Chapter 64: The Cold Grace of Jingliu
"The soul communicator hasn't come… Looks like I made the right bet this time."
After leaving the Hongchen family treasury, Xiao Qiang waited for quite a while, but Jing Hongchen never contacted him through the soul communicator.
There was no way Jing Hongchen wouldn't know that so many items were taken. Yet even after two and a half hours, he still hadn't made any inquiries. That could only mean one thing—he knew what Xiao Qiang had taken, and he had already accepted it.
"He didn't come after me for all those things? Your teacher really treats you well. With so many rare items, I can finally study them at my leisure. Becoming a ninth-level soul engineer is no longer a dream—and the richest one at that! Becoming a tenth-level soul engineer… might not be impossible either."
Tianmeng's excited voice echoed in Xiao Qiang's spiritual sea.
"By the way, Xiao Qiang, you better hurry up with your cultivation. I have to be the first tenth-level soul engineer in history! A million-year-old soul beast who doesn't achieve that would be a laughingstock."
Xiao Qiang: "…" Alright, maybe I did go too far before.
But perhaps it wasn't a bad thing. If Tianmeng was serious now, it'd be much easier to communicate. Once I acquire the Silver Wolf spirit ring, I can ask him to develop a line of techniques like Three Thousand Thunders or Chidori. That'd save me a lot of trouble thinking up names and applications.
"Tianmeng, since when did you become so motivated?" Bingdi's voice suddenly interrupted from within his spiritual sea. Her brows furrowed slightly, puzzled by Tianmeng's sudden change in behavior. In her mind, Tianmeng was someone who just ate and slept.
"I figured things out," Tianmeng said proudly. "I can't waste my status as the first million-year soul beast, the first to create a wisdom soul ring, and the first to draft a god-making plan that actually worked."
"The experiment on wisdom soul rings will have to wait. That kind of delay is beneath me! Just wait, Bingbing. I'll definitely become the first tenth-level soul engineer and the first to establish a complete wisdom soul ring system!"
"As expected of Brother Tianmeng, I believe you can do it." Xiao Qiang responded with earnest support like a devoted follower. With Tianmeng putting in real effort, Xiao Qiang felt he no longer needed to worry about the development of soul engineering.
Just as he finished his daily encouragement, a figure emerged from the storage-type soul tool—Xue Di.
"Xiao Qiang."
"What is it, Xue… Jingliu?"
When she stepped out, Xiao Qiang raised his eyebrows. Xue Di, once the majestic Snow Emperor with silver hair and blue eyes, now wore a black veil over her eyes. Combined with her long silver hair and icy aura, she looked almost identical to Jingliu from Honkai: Star Rail—minus the demonic characteristics.
If she were to attend a cosplay convention on Earth dressed like this, people would definitely think she was cosplaying Jingliu.
"Jingliu… not a bad name. Call me that for now," she said coolly.
"You're serious, Xue Di?"
"Do you think I, of all beings, would joke with you?"
"But if you go out, won't people realize you're a soul beast?"
"This veil is a soul tool that conceals one's aura. I've tested it—even mine is fully masked."
"A soul tool that can hide such a presence?" Xiao Qiang frowned. The evil soul masters instantly came to mind.
"You seem to know something."
Xiao Qiang nodded. There was no point hiding it. "Yes, they—"
"You don't need to tell me. I have no interest in them."
Xiao Qiang: "…" Alright, guess I was overthinking things.
"I want to see the human world for myself. Can you take me?"
"Of course, Master Jingliu."
The "Di" in "Xue Di" was a title of reverence, so it didn't need an honorific. But "Jingliu" was now a name. As her subordinate, Xiao Qiang couldn't just call her that informally.
At Tianmeng's suggestion, Xue Di decided to experience human cuisine first.
Thus, the entire afternoon was spent exploring the food street. Xue Di sampled dish after dish, not bothering with flavor or presentation. She simply tasted each item and discarded it. Meanwhile, Bingdi, who was inhabiting Xiao Qiang's body, consumed the discarded food, while Tianmeng absorbed and converted it into spiritual energy.
Xiao Qiang could only sigh helplessly in his spiritual sea.
"Brother Tianmeng…" Bingdi softly licked Xue Di's discarded food, and Tianmeng, harboring affection for Bingdi, silently assisted her. It was like a live-action reenactment of Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf.
As evening fell and Bingdi returned control of the body, Xiao Qiang and Xue Di—now Jingliu—went home together.
"Master Jingliu, this is…"
"Prepare a bedroom for me. And…" Jingliu's gaze fell on Xiao Qiang's younger sister, Xiao Lan. "Have her attend to me."
"Huh? That…"
Before Xiao Qiang could object, Xiao Lan nodded quickly. "It's okay, Brother. I can handle it."
"…Alright. My sister is still young, so please be patient with her."
Later that evening.
"Master Jingliu, may I wash your feet for you?"
Xiao Lan carried in a basin of warm water. Jingliu glanced at it and then conjured her own basin, sculpted from snow and filled with pristine white ice.
"Use this instead."
"…Yes."
Xiao Lan set aside the warm water and knelt before Jingliu, gently removing her high heels. So far, everything seemed normal—until she dipped her hands into the snow basin.
A searing chill shot up her arms. Despite reinforcing her hands with soul power, the stabbing pain was overwhelming.
"Ah…"
"If it's too much, call Xiao Qiang."
"I'm fine. No need to bother Brother." Gritting her teeth, Xiao Lan forced her hands deeper into the snow, using her body heat to try and melt it.
In their household, Xiao Qiang bore the weight of earning money and protecting them from bullies. Xiao Sheng handled household tasks like cooking and cleaning. As the youngest, Xiao Lan had always been the most sheltered.
She didn't know the full extent of Xiao Qiang's burdens, but she knew how other families like theirs lived. She knew the value of the Sun and Moon Pill.
Everything—from the name to the rumors surrounding it—testified to the pill's rarity and power. And yet, her eldest brother had given both pills to her and Xiao Sheng, without taking any for himself.
That thought weighed on her. Even after receiving something so precious, she couldn't contribute. If she couldn't even serve someone properly and left Jingliu dissatisfied, it would humiliate her brother.
After all, the mere fact that Xiao Qiang called her "sir" made it obvious that he was seeking help. If he couldn't even fulfill such a simple request, he'd lose even that opportunity.
So, even though the pain was nearly unbearable, Xiao Lan gritted her teeth and said nothing after that first cry. She bore the freezing torment in silence—determined not to make things harder for her brother.
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Pump up the power stone if you guys want mass release