The nine-tailed cat thoroughly enjoyed Li Xun's petting, nuzzling its head against his palm, signaling him to increase the intensity.
"Haha, alright," Li Xun no longer held back, increasing the vigor of his movements.
Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing felt a sense of joy. "It has granted me a talent skill, Nine Lives Nirvana, which ensures I can be resurrected nine times. Moreover, each resurrection enhances my strength, but the cost is that my Martial Soul will vanish after the ninth death."
She was also surprised when she discovered that her Martial Soul had evolved such a talent. She initially thought it was a latent ability of the Netherworld Spirit Cat.
But based on what Li Xun had just said, she realized it was merely the effect of the Lovesick Heartbreak Red herb reflecting on her Martial Soul.
"Hmm?"
Li Xun glanced curiously at the well-behaved kitten. "That's quite a talent!"
Nine lives, as long as one doesn't court death, it practically guarantees a lifetime of safety.
Zhu Zhuqing followed Li Xun up the stairs. "Moreover, the forms of my previous skills have also changed. Skills like Nether Thrust now have an effect that blurs the line between illusion and reality, and they are no longer limited to close combat but have transformed into Energy Blades."
"Blinking? That's also quite powerful," Li Xun gently rubbed the kitten's forehead with his fingertip and handed it back to Zhu Zhuqing.
The two of them ascended the stairs.
Li Xun walked slowly in front, with Zhu Zhuqing following behind.
As they reached the final step, Li Xun seemed to muse aloud, as if by accident. "Truly a treasure, its efficacy completely surpasses other Immortal Herbs, though the difficulty of harvesting it is quite stringent..."
Zhu Zhuqing, behind him, blushed furiously at the thought, her hands unconsciously kneading the kitten, unsure of how to respond.
As they turned the corner, Li Xun caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye and understood, chuckling softly.
He opened the door.
Inside, Ning Rongrong was sprawled lazily on the sofa.
"Brother, why are you two so slow? I've been back for ages," Ning Rongrong complained without looking up.
Li Xun casually tossed his coat onto Ning Rongrong's head. "I was asking Zhu Zhuqing about the effects of the Immortal Herb on the way."
"You always pick on me!"
Ning Rongrong haphazardly crumpled the coat into a ball and used it as a pillow. When she caught sight of Zhu Zhuqing entering, she gave her a suspicious look. "Zhu Zhuqing, why is your face so red?"
"It's nothing..." Zhu Zhuqing quickly walked into the bathroom and shut the door with a click.
"Ahem, Rongrong, look at the state you're in. Your Martial Soul has just evolved; this is the time to be diligent. How was your training today?" Li Xun scolded, exasperated by Ning Rongrong's continued laziness.
"Brother, what's wrong with you? Didn't I just finish my morning class?" Ning Rongrong looked at Li Xun in disbelief, letting out a strange cry.
"The cultivation speed of support-type Soul Masters is inherently much slower than that of ordinary Soul Masters. If you don't put in some extra effort, how will you keep up with others?" Li Xun stretched and sat down beside Ning Rongrong.
Having been together for several years, Ning Rongrong knew exactly what was coming. She quickly scrambled up and began massaging Li Xun's shoulders like a sycophant.
"Brother, is this pressure okay?"
"Hmm, a bit more force."
Ning Rongrong pouted, her hands applying more pressure. Over the years, she had endured quite a bit of criticism and even the occasional spanking with a small branch. She had protested to her father and others, but it only served to make her more disciplined.
It was only through a chance opportunity that she learned this technique, which helped her suffer less bullying.
"Brother, my Martial Soul has evolved!"
"Hmm, I know. Just use a bit more force on the left."
"Aren't you curious?"
"Not really, just maintain this pressure." Li Xun closed his eyes, enjoying the moment. The evolution of the Martial Soul was inevitable, so there was nothing to be curious about.
Ning Rongrong pursed her lips and summoned the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, presenting it to Li Xun. "Take a look."
Li Xun opened his eyes out of politeness but was instantly captivated.
He felt a faint connection with the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, so subtle that he might not have noticed it if he hadn't been looking at it so closely.
Feeling a sudden impulse, Li Xun summoned his own Martial Soul.
When the Thousand-Hand Buddha came close to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the connection intensified. Though still fragile, it was now clearly perceptible.
"Martial Soul Fusion Skill?" Li Xun was taken aback.
Such a reaction could only be explained by a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
But how could he, with his Twin Spirits, have a reaction with Ning Rongrong? He didn't even know the Seven-in-One Spirit Fusion Technique!
"What's a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?" Ning Rongrong was puzzled. She had never learned about this, and the academy hadn't covered it either.
Li Xun thought for a moment and explained it to her.
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up with understanding, and she jumped off the sofa excitedly. "Brother, let's try it out and see what skill we can create."
"Alright, I'm curious too," Li Xun nodded.
Zhu Zhuqing, hearing Ning Rongrong's cheerful voice from the bathroom, came out curiously. She watched as the two slowly merged their Martial Souls, pursing her lips.
Li Xun glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, his mind racing.
Now that Zhu Zhuqing's Martial Soul had evolved, he wondered if she could still fuse with Dai Mubai.
Hmm... probably not. The Nirvana Nine-Tails looked too noble, and the White Tiger was not on the same level. Sigh~ it's better if the tiger is dead. Li Xun's thoughts were a whirlwind.
Perhaps due to the disparity in Martial Soul quality, their fusion wasn't smooth. After half a day of experimentation, they finally succeeded.
At that moment, the two foremost arms of the Thousand-Hand Buddha held a nine-layered exquisite pagoda in one hand and formed the Willow Seal with the other.
"Buddha Pagoda, Salvation of Compassion."
As the effect of the Martial Soul entered Li Xun's mind, he searched his limited knowledge of Buddhism.
Buddhist pagodas come in seven, nine, and thirteen layers.
It's said that saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.
In Buddhism, seven symbolizes the days of the week and the seven emotions, hence the name 'pagoda.' Nine layers represent the nine grades of lotus, symbolizing merit and wisdom.
Under normal circumstances, their Martial Soul Fusion Skill would likely be a life-saving ability.
But unfortunately.
Ning Rongrong's Martial Soul had evolved into nine layers, and Li Xun's Buddha wasn't exactly a compassionate one.
Their Martial Soul Fusion Skill turned out to be a restraining ability.
The effect is to target those with deep obsessions or malicious intentions, using illusions to evoke the things they most dread, such as birth, aging, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, and unfulfilled desires. It then guides them to liberation from suffering, transforming them through compassion.
Of course, merely confining someone won't lead to transformation; they must also undergo a series of trials. And if they pass these trials, they may not achieve enlightenment or become a Buddha, but they will certainly become a person dedicated to doing good.
Dispersing his Martial Soul, Li Xun silently recited "Amitabha Buddha."
However, at their current level, they can only restrict others for a short time—about two or three seconds. But as their level increases, this duration will extend.
"Brother, this skill seems to just trap people in illusions without causing any real harm," Ning Rongrong said, feeling a bit disappointed.
As a support-type Soul Master, she had always dreamed of having an offensive skill. Now, through Martial Soul fusion, she finally gained an additional skill, but it turned out to be a restrictive Soul Skill. This left her slightly disheartened.
"Rongrong, sometimes the wounds inflicted on the soul are far more profound than those on the body," Li Xun said with a compassionate expression, gently patting Ning Rongrong's head.
The Buddha is merciful and does not wish to see bloodshed.
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