The Ultimate Ice, Ice Jade Scorpion! Second Soul Ring!

Murong Ci walked toward the center of the Extreme North. Along the way, all sorts of ice-attribute soul beasts caught his eye.

But how could these possibly meet his standards?

He was looking for an Ultimate Ice soul ring.

"Brother System, do you have a search function? Wandering around aimlessly like this won't work... it's too cold!"

[I really can't do anything with you...]

The system replied helplessly.

Murong Ci felt more and more that this system was strange.

The system's humanity was truly too strong. It felt as if he were communicating face-to-face with a real person.

[Ding—System has detected a target, a 1,100-year-old Ice Jade Scorpion soul beast, one kilometer to the host's northeast.]

"You should have said there was such a good thing earlier, Brother System. What is my first soul skill? Is it useful for me to use fire-attribute against an ice-attribute?"

[Your first soul skill is called Blazing Sun Scorching Heaven, which launches flames in a 5-meter radius centered on yourself.]

"Oh, that strong? The soul beast Ning Fengzhi found for me is actually quite good."

Murong Ci felt a bit smug.

[That was enhanced by me. Do you really think he would be willing to give you a good soul beast? This kind of beast is the most common type.]

Murong Ci: "..."

Fine, at least he had someone to bicker with; he wasn't alone anymore.

[Target detected less than 100 meters from the host. The target is currently foraging. It is recommended that the host hide his aura and strike with a single blow when it is settled into its meal.]

Murong Ci nodded, suppressing his nervousness. He had already released his Yongzhen martial soul in his right hand, ready to strike at any moment.

[Ice and fire are mutually restraining; you must grasp the timing to release your skills in actual combat.]

Murong Ci did not answer the system, merely holding his breath and staring intently at the Ice Jade Scorpion.

The Ice Jade Scorpion was truly the most beautiful of the scorpion-type soul beasts, its entire body glowing with a green light, its tail hook crystal clear.

No wonder Tian Meng would fall for the Ice Empress; what man wouldn't be moved by such a sight?

The Ice Jade Scorpion was worthy of being an Ultimate Ice soul beast; ordinary poison could not affect it at all. The small snake it was eating appeared to be a highly venomous soul beast, yet it had no effect in front of the Ice Jade Scorpion.

"Why is it eating so slowly!" Murong Ci clicked his tongue lightly.

For the first time, he understood the meaning of the word "elegant" when applied to a scorpion.

After a long while, it finally finished eating and slowly stood up, preparing to leave.

Murong Ci seized the moment!

"First soul skill! Blazing Sun Scorching Heaven!"

In an instant, raging fires burned all around, causing the Ice Jade Scorpion to wail repeatedly as it desperately unleashed ice spike soul skills in all directions.

However, Murong Ci was only level eleven; how could he deal with a thousand-year soul beast?

Even though his fire burned fiercely, it was of no use against the Ice Jade Scorpion's ice spikes.

"System, I've messed up. I don't think I can beat it."

[Sigh, you're hopeless. The Yongzhen martial soul doesn't only work through soul skills; you can use your intent to launch fireballs, ice cones, and the like. Do you even know how to fight?]

Murong Ci's face flushed red instantly, but he was a clever person and immediately grasped how to fight.

He turned in mid-air, using his intent to manipulate Yongzhen to secrete a fireball and launch it at the Ice Jade Scorpion.

[Yongzhen's attribute is an ultimate attribute, but your Soul Power Level is not enough to support it, so it currently counts as half-step ultimate at best. However, that fireball is enough to strike the Ice Jade Scorpion. Its pair of pincers are its attacking parts; you can take them down first.]

It seemed this system didn't just give out rewards; it was more like a helper in battle.

Although its nonchalant attitude was very infuriating.

Murong Ci's pupils constricted. Yongzhen secreted extremely thin threads of flame that twisted toward the Ice Jade Scorpion's claws.

He snapped his fingers, and the two threads tightened, snapping off its pair of pincers with brute force.

The Ice Jade Scorpion cried out in pain, its gaze turning cold as it spat a mass of ice-blue light toward Murong Ci.

Seeing this, Murong Ci dodged to the side while simultaneously activating his first soul skill!

At this moment, he attempted to condense and release his first soul skill, compressing the range and increasing the purity of the flames!

Sure enough, the flames surrounded only the Ice Jade Scorpion, airtight and inescapable.

"Next, all I have to do is channel my soul power into these flames to briefly turn them into Ultimate Fire."

Thinking this, Murong Ci channeled all his soul power into the flames.

The flames surged instantly, and after a few wails, the Ice Jade Scorpion fell silent.

Before long, a purple soul ring slowly condensed.

[The soul ring will exist for one hour. You can rest for a while; after all, forcibly driving your martial soul to become Ultimate Fire is quite taxing for you. Rest easy, I will remind you when the time is almost up.]

Murong Ci was truly exhausted to the point of collapse; those few wisps of thread and the final Ultimate Fire had drained nearly all of his soul power and physical strength.

He only wanted to sprawl on the ground and sleep soundly right now.

But he couldn't; having just finished a battle, his meridians and bones were still adapting to the changes.

If he gave up now, the loss to him would be immeasurable.

Therefore, he chose to grit his teeth and finish absorbing this soul ring before sleeping.

[Your willpower is quite good, kid. I like it. Rest assured, I will cast a barrier around us. Nearby soul beasts won't be able to sense the situation here; you could even take a nap inside.]

With that, a silent barrier expanded within a three-meter radius, centered on Murong Ci.

Seeing this, Murong Ci adjusted his state slightly and headed straight for the thousand-year soul ring.

He could feel the intense resentment carried by the ring; after all, it was just a soul beast that had just finished a meal.

Alas, in the Douluo World, the weak are prey to the strong. Rest in peace.

Murong Ci thought to himself.

[Yongzhen, Yongzhen, encompassing all things. If you pity it, you can store its soul within your Yongzhen. Only when you ascend to godhood will you be able to resurrect it.]

[Furthermore, this is beneficial to you as well; you will be able to use Yongzhen to simulate the phantom of an Ice Jade Scorpion, which may prove useful in the future.]

[In other words, if you hide your depth well enough, Yongzhen can simulate other martial souls without being discovered.]

These three sentences from the system left Murong Ci stunned. If this were true, it would be truly heaven-defying!

It was truly a case of benefiting himself without harming others.

"Brother System, you're the best!"

Murong Ci couldn't help but praise.

[When you are strong, I also benefit. Rest assured, my future abilities will be even stronger than what you imagine now.]

The system replied, its tone revealing a hint of pride?

Murong Ci stopped arguing with it, turned around, and summoned Yongzhen. A ball of gray light appeared in his hand, and he pressed Yongzhen firmly against the soul ring.

Murong Ci held his breath and focused, communicating with it.

A thousand-year soul beast does not yet possess full intelligence and cannot speak, but it already has the beginnings of consciousness.

This communication allowed the Ice Jade Scorpion to understand Murong Ci's intent.

At first, the purple soul ring resisted slowly, erupting with chilling, baleful cold, but as the communication deepened, it seemed to be slowly accepting Murong Ci.

After all, it was already dead, but if it chose to trust this human now, it could live for a few more decades, or even be reborn.

Thus, at the final moment, the soul ring gradually quieted down and even actively threw itself into Murong Ci's embrace...

Consequently, the absorption process went very smoothly.

After finishing the absorption, Murong Ci felt refreshed, and deep within Yongzhen, there seemed to be a chirping sound, full of new life.

Encompassing all things, ten thousand things returning to one.

It not only fused numerous attributes but also achieved the ability to encompass all things and simulate martial souls.

This was the truly heaven-defying aspect of the Yongzhen martial soul: unpredictable and unfathomable, leaving others unable to guess what his martial soul or soul power truly was.

[Ding--Congratulations to the host for completing the mission and obtaining a thousand-year soul ring!]

[Reward--Thousand-year soul skill: Ice Scorpion Pincer! Yongzhen simulates the pincer of an Ice Jade Scorpion to unleash a strike of Ultimate Ice.]

[It is inherently Ultimate Ice, not something the host forcibly elevated through soul power, so theoretically, it consumes less of the host's soul power.]

[Later, when the host comprehends the origin of ice, you can elevate it to the power of Huo Yuhao's soul skill--Ice Empress Pincer.]

[Second reward--Soul power increased by three levels. Current soul power: level 24.]

Murong Ci felt the changes in his body and felt a surge of joy, especially upon hearing that it could evolve into the Ice Empress Pincer in the future.

He was so happy he jumped up.

Finally! I am no longer a waste!

Now that he was level 24, he wasn't far behind the Shrek Seven Devils from the original work.

And he would defy this heaven!

[Ding--New mission released. The host has the following three choices:]

[One: Head to Shrek Academy to participate in the entrance exam and stay with the protagonist group.]

[Two: Since the host's first soul skill is fire-attributed, you can join Blazing Fire Academy. Huo Wu inside is a fiery beauty, you know~]

The system's tone was a bit frivolous when saying this... well, although Murong Ci was fond of that type.

[Three: Join Skywater Academy. With your Ultimate Ice martial soul, the hard requirements are met, but the special thing about Skywater Academy is that they only accept female students. So, if the host chooses this option, getting in would be a great romance, but if you can't get in... then the mission fails.]

[The host can pick any one of these three options to complete. Completion reward: increase in ice and fire attribute affinity, higher ability caps, and soul power increased by one level.]

Murong Ci pondered for a moment and slowly said, "I choose... two!"