Although Tang Yuehua's strength wasn't particularly high, she had met all kinds of people in Yuexuan and had a sharp eye for character.
With just a few glances, she could tell that Zhu Zhuqing was just a young girl.
Zhu Zhuqing, on the other hand, was taken aback by Tang Yuehua's noble and elegant temperament. Seeing how comfortably she walked into the courtyard, she recalled what Lin Fan had told her.
Slightly nervous, she said uncertainly, "Hello, my name is Zhu Zhuqing. Are you… Teacher Tang Yuehua?"
"You are?" Tang Yuehua responded calmly, "One of Lin Fan's relatives?"
Hearing Zhu Zhuqing call her by name, Tang Yuehua suspected the girl might be a relative of Lin Fan's.
But she had never heard Lin Fan mention having any relatives, especially not someone surnamed Zhu. So her tone remained uncertain.
Still, she could tell this girl had some connection to Lin Fan—otherwise, how would she know about her?
"Yuehua, you're here." Lin Fan appeared at the door, resolving the awkward moment.
"Teacher," Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward and greeted respectfully.
"Teacher?" Tang Yuehua blinked in surprise, then turned to Lin Fan and asked, "You took on a disciple? Why didn't you mention it before?"
"Yuehua, let me explain." Lin Fan walked over and continued, "This is Zhu Zhuqing—she's not even fourteen yet. I made a promise to her in Heaven Dou City: if the next time we met, she had reached spirit power level 35 from level 30, I would take her as my disciple."
"She arrived in Heaven Dou City a few days ago with her academy. When we ran into each other, I honored that promise and took her in. That's why I hadn't mentioned it before."
"Zhuqing, this is your Mistress, Tang Yuehua."
Zhu Zhuqing immediately greeted with great respect, "Greetings, Mistress!"
"Alright, alright, no need to be so formal. Just treat this place like your own home." Tang Yuehua smiled warmly. "Lin Fan, you should've told me earlier."
Zhu Zhuqing smiled faintly upon seeing Tang Yuehua's gracious attitude.
"Yuehua, what brings you here suddenly? I was just about to take Zhuqing to Sunset Forest to help her obtain her fourth spirit ring," Lin Fan said.
"It's been a few days since I stopped by. I wanted to check in, tidy up the courtyard, and tend to the flowers," Tang Yuehua replied gently. "You two go ahead—I'll handle things here."
"Alright. Thank you. We'll return as soon as possible," Lin Fan nodded.
"They are such a warm couple," Zhu Zhuqing thought to herself with admiration.
"Be back soon. I haven't had the chance to sit and talk with your disciple yet," Tang Yuehua added with a smile.
Leaving Tang Yuehua at the house, Lin Fan brought Zhu Zhuqing into Sunset Forest.
As they entered, Lin Fan asked, "Since your family is a spirit beast inheritance clan, you should have records on optimal spirit ring acquisition for the Netherworld Civet, right?"
"Yes, teacher," Zhu Zhuqing replied. "Though the spirit skills may vary slightly depending on the beast, the general sequence is recorded."
"Tell me about your first three skills," Lin Fan said.
"Alright. My first spirit skill is Nether Spike, which temporarily doubles my spirit's attack and speed."
"My second skill is Nether Hundred Claws. By rapidly spinning and using penetrating force, I can deliver over a hundred strikes to a single target point in a short time."
"My third skill is Nether Slash. My arms merge into sharp blades about a foot long to unleash a powerful attack."
Zhu Zhuqing answered very seriously.
"These three are all offensive skills, right? What about the skill recorded in your clan for the fourth ring?" Lin Fan continued.
"It's typically one that uses speed or illusions to confuse the enemy—used to guarantee a successful assassination," she replied.
"In that case, I have a suggestion," Lin Fan said thoughtfully.
"I'm listening, teacher," Zhu Zhuqing said eagerly.
"Don't aim for more speed or illusions. Your Netherworld Civet martial spirit is already speed-based—it will naturally become faster as your spirit power increases."
"You already have three powerful attack skills. For the fourth, I recommend choosing a self-enhancing or support-type spirit skill."
"Support-type?" Zhu Zhuqing was stunned. That went completely against her clan's teachings.
"Of course, this is only my suggestion," Lin Fan said. "Your clan has a long-standing legacy, but I must point out something—once you reach higher levels, such as your fifth, sixth, or even eighth rings, you'll find you rely less on earlier skills."
"But self-enhancing or amplification-type skills are different. Even if you use your ninth skill in the future, you'll still benefit from a good enhancement skill."
"Offensive skills aren't about quantity—they're about precision. Especially for agility-type soul masters like you. When facing enemy support-types, you must strike decisively and lethally."
Lin Fan laid it out clearly, though he left the final decision to Zhu Zhuqing.
He was speaking as a teacher and hoped she would consider his advice seriously.
Zhu Zhuqing paused for a moment and then said, "Teacher, since I've become your student, of course I'll listen to you. If I just follow the clan's standard path, I'll never surpass my sister. My spirit power will always fall behind hers."
Lin Fan was pleased by her answer.
"Very well. I already have a few spirit beasts in mind that could enhance your spirit's abilities," he said with satisfaction.
The two began to roam the forest together, searching carefully for the right beast.
By around 4 p.m., Lin Fan spotted a rare beast—its fur pitch black, lined with purple stripes. Most notably, it had six claws, not five.
This was the rare and special Clawed Nether Beast.
Lin Fan acted instantly, seriously injuring it with a single sword slash, and brought it before Zhu Zhuqing.
"Teacher, what kind of beast is this?" she asked. "It looks like it's over five thousand years old. Didn't Grandmaster say the fourth spirit ring should be under five thousand years?"
"That fool Grandmaster—what does a rank-30-something Soul Master know about ring thresholds?"
Lin Fan scoffed. "Yes, each stage has an average tolerance limit, but whether you can absorb a ring depends on your martial spirit, physique, and spiritual power. There's no fixed standard."
"This Clawed Nether Beast isn't quite six thousand years old. And since you've already consumed an immortal herb, your body and spirit have been enhanced. Don't view yourself as an average Spirit Ancestor."
"I understand now, Teacher." Zhu Zhuqing nodded solemnly.
"Good. Now go. Kill the beast and absorb the ring—I'll keep watch."
Zhu Zhuqing activated her martial spirit—her right hand turned into sharp feline claws. With a swift strike, she ended the beast's life.