"Xue Wu, if I remember correctly, you should be from a collateral branch of the Heaven Dou imperial family, right?" Shui Qinghan asked.
The surname Xue belonged to the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial family.
"Yes, but our branch has long since grown distant from the direct imperial bloodline, and our family has fallen on hard times." Xue Wu nodded, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness.
The Heaven Dou Empire had been founded for thousands of years. Collateral descendants like her were too numerous to count.
At the height of her family's prosperity, they had only ever held the title of count.
By the time it had been passed down to the present day, her family's title had been demoted again and again, becoming a hereditary barony.
To put it bluntly, her branch was probably a poor relative with no real connection to the direct bloodline.
Although her family still bore the title of nobility, they were merely insignificant barons, and the kind without any fiefdom.
What was the difference between a noble without land and a commoner?
Besides, a lowly title like baron could be granted directly to anyone who cultivated to Rank Forty, joined the Heaven Dou Empire, and served the imperial family. It carried virtually no prestige at all.
It could be said that aside from sharing the surname Xue and having a few connections behind her, she was hardly any different from a commoner Soul Master.
"Xue Wu, what do you think of my disciple?" Shui Qinghan asked again.
"You mean little brother Jiang Lan?" After thinking carefully for a moment, Xue Wu replied, "Little brother Jiang Lan treats others gently, is humble and polite, and has a straightforward, sincere heart. He does not possess the slightest arrogance of a genius. He is a very good person."
Aside from attending classes, Xue Wu spent every day cultivating the Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Shui Bing'er.
As a result, she often ran into Jiang Lan, who cultivated alongside the sisters Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er.
Although they had not spent much time together, she had formed a rather favorable impression of Jiang Lan.
After saying that, Xue Wu suddenly realized what Shui Qinghan meant. Her expression shifted in surprise as she said,
"Dean, are you asking this because you want me to..."
Xue Wu was faintly tempted. As an Auxiliary Soul Master, she was meant to seek out a battle Soul Master as a partner.
Before this, she had only regarded Jiang Lan as Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er's child husband and had entertained no other thoughts.
But looking at it now, wasn't he the best possible husband candidate for her?
He possessed a top-tier True Dragon Martial Soul, the talent of Innate Full Soul Power, handsome and proper features, a clean and reliable background, little scheming, and none of the bad habits of those spoiled noble playboys.
Besides, even if she did not choose Jiang Lan, she would surely have to marry into another noble family in the future.
Compared to a future husband whose character was completely unknown, why not choose someone whose background and nature she already understood?
Such a fine marriage was something others could only dream of.
As for feelings?
Those could be cultivated slowly.
"Indeed. What do you think?" Shui Qinghan nodded slightly and asked.
"Dean, Bing'er and the others won't mind?" Xue Wu could not help asking.
Although she felt Jiang Lan was an excellent husband candidate, she did not want to fall out with her good sisters over this.
"This is precisely why I chose you instead of someone else. Because of the connection between you and Bing'er through your Martial Soul Fusion Skill, it will not be difficult for her to accept your presence," Shui Qinghan said calmly.
In addition, Shui Qinghan also valued Xue Wu's support abilities highly.
Xue Wu's two Soul Skills were Dark Cloud and Rainfall.
These two Soul Skills could create a favorable environment for Jiang Lan anytime and anywhere.
With Xue Wu joining them, the four of them would happen to form a qualified team.
Shui Yue'er was an Agility Attack System Soul Master, Shui Bing'er was a Control System Soul Master, Xue Wu was an Auxiliary Soul Master, and Jiang Lan was an Assault System Soul Master. He could even occasionally fill the roles of Defense System and healing.
"I understand. I'm willing." Xue Wu agreed without the slightest hesitation.
"A very wise choice." A faint smile appeared on Shui Qinghan's cool, beautiful face as she continued,
"Next, let us discuss your treatment."
"Since you are willing to become Lan'er's side wife, you are one of us now. I will not treat you poorly."
"First, Whale Rubber will be supplied to you without limit, ensuring that every Soul Ring you acquire from now on can undergo Limit-Break Absorption."
"Second, I will provide you with a certain amount of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow to aid your cultivation."
"Finally, the academy will allocate resources toward you and ensure that you break through to Title Rank."
"Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow?" Xue Wu asked curiously.
She had already consumed a piece of Whale Rubber.
For that, she had even sworn a Martial Soul oath, promising not to reveal this secret in any way.
But this Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow was truly something she had never heard of.
"Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow is a natural treasure of the ice attribute. To an ice-attribute Soul Master, it is a priceless treasure no less valuable than a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring or Soul Bone." Shui Qinghan smiled slightly as she explained.
"No less valuable than a hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring or Soul Bone?!" Xue Wu's pupils contracted as she exclaimed softly.
"That's right. Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow can not only assist a Soul Master's cultivation and raise their Soul Power Level, but it can also improve the quality of an ice-attribute Soul Master's Martial Soul. It can even help an ice-attribute Soul Master break through the bottleneck of Title Rank," Shui Qinghan said directly, withholding nothing.
"Dean, could it be..." Xue Wu looked at Shui Qinghan in utter shock.
"That's right. At most, within a month, I will break through to Title Rank." Shui Qinghan nodded, confirming Xue Wu's guess.
Title Rank... Xue Wu's heart was filled with relief. Fortunately, she had agreed.
"I'll give you half an hour to settle your personal affairs. Half an hour from now, I'll take you to the Far North to join Lan'er and the others," Shui Qinghan said.
"Yes~"
Far North Mountains.
Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave.
Shui Yue'er sat with her eyes tightly closed. The Soul Power within her body circulated through her meridians according to the route of her meditation method.
Each time the Soul Power within her completed a cycle, it grew a little stronger.
No one knew how much time passed. Then, with a soft crack, as though some shackle had been broken open, an intense wave of Soul Power erupted from Shui Yue'er's body.
"Rank Twenty!"
Shui Yue'er slowly opened her eyes, excitement and exhilaration flashing through her light-blue pupils.
In merely two months, she had risen four ranks in a row.
At an average cultivation speed of two ranks per month, she had directly broken through to Rank Twenty and become a prospective Soul Grandmaster.
If such cultivation speed were revealed to the outside world, it would likely make countless people's jaws drop.
And Shui Yue'er was not even eight years old yet.
One had to know that even a Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power would need at least two years to cultivate to Rank Twenty.
"Congratulations on breaking through, Senior Sister Yue'er." Jiang Lan smiled as he offered his congratulations.
"Congratulations, Yue'er." Shui Bing'er smiled softly and joined in the congratulations.
"Little junior brother, sister, what ranks are you two at now?" Shui Yue'er asked curiously.
"Rank Twenty-Nine," Jiang Lan replied with a smile.
"Rank Twenty-Seven," Shui Bing'er added.
The excited smile on Shui Yue'er's face instantly froze.
No, I've already cultivated this hard. Why hasn't the gap narrowed? Why is it getting bigger instead?
Is this... right?
Before you continue