Tomorrow starts with three updates for the Cangsheng Dao Palace, still within the First Academy of the Scholar Palace, designated 'Jia' class.

Chu Xue held the Stone Qilin in her arms, her gaze fixed on the spirit formation hastily drawn on the courtyard ground with immense worry.

It wasn't just the ground; the little Stone Qilin beast in her hands was also covered in runes. It blinked its innocent eyes, watching the strange male creature before it and its mistress fussing over it.

It took about ten days to return from the center of the vast Guangling Sea back to the Cangsheng Dao Palace.

As soon as they arrived, Zong Shou began preparations to integrate the remnant soul of that Black Qilin Beast into the divine soul of the young Stone Qilin.

However, Chu Xue couldn't shake the feeling that this was unreliable, and she watched Zong Shou with profound doubt. "Young Master, I asked Sister Yanran, and Sister Yunlan too. They both said that in this world, it's absolutely impossible for a protective spirit's soul to merge and elevate the lineage rank. Even in cases of possession, the original body's soul must be erased. Young Master, you can't be tricking Xue'er, can you?"

Zong Shou couldn't help but roll his eyes. If soul merging wasn't possible, then what was he doing?

Internally, however, he felt a touch of anxiety. This method was only created in later generations. It wasn't a complete soul fusion; rather, it was about infusing the combat memories and some divine abilities of the Black Qilin Beast into the consciousness of the young Stone Qilin, using its soul power as a catalyst to trigger the Stone Qilin's Qilin bloodline inheritance and raise its rank.

But this was Zong Shou's first time attempting it.

In his past life, he had only vaguely remembered this secret art; he wasn't sure if there were any oversights.

On his face, however, he showed no expression, calm and confident, even slightly dismissive. "Rest assured! When have you ever seen your Young Lord attempt something he wasn't certain of? Yanran? Yunlan? Hmph, their spiritual techniques cultivation is indeed not bad. But they are nothing more than frogs in a well, ignorant of the vastness of heaven and earth, and the wonders of the Great Thousand World. A mere Spiritual Master at the Huanjing realm dares to declare that no method of soul merging exists in this world. What arrogance and ignorance! How could they know the profound mystery of this technique? This was personally created by your sovereign, an act that seizes the creation of heaven and earth!"

He shamelessly claimed credit for the achievements of later generations, boasting endlessly about himself.

At this moment, Zhao Yanran and Xuan Yunlan were observing nearby. Upon hearing those words, the latter grew more curious—could Zong Shou really succeed? The former felt her lungs were about to burst.

They think we are merely at the Huanjing realm, but isn't he the same? I've never heard of a Sixth-Tier Soul Master creating entirely new secret arts. He's probably just fooling around.

Over there, Chu Xue seemed somewhat convinced. Her eyes held a mix of belief and doubt, glazed over with reverence from being tricked. My Young Master is such an amazing person; he probably wouldn't lie, right?

Zhao Yanran and Xuan Yunlan were indeed formidable, but her sovereign was a being a hundred times more powerful; he shouldn't deceive her.

After a moment of hesitation, Chu Xue placed the young Stone Qilin from her arms in the center of the spirit formation, gently comforting it to dispel its unease.

Then, with a wavering tone, she asked Zong Shou, "Young Master, you mustn't harm Shi Tou! Otherwise, Xue'er will... will..." She struggled to finish the sentence. Saying she wouldn't speak to the Young Master anymore didn't fit her duties as a handmaiden; wanting to endlessly argue with Zong Shou, she didn't know how to articulate that endlessness.

Finally, Chu Xue gritted her teeth: "Xue'er will bite you!"

Those gathered around chuckled, and Zong Yuan also fought back a smile, his lips twitching slightly.

Zong Shou froze, sensing the killing intent in Xue'er's words. This girl cares for these spirit pets this much?

He felt even more hesitant, thinking, Should I refine this further before proceeding? But now it was impossible to retreat; he had to adopt a grand, masterly demeanor and wave his hand sharply.

"Nonsense! This will only benefit it; how could it harm it?"

He clutched ten Sixth-Tier Soul Crystals and crushed them all. As Zong Shou chanted the spiritual words, the temporarily arranged grand formation below immediately emitted a pale green glow, soul power dispersing densely.

The young Stone Qilin at the center of the formation was firmly constrained by an invisible force.

Zong Shou's heart lurched again. Why green? According to the book's description, when this formation operated, it should attract the spiritual lights of red, blue, and black.

He looked around, finding nothing amiss, and Zong Shou quickly dismissed the thought, taking out the soul crystal formed from the Black Qilin Beast's remnant soul.

As if aware of its fate, the soul beast struggled frantically but was forcibly suppressed by Zong Shou, unable to move.

Moments later, after Zong Shou cast dozens of complex hand seals, that soul crystal suddenly burst open.

A mass of mist transformed into hundreds or thousands of smaller clusters, distributed throughout the spirit formation. This substance also had wisps of pure soul energy being channeled into the Stone Qilin's brow.

Zong Shou looked around again, sweeping his consciousness over everything, identifying each differentiated black mist cluster one by one.

These were all the memories of the Black Qilin Beast's remnant soul. Zong Shou's task was to discern them individually and channel the useful ones into the Stone Qilin's consciousness.

Those observing nearby were astonished. Except for Zong Yuan, the other three possessed extremely high attainments in spiritual techniques. At this moment, their eyes held glimmers of surprise.

They hadn't believed him before, but as Zong Shou followed the steps methodically, they grasped the general principle of his soul fusion secret art.

Their hearts pounded fiercely. If this truly succeeded, wouldn't it mean the growth of this Spirit Beast Guardian would absolutely not be inferior to those soul beasts that advance by devouring soul crystals?

Chu Xue tightly clenched her fists, watching the center of the grand formation with extreme tension. She saw the young Stone Qilin with its eyes tightly shut, its expression pained, occasionally letting out a soft, suffering hiss.

If not for the fear of disturbing the spirit formation and making things worse, she would have rushed in several times to embrace 'Shi Tou.' Then, suddenly, a torrent of vast spiritual pressure surged upward, pressing down upon the entire small courtyard.

The young Stone Qilin at the formation's center abruptly stood up, faintly enveloped in a yellow radiance.

Its claws and fangs began to change, continuously elongating, appearing incredibly sharp. Scales intermittently emerged from its skin all over its body. Yellow flames rose beneath its four hooves, and its demeanor became incomparably majestic.

"Seventh Tier!"

Yanran and Yunlan were startled, exchanging a look. It wasn't just the Seventh Tier; accompanying that pressure seemed to be the aura of a Divine Beast.

This young Stone Qilin had truly awakened the ancient Qilin bloodline, and its physical body was undergoing rapid transformation!

Zong Shou’s eyes also held a hidden hint of joy. Among the Five Spirits, the Qilin alone occupies the center. Within the Five Elements, Earth is often considered the source of the other four—Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire.

The vast Earth supports all things; the most crucial part of the Five Spirits Divine Beast secret art is this central Qilin. All its divine power depends on whether this Stone Qilin can bear a portion of the soul power from the other four beasts and supply sufficient spiritual energy.

That is why Zong Shou was so delighted to see the Black Qilin Beast in the tomb. He risked everything to capture it.

A moment later, the floating black mist had visibly diminished by dozens of portions. Zong Shou stopped paying attention, used a spiritual command to disperse them all at once.

However, just as he stopped the spirit formation beneath his feet and drove away the gathered spiritual energy and soul power, the entire man froze.

He saw the aura of the young Stone Qilin rapidly retracting; the majestic posture was gone, and its scales and fangs were reverting to their previous shapes.

"Why is it dropping ranks again?"

In the span of a mere breath, the young Stone Qilin reverted to the Seventh Tier, and the characteristics of the Divine Beast vanished.

Zong Shou was completely bewildered. How could it regress so suddenly after going so well? Had some mistake truly occurred?

The only solace was that he could still sense that the young Stone Qilin was different than before, possessing a sliver more of a dangerous aura.

Beyond that, Zong Shou felt something was subtly off about the little fellow.

Its wet eyes were still as innocent and pitiable as before, but its entire body seemed more muscular, looking robust and powerful. Zong Shou’s mind suddenly snapped awake—the Stone Qilin's original fur was gray, but now it had turned completely black, pitch black.

He glanced sideways and saw Chu Xue glaring at him, her face puffed up in anger.

Zong Shou immediately let out a hearty laugh and looked up at the sky, "It's getting late; it's time to start cultivating..."

Just as he was about to swiftly retreat to his quiet chamber, he felt a rush of fragrance enveloping him.

Zong Shou thought, Not good, and quickly dodged. But despite several evasive maneuvers, he couldn't break free.

Then his right hand was seized, followed by a sharp pain in his arm. Looking closely, it was Xue'er, biting him fiercely.

"Xue'er, you're not a cat! You actually bit me?"

Saying that, he remembered that Chu Xue did indeed possess the bloodline of the Tiger-Cat lineage.

But Zong Shou’s eyes held deeper astonishment now.

He considered that while his movement techniques weren't as good as his swordsmanship, since adopting the dual-meridian body, he had become even more elusive and flexible, hard for ordinary people to match.

The clash between his inner Ice and Fire True Force meant he usually didn't need external leverage. Coupled with his experience from countless battles in the game, even those with superior movement techniques found it hard to capture him.

Yet, earlier, Chu Xue not only managed to catch him but, with her Martial Ancestor strength, completely suppressed him, a Martial Grandmaster!

Zong Shou's eyes showed an even stronger hue of joy.

Chu Xue's intuitive advancement was an unexpected bonus, signifying that her War Martial Body had progressed further.

Immediately after, Zong Shou was jolted back by another wave of intense pain. Chu Xue seemed to hate him to the core, biting down hard and refusing to let go.

Zong Shou yanked hard several times but couldn't break free. Just as he was about to resort to threats, saying, 'Chu Xue, if you don't let go, I'll have to touch your chest,' a deafening bell suddenly rang out. It was followed by a succession of six more, echoing throughout the Cangsheng Dao Palace.