Sea-Swallowing Cloud Whale

Yet for the two people below, those words struck with devastating force.

Xiao Qing stared at Qian San. A warmth unlike anything she had ever felt surged through her, breaking past every defense and disguise she had maintained. Her eyes grew hot.

She knew what Qian San was like. This rational, steady boy, who could even be ruthless in battle, never made empty promises. Once he said something like that, he would keep his word even if it meant being crushed to dust.

But amid her emotion, Xiao Qing silently made a vow. If that day ever comes, then even if I die, I'll die before you. I'll never let you suffer the slightest harm for my sake.

Up in the tree, Qian Xunji watched the tender scene between the two of them and finally could not take it anymore. If he kept listening, the cloying sweetness of their romance might choke him to death. He cleared his throat, deliberately making a little noise.

"Ahem... What a beautiful sunset. Shame the wind's so strong it's giving me goosebumps."

With that teasing remark, Qian Xunji floated down like a falling leaf, dragging a whale that was barely clinging to life. He landed steadily behind them.

Qian San and Xiao Qing sprang apart as though shocked. A rare, suspicious flush appeared on Qian San's face. He hurried to his feet and bowed respectfully. "Father, you're back!"

Xiao Qing stood too. Though her expression had returned to normal, the tips of her ears were red enough to bleed. She lowered her head. "Uncle Qian."

"Enough, no need to be so stiff." Qian Xunji forced down the urge to tease them and strode up to Qian San. "I told you to take some Immortal Herbs before I left. Which ones did you take?"

"Father, I took a Nine-Turn Vajra Vine to widen my meridians and strengthen my flesh and bones, and a Winter Water Dew to improve my mental strength. You warned me that a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring could cause Soul Shock," Qian San reported at once.

"Good choices. What about Xiao Qing?" Qian Xunji asked.

Qian San's expression turned a little strange. He stole a glance at Xiao Qing, then stammered, hesitant to speak.

"Uh... Sister Qing... managed to pluck an Immortal Herb called Love-Longing Heart-Breaking Green, but she didn't take it. Later, she took a Dragon Blood Glazed Fruit. She reached level forty, and her Martial Soul has evolved into an Azure War Dragon."

Love-Longing Heart-Breaking Green? It must be the counterpart to Lovesick Heartbreak Red. The fact that she could pluck it makes their feelings plain as day. But only an Azure War Dragon? I remember Da Ming eventually became an Azure Divine Dragon in the original story. If I ever go to that world, I'll chop Da Ming up first and bring him back to see whether he can improve Xiao Qing's bloodline.

"Oh? The king of Immortal Herbs, Love-Longing Heart-Breaking Green?" Qian Xunji deliberately drew out the last word, his gaze moving between them, his voice full of undisguised amusement.

"Since you managed to pluck it, why didn't you take it? What, did you lose the heart to eat it because its name contains 'Qing'?"

"N-no, that's not it!" Xiao Qing jerked her head up to protest. But when she met Qian Xunji's knowing, teasing gaze, she drooped like a deflated ball and lowered her head again. Even her neck had turned crimson.

"I just thought... the story Tang San told about the flower was so moving. And the flower was so beautiful... I—I couldn't bring myself to eat it..."

Her voice dwindled with every word until the breeze nearly scattered it altogether.

"Haha, all right, all right. Tang San, hurry up and absorb your Spirit Ring." Qian Xunji saw through them but said no more.

"A Sea-Swallowing Cloud Whale. Thirteen thousand years old," Qian Xunji explained.

"This Soul Beast isn't especially strong at attacking, and it's gentle by nature. But it has an enormous internal capacity and vast Soul Power reserves. I chose it for you because all your Soul Skills need tremendous amounts of Soul Power. Its Spirit Ring ability should greatly expand your upper limit."

Qian San's eyes flashed. His father was exactly right. As he controlled more and more metal, wrote ever more intricate programs, and built larger constructs, the demands on his Soul Power and mental strength kept rising. The Head Soul Bone had sent his mental strength soaring, but Soul Power remained his weakness. This Spirit Ring was charcoal delivered in a snowstorm.

Without hesitation, Qian San sat cross-legged, killed the Sea-Swallowing Cloud Whale with a single slash, and began drawing in the black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring. His formidable body, remade by the Nine-Turn Vajra Vine, and the protection of his 190,000-year Head Soul Bone meant the ring's Soul Shock posed no threat to him.

After a long struggle...

Yellow, yellow, purple, black! Four striking Spirit Rings slowly rose beneath Qian San's feet.

"Level forty-six!" Qian San's eyes flew open. Feeling his swollen reserves of Soul Power, even he could not help crying out in astonishment.

"Well done. A level forty-six Soul Ancestor before you've even turned twelve." Qian Xunji walked forward with a smile.

Qian San nodded and curled his right hand. This time, he did not control ordinary iron around him. Instead, he drew on his vastly expanded Soul Power reserves to push his first Soul Skill, Liquid Metal, to its limit!

Blue Silver liquid metal poured wildly from the pores all over his body. In the blink of an eye, it climbed along his frame and solidified as if it were alive.

A rapid series of metallic clicks rang out. A sleek, full-body suit of armor gleaming Blue Silver now fitted Qian San without a single gap!

"Wh-what is that?" Xiao Qing stared.

"Father, look!" Qian San's voice came through the metal faceplate, brimming with excitement. At a thought, the armor on his arm liquefied into a sharp blade. With another, the armor on his legs became several intricate Soul Power thrusters.

"The passive effect of this Spirit Ring tripled my total Soul Power! More importantly, it gives me enough to use my first Soul Skill freely!" Qian San said excitedly.

"Now I can use my vast Soul Power to form full-body or partial armor from this Blue Silver liquid metal whenever I want. In battle, I can change its shape at will—a shield, a sword, or a Hidden Weapon launcher. It takes only a thought!"

Qian San raised a hand as he spoke. "And I can put the armor on someone else, too."

Liquid metal flowed from his palm toward Xiao Qing. In the blink of an eye, it covered her in a perfectly fitted suit of Metal Armor. She looked down and curiously touched the cool metal shell on her arm.

"Not bad. What's its active skill?"

"It's a wide-area attack called Sea Whale Swallows. It uses Soul Power to form the phantom of a giant whale that crushes everything ahead. The attack is simple, but it makes up for my lack of a way to clear the field. Together with the passive increase to my Soul Power, this Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring suits me perfectly."