Qian Lingche's figure hovered in the air, seven Soul Rings slowly rotating beneath his feet and radiating dazzling light.
The first six Soul Rings were black, black, black, black, red, and red, while the final one was entirely different. It was unmistakably gold, emanating a sacred and imposing aura.
Behind him, his original four wings had finally transformed into six, each feathered wing like a meticulously crafted work of art.
Inside Qian Lingche's consciousness...
The moment Qian Lingche landed, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice rang out in his sea of consciousness, so excited it was nearly frenzied. "Wahahahaha! You brat, your bro just struck it rich!"
"Struck it rich?" Qian Lingche furrowed his brow, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes. "Tian Meng, what are you talking about?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm darted back and forth through his sea of consciousness, its voice brimming with excitement. "You brat, you really didn't feel it? That aura inside you."
"That aura that surpasses the limits of mortals. That's a god's aura, isn't it?"
"Your bro's been alive for all these years, and I've never seen anyone as freakish as you!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was already beginning to regret not meeting Qian Lingche sooner.
At that, Qian Lingche closed his eyes and carefully sensed his soul.
Sure enough, it was different from before. Now it was purer, more vast, and even carried a sacred quality.
"Is this a godhood? My... godhood?" Qian Lingche was a little stunned.
"According to what God Ancestor said, godhood is the key to becoming a god. Only by condensing a godhood can one truly enter the divine realm."
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said enviously, "You brat, you're so lucky. You already have a god's aura before even becoming a god. This is practically cheating."
But then it seemed to remember something and coughed twice. "Kid, your bro is the one and only million-year Soul Beast in the world."
"I'd originally planned to seal away my cultivation. I was afraid you wouldn't be able to take it and would explode and die."
"I never imagined you could withstand all of my cultivation. You really are a monster."
After absorbing Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's energy, Qian Lingche's Soul Power Level had been pushed all the way to Rank 79.
If he hadn't guided the remaining energy into his sea of consciousness, he would already have broken through to Rank 80. But that would have been too fast, and his foundation would have been unstable.
Suddenly, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm cried out in surprise, "Wait! What am I seeing? The Titan Snow Demon King and the Extreme Ice Phantom Butterfly? You brat, you actually let them keep their consciousness?"
Qian Lingche raised an eyebrow. "What, is that so surprising?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice was full of disbelief. "Of course it is! Your bro thought their consciousness would be completely erased after you absorbed their Soul Rings."
"I never imagined you could let them keep their consciousness."
Outside, Qian Lingche slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the anxious look in Snow Empress and Ice Empress's eyes.
Ice Empress immediately asked, "How did it go? Did you succeed?"
Before Qian Lingche could answer, a familiar voice suddenly came from beside him. "With your bro here, of course everything went fine!"
As soon as the words fell, a round, plump worm appeared out of thin air. It was Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.
It floated in the air, its chubby body looking especially comical, though its tone carried a hint of smugness.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said, "This kid really makes your bro jealous. Not only did he successfully absorb your bro's Soul Ring, but his soul also gives off a god's aura. Tsk, tsk, tsk. He's simply a monster."
"A god's aura?" Snow Empress and Ice Empress exchanged shocked looks.
Qian Shangyi quietly watched Qian Lingche below.
A trace of satisfaction flickered in her eyes, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
"Not bad. Now this is my successor." Her voice held a hint of relief and pride.
Suddenly, the space around Qian Lingche twisted, and the scene before his eyes blurred in an instant.
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a familiar space—the very place where he had once fought Yingxiang.
"Transformation is often forged through hardship."
"Snow God's Sixth Trial: Defeat the combined attacks of five Rank 95 Super Douluo."
"Time limit: one year."
Shi Yi sat cross-legged inside his palace, the entire space saturated with dense blue Soul Power.
"Fifth Soul Skill—River of Time," Shi Yi said quietly.
As his words fell, the space around him began to twist slightly, and a phantom river appeared out of nowhere.
Images drifted past him in the river.
Among them were memories of the past, fragments of the future, and unfamiliar scenes he had never seen before.
Shi Yi's gaze lingered on each image, as if searching for something.
"The past, the present, the future... the threads of time. What will Xiao Che's future look like?" Shi Yi murmured, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity.
Suddenly, Shi Yi's attention was drawn to a dim, lusterless timeline within the River of Time.
It was utterly unlike the other bright timelines, as though deliberately hidden, and it radiated a chilling, eerie aura.
"This timeline..." Shi Yi furrowed his brow, a powerful curiosity rising in his heart.
He waved his hand, and the images in the River of Time rapidly enlarged. The dim timeline gradually came into focus.
"If there's a next life... I wish more than anything that I weren't your family... and had never known you..."
As the words fell, Qian Lingche's figure shattered in the sky above Jialing Pass. The fragments turned into energy and scattered across the world, until all that remained was a single icy-blue feather, radiating bone-piercing cold.
"No! Little brother..."
Qian Renxue cried out in despair, but no one would ever answer her again. She reached for the feather, but Ji Lin took it before she could.
Qian Daoliu and Bibi Dong stood frozen beside them, their bodies filled with pain and regret. Their lips trembled as they tried to speak, but they couldn't utter a single word.
Qian Yuhan and Qian Shangyi lowered their heads and closed their eyes, mourning Qian Lingche's passing.
This was the child they had watched grow up, the child who had lost his grandfather's and parents' love from an early age. They had witnessed his suffering and all the hardships he had endured. His life had finally begun to hold a future, but now...
Seeing them like this, Ji Lin couldn't help giving a self-mocking laugh. "Heh. The Hall Master and... are both dead. Who are you putting on this act for?"
At his words, Bibi Dong came back to herself. She looked at Ji Lin and said hoarsely, "Give me the last thing Xiao Che left behind..."
Ling Yuan couldn't hold back any longer. "Lord Rakshasa God! Or should I call you Your Majesty?"
"Now that the Hall Master is dead, are you satisfied? The person you hated most, the one you saw as a stain, is dead."
You don't cherish someone while they're alive, then put on this show after they're dead. Who are you trying to fool?
"The Hall Master doesn't want to see you anymore."