Mental Power Limit, Three Beasts Who Won Without Fighting!

The ice walls within the ice cavern refracted a serene, deep blue light.

Ice Empress was still digesting the implications of that cognition-shattering Soul Spirit Contract, but Ice Bear King Xiao Bai, standing to the side, did not have such a complex mind.

This giant beast, whose fierce reputation echoed throughout the Extreme North, was currently wearing the form of a simple-minded white bear. He raised a thick paw to scratch his furry head, baring his teeth at Snow Empress in a guileless, honest grin.

"Mom, I'll listen to whatever Mom says. Being with Mom is the best!" Xiao Bai's voice, filled with the innocence of a child, echoed through the ice cavern.

Hearing this form of address, the corner of Xiao Yan's mouth twitched uncontrollably, and his expression turned exceptionally strange.

Even though he had long been familiar with the secrets of the Extreme North, hearing a bear that had lived for who knew how many hundreds of thousands of years call a young woman with a cold and peerless appearance "Mom"—the intense contrast between sight and sound still required time for him to adjust.

Snow Empress had long since grown accustomed to this title.

She drifted forward, raised a translucent hand of energy, and gently stroked Xiao Bai's furry head.

Xiao Bai narrowed his eyes in contentment, emitting a satisfied purr as he rubbed his massive body against Snow Empress's feet.

"Xiao Bai was picked up on the ice plains just as I ascended to the throne; I have raised him by my side ever since." Snow Empress's fingers combed through Xiao Bai's fur as she turned to Xiao Yan to explain.

"This child is gifted with extraordinary talent and now possesses nearly three hundred thousand years of cultivation. In terms of raw strength alone, he is not a whit inferior to A-Tai—that is, the Titan Snow Demon King, who ranks last among the Three Heavenly Kings of the Extreme North."

Snow Empress paused for a moment, her gaze sweeping over Xiao Bai and Ice Empress, her tone tinged with worry.

"It is precisely for this reason that I cannot rest easy leaving him alone in the Extreme North. If I depart, the balance of power in the Extreme North will inevitably be shattered. Xiao Bai is simple and honest by nature; if he remains here, he will certainly be squeezed out and schemed against by A-Tai and those who covet the core territories of the Extreme North."

Xiao Yan nodded in understanding. The laws of survival in the Extreme North were inherently cruel; a leaderless Ice Bear King would easily become a target for everyone.

"Since the stakes are clear," Xiao Yan said, cutting straight to the point as his gaze fell upon Ice Empress and Xiao Bai, "then, Ice Empress, Xiao Bai, have you decided to become my Soul Spirits?"

Ice Empress put away her previous hostility, folded her arms across her chest, and without a moment's hesitation, gave a heavy nod.

Xiao Bai, meanwhile, chimed in with a series of "Mm-mm" sounds at Snow Empress's feet; as long as he could follow Mom, it didn't matter where he went.

Seeing this, Electrolux, who had been standing to the side, rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward.

"Very well, then this old man shall begin."

Electrolux's withered, thin hands moved rapidly, weaving seals before him.

The gold-and-gray magic formation that had successfully converted Snow Empress once again erupted with brilliant light upon the black ice floor.

"Enter the formation!"

Following Electrolux's guidance, Ice Empress and Xiao Bai walked side by side into the central node of the formation.

God-level spiritual power poured out without reservation.

The runes at the edge of the formation flowed rapidly as the magic elements of light and death transformed into tangible chains, firmly wrapping around the bodies of the two fierce beasts.

The conversion process officially began. Under the stripping effect of the formation, Ice Empress's petite, doll-like form and Xiao Bai's round, white-bear body began to dissipate bit by bit from their feet upward.

Blinding emerald-green radiance and pure ice-white light shimmered in the ice cavern.

The impurities of the soul beasts' physical bodies and the accumulated aura of the Heavenly Tribulation were ruthlessly purged by the gray necromantic magic;

Meanwhile, their core origin energy and soul consciousness were protected by the golden light magic, rising and converging along the patterns of the formation.

Under the impact of the energy radiating from the two hundred-thousand-year-old fierce beasts, the ice walls emitted the sound of fine cracks forming.

After only half a stick of incense, the light gradually receded.

The figures of Ice Empress and Xiao Bai condensed once more in mid-air.

By now, they had shed the shackles of their mortal flesh, transforming into crystalline, translucent energy entities, their soul origins perfectly preserved.

"The Soul Spirit conversion is complete. Next is the Martial Soul Fusion." Electrolux wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead and stepped aside.

With a thought from Xiao Yan, the Eastern Emperor Bell in his Sea of Consciousness broke through the void once more, hovering in mid-air.

The ancient divine runes on the surface of the bronze bell flowed with a dim luster.

This time, facing the two massive energy entities of Ice Empress and Xiao Bai, the Eastern Emperor Bell did not emit any resistant tremors; instead, the bell swayed gently, as if urging these two "great meals" to enter its belly quickly.

Ice Empress and Xiao Bai exchanged a glance, preparing to transform into streams of light and dive into the bell.

Just then, a sudden change occurred.

A tearing, agonizing pain erupted in Xiao Yan's mind.

The scene before him instantly doubled, his footsteps staggered, and he pressed his hands firmly against his temples.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, the Fuxi Bagua Formation Map, which had been operating steadily, was now vibrating violently. The galaxy surged, and the entire spiritual space emitted a roar of being pushed beyond its limits.

It was his Sea of Consciousness issuing its most severe warning!

Xiao Yan immediately cut off the fusion connection with the Eastern Emperor Bell.

As the sharp pain eased slightly, he gasped for air and turned to look at Electrolux.

Electrolux also slapped his forehead, immediately understanding the source of the problem.

"Careless, truly careless! Kid, stop quickly!"

"Although this Soul Spirit formation of mine optimizes the risk of backlash, the container holding the Soul Spirits is, after all, your Sea of Consciousness."

The old magic god laid out the current situation with crystal clarity.

"Your current cultivation is only at level fifty. Even with the Fuxi Bagua Formation Map expanding your Sea of Consciousness, bearing a 700,000-year-old Snow Empress already occupies the vast majority of your mental capacity. Right now, you could probably only absorb a ten-thousand-year spirit soul."

The Ice Empress had nearly 400,000 years of cultivation, and Xiao Bai was also a peerless fierce beast with nearly 300,000 years.

If these two great Buddhas were truly stuffed into his Sea of Consciousness all at once, the immense mental load would instantly cause Xiao Yan's Sea of Consciousness to burst apart.

Xiao Yan took a few deep breaths, calming the turbulence in his Sea of Consciousness.

The situation was already very clear; the fusion of the Ice Empress and Xiao Bai would have to be shelved for the time being.

"I can only accept you into my martial soul once my mental power breaks through its bottleneck and my Sea of Consciousness expands again," Xiao Yan said, telling the two spirit souls before him the truth.

He had expected the Ice Empress's tsundere nature to flare up at this, but to his surprise, the two fierce beasts were in remarkably good spirits.

The Ice Empress stood with her hands on her hips, her delicate face showing not a hint of dissatisfaction.

Since she had already escaped the death threat of the heavenly tribulation and transformed into an immortal energy entity, time had lost its meaning to her.

Whether they fused a few days earlier or a few years later was of no consequence at all.

"Fine, but you'd better hurry up and cultivate. Once your mental power breaks through, you must fuse with us first," the Ice Empress said, lifting her chin as she made her only demand.

Xiao Bai was even more indifferent, nodding repeatedly. As long as he didn't have to face the lightning tribulation, it didn't matter where he stayed.