Xie Xie Still Gets Carried

Wu Zhangkong's fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly.

Naturally, Xie Xie had no idea of the tempest raging in Wu Zhangkong's heart. He merely quietly felt the warmth of Light Cub and Shadow Cub nestled against him on either side within his Spirit Sea.

Light Cub was lively and restless, constantly circling Shadow Cub.

Shadow Cub was quiet and obedient, its crimson dragon eyes blinking softly, filled with dependence.

"Teacher Wu..." Xie Xie spoke softly.

Wu Zhangkong slowly concealed the shock in her eyes, returning to her usual cold composure.

Yet at that moment, the way she looked at Xie Xie carried an unprecedented gravity and regard.

"Xie Xie." Wu Zhangkong spoke in a low voice, each word heavy with unconcealed solemnity. "The origins of your two Soul Spirits are unusual."

"A Martial Soul independently nurturing Soul Spirits has never happened in all of history."

"From now on, unless you have a foolproof means of concealment, do not reveal them casually in front of others unless absolutely necessary."

Hearing Wu Zhangkong say that, Xie Xie immediately slapped his forehead.

That was indeed true. Soul Spirits either came from Soul Beasts or were artificially created by the Spirit Pagoda.

A Martial Soul possessing sentience and automatically nurturing Soul Spirits like his was practically a miracle on the continent. Once exposed, whether human powerhouses or Soul Beast factions, all would surely covet him.

Just as his heart tightened and he rapidly considered ways to hide them, a familiar warmth suddenly rose from the depths of his Spirit Sea.

Light Cub stopped circling Shadow Cub and gently rubbed against his cheek, as though soothing his anxiety.

The quiet, well-behaved Shadow Cub beside it also lifted its eyelids, a flash of intelligence passing through its crimson dragon eyes.

The two little fellows moved in perfect coordination.

The dancing light around Light Cub abruptly withdrew, flowing in strands into Xie Xie's Light Dragon Blade like water. Shadow Cub likewise gathered all its aura and silently merged into the Shadow Dragon Blade.

The two little fellows, who had originally been especially conspicuous, completely merged into Xie Xie's Martial Souls.

Wu Zhangkong examined them carefully for a moment, and her brows relaxed slightly.

At that moment, the fluctuations emitted by the two little fellows were no different from those of ordinary Soul Spirits.

"That saves us the biggest trouble." She spoke slowly, much of the gravity in her tone fading.

"They share the same origin as your Martial Souls and can conceal themselves on their own. It seems I worried too much."

Wu Zhangkong paused, then returned to her usual cold, stern tone. "Even so, the continent is full of all kinds of people. Someone may still see through their concealment, so caution is best."

"I understand, Teacher Wu!"

Xie Xie immediately let out a breath of relief, the weight in his heart finally settling.

He did not forget to rub the heads of the two little fellows in his Spirit Sea, earning a cheerful nuzzle from Light Cub and a soft growl from Shadow Cub.

Wu Zhangkong watched the ease in his eyes and nodded slightly. Then her tone shifted, taking on an unquestionable certainty.

"Since that is the case, it is time to put your second Soul Ring on the agenda."

Xie Xie looked at Wu Zhangkong and fell silent for a moment, as though considering how to begin.

He knew that what he was about to say was even more shocking than a Martial Soul independently nurturing Soul Spirits. Light Cub had only just told him about it.

"Teacher Wu, actually... Light Cub and Shadow Cub have another special trait."

Xie Xie lowered his voice, speaking with seriousness. "They do not require me to absorb Soul Rings."

Wu Zhangkong's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Her cool gaze fell upon him, carrying a trace of confusion.

"They can devour other Soul Spirits, then independently create Soul Rings for me deep within my Martial Souls."

Xie Xie spoke slowly, every word stirring wild waves in Wu Zhangkong's heart.

"The Soul Rings they nurture share the exact same origin as my Martial Souls and my Spirit Sea. There is not the slightest rejection. They are the Soul Rings most compatible with me in this world."

He paused, then continued.

"In other words, I will not need to bear the risks of absorption for any of my future Soul Rings."

"I only need to find Soul Spirits suitable for Light Cub and Shadow Cub to devour."

"Furthermore, the Soul Rings they nurture will continuously evolve as they grow. There is also no need to worry about Soul Power bursting my body apart. Light Cub and Shadow Cub will block every hidden danger for me."

Wu Zhangkong: "..."

Wu Zhangkong's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

Looking at the youth before her, the shock in her heart was far greater than when she had first seen the twin Soul Spirits.

This could no longer be described as mere extraordinary talent.

This was... the favor of the heavens, a miracle of Martial Soul origin.

Wu Zhangkong remained silent for a long time before gently exhaling, suppressing the emotions surging within her.

She did not question whether it was true. With her discernment, she could naturally tell that Xie Xie was not lying in the slightest.

"I understand."

Her voice remained cool, yet it carried an added layer of profound gravity. "Then our trip to the Spirit Pagoda is not for you to absorb a Soul Ring."

"It is—for your two Soul Spirits to choose a Soul Spirit worthy of being devoured."

"Bingo!" Xie Xie snapped his fingers crisply and immediately sprang up from his chair, his eyes shining brightly.

"Go, go, go! We're heading to the Spirit Pagoda!"

Watching the energetic youth before her, a faint trace of helplessness and gentleness actually flashed through Wu Zhangkong's usually frozen eyes.

Such a heaven-blessed path of growth, without any bottlenecks at all.

Even she, once Shrek's foremost genius, had never possessed it.

At the same time.

In the endless depths of Space-Time Turbulence, within an ethereal Space-Time Rift.

A vast dragon phantom spanning the galaxy slowly opened dragon eyes that seemed to contain the ages of eternity.

The scenes flickering within those dragon eyes were precisely what Xie Xie had just experienced.

The Space-Time Dragon's lips curved slightly, and a deep, lazy chuckle softly echoed through the endless void.

"If my two old companions did not even have this much ability, then all those years would truly have been cultivated into a dog's belly."

Countless streams of light flowed through its dragon eyes, which seemed amused yet not amused.

It did not interfere too much.

After merely casting a glance, it slowly closed its eyes once more and sank into the depths of the Space-Time River.

Xie Xie and Wu Zhangkong left Eastsea Academy one after the other, heading straight toward the city's most prominent landmark.

Before long, a towering giant tower that stretched across the heavens and seemed to press down upon the city appeared in their view.

That was the Spirit Pagoda.

The entire tower was constructed from special metals and Soul Tool Crystals. Under the sunlight, it gave off a cold, mysterious silver-blue glow. Layer upon layer, it rose straight upward, piercing deep into the clouds, with its peak nowhere in sight.

Before going inside, however, Xie Xie still chose to call his old man first.

After all, Xie Xie only knew that his family seemed to have some sort of recent cooperation with the Spirit Pagoda, but he had no idea what exactly it was.

In any case, major matters had to be reported to one's parents first.

Everyone who had played Genshin said this habit was great—at the critical moment, someone would always have your back.