The white whale-like soul beast before them was covered in ghastly wounds, its jade-like white skin now stained in vivid crimson.
Only now did Xu Zihuang get a clear look at the creature's full appearance. Compared to the savage and fearsome Demonic Devil Whales, this soul beast looked far more gentle—even a bit adorable. Its body was thick and sturdy, with a domed forehead that was soft and pliable, giving it a clumsy, endearing look. The most striking feature was a hexagonal silver scale embedded in the dome of its head, reflecting dazzling colors under the light.
Its beady black eyes sparkled with intelligence. After scanning the people around it, it somehow recognized Xu Zihuang as the most respected among them, and began dragging its bulky body toward him with its twin fins. At the same time, it let out sharp, mournful cries.
"Eee—eeeh—"
Though Xu Zihuang couldn't understand its speech, the pleading in its voice was unmistakable.
"The Ocean's Spirit—Silver-Scaled White Whale. It actually exists?"
Yao Yang, who had remained on high alert, suddenly relaxed. Noticing Xu Zihuang's puzzled expression, he elaborated, "Kids from the coastal regions all grow up hearing tales of the Silver-Scaled White Whale. These soul beasts are known for their affinity with humans. According to the records, many lost sailors on long voyages were guided back by these whales. In shipwrecks, they've been known to rescue humans on their own accord. Those blessed by a Silver-Scaled White Whale are said to be born under great fortune. They are called the 'Auspicious Beasts of the Sea'—descendants of the pure-blooded Silver Dragon."
Boom!
As the two spoke, another soul-guided artillery cannon fired at the approaching pack of five Demonic Devil Whales. Using the blast for cover, Wang Xiao led a squad of over a dozen Soul Emperors and higher-ranked Royal Dragon Soul Master Corps members to intercept the raging beasts.
"An Auspicious Beast of the ocean? With Silver Dragon blood?"
The sea surged violently, rocking the warship. Xu Zihuang, however, stood firm. He remembered that the Imperial Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, supposedly carried Golden Dragon blood.
His gaze met that of the Silver-Scaled White Whale for a brief moment. Then he waved toward the only healing-type soul master aboard the Royal Dragon Soul Master Corps.
"Elder Cheng, heal it."
"Yes, Young Master!"
Elder Cheng, one of the men left behind by Wang Xiao to guard the ship, stepped forward. His presence in the elite corps meant his martial soul was far from ordinary.
With a step forward, soft golden light began to coalesce around him. Two yellow, two purple, and one black soul ring shimmered into view. The golden lights quickly intensified, blooming into vibrant, multicolored dandelions.
Each glowing dandelion radiated rich life energy. Upon touching the whale's smooth skin, they dissolved into golden points of light and merged into its body.
The whale's gruesome wounds began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye. Its condition visibly improved, and its deep black eyes regained some vitality.
Yet Elder Cheng's expression remained grave. Sea spray from the raging battle had soaked his neatly combed white hair. Once he had nearly exhausted his soul power, he withdrew his martial soul and bowed his head in shame.
"Young Master, I fear my humble abilities are not enough. Its life force is fading too fast—it has suffered injuries to its very essence."
"Is that so?"
Xu Zihuang's face remained calm as he knelt and gently touched the whale's soft forehead, his eyes drawn to the shimmering silver scale.
He wasn't a saint. He wouldn't mind saving a creature so closely bonded to humans—and one that matched his aesthetic taste so well. But he was also after something. When Yao Yang mentioned the term "Auspicious Beast," Xu Zihuang's first thought was the third eye of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion from the Great Star Dou Forest.
Records in the Sun-Moon Empire's royal archives mentioned ancient Auspicious Beasts.
Where an Auspicious Beast appears, other beasts are blessed, and the path ahead is limitless. An Auspicious Beast could greatly accelerate the cultivation of soul beasts in its domain. But conversely, devouring such a beast could provide even greater benefits. The Three-Eyed Golden Lion in the Great Star Dou Forest had only been spared due to its pure Golden Dragon bloodline and the protection of Di Tian, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King.
This Silver-Scaled White Whale clearly wasn't as lucky. It was now being hunted down by a pod of Demonic Devil Whales.
Human soul masters could also extract auspicious energy from such beasts through attribute resonance.
Did he need to touch its forehead to initiate the resonance?
Xu Zihuang hesitated. There wasn't always only one Auspicious Beast in existence, but he couldn't confirm if this whale truly was one.
Seeing Xu Zihuang's intimate interaction with the beast, Yao Yang frowned slightly, though he said nothing. The whale showed no signs of hostility, and its cultivation had only just crossed the thousand-year mark. Even if it had unique traits, he could easily handle it if needed.
While remaining vigilant for any other aquatic soul beasts, Yao Yang stayed ready to support Wang Xiao and the others at any moment.
The Silver-Scaled White Whale gently nuzzled Xu Zihuang's palm. From their conversation, it seemed to understand something, and its small black eyes dimmed with sorrow.
But as Xu Zihuang's hand brushed the silver scale on its forehead, everything around them seemed to freeze—time and space alike.
A flood of fragmented images surged through the whale's mind. Its gaze turned blank, staring deeply at Xu Zihuang. If one looked closely, its eyes now held a complex mixture of confusion and intimacy.
As if making a decision, a radiant burst of seven-colored light spread from the silver scale at its brow. A melodious whale song echoed across the entire sea.
Its body began to shimmer and blur, floating beside Xu Zihuang. Then, with a light touch of its silver scale to his forehead, it completed the connection.
There was joy in its song now.
Xu Zihuang found himself immersed in an otherworldly sensation. Gazing at the whale touching his forehead, he, too, saw fleeting images—but strangely, none of them left any clear impression in his mind.
Those watching felt their spirits stirred. Their martial souls seemed to undergo a subtle elevation. For Wang Xiao and the others locked in battle, their soul skills suddenly surged in power.
In contrast, the lead Demonic Devil Whale let out a deep, furious roar. Its massive tail slammed the ocean surface, sending several crimson-tinged water blades toward the ship.
Wang Xiao glanced at Xu Zihuang on the deck. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he would never allow an attack to reach the ship. Activating his fourth soul ring, he swept his tiger claws, unleashing green-black wind blades that intercepted the enemy's attack precisely.
Nearby, Yao Yang stared at the glowing violet ring encircling Xu Zihuang in disbelief.
"Could this… be the legendary self-sacrificial fusion?"
Silver flames ignited from the whale's body. As it gradually faded into transparency, only the hexagonal silver scale remained. It melted into Xu Zihuang's forehead, forming a complex silver sigil.
The violet ring of light around him expanded into a massive halo before slowly collapsing inward. A regal, violet soul ring rose up beneath his feet.
At the same time, a flash of silvery brilliance swept across his body as Xu Zihuang opened his eyes, now gleaming with sharp light.
The entire process had taken less than a quarter of an hour.
Looking down at himself in confusion, he realized he had grown taller, his shoulders broader, and his skin now held a soft glow. Every movement felt powerful and effortless.
He could also feel his soul power surging, having reached the threshold of rank 20 the moment the ring fused.
Touching the silver sigil now hidden in his forehead, he turned to the speechless Yao Yang with a twitch at the corner of his mouth.
"Brother Yang... am I really what you call someone blessed by heaven?"
He didn't see himself as someone with an imperial destiny or commanding presence.
To be honest, he hadn't expected the Silver-Scaled White Whale to sacrifice itself for him. Perhaps it wasn't a sacrifice at all, but a special kind of voluntary fusion—just like the Skydream Iceworm in the original story. He could feel that something new had appeared within his spiritual sea, though with his current strength, he couldn't yet access it.
"Either way," Yao Yang sighed, "a Silver-Scaled White Whale is known for its formidable spiritual power. It's a fitting first soul ring for your Golden-Eyed martial soul."
He had never been this speechless in his life—not because of what Xu Zihuang had said, but because of his absurd luck.
His gaze now held a strange depth as he looked at Xu Zihuang.
As a spiritual-type soul master, he truly believed in the reality of fate and fortune.
Behind them, Elder Cheng, Meng Lang, and the rest of the Royal Dragon Soul Master Corps stood frozen in awe.
To resist a Contra's eighth soul skill and then be gifted a soul ring by such a rare soul beast… and all while still only at rank 10?
(End of Chapter )
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