In the Deep Sea.
Xu Ran and Lan Nuer walked towards a blue castle below.
"Not bad at all," Xu Ran exclaimed, astonished at the sight of the light blue castle standing in the depths of the sea. To construct such a small castle in the Deep Sea was no easy feat.
Xu Ran had not expected that Lan Nuer, a soul beast, would share aesthetic tastes with humans.
"After I transformed, I built this castle. Sometimes I appear as a daughter, needing to bathe and adorn my makeup," Lan Nuer explained.
"Oh, I see."
Xu Ran nodded in understanding. This was much like Ah Rou. Ah Rou also built her own house in the Aquipeia Forest.
However, in the Aquipeia Forest, many did not look kindly on Ah Rou adopting human habits, and they ostracized her.
Lan Nuer was a powerful ferocious beast in the Deep Sea, with the Deepsea Devil Whale King by her side, no one dared to show her disrespect.
Beside the blue castle, there was a deep-sea demonic whale, over twenty meters long.
"Mom?" Upon seeing Xu Ran and Lan Nuer approaching, Blue Buddha Child curiously looked at Xu Ran.
In the Devil Whale Sea Area, Blue Buddha Child seldom saw other people or ferocious beasts. This was the territory of the Deepsea Devil Whale King, and no strong soul beast dared to come here seeking death.
Even the Evil Killer Whale Clan did not dare to step in.
Now with Xu Ran's arrival, Blue Buddha Child was naturally curious.
Especially since Xu Ran was in human form, which was even more surprising to her.
In The Soul Beast Realm, being able to transform into human form suggested that one was at least a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. And that was not enough. Soul beasts loathed humans, and those who dared to openly transform into human form must be even stronger.
"This is your Brother Xu Ran," Lan Nuer's mouth twitched as she glanced at Xu Ran's youthful face, finding it somewhat strange.
"Hello, Brother Xu Ran."
Blue Buddha Child obediently greeted.
"Mom, Brother Xu Ran... what's going on?" Blue Buddha Child asked curiously. She didn't understand how she suddenly had an elder brother. If Brother Xu Ran stayed at their house, would he do something?
Her small eyes were filled with deep curiosity.
Because they feared the might of the Deepsea Devil Whale King, Blue Buddha Child had no friends in the Deep Sea.
Even encountering intelligent creatures was rare.
The Deepsea Demonic Whale, unlike the Devil Soul Great White Shark and the evil killer whales, were not social animals; thus, Blue Buddha Child hardly ever interacted with peers.
With Xu Ran's arrival, she was somewhat delighted.
Because Xu Ran was handsome, conforming to her aesthetic preference.
In the Devil Whale Sea Area, Blue Buddha Child was like someone who'd grown up in a nunnery and suddenly saw a man who fit her aesthetic, which naturally excited her.
Moreover, transforming into human form indicated that he was a powerful being.
Handsome and dashing, strong and approachable...
Suddenly, Blue Buddha Child felt quite fond of Xu Ran.
Who wouldn't like such a charming young brother?
Blue Buddha Child's eyes were brimming with amazement.
Xu Ran was still in a dazed state, not expecting Blue Buddha Child's eyes to light up upon seeing him. What was going on? Was he really that impressive?
Could it be that after hitting on girls for so long, he was already this formidable without even trying?
Xu Ran was very excited, the feeling making him quite content.
A sense of achievement rose naturally within him. Being admired without any effort—wasn't that delightful?
Blue Buddha Child, much better than Lan Nuer.
Lan Nuer still wanted to stay by his side, waiting for the right moment to take his life. Blue Buddha Child, you are indeed excellent, truly impressive!
For a time, Xu Ran's fondness for Blue Buddha Child soared. Blue Buddha Child has unique insights; it seems that in the future, I should be nicer to him.
Lan Nuer's heart skipped a beat.
She rarely brought men from outside to see Blue Buddha Child. Now that she had brought Xu Ran over, what if...
She didn't dare to think about what might happen...
If Blue Buddha Child and Xu Ran formed any sort of connection, then what would be the meaning of her being with Xu Ran?
"The Deep Demon had died during Tribulation," Xu Ran said. He told Blue Buddha Child this news directly but left out the fact that he had killed the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King himself.
"What?" Lan Nuer looked at Xu Ran in a daze, somewhat disbelieving.
Mist filled her wide eyes.
Although that person had never cared for her, he was still her kin. Was he dead just like that?
However, Blue Buddha Child quickly calmed his emotions. As a million-year soul beast, failing to ascend to divinity meant always being at risk of falling. The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King and Lan Nuer had both informed Blue Buddha Child of this possibility, so he accepted the news rather quickly.
"And you?"
Blue Buddha Child looked at Xu Ran.
"I am your father's closest friend. Before he died, he entrusted me with taking care of you. From now on, your well-being will be my responsibility," Xu Ran said smugly.
At that moment, if the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King had not died, he would have to give the Deep Sea Demonic Whales a few words: "Thy wife and daughter shall be cared for by me."
"'Ah?'"
Blue Buddha Child was stunned.
She had a friend in the Deep Sea? Why hadn't she known?
In this part of the sea, no soul beast dared to approach. Could her father really have made a friend?
This puzzled her.
Of course, she was also excited. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Xu Ran, thinking if what this man said was true, then his strength might just rival her father's.
Such a man naturally attracted her attention and won her favor.
"Indeed, your Brother Xu Ran is very powerful, even stronger than your father," Lan Nuer said, her eyes widening as she looked at Xu Ran, gaining a deeper understanding of Xu Ran's shamelessness. He killed the Deep Demon, and now he dared to say he was the Deep Demon's good friend. Was there anything more shameless in the world?
Is this what they call stabbing in the back for one's brother?
However, Lan Nuer didn't have a better solution; she could only go along with what Xu Ran wanted.
As a mother and daughter alone, they were nothing in front of Xu Ran. If they didn't follow Xu Ran's wishes, what could they do?
Moreover, Xu Ran had promised her that he would treat her well in the future and would not harm Blue Buddha Child.
If that were true, she would be more than satisfied. Xu Ran possessed overwhelming strength, far surpassing the Deep Demon. Perhaps, by following Xu Ran, they truly had a chance at ascension.
"Really?" Blue Buddha Child asked back.
She felt her mother and Xu Ran were both acting strangely, as if the two were keeping something from her.
"Of course, it's true," Lan Nuer said.
"Then I am relieved. From now on, I'll trouble Brother Xu Ran to look after us," Blue Buddha Child said cheerfully. But looking at her massive whale body, Xu Ran still couldn't find anything cute about her.
The creature before him was still an eighty-thousand-year Deep Sea Demonic Whale, twenty meters in length.
But hearing that bell-like laugh, Xu Ran knew that Blue Buddha Child's appearance after Transforming must be no less than beautiful.
"This is a gift from Brother to you," Xu Ran said, taking out a drop of blood essence.
The blood essence, a mixture of Ancestral Dragon and Auspicious Beast with the best traits of both bloodlines, was incredibly formidable. This single drop of blood was a treasured rarity for other soul beasts, and absorbing it could potentially lead to a leap as dramatic as a carp transforming into a dragon.