Bronze Giant Clam, Th-This Is?!

After the family banquet ended, Xu Huxiao returned to his small courtyard alone.

The light from the Soul Tool illuminated his courtyard brightly, and the Bronze Giant Clam tank sat in the center.

Xu Huxiao opened the valve at the bottom and drained the water from the tank into the nearby ditch.

Then he pulled the tank apart.

The Bronze Giant Clam's full form appeared before him. The giant clam was about as tall as he was, its surface covered in bronze-colored rust, clearly ancient.

With nothing blocking it now, Xu Huxiao used the Eye of Omniscience to inspect the clam's information again. Three seconds later, the information appeared, exactly the same as before.

The Bronze Giant Clam was completely sealed. He circled around it but found nothing unusual.

Xu Huxiao stepped closer and looked at the rust-speckled shell before gently wiping it with his hand.

That single wipe caused a problem.

Buzz—!

Just as his right hand touched the Bronze Giant Clam, a strange ripple spread out from within it.

Then, a sudden change occurred!

The seam of the clam actually opened on its own, and dazzling five-colored light bloomed from the gap.

"Damn! What's going on...?"

Xu Huxiao hurriedly backed away and immediately summoned his Body Arms Martial Soul Possession. A deep yellow Soul Ring pulsed around him.

Just as he was about to call for his father, the giant clam opened completely, and the intense five-colored light flashed away.

"Could this be some ancient treasure? That's quite a spectacle."

Xu Huxiao had no choice but to raise a hand to shield his eyes. Once he adjusted, he looked into the clam.

Inside the Bronze Giant Clam.

Faint five-colored radiance flowed around an icy blue jade slab. A little girl, nearly naked all over, lay atop a pearl as large as her body.

She seemed to be sleeping.

The little girl's features were exquisite, like the heavens' most perfect masterpiece. Her long, wavy pink-blue hair was like natural seaweed, completely wrapping around her tiny snow-white body.

She wore nothing at all, save for the simplest shell and seaweed skirt covering her body. A string of Five-Colored Heavenly Pearls hung from her wrist.

Xu Huxiao froze at the sight.

What was going on?!

The first thing that came to his mind was not some lucky encounter. Instead, he frowned at the girl inside the clam.

The Seven-Star Auction House had actually used this method...

Human trafficking!!

From what Xu Huxiao knew about the Douluo Continent, female slaves were sold among the nobility. He had not seen any among the auction items earlier, yet they had hidden it so deeply.

The auction house had even fabricated a story, claiming this had washed in from the mysterious deep sea. Maybe it was some sort of code, and he had accidentally bought it through sheer coincidence.

This was truly dark. The little girl was still so young...

But this was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. Xu Huxiao knew full well that he could not change it with his current strength.

Still, since this had appeared before him, he could at least do what he was capable of.

"Poor little girl. Don't worry, I'll have Uncle Luo find you a good place. You'll grow up in an ordinary family."

Just as Xu Huxiao was about to step forward and wake the girl, she slowly opened her eyes, like a little elf awakening from sleep.

What kind of eyes were those? Clear, pure blue eyes that shone with a radiance that made people want to protect her.

When Xu Huxiao saw those eyes, it was as though he had seen the purest ocean. All the distracting thoughts and troubles in his heart were cleansed away in that instant.

With only that brief exchange of gazes, he even felt a slight increase in his spiritual power, while his thoughts became incomparably clear.

"Who are you?"

Xu Huxiao asked involuntarily.

After waking, the confusion faded from the little girl's eyes. She stood up, her long pink-blue curls cascading down to her heels.

When she saw Xu Huxiao, she paused for a moment before revealing a delighted smile that seemed to dim all the light around her.

"Hello, Holy Knight. I am Yun Ji, the Seventh Princess of the legendary Empire of Atlantis. It is a pleasure to meet you~"

The little girl Yun Ji clasped her fingers together before her chest, touched her forehead to her folded hands, and bowed to Xu Huxiao.

"Oh, hello, Princess Yun Ji. It's a pleasure to meet you too."

Xu Huxiao stood there blankly, then snapped awake the next second.

Wait, what was with this seemingly normal yet completely abnormal conversation?!

Wasn't this girl kidnapped by the auction house and sold off? Why was she suddenly some princess, and why was he some Holy Knight?

Role-playing?

I see. Perhaps this was meant to satisfy those nobles' twisted desires. She had been trained by the auction house into this state at such a young age. How pitiful.

However, since doubts lingered in his heart, Xu Huxiao habitually activated his Eye of Omniscience.

Three seconds later, information entered his mind:

[Hundred-Thousand-Year Transformed Soul Beast]: Yun Ji

[Age]: Six years old

[Martial Soul]: Mermaid

[Level]: Level 12

[Soul Skill]: One Yellow—Healing Bubble

[Inner Monologue]: Just as Mother said, the person before me must be the Holy Knight who will protect me~

Mermaid?

Hundred-Thousand-Year Transformed Soul Beast?!!!

The information from the Eye of Omniscience could never be wrong. Xu Huxiao stared at the exquisite girl before him, so perfect that she did not seem human.

A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, a treasure every Soul Master dreamed of, had actually fallen into his hands?!

This...

Xu Huxiao felt an intensely unreal sensation and overturned every one of his previous guesses.

Only after two or three seconds of calming himself did he confirm that he had truly found a treasure!

A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. This absolutely could not have been arranged by the auction house. The auctioneer had said that this giant clam had washed out of a deep sea no one could enter, and that every method had failed to open it.

It was very likely true.

Then.

Why had the clam opened just because he touched it?

And what were this Holy Knight and Seventh Princess business?

Xu Huxiao did not know. Compared to his confusion, the little girl Yun Ji across from him spoke with absolute certainty:

"Holy Knight, um, sorry, but I don't know what to call you yet?"

"...My name is Xu Huxiao."

This little girl was quite polite, unlike that haughty Orleans.

But that was not the point.

"Why do you call me a Holy Knight?"

Little Yun Ji blinked her large eyes and said with a sincere expression, "Because you are the Holy Knight. Mother said that whoever rescues me from this Demon Clam will be the Holy Knight destined to protect me."

"Oh, wait, I almost forgot. Mother said that we must first complete the Fate-Binding Ritual. Then our hearts will be connected, and you'll understand."

Little Yun Ji looked at the still-confused Xu Huxiao, seeming to remember something.

So what was this Fate-Binding Ritual?

Before Xu Huxiao could understand one question, another arose.

"Xu Huxiao, Yun Ji's Holy Knight, our fates shall be bound from this moment onward. Offer me your precious 'loyalty,' and I shall grant you Yun Ji's one and only 'true heart.'"

"Go on~"

Yun Ji held her hands before her chest as light gathered between them. An apple-sized rainbow bubble appeared, and with a gentle push of her hands, it floated directly toward Xu Huxiao.

"Wait!"

Xu Huxiao raised a hand to block it and prepared to sidestep the beautiful, dreamlike bubble.

He had not figured anything out yet. He would not dare let this strange bubble approach him.

Yet the next moment, the rainbow bubble passed directly through the palm of his Martial Soul Possession. Xu Huxiao only saw a flash of rainbow light before the bubble entered straight into the center of his brow.

"What did you do?! What was that thing just now?"

Xu Huxiao touched his cool forehead and demanded an answer with a frown.

Then, as if struck by a flash of inspiration, a childish and panicked voice appeared in his mind:

"Ah~ Oh no! This is bad, this is bad! The ritual was supposed to be the Holy Knight offering his 'loyalty' first, and only then would I give him my 'true heart.' But I already gave him the 'true heart' bubble! What do I do now? Oh no, I'm such a careless idiot..."

The little girl opposite him had clearly not opened her mouth, so why could he hear her voice? Another question surfaced.

Then Xu Huxiao suddenly thought of something and activated the Eye of Omniscience.

The other party's [Inner Monologue] appeared, and it was exactly the same as the voice he had just heard.

So the voice in my mind just now was this mysterious little girl's thoughts!

What was going on here??

Yun Ji blinked, looking troubled as she watched the stunned Xu Huxiao. Then her eyes lit up. Maybe it would be fine if the order of the Fate-Binding Ritual was switched around~

Yay~ I didn't mess it up!

Little Yun Ji looked at Xu Huxiao with an innocent smile on her adorable face. "Although something went wrong with the ritual, it can still be completed."

"Holy Knight, do the same motions as me now and offer your 'loyalty.' Then our fates will be bound, and our hearts will be connected."

Little Yun Ji pressed her hands together before her chest and looked over expectantly.

"Holy Knight, do it together with Yun Ji. Then silently recite Yun Ji's name in your heart. It's very simple~"

"..."

"I refuse."

Xu Huxiao understood.

Once the Fate-Binding Ritual this Little Mermaid spoke of was completed, they would probably be able to hear each other's thoughts.

The other party had just completed half of the ritual, which was why he could hear her thoughts.

And as long as he followed her instructions, she would be able to hear his thoughts as well, completing the Fate-Binding Ritual the Little Mermaid had mentioned.

But.

That was absolutely impossible!

The secret of his Three-Life Martial Soul, his origins from Blue Star, and the three powerful supreme martial arts he possessed—none of that could ever be known by anyone.

"Ah~ Then what should I do?"

Little Mermaid Yun Ji was dumbfounded. Her mother had only told her about the Fate-Binding Ritual, but had never told her what to do if her destined Holy Knight refused to cooperate.

Wuwu~

"It's all because I was too careless. Now I've ruined everything, wuwu~ Mother trusted me so much. What should I do?"

Xu Huxiao heard her thoughts again, but this time they were choked with tears. And they were not merely thoughts.

Before him, the dreamlike Little Mermaid rubbed her eyes and began crying loudly.

Xu Huxiao had a head full of questions, but the only real and useful information he knew was this:

The little girl calling herself Yun Ji before him was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Transformed Soul Beast, a Mermaid!

Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were not easy to encounter. Since she was his opportunity, he absolutely could not let her escape.

Since she was a Soul Beast, then in Xu Huxiao's eyes, she was no different from any other Soul Beast.

This Little Mermaid could become his Soul Ring!

Her attributes did not suit his palms, nor did they suit Hulk. However, he could use the spiritual-type Shrek Martial Soul to control her.

But Xu Huxiao was only Level 13 right now. It was impossible for him to forcibly absorb a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. Even with the Shrek Martial Soul's special control methods, he could not do it.

Then should he keep this Little Mermaid by his side for now?

That seemed possible.

Thus, Xu Huxiao strode forward and said directly, "Hey, I've already seen through you. You're a Hundred-Thousand-Year Mermaid, and in the future, I'll turn you into my Soul Ring."

"Soul Ring? So you want to kill Yun Ji?"

The moment Little Yun Ji heard that, she was so frightened that she stopped crying.

"What do you think? I'm a Soul Master, and you're a Soul Beast. Of course I won't hold back. So if you want to resist, or if you have any other methods, use them now and fight me."

"If you lose, then once I can absorb a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, you'll become my Martial Soul's Soul Ring."

"Well? Come on, fight me!"

Xu Huxiao did not know why, but as he looked at the transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast before him, he spoke those words directly.

This mermaid before him was foolish and naive. He had originally had many other ways to handle this, but his heart told him that he only wanted to say it so bluntly.

So he said it outright. In that instant, Xu Huxiao felt his thoughts become incomparably clear. Even though his strength had not increased at all.

But he knew that after his thoughts had been cleared, his fists and palms would definitely be faster than before.

And his own martial conviction had become even firmer.

That's right!

He needed no schemes or tricks. His martial path was open and upright. He feared no enemy, and even the desire to grow stronger and the desire to kill within him, he could face them directly.

There was no need to hide!

In any case, she was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, not one of his kind. He could not possibly give up such an excellent resource for growing stronger because of some baseless compassion in his heart.

So fight!

Soul Beasts and Soul Masters had always been absolute enemies!