At that moment, Shi Batian was on his knees, his face pale as paper, his right hand raised uncontrollably into the air.
The pain—was excruciating.
It wasn't physical pain alone. This agony pierced straight into his soul. It felt like his martial soul was being torn from him. And the martial soul was the very core of a person—if it was stripped away, that was practically a death sentence.
Terror gripped Shi Batian's face. He had no way to stop it.
Yet in the next second, the worst didn't happen.
Instead, the Seven-Star Gourd Vine in his palm burst out in a golden light. A single glowing green seed suddenly shot out from his hand and burrowed straight into the soil.
Within seconds, the seed began to stir. It greedily absorbed water and nutrients from the earth, growing at a speed visible to the naked eye. It broke through stone and shell, sprouting a tender vine shoot. Then—strangely—the nearby lake water floated into the air, pouring down onto the little sprout like it had a will of its own.
The gourd vine extended its branches rapidly, budding seven small flower pods. In moments, they bloomed and transformed into seven miniature gourds!
All of this happened in under seven minutes.
Shi Batian stood there, mouth agape in disbelief. He was alive.
More than that—this was the same scene he'd witnessed when his martial soul mutated. Only now…it had taken physical form.
What the hell is going on?
…
Meanwhile, inside Spirit Hall.
The moment Shi Batian's martial soul began to evolve, Qian Renxue—who was being confined by Qian Daoliu—suddenly reacted.
Her eyes snapped open. One hand instinctively touched her abdomen.
"What… is this strange feeling? It's like I suddenly sensed a bloodline connection from far away, as if… I've passed something on…" she murmured.
"Could it be Batian?"
But she quickly shook her head.
They'd only just consummated their relationship. There was no way she could already be pregnant. And even if she were, she'd be the one carrying the child—not sensing something from afar like this.
She brushed off the thought. Maybe she was just missing him too much.
Qian Renxue's gaze drifted toward the cell door. Her heart felt uneasy, like something was stirring deep inside her soul.
"Grandfather… I want to see Batian. Is he alright?" she pleaded softly, tears welling in her eyes. Her voice trembled with restrained emotion.
Outside the cell, Qian Daoliu's expression turned icy. With a flicker of light, he appeared before her in an instant.
"Xue'er, your priority right now is cultivating! You need to pass the Angel God's inheritance! That waste of a man isn't worthy of your thoughts. He's beneath you!"
Rage burned in his voice. His beloved granddaughter—his last remaining family after his son Qian Xunji's death—had been tainted by a lowborn commoner. He couldn't forgive it.
Originally, he'd wanted to kill Shi Batian on the spot. But Qian Renxue had thrown a fit and nearly destroyed herself in protest. He had no choice but to let the brat live—for now.
"If you keep being this foolish and refuse to train," Qian Daoliu warned, his tone turning grim, "don't blame me for taking matters into my own hands."
"No! Please, Grandfather, don't hurt him!"
Qian Renxue's voice cracked as she screamed. She finally understood—only strength could protect the ones she loved.
"I promise, I'll become stronger. I'll prove myself," she whispered.
Batian… just wait for me.
When I'm strong enough, I'll come back and marry you right in Spirit Hall—in front of the world. No one will stop us then!
…
Back in Star Soul Village.
Shi Batian stared at the now very real Seven-Star Gourd Vine in front of him, utterly stunned.
"This… this is my martial soul! Why did it grow actual gourds? Don't tell me… the Seven Gourd Brothers?!"
As a transmigrator from Earth, of course he recognized this scene. The gourd vine. The colors. The whole setup—it was exactly like that iconic cartoon from his previous life!
But how could this be happening here?
Shi Batian stepped closer, reaching out to touch one of the gourds. The moment his fingers made contact, his brows furrowed, a strange look of shock flickering in his eyes.
He could feel something from them.
It wasn't just a spiritual connection—it was familial. A bond of blood.
"Wait… don't tell me…"
"These are my… and Xiaoxue's children?!"
"What the actual—!"
There was no mistaking it. These gourds gave off a sensation identical to the bond between parent and child. He could even feel Qian Renxue's aura inside them.
It all lined up.
After all, Qian Renxue was a Six-Winged Angel, one of the legendary god-tier martial souls. Her bloodline was divine—innately powerful and peerless. Maybe his "trash martial soul" had undergone a second awakening after fusing with a divine one?
That was the only explanation that made sense.
Still in shock, Shi Batian sat down cross-legged and began meditating.
He quickly noticed something incredible.
Before, his Seven-Star Gourd Vine had only ever produced thin strands of vine—nothing more than decoration. But now? Seven full-grown gourds, and the vine itself had thickened severalfold.
Even more miraculous, his soul power… had finally broken through rank ten!
After twenty years of stagnation, this was the first real progress.
As he quietly meditated, the seven little gourds swayed gently in the wind. Each was a different color—red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple—like a rainbow dancing in the sky.
Then suddenly…
"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"
A chorus of clear, childish voices rang out from nowhere.
Shi Batian practically jumped to his feet in shock.
"Who—who's there?! Come out!"
"Daddy! Daddy!"
The voices echoed around him like surround sound.