Joining

"Join us. Let me reintroduce you: this is the former Emperor Auspicious Beast, and the current Lord of Soul Beasts—Di Qiu'er."

Chen Ming raised his hand to reintroduce her. After Dong Qianqiu processed this, she looked at the silver-haired figure sitting upright on the sofa, a flash of astonishment crossing her eyes.

"The Emperor Auspicious Beast? The Lord of Soul Beasts?"

"That's right. I am the Lord of Soul Beasts. Didn't you feel a cultivation bonus last night? That should be enough to prove my identity, right?"

Di Qiu'er crossed her arms over her chest, feigning majesty with the posture of a superior. Dong Qianqiu recalled that she had indeed felt a very distinct cultivation bonus the previous night.

It just so happened that the Auspicious Beast possessed an aura that accelerated the cultivation of soul beasts. Since Dong Qianqiu was currently in a transformed state and hadn't fully become human yet, she could still benefit from the bonus.

"Well? Have you thought it over?"

Chen Ming looked at Dong Qianqiu, waiting for her choice. In her mind, flashes of how Poseidon had once guarded Sea God Island crossed her thoughts, as did the memory of how Sea God Island had spiraled into decline ever since Tang San took power.

Thinking of this, she clenched her fists. If she could kill that Sea God, she would accept it even if it were a trap. She nodded immediately and said:

"I am willing to join you..."

"A wise choice. Although there are only three of us right now, our abilities are not weak. Do you see this world? This is my ability: to master an entire world."

Chen Ming began to paint a grand picture for this silly little shark.

"We can develop slowly. Becoming gods will be easy, and when the time comes, we can beat Tang San to a pulp."

Thoughts raced through Dong Qianqiu's mind. The power to master an entire world... Could he be a reincarnated god? And he also held a grudge against Tang San.

"Then... how should I address you both from now on?"

Dong Qianqiu looked at Chen Ming, who possessed an entire world and was suspected to be a reincarnated god, then looked at Di Qiu'er, the Emperor Auspicious Beast whose aura was profound, powerful, and noble.

It seemed she could only be a submissive little shark. Hearing this, Chen Ming waved his hand.

"Whatever you like, as long as I know you're addressing me. Just remember to help me hide my identity."

As for titles, there were only the three of them—Chen, Di, and Dong. Were they supposed to emulate the Oath of the Peach Garden?

"You can just call me Your Majesty when no one else is around. Back in the Star Dou Great Forest, the subjects I favored all called me that. Of course, calling me by my name is fine too."

Di Qiu'er wasn't particularly concerned about titles, as long as she wasn't being insulted. Hearing this, Dong Qianqiu pondered for a moment.

Soon, a faint blush appeared on her pretty face. She looked at Chen Ming with some hesitation, stammering:

"Mas... Master..."

The moment those words left her lips, Chen Ming fell silent. Di Qiu'er, however, didn't feel much of anything.

After all, she had once had to call Gu Yuena 'Master' as well. But now... the Silver Dragon King was dead, and the Auspicious Beast would rise!

Chen Ming, however, wore a strange expression. Wait, big sister, you're calling me Master already?

"Is... is that not okay..."

Dong Qianqiu fidgeted with her small hands in embarrassment, her face turning terrifyingly red. Fragments of memory flashed through her mind; her mother had called Lord Poseidon that very same way.

"Suit yourself. Alright, I know you need time to process everything, so take some time to adjust. Afterward, you'll cultivate with me and Qiu'er."

Chen Ming reached out and patted Dong Qianqiu's head, giving her time to settle in. Dong Qianqiu nodded obediently.

Since she had made up her mind to avenge her mother, she had to work hard. Besides, with two big shots leading her, she definitely had to cling to their thighs.

At noon, Dong Qianqiu's attention was captured by the incredibly sumptuous lunch and delicacies she had never seen before.

"Eat up. After you're done, practice hard this afternoon."

"Okay, Mas... Master."

Dong Qianqiu wasn't quite used to calling Chen Ming 'Master' yet; it felt a bit strange, but she would adjust soon enough.

The afternoon was dedicated to actual combat. Dong Qianqiu was no match for the two of them, but Chen Ming and Di Qiu'er both went easy on her. After all, this wasn't a competition; it was to hone her Skill.

At the same time, after joining My World, Dong Qianqiu also enjoyed the benefits of the Skill module, and her progress was very steady.

Dinner was just as rich. Because Dong Qianqiu had been training all afternoon, she was starving, so she ate quite a lot during this meal.

The evening was for sub-profession training. Di Qiu'er went to do some blacksmithing, while Chen Ming asked Dong Qianqiu to choose a sub-profession.

"Qiu'er is doing forging. I am a triple-path practitioner. You should choose between design, inscription, and forging. We'll definitely need them later for crafting Battle Armor."

Chen Ming placed three books in front of Dong Qianqiu, letting her make a choice. After some thought, Dong Qianqiu ultimately chose Battle Armor design.

The three of them studied their sub-professions in an orderly fashion until it was almost time for bed, when Chen Ming prepared some late-night snacks.

The rich, milky aroma immediately made Di Qiu'er drool, and Dong Qianqiu subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva as well.

"It smells so good! Chen Ming, what are you making?"

Di Qiu'er trotted over curiously and saw a plate of cookies piled up like a small mountain. Her eyes lit up, and she prepared to sneak a bite.

She was caught by Chen Ming and tossed out of the kitchen; he knew she would try to sneak a snack.

"Stingy... they were going to end up in my stomach anyway... what's the harm in eating them early..."

Di Qiu'er pouted, her tone full of resentment. Dong Qianqiu giggled on the side, feeling that the two of them together were truly heartwarming.

"It's better to eat together. It's not right for you to eat everything by yourself. Qianqiu, come on, let's eat together."

"Okay."

The three of them sat in a circle, and Di Qiu'er immediately began to feast like a storm. Chen Ming handled the distribution, giving the largest portion to Di Qiu'er, followed by Dong Qianqiu, and then himself.

Dong Qianqiu took a bite, and the rich, milky fragrance filled her mouth, causing her to squint her eyes and relax her brows, her eyes curving into two little crescents.

"Delicious, Chen Ming, your cooking is truly great."

"Hmm, it's alright."

The three of them enjoyed their late-night snack in a harmonious atmosphere. Eventually, Di Qiu'er finished first and stared longingly at the cookies on Chen Ming's plate.

"Your Majesty, do you want more?"

Dong Qianqiu noticed that Di Qiu'er seemed to want more, so she pushed her own cookies over.

"Ahem, since you are so sensible, I, the Auspicious Beast, will look after you from now on."

Di Qiu'er patted Dong Qianqiu on the shoulder before taking the cookies and eating them. Chen Ming was rendered speechless; he picked up a shark-shaped cookie and pressed it against Dong Qianqiu's lips, saying:

"Help me finish this, see if this little shark-shaped cookie tastes good."

Chen Ming's fingers brushed against Dong Qianqiu's lips, and she instantly felt her cheeks heat up, her earlobes turning a shade of pink as she nodded slightly in response.

"Mm..."

After the late-night snack was finished, it was time for some small games. Chen Ming pulled out a few special little cubes, and Di Qiu'er and Dong Qianqiu immediately looked over with curiosity.

ps: The second update for March 1st, totaling four thousand words.