Chapter 20: Water Element Mutation?
[Soul Prison Trial, Second Level: Monolith Temple]
Floating above the crimson clouds, the water-shaped figure sprayed a torrent of water.
A diamond-shaped crystal, like a snowflake, rotated slowly behind the Water Element, the surrounding ripples gradually condensing into a massive ice spear.
“Ice Binding Contract.”
Thud!
The ice spear, like a siege ram, struck the monolith, a deafening echo reverberating through the air.
The next second, the frozen water shattered into shimmering fragments, but the surface of the monolith remained unscathed, only a faint white mark appearing.
“What the…?”
The blue-haired girl stared blankly, her heart sinking, her tightly pursed lips forming a disappointed “www” shape.
That was the Water Element’s strongest attack, and it hadn’t even cracked the monolith?
There were only a few minutes left in this trial. It seemed there was nothing she could do in the short term…
To clear this level, she had to increase the Water Element’s attack power.
[Trial Ended]
Back in her room, Gong Lianyue held a sapphire-shaped ice crystal in her hand.
The Ice Soul Stone, the reward for clearing the first level of the Soul Prison Trial, a precious treasure that could induce mutation in ice-attribute spirit beasts.
“So cold!!”
Before she could even get excited, Gong Lianyue yelped, dropping the Ice Soul Stone.
In that brief moment, her slender hand had become numb and pale from the cold, losing all color.
The Ice Soul Stone traced a parabolic arc in the air before landing on the floor with a thud, its icy chill spreading outwards.
Crack—
Frost spread across the nearby wooden floorboards, the entire room filling with a bone-chilling cold.
Within seconds, the temperature plummeted to an unbelievably low point, as cold as an icy cavern.
“Hiss~~”
Gong Lianyue gasped, staring incredulously at the blue stone that was freezing the floor.
It could actually make her feel cold?
The icy energy contained within was incredible. Mere contact would freeze ordinary objects solid.
As expected of a genuine Ice Soul Stone. Four years of effort hadn’t been in vain. If her pupils weren’t already teardrop-shaped, Gong Lianyue would have been moved to tears.
Now, she had two choices.
One, use it.
Two, sell it.
If she used it herself, it would at most mutate the Water Element into a mid-rank ice-type spirit beast, a bit of a waste.
If she sold it, she could exchange it for a large amount of cultivation resources. Even rapidly leveling up through spending to reach the Samsara Stage wouldn’t be a problem.
The only drawback was explaining its origin, unless she revealed her participation in the Soul Prison Trial…
But was it worth risking exposure and a potentially greater crisis in exchange for a chance to quickly reach the Samsara Stage?
“…”
“Here, eat this.”
After a moment of hesitation, Gong Lianyue decisively summoned the Water Element and pointed at the Ice Soul Stone on the floor.
The Saintess selection was approaching. It wasn’t a good time to expose herself. It was safer to steadily increase her strength bit by bit.
Under Gong Lianyue’s expectant gaze, the Water Element, its body covered in a frosty armor of ice, carefully picked up the Ice Soul Stone and slowly placed it in its mouth.
Whoosh!
Just as the Water Element was about to swallow, a deep blue icy mist enveloped the entire room.
The next second, the Ice Soul Stone vanished from its mouth as if absorbed.
“Hm?”
At the same time, Gong Lianyue sensed something and curiously checked her spirit crystal.
The text displaying her spirit beast information flickered rapidly, a new entry suddenly appearing between the Water Element and the Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower.
[Water Element]
[_________ ]
[Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]
However, before Gong Lianyue could read what it said, the new entry vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
A few seconds later, the deep blue mist dissipated, the icy air disappearing completely.
The frost on the floor began to melt, and the Water Element floated quietly in the air as if nothing had happened.
“?”
The girl stared at the Water Element, which seemed unchanged despite consuming the Ice Soul Stone, her expression puzzled.
What was going on? Had the mutation failed?
Gong Lianyue was confused. She had clearly felt it was about to succeed. How could it have failed?
Four years of effort, gone just like that…
Just then, noisy chatter and hurried footsteps approached from outside the courtyard.
“Wait, Lady Lei Ji, the Saintess has gone to the Ice Plains to cultivate! You can’t barge in here!!”
“Nonsense! There’s such a strong icy aura inside. Do you think I’m a fool?”
“No, you really can’t! The Saintess is bathing!!”
Bang!
The door to the room was suddenly pushed open. The black-haired woman who had been arguing with the maid looked over in surprise.
Standing at the doorway was a girl whose vacant, ice-blue eyes looked like two falling teardrops, her cheeks adorned with three teardrop-shaped beauty marks on each side. This strange and delicate makeup… it was the Sorrowful Saintess.
The woman with short black hair, whom the maid had called Lei Ji, stared, her eyes wide with shock, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly.
This was the first time she had seen the Sorrowful Saintess. She had only heard rumors before, never taking the Variant Water Emperor seriously.
This encounter completely shattered her confidence. A woman like this… with a Water Element as her companion spirit beast?
Even if they pried open Lei Ji’s skull and filled her brain with excrement and urine, she wouldn’t believe it.
“What is it?” Gong Lianyue composed herself and asked calmly.
She knew this person, Lei Ji, ranked fourth on the Sea Concubine Palace Top 100 list, just one spot away from becoming a Saintess Candidate.
Barging into her territory at this time… could it be a challenge?
Facing the Saintess’s indifferent question, Lei Ji took a deep breath and clenched her fists.
“The preliminary round for the Saintess selection has just been announced. It will be held on Fallen Whale Island, a few hundred kilometers from here.”
“You are the Saintess. You don’t need to participate in the preliminaries.”
“5000 contribution points, and I’ll eliminate Bai Ningying for you during the preliminaries.”
“…”
“…”
Silence filled the air after Lei Ji’s words.
Gong Lianyue blinked in confusion, then quickly remembered that Bai Ningying was Bai He’s real name.
She had almost forgotten. In the eyes of outsiders, Bai He played the role of her sworn enemy, their feud long-standing.
And, to just casually offer to eliminate Bai He… Although she admired the confidence, 5000 contribution points… She could only say:
You win, but your horse is about to be stolen.jpg
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