Clever Use

The two sat facing each other and released their martial souls at the same time, their palms slowly pressing together.

Yet after only a single breath, Ling Luochan's expression changed slightly.

The soul power within her body seemed to have encountered a monarch.

The ice element that had been circulating steadily suddenly came to a halt, then bowed and submitted toward Ling Tianchen, unable to muster even the slightest will to resist.

Ling Tianchen noticed it as well.

He had not actively circulated his soul power at all, yet the Genesis Ice Phoenix martial soul possessed an absolute dominion originating from the very source of its bloodline.

Ling Luochan's soul power had voluntarily retreated and submitted.

Meanwhile, his own soul power seemed too disdainful to merge with hers. It remained lofty and aloof, completely separating the two currents of soul power.

No matter how the two urged their soul power, they could not truly fuse them together.

"Looks like... there's no martial soul fusion skill."

Ling Tianchen felt a little disappointed, but he quickly remembered something.

No.

What truly resisted the fusion was the near-instinctive pride of the Phoenix God King bloodline within him. It would not allow any ice element beneath itself to stand on equal footing with it.

What exactly are you being so arrogant about? You're merely a bloodline instinct, yet you dare defy my will?

I am the Phoenix God King, and the Phoenix God King is me.

She is my sister, and someone I acknowledge. What right do you have to reject her?

With a thought from him, the Genesis Ice Phoenix martial soul, which had been standing high above all else, finally stopped rejecting Ling Luochan's soul power.

Immediately afterward, strands of incomparably pure, frigid origin slowly flowed from where their palms touched and silently merged into Ling Luochan's body.

Ling Luochan's delicate body trembled lightly.

She could feel the ice element within her constantly condensing and sublimating, as though it were undergoing a transformation.

An aura that surpassed ordinary ice attributes slowly spread from her body.

Her ice martial soul had cast off the shackles of mortal ice and entered an entirely new realm.

"Is this what ultimate ice feels like? It's so amazing! So wonderful!"

Her eyes abruptly widened. A crystalline gleam of tears flashed in her eye sockets, her lips forming a small inverted triangle as two faint blushes rose on her cheeks.

Her expression was filled with indescribable intoxication and delight. Coupled with the pair of white cat-ear hair ornaments atop her head, she looked especially alluring.

"Sister Luochan, I've temporarily raised your ice element to the level of ultimate ice. But this state won't last long—after about a week, it'll begin to fade. So... it'd be best if you came to my room once a week, and I can replenish it for you."

Ling Tianchen withdrew his hand. What he had done for Ling Luochan was not some half-baked ultimate ice like Huo Yuhao's Ice Jade Empress Scorpion martial soul, which could only take effect while in contact. He had truly elevated the level of her ice element at its very source.

As long as they cultivated together regularly in the future, one day she would truly possess an ultimate ice of her own.

"Hehe, My Lord, there's actually no need to make it so troublesome."

The Treasure Beast's voice carried an obvious hint of ambiguity.

"Doesn't My Lord know that the body of a God King is itself the greatest treasure in the world to mortals? Dragon God, that madman who used to be Xiao Bao's master, could alter the fate of an ordinary soul beast's bloodline with just a single drop of dragon blood, allowing it to awaken one of Douluo Continent's most powerful bloodlines. Though My Lord has been reborn and has yet to recover your peak strength, your entire body is still a treasure. Giving Sister even the slightest bit would be enough to cause her martial soul to undergo its most thorough transformation."

"Give her what? Do you expect me to cut out a kidney for her?"

"How could that be? My Lord's body is worth more than ten thousand gold. It absolutely cannot suffer any injury."

The Treasure Beast shook its head like a rattle drum, then giggled.

"Organs naturally won't do... but blood is perfectly fine. If My Lord happens to suffer a minor injury, you can collect your blood. Of course, other bodily fluids have roughly the same effect. To any soul master, they are supreme nourishment."

Ling Tianchen raised an eyebrow.

"You really are tired of living, Xiao Bao. Do I look like the kind of person who'd make a move on my own sister?"

"My Lord, Xiao Bao means nothing else. I only wanted to tell you that your... your bodily fluids can speed up your sister's evolution. Of course, I mean blood. The effect is especially remarkable on soul masters with phoenix bloodlines or avian martial souls—far better than on ordinary people."

At this point, it suddenly muttered in a low voice.

"Actually... in Xiao Bao's opinion, a major reason My Lord lost to Dragon God in ancient times was because you were too faithful."

The corner of Ling Tianchen's mouth twitched slightly.

"What does that have to do with being faithful? Besides, staying a virgin is beneficial to one's strength, isn't it?"

"Of course it does!"

The Treasure Beast analyzed solemnly:

"Dragon God may have been mad, but he truly had many children and many blessings. In a sense, the Nine Dragon Kings could all be considered continuations of his bloodline, as could the Dragon Crown Prince. They all played enormous roles in that divine war. In contrast, My Lord, you were always alone and left behind no descendants. Naturally, you were outnumbered and unsupported."

Ling Tianchen raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, that's not right. If I truly left behind no descendants, where did all these soul masters with phoenix bloodlines come from?"

"My Lord, it seems you truly have lost your memories."

The Treasure Beast helplessly spread its little paws.

"You were the first true phoenix born from the universe, as well as the most powerful phoenix divine beast. That was precisely why you held yourself so high that you looked down on all other divine beasts. Naturally, you left behind no bloodline of your own."

"However, that doesn't mean you were the only phoenix in the world. Many true phoenixes were later born within the Blue Demon Bird Clan, but none could compare to you. After your death—no, after your successful escape—they too were gradually purged by Dragon God. That is why phoenix bloodlines are now far rarer than dragon bloodlines."

"That's enough. You don't need to say any more."

Ling Tianchen gave it an indifferent glance.

That single look made the Treasure Beast instantly shut its mouth, not even daring to breathe.

Its words were not entirely without reason.

The Phoenix God King's defeat back then had indeed been greatly related to fighting alone.

Since that was the case, he naturally would not repeat the same mistake in this life.

"Then, Tianchen, how about I take you with me to Shrek City? That way, we can see each other every day, and I can ask you to help me stabilize my ultimate ice whenever I want."

The more Ling Luochan spoke, the better she thought the idea was. Her lovely face was filled with anticipation.

"That won't do."

Shui Wuyue objected almost immediately.

"Tianchen grew up in Tianshui City. If he goes to Shrek, he won't know anyone there. How could that be as comfortable as staying home? Right, Tianchen? It's best to stay with Mom and Dad."

"Then... how about I just withdraw from Shrek? Whenever I can't see Tianchen, I always feel restless at heart."

Ling Luochan pursed her lips and spoke seriously.