In the blink of an eye, three days passed. Xiang Shaoyun had stayed at home, practicing the Nether Dragon Soul Curse mnemonic chant. If others found out that he was cultivating a sinister curse like this, he would become a public enemy. But in truth, Xiang Shaoyun couldn't care less about what others thought of him.
He was very clear on the concept of winner takes all. As long as one was strong enough, whether the technique one used was virtuous or sinister would not matter. Nobody would dare to judge; strength equalled truth.
Xiang Shaoyun was in a rush to increase his combat prowess and cultivation level. This Nether Dragon Soul Curse was a secret technique capable of increasing his strength. Since he met the requirement to cultivate it, he would naturally cultivate it.
In the span of three days, he had completely memorized the entirety of the curse. He had also gained the ability to control the Nether Dragon Soul Headband and sent it outside his head.
But to reach the point where he could use the curse, he still needed more soul power. Without sufficient soul power, he would not be able to unleash the might of the Nether Dragon Soul Headband.
Even with Xiang Shaoyun's above average soul power, he would likely only be able to unleash about 10 percent of the headband's power. Even so, that 10 percent was already enough to exert control over regular King Realm cultivators.
Of course, actually getting the headband on a King Realm cultivator was an entirely different matter. Thus, he needed more strength to actually make use of the Nether Dragon Soul Headband's power. The real power of the headband would not be displayed if the owner was one who had to resort to trickery to actually place the headband on someone.
"I should be able to capture a King who is not paying attention or seriously injured. When my soul power grows in the future, I will be able to utilize the might of the Nether Dragon Soul Headband and capture someone by force," Xiang Shaoyun concluded.
For the current him, strengthening his soul was the fastest way he could start using the Nether Dragon Soul Headband. But it wasn't easy to strengthen one's soul. Fortunately, the Nether Dragon Soul Curse was a technique that could strengthen one's soul as well, which made things a lot easier for Xiang Shaoyun.
"The 5,000 mid-grade spirit crystals are totally worth it," Xiang Shaoyun muttered gleefully. At the same time, he started wondering why he possessed a Nether Soul Domain. The Nether Soul Domain was something that had grown naturally within him, which could only prove that he had the bloodline of the Imperial Nether Clan coursing in his veins.
As for what clan or race the Imperial Nether Clan was, Xiang Shaoyun was completely clueless. If the white tiger's soul had not mentioned the term at the Golden River Valley, he wouldn't even know that there was such a clan.
"I know my family tree clearly. My father's side is unlikely to have any relationship with the Imperial Nether Clan. Perhaps the bloodline came from my mother's side?" Xiang Shaoyun guessed. After a slight pause, he sighed and muttered, "Since my birth, Father has been telling me that Mother passed away. This will be a puzzle I can't solve. Forget it. It doesn't matter."
Right this moment, Mo Mo's voice rang out from outside the room, "Young master, Miss Qinyin is here."
"Good timing." Xiang Shaoyun stood up and smiled. When he opened the door, he saw Gong Qinyin standing there in a martial outfit. Her eyes were as beautiful as the moon, her face as graceful as a blooming flower, her body as tantalizing as an exotic snake. Her entire person was radiating allure. She had not changed physically. Rather, this was a change in her temperament brought about by an increase in her strength.
"You've reached the Transformation Realm!" Xiang Shaoyun cried out in astonishment when he saw her. Before he gave Gong Qinyin the Earth Star Spring liquid, she was only an eighth-stage Astral Realm cultivator. In a short few days, she had entered the Transformation Realm, breaking through one minor realm and one major realm. That was a very fast speed.
Gong Qinyin smiled, something she rarely did, and said, "It is all thanks to you. Without your Earth Star Spring liquid, it would have been impossible for me to grow so fast, and without you, my father would have never allocated me resources to help me grow."
The current Gong Qinyin was no longer prejudiced against Xiang Shaoyun. In fact, an odd feeling toward Xiang Shaoyun was starting to grow in her heart.
"That's good to hear. With your growth, our search will be much easier," said Xiang Shaoyun. He preferred to go search for the earthcore fire alone. After all, he saw Gong Qinyin as a burden rather than help.
But she was the one who told him the millennium earthcore fire's location. If he went alone, it would feel like he was abandoning her after making use of her. He would not do something like that. Now that she was a first-stage Transformation Realm cultivator, she would be able to protect herself better. He would not have to worry as much anymore.
"I heard what happened at the auction. I did not expect that you would have actually grown so strong. You won't think that I'm a burden, right?" Gong Qinyin asked, seemingly able to see through Xiang Shaoyun's mind.
She stared straight into Xiang Shaoyun's eyes with her pretty eyes, and facing that pair of eyes, Xiang Shaoyun was too embarrassed to even lie anymore. He rubbed his nose and said awkwardly, "A bit. But don't worry. I won't dump you."
"Who cares about being dumped by you? Hmph!" Gong Qinyin replied with a slight blush.
"What are you thinking about? I was talking about dumping you so that you wouldn't be a burden," Xiang Shaoyun said.
Gong Qinyin rolled her eyes. After rearranging her thoughts, she said solemnly, "Xiang Shaoyun, I need you to promise me one thing. No matter what, you have to promise me."
"Say it," Xiang Shaoyun said.
"If you do manage to obtain the earthcore fire, please help me with one thing. If you help me with that, I will be eternally grateful, and the Gong Clan will give you a generous reward for it as well," Gong Qinyin said in an extremely serious manner.
"What help do you need? Make it clear," Xiang Shaoyun asked.
Gong Qinyin pursed her lips and said, "The old man of my clan needs it to heal himself."
"Got it. I will help you if I do get it." Xiang Shaoyun nodded without any hesitation.
"I'll be thanking you in advance, then!" Gong Qinyin was overjoyed.
"Don't be in a rush to thank me. So many people are hunting for the earthcore fire. I am not confident I can get it either," Xiang Shaoyun said. He paused for a bit and added, "But if I do succeed, can you make me one promise after I help your clan's old man?"
"What do you need? If it is something I can do, I will do it without as much as a frown!" Gong Qinyin said unhesitatingly.
"Be my bed warming maid," Xiang Shaoyun said directly.
The moment he said those words, Gong Qinyin's face was covered by a layer of frost, and she clenched her fists tightly.
"Haha, it's a joke. Just pretend you heard none of it," Xiang Shaoyun laughed before quickly fleeing.
But as he fled, he heard a soft response, "If you can meet my requirement, I...I can agree to become your dual cultivation partner."
Huh? Did she misunderstand something? I wanted a bed warming maid, not a dual cultivation partner, Xiang Shaoyun muttered inwardly. But he was too embarrassed to correct her as he was worried that he would hurt her feelings instead.
But unknown to him, Gong Qinyin took his silence as a tacit agreement. And thus the seed for a future trouble was planted.