Chapter 39: The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion
“Saintess, please enter the sacred spring.”
It was time for the weekly cleansing ritual, but today was a special occasion.
The teardrop-eyed girl, assisted by the maids, removed her clothes, revealing flawless, snow-white skin, her soft, water-blue hair cascading down to cover her hips.
Gong Lianyue had matured early, possessing a perfect figure since the age of eleven or twelve.
However, her physique seemed to have stopped developing since the year of her awakening ceremony. Nearing sixteen, her chest remained flat.
Unfazed by the presence of seven or eight maids, Gong Lianyue stepped into the sacred spring in her natural state, her delicate feet treading lightly, her hair partially obscuring her body.
Today’s bath held a special gift prepared by the Sea Concubine Palace for the Sorrowful Saintess—
In the deepest part of the dark blue cave, a massive figure clung to the wall, its deep, blood-red eyes fixed on the approaching blue-haired girl, its breathing heavy.
The monster’s entire body was covered in a hard, icy shell, a deep blue, diamond-shaped crystal attached to its segmented, spiked tail.
The cracks in its shell and the crystal on its tail pulsed with the same frequency, emitting a shimmering, azure light.
Its terrifying appearance resembled a world boss from some online game.
A high-rank spirit beast—the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion!!
Gong Lianyue was instantly captivated, not by its imposing, armored form, but by the two pure jade pincers on either side of its torso.
The swollen jade pincers, shaped like boxing gloves, were almost as large as its body, giving it a strangely disproportionate appearance.
Before coming here, Gong Lianyue had gathered all the information about it.
Not all Iron Jade Ice Scorpions had such swollen pincers. This was a permanent modification caused by a passive battle technique.
This particular scorpion had been raised in the Sea Concubine Palace since birth. It had been sent into the Sea Abyss Secret Realm several times, where it successfully mastered a battle technique.
[Jade Shatter – Strengthens the arms’ durability, increasing resistance to ice and poison.]
Mastering a battle technique on its own indicated excellent talent, which was why the Sea Concubine Palace had chosen it as the final reward for the Saintess selection.
And so, to ensure the Saintess could fight without using her Saint-rank power, it had fallen into Gong Lianyue’s hands.
“Are you hungry?”
The naked, blue-haired girl waved her hand, a dull, black crystal appearing.
The life core of a Dawn and Dusk Stage, high-rank spirit beast. The pure energy it contained made the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion drool as it cautiously took a few steps closer.
Gong Lianyue smiled inwardly. She was experienced in taming spirit beasts. Verbal promises were useless; filling their stomachs was what mattered!
“Chomp~~”
Gong Lianyue tossed the core into the air, and the scorpion snatched it, crunching it into dust.
At the same time, the blood she had smeared on the core flowed into the scorpion’s body, the beast language of the blood pact echoing in its mind.
Gong Lianyue nervously clenched her fists. Shui Qinghou had sworn that this Iron Jade Ice Scorpion would unconditionally obey the Sea Concubine Palace’s orders and wouldn’t refuse any designated contractor.
But it was precisely because of her teacher’s guarantee that she was so worried. Just how unreliable that woman was didn’t need to be said…
If the scorpion dared to refuse, she would have the little fox and the Water Element beat it into submission!
Soloing a boss, winner takes all!
[Refuse]
The next second, the text that appeared in Gong Lianyue’s mind stunned her.
Of course, she didn’t immediately resort to violence, as she had threatened. She quickly checked her soul cores.
That strange feeling… it must be a problem on her end.
[Low-rank Illumination Stage: Water Element]
[Bloodline Talent: None]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: Ice Binding Contract]
[High-rank Illumination Stage: Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]
[Bloodline Talent: Cultivation Amplification]
[Spirit Beast Battle Techniques: Deep Sea – OO]
At the moment of attempted contract, her soul core felt like a full party in a game, or a full team in a raid.
The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion hadn’t refused. Her spirit beast slots were full!!!
“But I can contract three before the Dawn and Dusk Stage…” Gong Lianyue’s voice trailed off as she suddenly realized the problem, her expression turning to shock.
Could it be… that the Ice Spirit the Water Element had absorbed counted as one?
This meant she couldn’t contract with the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion now. She had to wait until she broke through to the Dawn and Dusk Stage.
But how would she explain her other two spirit beasts to her teacher?
Looking at the docile scorpion, Gong Lianyue frowned, hesitant.
All her internal emotional turmoil was invisible to others. She always appeared expressionless, her thoughts a mystery.
“Should I… break through to the Dawn and Dusk Stage here?”
Gong Lianyue quickly found a solution. Her two soul cores were already full of spirit energy, just a step away from breaking through.
The water spirit energy in the sacred spring was incredibly dense. Coupled with the stimulation from consuming the spirit core earlier, she should be able to break through to the Dawn and Dusk Stage very quickly, before her bath time was over!
Putting her plan into action, Gong Lianyue returned to the spring and began to meditate.
As for the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, she left the Water Element and the little fox to play with it.
The Water Element was only the size of an ordinary human male, and the little fox was small enough to perch on Gong Lianyue’s shoulder.
Compared to the twenty-meter-tall scorpion, they were tiny and pitiful.
The Water Element stood motionless like it had autism, while the little fox curiously climbed onto the scorpion’s head, tapping its shell a few times.
Tap, tap!
The scorpion wasn’t annoyed. It simply lowered its eyelids, seemingly preparing for a nap.
Then, the little fox suddenly retched, pulling out a high-grade beast treat it had eaten that morning.
The candy-shaped treat, covered in saliva, was almost completely digested. It offered it to the scorpion as a gesture of friendship.
“Chomp~~” The Iron Jade Ice Scorpion accepted the offering, swallowing the saliva-covered candy.
Ugh!!!!!!!
At the same time, a surge of water spirit energy converged around Gong Lianyue, rapidly absorbed by her two soul cores, their glow intensifying.
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