Star Dou Great Forest, Ice Fire Flood Dragon

Along the way, Gu Ci and Dugu Yan both cultivated.

Gu Ci familiarized himself with the power of his newly acquired spirit ring, while Dugu Yan adjusted her condition in preparation for the upcoming contract.

One evening, the three finally arrived at the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Viewed from above, the Star Dou Great Forest resembled a green ocean stretching beyond sight.

Towering ancient trees blotted out the sun, while the roars of Soul Beasts occasionally echoed from afar.

"So this is the Star Dou Great Forest..." Dugu Yan's little face was filled with wonder.

Dugu Bo's expression was grave. "All of you, be careful. The Star Dou Great Forest is nothing like Sunset Forest. Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts are everywhere here, and Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts may even appear in the core region."

"Though this old man is a Titled Douluo, I still cannot claim I can keep you completely safe."

Gu Ci nodded and opened his Heavenly Eye, carefully observing the surrounding environment.

From his perspective, countless points of light were scattered throughout the forest. They were the energy fluctuations of various Soul Beasts.

The deeper they went, the denser and brighter those points of light became.

"Where is the Ice Fire Swamp?" he asked.

Dugu Bo pointed northeast. "Deep in the forest, not far from the core region. The environment there is unusual, so it should be easy to identify."

The three flew at low altitude, cautiously heading northeast.

Along the way, Gu Ci kept his Heavenly Eye open, warning them in advance of potential dangers.

A few Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts tried to approach, but Dugu Bo's aura frightened them away.

After about an hour, the environment ahead began to change.

The once-dense woods gradually thinned out, replaced by a peculiar region.

Cracks covered the ground. Scorching steam rose from some, while others were coated in thick frost.

The air was also filled with two utterly different auras—one scorching like fire, the other bone-piercingly cold.

"We're here."

Dugu Bo landed on a large tree and pointed ahead. "That is the Ice Fire Swamp."

Gu Ci looked in the direction he indicated.

Before them lay an open expanse with a terrain so complex it was staggering.

To the left was a crimson lava pool, bubbling away as heat billowed upward.

To the right was a frozen cold pond. Its water was clear to the bottom, but its surface was sealed beneath a thick layer of ice.

Two completely different environments met here, forming a strange boundary.

And at the border between the lava pool and the cold pond, a black flood dragon was coiled.

The flood dragon was over thirty feet long, its entire body covered in glossy black scales.

Most peculiar were its eyes. Its left eye was fiery red, while its right eye was frost-blue.

Half its body soaked in lava, while the other half rested in the cold pond. Its eyes were closed, as though it were cultivating.

"Ice Fire Flood Dragon," Gu Ci murmured. "Around seven thousand years old. Just right for Yanyan."

Dugu Yan nervously clasped her small hands together, staring at the flood dragon.

She could sense that it possessed a power similar to hers—ice and fire, two utterly opposing energies existing harmoniously within its body.

"Yanyan, are you ready?" Gu Ci asked.

Dugu Yan took a deep breath and nodded firmly.

Gu Ci looked to Dugu Bo. "Grandpa Dugu, let me handle this one too. Yanyan needs to communicate with it, so I'll go say hello first."

Dugu Bo nodded. "Be careful."

Gu Ci spread his Purple Lightning Wings and flew toward the Ice Fire Flood Dragon.

Gu Ci spread his Purple Lightning Wings and flew toward the Ice Fire Flood Dragon.

The Purple Lightning Wings streaked through the night sky in a violet flash, reaching the skies above the Ice Fire Swamp in an instant.

He did not deliberately conceal his aura. For a Soul Beast of this level, hiding it would instead be a sign of disrespect.

The Ice Fire Flood Dragon abruptly opened its eyes.

Its left eye burned red like fire, its right eye gleamed frost-blue. Those two utterly different eyes locked onto the uninvited guest in the air at once.

A powerful aura rose from its body. The surrounding lava bubbled more violently, while a layer of frost formed across the cold pond's surface.

"Human."

The Ice Fire Flood Dragon spoke in a low, hoarse voice. "This is not a place you should have come."

Gu Ci's heart stirred.

A Soul Beast with seven thousand years of cultivation being able to speak meant its intelligence was already quite high.

That saved him a great deal of trouble.

He landed on a protruding boulder, withdrew his Purple Lightning Wings, and calmly met those mismatched eyes.

"My name is Gu Ci."

He got straight to the point. "I came today to discuss a deal with you."

A trace of mockery flashed through the Ice Fire Flood Dragon's eyes. "Level 25? Do you know how many years I have cultivated?"

"Over a thousand years. With your level of cultivation, you are not even enough to fill the gaps between my teeth."

"I know."

Gu Ci remained calm. "But I did not come to fight you."

"There is also a Titled Douluo behind me. If he wanted to make a move, you would already be a corpse."

The Ice Fire Flood Dragon's pupils contracted slightly as it looked behind Gu Ci.

In the distance, Dugu Bo stood with his hands behind his back. Though he had not released his aura, that dark green figure alone was enough to pressure any Soul Beast.

"What are you trying to say?" The Ice Fire Flood Dragon's voice became solemn.

Gu Ci did not beat around the bush and directly explained the Soul Spirit Contract.

"I have a younger sister. Her Martial Soul is the Ice Fire Flood Dragon, sharing the same origin as you."

"She needs her Second Spirit Ring, but what I want is not your life. I want you—not you as a person, I mean you, this dragon."

"If you become her Soul Spirit, you will not need to sacrifice your life or lose your consciousness."

"You can still cultivate and become stronger. You can even use her Martial Soul to further purify your own bloodline."

"In exchange, the power of ice and fire within her can be shared with you. The two of you can grow and become stronger together."

"Even becoming gods is not impossible."

The Ice Fire Flood Dragon fell silent.

It had lived for a thousand years and seen countless human Soul Masters.

Some had wanted to kill it. Some had been killed by it. Some had fled, and some had feared it.

But never had anyone stood before it and spoken to it in such an equal tone.

And... an Ice Fire Flood Dragon Martial Soul?

It stared at Gu Ci, as if judging whether his words were true.

Gu Ci saw its hesitation and waved behind him. "Yanyan, come over."

Dugu Yan walked out from the woods, with Mo Jiao following behind her.

She came to Gu Ci's side, took a deep breath, and released her Martial Soul.

A phantom flood dragon, jade-green all over and gleaming with icy blue and fiery red light, appeared behind her.

Though the phantom was still immature, the aura it emitted resonated strangely with the Ice Fire Flood Dragon.

The Ice Fire Flood Dragon's pupils suddenly constricted.

Same origin.

They truly shared the same origin.

It could feel that the ice and fire power within that little girl seemed to come from the same source as its own strength.

If it could stay with her, its cultivation would surely advance further.

"You..."

The Ice Fire Flood Dragon looked at Dugu Yan, and most of the hostility in its voice faded. "What is your name?"

Dugu Yan answered timidly, "My name is Dugu Yan."

The Ice Fire Flood Dragon was silent for a moment before asking, "Are you willing... to form a contract with me?"

Dugu Yan nodded hard. "I am willing!"

"Brother Gu Ci said you will not die or lose your consciousness. We can cultivate together and become stronger together in the future."

"And..."

She paused, then said softly, "I have never had any friends since I was little. There have only been Brother Gu Ci and Grandpa."