Choice Is Greater Than Effort

"Mom, and Xue Wu, too?!"

When they saw who had arrived, a look of pleasant surprise immediately appeared on Shui Bing'er's delicate and lovely face.

Of all people, Shui Bing'er was the most delighted by Xue Wu's arrival.

Since she and Xue Wu possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, their lives could be said to be bound together from here on out.

Naturally, Shui Bing'er did not want Xue Wu to be left too far behind.

"Auntie Qinghan, Big Sister Xue Wu!" Shui Yue'er followed closely behind, greeting them sweetly.

"Teacher, Senior Sister Xue Wu."

He did not know if it was just his imagination, but Jiang Lan always felt that the way Senior Sister Xue Wu looked at him was quite strange.

However, he pushed this thought to the back of his mind in an instant.

There are three great delusions in life: the phone is vibrating, I can counter-kill, and she likes me.

"What are you all...?" Shui Qinghan looked at the bonfire burning on the shore and the iron pot set upon it, frowning as she spoke.

Faced with Shui Qinghan's inquiry, 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."

"Auntie Qinghan, I had a part in it too!" Shui Yue'er followed, stepping forward as well.

"Mom, the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave is just too suffocating. If we don't come out for a breather once in a while, we simply can't stand it. You can't blame Little Junior Brother; he was only thinking of Yue'er and me," Shui Bing'er argued.

Shui Qinghan was amused by the three of them and said with a huff: "Do I really seem like such an unreasonable person in your eyes?"

Hearing this, the three of them wore embarrassed smiles.

"Auntie, you really aren't mad at us?" Shui Yue'er hugged Shui Qinghan's slender waist and asked quickly.

"I'm just afraid you'll encounter danger..." Shui Qinghan stroked Shui Yue'er's little head and smiled:

"Alright, enough of that. From now on, Xue Wu will also be cultivating with you in the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow Cave."

"Please take good care of me from now on, little sister." Xue Wu smiled slightly, immediately positioning herself correctly.

Although she was four years older than Shui Bing'er, who was she to complain when Shui Bing'er was the primary wife and she was merely a concubine?

"Eh?" Shui Bing'er was stunned.

No, how did she become the big sister?

"In the world of soul masters, the capable come first. Bing'er's current Soul Power Level should already have surpassed Xue Wu's," Shui Qinghan said, covering for Xue Wu.

"Yes, my current Soul Power is level 27." Shui Bing'er nodded, a hint of pride appearing on her delicate and lovely face, and then she looked at Shui Qinghan with full expectation.

"Level 27? Not bad, not bad. It seems Bing'er has really been working hard these past two months." Shui Qinghan naturally noticed the expectant look in Shui Bing'er's eyes and immediately praised her with a smile.

"Level 27?! But didn't Bing'er just break through to level 20 a little over four months ago?" Xue Wu gasped in shock.

In just over four months, she had actually jumped seven levels?

An average of two levels a month—wasn't this cultivation speed a bit too exaggerated?

One had to know that she had reached level 20 a year before Shui Bing'er, yet her current Soul Power was only level 25!

Could this be the efficacy of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow?

"Auntie Qinghan, I've reached level 20 too!" Shui Yue'er looked up at Shui Qinghan, her expression begging for praise.

"Level 20?! Good, good, good! My little Yue'er is truly amazing!" Shui Qinghan smiled and stroked Shui Yue'er's little head.

"Hee hee~"

"Level 20..." Xue Wu looked deeply at Shui Yue'er.

If she remembered correctly, Shui Yue'er was only seven and a half years old.

As long as Shui Yue'er absorbed a second thousand-year soul ring beyond her limit, her Soul Power level would likely be on par with her own.

And she was a full five years older than Shui Yue'er.

"Lan'er, what about you?" Shui Qinghan turned her gaze toward Jiang Lan and asked.

"Reporting to Teacher, my current Soul Power is level 29," Jiang Lan replied.

"Level 29?!" Upon hearing this, Xue Wu's pupils shrank sharply, and a look of disbelief flashed through her beautiful azure eyes.

If she remembered correctly, Jiang Lan was even younger than Shui Yue'er; he was just over seven years old, right?

A mere seven-year-old with a Soul Power as high as level 29.

This could no longer be described as a genius; it was a monster, a freak!

Xue Wu had never been so glad about her choice.

Indeed, choice is greater than effort.

If she had refused the Dean's kindness, even if she wanted to throw herself at him later, she might not even have the chance.

Xue Wu's gaze toward Jiang Lan grew increasingly fervent.

However, even though Xue Wu was eager, she kept Shui Qinghan's instructions in mind, intending to take things step by step and let Bing'er and the others slowly accept her.

"Good, good, good. Lan'er, you really have given your teacher a huge surprise." Shui Qinghan said "good" three times in a row, showing just how happy she was at that moment.

The golden age for a soul master's cultivation is between six and thirty years old.

Once a soul master passes the age of thirty, their cultivation speed drops significantly.

It could be said that the achievements a soul master makes before thirty basically determine their future potential.

If a soul master can reach level 60 before the age of thirty, they have a chance at becoming a Title Douluo, but they are destined to miss out on becoming a Super Douluo.

If a soul master can reach level 70 before the age of thirty, becoming a Title Douluo is a certainty, and they might even aspire to the limits of power.

Of course, this does not rule out those who are late bloomers and can surpass others later on.

But this rule applies to the vast majority of soul masters.

With Jiang Lan's age and cultivation, even if he cultivated at a steady pace, he could break through to Soul Saint before the age of thirty.

Not to mention, Jiang Lan also had the aid of heaven-sent treasures like the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow; he would definitely break through to Soul Douluo or even Title Douluo before the age of thirty!

"Gurgle~"

Suddenly, a loud rumbling sound came from the side, and everyone turned to look.

Shui Bing'er turned her head slightly, her delicate and lovely face flushed with red.

"It seems I've interrupted your meal," Shui Qinghan said, glancing at the iron pot on the bonfire with a smile.

"Teacher, you've had a hard journey, why not sit down and eat with us?" Jiang Lan said quickly.

"That sounds good." Shui Qinghan nodded slightly, giving her consent.

"Auntie Qinghan, let me tell you, Little Junior Brother's cooking is excellent; the food he makes is so delicious!" Shui Yue'er chattered away.

"Is that so? Then I must have a good taste," Shui Qinghan said with a smile in her eyes.

"Teacher, conditions in the wild are limited, please don't mind." Jiang Lan took out two more sets of bowls and chopsticks from his storage bracelet and served Shui Qinghan a full bowl of Sauerkraut Stewed Beef.

The golden broth radiated a rich, tangy aroma, and the large chunks of beef were stewed until tender, their surfaces glistening with oil.

"Senior Sister Xue Wu, here~" Jiang Lan did not forget this tomboyish senior sister.

"I get a share too?" Xue Wu blinked and smiled.

"Senior Sister, you joke. It's just some simple fare; if you don't mind it, you're already doing me a great honor," Jiang Lan laughed.

"Thank you." Xue Wu took the bowl and chopsticks from Jiang Lan and thanked him with a smile.

She was becoming more and more satisfied with Jiang Lan the more she looked at him.

After dinner, once the four of them had tidied up the bowls and chopsticks, Shui Qinghan took out two pieces of high-quality Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue and said: "Yue'er, Little Wu, you two should consume this piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue. This thirty-thousand-year Whale Glue should be able to increase your soul ring tolerance limit by over a thousand years, and the medicinal power will also allow you to break through one level of Soul Power, accelerating your progress toward reaching level 30."