Today Is a Good Day

Beneath the blood-red garment covering Qian Chaoguang's body, his skin had completely turned jade-white, just like Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's before.

"Wahahahahahaha! No matter what, I'm finally free! You really are a freakish talent, kid. Whatever, these living conditions are even better than I expected. You bastards who treated me like food, you'll never get another chance! Wahahahahaha..."

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice gradually faded, and the Spiritual Power that had previously covered an enormous area shrank back into the Sea of Consciousness at an astonishing speed, slowly disappearing.

Deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, several terrifying auras simultaneously surged violently, raging helplessly within the Core Area.

Just as Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice completely vanished, a heavy black ring of light silently emerged beneath Qian Chaoguang. It spiraled upward around his body, gradually turning white before fading once more and merging into his body.

The lustrous white gradually receded. Qian Chaoguang could no longer maintain his cross-legged sitting posture, and his body tipped over, collapsing toward the ground.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's Molted Shell flew into Qian Chaoguang's arms, and the cracks from before had already closed.

Aside from Qian Chaoguang, covered in blood, and the dismembered Wind Baboon, everything seemed to have returned to normal.

Within the Sea of Consciousness, Qian Chaoguang was talking with Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.

"So your name is Qian Chaoguang. What a strange fellow. I nearly thought I was going to die with you! But honestly, your talent after reconstruction is utterly ridiculous. The strength of your Meridians is already no weaker than that Titled Douluo I burst apart before! Your body can even contain the power of a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring. It's a miracle. I'm growing more and more confident in my plan!"

Qian Chaoguang smiled. "A few compliments and you're already getting full of yourself? You've seen how amazing I am now, haven't you? Follow me, and you can just lie back and win. Becoming a god? All you need is a Martial Soul."

"Aren't you afraid of boasting too much? Also, call me Brother Sky Dream."

"Sure, Tian Meng. Next time for sure."

"Qian Chaoguang, you bastard! You weren't like this to me before!"

"We're fucking bros..."

Wait, why did I say that?

Qian Chaoguang suddenly froze inwardly.

With his personality, why had he started bickering with Sky Dream Ice Silkworm?

That was impossible!

Qian Chaoguang was greatly alarmed. While listening to Sky Dream Ice Silkworm brag about his past, he pondered the changes in his body.

After merging with Tian Meng as a Soul Ring, had his personality somehow been affected?

Had he become...

A little goofy?

While humoring Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, Qian Chaoguang attempted to use his long blade to prop himself up. This was no safe place, and without any ability to defend himself, he was in grave danger.

Unfortunately, the agonizing pain from before had drained all his strength. Right now, even moving an arm was extremely difficult.

He could only take out the White Tiger Dagger Huo Yutong had given him before they parted and grip it tightly, guarding against whatever danger might come.

Fortunately, he had removed the sheath earlier.

Feeling the surging Soul Power within his body, Electrolux sleeping in his Sea of Consciousness, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm still chattering away, and the Three Great Methods that had Melted into One Furnace, Qian Chaoguang could not help but grin.

Ten years of planning, and I finally got what I wanted!

Compared to Huo Gua in the Original Work, he had gained even more.

His reconstructed Meridians were broad and resilient, unquestionably top-tier. Combined with the Foundation and Soul Power Vortex formed within his Sea of Qi, they could definitely raise his cultivation speed to an unimaginable level.

Even if his breakthroughs were several times harder than those of ordinary Soul Masters, it would still be worth it!

With such powerful support behind him, he should be able to keep up with the usual cultivation pace.

Even if he could not, it did not matter. His combat strength was right there. Killing stronger opponents while underleveled... no, killing opponents above his rank was not difficult for him.

The improvement brought by the Three Refining Stages was not especially obvious. He estimated that relying solely on Bloodline Power, physical strength, and the boost from his Blade Art, he would have no problem trading blows with a Soul Elder.

It was hard to say who would win in a spar, but in a fight to the death, he would definitely be the victor.

It was just that the four skills Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had attached to him were a bit of a pain. Their compatibility with Extreme Ice Light was truly rather poor.

Light Share, Light Impact, Light Interference, and Light Mimicry, which he had no idea what the hell it was useful for...

Forget it, forget it.

A person should be content with what they had. At worst, he could focus on cultivating the Ice Empress Martial Soul in the future.

As Qian Chaoguang lay on the ground, working hard to circulate the Qi Refining Art and absorb World Origin Energy to restore his strength, two figures raced toward him at incredible speed.

Tang Ya and Beibei are here?

I'd better pretend to be unconscious. None of this will be easy to explain. Better let them fill in the blanks themselves.

Qian Chaoguang made his decision at once, drawing his consciousness back into the Sea of Consciousness. He focused on listening to Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's bullshit while also considering the changes in himself.

Why had his personality suddenly become somewhat more cheerful?

"This guy's body is so sturdy. How did a Wind Baboon beat him into this state?"

Tang Ya squeezed Qian Chaoguang's arm hard and gave Beibei a questioning look.

Beibei had already helped Qian Chaoguang change into a fresh set of clothes and cleaned him up, stripping away the crusted blood covering his body.

Beibei smiled gently. "Perhaps he encountered a stronger Soul Beast? Maybe something like a Blood-Spitting Toad, which attacks using blood. Look at Chaoguang's hand—that's a Level 5 close-combat Soul Tool. The long blade on his back isn't a Soul Tool, but its forging technique is extraordinarily refined. Its sharpness and hardness alone are enough to crush an ordinary Level 3 Soul Tool."

"And look at the cross-section of that Wind Baboon's corpse. It was clearly cut cleanly in two with a single slash. The cut is incredibly smooth, and it precisely avoided a great many bones. That was the only way to achieve such an effect. It proves that Chaoguang must possess an exceptionally superb Blade Art."

"Still, I don't really understand. Could he truly be alone, without any elder or teacher accompanying him? That's a little too..."

Tang Ya snorted. "I told you Chaoguang was like me. He must be the last inheritor of some family or sect. See? My judgment was more accurate after all!"

Beibei smiled helplessly, tacitly accepting Tang Ya's assessment.

"It's just a pity that this Wind Baboon was only a ten-year Soul Beast. Given the Blade Art Chaoguang displayed, he should have been capable of killing a Hundred Year Soul Beast on his own."

Tang Ya rolled her eyes at him and said irritably, "Are you stupid? Before Chaoguang absorbed the Wind Baboon's Soul Ring, he was just an ordinary person. You wanted him to keep going deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest to find a Hundred Year Soul Beast? What if a Thousand Year Soul Beast showed up? Wouldn't that be seeking death?"

"Uh... that does seem right..."

Only after Tang Ya and Beibei had finally finished filling in the blanks themselves and arrived at a reasonable explanation did Qian Chaoguang end his awkward chat with Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and pretend to wake up.

"Chaoguang, you're finally awake! You worried me to death."

Tang Ya was overjoyed the moment she saw Qian Chaoguang open his eyes.

Qian Chaoguang's inner actor took over. He pretended to stare blankly for a moment before speaking weakly in a hoarse voice. "Sister Tang Ya, Brother Beibei, we really are fated to keep meeting..."

The weakness was not an act. He really had no strength left...

Author's Note

Thanks to the two patrons, All Good IDs Are Gone and cola007666, for their tips.