Category: The Saintess Has A Showdown

Chapter 41: The Devil’s Withering

Boom!

Boom, boom!!

Above the vast sea of crimson clouds, the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion pounded the monolith relentlessly with its massive jade pincers.

Each blow created a crater several meters wide, the air roaring and churning. Its ferocious and brutal movements resembled a giant excavator.

Within minutes, a deep tunnel had been carved into the monolith.

“At this rate, I should be able to completely shatter it within seven or eight tries!”

Gong Lianyue breathed a sigh of relief, then suddenly remembered the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion’s talent, Five-Leaf Clover.

Although the high-rank talent pool seemed random, there were still patterns. For example, the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion’s possible talent types could be broadly categorized as ice, insect, poison, attack, durability, tail, and armor.
(③④②⑨⑥⑦④⑥⑤)

Gong Lianyue could instantly think of seven or eight types, and there were likely even more.

Each type contained at least several hundred talents, adding up to tens of thousands. No Spirit Master could possibly know them all.

Five-Leaf Clover was a talent Gong Lianyue had never heard of. She would have to look it up later.

Judging by the name, it seemed like a support skill. She would test its effects now.

“Scorpion, use your talent to hit this rock.”

“Whoosh—”

The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion exhaled fiercely, a faint blue light flickering within the cracks of its icy shell.

As it pulled back its pincers, a faint black aura enveloped them.

[Five-Leaf Clover]

Thud!!!!

The jade pincers slammed into the monolith, a powerful shockwave sending shards of rock flying, a clear fist mark imprinted on its surface.

Gong Lianyue observed carefully, but there seemed to be no difference from before. The power was exactly the same.

So it was a support-type technique?

However, unnoticed by her, the cracks on the surface of the monolith spread, rapidly reaching its core.

Whoosh~

The next second, the cracked areas of the monolith transformed into black snowflakes.

Black snow withered, the monolith melted.

Gong Lianyue blinked in shock. “Corrosive poison…?

The area struck by the scorpion, within a radius of several dozen meters, vanished completely, not even a speck of dust remaining.

What the hell? The name sounded so cute and innocent, but the effect was completely different!!

Seemingly dissatisfied with its attack, the scorpion raised its segmented, icy tail. The crystal at the tip was now completely dyed black.

It flicked its tail and lightly pierced the monolith, injecting poison like a syringe.

Swish, swish, swish—

Black lines spread rapidly. Within seconds, the front half of the monolith was covered in a thick layer of black snow.

The hard stone instantly corroded, dissolving into black dust, devoid of any life, as if carved away by the claws of a demon.

Gong Lianyue stared blankly, the sheer terror of Five-Leaf Clover’s effect overwhelming her surprise.

Had the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion randomly received some incredible talent?!

_”At this rate, it won’t take seven or eight tries. A few more hits, and I’ll clear this level…” _ The Saintess was shocked.

It seemed that Five-Leaf Clover was more compatible with the scorpion’s tail than its pincers, amplifying its power several times over.

Ten or so more uses, and the monolith would be completely destroyed.

Sensing Gong Lianyue’s thoughts, the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion suddenly shook its tail, as if shaking its head.

“Poo” (onomatopoeia for spirit beast communication)

“What’s wrong?”

“Poo”

“Out of poison?”

“Poo”

“So even the strongest abilities have their limits…”

After communicating with the scorpion, Gong Lianyue understood.

Such a terrifying poison couldn’t be used indefinitely, just as the little fox became exhausted after repeatedly using Deep Sea.

If it weren’t for her twin soul cores supporting it, Five-Leaf Clover wouldn’t be this powerful at the Dawn and Dusk Stage.

The scorpion’s poison reserves could be gauged by the color of its tail. The black mist had completely vanished, reverting back to its original shimmering crystal.

I’m completely drained.jpg

[Trial Ended]

---

Back in reality…

Although the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion couldn’t use Five-Leaf Clover continuously, Gong Lianyue was satisfied with its current strength.

The hidden battle technique it had developed, Jade Shatter, was far more powerful than the other techniques listed in the spirit beast space. It was definitely among the top tier of high-rank spirit beasts!

“Right, I need to look up Five-Leaf Clover!”

Gong Lianyue jumped out of bed and retrieved a dusty, thick book from the cupboard.

The [Spirit Beast Talent Compendium], a must-have for all Spirit Masters. But since Gong Lianyue hadn’t contracted a new spirit beast for a long time, and she already knew the Cloud Dream Flower’s talent, she hadn’t needed it.

Cultivation Amplification was a common talent among plant-type spirit beasts, its strength varying depending on the rank.

“Five-Leaf Clover, Five-Leaf Clover, Five-Leaf Clover…”

Gong Lianyue guessed that Five-Leaf Clover must be a poison-related talent, so she flipped directly to the poison section of the index.

Sure enough, three minutes later, she found the entry for Five-Leaf Clover.

[Five-Leaf Clover: A mixed talent of ice, poison, and insect attributes. Can corrode life force and spirit energy. Generally ineffective, only useful in prolonged battles of attrition.]
[Note: If the spirit beast only has the ice attribute, this talent cannot be activated.]
[Note: If the spirit beast possessing this talent is an insect type, using its special organ can amplify the poison’s power tenfold, an effect known as the Devil’s Withering.]

“Ah, this…”

“Useless for ice, mediocre for poison, overpowered for insects!?”

Gong Lianyue quickly realized she had stumbled upon a treasure. She felt both lucky and a little scared.

If her spirit beast had been ice-attribute and had randomly received this talent, it would have been completely useless!

She finally understood how terrible the high-rank talent pool could be. It was a giant cesspool, literally capable of poisoning someone to death.

She had heard that decades ago, when Sea Moon Peak was still open to ordinary members, Spirit Masters who randomly received useless talents would occasionally jump off the cliff in despair. How terrifying~~~

Chapter 40: The Third Spirit Beast!!

Within the sacred spring, dense water spirit energy rapidly converged, forming a deep blue vortex.

Gong Lianyue, with her Dual Soul Body and two innate soul cores, required twice the spirit energy to break through, but she also stored twice the amount. Overall, it wasn’t a disadvantage.

As the pure blue water continued to accumulate, putting immense pressure on the two soul cores within her, they both reached their limits.

She could no longer absorb any more spirit energy.

Seeing this, Gong Lianyue quickly consumed a Dawn and Dusk Stage, mid-rank spirit crystal. The surging spirit energy erupted, shattering the barriers of her cores.

Bang!

With a resounding boom, the spirit energy within the two cores exploded, dispersing like water.

The shockwave coursed through the girl’s body, her head spinning, her limbs numb and weak, a thrilling sensation like ascending to a higher plane.

Immersed in this strange afterglow for a moment, Gong Lianyue finally came to her senses and quickly checked the condition of her soul cores.

The two cores were no longer dim, but covered in a faint halo.

One radiated a pure, ocean-like brilliance, calm and elegant, with a touch of noble grace.

The other radiated a halo like a mysterious purple starry sky, filled with faint, shimmering specks of dust.

This was the mark of a breakthrough from the Illumination Stage to the Dawn and Dusk Stage. The overflowing brilliance, the more abundant spirit energy, greatly enhanced both the power of her spirit techniques and her recovery speed.

It had only been less than a month since she broke through from the Illumination Stage to the Dawn and Dusk Stage, despite having two soul cores…

It all boiled down to one thing: money makes the world go round!

Having successfully reached the Dawn and Dusk Stage, she could now contract a fourth spirit beast, and both the little fox and the Water Element had also leveled up.

Gong Lianyue turned towards the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion. It was playing happily with the Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower, tossing the little fox around in the air like a ball with its pincers.

“…”
“…”

“You two seem to be getting along well.”

Emerging from the sacred spring, the blue-haired girl, covered in glistening droplets, looked rather alluring.

This time, the contract shouldn’t fail!

She took a deep breath and gently pricked her finger on the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion’s tooth.

Her cold blood slid down the massive scorpion’s esophagus. After waiting for a few seconds, the spirit energy within Gong Lianyue erupted.

Boom!!

Fragments of memory flooded her mind, revealing the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion’s short life.

It had been no different from other spirit beasts bred by the Sea Concubine Palace, raised by a servant, eating, excreting, sleeping, and training, day after day, year after year, nothing unusual.

However, one day, the servant girl was jolted awake from a dream, almost scared to death by the massive monster by her bedside.

The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion conveyed its desire to form a contract with her, to become her companion spirit beast.

She refused. As a mere servant, she wasn’t qualified to form a contract with an Iron Jade Ice Scorpion.

After hundreds of rejections, the scorpion finally gave up, immersing itself in training within the Sea Abyss Secret Realm, putting the matter aside.

Through countless battles, it mastered a battle technique, standing out among the other bred spirit beasts and being chosen as a reward for the Saintess selection.

The servant girl happily told it that if it became the Saintess’s spirit beast, it could easily evolve to the peak of a high-rank spirit beast—the Nether Traverse Stage.

“…”
“…”

These scenes were fragments Gong Lianyue had extracted from the chaotic influx of memories. They made up less than one percent of the scorpion’s total memories.

The remaining ninety-nine percent were memories of its seven or eight years living with the servant girl. Compared to the instinct to reach its evolutionary peak, it cherished the memories of its peaceful life.

The memories faded, and Gong Lianyue returned to reality, a new entry appearing in her soul core.

[Low-rank Dawn and Dusk Stage: Water Element]
[Bloodline Talent: None]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: Ice Binding Contract]

[High-rank Dawn and Dusk Stage: Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]
[Bloodline Talent: Cultivation Amplification]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: Deep Sea – OO]

[High-rank Dawn and Dusk Stage: Iron Jade Ice Scorpion]
[Bloodline Talent: Five-Leaf Clover]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: Jade Shatter – OO]

“Five-Leaf Clover?”

Gong Lianyue paused. This must be the talent the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion randomly received upon becoming a companion spirit beast.

Unlike Saint-rank spirit beasts with their limited talent pool, high-rank spirit beasts had thousands of possible talents. Anything was possible.

It was like a gacha game. Saint-rank spirit beasts were valuable not only for their strong base stats but also because their talent pool had fewer useless options. Some, like the Variant Water Emperor, only had two. But ninety-nine percent of the high-rank talent pool was trash.

The Eight-Headed Mist Crow’s Fear talent had been like striking gold in a pile of dung.

Five-Leaf Clover… The name didn’t seem to fit the offensive Iron Jade Ice Scorpion. It sounded more like a healing or support talent.

“The Soul Prison Trial is about to start. I need to hurry back…”

Her time in the sacred spring was almost up. Gong Lianyue didn’t have time to check the scorpion’s talent and quickly walked towards the cave entrance.

The timing between the sacred spring bath and the Soul Prison Trial was always so tight, making her rush every time.

Seeing the blue-haired girl emerge, the two maids at the entrance immediately stepped forward to dry and dress her.

“Transfer 1000 contribution points to the servant who was taking care of the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion.”

“Yes!”

The two maids responded respectfully. It seemed the Saintess was satisfied with her new spirit beast. A happy ending for everyone.

---

[Soul Prison Trial, Second Level: Monolith Temple]

The sky was painted a beautiful crimson by the setting sun, a boundless sea of clouds stretching in all directions. Before her stood a massive boulder.

After two attempts, the Water Element had finally managed to leave a white mark on the monolith. A commendable achievement.

A massive Iron Jade Ice Scorpion stood before the boulder, the blue-haired girl beside it looking on with anticipation.

Just what could this ferocious species, praised even by the Sea Concubine Palace higher-ups, achieve…?

The scorpion’s body shimmered with a faint blue light as it pulled back its massive jade pincers, their amber-like luster swirling.

[Jade Shatter]

Bang—

The two giant pincers, like siege rams, slammed into the monolith. One moment, calm, the next, utter destruction.

Boom!!!!

A deafening roar, a violent hurricane erupting outwards.

The blue-haired girl, like a fragile piece of paper, was thrown several meters by the blast, tumbling pathetically across the clouds.

Coughing from the dust, Gong Lianyue looked up in shock.

A massive, ten-meter-wide crater had been blasted into the monolith, spiderweb cracks spreading across its surface, rubble raining down.

The incredibly hard boulder had been shattered like tofu by the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion’s pincers.

Terrifying, shocking the Saintess!!!

So this was the power of a high-rank, offensive spirit beast that could comprehend battle techniques on its own…

Spirit Master-chosen techniques and spirit beast-comprehended techniques were two different concepts.

The techniques they comprehended were usually hidden within their bloodline, unavailable for direct selection by Spirit Masters, like [Jade Shatter], which permanently modified the scorpion’s pincers.

If Gong Lianyue had contracted with another Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, she wouldn’t have been able to choose this technique. She would have only seen a dark, hazy area in that slot. She had seen many such hazy areas when choosing the Cloud Dream Flower’s techniques.

Gong Lianyue suspected that this Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, honed by countless battles in the Sea Abyss Secret Realm, wouldn’t even fear the Eight-Headed Mist Crow.

Chapter 39: The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion

“Saintess, please enter the sacred spring.”

It was time for the weekly cleansing ritual, but today was a special occasion.

The teardrop-eyed girl, assisted by the maids, removed her clothes, revealing flawless, snow-white skin, her soft, water-blue hair cascading down to cover her hips.

Gong Lianyue had matured early, possessing a perfect figure since the age of eleven or twelve.

However, her physique seemed to have stopped developing since the year of her awakening ceremony. Nearing sixteen, her chest remained flat.

Unfazed by the presence of seven or eight maids, Gong Lianyue stepped into the sacred spring in her natural state, her delicate feet treading lightly, her hair partially obscuring her body.

Today’s bath held a special gift prepared by the Sea Concubine Palace for the Sorrowful Saintess—

In the deepest part of the dark blue cave, a massive figure clung to the wall, its deep, blood-red eyes fixed on the approaching blue-haired girl, its breathing heavy.

The monster’s entire body was covered in a hard, icy shell, a deep blue, diamond-shaped crystal attached to its segmented, spiked tail.

The cracks in its shell and the crystal on its tail pulsed with the same frequency, emitting a shimmering, azure light.

Its terrifying appearance resembled a world boss from some online game.

A high-rank spirit beast—the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion!!

Gong Lianyue was instantly captivated, not by its imposing, armored form, but by the two pure jade pincers on either side of its torso.

The swollen jade pincers, shaped like boxing gloves, were almost as large as its body, giving it a strangely disproportionate appearance.

Before coming here, Gong Lianyue had gathered all the information about it.

Not all Iron Jade Ice Scorpions had such swollen pincers. This was a permanent modification caused by a passive battle technique.

This particular scorpion had been raised in the Sea Concubine Palace since birth. It had been sent into the Sea Abyss Secret Realm several times, where it successfully mastered a battle technique.

[Jade Shatter – Strengthens the arms’ durability, increasing resistance to ice and poison.]

Mastering a battle technique on its own indicated excellent talent, which was why the Sea Concubine Palace had chosen it as the final reward for the Saintess selection.

And so, to ensure the Saintess could fight without using her Saint-rank power, it had fallen into Gong Lianyue’s hands.

“Are you hungry?”

The naked, blue-haired girl waved her hand, a dull, black crystal appearing.

The life core of a Dawn and Dusk Stage, high-rank spirit beast. The pure energy it contained made the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion drool as it cautiously took a few steps closer.

Gong Lianyue smiled inwardly. She was experienced in taming spirit beasts. Verbal promises were useless; filling their stomachs was what mattered!

“Chomp~~”

Gong Lianyue tossed the core into the air, and the scorpion snatched it, crunching it into dust.

At the same time, the blood she had smeared on the core flowed into the scorpion’s body, the beast language of the blood pact echoing in its mind.

Gong Lianyue nervously clenched her fists. Shui Qinghou had sworn that this Iron Jade Ice Scorpion would unconditionally obey the Sea Concubine Palace’s orders and wouldn’t refuse any designated contractor.

But it was precisely because of her teacher’s guarantee that she was so worried. Just how unreliable that woman was didn’t need to be said…

If the scorpion dared to refuse, she would have the little fox and the Water Element beat it into submission!

Soloing a boss, winner takes all!

[Refuse]

The next second, the text that appeared in Gong Lianyue’s mind stunned her.

Of course, she didn’t immediately resort to violence, as she had threatened. She quickly checked her soul cores.

That strange feeling… it must be a problem on her end.

[Low-rank Illumination Stage: Water Element]
[Bloodline Talent: None]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: Ice Binding Contract]

[High-rank Illumination Stage: Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]
[Bloodline Talent: Cultivation Amplification]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: Deep Sea – OO]

At the moment of attempted contract, her soul core felt like a full party in a game, or a full team in a raid.

The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion hadn’t refused. Her spirit beast slots were full!!!

“But I can contract three before the Dawn and Dusk Stage…” Gong Lianyue’s voice trailed off as she suddenly realized the problem, her expression turning to shock.

Could it be… that the Ice Spirit the Water Element had absorbed counted as one?

This meant she couldn’t contract with the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion now. She had to wait until she broke through to the Dawn and Dusk Stage.

But how would she explain her other two spirit beasts to her teacher?

Looking at the docile scorpion, Gong Lianyue frowned, hesitant.

All her internal emotional turmoil was invisible to others. She always appeared expressionless, her thoughts a mystery.

“Should I… break through to the Dawn and Dusk Stage here?”

Gong Lianyue quickly found a solution. Her two soul cores were already full of spirit energy, just a step away from breaking through.

The water spirit energy in the sacred spring was incredibly dense. Coupled with the stimulation from consuming the spirit core earlier, she should be able to break through to the Dawn and Dusk Stage very quickly, before her bath time was over!

Putting her plan into action, Gong Lianyue returned to the spring and began to meditate.

As for the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, she left the Water Element and the little fox to play with it.

The Water Element was only the size of an ordinary human male, and the little fox was small enough to perch on Gong Lianyue’s shoulder.

Compared to the twenty-meter-tall scorpion, they were tiny and pitiful.

The Water Element stood motionless like it had autism, while the little fox curiously climbed onto the scorpion’s head, tapping its shell a few times.

Tap, tap!

The scorpion wasn’t annoyed. It simply lowered its eyelids, seemingly preparing for a nap.

Then, the little fox suddenly retched, pulling out a high-grade beast treat it had eaten that morning.

The candy-shaped treat, covered in saliva, was almost completely digested. It offered it to the scorpion as a gesture of friendship.

“Chomp~~” The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion accepted the offering, swallowing the saliva-covered candy.

Ugh!!!!!!!

At the same time, a surge of water spirit energy converged around Gong Lianyue, rapidly absorbed by her two soul cores, their glow intensifying.

Chapter 38: The Name of Sorrow

After the attack, the aura of a Saint-rank lingered on Fallen Whale Island, but there were no traces of a Saint-rank battle.

The lack of witnesses didn’t mean no one had seen anything. It simply meant that all the Storm Realm Spirit Masters present were either dead or unconscious, the secret forever locked within their shattered minds.

Judging from the corpses, they had been completely annihilated within the two minutes the Saint-rank had manifested…

No one knew the truth, no one knew what they had faced, what they had seen.

The Sea Concubine Palace continued to conceal the Sorrowful Saintess’s true strength, the rumors becoming even more exaggerated.

After this incident, the Ice Shield Palace, guarding the Sea Region’s front lines, and the Winter Floating Sky, the Sea Region’s dominant power, both sent investigators, reaching the same conclusion:

[Gong Lianyue, the Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace, annihilated 26 Storm Realm Spirit Masters in two minutes and defeated a Dead Sea Stage Eight-Headed Mist Crow with the Fear talent. Confirmed to possess a Saint-rank spirit beast, suspected to be the Variant Water Emperor!!!]

With this announcement, the name of the Sorrowful Saintess resounded throughout the entire Sea Region overnight.

Gong Lianyue’s “Variant Water Emperor” was already famous, but it had only been a suspicion. Now, the official report confirmed at least one Saint-rank spirit beast.

If anyone actually believed an Illumination Stage Water Element could defeat a Dead Sea Stage Eight-Headed Mist Crow, they would be the laughingstock of the year.

Illumination → Dawn and Dusk → Dead Sea → Samsara → Nether Traverse

Low-rank → Mid-rank → High-rank

This was like an untrained, low-star character in a mobile game defeating a fully maxed-out, top-tier whale. Unless there was a bug in the game, the developers would be crucified.

And it wasn’t just untrained. In everyone’s eyes, the Water Element was a completely blank slate!!!

Sea Concubine Palace, Sea Moon Peak

“What the hell? Confirmed Saint-rank spirit beast!?”

At the misty peak of the mountain, the blue-haired girl blinked in confusion, looking at the report in her hand.

That was just the Saint-rank aura simulated by the Cloud Dream Flower. How could it be officially confirmed as a Saint-rank? This wasn’t rigorous at all!

And the only person present at the time had been Senior Instructor Youying. This meant the Sea Concubine Palace, upon receiving the news, had immediately sold her out to flaunt their power…

Gong Lianyue was glad she hadn’t revealed her participation in the Soul Prison Trial. Otherwise, the Sea Concubine Palace would probably celebrate for ten days and nights, spreading the news throughout the Sea Region and attracting assassins.

“Eh, Teacher, why do you look so glum?”

Gong Lianyue asked, noticing the blue-haired beauty with two large buns, looking dejected.

It was one thing for her to be anxious and cautious, but Shui Qinghou usually couldn’t wait to sing her praises to the heavens.

She had even secretly founded a Sorrowful Saintess cult, which was later shut down by the Palace Master, all members sentenced to a month of toilet cleaning duty.

Logically, with her fame spreading throughout the Sea Region, Shui Qinghou should be overjoyed.

“Shui Yan and Youying are my trusted aides. They’ll be sent to the Ice Shield Palace for training in a few days,” Shui Qinghou said softly.

As expected of you!!!

As expected of your people!!!

Gong Lianyue was speechless. Fortunately, she had resolved the situation quickly, preventing further casualties. Otherwise, those two senior instructors would have been in serious trouble.

If it weren’t for the overwhelming fame of the Sorrowful Saintess overshadowing everything, this scandal would have disgraced the Sea Concubine Palace.

Composing herself, Shui Qinghou continued,

“We’re compensating all participating members with 30 contribution points, and we’re buying any enemy spirit cores at double the price. Besides the Sorrowful Saintess, the top ten members will receive special rewards.”

“What about me?” Gong Lianyue asked expectantly.

“The higher-ups have decided. You can make any request within reason.”

“A request…?”

Gong Lianyue pondered. What she needed most urgently was combat power.

Being mistaken for a Saint-rank Spirit Master would surely bring endless trouble. She needed not only to increase her cultivation level but also to acquire a new, powerful spirit beast.

“How about 5000 contribution points?” she asked tentatively.

Although they were buying other members’ cores at double the price, the total probably wouldn’t exceed her own gains. Another 5000 points was a significant amount for the Sea Concubine Palace.

The 3000 she had already gained, plus the additional 5000, would be enough to buy a high-rank spirit beast, much better than the mid-rank one she had initially planned for.

Shui Qinghou paused, then leaned closer and whispered in Gong Lianyue’s ear,

“Ask for that high-rank Iron Jade Ice Scorpion~~”

“What?” Gong Lianyue’s jaw dropped.

Wasn’t that the final reward for the Saintess selection? How could she ask for it in advance?

It was the spirit beast intended for the true Sorrowful Saintess. What if she lost the selection?

“This is the highest reward offered by the Sea Concubine Palace higher-ups. You can’t freely unleash your Saint-rank power yet, so a top-tier, high-rank Iron Jade Ice Scorpion would be a significant boost for you.”

“When you returned for treatment a few days ago, the physician noticed ruptured blood vessels throughout your body, clearly caused by surging spirit energy. So this is both a reward and a restriction. The higher-ups hope you will refrain from using your Saint-rank power for the time being.”

“Ah…?” Gong Lianyue was bewildered. Ruptured blood vessels? The little fox had only simulated a Saint-rank aura. It couldn’t have been that serious, right?

But she didn’t bother explaining. It was the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion! They were giving it to her just like that?!

The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, a powerful offensive spirit beast with both defensive capabilities and the additional attributes of ice and poison.

A hybrid of biological and elemental, it was among the top tier of high-rank spirit beasts, no weaker than Hong Tao’s Hellfire Dragon.

“O-Okay…”

Gong Lianyue stammered in agreement. This also meant she was officially acknowledging that she possessed a Saint-rank spirit beast.

But she couldn’t resist. The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion was too tempting!

 

Chapter 37: The Unremarkable Variant Water Emperor

“Reports indicate that all Storm Realm Spirit Masters present were either killed or rendered unconscious due to shattered soul cores. No exceptions.”

“The Sorrowful Saintess single-handedly slaughtered nearly thirty Spirit Masters without sustaining any injuries.”

“The only witness was a senior instructor, who reportedly only saw a Water Element upon arrival.”

In a secret dungeon of the Ice Shield Palace…

A woman with shoulder-length green hair was chained to a cold wall, her fair skin covered in wounds.

Nails pierced her palms and feet, her abdomen crisscrossed with cuts and stab wounds, a pitiful sight.

But her face showed no pain, only a faint smile.

“So, no one actually saw the Variant Water Emperor?”

“That is correct, Saintess.”

The maid before her bowed respectfully. The woman being tortured was no ordinary prisoner, but the Saintess of the Ice Shield Palace, inheritor of the Wrath title, and the undisputed strongest fighter of the new generation in the Sea Region.

Although the Ice Shield Palace was only ranked fourth in the Sea Region, the Wrathful Saintess had a terrifying record of defeating Samsara Stage opponents at the Dawn and Dusk Stage. Even the Saintesses of the Winter Floating Sky and the Cold Court were no match for her.

After a moment of silence, the Wrathful Saintess chuckled.

“Hehe, a Water Element… interesting. It seems she’s still hiding something.”

“The Storm Realm finally cultivated a terrifying talent capable of infiltrating the Sea Region, only to lose it on Fallen Whale Island. That’s the price of provoking a Saint-rank. They brought it upon themselves.”

“But why would the Sorrowful Saintess participate in the preliminaries?”

“Unknown…”

“Saintess, the two senior instructors present have been punished. They will be sent to our Ice Shield Palace front lines for two years of training, serving as free reinforcements.”

“Oh? Make sure they come here first. I want to test their massage skills.”

“Yes, Saintess!”

The maid raised a kitchen knife and brought it down hard on the green-haired girl’s head.

“Ah!!!!!” Blood sprayed everywhere as the Wrathful Saintess let out a cry of pain and pleasure.

---

Cold Court

The Cold Court, the second largest power in the Sea Region Alliance, was jokingly referred to as the Sea Region’s number one icehouse.

A chilling, icy aura permeated the area, quickly numbing ordinary humans.

Even the library was made of ice crystals, the books covered in frost.

“Per-per-per, vert-vert-vert, Wa-wa-wa, ter-ter-ter, Em-em-em, per-per-peror~~~”

“The Sorrowful Saintess’s companion spirit beast is the Pervert Water Emperor~~~”

“Splash, splash, splash, the Pervert Water Emperor is spraying water, pee, pee, pee, the Pervert Water Emperor is peeing, who can tell if it’s water or pee that the Pervert Water Emperor is squirting out?”

A strange song echoed from the depths of the library.

Although the lyrics were bizarre, the tune was quite catchy, though the mocking tone was irritating.

A white-haired girl, wearing the Cold Court’s special cold-resistant clothing, was browsing a book about water-type Saint-rank spirit beasts that had appeared in the Sea Region.

She squinted, trying to find information on the Variant Water Emperor. As fellow Saintesses, they were bound to clash eventually.

To defeat her opponent, she had to understand the Variant Water Emperor. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

“Variant Water Emperor, a water-attribute, Saint-rank, all-purpose spirit beast, ranked 29th among water types, individual strength incredibly weak, even weaker than some high-rank spirit beasts, hm…?” The white-haired girl paused, reading the description.

What? The Variant Water Emperor was so weak? But it was a Saint-rank.

Her narrowed eyes widened. This book was actually criticizing the Variant Water Emperor’s strength. Was it fake?

Suppressing her doubts, she continued reading.

“Although the Variant Water Emperor’s individual strength is extremely weak, it is guaranteed to awaken with one of two designated talents: Overturning the Seas or Horn of the Depths.”

“Overturning the Seas: Can condense the density of water, compressing an entire ocean into a single drop, achieving a terrifying mass capable of crushing the sky.”

“Horn of the Depths: Assimilates all inanimate objects within its domain into a vast ocean.”

“With either of these two invincible talents, the Variant Water Emperor’s own strength is irrelevant, and its water transformation ability becomes redundant. I see…”

The white-haired girl suddenly understood. Unlike the thousands of random talents available to high-rank spirit beasts, Saint-rank spirit beasts usually only had one to nine talents.

The strength of many Saint-rank spirit beasts depended on the talent they randomly awakened with. Some were strong, some were weak. Strong talents soared, weak talents crawled.

The Variant Water Emperor’s strength lay in its two designated talents. Both Overturning the Seas and Horn of the Depths were top-tier. Either one was a win.

“I wonder which talent the Sorrowful Saintess’s Pervert Water Emperor awakened with~~~”

“Come to think of it, there are some interesting ones among the higher-ranked spirit beasts too.”

Intrigued, the white-haired girl flipped through a few more pages.

[Water God Four Symbols: Water-attribute, Saint-rank, all-purpose spirit beast, ranked 24th among water types. Possesses the tail of a tiger, the horns of a bull, the feet of a rabbit, and the eyes of a snake, combining the characteristics of all four creatures.]

[Ice Slumber Monarch Butterfly: Ice-attribute, Saint-rank, support spirit beast, ranked 19th among water types. All living beings that see its true form are frozen.]

[Frost Snow Woman: Ice-attribute, Saint-rank, support spirit beast, ranked 11th among water types. A stunningly beautiful, icy humanoid, leading a collective of legendary Snow Monarchs. Forbidden from forming contracts with human Spirit Masters.]

[Azure Sky Sea Dragon: Water-attribute, Saint-rank, offensive spirit beast, ranked 7th among water types. Possesses an incredibly massive physique. Dislikes other offensive spirit beasts. If your spirit beast is the Azure Sky Sea Dragon, please do not contract with other offensive spirit beasts~~~]

[Ice Soul Cold Star: Ice-attribute, Saint-rank, offensive spirit beast, ranked 4th among water types. A deep purple, star-like elemental body, with almost no inherent strength. Its power resides within its arm, containing a star capable of freezing concepts and time. Once froze its master for a thousand years while searching for a way to extend their lifespan.]

[Watery Years: Water-attribute, Saint-rank, mysterious spirit beast, ranked 3rd among water types. Colorless and formless, capable of erasing existence. Thousands of years ago, a Watery Years, enraged by the assassination of its master, erased an entire nation from existence.]

[Serpentine Nether River: Water-attribute, Saint-rank, support spirit beast, ranked 1st among water types. Its true form is a long river, capable of inducing mutation and evolution in water-type spirit beasts that bathe in its waters. Rumored to be searching for a human with the Holy Water Body.]

[Note: If you possess the Holy Water Body, the above Saint-rank spirit beasts will soon come knocking!]

“Phew, they’re all monsters. But if I had any of these spirit beasts, the Sorrowful Saintess and the Wrathful Saintess would be no match for me~~~”

The white-haired girl sighed, placing the book back on the shelf.

She shouldn’t have looked. Now she wanted them, envious to death. She wanted a Saint-rank spirit beast too!

But it seemed the Variant Water Emperor wasn’t that strong after all, only ranked 29th among water types~~~

Chapter 36: The Saintess’s Might

As the black clouds and fierce winds dissipated, calm returned to Fallen Whale Island.

At the center of the island, the blue-haired girl stared blankly at the Eight-Headed Mist Crow lying before her.

Beneath the Mist Crow, the silver-haired girl’s head was a pulpy mess.

What… what had happened?

Based on the distance and position when she regained consciousness, Gong Lianyue’s eyes darted around, reconstructing the battle.

Her soul core must have automatically repaired itself while she was still unconscious.

And the Water Element, following her pre-fainting instructions, had suddenly revived and ambushed the silver-haired woman from the Wind Demon Palace, successfully bypassing the Mist Crow and decapitating her.

“I figured it out so quickly. As expected of me!” Gong Lianyue praised herself inwardly.

Spirit beasts shouldn’t be able to act while their master was unconscious, but Gong Lianyue hadn’t considered this. She often had the Water Element do chores like cleaning, laundry, and cooking while she slept.

A low-rank Water Element defeating a Dead Sea Stage Eight-Headed Mist Crow? This was all thanks to her diligent training from a young age!

Even if her guess was slightly off, it must have been the Water Element. After all, there were clear traces of water on the woman’s corpse.

As the lingering fear of her near-death experience subsided, Gong Lianyue felt a surge of excitement.
(③④②⑨⑥⑦④⑥⑤)

A Dead Sea Stage high-rank soul core alone was worth around 800 contribution points, and the two Dawn and Dusk Stage high-rank cores were worth 500 each.

In addition, although the low and mid-rank cores weren’t particularly valuable, they still added up to a considerable amount.

Roughly calculating, she should have reaped nearly 3000 contribution points.

An incredibly bountiful harvest! More than enough to buy a top-tier mid-rank spirit beast.

A strong, offensive mid-rank spirit beast to replace the Water Element, combined with the Cloud Dream Flower’s illusions… she wouldn’t even fear high-rank spirit beasts then!

Just as Gong Lianyue, satisfied, was about to collect the spirit crystals, a green comet descended from the sky, the surrounding air cracking.

Boom!

With a deafening roar, the white-winged pegasus, wreathed in green will-o’-the-wisp fire, landed, creating a powerful shockwave.

A Samsara Stage high-rank spirit beast. Its aura alone was three or four times stronger than the Eight-Headed Mist Crow, without the Fear talent suppression.

Riding the pegasus, Senior Instructor Youying, in her green uniform, wore a strange expression.

She looked at the motionless Mist Crow, then at the Water Element standing beside the blue-haired girl.

What… what was going on…?

An Illumination Stage Water Element had defeated a Dead Sea Stage Eight-Headed Mist Crow?!

Although the scene before her was absurd, Youying recalled the sight when she arrived: Storm Realm Spirit Masters scattered all over the ground.

All of them either with shattered soul cores or dead, their deaths gruesome.

Suddenly, Youying noticed the blue-haired girl and her iconic, water-colored teardrop eyes.

The Sorrowful Saintess!!!

Realizing it only now, Youying’s eyes widened, her heart pounding.

Their negligence had actually drawn the Saintess out. So that was the source of the Saint-rank aura…

And the horrific state of the Storm Realm Spirit Masters… this was the price for provoking a Saint-rank…

“What were you doing?”

After staring at Senior Instructor Youying for a moment, Gong Lianyue asked coldly.

“Gulp” The green-robed woman couldn’t help but swallow, averting her gaze.

“Answer me!!”

“I-I’m sorry, my… my pegasus was scared. It didn’t dare to move. I’m truly sorry…” Hearing the anger in the Saintess’s voice, Youying was genuinely terrified, replying timidly.

The Saintess held a position equal to the Vice Palace Master. Although she had no real authority, punishing a senior instructor was easy.

Furthermore, the current Palace Master of the Sea Concubine Palace was the previous Saintess, so Gong Lianyue was very likely to be the next Palace Master.

“…”
“…”

Gong Lianyue remained silent for a moment, then ignored the senior instructor.

Despite having a Samsara Stage, Nether Light Pegasus, it had been paralyzed by the Mist Crow’s aura. It must have never experienced a real battle.

Even the little fox, which had gone through several rounds of slaughter in the Sea Abyss Secret Realm, hadn’t been so pathetic. It could at least still use its battle techniques, albeit with greatly reduced power.

Although the Mist Crow’s aura was gone, there were probably still remnants of the Storm Realm forces on the island.

Taking a deep breath, water-blue spirit energy surged from Gong Lianyue’s body, a swirling current surrounding her.

[Tidal Wave]

Whoosh~~

An invisible wave of energy spread across Fallen Whale Island, reverberating through the air like ripples in water.

At the same moment, a majestic, unfamiliar female voice echoed in everyone’s minds.

[The mastermind behind this attack is dead. The fear field is gone. Your spirit beasts’ powers are restored.]

[All instructors, disperse and rescue those still in battle.]

[All non-combatants, gather at the center of the island for a casualty count.]

[—The Sorrowful Saintess]

These lines of text appeared in the minds of all Spirit Masters on Fallen Whale Island, echoing repeatedly.

The tone of voice sounded a little strange because, rather than being broadcast through a speaker, it was transmitted directly into their minds through air vibrations, leaving a lasting impression.

“The Saintess is on the island! Did she save us?!”

“It must have been the Variant Water Emperor’s aura that suppressed that monster, allowing us to regain control for a short time…”

“Ahhhhhhhh! It’s the Saintess! Saintess, I want to lay eggs for you!!!”

As the wave of energy spread across the island, cries of surprise and excitement erupted from all directions.

After transmitting her message, Gong Lianyue turned to the stunned, green-robed woman.

“As for you and the other senior instructor, report for punishment upon your return. You will bear full responsibility.”

“Y-Yes, Saintess.”

Youying’s face was grim. She hadn’t expected to be saved by the Saintess.

She had only seen Gong Lianyue once, at the Saintess inheritance ceremony a few years ago. She hadn’t expected that little girl to have grown so powerful.

Even in a full-on battle, she, a senior instructor, would probably be no match for the Saintess now…

After Gong Lianyue left, Youying couldn’t help but look at the massive corpse of the Eight-Headed Mist Crow, her feelings complex.

The complete annihilation of the Storm Realm’s attacking force would surely cause a huge uproar in the Sea Region. That woman’s name would resound throughout the land.

The Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace—Gong Lianyue!!!

Chapter 35: Awakening

On Fallen Whale Island, the massive black tornado that had enveloped the edges was now contracting, leaving only a hundred-meter area in the center.

Since the target had shifted from all Sea Concubine Palace members to the Sorrowful Saintess, there was no need to bother with anyone else.

Eliminate the Saintess as quickly as possible and leave before reinforcements arrived!

Within the swirling black storm, an eerie silence hung in the air.

Gong Lianyue lay motionless, playing dead, while the silver-haired, crow-masked girl stared in disbelief, a drop of cold sweat trickling down her forehead.

“What the hell…?”

She looked incredulously at the water-blue, diamond-shaped crystal in the Eight-Headed Mist Crow’s grasp. It was completely undamaged, not a single crack.

It was just the life core of a low-rank Water Element. Why couldn’t she shatter it with a full-powered attack?!

This durability was definitely abnormal!

Without needing any prompting, the humiliated Mist Crow growled, extending four claws covered in grisly veins from its misty form, wrapping them around the crystal.

Gong Lianyue continued to play dead, the Mist Crow’s continuous growls echoing in her ears.

Wait a minute!!!

What were they doing?!

Playing with it right here? How disgusting!

Nauseating, vulgar, filthy, despicable!!

Gong Lianyue couldn’t help but peek through a slit in her eyelids. The Eight-Headed Mist Crow was squeezing the crystal with all its might, as if kneading something.

Is that all? The Saintess was disappointed. She had expected something more interesting. This? This was it?!

A few seconds later, under the Mist Crow’s full force, a crack finally appeared on the surface of the water-blue core.

Thud!

At the same time, Gong Lianyue, who had been playing dead, rolled her eyes and slumped to the side, fainting.

“…”

“Phew, it’s finally over~~~”

The silver-haired girl wiped the sweat from her brow. Before she could even catch her breath, her eyes widened in shock.

Less than a second after the core cracked, the blue-haired girl, who should have been unconscious, stood up, her eyes vacant, her expression strange.

She had planned to attack when the enemy let their guard down, but somehow, she had ruined her own perfect plan.

Gong Lianyue’s eyes began to rotate counterclockwise, like swirling water, tracing a semicircle.

Ding-dong!

Her teardrop eyes returned to their normal position.

And then, they fell out…

Ah!!!!!!!

No, those weren’t eyeballs—

Although they looked like eyeballs, they were actually teardrops attached to her pupils.

The teardrops slid down her cheeks, smudging her makeup and revealing six water-colored beauty marks.

With the teardrops gone, the girl’s eyes were completely white, pure and empty.

No pupils, only the whites of her eyes.

Then, as if unconsciously, the white-eyed, blue-haired girl reached out towards the Eight-Headed Mist Crow.

Swish!

Swish, swish!!

Responding to the summons, the cracked crystal broke free from the Mist Crow’s grasp and flew back to Gong Lianyue at an incredible speed, floating and rotating in the air.

Feeling nothing, seeing nothing, the crow-masked woman felt a surge of inexplicable terror, no less shocking than when she had seen the Autumn Water Hundred Flower Fox Princess.

Within the swirling black wind, the strange aura intensified.

More and more cracks appeared on the surface of the ice-blue crystal, quickly forming a dense network of lines.

With a bang, it shattered completely.

As the ice fragments scattered, the silver-haired woman’s pupils constricted, and she gasped in disbelief.

“What!?”

The crystal she had just crushed was a fake, merely a layer of frozen frost covering the real core.

Reflected in her eyes was the true, shocking reality.

Hidden beneath the frozen frost, two diamond-shaped soul cores, radiating an icy beauty, floated in the air.

What the hell? Two?

One soul core was like a surging blue sea, as pure and beautiful as a calm ocean surface, a sparkling sapphire.

The other contained faint purple stars, shimmering with a translucent, beautiful luster, like a mysterious, otherworldly space.

Pfft!

Gong Lianyue suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, her entire body covered in crimson.

Her eyes, ears, nose, mouth, all the blood vessels in her body ruptured, her flesh torn apart by the surging spirit energy. But she remained motionless, her expression indifferent.

The next second, the two soul cores merged, once again covered by a layer of chilling frost, their auras disappearing.

They returned to their original form, like the ordinary, ice-blue core of the Water Element. But in reality, it was just a hard layer of ice.

A torrent of water erupted from the core, condensing into a humanoid figure—the Water Element.

The turmoil within Gong Lianyue subsided, and she stood motionless, like a delicate doll.

After a moment of stunned silence, the silver-haired girl burst into laughter.

“Hahahahaha, I see! I understand now! This is your true form, and your weakness!!”

“You seem to be far more valuable than I anticipated. This trip has been incredibly profitable!!!”

“But you can’t hear me now, can you?”

“Darling, knock that Water Element away and bring her to me.”

“Ooo——”

The Eight-Headed Mist Crow roared, its eight heads snapping forward like snakes, its massive, dark form surging towards the Water Element.

Just as they were about to collide, a sickening ripping sound echoed.

The Water Element’s back was torn open, water spraying out like blood and freezing in midair.

Whoosh~~~

A massive, purple, crystalline arm, as thick as an elephant’s leg, burst from the Water Element’s back, like a grotesque extra limb, piercing through its body.

Deep purple swirls covered the arm, forming beautiful, star-like patterns, fierce and terrifying.

Even more bizarre, a teardrop-shaped, ice-blue eye grew on the purple wrist, darting around, an abstract and twisted sight.

Swish!

The eye suddenly stopped moving, rolling upwards in a comical expression.

Bang!

The next second, the Water Element was swatted into the ground by the Eight-Headed Mist Crow, weak and helpless.

Simultaneously, the purple arm extending from its back stretched out, brushing past the Mist Crow, and effortlessly grabbed the silver-haired girl’s head.

Every Spirit Master in the world knew one thing: during a battle between powerful spirit beasts, the Spirit Master must never expose themselves.

Hong Tao had done well, safely hiding inside the Hellfire Dragon.

The Stone Lord’s master had been a negative example, foolishly sitting on her spirit beast’s shoulder, easily killed by a stray gust of wind.

At this moment, the silver-haired girl, her head gripped by the purple arm, remembered this common knowledge.

But… it was just a Water Element…

Splat!

With a gentle squeeze, the purple arm crushed the girl’s head, viscous fluid spraying everywhere. The Eight-Headed Mist Crow froze, its frantic movements ceasing.

No matter how powerful their spirit beast, if a Spirit Master exposed themselves, whether Dead Sea or Samsara Stage, they would instantly face death.

Life dissipated, stars dimmed.

The massive purple arm slowly retracted, returning to the Water Element’s body.

Floating in the air, the water flowing around the Water Element calmed, as if nothing had happened.

Calm returned to Fallen Whale Island.

Chapter 34: The Water Element’s Death

Under the terrifying pressure of the Saint-rank fox, none of the Storm Realm’s spirit beasts could remain calm. Even the human Spirit Masters, though less affected by the instinctive fear than their spirit beasts, could only watch helplessly as their companions fell, their cores shattering.

Even the Eight-Headed Mist Crow had fled before the might of the Autumn Water Hundred Flower Fox Princess. The lower-ranked spirit beasts, dying meaningless and pitiful deaths, were even less of a match.

Just as Gong Lianyue had declared, this was the price for attacking the Sea Concubine Palace.

Having absorbed two Life Fruits, the Cloud Dream Flower could maintain its Saint-rank form for two and a half minutes.

During this time, she completely ignored the distant Mist Crow, having the Water Element focus on eliminating as many enemies as possible, lessening the burden on the other Sea Concubine Palace members.

Although killing the Mist Crow would resolve the immediate crisis, the Water Element probably couldn’t even penetrate its defenses. It wasn’t worth the time.

–Two minutes later, the Saint-rank aura radiating from the Autumn Water Hundred Flower Fox Princess gradually dissipated.

The pink mist receded, transforming into a withered, pitiful little flower, lying weakly in the blue-haired girl’s hand.

The girl’s delicate face was pale, a hint of gratitude in her ice-blue eyes. “You’ve worked hard. Rest well.”

Recalling the Cloud Dream Flower to her spirit space, Gong Lianyue looked around. No one remained standing.

More than twenty Storm Realm Spirit Masters lay scattered on the ground, either riddled with ice shards or reduced to mindless husks due to shattered cores.

Among the dead spirit beasts were two high-rank, seven mid-rank, and more than ten low-rank, all belonging to Illumination and Dawn and Dusk Stage Spirit Masters.

The ground glittered with spirit crystals, more valuable than the cultivation resources Gong Lianyue had exchanged for 1000 contribution points, but she was in no mood to collect them.

Barely able to stand, she had the Water Element envelop her in a stream of water and flee.

With the Saint-rank aura gone, that disgusting eight-headed crow would surely be coming after her soon.

Greed, even for a second, could mean death.

Boom!!!

A violent, black tornado ripped through the area, shattering trees and scattering debris.

Countless wind blades, swirling within the dark clouds, instantly tore the Water Element into fragments.

At the last moment, the blue-haired girl was thrown clear by the dispersing water, tumbling pathetically across the ground.

She looked up at the massive, descending shadow, her expression complex (though still appearing emotionless).

Gong Lianyue had greatly underestimated the power of a Dead Sea Stage, high-rank spirit beast. Without the suppression of the Saint-rank aura, it was practically a demon god.

A terrifying black aura once again enveloped Fallen Whale Island.

“Only two minutes? As expected of an Illumination Stage weakling, unable to maintain the consumption of a Saint-rank spirit beast!”

“Let me tell you, twenty-plus weaklings for one Saint-rank Spirit Master? I’d say that’s a good deal.”

A swirling black tornado formed a closed-off world around them. As the massive Eight-Headed Mist Crow landed, a raspy, mocking voice echoed.

Due to the fall from the sky, several of the Mist Crow’s heads were bruised and swollen, looking rather comical. The crow-masked woman’s clothes were also torn to shreds, barely covering her.

She had been terrified and furious before, but seeing her companions die, she felt a surge of excitement.

Only by experiencing the aura of a Saint-rank spirit beast firsthand could one truly understand its value.

Those useless pawns were expendable. If their deaths could be exchanged for the Sorrowful Saintess, it was a worthwhile sacrifice.

The Sorrowful Saintess, the Variant Water Emperor, the disrupted selection, and the subsequent plans against the Sea Region… Just thinking about it made her giddy with excitement.

However…

The crow-masked woman frowned slightly, a hint of doubt in her mind.

Why did the woman still have that emotionless expression? Did she have another trump card…?

No, it must be a bluff!

“Don’t worry, I won’t kill you. I want you to watch your spirit beast die before your very eyes!!”

Although she didn’t care about her dead companions, she couldn’t let the Wind Demon Palace lose face. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

With a sneer, the crow-masked woman commanded the Mist Crow to unleash a powerful gust of wind, blowing the water-blue spirit crystal on the ground into the air.

As long as she had the Variant Water Emperor, this useless Water Element was expendable. She would shatter the Saintess’s soul core, knock her unconscious, and take her away.

Bang!

The hurricane blew the Water Element’s core towards the Eight-Headed Mist Crow, where its violent, black wind blades began to converge.

It hadn’t expected the previous attack to leave the core intact. This Water Element was quite resilient. But it wouldn’t matter now.

“…”

Facing this desperate situation, Gong Lianyue felt strangely calm, no panic, regret, sorrow, or even resignation.

Only a serene calmness remained in her heart, like the surface of a clear blue sea, as soft as silk, as beautiful as a painting.

The more tense the situation, the calmer she became, the water droplets in her heart converging within her core.

She was the Sorrowful Saintess. All the ups and downs she faced were but a drop in the ocean, sinking to the bottom without a trace, not worth caring about, not worth thinking about.

“It’s not over yet. I still have a chance.”

Calmness wasn’t surrender, and indifference wasn’t resignation. Gong Lianyue had devised her only escape route.

Since they wanted to kill the Water Element to humiliate her, she would let them.

No one would guess that she had a Dual Soul Body. Unlike other Spirit Masters who would collapse from a shattered core, she had two. Even if one shattered, she could recover in an instant.

The moment the Water Element died would also be the moment it was revived. Victory or defeat hinged on that single instant…

“Hehe, a Saint-rank that hasn’t fully matured is just a paper tiger. If you had waited another three or four years, I wouldn’t stand a chance. How arrogant~~~”

Charging into enemy territory relying solely on the aura of a Saint-rank spirit beast would only lead to this.

The crow-masked woman couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the Sorrowful Saintess. If she had a Saint-rank spirit beast, she would definitely cultivate to the Nether Traverse Stage before emerging, becoming invincible.

“When you wake up, it will all be over.”

The silver-haired woman removed her crow mask, revealing a young, delicate face, even younger than Gong Lianyue.

Her figure looked like she had already given birth to several children, but beneath the mask was such a cute face.

Was this the so-called “the younger they look, the more ruthless they are”?

Boom, boom, boom!

The next second, black wind blades erupted from the Eight-Headed Mist Crow, engulfing the Water Element’s core.

Her eyes narrowed, timing it perfectly, the blue-haired girl dramatically fell backwards, letting out a convincing scream, “Ah, I’m dead!”

Thud!

The moment the Water Element’s core was shattered, Gong Lianyue collapsed to the ground, seemingly dead.

“…”
“…”

She lay motionless for more than ten seconds, neither fainting nor suffering a shattered core.

What was going on?

Gong Lianyue continued to play dead, afraid to move, completely unaware of the situation above her.

Chapter 33: Saint-Rank Might

Flowers danced wildly, torrents soared skyward.

This fox, only a little over forty meters tall, was like an infant among Saint-ranks, even smaller than many high-rank spirit beasts.

But the pressure it radiated was absolute, the surrounding floral wreaths and flowing water dazzlingly beautiful, eclipsing the sun and moon.

A Saint-rank descends—the Autumn Water Hundred Flower Fox Princess!!

The watery mist surrounding the Fox Princess resembled a magnificent mural, its pink tails like blooming flower buds. Rather than fighting, it seemed to be flaunting its beauty.

If the Snow Foxes who had once scorned it could see it now, they would surely be captivated, their ovaries exploding on the spot.

Meanwhile, on the island, the Eight-Headed Mist Crow, facing the Fox Princess, shrieked and retreated frantically.

Despite its larger size, stronger build, more ferocious appearance, and higher rank, it couldn’t muster the slightest fighting spirit.

“Don’t be afraid! She’s just an Illumination Stage weakling! Only her aura is scary! You’re at the Dead Sea Stage! You could kill her with a breath!!”

The crow-masked woman desperately clung to one of the Mist Crow’s heads, shaking it, unable to quell its terror.

Illumination, Dawn and Dusk, Dead Sea, Samsara, Nether Traverse.

This was the end of the evolutionary path for ordinary spirit beasts. Beyond that was the realm of Saint-ranks.

A Dead Sea Stage, peak-level Eight-Headed Mist Crow, terrified by a mere Illumination Stage spirit beast? This was completely illogical!

No, rather, the very existence of Saint-rank spirit beasts was a cheat!

“Come on~~ Attack this little thing! Mommy’s not lying! Just a light touch, and she’s dead!”

The crow-masked woman helplessly took out a small bottle from her bosom, poured out a blood-red pill, and fed it to the Mist Crow.

A few seconds later, the Mist Crow’s eyes turned blood red, a terrifying aura erupting from its body.

Its already robust black feathers swelled, its body becoming even more bloated, a ferocious grin appearing on its eight crow heads.

Its reason overturned, it could now even defeat a Saint-rank!

Seeing this, the Saint-rank fox, formed by the Cloud Dream Flower, tentatively took a step forward.

“Caw——!!”

The change was abrupt. The crimson in the Mist Crow’s eyes vanished, its inflated body and confidence deflating instantly.

The shrunken crow, trailing black clouds, scrambled back hundreds of meters. If the crow-masked woman hadn’t stopped it, it would have fled Fallen Whale Island without hesitation.

Having long enjoyed terrifying others with its Fear talent, it was now reduced to this pathetic state by an insurmountable Saint-rank spirit beast. Poetic justice, perhaps?

“Finally scared it off…”

Hiding beneath the Autumn Water Hundred Flower Fox Princess, Gong Lianyue’s face was pale and weak. Maintaining the little fox’s Saint-rank form had drained her spirit energy.

Half a month ago, when it had transformed into the Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox, the little fox had been a wild spirit beast, unable to replenish its spirit energy, and thus near death.

Now, with both the spirit beast and the Spirit Master sharing the energy consumption, and having broken through to the Illumination Stage, their endurance had greatly increased, allowing the transformation to last more than twice as long.

“Let’s eat one of these for now.”

Gong Lianyue took out two glistening, crimson fruits from her skirt and placed them gently on one of the Fox Princess’s flower-bud tails.

Slurp~

The massive, soft tail twitched, devouring the Life Fruit in an instant.

The sweet taste flowed through her, and after absorbing the energy of one fruit, the Saint-rank aura radiating from the Cloud Dream Flower intensified, extending for several miles.

Boom!

Several nearby low-rank spirit beasts fainted on the spot, foaming at the mouth. Even some mid-rank spirit beasts froze, too terrified to move.

Not having directly faced the Saint-rank hostility, they were slightly better off than the Eight-Headed Mist Crow and could still be somewhat calmed by their masters’ reassurances.

So powerful!!!

Gong Lianyue was startled by the Life Fruit’s effectiveness. As expected of a 100-contribution-point miracle medicine.

She regretted only bringing two. She should have bought more of these instead of those spirit crystals for accelerated cultivation.

The Cloud Dream Flower could originally only maintain its transformation for about half a minute. Now, it had gained about another minute. The two fruits provided two extra minutes.

“No time to waste. We need to finish this quickly!!!”

Gong Lianyue hadn’t come here just to show off. She didn’t think the little fox could actually scare away the Dead Sea Stage Mist Crow. Suppression was enough for now.

The crow-masked woman would surely realize something was amiss soon. She had to act fast…

Swirling water condensed into a pure blue, liquid form behind the girl.

Dual Soul Body, twin soul cores. Gong Lianyue summoned both her spirit beasts simultaneously, though amidst the fear caused by the Saint-rank, no one would likely notice.

“Water Element, don’t attack the Spirit Masters. Kill their spirit beasts. If you can’t break their defenses, then attack the masters!!”

The Water Element nodded obediently, an icy, six-pointed snowflake appearing on its back.

[Ice Binding Contract]

Swish!

Swish, swish, swish!!!

A barrage of ice spikes shot out, turning the immobilized spirit beasts into pincushions.

Witnessing this gruesome scene, Gong Lianyue felt nothing, only urging the Water Element to hurry.

Spirit beast dies, Spirit Master faints.

If their armor can’t be broken, kill the master directly. She had initially wanted to leave some survivors, but it was their fault for having such tough spirit beasts!

The spirit beasts, paralyzed by the Autumn Water Hundred Flower Fox Princess’s Saint-rank aura, were picked off one by one by the Water Element, falling like wheat.

Only now did they remember the blue-haired girl’s words from a few minutes ago, no longer able to laugh.

Everything they had done to the Sea Concubine Palace members would be returned to them tenfold.

They had dared to attack Fallen Whale Island with the Fear talent. Now was the time for judgment!

While the Cloud Dream Flower suppressed and intimidated the enemy, the Water Element went on a killing spree. This pitiful, low-rank spirit beast had now achieved a kill count that many low-rank spirit beasts couldn’t achieve in a lifetime.

Seeing the Wind Demon Palace members dying or collapsing rapidly, the crow-masked woman’s eyes turned blood red.

She had noticed something strange. With a Saint-rank spirit beast present, why would they send out a low-rank Water Element to farm kills? What was this nonsensical behavior?

Fake, it was all fake!

Besides, even if it was a Saint-rank spirit beast, how long could she maintain the transformation at the Illumination Stage?

An Illumination Stage Saint-rank couldn’t hurt the Eight-Headed Mist Crow anyway. When she ran out of energy and recalled it, she would face the Mist Crow’s wrath!

Just then, the Autumn Water Hundred Flower Fox Princess glanced at the Eight-Headed Mist Crow.

“Caw…”

The Mist Crow’s breath hitched, its wings ceasing to flap, frozen in terror, forgetting how to fly.

Its massive body, carrying the crow-masked woman, plummeted towards the ground with a shrill scream.

Bang!

Trees shattered, dust and debris flying everywhere.

The sickening crunch of bone and flesh made one’s teeth ache.

Chapter 32: Variant Water Emperor?!?!?!

Although spirit beasts were generally classified into low, mid, and high ranks to distinguish their species level and talent, the actual difference in individual combat power wasn’t that significant.

Like the difference between a gifted prodigy and an ordinary person, no matter how powerful, they still belonged to the realm of mortals.

The term “Saint-rank,” however, represented transcendence, holiness, and purity, leaving the mundane world and entering the sacred realm.

Wild Saint-rank spirit beasts almost never formed contracts with Spirit Masters. They weren’t swayed by any conditions, nor did they care about threats or inducements.

They were born at the top of the food chain, possessing incredibly long lifespans. Simply eating, playing, sleeping, and reproducing allowed them to naturally evolve to their limits. They were demigods, beyond the reach of a Spirit Master’s power. There was no need for them to lower themselves to coexist with humans.

Giving up a thousand-year lifespan to live and die with a human was practically suicide.

Therefore, only Saint-rank Spirit Masters could typically contract wild Saint-rank spirit beasts, using their own Saint-rank companion spirit beasts, awakened at birth, to completely subdue their target in a fair fight, rather than bullying a young Saint-rank spirit beast with a higher level.

In ancient times, Spirit Masters with Saint-rank spirit beasts were even called “Children of God,” revered and worshipped by various factions.

However, after extensive research, people discovered that Saint-rank Spirit Masters, who received such powerful beings as companion gifts, usually had significant flaws in their personalities or… inclinations.

In other words, they weren’t normal. They were more like half-human, half-beast—natural monsters!

For example…

Gong Lianyue, the Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace, with her innate teardrop makeup and eyes, her expressionless face, and her Saint-rank spirit beast suspected to be a Variant Water Emperor.

Luo Kuxin, the Wrathful Saintess of the Ice Shield Palace, who enjoyed being bound and tortured, her cultivation speed increasing with the intensity of the humiliation, her Saint-rank spirit beast suspected to be the Misty Heart Lotus.

Xue Beihan, the Desireless Saintess of the Winter Floating Sky, blind, mute, deaf, and lame, yet able to clearly perceive the world, her Saint-rank spirit beast confirmed to be the Beauty in a Bottle.

–Fallen Whale Island

Boom!!!

A terrifying, silent shockwave, an unparalleled holy aura filling the sky.

Although no sound reached their ears, a deafening roar echoed directly in their minds, the feeling of weightlessness creating the illusion that the island was sinking.

The world turned upside down, the sea flowing in reverse, everything shattering and then, in the next second, returning to a calm, clear sky.

“Ugh—”

Unable to withstand the strange pressure, several Spirit Masters with low-rank spirit beasts collapsed to the ground, retching violently.

Even the terrifying Eight-Headed Mist Crow, its eight heads thrashing and shrieking.

“Caw, caw, caw!!!!!”

Jolted by her frantic spirit beast, the silver-haired, crow-masked woman’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the erupting pink mist.

Not just those nearby, but almost every living creature on the island instinctively turned towards the source.

The pink mist spread rapidly, overwhelming the black aura of the Eight-Headed Mist Crow, dispelling the instinctive fear.

Replacing it was a sense of awe and reverence, as if compelled to worship a deity, a holy aura purifying their minds.

“Swish~”

“Swish, swish, swish~~~~”

The fox tail-shaped pink mist unfurled like a blooming flower, revealing the mystical being within.

A single glance was unforgettable. It was difficult to describe such a being, so beautiful it seemed otherworldly.

Hundreds of soft fox tails intertwined like tentacles, forming three massive pink flower buds that surrounded the graceful, pink body of the fox-like creature, resembling a flower fairy fox.

Even more astonishing were the two ice-blue butterfly wings, formed from shimmering water, vibrating rapidly behind the fox, creating a beautiful watery mural in the air.

Boom!!!

Boom, boom, boom!!!

The next second, like a celebratory salute for the birth of a fox princess, fireworks exploded, the sound echoing through the air.

The three pink flower buds bloomed, erupting in hundreds of jets of water, like a magnificent reverse waterfall, soaring into the sky and piercing the oppressive dark clouds.

A celebratory water spray~~

This bizarre combination of flower and water, fox and butterfly, a perfect being that had shed all unnecessary physical structures in its evolution, beauty as its ultimate goal.

Saint-rank—

The Autumn Water Hundred Flower Fox Princess!!!

Ranked ninth among the Fox Sovereigns in the spirit beast compendium, two places below the Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox she had previously transformed into.

Its size was only forty to fifty meters, like a small child compared to the terrifying Eight-Headed Mist Crow.

But the grotesque crow shrieked and retreated frantically, clearly sensing the Saint-rank hostility…

“How is this possible? The Sea Concubine Palace hid another Saint-rank spirit beast? Who is that woman!”

“No!”

“No, no, no, that’s not right!!”

“This is…”

“The Variant Water Emperor!!!!!”

“That woman is the Sorrowful Saintess! She’s on Fallen Whale Island!!”

The crow-masked woman covered her face in terror, staring in horror at the expressionless blue-haired girl, surrounded by the Autumn Water Hundred Flower Fox.

What Saint-rank fox? If such a creature existed, how could it have been hidden until now? The moment it was awakened, the entire Sea Region would have known.

Overwhelmed by the Saint-rank aura, the fear field covering the island instantly vanished.

“That… was that caused by the Variant Water Emperor?”

Meanwhile, at the edge of the island, more than ten kilometers away, a passing white-haired woman stopped abruptly, gazing in astonishment at the towering wave that pierced the sky.

Not just Bai He, but almost every member of the Sea Concubine Palace realized it.

That woman… was on Fallen Whale Island.

Gong Lianyue, the Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace, and her invincible Variant Water Emperor!!!