"How could I possibly lie to you, Boss? When it comes to loyalty, Na'er is the real deal!"
The silence in the room lasted only an instant before Na'er immediately replied, her lively violet eyes full of sincerity.
"Fine. I believe you."
Jiang Xiu's lips curved as he picked up an Amethyst Shrimp and placed it on Na'er's plate.
Over these four years, he had spent nearly every day with Na'er, and he could see a lot about her. Compared to Gu Yue, Na'er was more clever and lively. Though she had always been fixated on something, she wasn't bad at heart. Mm... she was a good dragon.
"Have some too. This abalone is tender and juicy."
Following the principle of give and take, Na'er picked up an abalone and passed it to Jiang Xiu.
Seeing Jiang Xiu continue eating, as if his earlier question had been nothing more than a casual remark, Na'er slowly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Boss, it's not that Na'er wanted to lie to you. It's just that my identity is far too shocking. If you knew Na'er was a dragon, you might not understand me, or you might get the wrong idea."
"To keep our revolutionary friendship going strong, Na'er will lie to you just this once. I absolutely won't do it again."
Looking at the young man beside her, Na'er silently murmured to herself.
"Na'er, hurry up and eat. There'll be nothing left if you wait."
Seeing Na'er lost in thought, Jiang Xiu gently reminded her.
"Oh, right!"
"Waiter, bring us another serving of everything we just ordered. One serving each!"
With her mind at ease, Na'er waved her little hand and called out, instantly feeling like she could eat even more.
"Beep, beep, beep!"
Just then, Na'er's Soul Guidance Communicator and Jiang Xiu's Soul Guidance Communicator rang at the same time.
"Hm? Tomorrow is one of the two annual rampage periods at the East Sea Spirit Pagoda. Master's asking if we want to go to the Spirit Ascension Platform."
After reading the message, Na'er looked up at Jiang Xiu.
"Of course we're going."
Jiang Xiu's eyes shifted as he replied quietly.
The Spirit Ascension Platform's rampage had originally been a loophole in its system. Every so often, the Soul Power inside the platform would increase, and the number and age of the Soul Beasts within it would rise as well.
After a series of deliberations, the Spirit Pagoda decided not to fix this loophole. Instead, it restricted the rampage to certain periods, which came to be known as the rampage periods.
The Spirit Ascension Platform's rampage periods were when many Soul Masters most liked to enter the platform and raise their Soul Rings. With more Soul Beasts around, there were more opportunities and greater chances to increase their Soul Rings' ages.
"As I recall, there's a thousand-year Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear in the East Sea Primary Spirit Ascension Platform. It has an External Soul Bone, too."
Jiang Xiu considered the matter in silence. The Soul Bone inside that Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was none other than the Dark Gold Terrorclaw, the most powerful killing weapon of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear Clan.
At this time, with the Soul Beast Clan in decline, the value of Soul Bones was constantly rising. Even a thousand-year Soul Bone was something money couldn't buy.
What's more, External Soul Bones were universally acknowledged in the Soul Master World as the rarest kind of Soul Bone, their value surpassed only by certain Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones. That was because External Soul Bones could grow, unlike the six Soul Bones inside the body, whose ages were fixed.
"This thing and I are fated to meet."
Before long, Jiang Xiu decided to claim it for himself. The Dark Gold Terrorclaw was powerful enough, and he had yet to add Soul Rings to his Second Martial Soul. With the Dark Gold Terrorclaw, he could make up for his weakness in close combat.
With the Dark Gold Terrorclaw and his first Soul Skill, Time Stop, he'd dare to take on even a Soul King two major ranks above him.
Of course, if that Soul King happened to be the strongest Soul King in ten thousand years, he'd have to think it over for a moment.
"Sure. Then we'll go tomorrow."
Seeing that Jiang Xiu agreed, Na'er readily agreed as well.
After four years of cultivation and raising their Soul Rings, both of Jiang Xiu's first two Soul Rings had reached over nine thousand years. By his estimate, this time at the Spirit Ascension Platform would be enough to push them straight into the ten-thousand-year range.
Na'er was a little behind, but her first two Soul Rings had both reached six thousand years.
"By the way, Na'er, how high is your spiritual power?"
"Hmm... I'm not sure. The last time I tested my spiritual power was the last time I tested it."
At Jiang Xiu's question, Na'er thought for a moment, shook her head slightly, and went back to eating.
"Fair enough."
Jiang Xiu's eye twitched. Once he had eaten his fill, he planned to go back and cultivate for a while. The Spirit Pagoda had carefully prepared all this food for the two of them, and every dish contained a considerable amount of Soul Power and vital energy.
After cultivating the Flawless Golden Body, what he needed most was vital energy. Most of the Body Sect's combat techniques didn't require Soul Power to use. Instead, they drew on the power of heaven and earth, turning it into one's own and wielding it through one's vital energy.
The Flawless Golden Body had four layers: Body Infusion, Marrow Cleansing, Remolding, and Golden Body. He was currently at the first layer, Body Infusion. Put simply, it nourished his vital energy until it would never run dry and his body would never weaken.
It was said that the highest layer, the Golden Body, could let one achieve godhood through the strength of the physical body.
"Boss, come out for a walk with me tonight, will you? We hardly ever get out together. Let's go enjoy the sights of the East Sea, too."
Just as Jiang Xiu was about to leave the room, anticipation shone in Na'er's beautiful eyes as she asked in a pitiful tone.
"Are you sure it's the sights you want to see? I'd feel bad pointing it out."
Jiang Xiu stopped and gave her a meaningful look.
Compared to the sights, food was Na'er's true love.
"As expected of Boss—you see right through me. So, can we go..."
Na'er grinned and continued.
"Sure. Meet me beneath the Spirit Pagoda at six tonight."
Jiang Xiu shrugged and readily agreed. Cultivation needed both tension and relaxation, and since they were going to the Spirit Ascension Platform tomorrow, taking the day off was perfectly fine.
"Great!"
Na'er replied cheerfully. She'd heard plenty about the delicious food in the East Sea while in Shrek City, and now she wanted to find out whether it lived up to the hype.
Evening.
A breeze blew by, gradually carrying away the heat of the day. A trace of sunset still lingered in the western sky, and the whole world had reached its most beautiful moment, when it was neither quite dark nor quite light.
"Jiang Xiu! Jiang Xiu! I'm here!"
A girl's clear, light voice rang out, drawing closer. Na'er appeared in a white dress, her silvery-white hair tied in a high ponytail. Her pale calves carried her lightly over to Jiang Xiu from behind.
Jiang Xiu wore a luxurious black robe, its surface traced with golden patterns. His handsome face carried an air of authority, yet he also had the spirited confidence of youth.
Standing together, they made the people around them feel as though they were childhood sweethearts.
"Sorry for the wait. I've already picked out where we're going. First, we'll have beef, then seafood, and after that... whatever else you want to eat. We'll take it one place at a time."
Walking beside Jiang Xiu, Na'er chattered away, her little pink mouth never still. It was obvious she'd planned everything out in advance.
"Sure. Whatever you say."
Feeling the evening breeze pass by, with Na'er at his side, Jiang Xiu felt a faint ripple stir in his heart.
"Ah, to be young."
From a high floor of the Spirit Pagoda, Leng Yaozhu watched the two of them walking away through the floor-to-ceiling window, her red lips curling faintly.
"I hope you don't end up like your master, Na'er. I hope you meet the right person at the right time."
Leng Yaozhu sighed softly and took a sip of the red wine in her hand.
If she'd known how things would turn out, she wouldn't have thrown herself into it so recklessly, and she wouldn't have fallen out with her younger sister, driving her into the arms of an evil faction.
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