Category: The Saintess Has A Showdown

Chapter 21: The Filial and Polite Saintess

5000 contribution points could buy fifty entries into the Sea Abyss Secret Realm, a top-tier mid-rank spirit beast with perfect compatibility, access to the most advanced spirit techniques in the Sea Concubine Palace, and a massive amount of cultivation resources.

Even with the monthly allowance for her Saintess status, Gong Lianyue had only saved a little over 1000 contribution points in several years. She never took on missions, so how could she possibly have 5000?

“Why should I eliminate Bai He?”

Standing at the courtyard entrance, Gong Lianyue asked calmly, looking at the confident black-haired woman.

Although she was tempted to sell the woman’s horse and pocket the 5000 contribution points, she held back.

After all, the Saintess was the epitome of grace and etiquette. In public, she was a noble, aloof, and flawlessly pure maiden. She would never resort to vulgar language.

“Everyone in the Sea Concubine Palace knows you and Bai Ningying don’t get along. I’m helping you eliminate her and lighten your burden!”

“5000 contribution points for one Saintess. Not a bad deal, right?” Lei Ji said smugly.

Gong Lianyue was speechless. This woman seemed… not very bright…

Putting aside whether Lei Ji could even defeat Bai He, even if she did win, wouldn’t that mean she was stronger than Bai He? And then Gong Lianyue would have to pay another 5000 contribution points to have her eliminated?

Moreover, Bai He had provided her with a lot of intelligence for free over the years, her only request being that Gong Lianyue not expose their connection and ignore any of her subordinates who came to visit.

Gong Lianyue didn’t understand why Bai He put on such a charade, but she wouldn’t betray her.

Of course, she wouldn’t waste time explaining this to Lei Ji. She still wasn’t sure what was going on with the Water Element.

This was troublesome. She needed to get rid of this woman quickly.

“With your level, you can’t beat her.”

After a moment of thought, the blue-haired girl raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone dismissive and condescending.

“…”
“…”

“What!?”

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Lei Ji’s eyes widened in anger.

Veins bulged on her forehead, her short black hair standing on end like a hedgehog.

Crackling thunder erupted behind her, blinding blue arcs of electricity flashing and intertwining.

“Please leave!”

Seeing Lei Ji’s increasingly unruly behavior, the two maids stepped forward simultaneously, blocking the black-haired girl, speaking in unison.

A powerful aura emanated from them, clashing and neutralizing Lei Ji’s lightning.

After a few seconds of confrontation, the black-haired girl’s pupils constricted. Even the maids were Dead Sea Stage?

“Hmph!”

Glancing at the blue-haired girl hiding behind the maids, Lei Ji snorted and withdrew her aura, turning to leave.

Since the Saintess looked down on her so much, she would find another Saintess Candidate. She could always lower her price a little.

As Lei Ji’s figure receded, the two maids bowed apologetically and retreated.

“Sigh~~”

Gong Lianyue sighed, closing the door quickly in frustration.

She was in a hurry to check on the Water Element, but she hadn’t expected to be interrupted at this time.

Just as she closed the door, before she could even summon the Water Element, a cold female voice echoed in her ear.

[Come out here.]

!!!

A vein throbbed on her forehead. Gong Lianyue flung open the door impatiently.

“Are you annoying?! Get lost!”

“If you keep nagging, I’ll rip off your emojis and use them as a drinking snack!!!”

A fragrant scent drifted through the courtyard. Looking at the empty space, the blue-haired girl’s angry expression froze.

Silence hung in the air for more than ten seconds before a timid female voice echoed in her ear again.

[Um, sorry, um, could you come see me when you have a moment?]

A few drops of cold sweat trickled down Gong Lianyue’s forehead. She replied sweetly,

“Yes, Teacher!”

---

Sea Concubine Palace, Sea Moon Peak

Twenty minutes later, on a vast mountain peak shrouded in mist and clouds.

Sea Moon Peak, the highest point of the Sea Concubine Palace, overlooking the land for hundreds of miles, its name derived from the view of the moon’s reflection in the sea.

Before Gong Lianyue stood a woman in a luxurious, water-colored robe and a mask, her body stiff, her fingers fidgeting nervously.

Her blue hair, the same color as the Saintess’s, was tied into two large buns that resembled Mickey Mouse ears, bouncing slightly as she fidgeted.

“Teacher, what is it?”

Gong Lianyue asked awkwardly. This woman was the Vice Palace Master of the Sea Concubine Palace, the one who had found her in the mortal town. She was practically her adoptive mother.

And just now, she had yelled and cursed at her. How filial…

“Ah, no, um, was my tone just now… not very good? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have ordered you around like that. I apologize…”

“No, it’s not that. I was arguing with someone. That Lei… something… kept pestering me, and I got annoyed.”

Seeing that the woman was about to cry, Gong Lianyue quickly comforted her.

Shui Qinghou, Vice Palace Master of the Sea Concubine Palace, one of the Six Concubines, her timid personality a stark contrast to her powerful strength.

It took a lot of coaxing and comforting to calm her down.

“So, Teacher, why did you suddenly call for me?”

“Sob Um, it’s like this sob, I wanted to ask you about the Saintess selection sob.”

“…”

“Sob Do you know the preliminaries are being held sob on Fallen Whale Island?”

“…”

“Teacher, I can’t understand what you’re saying.”

Gong Lianyue’s lips twitched. She could barely maintain her indifferent expression.

After a long while, Shui Qinghou regained her composure.

“I was patrolling the other day and found traces of spirit beasts from the Storm Realm. Although the Palace Master said it’s nothing to worry about, I’m still concerned they might attack during the Saintess selection.”

“Fallen Whale Island is hundreds of kilometers from the Sea Concubine Palace. Even at full speed, it would take me half a day to get there. If something happened, I might not be able to reach them in time.”

“So, I wanted to ask for your opinion.”

“Teacher, aren’t you being overly cautious? How would the Storm Realm dare to openly invade the Sea Region? The Sea Region Alliance would swarm them. We wouldn’t even get a turn.”

Gong Lianyue sighed. Her teacher was too timid, always worrying and fretting.

The Storm Realm was a regional power opposing the Sea Region Alliance. Their strength was comparable, but it was difficult for either side to invade the other’s territory.

One side was a vast ocean, the other an endless storm. It was impossible to fight effectively in the other’s domain.

For decades, there had only been minor skirmishes, nothing on a large scale. The Storm Realm wouldn’t dare to venture deep into the Sea Region, bypassing the Ice Shield Palace’s defenses to attack the Sea Concubine Palace.

“But I’m still worried. Why don’t you go with them? You can protect those children in secret.” Shui Qinghou fidgeted nervously.

“No.”

“Don’t you want to observe Bai He and the others’ combat strength?”

“No.”

Staring at the indifferent blue-haired girl for a moment, Shui Qinghou slowly pulled out a light blue water scroll from her bosom.

“Haven’t you always wanted to learn my Sound Transmission spirit technique?”

“This scroll contains the Wave technique, allowing you to transmit your voice like ocean waves for several kilometers. How about it?”

“I’m not participating in the preliminaries. If anyone attacks me, they will be disqualified.” Gong Lianyue snatched the scroll and pocketed it, stating her terms matter-of-factly.

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

Chapter 19: The Monolith Temple

–Sea Concubine Palace

Clear lake water, curtains gently drawn.

In a courtyard garden filled with blooming lotuses, a woman with a graceful figure sat with her knees drawn up. She wore a formal palace dress, her back adorned with a lifelike lotus leaf pattern that seemed almost alive. Her pure white hair cascaded down like soft willow branches, untouched by dust.

The mere sight of her back evoked an unparalleled sense of holiness.

“Lady Bai He, the Saintess went to the Sea Abyss Secret Realm. The Top 100 list hasn’t changed, but she is suspected to have broken through to the Illumination Stage.”

Kneeling respectfully tens of meters away, the woman in white faced the courtyard, her expression a mix of adoration and fervor.

Bai He, the top Saintess Candidate, enjoyed far greater fame and prestige than the Sorrowful Saintess, practically the true symbol of the Sea Concubine Palace.

“Whose subordinate was that assassin?” Bai He’s ethereal voice drifted from the courtyard, as soothing as ASMR, making one feel weak and relaxed.

“No body was found, but judging from the residual aura at the scene, she was likely… from the Storm Realm.”

“Eh?”

Bai He paused, seemingly lost in thought.

“Is that so? The Storm Realm… it’s not surprising. After all, an additional Saint-rank in the Sea Region would greatly impact the balance of power.”

“But that assassin was rather weak, wasn’t she? How could she possibly test the depths of a Saint-rank spirit beast?”

She muttered to herself, and the courtyard fell silent again.

The woman in white bit her lip, a conflicted expression on her face. She seemed to want to say something, but hesitated. Finally, she couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Lady Bai He, I still don’t understand why you didn’t challenge the Saintess before she broke through, and why you keep providing her with intelligence. If it’s a Variant Water Emperor without battle techniques, it shouldn’t be a match for you!”

“…”

“Variant Water Emperor?”

Bai He didn’t respond for a long time, only shaking her head with a sigh.

That lie of the Sea Concubine Palace was truly malicious.

---

[Soul Prison Trial, Session 208]
[Soul Prison Secret Realm, First Level: Buried Bone Ice Mountain]

A week had passed, and the Soul Prison Trial reopened.

After bathing in the sacred spring and returning to her room, Gong Lianyue was teleported to the colossal Buried Bone Ice Mountain in the blink of an eye.

Only now did she realize that the Soul Prison Trial’s teleportation principle was somewhat similar to the Sea Abyss Secret Realm, although their power levels were on completely different planes.

Just the first level used the corpse of a legendary-rank spirit beast as the testing ground. This kind of power was unimaginable for the Sea Concubine Palace.

Not just the Sea Concubine Palace, the entire Sea Region couldn’t find a single legendary-rank creature.

Not to mention the extraordinary power to alter the flow of time.

Snow swirled, the biting cold piercing to the bone. Thousands of tiny figures climbed the Ice Bone Dragon’s tail that pierced the sky.

With the summit within sight, everyone climbed with renewed vigor, the four-year ordeal about to end. Holding their breaths, they climbed in silence.

“I heard that people in other zones have already cleared the first level. The reward is an Ice Soul Stone.”

Breaking the tense silence, a cute girl with twintails spoke.

The Soul Prison Trial was a large-scale secret realm that encompassed the entire world, divided into hundreds of zones by region. They were just one of many.

As the trial progressed, the zones would be gradually eliminated and merged, ultimately converging to determine the final victor.

Since the trial participants in other zones were more talented, they naturally cleared the first level earlier.

“Ice Soul Stone? The one that can cause ice-attribute spirit beasts to mutate?”

As soon as the twintailed girl finished speaking, several gasps echoed around them.

The reward for the first level was an Ice Soul Stone, one for each person? That was incredibly extravagant! In the real world, it would fetch an unimaginable price.

“Ice Soul Stone!!!”

Gong Lianyue was equally shocked.

When consumed by low-quality ice-attribute spirit beasts, it had a high chance of causing mutation. When consumed by high-quality ones, it could significantly enhance their abilities. A precious mineral found only in extremely cold regions, she had read about it in books.

Spirit beast mutation referred to the rank evolution of same-attribute spirit beasts, mutating from low-rank to mid-rank, or from mid-rank to high-rank, altering their species and genes.

This was something Gong Lianyue couldn’t have imagined before, but now… it seemed possible today?

If the Water Element mutated, it would probably become a mid-rank Ice Sky Spirit or a Frost Shard Phantom, right? Those seemed to fit its current half-ice, half-water state.

“By the way, what’s the second trial like? Any hints?”

“Um, I think it’s a pure test of destructive power, but I’m not sure.”

“It’s the spirit beast’s attack power, I think. I heard it from an elder who returned from another region a few days ago.”

“Did you know? It seems that starting from the second level, the trial becomes a race.”

“A race…?”

“Unlike the elimination style of the first level, the second level distributes rewards based on ranking. The faster you clear it, the better the rewards.”

“Great! This is going to be amazing!”

The girls exchanged important information, and Gong Lianyue’s heart sank.

Crap. The little fox’s abilities couldn’t cause substantial damage… Could she really rely on the Water Element’s combat power to fight her way through a group of trial participants with at least high-rank spirit beasts?

“Sister Gong, that’s wonderful!”

A cute girl offered heartfelt congratulations. In her eyes, Sister Gong had been holding herself back for their sake.

If Gong Lianyue had climbed the ice mountain at full speed, she would have probably cleared it more than ten sessions ago.

In the following trials, with Sister Gong’s unparalleled strength, she would surely surpass the geniuses from other zones!!

“Yes, everyone, work hard!~~” Gong Lianyue said with a forced smile, inwardly cursing.

Time flew by as they chatted. Soon, they neared the top, the flat bone section of the Ice Dragon’s tail visible.

Swish

With a flash of white light, everyone in the first tier vanished from the Buried Bone Ice Mountain.

[Congratulations on clearing the first level of the Soul Prison Trial. Reward: one Ice Soul Stone, automatically acquired upon returning to reality.]
[Soul Prison Trial, Second Level: Monolith Temple]

A blinding white light flashed before Gong Lianyue’s eyes. When she opened them again, her heart almost stopped.

The sky was painted a beautiful crimson by the setting sun, a boundless sea of clouds stretching in all directions. The blue-haired girl floated in midair.

“Ah!”

Looking down at the tiny mountains and rivers below, Gong Lianyue gasped and collapsed onto a cloud, her legs weak.

The second level’s trial was in the sky? How terrifying…

[Objective: Destroy the monolith. Unlimited attempts.]

Hearing the prompt in her mind, Gong Lianyue’s heart gradually calmed, and she stood up, slightly trembling.

Beside her stood a massive black rock, seemingly as large as a classroom.

The objective of the second trial was to destroy this giant rock…

Chapter 18: Dual Soul Body

“The Saintess has entered the Sea Abyss Secret Realm!!!”

After Gong Lianyue entered, it wasn’t just the two guards who were shocked. The freckled girl leading the newcomers also recognized the Saintess.

It was impossible not to. Those iconic teardrop eyes and makeup were far too memorable. Once seen, never forgotten.

Had something happened? The Sorrowful Saintess, who almost never appeared in public, had actually entered the Sea Abyss Secret Realm…

Could it be… she had broken through to the Illumination Stage?!

The freckled girl was startled by her own thought. If the Saintess had become a Spirit Master, wouldn’t that mean the Variant Water Emperor could learn battle techniques?

So, was its spirit beast talent the world-destroying Overturning the Seas, or the all-consuming Horn of Assimilation?

Elemental Saint-rank spirit beasts possessed the power to alter the very weather with ease.

Not only her, but the two female guards also realized this, their expressions turning complex.

This news would surely cause a huge uproar in the Sea Concubine Palace in the coming days.

Three hours passed, and the cultivation session ended.

The giant eye-like vortex opened again, and the blue-haired girl emerged from the Sea Abyss Secret Realm.

Her indifferent expression betrayed no emotion. The moment she landed, she hurried away, her hasty departure puzzling the two guards.

She didn’t seem very happy. Could it be that the cultivation results were unsatisfactory?

At this moment, Gong Lianyue had no time to care about the cultivation results. With a look of shock, she hurried towards the library.

The Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower and the Water Element could manifest simultaneously. She vaguely remembered seeing this phenomenon before, in a book she had stumbled upon a few years ago while researching the Variant Water Emperor.

---

Sea Concubine Palace, Library.

An elegant, deep blue wooden pavilion, rows of bookshelves lined up neatly, filled with countless books, an ancient aura lingering in the air.

Rustle

Rustle, rustle—

The entire second floor of the library was empty, only the rustling sound of pages turning as the blue-haired girl searched for something among the bookshelves.

Only high-ranking members of the Sea Concubine Palace, such as the Saintess, were allowed on the second floor. She had simply given a casual greeting and ascended.

Having visited infrequently, Gong Lianyue quickly located the book based on her previous position.

She breathed a sigh of relief, excitedly patted the dusty black book, and opened the first page.

[Compendium of Special Spirit Master Constitutions]

[Table of Contents]

[Holy Water Body] Main Characteristic: Can only form contracts with water-type spirit beasts.
[Ethereal Body] Main Characteristic: Spirit beast’s level is one higher than the master’s.
[Spectral Star Body] Main Characteristic: Abnormal number of spirit beast battle technique slots.
[Heavenly Lotus Body] Main Characteristic: Spirit beast revives immediately after death.
…
[Dual Soul Body] Main Characteristic: Can simultaneously summon two spirit beasts before the Samsara Stage.

“Found it!!”

Gong Lianyue had only glanced at the table of contents before, intrigued by the strange constitutions, and couldn’t help but flip through a few pages. She hadn’t expected it to be relevant today.

The Samsara Stage referred to Level 4 Spirit Masters. Before Level 4, everyone could only summon one spirit beast at a time, but she was an exception.

Following the page number, Gong Lianyue quickly found the information on the Dual Soul Body.

[Dual Soul Body]

[Characteristic 1: Can simultaneously summon two spirit beasts before the Samsara Stage.]
[Characteristic 2: Possesses two soul cores.]
[Characteristic 3: Has two companion spirit beasts.]
[Note: Cultivation speed for Dual Soul Bodies is extremely slow, as both soul cores need to be filled with spirit energy for a breakthrough.]

“Wait, this…?”

Gong Lianyue had been certain she had a Dual Soul Body, but after reading all the characteristics, she became confused.

Characteristics one and two matched, but what was with characteristic three?

Two companion spirit beasts? What?

[Water Element] [Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]

Swish! Swish!

Two flashes of light, and the Water Element and the little fox appeared simultaneously, standing obediently beside the blue-haired girl.

“That’s not right. I’m definitely a Dual Soul Body. Where did the other companion spirit beast go?”

This was a strange situation that even Gong Lianyue couldn’t understand.

“Ah…!”

Suddenly realizing something, she abruptly turned towards the Water Element, which was floating innocently.

Wait, could it be… that the Water Element absorbed the other ice-type spirit beast?

Was that why it had become ice-attribute?!

Damn, that scared me!

Understanding the reason, Gong Lianyue calmed down.

It was probably an Ice Spirit or an Ice Eye Butterfly. Elemental types were known for their strange occurrences; fusion and absorption were commonplace.

If it could be absorbed by the Water Element, it meant that companion spirit beast was even weaker than the Water Element. Good riddance!

Even without one of the free companion spirit beasts, the Dual Soul Body was still a terrifying constitution.

Others summoned one spirit beast for battle; she could summon two.

Others reached the Samsara Stage and summoned two spirit beasts; she would reach the Samsara Stage and summon three, always having one more than her opponent.

This was… invincibility in same-rank duels!

One spirit beast to fight the opponent’s spirit beast, and the other to take care of the Spirit Master themselves. How could anyone compete? It was practically cheating!

This also made the drawback of requiring double the spirit energy for breakthroughs insignificant.

“Slow and steady wins the race, and my talent isn’t bad~~”

Gong Lianyue was delighted. Not only had she learned about the power of the Dual Soul Body, but she had also regained her lost confidence.

So that was why she had been unable to break through to the Illumination Stage! It was because of the two soul cores!

When she became a little stronger, she wouldn’t pretend anymore. She would reveal her true power to everyone in the Sea Concubine Palace. So what if she didn’t have a Variant Water Emperor? She had a Dual Soul Body!!!

Chapter 17: Two Cores

Mid-rank quality, Level 1 Blazing Sprite.

Terrifying sparks of flame danced around the petite, white figure, a shocking, violent heat erupting outwards, dyeing the sky above the island a crimson hue.

Even from thirty meters away, Gong Lianyue felt like she was trapped in a sauna, suffering in a scorching inferno, her body drenched in sweat.

Amidst the boiling sea of fire, the Blazing Sprite, with its delicate features, looked at the pink little fox with a disdainful and haughty expression.

It was a king born of flames, a world apart from those unintelligent, biological spirit beasts.

With a flick of its hand, the pitiful little fox would be incinerated.

“Die!” The Blazing Sprite waved its arm, conjuring a magnificent cloud of fire.

The little fox remained expressionless, a deep blue light flickering in its adorable, heart-shaped eyes.

[Deep Sea]

Whoosh~

The next second, towering waves crashed down, extinguishing the flames.

The Blazing Sprite’s crimson pupils constricted to pinpricks, its face contorted in terror.

Reflected within them was a boundless, terrifying deep sea.

Rumble!

With a deafening roar, the terrifying seawater engulfed the entire island. The flames, the heat, everything the Blazing Sprite prided itself on was instantly extinguished, shattered into nothingness.

Its body felt heavy as lead, unable to move or breathe no matter how hard it struggled.

Its vision was filled with a blurry deep blue as the heavy currents dragged it down, deeper and deeper…

Pain, suffocation, despair. Sinking into the abyss, towards eternity.

---

“Ah, it’s broken already?”

Gently stroking the little fox in her arms, Gong Lianyue blinked in surprise.

Floating in the sky, the Blazing Sprite thrashed its limbs wildly, its eyes rolled back, foaming at the mouth, its delicate face twisted in agony.

Ten seconds. It had only taken ten seconds in the illusion for the Blazing Sprite to break down.

Next, without her needing to lift a finger, the unconscious Blazing Sprite shattered into fragments and dissipated.

Transforming into dense spirit energy fragments after death, they drifted towards the blue-haired girl.

Quickly, the spirit energy flowed into Gong Lianyue’s soul core, visibly increasing its level by a small amount.

“Killing one Blazing Sprite is equivalent to ten hours of cultivation…”

“Then, the next one!”

Gong Lianyue increased the difficulty by another level.

This time, two Blazing Sprites emerged from the vortex with haughty expressions, but before they could unleash their terrifying heat, they were knocked over by a massive wave crashing down from above.

Submerged, they were utterly helpless.

Appear, faint, absorb.

Appear, faint, absorb.

Appear, faint, absorb.

Gong Lianyue increased the difficulty several levels in a row, reaching Level 12.

Before her, five Blazing Sprites struggled in unison before simultaneously shattering into fragments.

Blazing Sprites feared the sea and were completely defenseless against the Cloud Dream Flower’s Deep Sea illusion, so Gong Lianyue didn’t adjust the difficulty further.

Half a minute per round, repeating the process. The little fox relentlessly unleashed its illusion, slaughtering them without mercy.

Like using a tenfold experience potion, the deep blue water stored within her soul core rapidly increased, soon exceeding one-tenth of the crystal’s capacity.

Cloud Dream Flower, you’re a godsend!

“I just broke through yesterday. Could I be breaking through again today?”

She was initially excited, but she quickly dismissed the unrealistic thought.

The little fox was panting, its illusion becoming unstable. The last Blazing Sprite almost escaped, narrowly avoiding death.

Gong Lianyue quickly canceled the cultivation and fed the exhausted little fox several nutrient potions.

But they didn’t seem to be very effective. The little fox lay limply on the ground, utterly exhausted.

“Can it only recover naturally…?”

Gong Lianyue sighed helplessly. Ordinary nutrient potions were slow-acting. It seemed it would take more than two hours for the little fox to fully recover. She hadn’t prepared any more effective ones.

After all, who would have thought the little fox could slaughter Blazing Sprites like chickens? One Deep Sea AOE, and they were instantly stunned.

This meant a significant portion of this secret realm cultivation opportunity would be wasted, which was a shame.

But it didn’t matter. She would come back tomorrow fully prepared and quickly fill her soul core with the spirit energy required for the Illumination Stage.

Wait, not tomorrow. She almost forgot. Tomorrow was the day the Soul Prison Trial reopened.

After resting for two and a half hours, with only five or six minutes remaining, Gong Lianyue prepared to let the fully recovered little fox unleash its power and farm a few more waves.

Resuming cultivation, the five Blazing Sprites that emerged from the vortex were instantly swallowed by the Deep Sea without warning, their faces contorted in the agony of drowning.

“It’s a pity they struggle for so long. It’s a waste of time…” Gong Lianyue muttered to herself.

If only the Water Element could help, taking care of the killing.

The next second, as if answering her wish, a translucent, humanoid figure made of water materialized behind the blue-haired girl like a guardian spirit.

The Water Element waved at the struggling Blazing Sprites, streams of water swirling towards the naked, flame-extinguished girls.

[Ice Binding Contract]

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!

The water transformed into ice spears mid-flight, piercing the girls’ chests. Blood sprayed everywhere.

Although gruesome, they were merely illusory beings condensed from spirit energy within the Sea Abyss Secret Realm. There was no psychological burden in slaughtering them.

With the Water Element’s help, her leveling—no, her cultivation efficiency doubled!!

Gong Lianyue nodded in satisfaction. Just as she was about to summon the next wave of Blazing Sprites, she suddenly froze, realizing something.

After a few seconds, her calm expression turned to shock, her teardrop-shaped pupils constricting.

There were rumors in the Sea Concubine Palace that the Sorrowful Saintess always wore a compassionate, indifferent expression.

That rumor was wrong.

Gong Lianyue’s expression only changed when her shock reached a certain level.

Like now…

She turned her head stiffly, her gaze fixed on the simultaneously present Water Element and Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower, speechless with shock.

The little fox tilted its head innocently, puzzled.

One minute.

Two minutes.

…

Five minutes passed.

Just as the cultivation time was about to end, Gong Lianyue’s lips twitched, and she stammered,

“Why… can both of you… exist at the same time?”

Spirit Masters of the Illumination, Dawn and Dusk, and Dead Sea Stages could only summon one spirit beast for battle. This was common knowledge.

Only after breaking through to Level 4 Spirit Master could they summon two spirit beasts at once.

But Gong Lianyue had broken this rule. She had just barely broken through to the Illumination Stage, and yet she had inadvertently summoned both the Water Element and the little fox.

What was going on?

The moment she exited the Sea Abyss Secret Realm, she suddenly recalled the two soul cores she had seen within her soul when her spirit had shattered.

Chapter 16: Water Element’s Unmatched Mowing Down

Her consciousness drifted in the void for more than ten seconds before a beam of light pierced the darkness, and her vision suddenly cleared.

Gong Lianyue opened her eyes and looked around. She was on a small, empty island, surrounded by a vast ocean.

No, rather than an island, it was more like a giant prison hundreds of meters wide, with no escape.

This was the Sea Abyss Secret Realm…

Two lines of large characters formed by flowing water floated in the sky, seemingly activated by a touch of spirit sense.

[Endless Mode: Unlimited monster invasion. As time passes, the monsters become stronger. Points are awarded based on survival time. The top 100 scores enter the Top 100 list.]
[Cultivation Mode: Kills accelerate spirit energy absorption. Difficulty selectable. No point rewards. Time limit: 3 hours.]

Endless Mode…

Gong Lianyue definitely wouldn’t choose this. Choosing this mode meant she would be aiming for the Top 100 list. Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if she couldn’t even make it into the top ten?

Furthermore, Endless Mode itself had no benefits. Only those on the Top 100 list received weekly rewards. If she wasn’t aiming for the list, it would be a waste of a secret realm entry.

She would choose Cultivation Mode for faster breakthroughs.

Spirit Master Level 1 was called the Illumination Stage, essentially just a beginner.

Level 2 Spirit Master was called the Dawn and Dusk Stage. The higher-ranking Saintess Candidates were all at this level, their combat systems taking shape. Gong Lianyue was no match for them currently.

However, if she also broke through to the Dawn and Dusk Stage, she could fight them with the Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower!

“Cultivation Mode, lowest difficulty.”

As Gong Lianyue spoke, the water characters flickered rapidly.

A few seconds later, a small, deep blue vortex appeared in the center of the island, emanating a profound and terrifying aura.

“Roar!”

A deafening roar echoed as a massive black bull charged out of the vortex, meeting Gong Lianyue’s expectant gaze.

The bull wore steel teeth guards, its robust muscles like solid rock, its two sharp, black horns gleaming. It radiated a ferocious aura.

It could easily swallow a rhino whole, let alone an ordinary tiger or lion.

A low-rank Level 1 spirit beast, the Great Horned Terrorbull.

Thud!

Thud! Thud!!

The Terrorbull stomped its hooves furiously, leaving deep imprints on the ground, snorting hot air from its nostrils.

The blue-haired girl remained expressionless as a humanoid figure formed of flowing water appeared behind her: the Water Element.

[Ice Binding Contract]

The Water Element clasped its hands together in a prayer-like gesture, releasing a chilling air.

A diamond-shaped snowflake mark unfolded behind it, rotating slowly like a wheel.

It could actually use ice-type battle techniques…

Gong Lianyue was speechless. The Water Element now looked like an Ice Spirit. But Ice Spirits were petite and… well-endowed. What was this strange, formless thing?

“Roar!”

The Great Horned Terrorbull roared again. The Water Element remained motionless and seemingly unafraid.

A few seconds later, the Water Element seemed to sense something amiss and turned its head.

It saw the blue-haired girl hiding behind a rock more than ten meters away, only her head peeking out, giving it a thumbs-up as encouragement.

“…”
“…”

Bang!

The ground shattered beneath its hooves as the Terrorbull charged.

Although its momentum was intimidating, it was nothing compared to the Black Mud Whale she had encountered the other day. The whale was at least three times larger.

The Water Element brought its palms together and then apart, streams of water gushing from its body like rain towards the charging bull.

Splash, splash, splash!!!

Normally, a spirit beast without battle techniques couldn’t defeat a same-rank spirit beast with techniques. But the Water Element’s attack seemed… underwhelming.

The Terrorbull, charging through the watery barrage, was completely unharmed, its momentum increasing as it shattered the approaching droplets.

The dark shadow loomed larger and larger in the Water Element’s eyes, but it remained emotionless.

Swish—

Swish, swish, swish, swish—

The next second, the raindrops froze.

Hundreds of icy needles pierced the air, intersecting with the charging black beast. Blood sprayed everywhere.

The Great Horned Terrorbull, riddled with bloody holes, gushed blood like a fountain. It continued to run a few steps by inertia before its eyes dimmed and lost focus.

With a bang, its body exploded into fragments of spirit energy, flowing into the blue-haired girl hiding in the distance.

An instant kill…

Gong Lianyue breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried she might lose.

Although slightly surprising and exciting, it was within expectations. After all, she was bullying a wild spirit beast without any battle techniques.

However, the combination of water and ice proved unexpectedly effective. Ice had high damage but lacked a freezing medium, while the weak water flow perfectly complemented it.

She briefly sensed the increase in her spirit energy. Half a minute to kill the enemy, resulting in about two minutes’ worth of cultivation progress.

The soul core within her body hadn’t changed at all.

Too inefficient. At this rate, she would waste her secret realm opportunity.

“Increase the difficulty by two levels!” Gong Lianyue shouted.

The water characters flickered, and the blue vortex reappeared.

This time, three Great Horned Terrorbulls emerged from the vortex, glaring ferociously at the water figure.

[Ice Binding Contract]

The diamond-shaped snowflake behind the Water Element spun rapidly. It was just mowing down weeds; it didn’t matter how many there were.

The overflowing water grew colder, the rising droplets rapidly condensing into a massive water sphere.

The water converged, the sphere expanding.

The Water Element casually tossed the water sphere into the air towards the three black bulls ten meters away.

Soaring high above, the water sphere suddenly exploded, a deluge of rain falling downwards.

Swish—

The raindrops froze, showering the Terrorbulls with a cascade of icy needles. They instantly perished, their deaths gruesome and terrifying.

Their bodies shattered into shimmering lights, this time providing three times the spirit energy absorption.

Gong Lianyue licked her lips with satisfaction, feeling slightly unfulfilled. “Increase it by another 5 levels!”

She had expected seven or eight Terrorbulls to appear this time and had already instructed the Water Element to prepare its technique for efficient leveling.

Boom!!!!

The next second, a wave of flames engulfed the area, incinerating everything within a radius of several dozen meters. The scorching heat almost singed the girl’s eyebrows, her face flushing red.

What the—?

Startled, Gong Lianyue quickly retreated more than ten meters, almost exceeding the Water Element’s range.

Red sparks danced wildly. A small, adorable, humanoid figure made of flames emerged from the vortex, its snow-white body wreathed in fire.

A mid-rank Level 1 spirit beast, the Blazing Sprite.

Flames raged, the terrifying heat causing the Water Element to collapse, its formless water seemingly melting. It was no match.

“Mid-rank… too big a jump, huh…” Gong Lianyue frowned.

The Water Element, a fierce fighter against low-rank spirit beasts, was utterly helpless against a mid-rank one. What a useless thing.

She waved her hand, recalling the suffering Water Element into her soul core. In its place, before the Blazing Sprite, appeared a small, harmless-looking, pink little fox.

Now it was the little fox’s turn!!!

Chapter 15: The Sea Abyss Secret Realm

After choosing battle techniques the previous night, both her body and mind were exhausted, so Gong Lianyue went straight to bed.

She had a wonderful dream, dreaming that she had formed a contract with the high-rank spirit beast, the Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower, successfully breaking through to become a formal Spirit Master and choosing powerful battle techniques.

When she woke up, she realized… it was all real!!!

After washing up, Gong Lianyue sat in front of her vanity mirror, applying makeup and pondering her next cultivation steps.

[High-rank Level 1: Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]
[Bloodline Talent: Cultivation Amplification]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: Deep Sea – OO]

The little fox only had one battle technique slot filled. It would have to rely on its own comprehension and growth to learn more, or by consuming special medicines to accelerate the process.

Her own cultivation progress was the top priority now. Having just broken through to Spirit Master, she still had a significant gap to close with the two leading Saintess Candidates.

Bai He and Hong Tao had both broken through to Level 2 Spirit Master, meaning their spirit beasts had also evolved.

She would be completely crushed against either of them. She had to become a Level 2 Spirit Master as soon as possible…

Gong Lianyue wasn’t worried about her cultivation speed. With the little fox’s cultivation amplification, her meditation speed was incredibly fast, no slower than any of the Saintess Candidates.

Furthermore, she still had several unused secret realm cultivation opportunities, which the others had likely already used up.

She had been afraid of exposing her true strength before, but now she didn’t care. She needed to become stronger as quickly as possible!

Poof!

“Chirp~?”

A dense floral mist spread as the little fox, suddenly summoned, rubbed its eyes sleepily.

“Good girl, eat your breakfast and come with me.”

Gong Lianyue placed a candy-shaped, high-grade beast treat beside the little fox and gently rubbed its soft ears.

The effectiveness of today’s cultivation depended entirely on the Cloud Dream Flower’s performance.

---

“Newcomers, look closely! This is the Sea Concubine Palace’s most famous cultivation sanctuary, the Sea Abyss Secret Realm!!”

At a certain location within the Sea Concubine Palace, a deep blue vortex floated in the sky like a giant eye, its surface covered in cracks, an intimidating and terrifying sight.

Eight massive tentacles emerged from the depths of the earth, binding the vortex tightly, preventing it from moving.

Two women in palace attire guarded the entrance to the secret realm, their cultivation levels unfathomable.

A short distance from the vortex, a group of girls in simple clothing gathered. Among them, a cute girl in a Sea Concubine Palace uniform, her face dotted with freckles, was giving a loud and proud introduction.

“The Sea Abyss Secret Realm generates a large number of sea-type spirit beasts. The longer you stay inside, the greater their number and strength. And all the spirit beasts you kill will be converted into spirit energy for you.”

“Although I’ve never been inside, I’ve heard from other elites that staying in there for an hour is equivalent to ten days or half a month of cultivation outside!”

“Really?”

“So amazing!!”

Hearing the newcomers’ exclamations, the freckled girl puffed up with pride.

Every batch of new recruits would be awestruck by the power and grandeur of the Sea Concubine Palace, filling them with longing and anticipation. As a senior member, this made her feel incredibly proud.

“Then why haven’t you been inside, big sister?” A young girl asked curiously. The chatter suddenly stopped, and the atmosphere turned awkward.

After a few seconds of silence, the freckled girl’s face flushed with anger.

“It costs 100 contribution points to enter once! How can I afford that?! You all better look closely, because you might never get another chance!!”

“…”
“…”

It seemed they had touched a nerve. Everyone fell silent.

100 contribution points? That was terrifying! Their initial reward for entering the Sea Concubine Palace was only 5 contribution points.

“Sigh, if only I could get on the Top 100 list. You get extra contribution points every month, plus free secret realm entries…”

“But that’s just wishful thinking. Even the last person on the Top 100 list has a mid-rank spirit beast. Us ordinary people have no chance~~~”

The freckled girl sighed, her future looking bleak.

The mention of the Top 100 list seemed to pique the newcomers’ interest. Another girl asked excitedly,

“By the way, big sister, do you know Saintess Bai He? What’s her rank on the Top 100 list?”

“I decided to join the Sea Concubine Palace because of Saintess Bai He! When my village was attacked by spirit beasts, she chopped them all into dust in an instant! Blood splattered everywhere! It was so cool!”

“…”

“Shut up! What nonsense are you talking about?! There is only one Saintess in the Sea Concubine Palace!!” The freckled girl quickly interrupted, glancing around nervously.

“Never call a Saintess Candidate ‘Saintess’ in front of others. You’ll bring disaster upon yourself.”

“Oh, oh, I’m sorry. I heard others call her that—” The excited girl covered her mouth sheepishly, realizing her mistake.

“Only the top three on the Sea Concubine Palace Top 100 list are qualified to be called Saintess Candidates. The Bai He you mentioned is one of them, along with Hong Tao and Qing Yu. Remember, don’t call them ‘Saintess’ again.”

“The Sorrowful Saintess is appointed by the higher-ups of the Sea Concubine Palace. Her position is absolute!”

“Appointed by the higher-ups? If she didn’t fight her way up the Top 100 list, how can she command respect?”

“Heh, why would she need the Top 100 list? Saint-rank spirit beast, do you respect that?”

“Saint-rank!?”

The newcomers were shocked into silence.

The Saintess had a Saint-rank spirit beast?

The existence of a Saint-rank spirit beast was on a completely different level, beyond their comprehension. It wasn’t something that could be described simply as a world of difference.

A fully evolved, biological Saint-rank spirit beast could shatter mountains with a single step, while an elemental Saint-rank spirit beast could alter the weather and bring natural disasters.

A powerful force like the Sea Concubine Palace only had one Saint-rank spirit beast guarding it.

An appointed Saintess? This… basically meant she was already designated as the next Palace Master.

“Wait, big sister, one more question! Why are the titles of the Saintess and Saintess Candidates so different?”

This question puzzled everyone.

Bai He, Hong Tao, Qing Yu seemed to follow a pattern, but the Sorrowful Saintess was a completely separate title, out of place.

“Duh, what kind of stupid question is that? The Saintess Candidates’ titles are taken from a character in their real names, combined with the form of their companion spirit beast. It’s just easier to remember.”

“But the Sorrowful Saintess represents the will of the Sea Concubine Palace.”

“Among the ten major powers of the Sea Region Alliance, the Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace is Sorrow, the Saintess of the Ice Shield Palace is Rage, the Saintess of the Water Wish Pavilion is Bliss, and so on—”

“I see!”

“Phew~~”

The freckled girl wiped the cold sweat from her brow. She had brought the newcomers to visit the Sea Abyss Secret Realm, but somehow the topic had shifted to the Saintess.

If she misspoke and it got out, it could cause serious trouble.

Some of the newcomers were still reeling from the shock of the Saint-rank spirit beast, while others looked expectantly at the entrance to the Sea Abyss Secret Realm.

They silently resolved to cultivate diligently so they could have the opportunity to enter the secret realm!

Just then, a girl with long blue hair walked past them, creating ripples of cool water in the air.

Many newcomers turned their heads, curious about the six neatly arranged teardrops on the blue-haired girl’s face and her teardrop-shaped pupils.

Such a beautiful face, as if she were crying. Did she paint those on herself?

Since she was heading in that direction, she must be going to cultivate in the Sea Abyss Secret Realm.

100 contribution points… she must be rich! Just from her stunning appearance, one could tell the difference between her and these ordinary apprentices…

Meanwhile, the freckled girl trembled uncontrollably as she watched the blue-haired girl’s receding figure, as if having a seizure.

A few seconds later, to everyone’s astonishment, the two women guarding the entrance to the secret realm knelt on one knee, their postures filled with respect.

“Saintess!”

“Saintess!”

“I’m entering the secret realm to cultivate.”

Reaching the entrance, Gong Lianyue indifferently presented a blue jade token engraved with the word [Saintess].

The woman in palace attire scanned it briefly with her spirit sense, nodded, and returned the token.

“Deducting one secret realm entry. You have four remaining.”

Whoosh~~

A powerful surge of spirit energy caused the blue vortex to erupt in a brilliant light, illuminating the blue-haired girl.

A few seconds later, the light vanished, and Gong Lianyue was swallowed by the vortex.

As the air gradually calmed, the two guards exchanged glances, shock and surprise in their eyes.

The Saintess… had broken through to Spirit Master and was entering the secret realm to cultivate…

Could it be that…

The Variant Water Emperor slumbering within her had finally awakened?

Her consciousness adrift in an ethereal current, Gong Lianyue suddenly thought of the newcomers she had just passed.

So, this year, they were all women again?

It couldn’t be helped. The Sea Region had a disproportionately large female population, and water spirit energy was most abundant here. Women generally had more gentle and icy aptitudes, while men rarely had any cultivation talent.

Even the occasional exceptions who joined the Sea Concubine Palace were either effeminate or perverts and were quickly eliminated.

Come to think of it, since it was time to recruit new members, that meant—the Saintess selection was drawing near!!!

A sense of crisis filled Gong Lianyue’s heart.

Her remaining secret realm entries and the contribution points accumulated from her long tenure as Saintess were her last hope!!

Chapter 14: Strange Water Element, Terrifying Little Fox

One circle could hold one battle technique slot. Since the Water Element was only a low-rank spirit beast, its current limit was one battle technique. Pathetically weak.

The Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower, however, was completely different. With three slots for three battle techniques, it could form a decent skill set, compensating for its weakness as a support spirit beast.

“Let’s look at the Water Element’s battle techniques first.”

After becoming a formal Spirit Master, she could choose her spirit beast’s initial battle techniques, like resetting a pet’s skill points in an online game.

Even if she formed a contract with a Saint-rank spirit beast, its original powerful techniques would be reset, starting from scratch.

Gong Lianyue slowly closed her ice-blue eyes, her consciousness immersing itself in communication with the Water Element.

She felt her soul core enveloped by a gentle, cool stream. When she opened her eyes again, she was surrounded by a vast ocean.

The blue sky met the blue sea, a cool breeze caressing her face. An ice-blue, diamond-shaped crystal floated in the sky.

The sky was clear, the sea calm, the surface transparent.

This was the second time Gong Lianyue had entered the Water Element’s spirit world. It felt dreamlike, weightless, and very comfortable.

The first time was during the awakening ceremony, when the Water Element was born.

“Something still feels off…”

Gong Lianyue frowned slightly, gazing at the large ice-blue crystal in the sky.

The spirit crystal, representing the Water Element’s life source, was frozen, covered in thick layers of frost, radiating a bone-chilling cold.

Many people said that Variant Water Emperors were mischievous and liked to disguise themselves as Water Elements or Ice Spirits, sometimes even deceiving their own masters.

So, Gong Lianyue had specifically checked the compendium, only to find that the Variant Water Emperor’s spirit world was completely different from this. This scene was undoubtedly the spirit world of a Water Element.

However, a Water Element’s spirit crystal should be liquid. What was with this frozen crystal?

She hadn’t dared to ask her mentor, keeping it a secret until now. So far, nothing had changed.

Perhaps she would understand when the Water Element reached a higher level…

Gong Lianyue beckoned with her hand, and countless orbs of water rose from the sea, appearing before her.

She had already decided on the battle techniques for the Water Element.

[Water Replenishment]

This was an ordinary technique, both offensive and defensive. It could increase the force of water jets and also stack layers of water armor, making it harder for enemies to reach the core.

Although not the ideal choice for a Water Element, Gong Lianyue thought it was decent enough. The Water Element’s strength was limited, so versatility was preferable.

She rummaged through the orbs, her expression turning puzzled. She patiently examined each one again.

It’s not there…?

Wait, no. Not only was Water Replenishment missing, but so were all other suitable techniques for a Water Element!

Ice Dust Shatter, Ice Crystal Blast, Ice Cloud Chains… what were these?

Weren’t these ice-attribute techniques?

Although ice and water attributes were closely related, there was still a difference. Gong Lianyue’s eyes widened as she looked through them again. They were indeed common battle techniques for ice-attribute spirit beasts.

She had seen them in the descriptions of Ice Spirits and other ice-attribute spirit beasts, but how could a Water Element learn ice-attribute techniques…?

Had its spirit crystal mutated from being frozen?

Gong Lianyue couldn’t help but glance again at the icy crystal in the sky. The Water Element’s attribute had become ice. Would this even work? Could it use these techniques properly?

Changing from water to ice wasn’t necessarily a strengthening or a weakening. It was just… strange and unprecedented. No one had ever seen an ice-attribute Water Element.

She had to choose one based on the current situation. Gong Lianyue hadn’t studied ice-attribute systems and didn’t know if a liquid-based Water Element could even use them.

[Ice Binding Contract]

After a long while, Gong Lianyue settled on this technique.

She had researched it specifically because it was a hard counter to water-type spirit beasts.

The ability to freeze liquids into ice could instantly defeat a Water Element. Other water-type spirit beasts would simply be unable to attack.

But what if a Water Element mastered this technique? What would happen…?

Freezing its own water jets into ice… could that lead to some powerful applications?

After considering it, Gong Lianyue chose this battle technique for the Water Element.

Her vision went black, and Gong Lianyue’s consciousness returned to her dark room.

She exhaled deeply, still feeling uneasy. Her Water Element had become an ice-attribute spirit beast.

It wasn’t necessarily stronger, but combined with this technique, it might create some strange and unique effects.

Whatever, it was just a low-rank spirit beast. No matter how strong it became, it couldn’t defeat a mid-rank one.

Next was the main event. Gong Lianyue put aside her thoughts and eagerly entered the Cloud Dream Flower’s spirit world.

The Cloud Dream Flower had three battle technique slots, but initially, it could only master one. And they were all techniques she had never seen before. She had to choose carefully!

A beautiful prairie of flowers stretched before her, the multicolored sky like a dream, filled with a rich floral fragrance.

The blue-haired girl stood in the center of the flower field with her eyes closed, carefully sensing the battle techniques the little fox could master.

[Death Prison – Immerse surrounding beings in a death prison illusion, experiencing the terrifying killing intent of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.]
[Sea of Fire – Immerse surrounding beings in a sea of fire illusion, their consciousness burned to ashes.]
[Colossus – Colossus illusion, enlarge a designated object hundreds or thousands of times in the eyes of others.]
[Silent Wind – Immerse surrounding beings in a silent wind illusion, temporarily unable to feel the flow of air.]
[Colorless – Plunge surrounding beings into boundless darkness.]
[Falling – Put surrounding beings into an endless state of freefall, experiencing the weightlessness of falling.]

So powerful!!!

Gong Lianyue was shocked.

She didn’t know which technique was stronger, so she used her consciousness to experience each one, almost losing herself in the illusions, her will on the verge of collapse.

She had initially thought that support-type spirit beasts weren’t good at combat. Now it seemed… they were terrifying.

If a low-rank spirit beast were caught in these illusions, it would have no chance of escape, its consciousness lost forever.

“One last one, and then I’ll decide!!”

Unable to resist the allure of powerful techniques, although there were more than ten remaining, Gong Lianyue could only experience one more.

[Battle Technique – Deep Sea]

Whoosh~~~

The next second, the girl’s ice-blue eyes widened as she was plunged into a boundless deep sea.

Terrifying whirlpools churned, the currents engulfing her.

Her body felt heavy as lead, her ankles bound by a massive anchor, dragging her down. Water flooded her nose and mouth, suffocating her.

Gong Lianyue thrashed and struggled, unable to see anything in the blurry darkness, only feeling the pull of the descent.

So painful…

I’m going to die…

“Pwah!”

“Cough, cough, cough!” Snapping out of the illusion, Gong Lianyue woke up with a start, retching violently on her bed, her delicate face contorted in pain.

The Deep Sea illusion, although not as overwhelmingly oppressive, was physically far more painful than the others.

So powerful. I thought I was really going to drown.

I can win!

After recovering, a smile slowly appeared on Gong Lianyue’s indifferent face. She hadn’t originally intended to compete with the other Saintess Candidates.

But now, the little fox’s power gave her a glimmer of hope.

If she worked hard enough, she might be able to keep her position as Saintess!!

[Low-rank Level 1: Water Element]
[Bloodline Talent: None]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: Ice Binding Contract]

[High-rank Level 1: Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]
[Bloodline Talent: Cultivation Amplification]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: Deep Sea – OO]

Chapter 13: Breakthrough, Battle Techniques

Late at night, Sea Concubine Palace.

Compared to the frigid Ice Plains, the Sea Concubine Palace was like a completely enclosed underwater dragon palace, covered by a transparent water curtain, eternally shielded from the sun and moon.

A dense spirit energy filled the air, azure ripples creating wave-like patterns that almost materialized.

Ordinary humans would find it difficult to breathe here, even suffocating from lack of oxygen.

However, for Spirit Masters with water-attribute spirit energy, this was an absolute cultivation sanctuary. Meditating in the Sea Concubine Palace yielded twice the results with half the effort.

Returning to her quarters, Gong Lianyue glanced casually at the woman in white, still kneeling with her head bowed.

“Saintess!”

Hearing the footsteps behind her, the woman in white immediately woke up, looking over excitedly.

“I am…”

Bang!

Before the woman could finish, Gong Lianyue slammed the door shut with a loud thud.

Staring at the closed door, the woman in white sighed helplessly.

She had waited here for four or five days, but she hadn’t even managed to exchange a single word. After all, the difference in their status was too great. There was nothing she could do.

Under the knowing gazes of the two maids, she turned and left the courtyard without a word.

Inside the room, Gong Lianyue sat expressionlessly in front of her vanity mirror, glancing from the corner of her eye at a flickering black will-o’-the-wisp burning in the shadows.

The black will-o’-the-wisp slowly floated closer, its weak, flickering form as if it might dissipate at any moment.

“Saintess, I have the latest intelligence on the Saintess Candidates.”

“Hong Tao successfully broke through to Level 2 Spirit Master a week ago. Her Hellfire Dragon should have also evolved.”

“Qing Yu formed a contract with a high-rank spirit beast. Based on battle traces, it’s a Wind God Eagle.”

“Also, Lei Ji lasted three hours in the Sea Abyss Secret Realm. She might pose a challenge for the Saintess position in this selection.”

“…”

Seeing the girl’s silence, the flickering will-o’-the-wisp grew weaker.

Just then, Gong Lianyue slowly spoke.

“I was attacked on the Ice Plains by an assassin claiming to be from Bai He’s side.”

Hearing the blue-haired girl’s cold voice, the black will-o’-the-wisp flickered violently and quickly responded, “It wasn’t one of ours!”

“Can you describe her appearance? Perhaps we can identify her.”

“She looked like a slut.”

“Eh?”

“Don’t worry, I know it wasn’t one of yours. After all, Bai He is pathologically pure. She would be disgusted by the mere sight of anyone who isn’t a virgin.”

Gong Lianyue maintained a calm expression, secretly amused.

The flickering will-o’-the-wisp seemed confused, relieved yet slightly embarrassed.

Wasn’t this implying that everyone around Bai He, including itself, was a virgin?

“We’ll investigate this as soon as possible.”

With those final words, the black will-o’-the-wisp slowly dissipated like an extinguished flame.

The woman in white, who had just left the Saintess’s palace, stopped abruptly, a dark flame flickering in her hand.

She blushed slightly, then extinguished the flame and quickly walked away.

---

In the dark room, Gong Lianyue slowly exhaled, her anxiety easing.

Why bother talking so much? She couldn’t defeat any of the Saintess Candidates anyway…

They all possessed high-rank offensive spirit beasts, and some had even broken through to Level 2 Spirit Master. She was no match for them!

“Whatever, I should focus on cultivating.”

Gong Lianyue sighed and sat on her bed, closing her eyes to meditate.

This time, with the Cloud Dream Flower’s talent boost, she felt that she could quickly break through to the Spirit Master realm.

Becoming a formal Spirit Master would allow her to communicate more closely with her spirit beasts.

As the blue-haired girl calmed her mind, the surrounding spirit energy converged like a whirlpool, flowing into her body.

Crystal-clear, water-attribute spirit energy, purer than water, gathered around Gong Lianyue’s soul core, pouring down like a waterfall, gradually filling it.

So fast, so comfortable…!!!

Gong Lianyue had never realized cultivation could be so pleasant. It was three or four times more effective than before, the circulating spirit energy flowing smoothly and continuously.

Before this, her spirit energy flow would be interrupted every few minutes, a frustrating and uncomfortable experience.

Cloud Dream Flower, I love you to death!!

The water-attribute spirit energy in the room was quickly depleted, and the spirit energy from the courtyard began to converge, drawn into the girl’s soul core.

Perhaps due to her shattered spirit, the core seemed stronger and more durable, capable of storing more spirit energy.

Bang!

With a crisp sound, the previously dim soul core seemed to activate, bursting with a brilliant azure light.

Gong Lianyue felt a refreshing coolness wash over her body. The spirit crystal within her turned a deep, icy blue, radiating a chilling aura.

Breakthrough successful! She had become a Water Spirit Master!

Her previous state was called the awakening period, the stage where the spirit crystal hadn’t yet emitted light, and she could only issue simple commands to her spirit beast.

By crossing this stage and becoming a Spirit Master, she could formally control her spirit beast, their bond deepening significantly.

At this moment, several lines of illusory text appeared in Gong Lianyue’s mind.

[Low-rank Level 1: Water Element]
[Bloodline Talent: None]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: O]

[High-rank Level 1: Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]
[Bloodline Talent: Cultivation Amplification]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: OOO]

This wasn’t some kind of system, but an awareness automatically formed in a Spirit Master’s mind, expressed in human language.

Silent for a moment, Gong Lianyue could barely contain her excitement.

As expected of a high-rank spirit beast, the little fox had an innate talent for cultivation, boosting her from ordinary aptitude to a minor genius.

This way, she could quickly catch up to the other Saintess Candidates!!

Moreover, after becoming a Spirit Master, her spirit beast could begin learning battle techniques.

Even among the same species and rank, a spirit beast’s combat effectiveness could vary drastically based on battle experience, the quality and proficiency of their battle techniques, and the assistance and commands of their Spirit Master.

They could learn techniques unrelated to their own attributes, or even useless acrobatic techniques, though only a fool would do so.

Beside the Water Element’s battle techniques, there was only one circle, but beside the Cloud Dream Flower’s information, there were three OOOs.

This meant that all the technique slots were currently empty, but the Cloud Dream Flower had two more slots than the Water Element. This was the inherent advantage of a high-rank spirit beast.

Chapter 12: The Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower

“Look at her! She’s so ugly, so disgusting! I’m going to throw up~~”

“Ugly freak, go away!!!”

“How can such a disgusting fox exist in this world?”

A torrent of blurry images and sounds flooded into the depths of her memory, allowing her to empathize with the immense sorrow and pain.

After forming the contract with the little fox, Gong Lianyue received a large portion of its life experiences.

For some reason, the little fox was regarded by other foxes as something akin to a pariah, dirty and ugly, its mere appearance causing physical revulsion.

It was lonely and bullied, never receiving a kind look from another fox.

Despite this, it persistently mingled with various fox tribes, all for the sake of finding a beautiful, pure white fox maiden to marry.

What kind of species was it?

Was it a flower, or a fox?

As the memories flowed, a warm scene gradually emerged in her mind.

A paradise, with clear springs and streams, flowers blooming everywhere.

A woman, as beautiful as a celestial being, so breathtaking that all other women paled in comparison.

Despite her human form, a delicate flower bloomed on her head, clearly indicating her flower-species origin.

The flower woman held a small pink flower, the “little fox,” in her arms, lying contentedly on the back of a large, white fox.

A warm family of three…

Unknown, unknown.

Gong Lianyue couldn’t identify the species of the flower woman or the fox. She had never seen them in the Spirit Beast Compendium.

The only information she gained was that the little fox was a flower-fox hybrid…

No wonder she couldn’t identify its species. Hybrids were very rare, the product of a union between lovers that overcame reproductive barriers, unique existences in the world.

Due to their special nature, hybrids weren’t usually included in the Spirit Beast Compendium.

Born a flower, yet yearning for the beautiful and elegant fox species, could it be that it wanted to inherit the legacy of one of its parents, the… fox-flower…?

This time, the other way around, a flower-fox?

As the absorbed memories faded, the little fox’s aura within her soul began to fluctuate intensely. It seemed like it was about to awaken.

The resonance deep within her bloodline caused Gong Lianyue’s spirit energy to surge chaotically. Although this was a dangerous state, she was surprised to find that her soul was gradually becoming stronger and more resilient.

Eh? Eh? Eh? What’s going on? Could it be that the little fox’s cultivation talent was actually very good, thus boosting her master’s talent?

The capacity of one’s soul represented a Spirit Master’s aptitude. The more resilient it was, the faster the spirit energy circulated, and the stronger the cultivation talent.

Compared to offensive spirit beasts used for combat, support and functional spirit beasts were rarer. Had she… stumbled upon a treasure?!

A stream of information, comprehensible only between a Spirit Master and their spirit beast, flowed into her bloodstream along with the resonance. Gong Lianyue naturally understood the little fox’s species and rank.

She was stunned, then overjoyed.

If the unknown data in her mind were to be expressed in human language:

[High-rank Level 1 Spirit Beast: Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]

Ahhhhhhh!!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑ Ha↑!!!!

If the three-tailed Snow Fox wasn’t watching, Gong Lianyue would have screamed. All of the above were her imagined reactions.

A high-rank spirit beast! A high-rank spirit beast!

Who would have thought that this weak, pitiful little fox, despised by all other foxes, would be a high-rank spirit beast?

Her companion spirit beast, the Water Element, was only low-rank. But the little fox—no, now the Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower, a rather nice name~~~ was a high-rank spirit beast. This was a tremendous leap.

The sudden surprise stunned Gong Lianyue, then filled her with ecstasy.

[Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]

“Pew!”

A wisp of ethereal mist erupted, and a beautiful little fox with gradient pink and blue fur nestled against Gong Lianyue’s shoulder, curling up obediently.

The Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower, even after rebirth, still appeared in the form of a fox. It seemed it truly yearned to be a fox.

Although its true form was a flower, it could adjust the color of its mist to transform into any fox, as if it were an instinct encoded in its genes.

It could mimic not only the appearance but also the aura, even scaring a mid-rank Black Mud Whale to death.

Of course, it couldn’t casually transform into a Saint-rank spirit beast anymore, lest it die from spirit energy exhaustion.

“Um, Saintess, may I ask, what exactly is it? I promise to keep it a secret.”

The three-tailed Snow Fox approached curiously, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

Ever since she had made eye contact with the instantly revived Gong Lianyue, she had become tense, losing her usual Snow Fox arrogance.

“It’s just an ordinary plant-type that can transform. It takes the form of a fox because it admires the fox species. There’s no need to mention the specific variety, right?”

“Of course!” The three-tailed Snow Fox nodded immediately, a hint of doubt in her eyes.

A plant-type spirit beast that could transform?

If that was all, why did she feel such a visceral aversion to it?

Ah, what a pity. The Saintess’s talent was wasted—

“Then I’ll go back to rest now. This is the fee for the treatment.”

Handing a bag of spirit crystals to the three-tailed Snow Fox, Gong Lianyue left the Snow Fox nest with the Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower.

The night was deep, the moon bright.

The blue-haired girl walked alone across the snowy Ice Plains, a cute pink and blue fox perched on her shoulder.

Gong Lianyue couldn’t wait to return to cultivate. She had a feeling that with the Cloud Dream Flower’s talent boost, she would soon become a formal Spirit Master.

A Spirit Master’s talent determined the upper limit of their spirit beast, while a high-ranking spirit beast could enhance the Spirit Master’s potential, creating a complementary effect.

“By the way, what should I call you? Cloud Dream Flower?”

The little fox quickly shook its head, looking reluctant.

“Ah, right. You prefer foxes to flowers—”

“Then I’ll call you Little Fox.”

“Chirp!”

Their voices gradually faded, their figures disappearing into the distance.

Meanwhile, bathed in the moonlight, the failed assassin lay foaming at the mouth, her body convulsing uncontrollably. It seemed she wouldn’t be recovering anytime soon~~~