Category: The Saintess Has A Showdown

Chapter 11: The Second Spirit Beast

“I sensed the aura of a Fox Sovereign?!”

The moon was bright, the twilight deep.

The three-tailed Snow Fox stood in the cold, snowy landscape, gazing dejectedly towards the distant Ice Plains.

That aura had disappeared too quickly. In the time it took her to get dressed and rush out of the nest, it had vanished without a trace.

It hadn’t lingered in the Sea Concubine Palace territory. It seemed to have just been passing through. What a pity…

If only that being had noticed her beauty…

Fantasizing about a fairytale romance between a prince and a princess, the three-tailed Snow Fox blushed slightly.

Although she was considered a matron by fox standards, she still possessed ample curves. A night of passion wasn’t out of the question~~

The several young Snow Foxes behind her exchanged puzzled glances. Their leader had been standing there for hours, fidgeting and acting like she was in heat. Could it be menopause?

“Leader, the treatment for the little flower is finished,” a young Snow Fox suddenly rushed out of the cave, panting and anxious.

“Oh? Is it cured?” Hearing the commotion, the three-tailed Snow Fox snapped out of her daydream.

“No, it’s beyond saving!!”

“…”

---

Inside the Snow Fox cave, a withered pink flower lay on a cold rock, its petals drooping limply, its life force rapidly fading.

The blue-haired girl sitting beside it wore a sorrowful expression, the six teardrops on her cheeks shimmering as tears glistened in her eyes.

However, it wasn’t so much that she was crying, as that this was simply her default expression, the one she had worn since birth…

“Honestly, I don’t know what kind of battle technique that little thing used, but it expended hundreds of times its own spirit energy. It’s beyond saving.”

“Even if we emptied our entire Snow Fox treasury, we wouldn’t be able to replenish that lost energy.”

The three-tailed Snow Fox shook her head helplessly. It was the Saintess’s request after all, and they had tried their best to treat it.

Of course, the Saintess would be footing the bill.

However, the rate of energy absorption was far slower than the rate of loss. They had exhausted all their resources and were at their wit’s end.

At this terrifying rate of consumption, it would die from spirit energy depletion within minutes.

Looking at the lifeless flower, Gong Lianyue lowered her gaze, her lips moving slightly as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

As the Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace, a symbol of aloof indifference, she knew she had to maintain her composure.

If the Saintess lost her composure, she would quickly fall from grace, becoming just another ordinary person. But…

The little fox had stepped up to protect her. If she did nothing and simply watched it die…

After a moment of hesitation, Gong Lianyue turned to the three-tailed Snow Fox and whispered softly,

“Actually… there’s one last method, isn’t there?”

The three-tailed Snow Fox froze, then looked at her in shock, realizing what Gong Lianyue was implying.

“But you’re the Saintess…!!”

Many high-ranking, proud lone spirit beasts, when faced with the fear of death, would abandon their dignity and sign a contract with the human Spirit Masters they once looked down upon, thus extending their lifespan.

Once they became a Spirit Master’s companion, even if they were defeated and died in battle, they would be reborn in the spirit space.

As long as the Spirit Master could withstand the trauma of a shattered spirit—

Gong Lianyue meant to form a blood pact with the little flower before it died, making it her second spirit beast, so that it could be revived after death.

The three-tailed Snow Fox was completely dumbfounded. She couldn’t comprehend it. Presumably, most humans couldn’t either.

As the Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace, with a legendary Variant Water Emperor as her companion spirit beast and such a bright future, she would suffer the blow of a shattered spirit for this thing?

That assassin, whose spirit had shattered from the death of her spirit beast, was currently lying unconscious in the snow, foaming at the mouth. She had witnessed it with her own eyes.

This was an act that would severely impact one’s talent and aptitude!!

“I’ll leave the aftercare to you. I’ll pay you when I wake up.”

“T-This, this, this!!!”

Looking at the blue-haired girl, who had cut her finger and was preparing for the contract, the three-tailed Snow Fox felt incredibly regretful.

There were so many talented Snow Fox maidens here for her to choose from. If nothing else, she herself, a still-attractive matron…

Although the little flower was withered, a sliver of consciousness remained. As the girl’s icy blood flowed into its stamen, it readily opened its soul’s defenses.

The blood pact was a strange and sacred sensation. Gong Lianyue felt her spirit space expand as if filled with a strange energy.

“It’s kind of like the awakening ceremony, when the Water Element was born…”

After two years, Gong Lianyue had a second spirit beast.

Just as she was immersed in this wondrous sensation, the little flower’s life force completely dissipated.

Suddenly, a booming sound echoed in her mind, and Gong Lianyue’s spirit shattered like a broken mirror. Her vision went black, and she lost consciousness.

---

In a dark, empty space, the blue-haired girl looked around at the floating fragments of her soul with a strange expression.

The swirling fragments were ice-blue, indicating a strong affinity with water-attribute spirit beasts.

Gong Lianyue stared at the scattered fragments for a moment, then suddenly turned her head towards a complete, undamaged soul core.

What’s going on? Why did she have two soul cores?

The death of her second spirit beast, the little flower, had shattered one of her soul cores, but the other remained intact. This was why she still retained consciousness.

Without time to think, Gong Lianyue used her will to quickly reassemble the fragments, forming a complete diamond shape.

The longer she, who wasn’t even a Spirit Master, remained in the spirit space, the more dangerous it was. She had to recover quickly.

---

Seeing the unconscious blue-haired girl about to fall forward, the three-tailed Snow Fox froze for a moment, then quickly reached out a paw to support her.

Things had happened too quickly. She hadn’t been able to stop it. She just hoped the Sea Concubine Palace wouldn’t blame her…

However, the next second, Gong Lianyue abruptly steadied herself.

Her ice-blue, teardrop eyes slowly opened, a hint of unnoticed confusion hidden within her indifferent expression. The blue-haired girl’s gaze met the three-tailed Snow Fox’s, whose outstretched paw froze in midair.

The fox’s characteristic heart-shaped pupils constricted, its fur standing on end. She felt an inexplicable fear towards this girl who wasn’t even a Spirit Master.

Recovering from a shattered spirit in less than a second? This was unheard of!

So this is the Sorrowful Saintess? How terrifying…

 

Chapter 10: The Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox

With a bang, the pink mist exploded like gunpowder, a deafening roar echoing through the air.

In an instant, the expanding dust spread across the vast Ice Plains, engulfing everything in sight, as if transporting them to a fairyland.

The little fox’s small, delicate body rapidly expanded at a visible rate, vibrant colors converging upon it as if crowning a monarch, sacred and noble.

Such a terrifying aura, such a colossal figure! Gazing at the beastly silhouette vaguely appearing in the mist, the cloaked woman unconsciously held her breath.

“Boom!!!!!”

The next second, a violent surge of energy swept across the Ice Plains, a deafening roar almost shattering their eardrums.

A chill ran down their spines, their scalps tingling. A terrifyingly large figure slowly emerged from the mist.

At this moment, both Gong Lianyue and the cloaked woman froze, their gazes fixated on the same spot. T-This is…!!

The Black Mud Whale stopped thinking. It stared blankly at the colossal beast above, its motionless form appearing strangely docile.

Whoosh~~~~

A fox-type spirit beast as large as a small mountain, its body incredibly elegant and powerful, its fur a rich, yellowish-tan. A strange, fluorescent scarf was wrapped around it.

No, rather than wrapped, the scarf seemed to be floating around it…

Faint starlight emanated from the scarf, like a starry sky, swirling around the giant fox like a revolving moon, enveloping its seven massive tails in a delicate, petal-like formation.

Terrifying yet beautiful, ferocious yet elegant.

Magnificent, dreamlike.

The Black Mud Whale was Level 2, while the little fox was only Level 1. But at this moment, both being biological spirit beasts, the fox’s size was more than ten times larger than the whale’s. This was completely unreasonable.

Low-rank, mid-rank, high-rank, with Level 5 being the limit, the pinnacle for ordinary spirit beasts.

Beyond this stage were entirely new, perfect beings. Both the legendary Variant Water Emperor and this fox belonged to this class.

Memorizing the Spirit Beast Compendium was a required foundation for every Spirit Master. No one could possibly forget the shock they felt when they first saw this creature in the compendium.

A Saint-rank spirit beast – the Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox.

“So, this is the little fox’s true identity…?” Gong Lianyue lowered her gaze, her feelings slightly complicated.

Now, not only the Snow Foxes, but even she herself couldn’t hope to reach this level.

The shimmering starlight radiating from its body made the air feel heavy. The hundred-meter-tall fox lowered its head slightly, circled the Black Mud Whale, and then stepped over it without any reaction.

The originally terrifying and massive Black Mud Whale only reached the Moonquake Fox’s ankle, like an insignificant ant.

“Run! Run! Get me out of here!!!”

Seeing the giant fox approaching, the cloaked woman’s resolve to fight to the death completely crumbled. Her frantic internal screams were to no avail.

Her spirit beast, the Black Mud Whale, stood frozen as if petrified.

The difference between a mid-rank spirit beast and a Saint-rank spirit beast wasn’t just combat power. Their innate life levels were on different planes.

“Pfft—”

A few seconds later, the cloaked woman’s head felt like it had been struck by a hammer. Her vision blurred, and blood began to trickle from her orifices.

She wiped the blood from her face in a daze, smearing it everywhere, making her look even more ghastly.

“Is this… backlash?”

Gong Lianyue gasped, covering her mouth in astonishment as she stared at the Black Mud Whale.

Backlash was the result of a spirit beast’s death, causing the Spirit Master’s spirit to shatter. It would take months to recover. Even if the spirit beast could be revived infinitely, it would still be a devastating blow to the Spirit Master. Therefore, no Spirit Master would easily abandon their spirit beast.

Since the cloaked woman was in this state, it meant that… the Black Mud Whale was dead…?

The Black Mud Whale stood motionless like a statue, its faint aura barely perceptible. It had been literally scared to death by the aura of the Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox.

Covered in blood, the cloaked woman glared ferociously at the sorrowful blue-haired girl.

“Why? Why is this happening? It’s not a Variant Water Emperor, but a Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox. It makes no difference! I’m still going to die!!”

“The Sorrowful Saintess, Gong Lianyue… No one can defeat this woman!!!!!”

“Pwah!!”

After holding on for a few seconds, she couldn’t take it anymore. She collapsed to her knees and vomited violently, a mixture of blood, feces, and urine, a truly disgusting and terrifying sight.

Her face, contorted in fear and despair, became incredibly ugly.

This is a true Saint-rank spirit beast…

Its aura alone could scare a mid-rank spirit beast to death and drive a Level 2 Spirit Master to the brink of collapse.

At this moment, Gong Lianyue finally understood why everyone in the Sea Concubine Palace was so respectful and cautious towards her.

Even though she had ordinary talent and her companion spirit beast was a Water Element, no one dared to test her.

What if her Water Element really was a Variant Water Emperor in disguise—

Poof!

Just as Gong Lianyue was lost in thought, the powerful Moonquake Fox suddenly erupted in a cloud of mist, its massive body shrinking rapidly like a deflating balloon.

Eh? What’s going on?

Shrinking drastically, the weak and pitiful little fox collapsed on the ground, twitching. Finally, in a flash of light, it transformed into a small, pink flower bud.

Glancing at the unconscious cloaked woman, Gong Lianyue’s anxiety eased slightly. She quickly ran to where the little fox had fallen.

Suddenly, her ice-blue eyes narrowed. Gong Lianyue stared incredulously at the pink flower bud in her hands.

“Wait, t-this is…?”

An immutable truth about camouflage-type spirit beasts was that they would revert to their original form when unconscious. This meant that—

No wonder…

No wonder when they first met on the Ice Plains, even when she had pulled out the flower that the little fox had transformed into, its disguise hadn’t been broken.

No wonder the Snow Foxes had said those things. It wasn’t a Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox at all. It wasn’t even a fox.

The little fox’s true form… was this flower?!

Gong Lianyue believed she had memorized the Spirit Beast Compendium thoroughly, but she couldn’t identify this flower’s species or name. She didn’t even have the slightest impression of such an ability.

Even if it could transform into a Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox, how could it perfectly mimic its aura and pressure?

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Gong Lianyue anxiously held the small flower. For some reason, its aura was weakening. Was it suffering from spirit energy exhaustion?

It had only transformed for about half a minute. How could it have consumed so much spirit energy…?

Gong Lianyue pulled out several general-purpose nutrient potions for spirit beasts from her skirt and dripped them all near the flower’s delicate stamen.

After absorbing some nutrients, the flower’s aura revived slightly, but it quickly depleted again, on the verge of withering.

She hadn’t brought any higher-grade potions with her. Gong Lianyue made a swift decision.

“There’s no other way. I have to ask the Snow Foxes for help!!”

[Water Element]

A swirling vortex of water slowly materialized. The emotionless Water Element enveloped the blue-haired girl and sped towards the Ice Plains.

Fortunately, the Black Mud Whale had chased them at such high speed that they hadn’t traveled very far. Soon, the snowy mound of the cave came into view.

Gong Lianyue left with the little flower, while the cloaked woman lay half-dead in a pool of blood, her body convulsing violently.

Chapter 9: The Sorrowful Saintess

Across the vast, white snowfield, a massive wave surged beneath the surface, creating a terrifying tremor. The hard ground was split into two straight arcs as the wave, like a bulldozer, plowed through everything in its path, shattering any obstacles.

Despite its intimidating appearance, the Level 2 Black Mud Whale didn’t rely on biting force to travel underground, but rather on its innate ability to soften the earth into mud. Otherwise, it would be truly terrifying…

Feeling the ferocious power approaching from behind, a drop of cold sweat trickled down the blue-haired girl’s cheek as she was carried away by the Water Element.

This person was clearly targeting her, relentlessly pursuing her. How dare they attack the Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace? Weren’t they afraid of their entire family being implicated?

What? They’re an orphan? Oh, never mind then.

Sadly, a Level 1 Water Element couldn’t possibly defeat a Black Mud Whale. It was like a stream of water from a faucet trying to stop a speeding truck. They weren’t even on the same level.

“What should I do…?” Gong Lianyue looked around anxiously. As far as the eye could see, there was only the flat, white snowfield, not even a place to hide. At this rate, wouldn’t she surely die?

What kind of script was this? The dignified Saintess dying here?

She had seen many examples in novels of geniuses dying young before achieving their potential, but she hadn’t expected it to happen to her. This was too unfortunate!

Although Gong Lianyue knew she wasn’t a genius, she was about to clear the first level of the Soul Prison Trial after four years. Wouldn’t it be a waste to die at this juncture?!

————
“Hm?”

The Black Mud Whale was furiously burrowing underground, about to catch up to its target when the Water Element suddenly stopped. The blue-haired girl slowly turned around, the beautiful face formed by six teardrop beauty marks staring at them coldly.

Whoosh!!! The Black Mud Whale skidded in a long arc, narrowly avoiding a collision at the last moment, flipping over the earth to the side, sending rubble flying and snow scattering.

Remaining motionless for more than ten seconds, the Black Mud Whale slowly surfaced. The cloaked woman emerged cautiously from its mouth, looking around the deserted snowfield and sighing.

So this was the battlefield the Saintess had chosen?

Although the Saintess was still in her awakening period, not even a formal Spirit Master, while she herself was already a Level 2 Spirit Master… she couldn’t imagine a scenario where she would win. How despairing! She had come to assassinate the Saintess, yet she already knew she was doomed.

But for that person, she had to do this.

“Whose subordinate are you? Bai He’s, Hong Tao’s, or another Saintess Candidate’s?” Gong Lianyue asked coldly.

After a few seconds of silence, the cloaked woman slowly removed her hood, revealing a somewhat attractive, unfamiliar face. A wickedly arrogant smirk appeared on her lips. “I… I’m Saintess Candidate Bai He’s subordinate. For years, you’ve acted arrogantly, relying on your status as Saintess. Today, you will not leave this place alive! Hahahahaha!!!”

“Wait, what proof do you have that you’re Bai He’s subordinate?”

“Eh?”

The cloaked woman, standing beneath the Black Mud Whale, stopped laughing abruptly and blinked in confusion. Proof? Did that even need to be proven?

momentarily stunned by the unexpected question, but the dangerous situation remained unchanged. Gong Lianyue clenched her fists, maintaining her cold and indifferent expression. The little fox trembled on her shoulder, clearly terrified.

“If I’m defeated, is your master guaranteed to defeat the other Saintess Candidates?” Tears welled up in Gong Lianyue’s eyes, the six beauty marks shimmering as an uncontrollable look of pity appeared on her face, as if she were weeping for the woman’s tragic fate.

This is it…

The cloaked woman’s heart skipped a beat, a chill running down her spine. Goosebumps rose on her skin. This expression!

This terrifying, compassionate expression, as if she regarded everything in the world as playthings. This was why everyone in the Sea Concubine Palace called her by that name.

—The Sorrowful Saintess, Gong Lianyue.

The moment she saw that expression, the cloaked woman recoiled in fear, a flicker of hesitation in her heart as she imagined her own gruesome demise.

She quickly shook her head to dispel the fear. Things had gone too far. There was no turning back…

“That’s none of your concern. Black Mud Whale, kill her!!”

“Ooo!!” With the cloaked woman’s command, the Black Mud Whale charged ferociously, its massive, truck-like body plowing through the ground.

“It’s over…” Gong Lianyue’s face was filled with sorrow. Her taunts hadn’t worked. The woman was clearly determined to fight to the death, while she herself hadn’t prepared for a real battle at all.

[Water Armor Technique] With the enemy spirit beast closing in, Gong Lianyue clasped her hands together in a pious Saintess’s prayer pose. Water-blue spirit energy enveloped the Water Element’s small, frail form in a layer of water armor.

Boom!!!!

The next second, the Black Mud Whale’s massive body slammed into the Water Element, the terrifying wave scattering the surrounding water, the Water Armor Technique shattering and disappearing without offering any defense whatsoever.

The Water Element was sent flying, water spraying everywhere. A crack appeared on the core at its center. It was badly battered, clearly having suffered a heavy blow.

This was to be expected. It was already difficult for a Level 1 spirit beast to fight a Level 2 one, let alone a Black Mud Whale, a mid-rank creature whose talent and growth potential far surpassed that of a low-rank Water Element.

Unless she truly had a Variant Water Emperor, she wouldn’t survive today.

Gong Lianyue stood motionless, her expression showing no panic or surprise, but her fingernails dug deep into her palms. Like a prisoner about to be executed, her heart was filled with torment and helplessness.

The Black Mud Whale, having landed a heavy blow, also stopped. The cloaked woman glared angrily at Gong Lianyue. This… this woman actually… treated her like a toy…

She… she… she had actually used her as practice for her spirit techniques. Unforgivable!!!

If she had that legendary spirit beast, why didn’t she just finish her off and put her out of her misery?

“Black Mud Whale!”

Sensing the cloaked woman’s fury, the Black Mud Whale roared and burrowed into the ground, charging towards the blue-haired girl herself, ignoring the battered Water Element that was on the verge of collapse.

“Ah, facing death, at least let me die with dignity.”

Facing the ferocious Black Mud Whale, Gong Lianyue closed her eyes. This was probably retribution for a lifetime of acting high and mighty. If she had admitted her incompetence earlier, she wouldn’t have been pushed into the spotlight and faced such a crisis.

And having grown accustomed to this facade, she couldn’t even muster a fearful expression. Is this the Sorrowful Saintess? How laughable…

“Ooo——!!!” Just as the Black Mud Whale was about to bite down, the cloaked woman’s shocked expression, the Water Element’s glowing, cracking core, Gong Lianyue’s beautiful, expressionless face, the swirling snow on the Ice Plains—everything froze as if time had stopped.

Bang!

A massive cloud of pink mist erupted from the little fox, a fierce wind quickly sweeping across the entire Ice Plains, engulfing everything in sight.

Then, a terrifyingly large figure slowly emerged from the dreamlike pollen.

Chapter 8: Gong Lianyue’s Escape Route

“Look at her ugly ass! She should go home and look in the mirror!”

“Hahaha, does she really think she’s one of us?”

“A toad lusting after a swan!!”

The chattering mockery of the Snow Fox girls echoed through the cave like a demonic chant, causing the little fox to hang its head, its face flushed crimson as it covered its face in shame.

Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Don’t bully the young and poor. The classic saying popped into Gong Lianyue’s mind. She hadn’t expected such a classic trope to appear in the story of a fox.

Of course, the little fox’s pitiful and aggrieved appearance was also quite endearing. She couldn’t bring herself to laugh at it.

“So, Saintess, do you have any other business here?”

“If you wish to form a contract with a Snow Fox—normally it’s not allowed, but considering your status as Saintess, we can make an exception and offer you the most outstanding female of this generation.”

“Eh…?” Gong Lianyue was slightly taken aback.

Although the little fox’s courtship had ended in tragedy, she hadn’t expected to achieve her original goal so easily.

The proud and beautiful Snow Foxes were offering themselves up just like that?

And the most outstanding one at that, meaning she had the potential to evolve into a high-rank spirit beast?

Could she actually possess a high-rank spirit beast?

“I… I don’t have such intentions.” Looking at the dejected little fox, Gong Lianyue hesitated for a moment before declining, her expression remaining cold and indifferent.

She just felt that if she agreed here, the little fox would be even more heartbroken. Moreover, the haughty behavior of those Snow Fox bitches also irritated her.

Although she felt a twinge of regret, she didn’t change her mind.

“Oh, then please return.” The three-tailed Snow Fox drooped its tail listlessly and walked back to a nearby ice cave.

With the passing of the first Palace Master of the Sea Concubine Palace, the Snow Foxes’ status on the Ice Plains had gradually declined, far from their former glory. Relying solely on past bonds and relationships wouldn’t last much longer.

It was rumored that the current Saintess was extremely powerful. That was why the Snow Fox had lowered itself to offer a contract, hoping to restore its former glory. It hadn’t expected to be rejected. The Snow Foxes’ pride had suffered a heavy blow.

Following the three-tailed Snow Fox’s departure, the other Snow Fox maidens, after pointing and gossiping about the little fox for a bit, also returned to their nests, leaving Gong Lianyue and the little fox alone in the vast ice cave.

“Chirp…” Gently held in Gong Lianyue’s arms, the little fox drooped its ears and tail listlessly. However, as it glanced furtively at the blue-haired girl, a hint of gratitude and glistening tears appeared in its heart-shaped eyes.

Carrying the little fox out of the Snow Fox nest, Gong Lianyue was curious about the Snow Foxes’ attitude towards it. What kind of fox was it that could elicit such disdain and mockery from the Snow Foxes? Was it truly, as she had initially described, a poor, lowly, smelly fox…?

“I’m going back now. You should also give up on your dreams and return to where you belong.” After walking for a while, Gong Lianyue gently placed the little fox on the snow and patted its head. Since she had even given up on the Snow Foxes’ offer, she naturally wouldn’t consider the small amount of money she could get from selling the little fox.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp!” The little fox nodded obediently, preparing to return the way it had come. However, as it looked towards the distant Ice Plains, its heart-shaped pupils suddenly constricted.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp!” The little fox ran back, biting and tugging at the blue-haired girl’s skirt, pointing anxiously towards the distance.

Gong Lianyue looked over, puzzled. Several hundred meters away, the icy ground was cracking and shattering, snow flying and scattering as if some giant creature was speeding beneath the surface, heading straight towards them.

Such a powerful aura! She could feel the ground tremble even from several hundred meters away. But the spirit beasts in this area of the Ice Plains wouldn’t attack humans. Their ancestors had all signed contracts with the higher-ups of the Sea Concubine Palace. It should just be passing through…

Gong Lianyue, carrying the clueless little fox, retreated a few steps, deliberately avoiding the unknown beast’s path.

However, just as the cracks reached the blue-haired girl’s vicinity, they abruptly stopped.

Staring at the fractured ground beneath her feet, Gong Lianyue’s ice-blue, teardrop eyes widened.

Boom!

The next second, a deafening roar erupted, and the snow exploded.

A violent, dark figure burst from the ground, swallowing the spot where the girl had been standing. Its terrifying fangs bit into the hard ground as if it were tofu, ice and gravel shattering instantly.

Gong Lianyue, holding the little fox, rolled across the ice several times. At the very last moment, she was blasted away by the Water Element’s water cannon, her entire body soaked, looking utterly disheveled.

The Water Element, standing its ground, was left with only half its body. Fortunately, the core in its chest was undamaged, and the missing water was slowly replenishing.

Gong Lianyue looked up, shaken and incredulous.

“Ooo!!!”

A massive, pitch-black beast leaped dozens of meters into the air, its smooth whale fins flapping as it circled before slowly descending, preparing to bite down towards the Water Element again.

“A mid-rank Black Mud Whale!!!”

Gong Lianyue’s expression turned grave. Judging by its size of more than ten meters, this Black Mud Whale should have reached Level 2, far stronger than her Level 1 Water Element. Even ten Water Elements combined wouldn’t be a match for it.

But Black Mud Whales weren’t native to the Ice Plains. This shouldn’t be a wild spirit beast, but someone’s companion…

She looked in the direction the Black Mud Whale had come from and spotted a cloaked figure approaching in the distance. So it was a targeted attack?

Boom!

Just as the Black Mud Whale descended to swallow the Water Element whole, the Water Element disintegrated on its own, spraying its core more than ten meters away, landing near the blue-haired girl.

Then, a few swirling streams of water enveloped Gong Lianyue and began to flee, the practiced movements so smooth that the Black Mud Whale didn’t even have time to react.

Spirit beasts couldn’t stray too far from their masters. As long as she escaped a certain distance from that cloaked person, she would be safe. This was her escape route!

Despite facing such a terrifying attack, Gong Lianyue wasn’t particularly panicked, but rather incredibly calm. Perhaps it was all the years of being praised and touted that had made her believe her own hype.

Jolted by the rushing water, the little fox, pressed against Gong Lianyue’s flat chest, felt its gums almost bleed from the pressure.

As she expected, the Black Mud Whale only chased underground for a few seconds before stopping and turning back towards the cloaked figure.

“Strange, why is she running?” A puzzled female voice came from beneath the black cloak.

“If it really were that legendary Variant Water Emperor, even at Level 1, the Black Mud Whale would be too terrified to move.”

“Could it be she’s trying to lure me to a deserted place to kill me? To hide her true strength?”

The cloaked figure glanced at the nearby Snow Fox nest, a thoughtful expression on her face.

No matter what, attacking the Saintess was a one-way ticket to death. She had already prepared herself for this.

“Chase her.”

“Ooo!” The Black Mud Whale opened its massive jaws, swallowed the cloaked woman whole, and then dived into the ground, rapidly pursuing the blue-haired girl.

Chapter 7: Trash-Tier Betrothal-Breaking Novel

Sea Concubine Palace – Saintess’s Quarters. Before the dreamlike, ice-blue palace, as beautiful as a sculpture, the woman in the white uniform robe continued to wait patiently.

By now, three days had passed since she arrived.

Eyes closed, head bowed, the woman in white swayed continuously, her head occasionally jerking downwards before she abruptly woke up, looking around nonchalantly as if nothing had happened. She was clearly exhausted.

Seeing this, the two maids in charge of cleaning couldn’t help but chuckle. Everyone knew that the Saintess cultivated on the Ice Plains for 25 hours a day. It was impossible for this woman to wait for her.

Furthermore, the status of a Saintess and the servant of a Saintess Candidate were worlds apart. Even if Gong Lianyue returned, she wouldn’t pay any attention to her request.

While the two maids were gossiping about the woman in white, they didn’t notice the slight upturn of her lips, the cunning glint in her eyes.
——————
——————
Ice Plains

Heavy snow fell, the chill biting deep, the view obscured by endless ice flowers, making it impossible to distinguish day from night.

At this moment, in this boundless expanse of ice and snow, a woman with flowing ice-blue hair walked barefoot, her expression calm, as if she couldn’t feel the cold at all. Perched on her shoulder was a beautiful pink fox.

They had met a few days ago. Gong Lianyue didn’t know what kind of strange creature it was. It could transform into any kind of fox at will. Thinking of the fox species’ natural talent for charm and transformation, Gong Lianyue became even more confused, unable to determine its specific breed.

It seemed that it could only transform into foxes…

“Chirp~~” The little fox yawned languidly, its contented expression infuriating Gong Lianyue, who almost kicked it off her shoulder and gave it a beating.

“We’re almost at the Snow Fox territory. Don’t forget what you promised me.” She reached back and pinched the little fox’s pink ears, threateningly. The little fox yelped and kicked in protest.

After careful consideration and multiple negotiations, Gong Lianyue had finally agreed to the little fox’s request and brought it to the Snow Fox territory.

Truth be told, although she had been bullying the little creature along the way, she couldn’t deny that its transformed, delicate appearance had a powerful allure for most females. Even she couldn’t help but glance at it repeatedly. Perhaps charming a Snow Fox beauty would be a piece of cake.

The Snow Fox tribe was among the elite of the mid-rank spirit beast species, exceptionally talented. Occasionally, a high-rank Ice Plains Snow Fox would even be born, beautiful and noble. There wasn’t an apprentice in the Sea Concubine Palace who didn’t want to form a contract with a Snow Fox, and the Saintess was no exception.

Like a side quest in a game, Gong Lianyue planned to offer this little fox to the Snow Fox tribe as a gift. In return, she could choose an exceptionally talented little Snow Fox.

Trading a useless, transforming fox for a powerful Snow Fox, wasn’t that a perfect plan? Gong Lianyue couldn’t help but praise her own ingenuity.

A few minutes later, an icy cave with a collapsed snow-covered entrance appeared in their sight. A sign nearby was carved with the characters [Snow Fox Territory] in a flamboyant, yet crooked, abstract style. It was clearly not written by a human hand, but rather as if a little fox had held a brush in its paws and painstakingly carved each stroke.

Looking at the bottomless icy cave, Gong Lianyue, unafraid, jumped in.

Sea Concubine Palace apprentices couldn’t attack Snow Foxes, and Snow Foxes wouldn’t attack Sea Concubine Palace apprentices. This was a long-standing agreement. As for the reason… it was said that this branch of Snow Foxes living on the Ice Plains had once signed a blood pact with the first Palace Master of the Sea Concubine Palace.

Sliding down the icy slope, the little fox clung to Gong Lianyue’s hair in terror, afraid of being thrown off and falling to its death.

Splash!

A few seconds later, the girl and the fox landed in a frigid pool. The blue-haired girl’s thin dress became soaked, revealing her alluring curves. Expressionless, she pulled the coughing and sputtering little fox to its feet.

Standing in the icy cave, Gong Lianyue wiped the water from her face and looked in surprise at the two signs in front of her.

[Those who have entered by mistake, please follow this path and leave on your own accord.]
[Those who want to throw down, get over here and prepare to meet your maker.]

The handwriting was equally crooked, each stroke radiating an incredibly arrogant aura. It’s said that Snow Foxes are incredibly proud and aloof. Seeing this today, it seems they are indeed incredibly arrogant…

Gong Lianyue felt somewhat speechless. However, she was experienced and understood the true nature of these bitches. They might put on a pure and aloof goddess act, but at home, watching idol shows, they probably screamed like fangirls.

And the gaudy little fox in her hand was the culprit who would make them lose their minds.

Is this your reason for wanting to throw down?

However, before Gong Lianyue could choose a path, the little fox on her shoulder suddenly cowered, its head lowered. At the same time, countless cold auras appeared around them.

One after another, hundreds of small white foxes emerged from the cave. They were haughty, dignified, with the air of noble ladies, their pure white fur like ice-padded coats. The Snow Fox tribe…

“Greetings, Saintess.”

The leading three-tailed Snow Fox matron, with alluring eyes, walked up to Gong Lianyue and bowed respectfully, her curvaceous body making the little fox drool uncontrollably, its expression one of disgusting infatuation.

I didn’t expect to be recognized…

“Mm.” Startled, Gong Lianyue nodded calmly, her gaze sweeping coldly over the surrounding Snow Foxes, adopting an even more arrogant demeanor than they had.

“May I ask what brings the Saintess to our humble abode?” the three-tailed Snow Fox asked respectfully.

“You tell them.” Gong Lianyue glanced inexplicably at the blushing, shy little fox and shoved it forward, exposing it to all the Snow Fox maidens.

It’s just animal mating, not a human courtship. Why be shy? If you’re so embarrassed, put some clothes on!

“Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp chirp chirp, chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp!!!”

Covering its face with its paws, the little fox let out a series of excited shrieks, which, if translated into human language, would probably be a confession of love.

Gong Lianyue was anticipating the outcome. However, to her surprise, after the little fox finished speaking, all the Snow Foxes burst into laughter, pointing and giggling at the pink-furred little fox with undisguised mockery and disdain.

Some even rolled on the ground laughing, their exaggerated behavior as if they had heard the funniest joke in the world.

“What’s going on?” Gong Lianyue was bewildered.

Could it be that the Snow Foxes looked down on this little fox? But in human eyes, it should be considered beautiful. Gong Lianyue began to doubt her own sense of aesthetics.

“Saintess, you may not understand our feelings. Have you ever seen a monkey confess its love to a human?”

Hearing the three-tailed Snow Fox’s mockery, tears welled up in the little fox’s eyes. It covered its head with its paws, practically burying itself in the ground, its expression filled with shame and sorrow.

“……..” The Saintess is bewildered.

Why did this feel so familiar, like the beginning of a trashy, betrothal-breaking novel?

Chapter 6: The Poor, Lowly, Smelly Fox

The little blue fox was furiously gnawing on the blue-haired girl’s toe, but she didn’t feel a thing. The force was so light, it was no different from an ant, like being gently caressed by soft cotton.

Exasperated, Gong Lianyue pulled out a crude, grass-cake-shaped beast treat from her bosom and casually tossed it to the ground beside her.

Carrying beast treats was basic practice for every Spirit Master. They could even be life-saving in critical moments.

The little fox’s ferocious gaze was immediately drawn to the treat. It quickly ran over, picked it up with its paws, sniffed it curiously, and then nibbled on it.

“Easy to please…”

Gong Lianyue smiled, a hint of mockery in her ice-blue, teardrop eyes.

Although it was a spirit beast, a small animal was still a small animal. Give it some food and it would instantly become docile.

A second later, the little fox held the grass cake in its paws, lifting it high above its head.

Bang!

It suddenly raised one leg and delivered a knee strike to the grass cake, shattering it into pieces that scattered everywhere.

Gong Lianyue’s smug expression slowly froze as she watched the fragments of the grass cake fly through the air.

The little fox disdainfully tossed the crumbs aside, then put its paws on its hips and glared at the blue-haired girl, looking as if it wasn’t going to let her off easily.

Damn it!

Gong Lianyue’s eye twitched violently. She suppressed the urge to hit it and, with a dark expression, pulled out a delicately wrapped candy from her bosom and tossed it to the fox.

What a picky little beast. High-grade beast treats are expensive. Just eat it obediently and wait to be sold.

As expected, with the candy, the little fox became completely engrossed, licking and nuzzling it with a blissful expression, completely forgetting its previous animosity.

“What kind of fox are you? How did you manage to hide from those three people just now? And why did you lose tails?”

Gong Lianyue sat down gently beside the little fox and poked its soft fur curiously.

She had heard of fox species gaining tails as they evolved, but she had never heard of a fox species that lost tails.

Hearing the barrage of questions, the little blue fox stopped eating and blinked at the girl with a dazed expression.

It didn’t know how to explain, because it was just a little fox.

“Strange. I’ve been on the Ice Plains for so many years, and I only know of the Snow Fox tribe around here. I’ve never seen a species like you that can change colors freely.”

Gong Lianyue muttered to herself, puzzled. The little blue fox’s pink ears perked up, and it excitedly nudged the girl’s leg.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp!!”

“What is it now?”

“Chirp!!”

The little fox hopped around anxiously, its paws gesturing wildly in the air as it looked at the blue-haired girl with hope.

“?” Gong Lianyue was completely bewildered.

Seeing that the girl couldn’t understand, the little fox became even more anxious, gesturing more vigorously with its paws.

Gong Lianyue simply watched its performance in silence, her expression one of speechlessness at its apparent lack of intelligence.

After a while, the little fox’s eyes darted around, and it suddenly had a brilliant idea.

Its emotions gradually calmed, and it took a few steps back, moving to a clear patch of snow.

Poof!

A cloud of pink mist erupted, obscuring the surroundings.

To Gong Lianyue’s astonishment, a dirty, grayish-brown fox emerged from the mist, looking utterly dejected and downtrodden.

It changed color again…

The little fox pointed at its body, then at its face.

“Is this your true form?” Gong Lianyue narrowed her eyes, venturing a guess.

The little fox shook its head vigorously, then pointed at its face again with more emphasis.

“Are you saying you’re ugly?”

“Are you a refugee?”

“Are you a mute orphan whose parents have died?”

“Are you… a poor, lowly, smelly fox?” With each shake of the fox’s head, Gong Lianyue’s guesses became increasingly unpleasant.

To her surprise, the next second, the little fox nodded enthusiastically.

“Pfft!”

Gong Lianyue almost spat out a mouthful of blood. She had only said that out of impatience, not expecting to actually guess correctly.

Next, the little fox jumped onto the ice rock. With a poof, a cloud of snow-white mist erupted from its fur, spraying everywhere like a dream.

A few seconds later, the shabby, grayish-brown fox transformed into a beautiful, snow-white fox of the Snow Fox tribe, looking incredibly pure and holy.

It strutted around on the ice rock, showing off its beautiful form.

“So you, a poor, lowly, smelly fox, want to become a beautiful and exquisite Snow Fox?”

The little fox shook its head, transforming back into the dirty, grayish-brown fox and returning to its previous spot.

Standing there, facing the ice rock, its eyes suddenly turned heart-shaped, drool dripping from its mouth like a lovesick fool.

“Don’t do that. It’s really disgusting…” Gong Lianyue couldn’t help but say.

“Chirp!” The little fox turned its head and snapped angrily, signaling her to be serious.

“You’re a poor, lowly, smelly fox who saw a beautiful and lovely Snow Fox and fell in love at first sight?”

“Chirp, chirp, chirp!!”

The little fox nodded excitedly, hopping and jumping around.

Whew~ That was pretty easy to guess, Gong Lianyue sighed helplessly.

“So you came all the way to the Ice Plains to find this Snow Fox?”

“Chirp!” The little fox nodded again.

It was very dangerous for a Level 1 spirit beast to travel over mountains and rivers. She wondered how it had safely entered the Ice Plains.

However, although it looked completely incapable of fighting, it was unexpectedly courageous.

Just as Gong Lianyue was sighing inwardly, the little fox tugged at her clothes with its paw and then pointed towards the depths of the Ice Plains.

“You want me to take you to find the Snow Fox?”

“Chirp!”

“This…” Gong Lianyue’s expression was full of resistance.

She wanted to make it clear that she absolutely would not sign a blood pact with this strange fox.

The combat power of a low-rank Water Element was already extremely weak. If her second spirit beast had no combat power at all, wouldn’t she be completely defenseless against the other Saintess Candidates?

She had heard that the top contenders had already broken through to Level 2 Spirit Master. If she continued to stagnate…

Since it couldn’t become her spirit beast, even if she helped it succeed in its courtship, she wouldn’t gain anything. Naturally, there was no reason for her to help.

Moreover, she had originally planned to capture and sell it after it had eaten its fill.

“Chirp~~”

Seeing the girl’s disgusted expression, the little fox lowered its head pitifully, tears welling up in its eyes.

“Boohoo, you’re crying, and I’m crying too.”

Seeing this, Gong Lianyue pointed mockingly at her teardrop-shaped eyes, indicating that she was also crying, neutralizing its attempt at playing the victim.

The Saintess is merciless!!!

Chapter 5: The Talent Show Segment

Following the direction the blue-haired girl pointed, a pink flower bud swayed gently, glistening dewdrops clinging to its petals.

Seeing this, the ponytailed woman who had approached frowned, then suddenly cried out as if she had understood something.

The sight of a flower growing in the snowy Ice Plains was already extremely incongruous, let alone a single flower within a radius of several miles. It was as if it had appeared out of thin air, a blatant anomaly in a game of spot-the-difference.

“This is a Three-Tailed Fox that has mastered the Transformation battle technique!!”

When it came to the fox species, people naturally thought of skills like transformation and charm.

The three of them were overjoyed. A spirit beast that had mastered a battle technique was dozens of times more valuable than a blank slate one. Finding one was like striking gold. They carefully formed a circle around the pink flower bud.

I wonder what that poor little fox is thinking right now. It must be completely despairing… Gong Lianyue silently mourned.

According to Spirit Master tradition, what followed should be the talent show and courtship segment.

The two women and one man surrounded the small pink flower. One of them, a cute girl with medium-long, smooth black hair, squatted down and beckoned gently.

“Little fox, will you come with big sister? I’ll give you delicious food every day, and you can play as much as you want.”

“Oh, and I’ll definitely never force you to fight dangerous enemies. How about it?”

After finishing, the black-haired girl gave a classic anime-style smile, her soft hair falling over her shoulder, perfectly setting the scene.

Any ordinary otaku would have already fallen head over heels, but the pink flower transformed from the Three-Tailed Fox remained motionless, as if deaf.

After waiting silently for more than ten seconds, the black-haired girl’s expression gradually stiffened, her lips twitching.

“You guys try,” she said, standing up with a hint of reluctance, noticing the impatient looks of her two companions.

The next contestant in the talent show was the male, a plain-looking and somewhat thin young man who seemed to have no redeeming qualities.

Gong Lianyue glanced at him casually and lost interest. Miraculous encounters in real life weren’t so frequent. Without protagonist aura, he was destined for disappointment.

“Um, I received a blue rating in the Sea Concubine Palace entrance selection. I was third in my cohort. In the future, I have the potential to break through to Level 4 Spirit Master, which should allow you to reach your full potential.”

“…”

Looking at the hint of boastfulness hidden within the young man’s shy expression, Gong Lianyue’s lips parted slightly, her gaze drifting away.

Shocking Saintess-level statements.

Thanks, I’m cringing.

As expected, the pink flower remained indifferent, showing no reaction whatsoever.

“My turn!!”

After the failure of her two companions, the ponytailed girl breathed a deep sigh of relief, squatted down, and said confidently,

“Little fox, if you don’t sign a contract with me, I’ll chop you up and feed you to the dogs!!”

“!!!”

The other two were startled. They had never known their friend could be so ferocious.

Gong Lianyue didn’t react much. She even felt this was more normal than the previous guy. Threats and inducements were common practice when Spirit Masters formed contracts with spirit beasts.

However, threats would cause intense resentment in spirit beasts. If it failed, there would be no second chance. Even if there was a minuscule chance of accidental success, the spirit beast would be very likely to rebel in the future.

As expected, all three attempts failed, leaving them with gloomy expressions.

“It seems we can only sell it,” the black-haired girl suggested.

“Mm, agreed.”

They quickly reached a consensus. The ponytailed girl reached out and poked the top of the pink flower bud.

Most spirit beasts’ transformation techniques were very realistic, but they couldn’t withstand scrutiny, often breaking with a single touch.

The pink flower wobbled from the poking, but it didn’t revert back to its Three-Tailed Fox form. The three of them exchanged puzzled looks.

“Little sister, are you sure this is what the Three-Tailed Fox transformed into?” the ponytailed girl couldn’t help but ask, turning her head.

Gong Lianyue, who had been watching the show, was speechless. A Three-Tailed Fox wasn’t a real flower that would wilt with a touch. How could such gentle poking break its transformation?

Her forcefully rolled-back eyes were starting to hurt. She needed to resolve this situation quickly and get them to leave. This was dragging on for far too long…

The blue-haired girl lightly jumped down from the ice rock, her delicate, bare feet landing on the cold snow as she walked towards the pink flower.

“Look, you have to do it like this to break its transformation!”

With a confident tone, under their bewildered gazes, Gong Lianyue grabbed the base of the pink flower and pulled it out forcefully.

Snap!

The stem broke. The delicate little flower lay forlornly in Gong Lianyue’s hand, her confident expression slowly turning blank, a look of disbelief on her face.

The three of them stared, speechless, at the stunned blue-haired girl.

How was this possible? She had clearly seen it transform into a flower!

Could it be that the Three-Tailed Fox hadn’t used a transformation technique, but some other kind of technique that created an illusion?

---

A few minutes later, Gong Lianyue stood in the snow, on the verge of tears, rolling her dry and sore eyes back to their normal position.

The resentful and suspicious looks the three of them had given her as they left clearly suggested they suspected her of hiding the Three-Tailed Fox, or of deliberately deceiving and toying with them, making them waste their time on a flower… This was so humiliating and infuriating!!

“Sigh~~~”

Life is hard, the Saintess sighs.

It didn’t matter if she had made enemies of three ordinary apprentices of the Sea Concubine Palace. She hoped this farce wouldn’t spread any further.

As her mood gradually calmed, Gong Lianyue was about to resume her cultivation when the discarded pink flower suddenly began to tremble violently.

Poof!

A burst of water vapor and shimmering blue dust sprayed everywhere, and a beautiful little fox with azure fur appeared.

It limped over to Gong Lianyue’s feet and, with a ferocious expression, bit down on her soft, pink toe, clearly holding a grudge.

“Chirp!!”

The blue fox gnawed angrily at the blue-haired girl’s toe, letting out ferocious growls.

“Ouch! …Huh? I don’t feel anything?”

Gong Lianyue blinked, staring in astonishment at the blue fox. What was going on?

Wasn’t its fur pink before? How had it changed color so quickly?

Wait a minute!!

Her ice-blue, teardrop-shaped eyes narrowed. Gong Lianyue stared incredulously at the blue fox’s rear. Its tail… why was there only one?

Not only had its fur color changed, but even its tail and species were completely different, as if it were a different creature altogether.

But, judging by its resentful and vengeful behavior, it was clearly the same fox.

Chapter 4: The Three-Tailed Fox

Little white rabbit, white and white, so cute when it’s still and quiet.

Gong Lianyue walked over to the Snowtooth Rabbit lying unconscious in the snow and gently nudged its fur with her foot. It remained motionless. It seemed to have knocked itself out.

Under normal circumstances, she would kill the poor rabbit and take out its spirit beast core to sell.

However, Gong Lianyue didn’t have a sharp weapon on her at the moment, and the Water Element couldn’t perform cutting attacks. The only way to extract the core would be to pummel the Snowtooth Rabbit into a pulp.

Such an act would be too bloody and unrefined, not at all befitting the perfect demeanor of a Saintess…

So, she could only watch as the Snowtooth Rabbit gradually regained consciousness and then, with a look of terror, fled into the vast expanse of the Ice Plains.

“Let’s continue cultivating.”

Gong Lianyue sighed helplessly and, with a clear conscience, occupied the ice rock where the Snowtooth Rabbit had been resting and sat down to meditate.

She usually returned from the Ice Plains late at night, but with the Saintess selection approaching, the turmoil within the Sea Concubine Palace was intensifying. Gong Lianyue decided not to return for the time being.

This time, she wondered which poor soul would end up waiting in vain for several days…

Her water-blue hair cascaded down as she sat quietly in meditation on the ice rock, her ice-colored teardrop eyes slowly closing. An illusory icy mist rose around her.

Spirit energy, the universal energy source for all Spirit Masters, existed in every corner of the world and was the life source of every spirit beast.

Like a girl’s first period, every young man and woman with Spirit Master talent would experience an awakening period in their teens, naturally generating spirit energy.

Those who couldn’t awaken between the ages of 10 and 18 would almost certainly remain ordinary mortals for the rest of their lives. However, in some popular fantasy novels, there were cases of awakening through accidental consumption of heavenly treasures. Whether such miraculous encounters existed in reality was unknown.

As a child, Gong Lianyue was playing in the mud in a human town when she was spotted by a passing Spirit Master from the Sea Concubine Palace. The Spirit Master was immediately struck, moved to tears.

The Sea Concubine Palace worshipped the Sea God. Gong Lianyue’s teardrop beauty marks and strange eyes were seen as a sign of the Sea God’s favor, and she naturally became the Saintess.

Even though her awakened companion spirit beast was a Water Element, the higher-ups of the Sea Concubine Palace firmly believed that a water deity resided within her, waiting for the day it would fully manifest.

Unfortunately, she was currently just a weak and pitiful novice Spirit Master, accompanied only by a Water Element. There were no water deities or sea spirits or any such nonsense.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp!!”

Immersed in meditation and the flow of spirit energy, a ferocious beast’s roar suddenly came from the distance.

Gong Lianyue slowly opened her eyes and saw a small, adorable fox-like spirit beast sprinting towards her.

The little fox’s three fluffy tails swayed as it ran, its pinkish-purple fur shimmering with a dreamlike luster, dazzlingly beautiful.

Gong Lianyue’s breath hitched, her pupils widening. A Three-Tailed Fox!

The rank of fox-type spirit beasts was easy to distinguish. Under normal circumstances, one tail was low-rank, three tails was mid-rank, six tails was high-rank, and nine tails was a rank beyond ordinary comprehension.

An average Three-Tailed Fox was at least mid-rank quality. Judging by this one’s beautiful coloring, its quality must be even higher.

If she could capture it and sell it, it would fetch a sky-high price…

Gong Lianyue quickly dismissed the idea. Behind the Three-Tailed Fox, several figures in Sea Concubine Palace uniforms were in hot pursuit, rapidly approaching.

Faced with this situation, she calmly took out an exquisitely decorated rouge box from her bosom and dabbed it on her face, concealing the six teardrop beauty marks.

Without the strange water droplet marks, her flawless, snow-white face looked even more delicate, like a beautiful doll.

Then, Gong Lianyue forcefully rolled her eyes, drawing out a few unnerving bloodshot lines. With a click, her eyes completely reversed. The teardrop shape disappeared, replaced by ordinary-shaped, strikingly beautiful ice-blue pupils.

Now she looked like an ordinary, beautiful village girl with blue hair, rather than the aloof and noble Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace.

“Chirp!”

Witnessing this ghostly transformation, the Three-Tailed Fox, which had intended to run past the blue-haired girl, froze in terror. With a shriek, its small paws skidded across the snow, leaving long trails as it turned and ran back in the direction it had come from.

This pink-furred Three-Tailed Fox seemed to have a bit of a simple mind. After running back for a while and seeing its pursuers, it turned around again. Upon seeing Gong Lianyue, it shrieked in fright once more and continued to flee in the opposite direction.

This repeated several times, its back-and-forth route getting shorter and shorter until it finally threw itself onto the ground, its body erupting in a cloud of pink smoke.

The pink smoke lingered, and the Three-Tailed Fox’s form vanished, replaced by a beautiful pink flower bud.

“Hm?”

Gong Lianyue let out a soft sound of surprise. This Three-Tailed Fox could actually transform?

Just as the Three-Tailed Fox completed its transformation, its pursuers appeared in sight: two women and one man, all young and wearing the standard Sea Concubine Palace uniform.

Seeing the blue-haired girl meditating on the ice rock, the three of them became somewhat tense.

The fox had disappeared in such a short time. Could this woman be hiding it?

That was their prey! They had been staking it out on the Ice Plains for days!

Infighting was strictly forbidden in the Sea Concubine Palace. Even if this woman had taken the fox, they couldn’t forcefully take it back.

After exchanging glances, a plain-looking woman with a ponytail mustered up the courage to walk up to Gong Lianyue.

“L-Little sister, have you seen where that Three-Tailed Fox went?”

The contract signed between a Spirit Master and a spirit beast was called a blood pact. The bond it created was somewhat like that between siblings or parents and children. It required the willing consent of both parties to succeed.

Ancient contracts that resembled forced enslavement had been completely phased out. Nowadays, even if they forcefully captured a spirit beast, they couldn’t form a contract.

Therefore, if Gong Lianyue took the Three-Tailed Fox, she could only sell it and wouldn’t be able to form a contract with it as her second spirit beast.

In that case, it would be better to do them a favor. More importantly, it would avoid conflict. If her identity as the Saintess were revealed, it would be troublesome if it gave the other Saintess Candidates something to criticize her for.

After a few seconds of silence, Gong Lianyue pointed wordlessly at the pink flower bud that the Three-Tailed Fox had transformed into.

At the same time, a drop of dew could be clearly seen dripping from the bud’s petals.

Little brother, are you sweating?

Chapter 3: Spirit Techniques

Sea Concubine Palace

A dark blue aura of sea currents permeated the enormous ice palace, clear splashes rippling through the air, making it resemble an underwater world.

In the center of a spacious hall, a beautiful woman in a snow-white uniform robe knelt on one knee, her head bowed low, but the corner of her eye constantly glancing towards the room in front of her.

“Saintess, I am a retainer under Saintess Candidate Bai He. I have come to invite you to the Water Wish Pavilion for a discussion.”

“…”
“…”

There was no response. A full ten minutes passed, and still no sound came from the room.

The woman in white remained expressionless, her lowered eyebrows tilting slightly downward as if she were asleep, showing no sign of anger.

The two maids at the side couldn’t stand it any longer. They nervously approached, their voices tense.

“Um, the Saintess went to the Ice Plains early this morning.”

“Then I’ll wait here until she returns,” the woman in white said indifferently.

A few seconds later, she lifted her eyes slightly, giving a puzzled glance at the two stunned young maids beside her.

The two maids were dumbfounded by her words. Could this woman be new to the Sea Concubine Palace? Didn’t she know that except for the days when the Saintess bathed in the sacred spring, she cultivated on the Ice Plains for almost 25 hours every day?

Following a normal person’s physiological schedule, it would be impossible to ever see the Saintess…

---

Sea Concubine Palace, Ice Plains

Whirling snow covered an area of hundreds of kilometers. Across the vast, endless icy plains, glistening snow dust drifted through the air.

The Ice Plains were where the Sea Concubine Palace artificially bred spirit beasts. Spirit Masters belonging to the Sea Concubine Palace could come here to hunt, or to capture lower-ranking spirit beasts. It was equivalent to a treasure trove in their backyard.

At this moment, a blue-haired woman wearing a thin white slip dress, with six teardrop beauty marks on her face, walked through this boundless expanse of ice and snow.

Her skirt swayed gently as she walked barefoot, her delicate, snow-white feet stepping on the soft snow. She looked around expressionlessly, seemingly impervious to the cold.

Having lived in the Sea Concubine Palace for seven or eight years, Gong Lianyue was very familiar with the environment of the Ice Plains.

However, she wasn’t here just for simple cultivation. She was also avoiding the provocations of the other Saintess Candidates. As long as they couldn’t even see her, they couldn’t do anything to her.

Avoiding confrontation wasn’t shameful, and it was effective.

“Coo!”

A white-furred rabbit, gnawing furiously on an ice rock, shook off the snow dust from its body and stared wide-eyed, curiously watching the blue-haired woman passing by.

Although it had the appearance of a cute rabbit, its physique was as large as a lion. Its entire body was covered in a layer of fluffy snow-white fur, making it look somewhat intimidating.

A low-rank spirit beast, a Level 1 Snowtooth Rabbit.

The Sea Concubine Palace bred Snowtooth Rabbits in large numbers on the Ice Plains, typically using them for food and medicinal ingredients. Very few Spirit Masters would choose to form a blood pact with such a weak spirit beast.

This Snowtooth Rabbit simply stared curiously at Gong Lianyue as she passed, its eyes showing no sign of aggression.

“Right here will do.”

Gong Lianyue looked around at the surroundings, then casually sat down on a nearby ice rock.

“Coo!!!”

Seeing the girl’s action, the Snowtooth Rabbit immediately roared furiously, its beautiful white fur standing on end.

Although Snowtooth Rabbits were generally not aggressive, their territorial instincts were incredibly strong. They would bite anyone who provoked them.

Its gentle face turned ferocious, its rabbit teeth growing rapidly until they reached its chin. It hopped across the snow towards the blue-haired girl.

“Come out, Water Element.”

Gong Lianyue called out softly, her expression unchanged. The water vapor that had appeared in the air condensed rapidly, forming a swirling, wave-like humanoid figure.

Facing the charging Snowtooth Rabbit in its ferocious posture, the Water Element floated in the air, the surrounding water currents rising and swirling with a roar.

Three basketball-sized water spheres spiraled into existence at its chest, then shot out like cannonballs with a deafening boom.

Boom, boom, boom!!!

The successive water blasts exploded on the Snowtooth Rabbit’s fur, sending it flying back more than ten meters. It tumbled pathetically across the smooth snow, wailing incessantly.

Gong Lianyue glanced at it casually and then lost interest. Having lived on the Ice Plains for so long, she knew very well that an ordinary Snowtooth Rabbit couldn’t possibly defeat a Water Element.

Although the difference in their strength wasn’t vast, Snowtooth Rabbits had vulnerable points like ordinary beasts, while the Water Element was composed of pure water, having no weaknesses except for its internal core.

This was why, in most cases, elemental spirit beasts were rarer and more valuable than biological ones.

The Water Element and the Snowtooth Rabbit grappled unattractively, while Gong Lianyue, as if nothing had happened, pulled out a spirit technique scroll from her bosom and began to cultivate silently.

It was common knowledge among all Spirit Masters in this world that even among the same type and rank of spirit beasts, their combat effectiveness could vary drastically based on battle experience, the quality and proficiency of their combat techniques, and the assistance and commands of their Spirit Master.

The Spirit Master’s assistance referred to the spirit techniques they could master through cultivation, which provided various buffs to their spirit beasts.

Gong Lianyue was currently a novice Spirit Master, so she could only cultivate the most basic spirit techniques.

[Water Armor Technique]

She lay comfortably on the large, cold rock, concentrating on studying the spirit technique scroll, not even sparing a glance at the commotion caused by the two spirit beasts beside her.

The Water Armor Technique was primarily used on water-attribute spirit beasts, adding a layer of water-based armor to enhance their defense.

After practicing for several weeks, Gong Lianyue hadn’t fully mastered it yet, but she could already cast an incomplete, rudimentary form. And here, she had readily available test subjects.

“Water Armor Technique.”

Gong Lianyue turned her head to look at the two spirit beasts wrestling, and with a gentle point towards the Water Element, shimmering, watery blue spirit energy gradually outlined an illusory water armor.

The flimsy Water Element suddenly looked as if it were wearing armor, appearing somewhat more robust and fierce. However, because Gong Lianyue hadn’t fully mastered the technique, this layer of water armor only covered its front, failing to protect its entire body.

Bang!

The Snowtooth Rabbit, still grappling with the Water Element, slammed headfirst into the water armor with a deafening clang.

With this impact, the liquid armor covering the Water Element’s front shattered and splashed, water spraying everywhere.

The Snowtooth Rabbit, dazed, wobbled a few times and then collapsed unsteadily onto the ground. Poor bunny.

Chapter 2: The Trial

[Soul Prison Trial, Session 207]
[Soul Prison Secret Realm, First Level: Buried Bone Ice Mountain]

Everything in sight lost its original color, completely covered by an extreme chill. Ice flowers scattered in the air, appearing as both gas and droplets, the frost formless yet congealed into ice, like a wisp of phantom blue mist.

A sight that would never exist in ordinary perception: a gigantic Ice Bone Dragon’s tail pierced the sky, reaching a height of perhaps ten kilometers. Exquisite ice flower patterns were carved into the surface of the tailbone, making it impossible to imagine the magnificent and majestic being it had once belonged to.

A mere speck beside the edge of the Ice Bone Dragon’s tail, Gong Lianyue exhaled a breath of cold air, her face calm. Beside her were several other attractively dressed young women.

Starting four years ago, she had been selected to enter this place called the Soul Prison Trial, climbing a colossal and terrifying Dragonbone Mountain alongside countless geniuses from all over the world.

The Soul Prison Trial, which had only existed in myths and legends, was actually real! Everyone went crazy the first time they arrived…

It was rumored that the trial participants selected by the Soul Prison were all exceptionally gifted super geniuses. After a hundred levels of trials, they would compete for the sole qualification of Soul Prison inheritor. This meant that everyone present was standing at the starting line of a legendary, mythical contest.

Those with more knowledge quickly discovered that the Ice Bone Mountain they were climbing was actually the corpse of a 7th-rank legendary creature, the Buried Bone Ice Dragon.

Using the corpse of a 7th-rank legendary creature as the first trial shocked everyone. What level of prestige and resources did this represent?!

Coupled with the words that appeared directly in their minds, no one doubted the authenticity of the Soul Prison Trial.

However, the Soul Prison Trial was incredibly difficult. The first level alone eliminated 40% of the participants. Those who were still climbing were all determined super geniuses.

Simply persevering with the climb wasn’t the hard part. The key was that in this heart-chilling, icy world, any thought of giving up or escaping would be met with some kind of force that pushed them hundreds of meters down the ice mountain, wasting weeks of time and effort.

And once the heart wavered for the first time, subsequent giving up became a matter of course. This was why there were constantly trial participants falling further and further down, eventually plummeting into the abyss and being eliminated.

Four years had passed, one session per week, 207 teleportations. Even those in the first tier, like herself, had yet to pass the first level.

“Sister Gong, I finally became a Spirit Master the day before yesterday! The Academy rewarded me with a high-ranking spirit beast.”

“Sister Gong, my companion spirit beast mutated yesterday!!”

During the break after climbing, two adorable little girls, like precious jade, showed off their cultivation achievements to the blue-haired girl as if seeking praise.

“Congratulations to both of you. Keep up the good work~~”

Tears welled up in her eyes as Gong Lianyue compassionately patted the heads of the two young girls, while inwardly, a cold sweat flowed ceaselessly.

The first girl who spoke was only 11 years old, right? And she was already a Spirit Master? Gong Lianyue herself hadn’t even qualified for the awakening ceremony at 11. At 15, she still wasn’t a formal Spirit Master.

And what the hell was a mutated spirit beast? She had always considered it a distant, unattainable joke.

These terrifyingly talented little girls all regarded Gong Lianyue as their leader, precisely because of her aloof and indifferent Saintess aura. She just seemed incredibly reliable.

The first level, Buried Bone Ice Mountain, happened to mainly test their willpower and cold resistance. Gong Lianyue, who had grown up soaking in cold springs, wasn’t afraid of the cold at all.

Moreover, the Soul Prison Trial prohibited the external release of spirit beasts and prevented inspecting the cultivation levels of others. She had the complete advantage of time, place, and people, which was why she was so respected.

Presumably, once they reached the second level, her inferior talent would be revealed…

Gong Lianyue felt extremely uneasy. A pink-haired girl climbing behind her frowned slightly.

Although Gong Lianyue had never spoken about her origins or circumstances, the pink-haired girl was certain that her cultivation talent must be monstrous.

Looking at her holy and compassionate, water-colored, teary eyes and hair, she was clearly favored by the Sea God. She must be revered as a Saintess in the Inner Sea region, right?

Moreover, even upon hearing about an 11-year-old Spirit Master and a mutated spirit beast, she remained indifferent and calm. Just how terrifying was her true strength?!

While the pink-haired girl was lost in thought, Gong Lianyue, who was climbing ahead, suddenly turned around and gave a strange glance at the pink-haired girl, who was staring intently at her buttocks.

The pink-haired girl’s face instantly flushed crimson, steam rising from her head in bubbles. She then shyly lowered her head.

Although she regarded Gong Lianyue as a rival, she couldn’t help but admire this aloof and stunningly beautiful woman.

Truth be told, Gong Lianyue was the Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace. However, after the Water Element incident, she still hadn’t broken through to become a Spirit Master at the age of 15. Beneath the current calm of the Sea Concubine Palace lurked a tremendous undercurrent of unrest.

“This girl keeps staring at me. Could she have discovered something?…” Gong Lianyue felt a slight pang of anxiety.

Three hours passed. This week’s trial was nearing its end, and everyone finally saw the scenery at the top of the ice mountain.

Based on the distance, it seemed that they would successfully pass the first level in the next session, the 208th!

The four-year-long, arduous climbing journey was finally coming to an end. Everyone, except Gong Lianyue, cheered with joy.

Gong Lianyue worried that if the next trial’s test completely clashed with her attributes, she would be quickly eliminated.

She didn’t care about the attitudes of the girls currently following her, but losing her qualification for the Soul Prison Trial would be troublesome…

Noticing Gong Lianyue’s incredibly indifferent demeanor, the cheering crowd restrained themselves somewhat, imitating her calm expression.

As expected of Gong Lianyue, she seemed to have no desire for the legendary rewards of the Soul Prison Trial…

---

The 207th Soul Prison Trial ended. As Gong Lianyue’s consciousness detached from the illusion and returned to reality, the small pebble she had tossed into the air landed with a plop, attracting her attention.

The pebble she had thrown upon leaving had only just landed after she had spent so much time inside.

Judging by the time it took the pebble to fall, the flow of time should have been the same without any changes. The three hours in the Soul Prison Secret Realm were equivalent to about one second in reality.

This also meant that if she were in a public setting, her figure would still disappear for a risky second.

“From now on, no matter the excuse, I have to temporarily leave everyone’s sight during this time…”

Gong Lianyue didn’t want anyone to know about the Soul Prison Secret Realm. Otherwise, the higher-ups of the Sea Concubine Palace would probably go crazy promoting it like fanatics, making it known throughout the world.

If, at that time, she still didn’t have the spirit beast and strength to match the rumors, she would truly be scorned by everyone and fall from grace.

The Soul Prison Trial was a true story passed down from tens of thousands of years ago. It was a secret realm created by a super Spirit Master comparable to a god. It would open once every few thousand years, drawing in a continuous stream of trial participants to compete for the sole qualification of Soul Prison inheritor.

It was said that initially, the competition was among geniuses from the same region, but as the trial progressed to later levels, it wouldn’t be surprising to encounter Spirit Masters from other continents.

In short, almost every trial participant drawn into the Soul Prison was labeled a supreme genius, but the reality wasn’t necessarily so.

After all, without mediocre individuals to serve as a benchmark, how could geniuses be considered geniuses? Most people were just stepping stones. Perhaps she herself would soon be eliminated as well~~~ Ah, life is hard, the Saintess sighs.