DD Black White [172-177] (Patreon)

Chapter 172: The Simp

"You all..." Nan Shuishui shook her head with a fond smile, her eyes full of affection.

She patiently explained, "It's not that I doubt the Stigmata, after all, the three great empires and Shrek Academy are all involved. Judging from the current situation, there shouldn't be any major problems. But you need to understand, fusing more Stigmata isn't always better—the key is to find ones that suit you. For us, hundred-thousand-year Stigmata are out of reach, they're simply too rare. As for ten-thousand-year Stigmata, they're also precious, but our Earth Dragon Sect can still manage. Once you all reach the Soul King level, I'll get suitable ten-thousand-year Stigmata tailored for you."

Clearly, Nan Shuishui had thoroughly researched Stigmata.

She knew each person could only fuse a limited number, and the higher the Stigmata's age, the better the effect.

Moreover, since Stigmata only recently appeared on the continent, they were extremely scarce. Even if you pre-ordered, you'd have to wait a long time.

Right now, Nan Qiuqiu and the others urgently needed soul rings to boost their strength, so waiting for custom Stigmata wasn't feasible. That's why Nan Shuishui had brought her disciples to the Sunset Forest to hunt soul beasts.

Although the number of soul beasts in Sunset Forest had dwindled over the years, its proximity to Dragon City meant the Earth Dragon Sect had long mapped out the territories of various soul beasts through years of activity and exploration.

Led by Nan Shuishui, the group soon found a five-thousand-year Saber-Toothed Earth Dragon in a secluded part of the forest.

Most of the Earth Dragon Sect's disciples possessed Earth Dragon martial souls, making them especially interested in related soul beasts.

This particular Saber-Toothed Earth Dragon had long been on their watch list, but until now, they hadn't come to hunt it.

For Earth Dragon Sect disciples, absorbing a soul ring from an Earth Dragon soul beast was ideal.

If they could obtain a true dragon soul ring, that would be even better—but with true dragons nearly extinct, most remaining creatures were merely sub-dragon species.

Thus, this Saber-Toothed Earth Dragon was a perfect match for almost everyone in the Earth Dragon Sect, including the young sect master Nan Qiuqiu.

After discussion, however, Nan Qiuqiu and the others decided to let Xu Shenshu, the big guy, have it since his martial soul was precisely Saber-Toothed Earth Dragon.

Nan Shuishui personally struck the beast down with ease, her strength overwhelming any resistance.

Finally, Xu Shenshu delivered the finishing blow, and the Saber-Toothed Earth Dragon died at his hands.

Xu Shenshu sat down to absorb his fourth soul ring, while Nan Qiuqiu and the others stood guard around him.

At this moment, the forest was eerily quiet, even the usual chorus of insects had disappeared.

Suddenly, Nan Shuishui frowned and stood up, eyes sharp as she looked toward a shadowy corner nearby.

She had sensed something unusual approaching.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Her voice echoed through the silent woods, startling Nan Qiuqiu and the others into alertness.

Though young, their sect upbringing taught them that in the wild, soul beasts weren't always the greatest threat.

Nan Shuishui, being a Soul Douluo, was powerful enough to protect everyone unless a hundred-thousand-year soul beast appeared—which was practically impossible with even ten-thousand-year soul beasts now rare in Sunset Forest.

So what could make Nan Shuishui this wary? Clearly, it wasn't a soul beast.

"Heh, you're as sharp as ever," a low, slightly raspy voice drifted from the darkness.

Moments later, figures in black robes emerged like ghosts from all directions, swiftly surrounding the Earth Dragon Sect group.

"Who are you?" Nan Shuishui's expression darkened. These intruders clearly had ill intent.

As a major sect, the Earth Dragon Sect had its share of enemies, but these black-robed figures were unfamiliar.

"Mom, what do we do?" Nan Qiuqiu and the others were clearly panicked.

Xu Shenshu was in the middle of soul ring absorption and couldn't be moved, leaving them in a precarious situation.

"Old friends meeting again, why so tense? I won't hurt you," the leader said, slowly pulling down his hood to reveal a pale, sinister face.

He stared at Nan Shuishui with a gaze full of deep obsession and longing.

"It's you? You're still alive?" Nan Shuishui's shock was immediate.

She finally recognized him as one of her former suitors, who had left Dragon City in disappointment after she rejected him. She had assumed him long dead.

"Dead? How could I die? I want to be with you forever—never apart!"

The Third Elder gazed at her, his feelings seeming only to have grown with time.

Even now, he was desperate to imprison Nan Shuishui by his side, to fulfill his twisted desire for forever together.

Nan Shuishui shivered at his fervent, bizarre stare.

She'd never had any romantic feelings for him; even after her husband's death, her only focus was raising her daughter and strengthening the Earth Dragon Sect, never seeking another partner.

What's more, the Third Elder now seemed corrupted, exuding a sinister aura that made her skin crawl.

"Take them alive! If anyone dies, you all die with them," the Third Elder ordered coldly.

Now a fallen evil soul master and a Rank 9 Soul Engineer, he was no mindless lunatic—he knew Nan Shuishui would never go willingly.

But he didn't care about her wishes; in his twisted mind, imprisoning her was enough.

He loved her—so he wouldn't hurt her or plan to kill the others.

At his command, the black-robed figures' soul rings lit up—most were Soul Kings, with several Soul Emperors among them.

The Third Elder could have brought Soul Sages or higher, but this was a private operation, so he'd only brought his own subordinates.

Such a lineup made Nan Shuishui's face grow even gloomier. She realized there'd be no easy way out and immediately released her martial soul.

With a blinding pink light, a giant Rouge Dragon phantom appeared behind her.

At the same time, pink dragon scales appeared on her arms and exposed skin, and a pair of delicate pink dragon horns grew from her forehead, changing her presence entirely.

Two yellow, two purple, and four black soul rings glowed in the optimal configuration.

As one ring shone brightly, the Rouge Dragon phantom gathered a ball of pink annihilation energy in its mouth, firing it like a brilliant meteor at the Third Elder.

Nan Shuishui knew the principle: "Capture the leader first." With the enemy's numbers, her only chance was to take down the Third Elder quickly.

However, she underestimated his current strength.

Just as her attack was about to hit, the Third Elder's nine soul rings—two yellow, two purple, five black—appeared.

A purple-black soul tool shield materialized in front of him, easily blocking her full-force attack.

"Title Douluo!" Nan Shuishui stared in disbelief.

She knew his talent well; there was no way he could have reached Title Douluo on his own.

"Heh," the Third Elder chuckled darkly, pride and madness in his voice.

To pursue power, he'd sacrificed everything—literally—even his manhood, all to earn Nan Shuishui's admiration.

Now, as a Title Douluo and Rank 9 Soul Engineer, seeing her shock gave him immense satisfaction.

"Rouge Annihilation Burst!" Despite her shock, Nan Shuishui was no pushover.

Facing the oncoming evil soul masters, she coldly unleashed a barrage of pink energy spheres that exploded with tremendous force.

Explosions shook the forest, sending debris flying and bodies crashing to the ground.

"Fourth," the Third Elder called to another black-robed man.

"Third Brother, is it worth it for a woman? What if the sect master blames us?" Fourth Elder asked, worried.

He had never supported this attack on the Earth Dragon Sect, as the Holy Spirit Sect was focused on staying hidden.

But he and Third Elder were close, so he reluctantly went along.

"Don't worry, I'll take the blame. As a Rank 9 Soul Engineer, at worst I'll be punished a bit. If I can bring her back, it's all worth it," Third Elder replied confidently.

After all, Title Douluo—especially with advanced soul engineering skills—were too valuable for the sect to lose.

Besides, after recent conflicts in Mingdu and with the Wuchang Division, the sect already suspected their location was compromised.

So, the Holy Spirit Sect was not as strict about secrecy as before.

Chapter 173: The Dashing Rescue

With Third Elder's promise, Fourth Elder's hesitation vanished. He drew a ghostly green sword as his nine soul rings appeared and charged at Nan Shuishui.

Nan Shuishui's heart sank.

Facing two Title Douluo, even with her powerful Rouge Dragon, she had no chance of victory.

But she would never surrender. Gritting her teeth, she formed a pink Rouge Annihilation Sword and met the green sword head-on.

Sword lights clashed, soul power exploded, and the shockwaves uprooted trees.

Dragon roars, sword cries, and explosions filled the air, turning the once-quiet forest into chaos.

Nan Shuishui was forced into a bitter struggle, while Nan Qiuqiu and the others desperately defended Xu Shenshu as he absorbed his soul ring.

The evil soul masters refrained from lethal attacks, clearly under orders not to kill.

The Earth Dragon Sect quickly realized the attackers' identity—infamous evil soul masters. Their bloody, soul-consuming techniques were unmistakable.

Despair set in. Falling into evil soul masters' hands could only mean a terrible fate.

Exhausted, Nan Qiuqiu, Song Qian, Tian Tian, Xiao Ye, and Feng Jue managed to fend off another attack, but their soul power was almost gone.

"What now, lady boss?" Xiao Ye asked, panting, injured and drained.

"How should I know? We're doomed. If I die, I'll take one with me," Nan Qiuqiu gritted out, unwilling to accept such an end.

Just thinking of all the rumored horrors made her shudder.

"I don't want to be caught. Qiuqiu, if it comes to it, end me quickly," Song Qian gasped, her variant Rouge Dragon soul with lightning attribute having been most effective but now spent.

"Me too! Being caught by evil soul masters is too frightening!" Tian Tian said, pale.

Their beauty and martial souls made their fate particularly grim if captured. Death was preferable.

"Don't give them a break—go!" a scythe-wielding evil Soul Emperor ordered, sending several more at them.

"It's over." Nan Qiuqiu was in despair; she had no soul power left, her Rouge Dragon unsuited for close combat.

Just as the evil soul masters closed in, a sharp sound split the air—a black spear wreathed in black-red lightning slammed into the ground, blocking their path.

A burst of lightning incinerated several attackers instantly. One, luckier, lost an arm and barely escaped.

With a crash, a figure landed, raising a cloud of dust.

"So handsome!" As the dust cleared, Nan Qiuqiu saw a white-haired, red-eyed, spear-wielding youth.

"Hero saving beauty—don't you think that's a bit clichéd?" came a cool voice as Gu Yue, surrounded by blue wind, landed beside Lu Jingming.

Lu Jingming twitched—he'd just made an entrance, and already Gu Yue was annoyed.

"Hmm?" Third Elder frowned. Even as a Title Douluo, he'd sensed nothing until they appeared.

Looking up, he saw Snow Empress floating high above, Ice Empress beside her.

"Kill those two!" Third Elder ordered instantly.

His only concern was Earth Dragon Sect; Lu Jingming and Gu Yue were outsiders.

"Yes, Third Elder!" Several evil Soul Emperors grinned savagely and lunged.

"Die, brat! Who told you to meddle?" The scythe-wielding Soul Emperor charged, his weapon glowing with sickening bloodlust.

"Watch out!" Nan Qiuqiu shouted.

With a flash, Lu Jingming's spear pierced the enemy's throat, lifting him into the air.

"Yeah, I'm meddling. So what?" Lu Jingming said coolly, a flick of his spear reducing the Soul Emperor to ashes.

Blue lightning crackled as he appeared in the midst of the enemy.

"Eternal Corridor!" His second soul ring shone, black light spreading to envelop dozens of meters.

Half the evil soul masters were trapped.

"What is this?"

"No!"

"Ah!"

The Soul Kings disintegrated instantly; Soul Emperors, more resistant, died in agony.

Gu Yue shook her head at the massacre. This wasn't the Soul Master Tournament—no need to hold back against evil soul masters.

Against Lu Jingming's unleashed power, even Soul Emperors were like ants.

Chapter 174: The Third Elder's Rage

"Courting death!" Third Elder watched, furious, as Lu Jingming slaughtered his men.

He didn't care about their lives, but losing so many would make him answerable to the sect leader.

"Corpse Lightning!" Third Elder's first soul ring flashed, sending a black-grey bolt at Lu Jingming.

Though just his first soul skill, as a Title Douluo, even his weakest move was deadly.

Lu Jingming coolly intercepted it with his black spear, the tip crackling with black-red lightning.

Thunder exploded, shockwaves rippling outward. A foul green miasma drifted toward Lu Jingming, but he dispelled it with a pulse of purple lightning.

Without pause, Lu Jingming raised his left hand and unleashed his hundred-thousand-year soul bone skill—Dominion.

Space warped as crushing gravity slammed down on Third Elder, dropping him to his knees, spitting blood from internal injuries.

Third Elder looked up, eyes red with murderous rage—being forced to kneel and injured by a Soul King was an unprecedented humiliation.

His soul power blazed as he struggled to resist the gravity.

"I'll tear your soul out and burn it for a hundred years!" he howled.

Dominion was powerful, but the vast gap in soul power meant it could only catch Third Elder off guard temporarily.

Lu Jingming only smiled; he hadn't expected to suppress a Title Douluo with a single skill.

But making a Title Douluo kneel and cough blood was already a miracle.

Even Nan Qiuqiu and the others were stunned; a Soul King injuring a Title Douluo was unheard of.

Third Elder, enraged, unleashed his fourth soul skill—Demonic Skull Seven Stars—summoning seven evil green lightning skulls to attack.

Lu Jingming responded with seven jets of black light from his spear, obliterating the skulls.

Everyone was shocked—a Soul King had just neutralized a Title Douluo's fourth soul skill!

"This isn't possible!" Third Elder was in disbelief.

"This is like annihilation energy, but even stronger!" Nan Shuishui realized, comparing it to the Earth Dragon Sect's own annihilation abilities, but Lu Jingming's was far superior.

Even as a Soul Douluo, she struggled to eliminate enemy soul skills directly—yet Lu Jingming, a Soul King, could instantly erase Title Douluo-level attacks.

"In that case—Furious Whip of Thunder!" Third Elder, losing all reason, unleashed his sixth soul skill.

A grey-purple whip lashed out, summoning countless wailing wraiths and saturating the air with a scorched, acrid stench.

The massive attack enveloped Nan Qiuqiu and the others as well.

Lu Jingming frowned. He might survive, but the others would die.

"Xue Di!" he called without hesitation.

Facing a Title Douluo was too much, even after his earlier surprise attacks.

As the whip descended, Snow Empress appeared like a white phantom, gracefully raising a hand.

A terrifying cold instantly froze the attack, ice spreading back toward Third Elder.

Realizing the danger, he immediately stopped channeling soul power and fled, dragging Fourth Elder with him.

But Snow Empress wouldn't let them go. She unleashed a storm of cold that froze everything for miles around—the two elders included—leaving only Lu Jingming and his group unfrozen.

Her mastery of cold was absolute, befitting the ruler of the extreme north.

Chapter 175: Gu Yue Gets Jealous

Nan Shuishui couldn't help but gasp, eyes wide with shock.

Two Title Douluo-level evil soul masters had been frozen instantly by Xue Di, unable to even fight back. This kind of overwhelming power was beyond her understanding, leaving her deeply awed.

"I am Nan Shuishui, Sect Master of the Earth Dragon Sect. I can never repay the debt I owe you all for saving our lives today!"

She hurriedly descended, bowing with utmost respect and humility.

Her gratitude was sincere—after all, had Lu Jingming and his companions not arrived in time, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

"Please, Sect Master Nan, there's no need for thanks. Evil soul masters are scourges to the continent; it's everyone's duty to destroy them. Besides, we actually came here for the Earth Dragon Sect," Lu Jingming replied with calm composure.

He'd planned all along to help the Earth Dragon Sect, so he could rightfully ask for the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow beneath their base. But even without that, he'd never turn a blind eye to evil soul masters if he could help.

"For the Earth Dragon Sect?" Nan Shuishui blinked in surprise.

She had never met Lu Jingming and had no idea why they'd seek out her sect. Still, out of gratitude, she smiled and said, "I wonder what business brings you here? As long as it's within our means, the Earth Dragon Sect will do everything in its power to help."

No matter their motives, Lu Jingming and his group had truly saved her and her disciples—she couldn't deny that.

If she'd fallen into the Third Elder's hands, she'd have lost her freedom, if not her life.

Moreover, the Earth Dragon Sect had an ancestral technique for reading people's faces—a way to judge character, if not always accurate. After observing Lu Jingming, Nan Shuishui felt confident he bore them no ill will.

"This isn't a good place for a long talk. Let's move somewhere else," Lu Jingming suggested, glancing at the frozen, lifeless forest around them.

"Agreed. Please, let me welcome you all to our sect for proper hospitality," Nan Shuishui nodded.

After so much danger, none of the Earth Dragon Sect had the heart to continue hunting soul beasts. The evil soul masters' ambush clearly hadn't been a coincidence; there were surely spies within Dragon City to root out.

Of all the evil soul masters who ambushed them, only the Third and Fourth Elders survived—and only because Lu Jingming and Xue Di had other plans.

Rather than kill them outright, Lu Jingming thought they'd make excellent 'Lunch box'—either as training fodder for Ye Guiyi or as guinea pigs for Mobius's research. (Squid Game Reference.)

Xue Di agreed; that's why she hadn't finished them off on the spot. She owed Mobius a favor, after all.

Meanwhile, Xu Shenshu was still focused on absorbing his soul ring. While he finished, Xue Di stored the two evil soul masters in a special soul tool designed to hold living beings.

"Um… thank you so much for helping us just now. I'm Nan Qiuqiu, young mistress of the Earth Dragon Sect," Nan Qiuqiu finally mustered up the courage to introduce herself, face flushed with shyness.

"It was nothing. I'm Lu Jingming, from Haiyuan City of the Star Luo Empire," he replied with a gentle smile.

For some reason, he noticed that Nan Qiuqiu's gaze was similar to Meng Hongchen's—though not as bold, but with the bashfulness of a young maiden.

"Haiyuan City? That sounds familiar—oh! That's the city hosting this year's Soul Master Tournament, right? And the Stigmata originated there too!"

As she spoke, Nan Qiuqiu tapped her lips in thought before suddenly lighting up with realization, looking unexpectedly cute.

"Yes, that's right. I'm surprised Haiyuan City's fame has reached Dragon City," Lu Jingming laughed, quite pleased.

The more famous Haiyuan became, the better for him—he'd poured a lot of effort into its development.

"You were amazing just now! You killed so many evil soul masters in one blow and even injured a Title Douluo. So cool!"

Her eyes sparkled with admiration and adoration.

"Heh, it was nothing," Lu Jingming replied modestly, though he couldn't help but feel a bit proud—after all, Nan Qiuqiu was a canon character.

"Qiuqiu, stop gawking and go meditate to recover your soul power! We still have a journey ahead!" Nan Shuishui called out, unable to hide her exasperation at her daughter's lovestruck look.

"Got it!" Nan Qiuqiu stuck out her tongue playfully, waved sweetly to Lu Jingming, then hurried back to meditate.

"Saving the damsel works wonders, huh? If you're a little bolder, she might throw herself at you," Gu Yue said quietly, standing beside Lu Jingming. Her tone was calm, but a hint of jealousy was unmistakable.

"You think so? Well, I am pretty charming," Lu Jingming joked, stroking his chin.

Gu Yue's lips twitched; she almost felt like punching that handsome face—but she couldn't bear to.

Lu Jingming noticed her mood and smiled. Jealousy meant progress! He was glad he'd brought Gu Yue along.

Soon, Xu Shenshu finished absorbing his fourth ring—since it matched his martial soul, the process went smoothly.

With everything settled, the group left Sunset Forest for Dragon City.

Looking back at the forest, Lu Jingming knew he'd return—he still had two goals here: the Profound Ice Marrow below the Earth Dragon Sect, and the Icefire Yin Yang Well within the forest. The latter wasn't going anywhere, and Xue Di and Bing Di were eager, especially Bing Di, who desperately needed the Ice Marrow to restore her physical body.

Dragon City—the northernmost metropolis of the Heaven Soul Empire—stood closest to the Extreme North. It was blanketed in snow year-round, making it a true city of ice and snow.

Despite the harsh climate, the city bustled with people, drawn by the nearby Extreme North—a soul beast haven. Few dared venture deep, but many hunted on the outskirts or sought rare ice-elemental treasures.

Dragon City was home to two major sects: Heaven Dragon Sect and Earth Dragon Sect.

The Heaven Dragon Sect wielded the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul—one of the few pure dragon souls left, once famed as the continent's number one beast martial soul.

As a result, the Earth Dragon Sect had always been overshadowed, seen as little more than a vassal for generations.

Chapter 176: Obedient Nan Qiuqiu

Nan Shuishui was no weaker than most Title Douluo, but the Heaven Dragon Sect's current leader was a Super Douluo—a gap she couldn't bridge.

Still, Nan Shuishui had, through her own wisdom and strength, built the Earth Dragon Sect into the city's second power—a real feat, given that most of their martial souls were sub-dragon types, forever suppressed by the true dragon lineage of their rivals.

Only the Rouge Dragon martial soul could truly compete with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon; all others fell short.

Despite the rivalry, the two sects had a millennium of deep ties, and their competition was healthy. Heaven Dragon held the north, Earth Dragon held the south—each with their own sphere of influence.

With Nan Shuishui personally leading the way, the city guards let Lu Jingming's group pass without question.

They soon arrived at the Earth Dragon Sect's grand compound, marked with an imposing plaque. The soul masters even guarding the gates were all genuine Soul Kings—a testament to the sect's deep foundation.

Back at the sect, Nan Qiuqiu became even more lively, eagerly giving Lu Jingming a detailed tour and history lesson.

Xu Shenshu and the others exchanged surprised looks. Was this really their mischievous, hot-tempered boss lady? When had she become so gentle and considerate?

Nan Shuishui covered her forehead helplessly. She knew her daughter had inherited a weakness for good looks, but the effect of the hero saves beauty cliché—combined with Lu Jingming's looks—had left Qiuqiu completely smitten.

Watching her daughter look ready to spill all the sect's secrets, Nan Shuishui worried that if she ever handed over the sect, Qiuqiu might just run off with it in tow.

Within the Earth Dragon Sect, aside from Nan Shuishui, there were two other Soul Douluo elders and nearly ten Soul Sage elders—pillars of the sect.

Upon hearing about the evil soul master ambush, the elders were alarmed and grateful to Lu Jingming for saving their future heirs.

Had the evil soul masters succeeded, the sect would have faced ruin.

Learning there were traitors in Dragon City, the elders' eyes flashed with murderous intent. They quickly led their best disciples off to root out the spies, determined to make them pay.

But for Lu Jingming and the others, that was just background noise.

As honored guests, they were led to a serene private garden—Nan Shuishui's own residence, usually off-limits to all but her closest kin.

There, Nan Qiuqiu sweetly brewed Lu Jingming a cup of tea. He smiled and got straight to the point: "Sect Master Nan, I'll be direct. We came here for the underground cold spring."

Nan Shuishui narrowed her eyes, watching her daughter's unusual attentiveness. Even as her mother, she rarely enjoyed such service.

And when she heard Lu Jingming mention the cold spring, she was shocked.

The underground spring was a tightly kept secret—only she and two Soul Douluo elders knew of it, not even her daughter. How did Lu Jingming know?

She set aside her suspicions—for someone who'd saved their lives, there was no point in fussing over the source.

With a bitter smile, she said, "I won't ask how you know. It's true, we have an underground spring, but it's just a special resource for training our young disciples. I can't imagine why someone as strong as you would come so far for it."

Haiyuan City was across the entire Heaven Soul Empire, after all.

The spring was useful for body tempering and consolidating soul power, especially for beginners. All the young talents had benefited from it, but for high-level powerhouses, its effects were negligible.

Nan Shuishui glanced at Xue Di. Someone who could kill two Title Douluo in a blink wouldn't care about the likes of the spring, would she?

Perhaps Lu Jingming was after the ore below the spring—the top-grade ice-attribute metal their ancestors once discovered by chance?

"Sect Master, you don't have to be so formal. Just call me Jingming. To be honest, we're here for what's below the spring," Lu Jingming replied gently.

He knew the spring was precious to the sect, but they had no idea what treasures lay beneath—or even what the Ice Polar Divine Crystal they once brought up actually was.

"Well then, I won't stand on ceremony. Jingming, the spring is important to us, but compared to the kindness you've shown, it's nothing. Besides, I know little about what lies beneath."

She had tried to explore deeper herself, but the extreme cold forced her to retreat before she got far. Even entering the ancestor-built cave below was a struggle for her, let alone mining any ore.

Chapter 177: Gu Yue Gets Rival

The sect had long suspected there were even greater treasures below the spring, but limited by their strength, they couldn't even investigate, let alone retrieve anything.

All they could do was use the spring's water to train young disciples.

With no further hesitation, Nan Shuishui led Lu Jingming and company to the sect's back courtyard, where an ancient well shrouded in cold mist awaited.

"Mom, is this the big secret we've been hiding? It just looks like an ordinary well—nothing special," Nan Qiuqiu said, peering in, only to be disappointed.

"You don't know anything! You've benefited plenty from the spring water in your training. Otherwise, with your talent, you wouldn't have advanced to Soul Ancestor so quickly," Nan Shuishui scolded.

Nan Qiuqiu, younger than Lu Jingming, had already reached the Soul Ancestor rank—a remarkable achievement, even compared to Shrek's top students like Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi.

But her rapid growth owed much to the spring water. All the young disciples had benefited in the same way.

Clearly, the spring—formed by Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow—was an incredible boon for low-level soul masters.

"Jingming, this is it. Whatever you're after is down there—I can't say more, but I trust you'll manage," Nan Shuishui said, glancing at Xue Di for reassurance.

The Earth Dragon Sect couldn't investigate further, but for ice-elemental powerhouses like Xue Di, entering the spring was like going home.

"Xue Di, Bing Di—you two go ahead. Gu Yue and I will wait here," Lu Jingming instructed.

Once the Profound Ice Marrow was retrieved, Bing Di could restore her body, and Lu Jingming had no need to use Black Abyss White Flower's help.

He knew exactly what lay below: the Ice Polar Divine Crystal vein was priceless, but couldn't be mined en masse for now. The Profound Ice Marrow, though, could be taken.

Once it was removed, the spring would lose its deadly chill, making it possible for the sect to mine the ore themselves.

Lu Jingming wasn't greedy; he planned to pay a fair price for any Ice Polar Divine Crystals, leaving the mining to the sect—and he wasn't short on money.

He also wouldn't take the Profound Ice Marrow for free—he'd come prepared.

Nan Shuishui, hearing Lu Jingming call out to Xue Di and Bing Di, was shocked. As neighbors to the Extreme North, of course she knew their names—top ten fierce beasts, rulers of the north.

Now it all made sense: no wonder they were so powerful.

She wondered how Lu Jingming could command such beings, but wisely kept her questions to herself.

While Xue Di and Bing Di descended into the spring, Lu Jingming stayed above with Gu Yue, Nan Qiuqiu, and Nan Shuishui.

While waiting, Lu Jingming took out eight blood-red crystals—each a ten-thousand-year Stigmata.

"Sect Master, here are eight ten-thousand-year Stigmata, all sub-dragon types. Consider it compensation for what we take."

"That's… that's far too generous! You saved us—there's no need for compensation!"

"Please take them. Stigmata are precious, but to us in Haiyuan City, they're not rare, and these especially suit the Earth Dragon Sect."

Nan Shuishui hesitated but finally accepted. He was right—sub-dragon Stigmata were perfect for her sect.

Her respect for Lu Jingming rose even higher. He didn't have to offer compensation; the rescue alone was reason enough.

Among the eight Stigmata was even a Rouge Dragon one, nearly impossible to obtain. Lu Jingming had enlisted Herta's help to simulate the Rouge Dragon, then had Mobius modify a Golden Earth Dragon's genes to create it.

The bloodlines of dragons were close enough to allow this.

The Profound Ice Marrow was incredibly rare—its power could even forge a million-year soul beast. Lu Jingming knew this, so he offered the Stigmata in return, even though their value was still far less. Still, without him, the sect would never have reached the Marrow, making the Stigmata more practical for them.

"Wow, real Stigmata! And a Rouge Dragon one! Thank you, Lu Jingming!" Nan Qiuqiu, already obsessed with Stigmata, was overjoyed. In her excitement, she impulsively hugged Lu Jingming and planted a big kiss on his cheek, leaving a wet mark.

"What are you doing?!" Gu Yue's eyes went wide, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly bristling.

She was both angry and anxious—she hadn't kissed Lu Jingming yet, and this pink-haired girl had beaten her to it! How could she stand that?

Sensing Gu Yue's murderous aura, Nan Qiuqiu shrank back, face scarlet, and quickly hid behind Nan Shuishui. She'd simply been too excited and now felt embarrassed.

"Ugh!" Gu Yue gritted her teeth, glaring daggers at Lu Jingming, then whipped out her handkerchief to wipe his face clean—no way was she letting someone else's mark stay there.

Lu Jingming blinked innocently, as if he hadn't seen it coming. In truth, he could've easily dodged, but he'd let it happen—why not? He wasn't losing out, and Gu Yue's jealous reaction was adorable.

Nan Shuishui could only cover her face in exasperated amusement, then cast a reproachful look at her daughter. But soon, her expression softened—her little cabbage had finally learned to be proactive. As a mother, she was relieved… but glancing at Gu Yue, she worried for her daughter. The competition was fierce.

Nan Shuishui truly liked Lu Jingming. She knew he'd come with an agenda, but the fact remained: he'd saved them all. With Xue Di's power and Lu Jingming's deed, she had no objection to him taking the treasures below. After all, without his help, the sect would never have reached them.

And Lu Jingming, despite being able to take it all for free, insisted on offering eight ten-thousand-year Stigmata as compensation. That alone spoke volumes for his character.