Utterly Frank, White Tiger Lin Qing Truly Only Desires to Grow Stronger

The scene within the Spiritual Sea of White Tiger Lin Qing emerged.

The shrunken Sky Dream Ice Silkworm gazed earnestly at White Tiger Lin Qing's consciousness with its icy blue eyes.

"Ice Empress, one of the three great kings of the Far North, a fierce beast of over three hundred thousand years. Her strength is formidable, and her personality... well, rather explosive."

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm introduced her, his tone carrying a hint of imperceptible guilt.

"But her attribute is Ultimate Ice, and she is a top-tier ice-attribute soul beast with immense potential."

"If she can successfully sacrifice herself and become your second martial soul, then your future will truly hold infinite possibilities!"

"By then, Brother's God-Making Plan will be more than halfway to success."

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's eyes sparkled, as if he could already see that glorious future.

Beside the campfire in reality, Lin Qing felt a shift in his thoughts.

It's coming, just as expected.

He had long guessed what Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was about to say.

"Far North, Ice Jade Empress Scorpion, Ice Empress."

This was the most critical link in Huo Yuhao's original path and one of the core pieces of Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's "God-Making Plan."

As a million-year-old intelligent soul ring, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm lacked a soul bone, but he could provide his host with an ice-attribute second martial soul.

White Tiger Lin Qing was clearly destined to walk this path as well.

This was not hard to understand.

The Ultimate Ice represented by Ice Empress was one of the most peak attributes on the Douluo Continent.

It offered both offense and defense, with infinite potential.

More importantly, with Sky Dream Ice Silkworm acting as a lobbyist, the probability of success for this path was extremely high.

For White Tiger Lin Qing, who was single-mindedly obsessed with becoming stronger and would use any means necessary to obtain power, this was simply the best choice laid out before him; naturally, he had no reason to refuse.

[Such a heaven-sent opportunity delivered to my doorstep, I naturally cannot refuse.]

[But the problem is... my current situation is completely different from that of Huo Yuhao, the nobody who had just joined Shrek Academy and received no attention in the original story.]

The narrator's voice analyzed the reality of his predicament with cold logic.

Back then, Huo Yuhao was only level twenty, and his first soul ring was merely a white ten-year soul ring.

It could be said that there was no one in the entire Shrek Academy with worse talent than the Huo Yuhao seen on the surface.

Apart from a few others, no one cared whether Huo Yuhao lived or died.

That was why no one noticed when Huo Yuhao traveled alone to such a dangerous place as the Far North during his break.

But White Tiger Lin Qing was different.

[I am in the Sun Moon Empire, situated within Mingde Hall, a student of the Sun Moon Royal Academy, and a defecting genius under the close surveillance of Jing Hongchen.]

[Every move I make is watched by others in the shadows. To leave the Sun Moon Empire alone and embark on a long journey to the distant Far North is almost impossible.]

The scene shifted to White Tiger Lin Qing's dormitory room.

He sat before his desk, his fingers tapping rhythmically and unconsciously against the surface.

His brows were slightly furrowed, clearly contemplating a countermeasure.

Jing Hongchen would not let him leave easily, especially not to a place as dangerous as the Far North.

He needed a reason that was sufficiently persuasive without arousing excessive suspicion.

[After much deliberation, I have decided—to take a gamble!]

Take a gamble?

Lin Qing was curious about how he intended to gamble.

[I will approach Jing Hongchen directly and tell him plainly that I need to go to the Far North.]

"???"

Lin Qing was stunned.

What the hell?

Is he really going to be that direct!

In the Dean's office.

Jing Hongchen sat behind his massive desk, toying with the core of an exquisite Level 8 Soul Tool.

Upon hearing White Tiger Lin Qing's words, his movements paused slightly.

He looked up.

Those eyes, always filled with scrutiny and calculation, stared sharply at the youth standing before his desk.

"The Far North?"

Jing Hongchen's voice was steady, devoid of any discernible emotion.

Yet, his slightly furrowed brows betrayed his attitude.

"That place is a forbidden zone for humanity; the environment is extremely harsh, and it is the lair of fierce beasts. Why would you go there?"

"For my second martial soul," White Tiger Lin Qing said solemnly.

"A second martial soul?"

Jing Hongchen frowned sharply, setting the Soul Tool core in his hand back onto the table.

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze landing on White Tiger Lin Qing's face like a physical weight.

"Explain yourself clearly. What second martial soul? Why have I never heard you mention it? Neither your physical exams nor Spiritual Detection revealed any anomalies."

"It... hasn't fully awakened."

White Tiger Lin Qing had his explanation ready, and he spoke without the slightest hesitation.

"It is a faint intuition, existing deep within my bloodline. It is vague, but it truly exists."

"I can feel that my second martial soul requires an environment of extreme cold and the stimulation of a powerful ice-type soul beast's aura to have any chance of truly awakening."

He paused, then added, "This is an innate talent of mine, and it may be my only chance. If I miss it, it might never awaken."

His tone carried a perfectly measured sense of a youth's longing for power and his sheer determination.

"..."

Jing Hongchen fell silent.

An unawakened second martial soul—this was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing.

He leaned back against his chair.

His fingers tapped rhythmically against the smooth surface of the desk, producing a steady "tap-tap" sound.

Twin Martial Souls, even if only potential and unawakened, carried immense significance.

If what the youth before him said was true, his value would skyrocket once again.

But what if it were a lie?

Was it an excuse? Or was there some ulterior motive?

Jing Hongchen stared into White Tiger Lin Qing's eyes, attempting to find even a trace of deceit in those overly calm pupils.

But he failed.

The youth's gaze was clear and open.

It held only a hunger for power and a persistence for opportunity; there was no sign of guilt or evasion.

This was, in fact, White Tiger Lin Qing's most genuine state of mind.

After a long while.

Jing Hongchen finally relented.

"The Far North is extremely dangerous. Not only is the climate extreme, but there are soul beasts over a hundred thousand years old, and even legendary fierce beasts."

"I know."

White Tiger Lin Qing nodded, his gaze unwavering.

"That is why I need the academy's help and protection; it is vital to me."

"..."

Another silence followed.

The only sound in the office was the tapping of Jing Hongchen's fingers against the desk.

Finally, he stopped his movements and made his decision.

"Fine."

Jing Hongchen stood up.

"I will take you there myself."

His gaze fell back upon White Tiger Lin Qing, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

"But I must warn you, Lin Qing. This is the greatest investment and trust the academy has placed in you."

"Do not let me, or the academy, down."

Lin Qing raised his eyebrows high, a look of "as expected" mixed with a hint of amusement appearing on his face.

"Jing Hongchen leading the team personally—that's quite the grand gesture."

The head of Mingde Hall, one of the top figures in the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tool master circles, a powerhouse at the Title Douluo level, personally helping a student obtain a "second martial soul."

This kind of treatment was something even the princes of the Sun Moon Empire might not receive.

However, this also meant that White Tiger Lin Qing's subsequent actions would be carried out under the close surveillance of a Title Douluo.