Feeling this inexplicable new power within him, Chen Zhou's eyes gleamed with excitement, though he said nothing.
After quickly packing his things, he calmly walked out of the room.
As soon as he stepped outside, he saw a handsome young man standing quietly by the door.
The young man wore plain black clothes and respectfully bowed to Chen Zhou.
"Young Master Qiangu Qingzhou, the two young ladies are waiting for you at the entrance. I'll escort you to the Spirit Pagoda in Eastsea City."
The man spoke gently and moved with deference, but there was not a trace of respect on his face.
Chen Zhou didn't care about the man's attitude, either.
Without strength, what gave you the right to expect others to respect you?
Only your own strength could earn other people's respect.
So Chen Zhou paused only briefly before following the man toward the entrance.
At the entrance, besides the two sisters, a young man in black stood beside each of them.
When Chen Zhou arrived, the three of them boarded three separate island-loop trains, which all headed for the high-speed rail station at the same time.
Though this was Shrek City, the Spirit Pagoda's standing was only a little below that of Shrek Academy.
So as soon as they arrived, they booked the best business-class seats and went inside.
Chen Zhou sat down with the young man in black beside him. The other man didn't say a single word from beginning to end, sitting there in silence.
There were many middle-aged men and pretty women aboard the train, all looking at the young man in black.
But when they saw the insignia of the Spirit Pagoda on his clothes, they all chose to keep quiet.
Feeling the tense atmosphere around him, Chen Zhou sat in silence and drew the curtains.
"Neuvillette, does the Soul Spirit you picked for me have any special effects? If so, I might as well fuse with it here."
[You can fuse with it yourself. There's no problem with fusing right away. This Soul Spirit is special. It carries an unyielding will.]
[It should also grant you an offensive Soul Skill, which suits you well right now.]
Neuvillette's voice sounded calmly in Chen Zhou's mind, without the slightest ripple of emotion.
Chen Zhou fell silent for a moment, then nodded gently.
He was a little impatient, and a little nervous.
Though he was a collateral member of the Qiangu Clan, his status was nothing special. His standing would be a little higher once he arrived, but not by much.
Unless he showed enough talent and strength, neither the Qiangu Clan nor the local Spirit Pagoda would pay him much attention.
As the train rolled along, Chen Zhou could feel his Water Dragon Martial Soul changing constantly.
It was still far from the level of the Water Dragon King, but his Water Dragon Martial Soul really was evolving.
And the evolution was strange. Rather than developing toward the form of a giant dragon, it seemed to be shifting toward the form of a Divine Dragon.
For now, though, its body had not grown noticeably longer.
The biggest change was that the Water Dragon's huge wings had begun to contract—or, more precisely, to shrink.
Chen Zhou didn't know whether this change was good or bad. But he understood one thing: he was a transmigrator, and Neuvillette was his cheat.
Following the cheat was bound to be the right call.
Though Neuvillette had originally taken human form, he was the Primordial Dragon, with a status and standing to match. With Neuvillette's guidance, Chen Zhou's growth wouldn't be slow.
Even if becoming the Water Dragon King still wouldn't let him rival the Gold and Silver Dragon Kings, he could still secure a decent position at the Spirit Pagoda in Eastsea City.
Then he could marry a lovely wife, have a few adorable children, and live out a perfect life.
At the thought, a smile touched Chen Zhou's face. He raised a hand slightly and closed his fingers around the orb, crushing it.
A pale blue little snake surged into his body and began forming his first Soul Ring.
To Chen Zhou's surprise, the little snake should normally have been suppressed by his Water Dragon Martial Soul.
After all, though the Water Dragon Martial Soul was only an ordinary dragon-type Martial Soul, it was still a true dragon.
Yet, despite being completely unable to withstand Chen Zhou's pressure, the little snake refused to submit from beginning to end, silently resisting all the while.
Its resistance surprised Chen Zhou.
Just then, Neuvillette's voice sounded in his mind again.
[Your current situation is strange. Your compatibility with this Soul Spirit should only be around 10% to 30%. But normally, you should be able to suppress it.]
[However, because of its tenacious will, it has rejected your attempt to forcibly suppress it.]
[You have two choices: forcibly suppress it, or tame it and make it submit to you. Both choices have their pros and cons.]
Neuvillette's voice was calm. He didn't give Chen Zhou a direct answer, but left the choice to him.
Normally, anyone would choose the second option: taming it.
After all, that was the gentlest choice, and it wouldn't bring any other problems.
But Chen Zhou refused.
"I want a Soul Spirit that's absolutely loyal to me, not one I have to treat like a friend."
"I don't need friends. Only absolute submission can bring absolute loyalty."
Chen Zhou's voice was calm. He seemed to be talking to himself, or perhaps to Neuvillette.
As he spoke, his eyes flickered faintly. In an instant, his irises turned blue and narrowed into vertical slits.
Then a faint pressure of a true dragon spread from his body.
He didn't release his Martial Soul, but the blue little snake, which had been thrashing wildly, suddenly went still.
Terrifying pressure descended. Chen Zhou showed no mercy. He would rather destroy the Soul Spirit completely than back down.
It was a Soul Spirit. It should submit to him and carry out his every demand, not fight back against him.
Chen Zhou had already guessed that the little snake was most likely the legendary Unyielding Soul Spirit, one of the most unusual Soul Spirits.
But so what?
As the light in Chen Zhou's eyes shimmered, the first Authority he had gained slowly activated. All water elements—or rather, every living thing connected to water elements—had to submit to him.
Chen Zhou took direct control of the water-elemental power inside the little snake, forcing it to yield to him.
Under the combined pressure of the two forces, the little snake had no power to resist.
Watching the unyielding Soul Spirit submit to him, Chen Zhou's face remained expressionless.
He slowly opened his eyes, and a pale yellow Soul Ring appeared around him.
At the same time, his first Soul Skill surfaced in his mind.
First Soul Skill: Clear Stream Dragon Breath.