Chapter 267: Size and Scale

"A Qing," came a faint, childish voice echoing inside Lu Qing’s mind.

He thought he was still dreaming—but then he felt something shift. His eyes snapped open.

"A Qing, you’re awake!" The voice returned, clear this time.

Lu Qing sat up abruptly. This wasn’t a dream. The voice was real—something he’d never heard before.

He turned his head, scanning the room, until his gaze landed on a tiny figure.

His mouth fell slightly open.

"Y-you’re… Xiao Li?"

"Me! Me!" Xiao Li bounced onto his shoulder, tiny paws gripping his robe. "A Qing, I think I can talk now!"

"Yeah, I heard," Lu Qing replied, nodding slowly. His expression remained dazed, stunned by the sudden turn of events.

Even he, a man of extraordinary resilience, was struggling to process it.

But only a moment passed before he collected himself.

"Xiao Li… You didn’t speak, did you? You used Spirit Soul Transmission. That’s not ordinary speech. It’s… soul-to-soul communication."

Xiao Li tilted its head, thinking. "I don’t really know. I just drank the Moon Essence last night, and when I woke up, I suddenly knew I could talk. But when I tried calling out to Xiao Yan, she didn’t respond."

Lu Qing’s eyes narrowed. The proof was undeniable. The voice had originated in his mind—Xiao Li hadn’t moved its mouth.

Spirit Soul Transmission—only possible when one had cultivated a true Spirit Soul. And even then, it could only be perceived by others who had reached the same level of cultivation.

"Let me see," Lu Qing said, carefully lifting Xiao Li into his hands.

Xiao Li didn’t resist. It, too, wanted answers.

Lu Qing activated his Abilities, scanning the small spirit beast.

A faint, violet aura slowly emanated from Xiao Li’s body.

"Violet?" Lu Qing blinked, then quickly checked the floating text that appeared in his mind.

【Mutated Nighttime Spirit Fox: Mutated Xian Tian Level Spirit Beast, juvenile, female.】

【Extremely fast, claws sharp enough to shatter stone and cut through metal, capable of slicing through anything.】

【After consuming a Beast Spirit Fruit, its bloodline evolved into a Xian Tian Level Spirit Beast, awakening Bloodline Heritage.】

【After ingesting a large quantity of Moon Essence infused with a trace of cosmic law, its intellect soared, awakening Spirit Soul Power, and further evolving its bloodline.】

【Dark Concealment: Upon bloodline evolution, this innate talent transformed into a true ability—its fur can distort space, allowing it to vanish completely into darkness, hiding all traces.】

【Size and Scale like Yi: A power awakened after consuming vast amounts of Moon Essence. Allows control over body size at will.】

【Legend says: Nighttime Spirit Foxes adore fish—but are born with an innate aversion to water, forever gazing at fish with longing.】

"Mutated…" Lu Qing murmured, awed.

Moon Essence truly was a gift from heaven. After consuming nearly half a bottle, Xiao Li had undergone a transformation.

Not only had it awakened Spirit Soul Power—but it had also unlocked a new, extraordinary ability.

"Xiao Li," Lu Qing asked, "did you awaken another skill? One like the one that lets you vanish into space?"

"Let me think…" Xiao Li tilted its head, concentrating. Suddenly, its eyes lit up. "Yes! I think I did! A Qing, watch this!"

It leapt down to the floor. An odd, shimmering aura pulsed from its body, and dark light began to swirl around it.

In an instant, Lu Qing watched in astonishment as the small fox—previously the size of a housecat—began to grow.

Its body swelled, stretching upward. Within seconds, it stood two meters tall, its fur lengthening into thick, flowing strands like black flames burning in the air. Its presence radiated power, and the sheer force of its aura made Lu Qing’s heart race.

If this were a higher floor, the wooden beams would have cracked under its weight.

"Look at me, A Qing! Pretty cool, right?" Xiao Li loomed over him, triumphant.

"Wow… A Qing, what’s going on? I just felt a strange, powerful presence from your direction!" Old Doctor’s voice suddenly echoed in Lu Qing’s mind.

"Master, don’t worry. Just experimenting with something new. I’ll explain later," Lu Qing replied through Spirit Soul Transmission.

Old Doctor fell silent. No further questions.

"Xiao Li, can you hide your presence again?" Lu Qing asked.

Xiao Li paused, concentrating. Then, slowly, its aura began to recede—retreating into its body until not a trace remained.

"Like this, A Qing?"

"Perfect. Excellent work," Lu Qing praised.

He had known all along that Xiao Li’s Dark Concealment was an incredibly rare ability—capable of erasing every trace of its presence.

"Can you now use your other power—your ability to change size—to hide yourself completely?"

Xiao Li tried, then shook its head. "No… I can only use one ability at a time. But I think once I get stronger, I’ll be able to use both."

"Ah…" Lu Qing nodded thoughtfully.

So Xiao Li had awakened two powers—but couldn’t use them simultaneously yet.

That made sense. To hide in space required immense control over spatial distortion. At its current level, a Xian Tian Level Spirit Beast, it simply didn’t have the strength.

Just then, Xiao Li began shrinking back to its normal size.

"Wait—why did you revert so fast?" Lu Qing asked, surprised.

"Too tiring," Xiao Li panted, flopping onto the bed and stretching out, tongue lolling. "I like this size better."

"Does staying big exhaust you?" Lu Qing raised an eyebrow.

"Very much. That was my maximum size. I can only hold it for about a quarter of an hour. If I shrink a bit, I can last longer."

Lu Qing understood now.

This Size and Scale like Yi power was like a martial artist’s explosive technique—brief, overwhelming strength at the cost of massive stamina drain.

Only far more refined.

"Alright, Xiao Li. Don’t use this ability unless absolutely necessary. And don’t tell anyone about it."

Xiao Li had just revealed a terrifying presence—enough to make even Lu Qing uneasy.

This was a true trump card.

"Got it," Xiao Li replied weakly, too drained to argue.

"And keep your ability to speak secret for now. Don’t tell anyone."

"Sure~" Xiao Li agreed, already half-asleep.

It didn’t care for anyone else anyway—only Lu Qing and Xiao Yan. And since Xiao Yan couldn’t hear it, it would only talk to him.

Just then, Ma Gu’s voice came from outside the door.

"Lu Qing brother, are you awake?"

"Coming," Lu Qing called, stepping toward the door. "What’s wrong?"

"The horses… something’s off. You should come take a look."

"Horses?" Lu Qing’s mind raced. "I’m on my way."

"Xiao Li, rest for a bit. I’ll be back soon," he said, then left the room.

At the stables, Ma Gu stood frozen in front of the barn.

"Ma Ye, what happened?" Lu Qing asked, stepping closer.

"Lu Qing brother! You’re here!" Ma Gu turned, stepping aside. "Look at these two… I don’t know what happened overnight, but they’re… different."

Lu Qing peered inside.

His breath caught.

The two horses—once plain, grayish steeds—now stood taller, their coats transformed into dazzling white. They looked ten times more majestic.

But the most striking feature? Each had a small, white horn sprouting from their foreheads, etched with strange, glowing patterns.

"Lu Qing brother… is this really our pair?" Ma Gu whispered, stunned.

The two horses stepped forward, nudging Lu Qing’s hand with their muzzles, as if greeting an old friend.

Lu Qing gently stroked their heads.

"Yep. They’re ours. Something happened last night. You and Zi An were asleep—you didn’t see it."

He explained briefly—how Xiao Li had consumed Moon Essence, how it had triggered a transformation.

Ma Gu listened, awed and regretful.

Awe at the miracle. Regret that he’d slept so deeply he’d missed it.

"So… these horses drank the Moon Essence too?" Ma Gu asked.

"Exactly. And it worked. Their bloodlines have evolved. This isn’t just strength—it’s a true awakening."

"Of course!" Ma Gu slapped his forehead. "That’s why I almost thought they’d run off this morning. I nearly panicked!"

He’d been so startled at the sight of the transformed horses that he’d almost thought someone had swapped them.

But his daily routine had kept him grounded—he recognized their markings, their harnesses, their every detail.

Lu Qing chuckled, patting the horses again. He activated his Abilities, scanning them.

A deep crimson aura flared from their bodies.

【Dragon Blood Stallion: A legendary steed awakened with a trace of ancient dragon blood.】

【After consuming Moon Essence infused with cosmic law, its bloodline evolved, awakening a faint yet powerful dragon lineage. Strength and endurance have increased dramatically.】

【Legend holds: All living creatures carry a fragment of ancient dragon blood. When awakened, they gain the power of a true dragon.】

…

"Confirmed," Lu Qing murmured, eyes wide.

He’d suspected it, but the reality still surprised him.

These horses hadn’t just grown stronger—they’d become Dragon Blood Stallions.

That meant their speed, endurance, and power would increase tenfold.

"Ma Ye," Lu Qing said, "these horses are now much stronger. They’ll run faster. Be careful when you drive them."

"Relax, Lu Qing brother," Ma Gu grinned. "Even if they run like the wind, I can handle them. I’ve been driving carriages every day for weeks. I’m at least Zong Shi level in skill."

He wasn’t boasting. He’d earned it.

"Good. Go get acquainted with them. Their spirits have grown sharper—they’ll respond well to you."

"I’ll take care of it," Ma Gu said, already walking toward the horses.

Lu Qing left the stables and headed toward Renxin Yiguan.

"Lu Langjun, you’re here!" The young apprentice, Xiao Shitu, stood waiting at the clinic door, eyes lighting up the moment he saw him.

"Early as always, little master?" Lu Qing smiled.

"Master told me to wait for you at dawn. I was up before sunrise. Your herbs are ready."

"Thanks. And how’s the patient from last night?"

"Right after you left, Wang Da Shu woke up. He’s already gone home to rest."

"Good," Lu Qing said, relieved. He followed Xiao Shitu into the clinic.

Zhao Da Fu sat inside, calmly sipping tea.

"Zhao Da Fu, so early?" Lu Qing was surprised.

"I’ve always been a morning person," Zhao Da Fu replied with a gentle smile. "Sleep well last night, Lu Xiao Langjun?"

"Fine," Lu Qing nodded. "I came to pick up the herbs I ordered yesterday."

"Already prepared," Zhao Da Fu said. "Xiao Yi, fetch the herbs."

"Yes, Master." Xiao Shitu pulled a large bundle from beneath the counter. "Here you go, Lu Langjun. Please check."

"No need," Lu Qing said, taking it without opening. "How much?"

"Lu Xiao Langjun, you’re too kind. The herbs weren’t expensive. The silver you left yesterday covers it—here’s your change, one tael."

Zhao Da Fu handed over the extra silver.

"Thank you," Lu Qing accepted it, tucking it into his money pouch. "I’ve got other matters. Excuse me."

"Take care, Lu Xiao Langjun."

To Lu Qing’s surprise, Zhao Da Fu didn’t try to keep him. He politely escorted him to the door.

Only after Lu Qing left did a shadow step forward from behind the screen.

"Master… why didn’t you ask Lu Qing about last night’s celestial phenomenon?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end