive indulgence—a sudden death.
The mighty Emperor Xue Ye meeting such an end became the greatest laughingstock among the successive kings of the Tian Dou Empire.
Following Xue Ye's death, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe ascended the throne, and Qian Renxue assumed the identity of Xue Qinghe to inherit the throne, proclaiming herself Emperor Qinghe.
Once in power, Qinghe immediately enacted sweeping legal reforms, targeting the aristocracy and nobility. Those who had committed grave crimes of extravagance were swiftly eliminated by Qian Renxue.
This included die-hard loyalists of the Tian Dou Empire, such as Marshal Ge Long and other court officials, who were secretly dealt with by Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue's plan to usurp the nation had been years in the making, and now it was finally bearing fruit. Years ago, following Li Luochen's advice, she had started from the rural areas and gradually eroded the Tian Dou Empire's foundations.
Now, the Tian Dou Empire was completely under Qian Renxue's control. Her grip on the empire far exceeded that of Emperor Xue Ye—her authority in the imperial court was absolute!
As for the body double? Well, he was on vacation. After enduring so much pressure, he deserved a break. Qian Renxue assigned a Soul Conqueror to guard him, and the body double Xue Qinghe went on a honeymoon with the crown princess—both wearing human-skin masks, of course.
The upheaval in the Tian Dou Empire had no impact on Shrek Academy. At this point, Shrek Academy boasted several Title Douluos and over a dozen Soul Conquerors, making its power unprecedented.
No one dared to provoke Shrek Academy. Meanwhile, the academy was hosting a reunion ceremony.
The members of the Shrek team that had won the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Tournament three years ago were gathering today—a momentous occasion.
All the teachers and students gathered at Shrek Square to prepare for the reunion ceremony!
Li Luochen had already arranged the stage, allowing the original members of the Shrek team to stand atop it and bask in the cheers of the academy.
"Shrek! Shrek! Shrek!"
The cheers in the square reached their peak. As the shouts echoed, the members of the Shrek team appeared one by one.
Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, Ye Lingling, Yang Wu, Niu Dun, Yu Tianxin, Huang Yuan, Jing Ling, Jiang Zhu, and Dai Mubai.
Their appearances sent the cheers in the square to an all-time high.
After three years, the Shrek team had reunited perfectly today!
Li Luochen had also prepared medals, ready to personally bestow honors upon the members of the Shrek team!
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