Douluo: Martial Soul of Lightning

With Ning Rongrong gone, only Lin Jie, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu remained.

Ever since Zhu Zhuqing had absorbed the Yearning Heartbroken Red, her body had begun to emit a subtle, unique aura—and her gaze had barely left Lin Jie since.

Xiao Wu looked at the two of them, and for reasons she couldn't explain, felt a strange discomfort growing in her chest.

She knew about Lin Jie and Zhu Zhuqing's relationship. But seeing the affectionate looks they exchanged now, she suddenly felt… irritated? No, perhaps just unsettled. Clearing her throat, she said aloud, "Um… Zhuqing, Lin Jie, I just broke through, so I want to go back and consolidate my cultivation. I'll head out first."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel and bounded away.

Lin Jie blinked. That was abrupt.

Still, with Xiao Wu gone, the last third wheel had left. He turned back toward Zhu Zhuqing—and sure enough, her eyes were still fixed solely on him.

He walked up to her, gently taking her hand. "Zhuqing, I don't know why, but you feel… different. Like something deep inside has changed."

Zhu Zhuqing blushed faintly and nodded. Her response only deepened Lin Jie's curiosity. That Yearning Heartbroken Red wasn't just some powerful spirit herb—it was known as the supreme among all immortal-grade plants. Its effects were clearly far from simple.

Zhu Zhuqing looked up at him with a tender expression. "Lin Jie… can we go inside? I have something I want to tell you."

He smiled. "Of course."

Hand in hand, the two stepped into Liu Erlong's serene residence nestled in the back of the academy grounds. From the outside, the little pavilion looked quaint and unassuming, but the interior was spacious and warmly furnished. Lin Jie had been here many times before and knew it well.

They settled on a soft couch. Zhu Zhuqing leaned gently against his chest and spoke in a soft voice, "Lin Jie… after I took the Yearning Heartbroken Red, I… I saw the story you told us. The one about the boy and the flower. It wasn't just a myth—I saw it. It felt hazy, like a dream, but it was real."

Lin Jie's eyes narrowed slightly. He'd always assumed that story was just legend—but from her tone, it clearly wasn't.

"There's more," Zhu Zhuqing said, voice barely above a whisper. "After the flower fused with me, something awakened inside my body. A strange energy. It's been refining me ever since, constantly strengthening my body. I can feel myself changing."

Lin Jie didn't interrupt. He simply ran his fingers through her soft hair, quietly listening. So this was the true power of the Yearning Heartbroken Red—a transformation not just of Martial Soul, but of the very body and soul.

Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a moment, then looked up at him with cheeks tinged rose. "And… if I do that with the person I love, this energy becomes even stronger. It'll grow and grow until it feeds back into both of us, accelerating our cultivation. It's like…"

"…Dual cultivation?" Lin Jie asked, startled.

She nodded shyly. "Yes. I didn't expect it either, but I can feel it. The message from the herb—it's still echoing inside me. It's real."

"Damn…" Lin Jie cursed inwardly, shocked. He hadn't expected the supreme immortal herb to have such a… well, intimate effect.

Still, despite his internal expletives, his face betrayed a flicker of anticipation. Looking at the beautiful woman in his arms, his voice dropped slightly. "Zhuqing… what if we tested it? Just to confirm?"

Zhu Zhuqing hesitated. She did want to know if it was true—and she did love being with him—but… in broad daylight? And in Liu Erlong's room, of all places?

She looked at him again. Lin Jie's expression showed clear interest.

He smiled and gently pulled her closer. "Let's just… try. We'll be careful."

"Here?" she whispered. "This is Dean Erlong's place… and it's still daytime."

"Don't worry. Erlong-jie won't be back so soon. And if she does, I'll sense it."

Before Zhu Zhuqing could say more, Lin Jie picked her up in a bridal carry and strode into the master bedroom, gently shutting the door behind him.

The two faced each other in silence for a moment.

Zhu Zhuqing was no longer the shy, reserved girl she had once been. She had already accepted Lin Jie in both heart and body. Though she was still a little awkward about doing this during the day—and in Liu Erlong's personal quarters—she didn't resist.

"This… is really okay?" she murmured.

Lin Jie leaned down, his voice low and soothing. "It's just a little experiment."

"…Alright." Her voice was soft and sweet. She raised her arms, wrapping them around his neck, and met him in a kiss.

As their lips met, Lin Jie's other hand slid down, skillfully unfastening her signature black leather outfit.

The room was quiet.

Time slipped by.

Then—suddenly—a faint red glow emerged from Zhu Zhuqing's body. It began as a flicker, then pulsed brighter, gently wrapping her entire figure in a luminous veil. The crimson light surged, then slowly flowed toward Lin Jie.

As it touched his skin, his body—momentarily weakened from the earlier exertion—began to replenish, then grow stronger.

The red energy entered Lin Jie, leaving behind a trace of essence within him, then returned to Zhu Zhuqing… and the cycle began again. Back and forth, like a current of mutual transformation.

The red glow moved between them, linking them in an unbroken loop. It became thicker, more intense, before ultimately sinking into both of their bodies in twin columns of light.

Though Zhu Zhuqing was already at Spirit Elder level, and unable to increase her Spirit Power without absorbing another Spirit Ring, the red light didn't stop. Instead, it continued refining her physique—strengthening and tempering every muscle and meridian.

Her body had already been toughened by Lin Jie's lightning-based soul-forging methods, but this red light was even more efficient. It wasn't just tempering—it was transforming her at the core.

Lin Jie, too, could feel the change.

The mysterious red glow didn't just strengthen his body—it stimulated the vitality of every cell, enhancing him far beyond what even his lightning tempering could do. More astonishingly, the light didn't stop there.

It seeped directly into his soul realm.

There, deep within his spirit, it merged with his Lightning Martial Soul—melding into the storm of energy and becoming part of it.

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