Seventh-Grade Pill, Transformation Pill!

"Alright, alright." Seeing that Wang Qiu'er still wanted to press the matter, Lin Xuan hurriedly said, "Qiu'er, since what's done is done, there's no point talking about it now."

"Qiu'er, you're the Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion in human form, right?"

Just as Wang Qiu'er was about to say something else, Lin Xuan's words stunned her speechless.

"Wh... what... y-you... how did you..." Wang Qiu'er's pink-blue eyes suddenly narrowed. She broke free from Lin Xuan's embrace, then her eyes darted around as she quickly regained her composure.

"You knew all along, didn't you?" Wang Qiu'er seemed as though she had suddenly wised up, glaring at Lin Xuan as she questioned him.

"Yes." Lin Xuan nodded without denying it.

He was telling the truth. He had indeed known long ago that Wang Qiu'er was a soul beast in human form. Or rather, he had indeed been plotting this for a long time.

Still, what happened in the cave truly had been an accident.

"Bastard! And you still say this wasn't premeditated?! You even dared to toy with me?" Wang Qiu'er's gaze abruptly turned cold. Her five fingers clenched into a fist as she threw a punch at Lin Xuan.

"I can help your soul beasts escape the Heavenly Tribulation." Facing Wang Qiu'er's incoming fist, Lin Xuan neither dodged nor evaded. He merely spoke those words calmly.

Wang Qiu'er's punch carried a fierce gust of wind, yet it came to an abrupt halt mere centimeters from Lin Xuan's face.

A flash of shock crossed Wang Qiu'er's pink-blue eyes. She stared at Lin Xuan in disbelief. "Y-you... what did you just say? Say it again."

Looking at the fist so close to his face, a confident smile slowly curved Lin Xuan's lips. He reached out, clasped Wang Qiu'er's fist, and smiled softly. "I said I can help your soul beasts escape the Heavenly Tribulation."

While Wang Qiu'er was dazed, Lin Xuan took the chance to wrap an arm around her slender waist and pull her into his embrace. Slowly, he said, "You don't need to worry about the Heavenly Tribulation, but the Ferocious Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest—so long as I wish it, I can help them deal with it."

Wang Qiu'er drew a deep breath and calmed her agitated emotions. No longer caring about Lin Xuan's little movements, she looked at him seriously. "Do you know what you're saying? Even Uncle Di Tian can't do something like this. What makes you think you can?"

"What makes me think so?" Lin Xuan chuckled, but his expression suddenly became solemn. One arm remained around Wang Qiu'er's slender waist while he raised his other hand high and declared in a low voice, "I, Lin Xuan, swear upon my martial soul that every word I just said is true. If there is even the slightest falsehood, may my martial soul shatter and my soul scatter!"

"W-what! Y-you actually swore upon your martial soul! You idiot! Who told you to swear upon your martial soul?" Wang Qiu'er grabbed Lin Xuan's raised hand, her pink-blue eyes filled with confusion.

On the Douluo Continent, a martial soul was the foundation of a soul master's life.

Swearing upon one's martial soul was the highest form of oath. Once broken, there was no need for divine punishment; the martial soul would shatter on its own, leaving its owner crippled for life, perhaps even causing their soul to scatter.

Even a Titled Douluo would not dare make such an oath lightly, yet Lin Xuan had sworn it so casually. Did he really take an oath upon his martial soul as a joke?

"Do you know what that means?" Wang Qiu'er bit her rosy lower lip tightly, her eyes reddening slightly as she spoke urgently. "Who told you to make such a poisonous oath? I... I wasn't forcing you!"

"You didn't believe me, Qiu'er, so I had no choice but to do this." Lin Xuan spread his hands carelessly, looking utterly unconcerned.

In truth, Lin Xuan was as steady as a rock when it came to swearing upon his martial soul. He was not worried in the slightest. Since he dared make such a poisonous oath, he naturally had absolute confidence.

After all, his mind was filled with countless miraculous formulas, including the recipe for an ultimate pill.

Seventh-Grade Pill—the Transformation Pill!

This pill could allow soul beasts to transform perfectly into human form. Not only would they retain their original strength, but they would also gain the cultivation speed of humans. Most importantly, they could completely avoid the Heavenly Tribulation that soul beasts feared most.

With this pill, soul beasts could cultivate like humans without any lifespan restrictions. This was practically immortality in another sense.

With such a heaven-defying formula in hand, of course Lin Xuan dared to swear upon his martial soul.

Except...

The Transformation Pill was far too precious. He did not yet have the ability to refine it, but that did not stop him from using this tempting promise to keep Wang Qiu'er steady for now.

He would first talk this proud little Auspicious Beast into being his. Once he could refine the pill in the future, it would not be too late to fulfill his promise.

"Just because I didn't believe you yet, you had to swear upon your martial soul?" Wang Qiu'er stared straight at Lin Xuan. "If your martial soul shatters, you'll have nothing left... How can you care so little about yourself?"

"Because I care about you more! Compared to my martial soul, I'm more afraid of losing you." Lin Xuan reached out and gently stroked Wang Qiu'er's head.

Wang Qiu'er froze for a moment, silently looking at Lin Xuan, whose face still bore a faint smile.

Lin Xuan's earlier words echoed endlessly in her mind: "Because I care about you more! Compared to my martial soul, I'm more afraid of losing you."

Am I really that important to him? Wang Qiu'er asked herself inwardly. Looking at the man before her, who had not hesitated to make a poisonous oath for her sake, her heart was a complete mess.

They had not known each other for long. Aside from that accident in the cave, they seemingly had no deep bond between them. Why... why was he willing to give up even his martial soul for her?

Does he really like me?

Words Uncle Xiong Jun had once spoken suddenly flashed through Wang Qiu'er's mind—in the world of soul beasts, if you liked someone, you took them for yourself, then mated with them.

Could it be... that he did that to me in the cave because he liked me?

"Y-you fool..." After a long while, Wang Qiu'er finally forced out those words.

"Heh heh, then a fool I'll be." Lin Xuan gave an odd chuckle. "So, my Qiu'er, are you willing to give this fool a chance? A chance to be with you—forever?"

"G-give you a chance?" Wang Qiu'er repeated Lin Xuan's words, a complex emotion flashing through her pink-blue eyes.

"That's not right! You were the one who took all the advantage, and now you're still trying to make a move on me!" Wang Qiu'er paused, as if she had suddenly wised up again. She glared at Lin Xuan in embarrassment and annoyance. "You're taking advantage and still acting innocent!"

"Qiu'er." Lin Xuan rested his forehead against Wang Qiu'er's and soothed her gently. "What happened in the cave wasn't intentional. But since it already happened, I won't run away from it. I told you—I'll take responsibility."