Mistake

"Human? How could there be a human?"

Ice Empress was startled at first, then sensed Huo Yutong's aura. She was merely a two-ring Soul Grandmaster.

But how had she failed to notice? And how had this girl survived in the Extreme North?

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said, "She is Huo Yutong, my host. I have already become her Soul Ring."

Ice Empress said in shock, "You became a human's Soul Ring? How is that possible?"

"Why is it impossible?" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm immediately retorted. "As long as I slightly restrict my origin essence, I can become her Wisdom Soul Ring. The first Wisdom Soul Ring in history!"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was very proud of his idea. "Ice Empress, this is how I explored the future. You should know that humanity's potential far surpasses that of soul beasts."

"What does that have to do with your choice?" Ice Empress naturally knew this, but she did not understand Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's decision.

"Because I cannot survive the million-year Heavenly Tribulation, I could only choose this method." He stared directly at Ice Empress. "You definitely cannot survive the four-hundred-thousand-year Heavenly Tribulation either!"

That was simply the truth. Within a hundred years, Ice Empress would inevitably face a Heavenly Tribulation, and death was equally inevitable.

"Ice Empress, become our companion. Trapped by my million-year Silkworm Slough, you have absolutely no way to escape. And naturally, I have other ways to kill you."

"Is this your invitation?" Ice Empress had never stopped struggling, but she had failed every time.

"I'm sorry. This is the only way to make you think calmly."

Ice Empress said disdainfully, "So what if I become a Wisdom Soul Ring? To be constrained by a human? How many more years could I live? Sacrificing freedom for just a few years?"

"That is why we need to create a god!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm revealed his ultimate goal. "A god can live forever. My strength alone is not enough, but with you added to the equation, our chances of success will be much higher."

Ice Empress also knew that gods existed in this world. She snorted coldly. "You think she is worthy?"

She was already twenty soul ranks at her age. Her talent was far too low.

Before Sky Dream Ice Silkworm could speak, Huo Yutong stepped forward. "Yes, my talent truly is not worthy of godhood. But I need to become a god." Her gaze was incomparably resolute. "I have a friend whose talent is incredibly high. He can definitely become a god. Even with Twin Martial Souls, I am still unworthy of standing at his side. But I must stand beside him. If he can become a god, then so must I!"

Ice Empress was not moved by Huo Yutong's thoughts. Instead, she mocked her. "You want to become a god for someone else? With such thoughts, you will never become one!"

Huo Yutong did not waver. "But I will never give up this possibility! I must become a god." Without the slightest hesitation, she reaffirmed her resolve. "Ice Empress, I need your strength! Even if the future does not work out, I need the right to stand shoulder to shoulder with him now!"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said, "Ice Empress, Yu Tong's friend is very unusual. He probably possesses divine power, so he should be able to become a god." Tian Meng did not know how to explain the situation. "Put simply, we came here for Yu Tong's second martial soul. But even if you become her martial soul, your quality would still be inferior to his."

"Bullshit! I am the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion!"

"I'm not blind. Of course I know that." Tian Meng helplessly recounted the story of the past few months.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said, "Ice Empress, you truly have no choice. Becoming a martial soul is your only path." This time, Tian Meng offered no gentle persuasion, only naked threats and temptation.

"Agree, and we'll take a gamble. Refuse, and you die right now. Most likely after being tortured to death by me. Choose."

Huo Yutong said, "Ice Empress, you may look down on the foundation of my dream, but my faith is absolutely unwavering."

Ice Empress ignored Tian Meng and looked at Huo Yutong instead. "If that person cannot become a god, then will you give up on becoming one too?"

Without even the slightest hesitation, Huo Yutong refuted Ice Empress. "Siyuan definitely can! There is no 'what if'! I have heard people say that a gifted child may not become an outstanding adult, but Siyuan definitely can." After learning that godhood was possible, she believed in Ji Siyuan more than anyone.

"Fine, I agree. I want to see just what kind of person this fellow you speak of is, to have a martial soul of even greater quality than mine."

Ice Empress had no choice. Other than death, the only option was becoming Huo Yutong's support. But she chose Huo Yutong, not Tian Meng.

No matter what, it was all the same to Sky Dream Ice Silkworm. He had come to help Huo Yutong realize this possibility.

Knowing Ice Empress's temperament, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm calmly withdrew the Silkworm Slough and headed to a safe area.

Along the way, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm also explained the specific procedure.

"Bone first, then soul, and finally ring!" The two soul beasts quickly settled on the absorption order. Tian Meng did not question it either. Everything would prioritize Huo Yutong's benefit.

Ice Empress said, "Huo Yutong, your body is far too weak. You can only absorb them in the order we just discussed. Let me tell you, this process will be extremely painful. Can you endure it?"

"I can!"

"Then let's begin!" Ice Empress immediately began the sacrifice. Since she had agreed to their plan, there was no need for her to break her word.

She wanted to try nurturing a god as well.

The absorption of the Soul Bone began quickly.

Ice Empress's Tail Stinger pierced Huo Yutong's tailbone, and emerald-green energy poured into Huo Yutong's body.

Pain. Indescribable pain.

The agony battered her Sea of Consciousness. Although her physique had grown much stronger, her Soul Power was still far too low. This time, she had no Secret Art Soul Bone to ease the pain of absorption, making it even harder to endure.

Her vision began to blur. The pain was already making her lose consciousness; it was her body's protective mechanism.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm used his spiritual power to wake her again and again, forcing her to experience the pain.

"Tenacious willpower? I have it!" Huo Yutong's resolve became even firmer, and Sky Dream Ice Silkworm intervened fewer times with each passing moment.

But pain would not lessen because of willpower. Cracks appeared in her Sea of Consciousness for the first time.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm immediately acted to stabilize her Sea of Consciousness.

"I can do this!" Scenes from her past life in the Duke Mansion surfaced before her eyes. That deep hatred still supported her as she pressed forward.

She had to endure the pain too.

When cracks appeared again, she stopped Tian Meng from intervening. "I told you, I can do this!"

Her Sea of Consciousness was forcibly repaired.

Ice Empress said, "Well done." She too was enduring pain, yet she still paid close attention to the power within Huo Yutong's body.

"It's complete." Just as she believed it was finished, the Soul Bone's power surged through Huo Yutong's body with even greater ferocity.

The final moment before completion was the most painful, the hardest to endure.

Ice Empress hurriedly tried to control it, while Sky Dream Ice Silkworm sought a way to make Huo Yutong fall asleep.

Terrifying cold instantly spread throughout Huo Yutong's entire body, even condensing into ice crystals.

"You cannot fail! Yu Tong, hold on!" Ice Empress shouted. As long as Huo Yutong endured this, her physique would receive another major enhancement.

But she was Ultimate Ice. Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's ice attribute could never compare with hers.

Huo Yutong was completely frozen. Without a Secret Art Soul Bone to store the energy, Tian Meng had also wanted Ice Empress's Soul Bone to truly cross the four-hundred-thousand-year threshold. All these reasons led to this outcome.

"Looks like our luck is not very good. We failed." Ice Empress calmly prepared to accept death.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm blamed himself deeply. "I'm sorry, Yu Tong. I was too greedy. I thought that for just one hundred years, I could use my origin essence to nourish Ice Empress's origin essence. But it crossed an entire level. I'm sorry." Tears could not be seen on his spiritual body, but his grief was plain to see.