"Your Highness, do you feel any different after eating the food?"
Aether asked after thinking for a moment.
Xue Qinghe had also eaten with everyone. Both the Title Douluo were affected and made breakthroughs.
Compared to Xue Qinghe, who had a lower Soul Power level, there seemed to be no noticeable change?
"I feel… like I have more stamina and energy?" Xue Qinghe carefully felt for a while, but aside from what she mentioned, it didn't seem like there were any changes.
"…What about Keke?" Aether turned to look at Yu Keke.
"Ah? The food my brother made is really delicious!" Yu Keke answered blankly.
"…"
Looking at Yu Keke, it didn't seem like there were any changes either.
But it seems the food that can improve Soul Power only works on Title Douluo and above…
Aether shook his head, no longer thinking about it. After all, for him, the food was just for replenishing stamina.
After the meal, Title Douluo Ci Xue and She Long both took the opportunity to leave the small courtyard.
Aether glanced at Yu Keke, who, like Paimon, was stuffed and overfed, and then asked:
"Keke, do you have anything on your mind lately?"
"Eh? No, no, Brother!" Yu Keke was taken aback by the sudden question.
This wasn't right. This was a classic introduction for accepting a commission. Shouldn't the next step be directly entering the topic and starting the work?
With that shining golden dot hovering over her head, how could she say there was nothing?
"Keke, what is the thing you most want to do right now?" Paimon rubbed her little belly, glanced at Aether, and asked tentatively.
"Hmm~ I want to become stronger, like Paimon!" Yu Keke thought for a moment upon hearing this and looked at Paimon's eyes with admiration.
It seemed she was recalling the time when Paimon became big and looked so cool.
So there wasn't really a commission. Paimon, this expert at taking on missions, was supposed to trigger it, huh…
Aether remembered when Paimon used to find him things to do back in Teyvat.
But…
"Is it the battle strength of one-quarter of a wild boar? Keke, your goal seems a bit too low, don't you think?"
Aether looked at Yu Keke with a complicated expression.
Is that it?
"What? I'm strong too!" Paimon heard Aether talking about wild boars again and clenched her small fists, refuting.
She was clearly super strong, it's just that she didn't get to show it before she changed back to her current size.
"Become stronger…"
Aether ignored Paimon's complaint, thinking for a moment before asking: "What is your current Soul Power level…?"
Aether looked at Yu Keke and noticed that her internal power was so weak it was hard to tell what her level was.
"I don't know either… When my Martial Soul awakened, it seemed to be level 3…"
Yu Keke twisted her little hands nervously as she spoke in a soft voice.
Ever since her Martial Soul awakened with a mutation three years ago, people in the village had looked down on her, especially her stepmother, who regarded her as a little monster.
She remembered that the person from the Spirit Hall who tested her had said her innate Martial Soul was at level 3.
"Try releasing your Martial Soul."
Aether nodded, signaling for Yu Keke to release her Martial Soul.
It seemed that this girl hadn't cultivated at all since her awakening…
"Okay."
Yu Keke looked around at the others, closed her eyes, and began to undergo a change.
Her fox ears had always been there, but after releasing her Martial Soul, they became even longer. And her little skirt playfully revealed a furry tail.
"Soul Power level 9…"
Xue Qinghe murmured quietly as he observed the fluctuations emanating from Yu Keke.
"Level 9, huh…"
Three years had passed since her Martial Soul awakened at age 6, and she still hadn't reached the rank of Soul Master.
This was the typical condition for commoners in the Douluo Continent.
Despite everyone in the continent awakening Martial Souls, only a small percentage could become Soul Masters.
This was because, first, most people might not even have innate Soul Power, and second, people like Yu Keke, with a Martial Soul and Soul Power but poor talent, would likely remain stuck around levels 10 to 20 throughout their lives.
"Brother, am I… really useless?"
After releasing her Martial Soul, seeing Aether lost in thought, Yu Keke's heart sank, and she asked sadly.
"How could that be? Keke, you're already great."
Aether patted Yu Keke's head to encourage her.
He then raised his hand, and seven differently colored light spheres appeared in front of him.
"Brother, are these… Elemental Seeds?"
Xue Qinghe immediately recognized the situation.
He remembered that Paimon had mentioned Elemental Power before, and last time when Aether helped Dugu Yan purge the toxins from her Martial Soul, Xue Qinghe had been present.
At that time, Aether had shown him a green light sphere, explaining it was an Elemental Seed.
But now, he never imagined there would be so many different kinds of Elemental Seeds.
"Yes, these are them."
Aether nodded, then turned to Yu Keke and continued:
"Keke, look at these light spheres. Do you feel any of them have more affinity to you?"
"Affinity… what's that?"
Yu Keke stared at the colorful light spheres, feeling a little confused.
"Affinity means which one you like more. Which one gives you a special feeling?"
Aether explained.
"Hmm~ I like this one."
Yu Keke pointed to the light sphere representing water elements, a light blue color, then said: "But I feel they're all the same, they all look pretty."
"…I see."
Aether shook his head and waved his hand, dispersing all but the green light sphere.
It seemed that people on the Douluo Continent didn't really resonate with Elemental Power.
No wonder they could only cultivate Soul Power…
At that moment, Aether longed to have a Vision to directly assess Yu Keke.
"Brother, am I really useless…"
Yu Keke, who had been watching Aether's expression, saw him shake his head slightly and felt even more disheartened.
"What are you thinking? Don't say such things."
Aether pinched Yu Keke's little face, then said:
"There are many ways to become stronger. If Elemental Power doesn't work, we can always cultivate Soul Power."
Aether extended his hand, and the green light sphere floated into his palm.
This Element might be able to improve Yu Keke's talent, something he had already tried with Dugu Yan.
Aether pushed the green light sphere toward Yu Keke, and it instantly merged into her brow. Her body began to glow with a soft green radiance.
"Wah! Keke grew her tails back!"
Paimon, seeing that two fluffy tails had appeared under Yu Keke's skirt again, was surprised and shouted.
"Martial Soul mutation again? Or is it evolution…"
Xue Qinghe, watching the changes on Yu Keke's body, was somewhat shocked.
Dugu Yan had experienced this, and now Yu Keke was the same.
He looked at Aether with a complicated expression. If word of his ability to make Soul Masters' Martial Souls mutate or evolve spread, the entire continent would go crazy, right?
"Oh…"
Yu Keke's aura faded, and she opened her eyes. Upon realizing what had happened behind her, she quickly reached back to cover her little backside, her face turning bright red.
"Hehe, so fluffy, it feels so good to touch."
"Paimon, don't! Not there…"
Paimon sneaked up behind Yu Keke and touched her fox tail, causing Yu Keke to shout in embarrassment.