An unparalleled killing weapon?
Li Hao turned his head toward Medusa's cold, beautiful face, which was etched with solemnity.
That was quite the assessment.
He admitted Zhu Zhuqing had a powerful presence. She was aloof and icy, and clearly not someone to mess with.
But calling her an unparalleled killing weapon was a bit of an exaggeration.
After all, she had only just hatched.
[Ding!]
Just as doubts stirred in Li Hao's mind,
the system's solemn, grand notification rang out right on cue.
[Soul Beast Girl · Zhu Zhuqing (Mutated Royal Bloodline) has successfully undergone Bond Evolution!]
[Special reward—[Ability Sharing] activated!]
[The host can now share some of her core Soul Skills directly, without consuming Soul Ring slots, and receive partial feedback from her cultivation!]
[Sharing Soul Skills...]
[Congratulations, host. You have obtained Zhu Zhuqing's first Soul Skill—Hell Stab!]
[Congratulations, host. You have obtained Zhu Zhuqing's second Soul Skill—Hell Possession!]
A series of system notifications exploded in Li Hao's mind like peals of thunder.
Ability... sharing?
A vast stream of information flooded his consciousness.
[Hell Stab]: An instant Soul Skill. It gathers Nether Power at a single point and launches a rapid, short-range dash, dealing powerful penetrating damage to enemies along its path.
[Hell Possession]: A boosting Soul Skill. It covers the body in Nether Power, greatly enhancing speed and strength while adding Nether-element damage to all attacks.
Two incredibly practical Soul Skills!
One for explosive charges, the other for an all-around boost!
Best of all, neither required a Soul Ring slot!
It was practically a free cheat!
Li Hao had yet to recover from the shock of this wonderful surprise
when another, purer and more refined stream of Soul Power suddenly flowed back to him through his soul contract with Zhu Zhuqing.
It wasn't particularly strong, but it carried the distinctive chill and density of Nether Power.
It flowed precisely into his Soul Power sea, which had been depleted by a third.
His formerly empty dantian was instantly replenished!
It was even more stable and concentrated than before!
Under the impact of this power, his Soul Power Level 35 bottleneck had loosened ever so slightly.
Even his mental strength grew tougher and clearer, enhanced by the predator's keen senses he shared with Zhu Zhuqing!
Only now did Li Hao truly understand what Medusa meant when she said, "She's strong."
And this was only the beginning!
"Xiao Wu, stay here. Don't go wandering."
Holding down his excitement, Li Hao tossed out a quick instruction and flashed out of the cave.
He needed a place
to test this mighty power that had fallen into his lap.
In the dense woods outside the cave, Li Hao took a deep breath and focused.
Second Soul Skill, Hell Possession!
Hum!
A faint black halo, almost invisible to the naked eye, instantly covered his body.
An unprecedented sense of lightness and strength filled his limbs.
In his perception, the world around him seemed to slow.
The breeze, the falling leaves, the chirping insects in the distance—he could hear every little thing with crystal clarity.
Was this how the Hell Spirit Cat saw the world?
Li Hao channeled his Soul Power again.
First Soul Skill, Hell Stab!
Whoosh!
A faint afterimage lingered where he had stood.
Like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, he crossed more than ten meters in an instant and appeared before an ancient tree so thick it would take both arms to encircle.
There was no earth-shaking boom, no dazzling flash.
Only a barely audible pfft.
Li Hao slowly lowered his joined index and middle fingers.
In the hard trunk before his fingertips, a smooth hole had appeared—so deep its end was nowhere to be seen.
What terrifying penetrating power!
Li Hao stared at his fingers, his thoughts churning like a storm-tossed sea.
And this was just the effect of using someone else's Soul Skill as a Level 35 Soul Elder.
If Zhu Zhuqing used it herself...
The power would be unimaginable.
"Wow! Daddy's so fast!"
Xiao Wu's excited cheer came from nearby.
She, Medusa, and Zhu Zhuqing had followed him out at some point.
Xiao Wu's face shone with excitement and admiration. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Li Hao.
Medusa watched thoughtfully. She could sense that the Soul Power flowing through Li Hao was of the same origin as Zhu Zhuqing's, yet fundamentally different.
Zhu Zhuqing, meanwhile, still wore her usual icy expression.
She quietly watched Li Hao use Soul Skills that should have belonged to her.
Deep in her golden, slit-pupiled eyes, a subtle ripple appeared.
It was approval.
And... pride in him, as if his achievements were her own.
It was as though seeing her power wielded so perfectly by her master was something to be proud of.
Li Hao sensed the faint shift in Zhu Zhuqing's emotions, and an idea struck him.
The system had a Reverse Empowerment function.
If Soul Beast Girls could nourish him in return, then naturally he could provide them with nourishment for their evolution, too.
The higher his Soul Power Level and the stronger his Martial Soul, the better the nourishment would be.
He walked up to Zhu Zhuqing and cautiously reached out. Following the example of the system's earlier healing, he slowly sent a stream of pure Soul Power, rich with the breath of life, into her body.
This time, there was no rejection at all.
Zhu Zhuqing's body trembled slightly.
Her usually expressionless, icy face actually softened into a distinctly human look of comfort and pleasure, like a cat being petted.
It worked!
Hum!
Just then, the Illusion Dream Tree Demon at the heart of Paradise—the one that had grown into a towering tree—seemed to sense the harmonious resonance of their Soul Power.
It stirred despite the lack of wind, its enormous crown swaying gently.
Streams of even richer, purer life energy gathered toward Zhu Zhuqing, forming green ripples that wrapped around her tenderly.
Nourished by the life energy, the Nether Power in Zhu Zhuqing's body wasn't weakened at all. On the contrary, it flowed more smoothly and began to grow anew.
This Paradise was helping her grow!
Watching this, Xiao Wu's eyes filled with curiosity.
She cautiously stepped forward and reached out to touch Zhu Zhuqing's cool fingertips.
Zhu Zhuqing stiffened.
But, unusually, she didn't pull away.
She simply turned her head and looked at Li Hao again with her golden, slit-pupiled eyes, a questioning look in them.
Li Hao smiled at her and nodded.
So Zhu Zhuqing stayed still, letting Xiao Wu curiously pinch her fingers with her warm little hand.
Medusa stood to one side, taking in every detail of their subtle interaction. A meaning no one could decipher flashed through her jade-green, serpentine eyes.
New family.
New... bonds.
This Paradise seemed to be getting more and more interesting.
Looking at this harmonious scene, Li Hao began to think seriously.
He had to raise his Soul Power as quickly as possible, then use Paradise's resources to help Zhu Zhuqing grow and unlock even more of her strength.
A powerful guardian was simply too important to a socially anxious slacker like him.
Just as Li Hao was immersed in planning for a bright future,
far away, beyond Soul Beast Paradise, in the true skies above the Star Dou Forest,
a familiar golden beam suddenly ripped through the clouds and streaked across the sky!
Its dazzling light blazed with arrogance and fury!
It carried a madness that would not stop until it found its target!
At an utterly unreasonable speed, it shot straight toward the valley where Li Hao was!
Before you continue