Five-Headed Shark: The New Synthetic Shadow Creature

As time passed, Qin Luo and the others followed Lan Xi to what appeared to be an aquatic coliseum.

From a distance, they could hear a series of "crunch-crunch" chewing sounds, as if something was voraciously devouring flesh.

Qin Luo and Su Muwan exchanged glances, a flicker of confusion in their eyes, before stepping into the coliseum.

However, the sight before them instantly froze them in place.

It was indeed Little Sharkie, but… why did it have five heads?!

Qin Luo rubbed his forehead, sighing helplessly at the five-headed shark—not five separate sharks, but a single body with five heads crammed together.

The five heads were packed side by side, each with its maw wide open, gnawing on unidentified chunks of meat. The chewing noises were coming from them.

Lan Xi awkwardly shrunk her neck and whispered, "This happened after that big meatball arrived… Its strange abilities affected Little Sharkie, and this was the result…"

"Some of Little Sharkie’s heads didn’t want to obey, while others did, so they started biting each other. After a while, they just… fused like this."

"Now we’re just keeping it here to recover."

The big meatball trembled nearby, its voice tinged with panic, "S-sorry, Master… I didn’t know this would happen…"

Qin Luo sighed and turned to Su Muwan.

She was clenching her fists, her expression one of shock—clearly, even she was stunned by the sight.

Qin Luo thought to himself that even Su Muwan must be heartbroken to see her beloved pet like this.

"Miss, I can help restore it to normal. It’ll be done in no time," Qin Luo said softly, raising his hand to separate the five-headed shark’s souls and craft new bodies for them.

But just as he was about to act, Su Muwan suddenly grabbed his wrist.

"Wait!!"

Her eyes sparkled with barely contained excitement. "This… this is SO COOL!!!"

Qin Luo: "???"

Everyone else: "???"

Su Muwan released Qin Luo’s hand and rushed toward the five-headed shark, her eyes gleaming. "Five heads! Sharing one body! What a genius design!"

"It’s practically a work of art! Qin Luo, don’t you think this is way cooler than a regular Little Sharkie?"

Qin Luo blinked, then glanced back at the five-headed shark. "Cool… is it?"

"Of course it is!"

Su Muwan excitedly explained, "Five heads mean five times the combat power!!!"

Is… that how math works?

"Five times the intelligence!!!"

Does it… even have intelligence?

"And look how adorable it is with all five heads squeezed together! That’s five times the cuteness!!"

Cute… really?

"Plus, when it eats, all five heads chomp at once—way more efficient than a normal shark! This is an evolutionary miracle!!"

She grew more and more animated, even gesturing wildly. "Qin Luo, you know what? I always thought regular Little Sharkie was too plain. This? This is unique! This is worthy of a young lady like me! A five-headed shark is the perfect pet!"

Qin Luo: "……"

Everyone else: "……"

The five-headed shark seemed to notice Su Muwan’s presence and eagerly swam over.

All five heads opened their mouths simultaneously, emitting a bizarre chorus of sounds:

"Woof! Meow! Roar! Blub-blub!!"

Su Muwan’s excited expression instantly froze.

…Since when do sharks sound like that?

She blinked, hesitantly asking, "You… have you awakened sentience? Can you speak now?"

The five heads tilted in unison, their eyes radiating an… indescribable wisdom.

Su Muwan: "……"

Qin Luo coughed lightly, trying to ease the awkwardness. "Miss, your spirit beast is clearly a late bloomer. With a bit more nurturing, it’ll definitely get smarter."

The moment he said this—

"Waaahhh!!"

Su Muwan suddenly crouched down, clutching her head in despair. "Why is my pet like this?! Now I’ll never outshine Su Bailian! Her Pochi evolved into a spirit beast, but my Little Sharkie just makes weird noises!!"

Qin Luo sighed and patted her shoulder. "Miss, don’t lose heart. At least it… has five heads."

"Five times the combat power…"

Nudge!

"Five times the intelligence…"

Nudge-nudge!

"Five times the cuteness!"

Nudge-nudge-nudge!

"……?"

Su Muwan took a deep breath—though she briefly wondered how she could inhale underwater—before shaking it off.

She stood up, giving Qin Luo a deadpan look. "Enough, Qin Luo. Just finish up and let’s go. I’ve had enough of this."

Qin Luo chuckled and turned to the Sea Dragon King.

The Sea Dragon King had also been affected by the malignant entity, now covered in writhing tentacles, his once-majestic gaze dull and vacant.

Lan Xi, noticing Qin Luo’s attention on her father, felt a pang of unease.

"Master Qin… what are you planning?" she asked cautiously.

Qin Luo didn’t answer. Instead, he raised his hand and—

SMACK!

—slapped the Sea Dragon King across the face.

THWACK!!

Lan Xi’s pupils trembled as she internally screamed:

MASTER QIN!! WHY DID YOU JUST HIT MY DAD?!

But in the next moment—

The Sea Dragon King’s soul was forcibly ejected from his body, floating midair in confusion.

Qin Luo began conversing directly with his spirit, explaining the situation.

Though Su Muwan and Lan Xi could only see Qin Luo talking to thin air, the Sea Dragon King quickly grasped the circumstances.

He nodded resignedly. "Master Qin, do as you must. My people… will follow your lead."

As time passed, Qin Luo extracted the souls of the aquatic clansmen one by one, leaving their lifeless bodies behind.

The princes and princesses gathered around Lan Xi, murmuring, "Little Sister was always the slowest, yet she managed to find someone like Master Qin…"

Lan Xi shivered, sensing an inexplicable chill in the air.

Qin Luo then began synthesizing materials, merging the big meatball with the empty husks of the aquatic clansmen.

Hummm…

Hundreds of shadowy chains erupted from the void, dragging the meatball and the bodies into a swirling vortex of darkness.

When the shadows receded, a boy of about sixteen or seventeen stood before them.

His skin was pale, his long silver-blue hair cascading down to his waist.

"This body exists for you, Master," the boy said reverently, kneeling on one knee.

Dark golden scale patterns shimmered along his neck.

As he lifted his head, everyone saw his eyes—

They were double pupils!

—The outer rings swirled like deep-sea abysses, while the inner cores burned with violet flames of corruption.

Strangest of all were his hands, which still bore the webbed membranes unique to aquatic beings.

Qin Luo smiled faintly. "State your true name."

"Xing Xuan."

His voice echoed like the depths of the ocean, and behind him, three pairs of translucent shadowy fins unfurled like wings.

The mermaid-like scaled wings were now covered with crimson eyeballs that pulsed as if breathing.

What the hell... Since when can someone crush people bare-handed...?

Su Muwan watched the scene with wide-eyed astonishment. "Qin Luo, since when did you have this kind of ability?"

Qin Luo smirked. "Practice makes perfect."

Su Muwan: ?

She fell silent, doubting whether her own cheat abilities even compared to Qin Luo's.

Then—

Qin Luo snapped his fingers again, and a surge of black mist emerged.

Every sea tribe soul was instantly shrouded in shadows, transforming into shadowy creatures that materialized beside Lan Xi.

Lan Xi was stunned, staring at her suddenly resurrected kin. "Wh-what is this...?"

The crowd knelt in unison, voices filled with reverence. "We thank you, Great One!"

Qin Luo nodded in satisfaction before turning to Su Muwan. "All done, Young Miss. We can leave now."

Su Muwan glanced at the five-headed shark, then at the shadow creatures, and finally sighed. "Fine. Even if Little Sharky is a bit dumb... at least he's one of a kind."

"So, what's next?" she asked curiously.

Qin Luo chuckled softly. "Like I said—now comes the part we know best. Playing the mastermind behind the scenes."

"A single wave of sea tribe attacks isn’t enough."

"We need... a full-scale assault."

Su Muwan blinked, half-convinced that the reason she’d turned into such a villain was mostly Qin Luo’s doing.