The light in the Seven Treasure Hall lasted for a full hour. Finally, at the cost of dropping two levels, Tianlin saw signs of life from Oslo.
When Oslo opened his bleary eyes and saw everyone around him, he asked in confusion, "Xiao Tian, Yu Feng, Gu Ran, Lingling? Why are you all here? Didn't I die? Did you all miss me so much you came down here with me?"
Everyone was speechless—this guy was still so unreliable, even after dying.
Yu Feng snapped, "Yeah, we all died for you. Happy now?"
"You guys are so silly! I know I'm lovable, but instead of coming down here, wouldn't it be better to burn more paper money for me up there? Oh, and draw some beauties for me too—I was still single when I died, and I don't want to be a lonely ghost!" Oslo sat up and started lecturing them. "Wait, you didn't come down here without avenging me, did you? That'd be really dumb. People would say Oslo's brothers are all strong, but only have an IQ of 250! How could I hold my head up in the afterlife?"
"Can I kill him again? He was cuter dead," Gu Ran's martial soul possessed him and almost ruined Tianlin's effort.
Ye Lingling flicked Oslo's forehead. "Alright, Oslo, stop joking. I don't believe you can't feel you're alive. With four soul bones absorbed and Tianlin pouring in soul power, who knows how high your level will soar after your sixth soul ring?"
Oslo dropped the act, stood up, and laughed. "Haha, Lingling with the Nine Heart Begonia can't be fooled!"
"One, two, three, four… mmm, this feels great. Dying wasn't a loss," he said, doing a set of radio calisthenics to get used to his new body.
"You brat!" Ao Siqin stepped up and smacked him. "Do you know how much your brothers did for you? You just mess around as soon as you're alive! Especially Tianlin—thank him properly!"
"Come on, Dad, Tianlin and I don't need that. At worst, I'll sell myself to him for the rest of my life to repay this favor," Oslo joked, but those who knew him could sense a newfound resolve.
A life-saving favor—how could Oslo ignore that? But things like kneeling and thanking felt too formal. He'd repay with actions.
"Don't say that, Oslo. If I hadn't asked you to investigate the Clear Sky Sect, you wouldn't have been killed. I'm just making up for my own mistake," Tianlin said.
Oslo shook his head. "No, it wasn't your fault. You warned me over and over not to go in, just to follow and come back. I got curious and went in. My own responsibility."
"Fine, whatever. I've retired from official life anyway. Just stay here and repay Tianlin. You'll have to live in seclusion for a while," Ao Siqin said with resignation. He knew what Tianlin's resurrection ability meant—until Tianlin became a Titled Douluo, Oslo couldn't reveal himself.
"Mr. Ao, let's leave the kids to catch up. We elders will just make them nervous. Shall we chat in the study?" Ning Fengzhi suggested, planning to recruit Ao Siqin, a Ghost Leopard martial soul and agility-type soul sage, excellent for information delivery.
"Of course, Sect Master Ning. Please lead the way," Ao Siqin replied.
After they left, Oslo turned to Tianlin, "Xiao Tian, is it true? Do I really have to live in seclusion from now on?"
"Of course. If you go out now, you'll only get Tianlin killed," Yu Feng gloated. The most mischievous one was now grounded; he couldn't help but laugh.
Gu Ran patted his shoulder. "Just accept it, Oslo. Zhu Zhuqing managed it, so can you."
"Zhu Zhuqing!" Oslo's eyes lit up. "So she's alive too? That's why Tianlin took her corpse back then and made that bet with Dai Weisi."
"So she's also living in seclusion?"
Tianlin pointed to the back mountain. "Yep, she's in the bamboo grove."
Oslo immediately changed his mind. Seclusion with Zhu Zhuqing? Not lonely at all—maybe sparks would fly.
"Cough, you're right. I can't endanger Tianlin. I'll just have to reluctantly hide away. The bamboo grove, right? I'm going now—Zhuqing, here I come!"
He grabbed a cloth to cover his face and ran off, now twice as fast as before.
Tianlin, Gu Ran, Yu Feng, Ye Lingling, and Qin Ming leaned against the wall and counted, "Ten, nine, eight… three, two, one!"
Just as Ning Rongrong and the others were confused, Oslo returned with his head down.
"Hey, Oslo, weren't you going to live in seclusion with Zhuqing? Back so soon?" Yu Feng mocked.
Oslo glared at him. "Zhu Zhuqing scolded me and sent me away. She said it's too hot there, and to stay away. Said something about 'like charges repel'—what does that mean?"
"Pfft!" Ning Rongrong and Ma Hongjun burst out laughing. Zhuqing's tongue was just as sharp as ever.
Too hot—she just wanted Oslo to go somewhere cooler.
And thanks to his time among the noble ladies at Moon Pavillion, Oslo's feminine aura was stronger than his masculinity—so Zhu Zhuqing saw him as the same gender.
"Enough, Oslo. Don't chase Zhu Zhuqing. After Dai Mubai, she probably likes responsible, manly men. You're too mischievous, you two aren't a match," Tianlin smiled. "I'll find you a place to hide later. For now, rest. I have a plan to set up, then I'll take you to get your sixth soul ring."
"Tang Hao left your body to threaten me, to stop me from attacking him—very clever. But he's not the only one who can scheme," Tianlin's eyes flashed coldly.
Oslo might be alive, but the hatred remained. Even if he'd promised not to attack Tang father and son, there were other ways to make them pay.
Skydream Ice Silkworm swore it would not let Tang Hao live for more than three months.