After his excitement passed, a wave of exhaustion swept over him. Wang Dong yawned and rubbed her eyes. "I've reached Level 25. Time for bed!"
With that, she didn't even bother changing her clothes. She flopped straight onto the bed and pulled the covers over her head. Less than three seconds later, her breathing had already evened out—this girl's ability to fall asleep instantly was truly second to none.
Su Chen opened his eyes and looked at Wang Dong's utterly undignified sleeping posture—sprawled across the bed, arms and legs akimbo, with one leg hanging over the edge. There was even a glistening trickle of drool at the corner of her mouth. He couldn't help chuckling.
"Five minutes of cultivation, two hours of sleep." He shook his head, his tone laced with helpless amusement.
Wang Dong's natural talent was indeed astonishing. Her body had absorbed the medicinal power of the Soul Ascension Pill perfectly. Her breakthrough from Level 24 to Level 25 had come as smoothly as water flowing into a channel, without the slightest resistance. If only she could shake off her laziness and cultivate seriously, her achievements would certainly go far beyond this.
Turning his gaze away, Su Chen took the small jade bottle from his arms and poured out the last Soul Ascension Pill inside, about the size of a walnut.
The pill glimmered with a gentle luster in the moonlight. Fine patterns covered its surface, and a faint fragrance wafted from it. It had been refined from genuine heavenly treasures, and for an ordinary Soul Master, it was indeed a rare treasure.
Su Chen brought the pill to his mouth and gently bit into it.
Crack.
The crisp sound of it breaking rang especially clearly in the silent dormitory. At once, an intensely fresh fragrance burst from the pill. It seemed to hold the essence of a hundred flowers and the vitality of plants and trees, and a single breath was enough to invigorate the spirit.
Su Chen then gently drew in a breath, sucking the green liquid through the broken shell and into his stomach. The liquid tasted sweet and clear, becoming a warm current that flowed down his throat and quickly spread through all his limbs and bones.
He didn't waste the pill's outer shell, either. He chewed it a few times and swallowed it. The shell had a faint bitterness, but the medicinal power it contained was just as significant.
By now, the dormitory was filled with a rich, natural fragrance, as though they had fallen into a sea of flowers. A faint blue-green glow gradually appeared around Su Chen. It was soft and pure, like a tender sprout in spring, brimming with vitality.
The rich, fresh scent curled through the room. Even Wang Dong, fast asleep, smacked her lips unconsciously, as if she were dreaming of something delicious.
With the Soul Ascension Pill's help, Su Chen's Soul Power was rising at an astonishing speed.
The Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul within him began circulating on its own. Golden Soul Power mingled with the pill's blue-green energy and transformed. His Soul Power had already reached the peak of Level 28, and now it surged like a river bursting its banks, crashing against the barrier to the next level.
"Vrrrm—"
A faint tremor sounded in the air. The glow around Su Chen grew brighter and brighter, and his golden hair stirred without a breeze, floating gently behind him. His eyes were closed, his expression calm, as if everything were under his control.
About fifteen minutes later, the blue-green glow gradually drew inward, finally merging completely into Su Chen's body.
He slowly opened his eyes. His golden irises gleamed in the darkness.
Level 29!
He was only one step away from Level 30.
"Not bad, Su Chen!"
In the Sea of Consciousness, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice was filled with unmistakable excitement. "It's only been a few days since school started, and you've already broken through two levels! As expected of the person I chose! My eye for talent never misses!"
His round body spun in a circle in the Sea of Consciousness. He planted his stubby hands on his hips, looking thoroughly pleased—as if Su Chen's success were his own.
Su Chen replied calmly through his thoughts. "Most of the credit goes to the Soul Ascension Pill. Besides, my foundation was already solid. The breakthrough came naturally."
"By the way, Tian Meng, I'm already Level 29. I'm just one step away from Level 30. It's time you told me about the plan for my Second Martial Soul, don't you think?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm rolled around in the Sea of Consciousness, his beady eyes sparkling with excitement. "Heh-heh, you've finally asked the important question! I won't keep it from you anymore. I planned out your Second Martial Soul ages ago!"
He cleared his throat and struck a pose like a know-it-all. "There are the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Far North. I've already told you their stories. And I've figured out your Second Martial Soul: the Ice Empress—the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion!"
"The Ice Empress?" Su Chen raised an eyebrow.
"That's right!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm gestured excitedly. "The Ice Jade Empress Scorpion is an incredible powerhouse, one of the Ten Great Beast Kings! She's second only to the Snow Empress in strength, with a cultivation base approaching four hundred thousand years! And, most importantly—"
He paused for emphasis. "The Ice Empress's Ultimate Ice attribute is a perfect match for your Six-Winged Angel! One is the ultimate ice, the other the ultimate light and holiness. Ice and fire in perfect harmony—ah, no, ice and light, a peerless pairing! That combination would be invincible!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm grew more and more excited. "With the right approach, it's not impossible to persuade her to become your Wisdom Soul Ring and the foundation of your Martial Soul! Just think about it: I'm a million-year-old spiritual-type soul beast, and she's a four-hundred-thousand-year-old wielder of Ultimate Ice. That combination..."
"Wait." Su Chen interrupted his daydreaming. "You told me that Snow Empress wouldn't survive the seven-hundred-thousand-year tribulation either, because her Soul Core had shattered. Is that right?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm froze. "That's right. Snow Empress is in even more danger than Ice Empress. She's stronger, but the seven-hundred-thousand-year tribulation is right before her, and her source has been severely damaged. She has almost no chance of getting through it... Why do you ask?"
A spark flashed in Su Chen's eyes. He spoke slowly. "In that case, why not 'pack them both up' and take them with me?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm: "...What?"
"Let Snow Empress become my Second Martial Soul," Su Chen said evenly, though his words were earth-shattering. "And let Ice Empress become a Soul Ring for my Second Martial Soul."
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm: "...???"
For a few seconds, the Sea of Consciousness fell completely silent.
Then—
"Holy crap?!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm let out a shriek. His round body sprang up so suddenly that he nearly crashed into the boundary of the Sea of Consciousness. "Y-you just said what? Pack up both Ice and Snow Empresses and take them with you?! Su Chen, have you lost your mind?!"
His voice cracked, full of disbelief and fear.
Su Chen wanted Snow Empress as his Second Martial Soul not only because she was stronger. He had another reason, too—he thought Snow Empress was prettier than Ice Empress.
Ice Empress had the body of a little girl. She was delicate and adorable, but Snow Empress was a bona fide mature beauty, with a cool, noble air and peerless looks. As someone who knew himself well, Su Chen admitted that he was a bit of a "lecher"—he wasn't exactly a proper person. After all, everyone loved beauty.
Who didn't like pretty women? Anyone who said they didn't was lying.
Of course, he kept that thought to himself. He wouldn't say it out loud.
As soon as Su Chen said this, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm shuddered in fright. His whole body trembled, and even the ten golden lines on his white-jade skin quivered slightly.
What was this kid saying?
Pack up both Ice and Snow Empresses and take them away?
The kid didn't care if he lived or died—but Sky Dream did!
Before you continue