CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 36: A NEW ATTITUDE

"Ouch, ouch, don’t pinch my face, it hurts!"

Zoe cried out with her eyes closed, tears hanging at the corners of her eyes.

Li Ang withdrew his hand, feeling a bit annoyed and wanting to knock on her forehead, but this time he really wanted to use some force. However, because she was wearing the serpent-scale jeweled circlet on her forehead, there was nowhere to strike.

"I told you I could take it down, but you still went and did something so dangerous."

"I, I was doing it for..."

Touching her little face, Zoe’s voice grew softer and softer, full of grievance.

But then she remembered something, and a smile spread across her face, which now resembled that of a puppet crafted by the divine spirits.

She suddenly jumped up, hugging Li Ang, her arms around his neck, legs wrapped around his waist, burying her face into his shoulder.

"It’s great! The crisis is resolved! Now, now we can—"

"Hey, hey, get down, whoa!"

Li Ang’s yelp was due to something other than just arms and legs winding around him.

He reached out and grasped something smooth and cold.

It was the tail she had transformed into in this state.

Tightly surrounded by her soft, delicate figure, and squeezed by her legs full of life force, Li Ang had no romantic thoughts because she was intentionally wrapping her tail too tightly and too close, causing the horns on her headpiece to constantly press against his neck.

Zoe realized Li Ang was dodging, lifted her starry eyes, and touched her head.

"Oh, this, this can come off."

The young girl took off the circlet and tossed it to the side.

What was that? Equipment?

Li Ang opened the panel of the circlet.

[Jade Golden Scale Crown]

[Originally an energy output organ of the Earth Serpent, manifests materially on the Star Soul Greenhouse’s surface during the Star Soul Fusion state. When using the spirituality of the Earth Serpent, wearing it allows for smoother magic power induction, but this is merely an illusion given by the Star Soul to the host.]

[Tier: ?]

[Category: Headdress]

A lengthy description, and thought it was some powerful equipment, but the tier wasn’t shown, nor did it have any skills.

Li Ang watched as the circlet dissolved into light and disappeared into the air; it seemed like the young girl could manifest it with just her will.

Now her current stats...

[Name: Zoe]

[Race: Unknown]

[Profession: Swordsman, Tier 2. Elemental Mage, Route Unconfirmed, Tier 1(+)]

[Summoned Beast: Earth Serpent Anastasia [Fusion State]]

[Energy Source: Earth Serpent, Tier 4]

[Equipment: Star Soul Material Shield - Earth [Autonomous Defense], Tier 4]

[Secret Techniques: Professional Secret Technique - Gales Linked Slash, Star Soul Secret Technique - Gemstone Beam]

[Skills: Star Soul Greenhouse, Star Soul Fusion [Earth’s Favor (Grafting), Jadestone Power, Light of the Star Soul], Swordsman [Strong Physique, Morale Boost], Elemental Mage [Elemental Arrow - Earth Element]]

[Combat Power Amplification: 21%]

In the fusion state, the Earth Serpent doesn’t count as a summoned beast, theoretically allowing the summoning of other beasts simultaneously.

With the amplification from the giant serpent on the earth aspect, it can be said her earth attribute potential is extremely high.

Overall, her future possibilities seem limitless.

Firstly, the Star Soul acts as her energy source during fusion and is a powerful summoned beast when acting independently. This means she can choose the most compatible energy sources and summoned beasts.

In terms of individual combat power, in fusion, she can release powerful spells using the heaven-defying skills of the Star Soul, and even if attacking as a swordsman, she’s much stronger than before.

With the Earth’s Favor, learning Earth Swordsmanship from her father’s Elemental Swordsman legacy should be quick, and all earth element spells would be as easy as a flick of the wrist.

Now, with a 21% combat power amplification from Star Soul Power, as she grows stronger, the boost will undoubtedly increase.

Truly a transformation.

Li Ang sighed internally, but the transformed young girl brought her face close to his, closed her eyes, and gently puckered her cherry lips.

"What are you doing?"

"A kiss, of course, everyone does it after a victory."

"Who told you that?"

"All of mom’s books are like that."

"You should read less of those. There’s no such rule, and you don’t even understand what it’s really like."

"Doesn’t matter, just teach me what it’s supposed to be like."

"I... ouch..."

Li Ang didn’t even have the strength to peel the young girl off him, he couldn’t even stand properly and instantly fell onto the Jadestone Elemental Beast beside him. After it cleared a spot on the ground, Li Ang quickly lay down.

With the crisis over, he lay in the center of this chaotic underground world, surrounded by rubble mixed with fluorescent stones, like lying in a sea of light. The effect of the spiritual activation slowly dissipated, and his whole body was flooded with exhaustion. All he wanted was to have a good sleep.

Zoe, still perched on his waist, leaned in again. Her tail moved restlessly atop him, seemingly about to touch a place better left unsaid.

"..."

"Eh, why isn’t Li Ang moved at all? That’s not how it was written in the book."

The young girl was confused.

She struck her palm with her fist: "Ah, I get it, maybe you don’t like this appearance and still prefer my original self?"

The gemstone starry eyes blinked, the starlight within them retreated to the deepest corner, and the outfit that had formed from the Earth Serpent’s guise decomposed into runes of light that dispersed, returning the young girl to her brown-haired, red-eyed appearance.

"Look."

With her eyes closed once more, she leaned in closely, waiting.

Li Ang looked at her face, the slightly furrowed brows and the gently wrinkled little nose were overly cute and charming. He couldn’t help but reach out and poke her rosy cheek.

As she felt his touch, her delicate but childlike face softly turned, her cheek brushed over his knuckle, and her cherry lips enveloped his fingertip, like a baby with an instinctive sucking reaction.

Immediately, Li Ang felt a current run through his body from his fingertip, and he dared not further experience the wetness and warmth, hurriedly withdrawing his hand.

"Hehe, hahaha."

The girl giggled incessantly, and as she trembled, the long-standing dress slipped off one shoulder, any additional pressure could leave everything exposed. The enticing fair skin usually wouldn’t affect him much, but this time, the tantalizing hint of cherry pink was pushing the limits of his mind.

"If you keep acting like this..."

Zoe suddenly turned to lie beside him, her pretty face drawing closer, her breath tickling him.

"Then it shall be like this."

Li Ang only felt a soft, moist touch on his face, which quickly disappeared.

She sat up, full of life and spirit, her eyes squinting like a contented cat, with a mischievous smile, the corners of her eyes oozing irresistible charm.

"Hmph, one day, I will make you fall for me."

The young girl’s long, elegant neck was already flushed with a rosy hue. She spoke with bravado, but the impending collapse of her shyness could not be withstood, so she turned her back, and the scene settled into a harmonious tranquility.

Occasionally, she seemed to think of something, chuckling lightly to herself.

After a while, with one lying down and the other sitting, Zoe hugged her knees and gazed up at the sky, asking, "Li Ang, when are you going to set up your adventurer’s guild?"

"I initially planned to rest after leaving Satus Island, and then find a bustling city to register."

Li Ang exhaled deeply, the young girl turned her face to look at him.

"Turns out, we didn’t get much rest at all." They both said in unison, paused for a moment, then smiled at each other.

Zoe extended her hand, her alabaster finger resting on his chest: "Let me be your first member."

"Have you thought it through? An adventure to the skies."

Li Ang wasn’t too surprised. She yearned for the end of the clouds, and after shedding the thoughts that once bound her, she was bound to soar into the blue sky. This was the destiny of the world’s female lead.

"Yes, the life I desire is one with Li Ang in it. I only exist because of you now. If you want to establish a guild and reach the pinnacle, I’ll help you get there."

He wasn’t sure if it was because her nails were a bit sharp, but a slight sting spread from where she touched his chest, turning into a widespread mild warmth.

He sat up, wanting to say something.

"Ah, but..."

Zoe interrupted him, appearing pitiful: "We used a lot of gemstones in battle, and I absorbed many in the end. Can we still afford a big airship?"

"Not sure, but we still have quite a bit left."

Li Ang glanced around. The minor gemstones and crystal stones in the sky should have been worth some money, but after being shattered and destroyed by the second wave, they weren’t of much value anymore.

The precious gemstones were still intact here and there, just enough to afford a small ship, if not a big one.

Besides, the adventure hasn’t even truly begun, and the point of buying a ship hasn’t come yet.

"Don’t feel guilty; adventuring is like this, there will surely be gains, but..."

"But because of me, the harvest was reduced." The girl carefully pinched a small piece of his sleeve with her fingers.

"I wasn’t finished talking."

Li Ang smiled: "The gains often present themselves in other forms, sometimes as growth experience, sometimes as the courage to step beyond oneself, and much more. These are all treasures that won’t be discarded until the end of life."

He felt as though he was living in a different world.

The Zoe from a few days ago, and the one she was now. The wild little cat by the ground, now a young maiden.

Bringing her here, he anticipated she might not contribute significantly.

But he was gambling; gambling on her mysterious powers and whether they could be proven beneficial in the right setting. Li Ang’s own experience and strength provided a safety net for risks.

Luckily, it was just his stamina that was drained, without any loss of spirituality.

The gemstones were indeed lost considerably, but as they say, I’ve staked this on a new era.

World’s female lead, Power of the Star Soul, these are treasures that can’t simply be exchanged.

"You, clinging to me was it before? Now you want to run but I won’t let you, having boarded my ship, you better play your part well."

The young girl was momentarily dazed, then she nodded vigorously, eyes curling with a smile.

Li Ang chuckled lightly, who knows what he was thinking a few days ago.

Forming a guild requires capable people, execution, and composure, not trouble-inducing members. I also won’t be swayed by beauty.

Getting stuck with her and bringing her along, what has the adventure turned into? A parenting journey?

As of now... might as well lead the newbie along, at least taking her, this good kid, shouldn’t pose much of an issue.

But, not again!