A Contest

The group arrived outside the resplendent Seven Treasure Pavilion and pushed the doors open before walking in.

The moment they stepped inside, a wave of cozy heat washed over them, dispelling the chill from their bodies.

"Welcome, esteemed guests, to Dragon City's Seven Treasure Pavilion. How may I assist you?" At the entrance, a stunning woman who appeared to be a manager approached them. Dressed in a red slit qipao that accentuated her graceful figure, she smiled as she spoke.

"Little Junior Brother, no looking!" The instant Shui Yue'er saw the beautiful woman, she reached out and covered Jiang Lan's eyes.

Jiang Lan: "..."

Were the two of them truly blood-related sisters?

When it came to guarding their food, anyway.

"I'd like to purchase some daily necessities," Shui Qinghan said calmly.

"Certainly. Please follow me." The beautiful woman swept her gaze over Jiang Lan and the others, immediately understanding the situation. She turned and led the way.

They were probably elders taking juniors out to hunt soul beasts and planning to buy some supplies for the trip.

After leading them to the second floor of the Seven Treasure Pavilion, the beautiful woman gave a slight bow and took her leave.

Passing by the shelves of weapons and medicine, Shui Qinghan went straight to the counter on the second floor and said calmly, "I want enough supplies for three people to live on for three months."

"Certainly. Please forgive my presumptuous question, but do you possess a storage soul tool with sufficient space? Three months' worth of supplies is rather a lot, and I'm afraid you may not be able to carry it all. If you do not have a storage soul tool, our Seven Treasure Pavilion can temporarily provide one for rent. You would only need to pay a portion of gold soul coins as a deposit. If the storage soul tool is accidentally damaged or lost, our Seven Treasure Pavilion reserves the right to hold you accountable." The young woman behind the counter hurriedly stood up and gave a professional smile.

Hearing this, Jiang Lan could not help feeling surprised.

Good heavens, the Seven Treasure Pavilion even offered storage soul tool rentals?

Were they not afraid they would never get the storage soul tools back?

But on second thought, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had two Titled Douluo overseeing it, as well as more than ten Soul Douluo elders. Who would dare owe the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect a debt?

Besides, the Seven Treasure Pavilion certainly would not rent soul tools to just anyone. They would most likely only rent them to people with backgrounds and power—people who could not simply disappear without a trace.

Merchants would never make a losing deal.

"No need," Shui Qinghan said coldly.

"Certainly, esteemed guest. Please follow me." The young woman behind the counter immediately led Shui Qinghan to the warehouse on the second floor and had the soul masters guarding it bring out dried salted meat, flatbread, and fresh vegetables.

Dragon City's weather remained at or below freezing throughout the year, making it a natural ice cellar.

Even at room temperature, food could be stored for a long time without spoiling easily.

Shui Qinghan raised her hand and stored all the supplies in her storage bracelet, then asked, "How much?"

"Five gold soul coins in total," the young woman said.

Although these supplies were not expensive, plenty of people bought their stock from them.

After all, a fortress city like Dragon City was not a grain-producing city. The entire city relied on outside merchant caravans for supplies, or on provisions delivered from other cities.

Shui Qinghan nodded slightly, took out five gold soul coins from her storage bracelet, placed them in the young woman's hand, and then led the group away from the Seven Treasure Pavilion.

After leaving the Seven Treasure Pavilion, they openly departed the city and headed toward the nearby Far North Mountains.

Before long, the group arrived at the location of the cold spring.

"Lan'er, come down with me. I need to retrieve a piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow to help your Aunt Rou break through to Soul Douluo," Shui Qinghan said gently, lowering her gaze toward Jiang Lan beside her.

"No problem, Teacher," Jiang Lan agreed without hesitation.

"Lan'er, let's go."

After saying that, Shui Qinghan spread a barrier of soul power around herself and jumped into the cold spring, with Jiang Lan following close behind.

The two descended quickly. Before long, they reached the spring's source and entered the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave.

After removing a piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow, they swiftly surfaced from the spring's source.

"Qingrou, quickly absorb the essence of this Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow. I'll stand guard for you." Shui Qinghan handed a pure white ice pillar to Shui Qingrou.

"Alright!" Shui Qingrou immediately sat down cross-legged, placed a hand on the ice pillar, and used her soul power to draw out the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow essence within, slowly absorbing it into her body.

"Qingrou, don't absorb too much at once. Take it slowly," Shui Qinghan instructed.

"Okay~"

Watching Shui Qingrou gradually enter meditation, Shui Qinghan removed the ice-blue storage soul tool bracelet from her wrist and placed it in Jiang Lan's hand. "Lan'er, I need to help your Aunt Rou hunt her eighth soul ring, so I won't have time to look after you for now. You can only stay temporarily in the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave."

"After all, I don't know how long this soul hunt will take."

"However, I'll return here to pick you up in no more than two months."

"This storage soul tool contains enough supplies for three months. It should be enough for the three of you to last two months."

"Although the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave is rather cramped, it truly is an excellent place to cultivate. You must train hard and strive to break through level thirty as soon as possible."

Shui Qinghan gave them every possible instruction, then raised a hand and stroked Jiang Lan's head. "Lan'er, you've always been mature beyond your years. I'll leave Bing'er and Yue'er in your care."

"I'll take good care of Senior Sisters Bing'er and Yue'er," Jiang Lan said solemnly.

"Teacher believes in you. Go on." Shui Qinghan smiled faintly and gestured for them to leave.

"Senior Sisters Bing'er and Yue'er, let's go." Jiang Lan turned to Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er.

"Mm." Shui Bing'er nodded slightly, her expression calm, without the slightest unease at the thought of being separated from her family.

If she had been alone, she might have felt somewhat anxious and fearful.

But Little Junior Brother and Yue'er were with her.

Although they would have to spend the next two months or so cultivating in the dark, cramped Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave—

How many people could only dream of cultivating in such an environment?

More than two months of cultivation in the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave would equal a year of cultivation outside.

In contrast, Shui Yue'er looked utterly carefree. Not only did she show no reluctance to part, she was actually quite excited.

"Little Junior Brother, want to compete and see who can swim faster? The loser has to agree to one reasonable request from the winner. Little Junior Brother, do you dare?" Shui Yue'er planted her hands on her hips, lifted her delicate chin slightly, and asked with a playful grin.

Although Little Junior Brother's martial soul was a water-attributed true dragon, she was an agility-attack soul master. Speed was her specialty to begin with.

Not to mention that her martial soul was the Lustrous Jade Dolphin. Her speed in water would only be faster than on land.

Hmph, Little Junior Brother's soul power may be higher than mine, but that doesn't mean he's faster in water.

She really was clever!

Shui Bing'er: "..."

Sigh...

Shui Bing'er gave the smug Shui Yue'er a pitying look and could not help sighing inwardly as she pressed a hand to her forehead.

This silly little sister had dug a pit for herself.

She had personally witnessed how fast Little Junior Brother was underwater.

As for warning Shui Yue'er?

It was only a bit of playful fun. There was no need to warn her.

Besides, it would be good to teach this silly girl a lesson.