The little girl's pitiful appearance instantly melted Shen Hanyu's Dao heart. He immediately picked her up and fiercely kissed her soft little cheek.
Ignoring the little girl's disdainful gaze, Shen Hanyu still happily held her. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked his parents:
"Dad, Mom, Ayu should have awakened her martial soul this year, right?"
Qin Yi glanced at Shen Hanyu and said:
"Liuyu is almost seven years old this year. Shen Hanyu, did you leave your brain in a soul beast's belly when you went out?"
Shen Liuyu, feeling wronged, pinched Shen Hanyu's cheek and said:
"Brother, you weren't there when I awakened my martial soul."
Shen Hanyu scratched his head awkwardly and then said:
"Ayu, what is your martial soul? What is your innate soul power? Have you obtained a soul ring?"
Shen Liuyu smacked her little lips, pinched Shen Hanyu's cheek again, and said:
"Brother, my martial soul is the Enamel Lucky Crocodile, innate soul power is level seven, and I haven't obtained a soul ring yet."
"Enamel Lucky Crocodile?"
Shen Hanyu thought for a moment, but had no information about this martial soul in his mind.
This wasn't his fault; in his previous life, when watching the anime, he only had impressions of the supporting characters and rarely understood them completely.
Seeing Shen Hanyu's confused expression, it was Shen Junhe who stepped forward to explain.
"Ayu's martial soul underwent a benign mutation. Based on the Cold Ice Crocodile, it gained a trace of weak earth attribute, turning into the Enamel Lucky Crocodile."
Shen Hanyu nodded thoughtfully and said:
"Innate level seven soul power, mutated martial soul. Ayu is almost seven years old now, so she's probably about to break through to become a Soul Master."
Qin Yi and Shen Junhe nodded, with the former speaking:
"A few days ago, we gave Liuyu a rare herb, which directly increased her soul power by one level. Liuyu is now at level nine soul power and should break through to become a Soul Master in a few months."
Shen Hanyu's eyes lit up. He put Shen Liuyu down on the ground, then quickly took out a lotus-shaped herb from his soul guide.
Qin Yi and Shen Junhe were stunned, their expressions changing. They quickly dismissed the surrounding maids and said gravely:
"Xiaoyu, where did you get this Thousand-Year Snow Lotus?"
The snow lotus is a rare heavenly material and earthly treasure from the extreme north. A ten-year one has life-extending effects, a hundred-year one can directly increase soul power, and a thousand-year snow lotus can broaden meridians and improve aptitude, making it a rare treasure in the current world.
Shen Hanyu smiled indifferently and said:
"When I went to the extreme north to hunt for a soul ring, my target happened to be guarding this snow lotus, probably waiting for it to bloom and planning to consume it."
"I killed that soul beast and absorbed its soul ring, and this Thousand-Year Snow Lotus fell into my hands."
Qin Yi fiercely knocked Shen Hanyu on the head with a chestnut, pinched one of his ears, and said viciously:
"You've grown bold, huh? Daring to enter the extreme north alone to hunt a soul ring. Tell your mother, what were you thinking!"
Shen Hanyu cried out in pain repeatedly and quickly explained:
"Mom, ouch... ouch, gentle... gentle, stop pinching. I'm a Soul Ancestor now, Mom... really gentle..."
Qin Yi was stunned and then said incredulously:
"Shen Hanyu! Repeat what you just said to your mother! You said you're at Soul Ancestor cultivation now? Evidence? Don't think you can fool your mother. If you dare lie to me, I'll make you taste the feeling of your butt blooming like when you were little!"
Shen Hanyu was at a loss for words. A son's journey worries the mother, and even after returning, he was still fully suppressed by maternal love.
Thinking of the troubles he caused as a child due to being too precocious, Qin Yi would always grab him and spank him hard. Each time, he walked with a limp for at least two days, nearly becoming his lifelong nightmare.
Feeling the strength in Qin Yi's hand gradually weaken, Shen Hanyu seized the opportunity to hug Shen Liuyu and dash out. He placed Shen Liuyu on a table to sit properly, then rubbed his ear and said:
"You're my real mom. Who else could I fool if not you?"
Qin Yi snorted coldly, glanced at Shen Junhe, and said:
"Your father and son are the same. No ivory comes from a dog's mouth."
Shen Junhe was innocently shot while lying down. He wanted to say something but held it in for a long time, only saying:
"The wife is right. It's all my fault."
Qin Yi: ...
Shen Hanyu: ???!
Shen Liuyu: ●)o(●
Shen Junhe's words silenced all three. After a while, Shen Hanyu slowly said:
"Dad, Mom, I'm not lying. I really am at Soul Ancestor cultivation now. If you don't believe me, look."
As he spoke, four soul rings slowly emerged under his feet, and a cold, sharp aura swept over.
The closest Shen Liuyu sneezed cutely, her little hands involuntarily clutching her clothes.
Qin Yi and Shen Junhe looked at the four soul rings under Shen Hanyu's feet, exchanged a glance, their eyes full of infinite shock and disbelief.
After a moment, it was Shen Liuyu who tugged at Shen Hanyu's clothes and said softly:
"Brother, I'm cold..."
Shen Hanyu then reacted, quickly retracting his martial soul and soul rings, and hugged Shen Liuyu back into his arms. Her icy little hands rested on his neck, seemingly seeking warmth. Shen Hanyu's breathing paused for a moment, then he held the little girl even tighter.
The siscon attribute was subtly amplifying...
Qin Yi and Shen Junhe, the couple, looked at the siblings nestled together, their eyes showing satisfaction and warmth. Qin Yi paused before saying:
"Ayu, your soul rings..."
Shen Hanyu smiled, showing a mouthful of white teeth, and said:
"Mom, during my training, I discovered that the age limit for a Soul Master to absorb soul rings is directly related to the Soul Master's own physical strength and mental power. As long as those two are met, even absorbing a ten-thousand-year ring as the first soul ring is possible."
"For example, my first soul ring, you thought I absorbed a four-hundred-year one, but actually, it was an eight-hundred-year one. This proves I've been right all along."
Of course, surfing the internet in his previous life counted as training, too, right?
Qin Yi exchanged another glance with Shen Junhe, both sighing. Then the former stepped forward, knocked Shen Hanyu's forehead, and said somewhat sentimentally:
"My son has grown up. Not only is he a great genius, but he's also discovered something so important. So, your sister's future guidance is all up to you. Any objections?"
Shen Junhe also stepped forward and said:
"Your mother and I are old and lack the energy. Now we just want to enjoy our later years in peace. Son, please fulfill this small request of ours!"
Shen Hanyu's mouth twitched wildly at this, but seeing the pitiful look in his sister's eyes and the hopeful gazes of the two elders, he gritted his teeth and said:
"Dad, Mom, rest assured. Ayu is in my hands from now on. I guarantee Ayu will absolutely not be inferior to me in the future!"
Only then did Qin Yi and Shen Junhe show bright smiles on their faces, hurriedly calling the servants to prepare food, as enthusiastically as they could be.
Shen Hanyu and his sister, in his arms, looked at each other. After a while, Shen Hanyu asked:
"Ayu, what's wrong with Dad and Mom...?"
Shen Liuyu wriggled her little body, shifting to a comfortable position, and said:
"Dad and Mom seem to be preparing to give us a little brother or sister..."
Shen Hanyu: ......