"Uncle Sky Crocodile, help me break off a piece." Qian Xunqian carried a piece of Ice God Crystal nearly as large as she was over to Sky Crocodile.
"About this big should be enough. If it's any larger, Sister Xiao won't be able to handle it."
Qian Xunqian measured it out with her fingers. About an inch should do.
Sky Crocodile doted on the children, so he broke off a piece without hesitation and handed it to Shui Xiaoer.
"Wait! Absorb this Thousand-Year Ice Marrow first to shore up your foundation. Then fuse with the Ice God Crystal and pair it with the Cold Pole Spirit Spring. That'll be enough to raise your Martial Soul to the level of Ultimate Ice!"
Shui Xiaoer was so moved that tears streamed down her face. She said:
"Thank you."
While Shui Xiaoer absorbed the Thousand-Year Ice Marrow, Gui Mei quietly slipped over to Qian Xunqian and whispered:
"Second Miss, you're really giving her the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow and Ice God Crystal just like that? You know, it never hurts to be wary of others! What if she..."
Qian Xunqian waved a hand and said magnanimously:
"Force can never truly win people over. Only a combination of kindness and authority can win their hearts. The Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow is more than our Spirit Hall's ice Soul Masters could ever use. To me, it's just a source of materials for forging.
"But to Skywater Academy and the Water Element Family, it's a priceless treasure. The more sincerely I help Shui Xiaoer without worrying about gains and losses, the more unsettled Skywater Academy will feel. Their conscience won't let them rest easy.
"Besides, our Spirit Hall is strong enough. Sister Bi and I are both geniuses. They say that a gentleman's virtue is like the wind, while a petty man's virtue is like grass; when the wind blows over the grass, it bends! As long as people like us, with the strength and virtue of gentlemen, keep that up, why wouldn't all nations come to pay their respects?"
"What's more, it's only one Titled Douluo with Ultimate Ice. Elder Ghost, do you think Sister Bi and I would be afraid?"
Gui Mei was won over by the Second Miss's open-mindedness. He had served at the Pope's side, so he naturally understood Qian Xunji's temperament. He also knew that Qian Xunji had recently been considering hunting down the geniuses of the two great empires.
His Holiness the Pope was still too narrow-minded. Hunting geniuses might indeed weaken the two great empires in the short term, but in the long run, it would offend every faction they could have won over.
And if it ever came to light, Spirit Hall's reputation would be ruined. They'd be surrounded by enemies, all for a small gain at the cost of the greater good. It simply wasn't worth it!
"All right, don't look at me with such admiration or I'll get conceited. They say that an arrogant army is doomed to defeat, and I don't want to lose. Get ready—we're going to soak in the cold spring soon!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Golden Crocodile Douluo dutifully stood guard over Shui Xiaoer. Qian Xunqian looked at the busy group and at the mischievous Bibi Dong, then simply took out a grinder and prepared to grind up some ten-year and hundred-year Ice Marrow.
Although this Ice Marrow wasn't as potent as the thousand-year variety, it still contained plenty of energy—far more Soul Power than the snow outside.
It also grew extremely quickly, so taking some wouldn't do much to disrupt the growth of the Ice Marrow here.
If hundred-year wild Ice Silkworms were so hard to find, then they wouldn't bother looking! They'd just breed them themselves!
Two hours later, Shui Xiaoer finally finished absorbing the Thousand-Year Ice Marrow. Her Martial Soul evolved from the high-tier Ice Luan into a top-tier Ice Phoenix.
"Gook-gook-ga-ga." Qian Xunqian held Shui Xiaoer's hand with her left hand and Bibi Dong's with her right, striding toward the Extreme Cold Spirit Spring with a swagger that said she didn't care who she offended.
"Sister Bi, this cold spring can permanently raise a Soul Master's mental power limit. You're not a spiritual-type Soul Master, but more mental power is always better!"
"Sister Xiao, this cold spring will multiply the cultivation speed of ice-attribute Soul Masters by ten. The first soak is the most effective. And soaking here will help you absorb this Ice God Crystal more effectively, letting your Martial Soul reach the level of Ultimate Ice!"
"Since things have come to this, I'll say no more. Let's soak in the cold spring first!"
The three circulated their meridians and began cultivating in the cold spring.
Bibi Dong came out first. She was neither an ice-type nor a spiritual-type Soul Master, so the spring didn't do much for her. It only doubled her mental power.
Qian Xunqian came out second. The cold spring had multiplied her mental power limit several times over. What's more, as her Soul Power Level rose in the future, her mental power limit would keep increasing too, only stopping once she reached the Titled Douluo level.
"Let your big sister have a look! How's your figure coming along?" Bibi Dong said with a wicked grin, trotting over.
Qian Xunqian was terrified. She hurriedly dried herself off and got dressed, managing to protect her "virtue" at the very last moment before Bibi Dong reached her.
Two and a half hours later, accompanied by a "clear" cry of a phoenix, it was done!
Shui Xiaoer now radiated an intensely frigid aura. Even Bibi Dong and Qian Xunqian, watching from a distance, couldn't help sneezing.
After getting dressed, Shui Xiaoer came straight to Qian Xunqian and dropped to one knee.
"From this day forward, Shui Xiaoer will devote herself wholeheartedly to serving Spirit Hall and its Second Miss, Qian Xunqian. Should I break this oath, my Martial Soul will shatter, and I will make no further progress for the rest of my life!"
Qian Xunqian: You've all made things so difficult for me! How am I supposed to explain this to my eldest cousin?!
"Tell me, what quality has your Martial Soul evolved to?"
Shui Xiaoer answered excitedly:
"My Martial Soul is now called the Ice Crystal Phoenix. It evolved from the Ice Phoenix, and it's a super Beast Martial Soul with the Ultimate Ice attribute! My mental power, physical body, and ice-attribute attack power have all more than doubled!"
"Second Miss, Holy Maiden, Golden Crocodile Douluo, Elder Ju, Elder Ghost, I will never forget the grace of your life-changing kindness!"
Ning Fengzhi: And what about me?
Sky Crocodile laughed heartily.
"Each generation brings forth its own heroes, each holding the stage for centuries! Looks like you're destined to take the Second Worship's position someday, old man!"
Ghost Douluo was the most composed. He said:
"All right, the young lady has built up too much Soul Power. She needs to obtain a Soul Ring right away. And I estimate that once she becomes a Soul King, she won't be far from becoming a Soul Emperor!"
Qian Xunqian smiled. "What's the hurry? The gentlemen haven't soaked yet! Since things have come to this, let's soak first!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo shot his old friend Gui Mei a scornful look. A meeting of minds—they were in luck, because Ghost Douluo was also glaring at Yue Guan with undisguised contempt.
Sky Crocodile Worship simply put one hand on each man's shoulder and led them over to the cold spring.
Of the four, Ning Fengzhi gained the most. Chrysanthemum Douluo and Golden Crocodile Douluo belonged to the Power Attack System, while Ghost Douluo belonged to the Agility Attack System. The boost to their mental power only made the three of them a little "smarter."
After his soak, Ning Fengzhi successfully advanced the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's hereditary secret art, Distraction Control, to the Five-Aperture Scattered Heart stage.
He then expressed his gratitude to everyone from Spirit Hall.
Bibi Dong whispered to Qian Xunqian, grumbling:
"What's the matter with him? Shouldn't he be overcome with gratitude like Xiao'er and announce that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is officially joining Spirit Hall?!"
Qian Xunqian shook her head, her smile as warm as a spring breeze.
"They're one of the Upper Three Sects, after all. They have their pride. But..."