Concubine and Conditions: Shui Yue'er Breaks Through to Level Twenty

"Xue Wu, if I recall correctly, you are a branch member of the Heaven Dou imperial family, correct?" Shui Qinghan asked.

The surname Xue was, after all, the surname of the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family.

"Yes, though our branch's bloodline is quite distant from the direct imperial line, and our family fortunes have long since declined," Xue Wu nodded, her tone tinged with helplessness.

The Heaven Dou Empire had been established for thousands of years; collateral descendants like her were beyond counting.

At the peak of her ancestors' prominence, the highest rank they had held was merely that of a count.

Inherited down to the present, her family's title had been downgraded repeatedly until it became a hereditary baron.

Truth be told, her branch was the sort of poor relative that couldn't even claim a connection to the direct bloodline if they tried.

Although her family still held a noble title, it was just a minor barony, and one without a fief at that.

What difference was there between a noble without a fief and a commoner?

Furthermore, low-level titles like baron meant nothing; as long as one cultivated to level forty and joined the Heaven Dou Empire to serve the royal family, they would be granted the title of baron automatically. It held no real value.

One could say that aside from her surname and a few connections, she was essentially no different from a commoner soul master.

"Xue Wu, what is your opinion of my disciple?" Shui Qinghan asked again.

"Little brother Jiang Lan?" Hearing this, Xue Wu recalled her memories carefully before replying, "Little brother Jiang Lan is gentle with others, humble and polite, and his thoughts are straightforward and sincere. He has not a shred of the arrogance common to geniuses. He is quite a good person."

Aside from attending classes, Xue Wu spent every day practicing the Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Shui Bing'er.

Because of this, she often encountered Jiang Lan, who followed the sisters Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er during their training.

Despite the limited time they had spent together, her impression of Jiang Lan was quite favorable.

After speaking, Xue Wu suddenly realized the implication and asked with a look of surprise:

"Dean, you ask me this—could it be that you want me to..."

Xue Wu felt a faint stirring of excitement. As an auxiliary-type soul master, she was naturally destined to seek a battle-type soul master as a partner.

Previously, she had only viewed Jiang Lan as a child-husband for Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er, never harboring any other thoughts.

But looking back now, wasn't he the best candidate for a husband?

A top-tier True Dragon martial soul, Innate Full Soul Power, a handsome and upright appearance, a clean and reliable background, and he possessed no ulterior motives or the foul habits of spoiled nobles.

Besides, even if she didn't choose Jiang Lan, she would surely be married off to another noble in the future.

Compared to a husband whose character was entirely unknown, why not choose one whose roots she understood well?

Such a good match was something others couldn't even pray for.

As for feelings?

Those could be cultivated slowly.

"Indeed. What are your thoughts?" Shui Qinghan asked with a slight nod.

"Dean, would Bing'er and the others mind?" Xue Wu couldn't help but ask.

Although she felt Jiang Lan was an excellent candidate for a husband, she did not want to fall out with her dear friends over it.

"That is why I chose you instead of anyone else. Because you and Bing'er share a Martial Soul Fusion Skill connection, it will not be difficult for her to accept your presence," Shui Qinghan said calmly.

Furthermore, Shui Qinghan highly valued Xue Wu's auxiliary capabilities.

Xue Wu's two soul skills were Dark Cloud and Rainfall.

The existence of these two skills allowed her to create an environment favorable to Jiang Lan at any time and place.

With the addition of Xue Wu, the four of them could form a perfectly balanced team.

Shui Yue'er was an agility-attack type, Shui Bing'er was a control type, Xue Wu was an auxiliary type, and Jiang Lan was a power-attack type who could even occasionally cover the roles of defense and healing.

"I understand. I am willing." Xue Wu did not act coy at all and agreed immediately.

"A very wise choice." A faint smile appeared on Shui Qinghan's cold, beautiful face as she continued:

"Next, let us discuss your compensation."

"Since you are willing to become a concubine to Lan'er, you are one of us now, and I will not treat you unfairly."

"First, you will be provided with an unlimited supply of Whale Rubber to ensure that every one of your future soul rings can be absorbed beyond the standard limit."

"Second, I will provide you with a certain amount of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow to assist in your cultivation."

"Finally, the academy will tilt resources in your favor to ensure you break through to the Title Douluo realm."

"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 to ensure she would never leak the secret in any way.

But this Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow was something she had truly never heard of.

"Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow is a heavenly treasure of the ice attribute. For an ice-attribute soul master, it is a supreme treasure no less valuable than a hundred-thousand-year soul ring or soul bone," Shui Qinghan explained with a slight smile.

"No less valuable than a hundred-thousand-year soul ring or soul bone?!" Xue Wu's pupils constricted as she whispered in shock.

"Correct. 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, and even help them overcome the bottleneck of reaching the Title Douluo realm," Shui Qinghan said directly, hiding nothing.

"Dean, could it be..." Xue Wu looked at Shui Qinghan with a face full of astonishment.

"Indeed. Within a month at most, I will be able to break through to the Title Douluo realm," Shui Qinghan nodded, confirming Xue Wu's guess.

"Title Douluo..." Xue Wu felt full of relief; she was glad she had agreed.

"I will give you half an hour to settle your personal affairs. After half an hour, I will take you to the Far North to reunite with Lan'er and the others," Shui Qinghan added.

"Yes~"

Far North Mountains.

Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave.

Shui Yue'er had her eyes tightly shut, the soul power within her body following the paths of her meditation technique as it surged through her meridians.

Every time the soul power in her body completed a cycle, it grew a fraction stronger.

Time passed until, with a soft "crack," it felt as if a shackle had been shattered, and a powerful wave of soul power erupted from Shui Yue'er's body.

"Level twenty!"

Shui Yue'er slowly opened her eyes, a flash of excitement and thrill crossing her light blue eyes.

In just two months, she had risen four levels.

With an average cultivation speed of two levels per month, she had directly broken through to level twenty, becoming a quasi-Soul Grandmaster.

If such a cultivation speed were known to the outside world, it would likely leave many people's jaws on the floor.

And Shui Yue'er was not even eight years old yet.

One must know that even for a soul master with Innate Full Soul Power, it would take at least two years to reach level twenty.

"Congratulations to senior sister Yue'er on your breakthrough," Jiang Lan said with a smile.

"Congratulations, Yue'er," Shui Bing'er added with a gentle smile.

"Little junior brother, sister, what levels are you at now?" Shui Yue'er asked curiously.

"Level twenty-nine," Jiang Lan replied with a smile.

"Level twenty-seven," Shui Bing'er followed.

Hearing this, the excited smile on Shui Yue'er's face froze instantly.

No, she had been cultivating so hard—how was it that the gap hadn't shrunk, but had instead grown even larger?

This—was this even right?