"Mom, and Sister Xue Wu?!"
When they saw who had arrived, Shui Bing'er's delicate, adorable face immediately lit up with surprise.
No one was happier about Xue Wu's arrival than Shui Bing'er.
She and Xue Wu possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. It could be said that their futures were already bound together.
Naturally, Shui Bing'er did not want Xue Wu to fall too far behind her.
"Aunt Qinghan, Sister Xue Wu!" Shui Yue'er hurried forward after them, greeting them sweetly.
"Teacher, Senior Sister Xue Wu."
Whether it was just his imagination or not, Jiang Lan felt that the way Senior Sister Xue Wu looked at him was rather strange.
However, Jiang Lan tossed that thought aside in an instant.
The three great illusions of life: the phone vibrated, I can turn this around, she likes me.
"What is all this...?" Shui Qinghan frowned as she looked at the bonfire on the shore and the iron pot set over it.
Faced with Shui Qinghan's question, Jiang Lan immediately took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said:
"Teacher, this was all my idea. If you want to blame someone, blame me."
"Aunt Qinghan, I was involved too!" Shui Yue'er stepped forward as well.
"Mom, the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave is far too stifling. If we didn't come out for some fresh air now and then, we simply couldn't bear it. You can't blame Junior Brother for this. He was only thinking of Yue'er and me," Shui Bing'er explained.
The three of them made Shui Qinghan laugh. She said irritably, "Do you really think I'm such an unreasonable person?"
Hearing that, all three wore embarrassed smiles.
"Auntie, you really aren't blaming us?" Shui Yue'er wrapped her arms around Shui Qinghan's slender waist and hurriedly asked.
"I was only afraid that you might run into danger..." Shui Qinghan rubbed Shui Yue'er's little head and smiled.
"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. From now on, Xue Wu will be cultivating with you in the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave as well."
"Then I'll be relying on you to take care of your younger sister, Sister." Xue Wu smiled faintly and directly put herself in her proper place.
Though she was four years older than Shui Bing'er, Shui Bing'er was the principal wife, while she was merely a concubine.
"Eh?" Shui Bing'er froze at her words.
No, how had she suddenly become the elder sister?
"In the Soul Master world, the capable are respected. Bing'er's Soul Power Level should have surpassed Xue Wu's by now, shouldn't it?" Shui Qinghan said, helping Xue Wu smooth things over.
"Mm, my Soul Power is now level twenty-seven." Shui Bing'er nodded. A trace of pride appeared on her delicate, adorable face as she looked at Shui Qinghan with expectant eyes.
"Level twenty-seven? Not bad, not bad. It seems Bing'er has truly worked very hard these past two months." Naturally noticing Shui Bing'er's eager expression, Shui Qinghan immediately smiled and praised her.
"Level twenty-seven?! But didn't Bing'er only break through level twenty a little over four months ago?" Xue Wu cried out in disbelief.
In just over four months, she had risen seven levels?
An average of nearly two levels a month—wasn't that cultivation speed a little too outrageous?
Xue Wu had reached level twenty a full year before Shui Bing'er, yet her Soul Power was only level twenty-five now!
Was this the effect of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow?
"Aunt Qinghan, I've reached level twenty too!" Shui Yue'er looked up at Shui Qinghan with an expression begging for praise.
"Level twenty?! Good, good, good. My little Yue'er is truly amazing!" Shui Qinghan smiled and rubbed Shui Yue'er's little head.
"Hehe~"
"Level twenty..." Xue Wu gave Shui Yue'er a deep look.
If she remembered correctly, Shui Yue'er was only seven and a half years old now.
As long as Shui Yue'er underwent Limit-Break Absorption with another thousand-year second Soul Ring, her Soul Power Level would likely be on par with Xue Wu's.
Yet she was a full five years older than Shui Yue'er.
"Lan'er, what about you?" Shui Qinghan turned her gaze to Jiang Lan and asked.
"Teacher, my Soul Power is currently level twenty-nine," Jiang Lan replied.
"Level twenty-nine?!" Xue Wu's pupils suddenly contracted, and disbelief flashed through her azure eyes.
If she remembered correctly, Jiang Lan was even younger than Shui Yue'er. He should only be a little over seven years old now, right?
At only seven years old, his Soul Power had already reached level twenty-nine.
He could no longer be described as merely talented. He was a monster, a freak!
Xue Wu had never felt so fortunate about her choice.
As expected, choice outweighed effort.
If she had rejected the headmaster's goodwill, then even if she wanted to throw herself at him later, she might not have been able to.
The way Xue Wu looked at Jiang Lan grew increasingly fervent.
Still, though Xue Wu was tempted, she kept Shui Qinghan's instructions firmly in mind. She planned to take things step by step and let Bing'er and the others gradually accept her.
"Good, good, good. Lan'er, you've truly given your teacher a tremendous surprise." Shui Qinghan said "good" three times in a row, showing just how delighted she was.
The golden age for a Soul Master's cultivation was from six to thirty.
Once a Soul Master passed thirty, their cultivation speed would drop drastically.
It could be said that a Soul Master's achievements before the age of thirty basically determined their future accomplishments.
If a Soul Master could cultivate to level sixty before turning thirty, they would have hope of attaining Title Rank, but would have no chance of becoming a Super Douluo. (Note 1)
If a Soul Master could cultivate to level seventy before turning thirty, becoming a Titled Douluo would be virtually certain, and they could even aspire to the limit.
Of course, this did not rule out late bloomers who could catch up and surpass others later in life.
But this rule applied to the overwhelming majority of Soul Masters.
Given Jiang Lan's age and cultivation, even if he progressed steadily, he could break through to Soul Sage before the age of thirty.
Not to mention that Jiang Lan had a heavenly treasure like the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow aiding his cultivation. He would surely break through to Soul Douluo before thirty, perhaps even become a Titled Douluo!
"Grrr~"
Suddenly, a loud growl came from nearby, and everyone immediately turned to look.
Shui Bing'er slightly turned her head away, her delicate, adorable face flushed red.
"It seems I've interrupted your meal." Shui Qinghan glanced at the iron pot over the bonfire and smiled.
"Teacher, you've had a hard journey getting here. Why not sit down and have something to eat with us?" Jiang Lan quickly said.
"Alright." Shui Qinghan nodded slightly in agreement.
"Aunt Qinghan, let me tell you, Junior Brother's cooking is amazing! Everything he makes is delicious!" Shui Yue'er chattered excitedly.
"Is that so? Then I'll have to taste it properly." Shui Qinghan said with a smile in her eyes.
"Teacher, conditions in the wilderness are limited, so please don't mind it." Jiang Lan took out two sets of bowls and chopsticks from the storage bracelet on his wrist, then filled a bowl to the brim with sauerkraut stewed beef for Shui Qinghan.
The golden broth gave off a rich, tangy aroma. The large chunks of beef had been stewed until tender and soft, their surfaces glistening with oil.
"Senior Sister Xue Wu, here~" Jiang Lan had not forgotten this tomboyish senior sister with the massive chest either.
"I get a share too?" Xue Wu blinked and smiled.
"Senior Sister, you jest. It's only a simple meal. It's already doing me a great honor that you don't find it beneath you." Jiang Lan smiled.
"Thank you." Xue Wu accepted the bowl and chopsticks Jiang Lan handed her, smiling as she thanked him.
The more she looked at Jiang Lan, the more satisfied she became.
After dinner, once the four had cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks, Shui Qinghan took out two high-quality Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue pieces and said, "Yue'er, Xiao Wu, consume these pieces of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue. This thirty-thousand-year Whale Rubber should increase the age limit you can withstand for Soul Rings by over a thousand years. Its medicinal effects can also raise your Soul Power by one level, speeding up your progress toward level thirty."
Before you continue