Like the Ice Empress? Even with the system, he wouldn't dare dream of that (mainly because the system was kind of useless). Without Ultimate Ice, he couldn't absorb the Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Bone, either. It would kill him! Even if he could, he'd need money for it. Was he supposed to steal it by force? The Black and White Sect didn't have that kind of power. The Blade of Life? He was still worried about how to purify it himself.
As for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye, never mind the hundred-thousand-year Plant-type Soul Beasts inside. He'd have to be able to get in first. And, like he'd said, even going there himself would be difficult.
There was no need to mention the rest.
How should he put it? So much of it had been arranged for Huo Yuhao from the start, and even if Zheng Li got his hands on it, he wouldn't be able to use most of it.
Even if Ling Nan really told someone, Zheng Li wouldn't care. At most, he'd just be heartbroken that Ling Nan had betrayed him.
His ultimate trump card was the system's soul-protection mechanism and Reincarnation.
Zheng Li had seen the explanation in a menu that looked like "Settings."
If he died, the system would protect his soul, and he would have two options for reincarnating.
One: be reborn. Literally, he could choose any family on Douluo Continent to be born into.
After being born, his appearance wouldn't change much when he grew up.
He would inherit all his previous Martial Souls. As for Soul Power, Soul Rings, Spirit Bones, and the like, they would all disappear. Of course, he would still have Innate Soul Power.
He had once asked the system about Xiao Nai.
The system had answered that as long as Xiao Nai's soul remained intact, she would be with him even if he reincarnated. If Xiao Nai's soul were destroyed, then after his reincarnation, Xiao Nai would truly become "Xiao Nai."
Her abilities would remain unchanged, though.
Xiao Nai was in her Martial Soul form. Zheng Li remembered that a Martial Soul could recover after being shattered. Xiao Xiao's Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron had once been shattered during the Soul Fighting Tournament.
But given Xiao Nai's special nature, Zheng Li wasn't going to take that chance.
He could easily force Xiao Nai back into his Sea of Consciousness.
However, after using this method of reincarnation, the ability would be on cooldown for five years. If he died again within those five years, the system would still protect his soul, but he'd have to wait until the five years were up before he could reincarnate again.
Two: be reborn in his own body, which would return to an infant's state.
It was like recreating his body, but as an infant, so he'd have to grow up all over again.
If he chose this option, he'd retain his previous Soul Power Level, Soul Rings, and Spirit Bones, but not his physique or mental power.
Both options had one thing in common: for the first three years after being reborn, whether into another family or in his own body, he'd have no memories and would be just like a real baby.
The cooldown for this option was longer. He'd have to wait ten years!
So even if Ling Nan sold him out and he was captured, he could still kill himself.
What? He couldn't kill himself? Then he could have the system do it.
Although the system mostly left him to his own devices, it would still help with something like this.
Just as it would warn him of danger and such.
After chatting with Ling Nan for a little while longer, Zheng Li began cultivating.
The afternoon passed with an ordinary theory class.
He listened attentively.
After class, he ate, then returned to the dorm.
"I'll keep watch for you, A Li. Go ahead and absorb the Soul Ascension Pill without worrying," Ling Nan said with a smile.
Zheng Li nodded, took out the walnut-sized Soul Ascension Pill, and swallowed it in one bite.
### As dusk fell,
Ling Nan watched Zheng Li on the bed. He wasn't wearing his usual cheeky grin; his adorable little face looked completely composed.
A faint green glow flowed beneath Zheng Li's skin. In the dim room, it looked a little frightening.
It was as if Zheng Li were about to go berserk.
In reality, Zheng Li was absorbing the medicinal power of the Soul Ascension Pill.
Suddenly, Ling Nan muttered out of nowhere, "A Li, you really think I'm an idiot..."
Ever since Zheng Li had confessed at noon that his Martial Soul was the "Fragment of Future Possibility Prediction," Ling Nan had thought about a lot of things.
His oath had been completely sincere.
For one thing, he felt that no opportunity was more important than A Li. A Li was his second good friend in all these years.
Though they'd only known each other for two days, he'd be really upset if A Li left him.
Why did that sound so... wrong?
Ling Nan scratched his head.
Forget it. He wasn't going to overthink it.
In any case, what could a glimpse of the future or some opportunity offer that compared with A Li?
Besides, just as he'd said earlier, did A Li really think he was an idiot?
After Ling Nan had confronted him, and A Li had admitted it, what kind of expression had A Li worn?
Calm. Just calm.
Even though Ling Nan had discreetly watched A Li's eyes the whole time, he'd only noticed them flicker for a moment when he'd asked whether the Martial Soul had some special ability. Then they'd gone calm again.
Even after Ling Nan had sworn a second time, A Li hadn't seemed to think he'd spill the secret. He hadn't looked contemptuous, either. It was more like... yeah... like he didn't care whether Ling Nan let it slip.
What did that mean?
It meant A Li had a powerful force behind him, one strong enough to disregard the consequences of Ling Nan revealing the secret.
He'd once heard his father talk about "reclusive sects" and "reclusive clans."
His father had told him that their sect couldn't compare to those reclusive sects and clans. They were like humans compared to ants.
Some powerful reclusive sects and clans even had several Titled Douluo or even Super Douluo overseeing them!
Why was he thinking about all this? Because he suspected A Li was a disciple of a powerful reclusive sect or clan, with several Titled Douluo backing him!
Ling Nan sucked in a sharp breath.
This was... terrifying to think about!
That was why A Li had acted so "calm"! As for the orphan story and the identity he presented to the world, they had to be fake identities A Li used while traveling!
"Scary..."
Ling Nan shook his head.
Thinking about it now, if he really had revealed A Li's Martial Soul's "prediction" ability, the first ones to suffer would have been him and his family's Black and White Sect!
Because of the power behind Zheng Li, A Li would have been fine, while he and his sect would have been dragged into the mess.
That would have been a terrible deal!
Ling Nan patted his chest, looking relieved.
He was very glad he hadn't even considered doing that in the first place.
And by choosing to keep the secret forever and maintain a good relationship with A Li, his sect might even rise to a higher level thanks to the power behind A Li, never mind the future opportunities.
Besides, it wasn't as if A Li would forget about him when it came to future opportunities. Hadn't A Li brought him along this time?
Yeah, A Li could have the meat, and he'd be happy with the soup.
Wonderful!
Thinking of this, Ling Nan looked at A Li with burning eyes.
This was a powerful ally! He had to hold on tight!
He'd never let go of A Li as a friend, not in this lifetime!
"Hahaha! I really am a brilliant little genius!" Ling Nan laughed.
But the next moment, he immediately covered his mouth.
A Li was still cultivating. He couldn't disturb him.
Still sitting cross-legged on his own bed, Ling Nan stared at Zheng Li and couldn't help grinning dreamily.
(Zheng Li: ???
You've got quite the imagination!
But I'm not into guys!)
In Zheng Li's Sea of Consciousness, Xiao Nai frowned as she watched Ling Nan.
"This Ling Nan... does he like men?"
"No... I'd better keep an eye on him! What if Ling Nan turns Xiao Li gay..."
Watching Ling Nan's adorable face from the Sea of Consciousness... well, he was even cuter than she'd been before she changed.
Zheng Li was weak to that sort of thing.
Yeah, it couldn't hurt to keep an eye on him!
Xiao Nai touched her long white hair and murmured, "Going from short hair to long hair all at once... I'm still not used to it..."
The next day, at dawn,
Zheng Li opened his eyes.
Ling Nan had also stayed up all night without cultivating, keeping watch over Zheng Li the entire time.
"A Li, how many levels did you gain?"
"Ling Nan, thanks for keeping watch for me." Zheng Li thanked him first, then held out his right hand and circulated his Soul Power. A golden light appeared, and he smiled. "It's about what I expected. My Soul Power is at Level 18 now, and I've already made a little progress toward Level 19."
"I'm jealous."
Ling Nan said enviously.
In just one night, Zheng Li's Soul Power had nearly caught up to his.
"Haven't you still not taken your Soul Ascension Pill? Once you do, the gap will open up again."
Zheng Li rolled his eyes.
"Maybe you cultivate faster than I do."
You probably cultivate faster than I do... Ling Nan thought after saying it.
This time, Zheng Li didn't say anything.
Just then, Ling Nan glanced at the pale light appearing on the horizon and asked hopefully, "A Li, are we going to Sea God Lake again today?"
Zheng Li couldn't help rolling his eyes. He knew exactly what Ling Nan was thinking.
"You think good things happen every day? If that were the case, there'd be no need to cultivate. We could just pick up pills every day."
"That actually sounds pretty good..."
Ling Nan said. He'd never wanted to do something as tedious and boring as cultivation.
"...Then go pick them up."
Zheng Li stretched and replied irritably.
"I was joking, I was joking."
In the blink of an eye, three months passed.
"I really want to take a bath."
"Then go ahead."
"Then tell me, how do you bathe a Martial Soul?"
"...Xiao Nai, you can manifest on your own, so why can't you take a bath? There's no rule saying a Martial Soul can't bathe, is there?" It was almost the end of the afternoon class, and Mu Jin had asked them to write down their future cultivation plans.
Before you continue