Leaving the Seven Treasure Hall, Jun Tianlin found Ning Rongrong and went with her to a bamboo forest behind Seven Treasure Mountain. There was a bamboo house there, a quiet place where no one usually came.
Jun Tianlin gently laid down Zhu Zhuqing's frozen body in the house and began melting the extreme ice with his ultimate fire.
It was almost time to bring this little cat back. Any longer, and even the Holy Spirit Pearl would be powerless.
"Rongrong, bless me with your soul power," Jun Tianlin looked at Ning Rongrong and said.
"Yes!" Ning Rongrong nodded, summoning the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda. "Nine Treasures with names, the third is soul!"
Jun Tianlin was resurrecting someone for the first time, and he needed to be fully prepared. Gathering breath and returning soul would rapidly drain his soul power. If he wasn't careful, he might even suffer a demotion. But he had no other choice. He had to save her. Though Jun Tianlin wasn't fond of Zhu Zhuqing, he still pitied her fate, being born into such a family.
Jun Tianlin released the Holy Spirit Pearl, and pure holy light enveloped Zhu Zhuqing. "First soul skill: Gathering Breath and Returning Soul!"
The Holy Spirit Pearl truly lived up to its reputation as the treasure of the Nuwa Clan, bursting with miraculous vitality. Zhu Zhuqing's severed meridians swiftly healed, and even her shattered heart, destroyed by Zhu Zhuyun, was restored.
Ning Rongrong watched in quiet awe. In her heart, she sighed—if Brother Jian's Holy Spirit Pearl matured in the future, even the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda and the Nine Hearts Flowering Apple would pale in comparison.
Sensing Zhu Zhuqing's life force return, Jun Tianlin withdrew the Holy Spirit Pearl.
"Where… is this? Hell?" Zhu Zhuqing slowly opened her hazy eyes, her memory lingering on the moment of her death.
"No, Zhuqing, this is my home, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan," Ning Rongrong appeared before her, smiling.
"What? Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan!" Zhu Zhuqing sat up abruptly, inspecting her body and pinching herself hard. The sharp pain startled her awake. "I… I'm alive?"
"You were dead, but I resurrected you. Honestly, resurrecting you drained my soul power so much. Luckily, I didn't drop a level," Jun Tianlin said helplessly.
Indeed, resurrecting someone wasn't merely exhausting soul power; it reduced the very upper limit of soul power. Fortunately, he had prepared thoroughly and had Ning Rongrong's blessing. Otherwise, he would've inevitably dropped a level.
As it stood, he merely fell from the peak of rank 58 to the middle of rank 58. With one or two months of cultivation, he could recover.
It also helped that Zhu Zhuqing's life level wasn't too high; otherwise, the cost would've been far greater.
"Resurrecting the dead… are you a god?" Zhu Zhuqing stared at him in disbelief. Not even the Nine Hearts Flowering Apple, hailed as the strongest healing ability, could bring back the dead.
Ning Rongrong proudly hugged Jun Tianlin's arm. "He's not a god. He's my Brother Jian. Isn't my Brother Jian far stronger than your shameless tiger?"
When best friends gathered, what they loved to show off most—besides clothes and jewelry—was their other half. This time, however, she couldn't resist a playful jab.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't know that Dai Mubai had chosen to return to Dai Weisei. If she had, she might have felt heartbroken. Her fiancé had chosen to live in submission.
Jun Tianlin lightly tugged Ning Rongrong's finger. She immediately realized she'd spoken carelessly. Just as she was about to smooth things over, Zhu Zhuqing shook her head and said, "You're right. He's much stronger than Dai Mubai. I don't see him here, which means he chose submission, gave up his freedom, gave up his dignity… and gave up on me."
Zhu Zhuqing's strength of spirit exceeded Jun Tianlin's expectations. Realizing the truth, she wasn't crushed by despair but instead felt relief. From this moment on, she had completely let go of Dai Mubai. Their paths had diverged.
"Zhu Zhuqing, though I successfully resurrected you, you'll need to remain in this courtyard for a long time. Rongrong will prepare everything you need. It's best not to go elsewhere for now," Jun Tianlin reminded.
"Don't worry, I understand." Zhu Zhuqing knew appearing outside would cause tremendous repercussions.
First, Zhu Zhuyun would never let her live once she learned the news, and might even force the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to face off against the Star Luo Empire.
Second, news of her resurrection would bring endless trouble to Jun Tianlin. Countless forces would covet his power. Whether it was Spirit Hall or the two empires, they would stop at nothing to capture Jun Tianlin. And if he refused to serve them, they would rather kill him than let such a force fall to another.
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's sensible demeanor, Jun Tianlin smiled. "Don't worry. You won't have to hide here forever. Seven years at the earliest, ten years at the latest—after that, it won't matter. By then, you can openly join our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. We'll be able to protect you, and you'll be truly free, able to roam the world as you wish."
"Just seven to ten years? Why?" Zhu Zhuqing's heart lifted. She'd thought it would take thirty years, or even a lifetime.
"Because within seven to ten years, I will certainly ascend to the rank of Title Douluo. By then, no matter who comes, I won't fear them. Even if the entire Star Luo Empire comes, I'll make sure none of them return," Jun Tianlin declared with unwavering confidence.
His certainty stirred something deep within Zhu Zhuqing.
In truth, she and Dai Mubai's innate talents surpassed those of Dai Weisei and Zhu Zhuyun. If only Dai Mubai had possessed such resolve back then, perhaps things would've turned out differently.
"Alright, rest well for now. Rongrong and I won't disturb you. In a few days, I'll bring Hongjun and Yiran to see you. Your death was a heavy blow to them. You should comfort them. Afterward, aside from them, you'll be cut off from the outside world. Cherish their friendship."
Jun Tianlin left with Ning Rongrong. Zhu Zhuqing quietly returned to the room prepared for her, sitting cross-legged to meditate. Having passed through life and death, her heart and mind had undergone profound transformation. Her cultivation from this moment forward would undoubtedly progress by leaps and bounds.
And from now on, she had nothing left but cultivation.
A few days later, Ning Rongrong brought Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Meng Yiran to the bamboo grove. Seeing Zhu Zhuqing alive again, the three burst into tears of joy. On that day, they'd watched helplessly as she died. That guilt would've haunted them forever, becoming an inescapable inner demon.
Now, they could finally let go.
Life slowly returned to its path. With the competition over, the next days were devoted to cultivation. Everyone shared the same goal: to reach Title Douluo as soon as possible.