After a long while, the air in the secret chamber seemed to freeze.
Snow Empress closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.
She knew she had no choice. Better to take a chance on this human's "divine-grade offering" than die miserably out in the wilderness.
"Fine. I accept."
Snow Empress opened her eyes again, her gaze now resolute.
"But I have one condition. After the sacrifice, you must take me back to the Far North once. There are a few things I need to make clear."
"No problem! Deal!"
You agreed so briskly that the corners of your mouth even started to curl upward.
Back to the Far North? That was perfect!
There was still a two-hundred-thousand-year-old Ice Bear King Xiaobai there! Snow Empress had raised him as her godson. Since his godmother was coming with you, wouldn't you have to bring her godson along too?
Family had to stick together!
"Is that... it? It's done?"
Du Busi stood off to the side, staring in utter shock.
He had lived for several centuries and killed countless Soul Beasts, but he had never seen anyone talk a seventy-thousand-year-old Ferocious Beast into offering herself up willingly. This was the first time in his life!
Du Busi silently gave you a thumbs-up. Master, you're incredible!
"Human, I hope you'll keep your promise. Otherwise, even if my soul shatters, I'll curse you to never be reborn!"
Snow Empress gave you a long look and hesitated no more.
Vmmm—!
Brilliant ice-blue light burst from her body, then turned into countless gentle motes of light that streamed into you like rivers flowing into the sea.
The sacrifice began!
You immediately sat cross-legged and activated your Second Martial Soul, "Epitaph."
Because she was sacrificing herself willingly, her enormous seventy-thousand-year cultivation—which could have been enough to burst a Titled Douluo apart—was now as docile as a lamb.
You felt not the slightest pain. Instead, warmth spread through your body, as soothing as soaking in a hot spring.
Half an hour later.
The light faded.
An orange-gold Soul Ring radiating a terrifying aura slowly rose from beneath your feet and hovered quietly behind you.
Orange-gold! A Ferocious Beast Soul Ring!
Its dazzling glow seemed to hold the ages of snow and wind that had swept across the Extreme North Icefield.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... An orange-gold Soul Ring. I can say I've seen it all now."
Du Busi circled you several times, envy practically spilling from his eyes.
"You never stop learning, no matter how old you get. The young people these days are something else. You just can't afford to provoke them..."
As the Soul Ring settled into place, the bottleneck in your Soul Power shattered instantly!
Level 75... level 78... level 80!
Your Soul Power surged straight to level 80, the Quasi-Soul Douluo realm!
You only needed to absorb one more Soul Ring to become a true Soul Douluo!
A sixteen-year-old Soul Douluo!
In all the history of the Douluo Continent, there had never been anyone like you—and there probably never would be again!
There was only one way to describe it: absolutely terrifying!
With the immense energy from Snow Empress's sacrifice, you didn't choose to stop. Instead, you made an even more reckless decision!
You were going to seize the moment and condense your first Soul Core!
This was a realm only Titled Douluos could reach, but relying on your formidable physique and spiritual power, you forced your way through!
Energy storms raged inside the secret chamber for three whole days and nights.
The Soul Power in your body spun, collapsed, and reformed like a black hole compressed to its absolute limit.
Finally, at dawn on the third day—
Vmmm—!
A strange hum resounded throughout the Body Sect.
At your dantian, a crystal-clear Soul Core radiating an immense suction force slowly took shape!
Success!
A heart-pounding surge of Soul Power spread out from your body.
Du Busi, standing guard nearby, felt his eyelids twitch. He could actually sense a faint hint of threat from his disciple, who had only reached the Soul Douluo realm!
What did that mean? He was a level 98 Super Douluo!
Watching you, brimming with confidence, the smile on Du Busi's face gradually froze. Deep worry took its place.
"A monster... What a monster who never gives anyone a moment's peace."
Du Busi let out a long sigh, his expression complicated.
Ordinary Soul Masters condensed their first Soul Core when they broke through from level 89 to level 90, advancing to Titled Douluo.
It wasn't until they tried to reach level 99 and become a Limit Douluo that they needed to condense a second Soul Core.
But you had gone and formed your first Soul Core at level 80!
What did that mean?
It meant you had put yourself on "hell difficulty"!
When you tried to break through the level 90 Titled Douluo bottleneck in the future, you would have to condense a second Soul Core!
Condensing Dual Soul Cores through the "Yin-Yang Complementary" method before becoming a Titled Douluo had never been heard of in the history of the Douluo Continent!
If you failed, the two Soul Cores would collide, and you would explode in an instant, leaving not even a trace behind!
It was a path to invincibility—and a deadly tightrope walk.
Regret? Not a chance.
You scoffed at Du Busi's worries.
Fortune favored the bold! If you didn't dare take even this little risk, how could you talk about becoming a god? You even felt that your cultivation was progressing too slowly!
After a brief farewell, you turned into a streak of light and headed straight for the Far North.
Half a day later, the temperature plunged to a hundred degrees below zero.
Before you stretched an endless silver-white world. The wind cut like knives, and snow swirled through the air. This was a forbidden land for humans, but your own backyard.
"Come out, Snow Empress."
With a thought, Snow Empress's beautiful soul phantom drifted out from your Spiritual Sea.
She hovered in midair without a word, releasing the distinctive aura of the ruler of the Far North.
It was a summons that came from the bloodline and the soul!
Rumble—!
The earth began to tremble violently, as if a magnitude-ten earthquake had struck.
Distant snow-capped mountains crumbled, and a terrifying giant a hundred meters tall emerged from the clouds and strode toward you! Each step left a bottomless footprint in the icefield.
The lowest-ranked of the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North—the Titan Snow Demon King, A-Tai!
At the same time, a violent blizzard swept toward you. At its center, an enormous, burly white bear radiating a savage aura charged forward like lightning.
A Ferocious Beast of the Far North—the Ice Bear King, Xiao Bai!
The two Ferocious Beasts had gathered!
But when they saw Snow Empress had turned into an orange-gold Soul Ring, pulsing behind you, their joy instantly turned into towering fury!
The Titan Snow Demon King roared, its massive fist sweeping forward with tremendous force, as if it meant to smash you and the entire icefield to pieces!
The Ice Bear King's eyes were bloodshot as he charged at you like a madman!
Facing the two Ferocious Beasts' attack, you stood with your hands behind your back, calm and composed. You didn't even try to dodge.
Because you knew someone—something—was more anxious than you.
Before you continue