Fishing for Immortal Herbs, Martial Soul Transformation

"Damn it."

Li Hao cursed under his breath, though he didn't know whether he was cursing himself or this troublesome Martial Soul.

He gave up resisting altogether.

Closing his eyes, he sank his entire mind into his Martial Soul.

He stopped suppressing the suction. Instead, he actively poured every last bit of Soul Power in his body, without holding anything back, into the Karma Fishing Rod!

"Fish!"

Li Hao let out a roar in his heart.

"I don't care what you are. Get over here!"

Buzz—!

Deep in his consciousness, the golden Karmic Thread connected to the Immortal Herb's phantom image snapped taut!

It was as if, at the other end of some distant stretch of time and space, an immensely heavy anchor had been violently yanked.

The next second—

An indescribable, terrifying force of backlash roared back along that invisible Karmic Thread!

"Ugh!"

Li Hao groaned, his body shaking violently.

This wasn't a simple surge of Soul Power.

It was a feeling of being pulled apart at the level of his soul!

His Soul Power, his mental strength, even his very life force were being greedily devoured by the Karmic Thread, turned into fuel for fishing across the vast distance of space.

Agony!

Tearing agony struck from every corner of his body, from every limb and bone.

He felt his soul being slowly dragged out of his body, pulled toward some unknown, distant end of space and time.

"Daddy!"

Xiao Wu was the first to realize something was wrong. The little hands wrapped around Li Hao's arm could clearly feel his body stiffening and trembling.

"What's wrong? Don't scare me!"

"Hmph. Overestimating yourself."

Medusa gave a cold snort, but for the first time, a grave look appeared in her emerald-green serpentine eyes.

She could sense that Li Hao was doing something extremely dangerous. The interaction of those forces had already exceeded the bounds of Soul Power and touched upon deeper rules.

Zhu Zhuqing said nothing.

But she had already moved silently from behind Li Hao to stand in front of him. Her golden, vertical pupils locked onto his pained face.

Li Hao's consciousness was beginning to blur.

He felt like a kite about to have its string snapped, on the verge of flying apart in the violent currents of energy.

Should he give up?

If he stopped now, perhaps there was still time.

But if he gave up, there would be the backlash from his Martial Soul, and the three expectant gazes beside him...

Just as he was about to reach his limit—

A warm, pure life energy suddenly surged into him from Xiao Wu, still clinging to his arm.

The energy carried the Soft Bone Rabbit's distinctive flexibility and vitality, like a clear spring soothing his nearly parched meridians.

"Daddy, Xiao Wu will help you!"

Gritting her teeth, Xiao Wu sent what little Soul Power she had through their bodies where they touched, holding nothing back.

She didn't know what was happening, but she knew Daddy needed help.

Then—

A forceful, haughty energy poured in from the other side.

It was like a queen had arrived, bringing an unquestionable will that forcibly steadied the violent currents of Soul Power inside Li Hao.

"What a useless master."

Medusa complained, but she took the initiative to place one hand on Li Hao's shoulder.

The vast soul power of a Dou Huang, transformed into the purest mental strength, poured into Li Hao's mind and guarded his final line of defense.

Finally—

A cold, sharp Nether Power pressed against him from behind.

Zhu Zhuqing leaned her body firmly against Li Hao's back.

Through this most direct connection, she linked her Soul Power, her will, her very being to Li Hao.

This was the power of the Soul Contract.

And the embodiment of the power of bonds!

Three entirely different, yet equally sincere forces passed through their bonds and fused perfectly within Li Hao.

Warm, domineering, cold.

Far from clashing, the three forces formed a perfect cycle, together resisting the terrifying backlash from the Karmic Thread!

Li Hao's consciousness, on the verge of collapse, cleared again.

He could clearly feel the three girls' worry, resolve, and trust.

They had entrusted their fates to him without reservation.

"Arghhhhh—!"

Li Hao threw back his head and let out a stifled roar.

He couldn't lose!

He couldn't afford to!

Under the immense pressure, and with the combined infusion of all three forces—

The Karma Fishing Rod, the core of his Martial Soul, began to change dramatically as well!

Complex, mysterious golden patterns appeared across the surface of its formerly plain bamboo shaft. They seemed to embody the supreme principles of heaven and earth, shimmering with flowing light.

At the very tip of the rod, the invisible fishing line also turned crystal clear, as if formed from pure light. It gave off a strange fluctuation that seemed to connect all things in heaven and earth.

Under extreme pressure, his Martial Soul had transformed!

And at that very moment—

The taut golden Karmic Thread suddenly shuddered!

The resistance at the other end of that distant stretch of time and space vanished abruptly!

An incomparably heavy object, carrying an exquisite fragrance, had been successfully "fished" up!

Whoosh!

A streak of light tore through space and appeared out of nowhere in the valley.

Li Hao felt a sudden weight in his hand. The terrifying backlash vanished without a trace, and he slumped backward, drained of strength, falling right into Zhu Zhuqing's soft, warm embrace.

And in his hand was something new.

A plant.

An extraordinary Immortal Herb enveloped in a dreamlike fragrance.

It bore nine petals, their colors dazzling. Every petal looked like the finest work of art in the world.

Its exquisite fragrance instantly filled the entire valley.

Just one breath of it made Xiao Wu, Medusa, and Zhu Zhuqing feel their souls rejoicing and their bloodlines surging.

Yet this peerless Immortal Herb looked dull and lifeless. Its petals curled slightly, and a deathly aura seeped from its stem.

It was on the brink of withering.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations, host! You have successfully completed your first "Karma Fishing" attempt!]

[You successfully fished up the rare Immortal Herb—Aromatic Silk Beauty!]

The system's notification rang in Li Hao's mind, carrying a hint of excitement.

[Warning: The Immortal Herb is on the verge of death. Its spiritual essence is rapidly fading. The host must treat it as soon as possible!]

[By fishing for an extreme target, your Martial Soul, the "Karma Fishing Rod," has undergone its first transformation! Part of the "Fishing for Luck" function is now unlocked, and you have gained a new ability: Fishing of Void and Reality!]

Before Li Hao could even catch his breath, a stream of information flooded into his mind.

[Fishing of Void and Reality: Temporarily turns a physical target incorporeal, ignoring physical defenses; or solidifies an illusory object, turning the unreal into reality. Can be used once per day.]

This ability...

Li Hao's heart began racing uncontrollably.

It was practically a divine skill!

It had endless possibilities, whether in battle or in support!

But now wasn't the time to study it.

He lowered his head and looked at the Immortal Herb in his hand, which was on the road to death.

Aromatic Silk Beauty.

He could clearly sense the enormous, pure life energy it contained, but that energy was draining away at an alarming rate.

Like a balloon pierced with countless holes.

All three girls' gazes had also fixed on the Immortal Herb.

Their faces were filled with shock, longing, and a hint of anxiety they could barely conceal.

They knew better than anyone what an Immortal Herb of this caliber meant to a Soul Beast.

It meant a complete transformation, an unparalleled chance to leap through the Dragon Gate!

But now, this opportunity was withering little by little before their eyes.

Li Hao immediately realized that the Immortal Herb needed treatment as soon as possible.

The Soul Beast Paradise held the purest life energy and natural essence. Without a doubt, it was the best place to treat it.

But how should he save it?

How could he make this dying Immortal Herb bloom with life again?

And even...

Could he use Bond Evolution on it, making it the fourth member of the family in the Paradise?

Li Hao carefully cradled the Immortal Herb, which was losing its luster, and felt its faint life force, like a candle flickering in the wind. An unprecedented challenge lay before him.