Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly. "A soul bone? Did I hear that right? Soul bones are incredibly rare and precious almost impossible to obtain… You-you're lying again, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not." Lu Feng reached into the storage pouch at his waist, rummaging through his soul tool.
"I know you're just trying to cheer me up, but don't do it like this. I don't need gifts from you, just your sincerity."
Zhu Zhuqing was convinced that Lu Feng, being an orphan and only twelve years old, couldn't possibly own something as valuable as a soul bone. After all, he hadn't even been a soul master until recently, he must have lived a very difficult life.
"I am being sincere."
Finally, after digging through the cluttered soul tool, Lu Feng pulled out a small bag and dumped several soul bones onto the flat surface of a nearby rock.
Then, he turned to Zhu Zhuqing and said casually, "Pick whichever one suits you. If it's compatible, go ahead and absorb it."
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes widened as they landed on the glowing, otherworldly soul bones resting on the stone. She could feel the immense energy radiating from them.
Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out, she was utterly stunned.
For a moment, she couldn't even form a coherent thought.
Hidden among the tree branches, Zhu Zhuyun's eyes nearly bulged out of her skull. Her entire body froze in shock.
Soul bones weren't just something you could buy easily, even with vast wealth, they were practically unobtainable in the open market.
Especially soul bones from ten-thousand-year beasts, those were once-in-a-lifetime treasures, only occasionally appearing in high-profile auctions.
Despite being the eldest daughter of the Zhu family, the future crown princess, and the soon-to-be empress, Zhu Zhuyun still didn't own a single soul bone. She would only receive one as a wedding gift from the Star Luo Emperor after officially marrying Dai Weis.
She wasn't particularly looking forward to the marriage, but she was eagerly anticipating that soul bone.
As a soul master, there was nothing she desired more than a compatible soul bone.
She had studied everything about them since childhood and could instantly identify a soul bone's origin, attributes, and age just by its glow, color, and shape.
The bones Lu Feng had just pulled out were mostly from ten-thousand-year beasts—the weakest among them was still around five thousand years!
Even that five-thousand-year soul bone alone was priceless.
And yet, here he was, casually tossing out seven or eight of them like they were nothing.
Forget the Zhu family, even the Dai family might not have this kind of wealth!
The irony was almost laughable, just last night, Dai Weis had tried to win Lu Feng over with money, acting like some generous benefactor.
And Zhu Zhuyun herself had assumed Lu Feng was poor, thinking Dai Weis completely outclassed him in terms of resources.
But now?
Now it was clear, Lu Feng's background was far from ordinary.
Suddenly, he seemed like a towering mountain shrouded in mist, mysterious and unfathomable.
Zhu Zhuyun's curiosity burned even hotter.
"I knew you were hiding something. And I will uncover all your secrets!" she vowed silently.
What she didn't know was that these seven or eight spirit bones were just a fraction of Lu Feng's collection. The higher-tier ones weren't even suitable for Zhu Zhuqing's current level.
Most of the auction houses in this world were already under Lu Feng's control. Whenever rare treasures appeared, they naturally ended up in his hands usually purchased at bargain prices.
What ordinary soul masters considered once-in-a-lifetime treasures were easily obtainable for someone like him, a man who owned hundreds of auction houses, tens of thousands of trading posts, and monopolized the majority of the continent's most valuable resources.
And he wasn't even interested in anything less than top-tier soul bones.
If he couldn't use them himself, he could always gift them to strengthen alliances or expand his business.
During the last Continent Elite Soul Master Tournament sponsored by the Pan-Continental Merchant Alliance, he had sent three soul bones to Pope Bibi Dong as part of his sponsorship.
Bibi Dong had been thrilled so much so that she even sent him a Pope's Token in return.
Of course, Lu Feng hadn't shown up in person. From start to finish, their interactions had been limited to letters.
If they ever met face-to-face, his carefully crafted image as a mysterious, behind-the-scenes tycoon might crumble instantly.
Now, even though he had awakened a god-level martial soul, he already possessed the Dragon God Soul Bone Set.
The soul bones he had stockpiled were still useless to him personally.
So what better use for them than gifting them to his future wife?
Zhu Zhuqing was once again completely stunned by Lu Feng's actions.
Her gaze flickered between the soul bones and Lu Feng, her lips slightly parted in disbelief.
Her delicate fingers trembled slightly, hesitating to reach out and take one.
"Let me pick for you."
Lu Feng casually selected two spirit bones and pressed them into Zhu Zhuqing's hands. "These two are perfect for you, left and right arm bones from a ten-thousand-year Wind Thunder Leopard King. They'll greatly boost your speed and attack power, plus they come with wind and lightning attributes. And since they're a matching set, they'll unlock an additional hidden synergy effect."
Zhu Zhuqing finally snapped out of her daze, taking a deep breath her chest rising and falling dramatically enough to make Lu Feng swallow hard.
Her eyes glistened as she stared at him. "Where did you get so many precious soul bones?"
Lu Feng smirked, his tone playful. "Precious? I feel like you could just pick these up off the ground if you tried."
Zhu Zhuyun, still hidden in the tree, nearly choked.
Pick them up off the ground?! Was he mocking them all as idiots?!
So envious!!!
Two Wind Thunder Leopard King soul bones, the very things she had dreamed of but never dared hope for!!!
And now, Zhu Zhuqing had both of them. Her strength would skyrocket.
What made it worse? Those same bones would have been perfect for her too, given that she also had the Nether Moon spirit cat martial soul.
Zhu Zhuqing's hands still trembled slightly as she held the bones, but her expression had regained its usual calm.
She met Lu Feng's gaze squarely, her voice firm. "I won't accept these unless you explain properly."
She meant it.
The allure of the spirit bones hadn't clouded her judgment.
Mostly because she couldn't wrap her head around how Lu Feng possessed them in the first place.
A few spirit bones might seem insignificant, but they could spark violent conflicts, even wars.
She refused to absorb something of unknown origin. If she did, and Lu Feng later needed them back, things could get messy.
"Think of these as business assets," Lu Feng said breezily. "I'm close with the auction house owner, had him buy and hold onto them for me. Easy profit when reselling later."
"Business?" Zhu Zhuqing repeated skeptically.
"Yeah," Lu Feng shrugged. "After awakening a 'useless' martial soul, I couldn't become a proper soul master, so I had to focus on making money instead. Just slowly built up some savings over time."
"'Some savings'? More like a fortune. Just these few spirit bones are worth who knows how many gold soul coins."
"Doesn't matter," Lu Feng waved it off. "Just absorb them already."
Zhu Zhuqing still hesitated. "But they're too valuable. And you said they're for business I can't just—"
Lu Feng cut in, his voice firm. "For you, I turned down the Star Luo Emperor and the Spirit Hall. A couple of soul bones mean nothing. Or… do you still not believe they're really mine?" He raised a hand dramatically. "I swear, if I'm lying, may I be shattered to—"
Before he could finish, Zhu Zhuqing lunged forward, pressing her hand over his mouth.
"Don't say such unlucky things!" she scolded, her eyes wide. "I believe you."
Seizing the opportunity, Lu Feng caught her hand and pressed a teasing kiss to her fingers. "Mmm, so fragrant."
A delicate blush spread across Zhu Zhuqing's pale cheeks.
This time, she didn't pull away.
It wasn't the priceless spirit bones that had swayed her, it was the raw, overwhelming affection in this boy's heart.
Growing up in an environment where everything revolved around cold calculation, even married couples rarely showed true sincerity. There were always hidden motives, unspoken reservations.
And yet, she and Lu Feng weren't even formally engaged, just two young people tentatively exploring love.
Even if they had been betrothed like her previous arrangement with Dai Mubai, or Zhu Zhuyun's with Dai Weis such reckless generosity would be unthinkable. For them, marriage was little more than a political transaction.
But Lu Feng?
He had moved her deeply, flooding her world with warmth, sweetness, and the intoxicating thrill of real romance.
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's shy, flustered expression, so vulnerable, soadorable, Lu Feng's pulse quickened. With a gentle tug, he pulled her against him, her slender waist without any excess fat.
In that quiet, breathless moment, the air between them practically hummed with unspoken emotion.
The faint, floral scent of her skin filled his senses.
Heart pounding, Lu Feng's grip tightened slightly. His gaze dropped to her lips soft and inviting.
Slowly, he leaned in.