"No, no!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm shook his head repeatedly and explained,
"Boss, it's not that I'm unwilling. The key is that our attributes don't match! I'm purely of the spiritual attribute, and the essence of my power is a combination of ice and spiritual power. I need a host whose martial soul is also of the spiritual attribute, or at least highly compatible,
for us to fuse perfectly, unleash the greatest effect, and have any hope of reaching God Rank together. Your martial soul..."
He sensed it and could only feel two extremely terrifying powers contained within Zichuan's body. Yet neither was of the pure spiritual attribute. One was filled with destruction, the other with life; both instinctively made him feel fear and discomfort.
"My martial souls are hearts. Two of them. One is destruction, and one is life." Zichuan laid everything bare, pointing to the left and right sides of his chest.
"Indeed, they aren't purely of the spiritual attribute."
"See..." Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said with a mournful expression.
"But," Zichuan changed the subject, his tone carrying unquestionable confidence, "do you think you have any other choice now?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm fell silent. That was right—did he have any choice left? There was no longer any hope with Huo Yuhao.
This monstrous young man before him was currently his only choice, and also his best one.
Although their attributes did not match, the other party's conditions were simply too good—so good that he felt the flaw of incompatible attributes might somehow be compensated for.
Besides, if he did not make a decision soon, then once Di Tian and the others caught up, he would truly be finished.
Seeing Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's hesitation, Zichuan decided to add fuel to the fire. With a thought, Soul Rings silently emerged beneath his feet.
Black, orange-gold, red, red, red.
Five Soul Rings, like five suns radiating terrifying fluctuations, appeared before Sky Dream Ice Silkworm once more.
Especially the orange-gold ring and the three crimson rings. The vast energy and life level of two hundred thousand years and one hundred thousand years contained within them made Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's tiny bean-like eyes widen instantly, and even his spiritual power violently fluctuated!
"Th-this Soul Ring... orange-gold?! Red?! Three one-hundred-thousand-year rings?! And one two-hundred-thousand-year ring?!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice became shrill from overwhelming shock.
"How is that possible?! How could a human possess Soul Rings like these?! You... who exactly are you?!"
Zichuan did not explain. He merely said calmly, "As you can see, these are the Soul Rings of my first martial soul, the Heart of Destruction.
"My second martial soul, the Heart of Life, currently only has two Soul Rings, so there are still open slots. My spiritual power is not weak, thanks to the nourishment of these Soul Rings and some other fortuitous encounters.
"As for our incompatible attributes... perhaps we can think about this another way. You don't need to forcibly fuse all your power with my martial soul's attributes. You can retain the core of your spiritual origin,
while turning most of your ice-attribute power and excess spiritual power into my Soul Rings and Spirit Bones. Your soul core can reside within my Sea of Consciousness, coexisting with me and growing alongside me in another form."
Looking at Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, he offered his final temptation. "Follow me, and what you will see is a future far broader and more incredible than following that young man who has only just begun. God Rank? That is merely the starting point."
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm stared blankly at the heaven-defying Soul Rings beneath Zichuan's feet, then listened to those immensely tempting words. Especially the phrase, "God Rank is merely the starting point," which struck directly at his greatest desire of a million years.
That was right. Perhaps incompatible attributes could be worked around. This young man possessed too many secrets he could not comprehend, as well as terrifying potential.
Those Soul Rings were the best proof. Perhaps... this truly was another opportunity granted to him by heaven? An opportunity even more unbelievable and more insane than Huo Yuhao?
Di Tian and the others' auras seemed to be getting closer and closer...
Struggle and hesitation flashed through Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's eyes before finally turning into resolve.
"Damn it! I'm going for it!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm let out a low roar.
"Kid—no, Boss! You're right. I have no choice! It's you! But let's make this clear first: my power is too immense, and it doesn't completely match your martial souls' attributes.
"I can't sacrifice myself to you the way I would to that spiritual-attribute kid, perfectly integrating all my power and soul origin into your Soul Ring.
"I need to strip away most of my ice attribute and excessive spiritual power, retaining only the core spiritual origin and the 'Dao essence' of my million-year cultivation to sacrifice to you and form your Soul Ring.
"The remaining power may exist in the form of Spirit Bones or something else. My soul will also attach itself to your Sea of Consciousness in a form similar to a 'Wisdom Soul Ring' or a 'Soul Spirit.' This will minimize rejection as much as possible and leave me a way out... What do you think?"
After all, he had lived for a million years. Though cowardly, he was not stupid. This was the safest and most mutually beneficial plan he could think of under circumstances where their attributes were not fully compatible.
Zichuan pondered briefly, then nodded in agreement. "Fine."
He had not expected to receive a "complete version" million-year Soul Ring, four soul skills, and a martial soul like Huo Yuhao.
Obtaining a top-tier million-year Soul Ring, along with Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's soul origin and part of his power, was already an enormous stroke of fortune.
As for Spirit Bones and other benefits, they were welcome if he got them, but he would not force the issue if he did not.
"Good! Then let's begin!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm no longer hesitated. He could sense that Di Tian and the others were already extremely close. If he delayed any longer, he would truly be finished.
His enormous crystal-clear body suddenly erupted with dazzling, brilliant golden light!
The radiance was so intense that it instantly illuminated everything within several hundred meters in magnificent gold!
A source of spiritual power and ice-attribute origin even more vast and pure than before, as boundless as a sea of stars, erupted with a thunderous boom!
"I offer my million years of cultivation, sacrifice my undying soul spirit, bind this body in covenant, and tread the eternal path together!"
An ancient soul incantation resounded between heaven and earth as brilliant golden light surged madly into Zichuan's body!
This time, it was not a violent infusion, but a strange, selective fusion and separation.
Most of the pure ice-attribute energy and excessively vast spiritual power were skillfully separated and guided away, while the core wisp of brilliant golden power containing the million-year spiritual origin's "Dao essence" began to establish a connection with Zichuan's Heart of Destruction.
Zichuan was already an old hand at sacrifices. He immediately sat cross-legged and guided this power.
His two hearts beat steadily. The Heart of Life provided an endless stream of healing power to balance the impact, while the Heart of Destruction was like a greedy beast, devouring and refining that million-year spiritual "Dao essence."
Very soon, an unprecedented Soul Ring—brilliant beyond measure, noble beyond measure, seemingly condensed from pure spiritual light and the traces of time—slowly gathered beneath Zichuan's feet, beyond those five heaven-defying Soul Rings, taking shape!
A million-year Soul Ring! Complete!
Meanwhile, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's enormous body rapidly turned ethereal and shrank within the brilliant golden radiance, ultimately becoming a solid.
Like a miniature Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, the brilliant golden phantom carried his complete memories and wisdom as it plunged headfirst through the sacrificial channel into Zichuan's vast Sea of Consciousness.
The moment he entered this spiritual world, broader and deeper than he had imagined, filled with faint gray-green dual-colored high-grade energy, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm did not even have time to marvel that his new home was not bad.
Nor did he have time to plan how he would use his million years of experience and wisdom to properly guide and educate this young host, nurture him into a future god, and conveniently fulfill his own dream of immortality and freedom...
The sight within the Sea of Consciousness completely stunned him.
The first things that entered his view were three "acquaintances" radiating powerful spiritual fluctuations, yet all huddled obediently in a corner, desperately trying to reduce their presence.
A tulip phantom swaying with a purplish-golden glow—Aromatic Silk Beauty, a two-hundred-thousand-year fierce beast.
An octagonal grass phantom flowing with icy-blue chill—Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, a one-hundred-thousand-year fierce beast.
A ganoderma phantom dancing with crimson flames—Infernal Delicate Apricot, a one-hundred-thousand-year fierce beast.
Before you continue