Taking Su Tong In

The promise was too grand, and Su Tong was stuffed full all at once—especially at her age.

"But that's the future. For now, focus on your training."

Seeing Su Tong's expression, Jiang Bai felt that, to keep her from being stuffed to death by his lofty promises, he should pull her back to reality.

Hearing Jiang Bai's words, Su Tong came back to her senses. She really had gotten carried away just now.

Ahem, back to the present. Um...

Right! Martial Soul Fusion Skill!

"Senior, our Martial Soul Fusion..."

Su Tong looked at Jiang Bai expectantly. This was a Martial Soul Fusion Skill! Something most soul masters could spend their entire lives pursuing without ever obtaining.

There were only a handful of pairs on the entire continent capable of such an ability. Though she was young, she had grown up influenced by her family and naturally understood what it meant.

"That's one of the reasons I came looking for you."

Jiang Bai answered. If Su Tong hadn't possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with him, he wouldn't have bothered with this matter.

For now, Su Tong could be set aside as a hidden card. Unfortunately, her cultivation was far too low.

"What do you need me to do, Senior?"

Su Tong asked. She wasn't particularly afraid of the senior before her. If he wanted to act against her, he would've done so long ago. Besides, a Martial Soul Fusion Skill couldn't be unleashed by one person alone.

"I need you to cultivate properly."

Jiang Bai answered. That was right—he had come this time to give Su Tong a fortunate opportunity.

Jiang Bai took Su Tong back to his small cabin and led her inside. Xue Ying remained in Martial Soul Possession form without appearing outside, since it was still too conspicuous.

"Is this your home, Senior?"

After entering, Su Tong looked around and asked curiously. Still, she didn't look down on the place. This was the Far North, after all. Even a Soul Saint wouldn't dare enter casually, right?

"Yes. I used to live here for long periods."

After sealing the door, Jiang Bai nodded. This place could be considered half his home after living here for so long.

"Oh."

Su Tong curiously looked around. The house was truly bare, with practically nothing inside.

Could it be? Did Senior live a difficult life? With his strength, that shouldn't be necessary, right?

"For a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the strength of both sides is crucial. But your cultivation is too low."

Hearing Jiang Bai's words, Su Tong lowered her head awkwardly. There was no helping it—he was telling the truth. Her strength was too low.

"Senior, can you help me cultivate?" Su Tong asked. She guessed that this senior was also an Ultimate Ice soul master. Could she perhaps ask him about the drawback of her Martial Soul's slow cultivation speed?

"Yes. Take a Martial Soul Oath. I'll help you reach Soul Saint, and after becoming a Soul Saint, you'll follow me for ten years."

Helping Su Tong cultivate had originally been one of Jiang Bai's goals in returning to the Far North.

"???"

Su Tong widened her large eyes and stared at Jiang Bai in shock.

Help her reach Soul Saint?

Even the old ancestor of her family wouldn't dare claim he could definitely make her a Soul Saint. Just who was this seemingly cheap senior of hers?

"I agree!"

Su Tong hurriedly said. Was that even a question? She immediately took a Martial Soul Oath.

Watching Su Tong take her Martial Soul Oath, Jiang Bai sensed the response from the Golden Orb within his body and nodded as well.

The contract had been formed. Those who broke their word would suffer the punishment of breaking it.

Under the Golden Orb's witness, Su Tong's oath was thoroughly inscribed into heaven and earth.

Jiang Bai extended his hand, and a dark-colored case appeared in his palm.

The case was small, with simple patterns carved onto its surface. When it opened, it let out a faint click.

After the case opened, Su Tong saw what lay inside.

One Soul Bone was snow-white throughout, giving off a faint blue glow. It resembled the hind leg bone of some beast, and its surface was covered in fine patterns, as though frost flowers had condensed upon it.

The other was slightly smaller and darker in color, nearly ice-blue. Its bone was sturdier, and a liquid-like gleam seemed to flow within it.

"A seventy-thousand-year Mystic Spirit Ice Fox right leg bone and a fifty-thousand-year Heaven-Cold Giant Deer right arm bone. After absorbing them, your cultivation speed in the early stages shouldn't be too slow."

Two Soul Bones?!!

Su Tong: "..."

Mom! My knees are going weak!

Su Tong no longer knew what to say. Seventy thousand years! And it was an ice-attribute Soul Bone perfectly suited to her, just given to her like that?

Forget that seventy-thousand-year Soul Bone—even the fifty-thousand-year one beside it could serve as a family heirloom in her clan!

"Absorb them here. I've placed restrictions on them to suppress the Soul Power within the Soul Bones, so you won't suddenly break through several ranks at once."

This was to prevent anyone from discovering that Su Tong's cultivation had risen too quickly because she had absorbed Soul Bones.

"Thank you, Senior!"

After bowing, Su Tong hugged the Soul Bones and ran over to Jiang Bai's bed.

The violent Soul Power within the two Soul Bones had already been removed by Jiang Bai. What remained was gentle, pure Soul Power. Combined with their compatible attributes, it wasn't difficult for Su Tong to absorb them.

Still, how many Soul Bones did he have left?

Jiang Bai closed his eyes and sensed the Soul Bones he had stored. There were more than ten Soul Bones above fifty thousand years, seven below fifty thousand years, and over thirty thousand-year Soul Bones. Putting together a full set for Su Tong shouldn't be a problem.

Jiang Bai had dug all of these out of the snowfields, with the Golden Orb leading the way.

Aside from being used to create special Divine Outfits, they had no other purpose.

Jiang Bai had no use for Soul Bones in his cultivation. If he wanted to, he could absorb them to raise his cultivation, but the chaotic Soul Power within them would obstruct his path when he broke through to Divine Rank in the future.

Jiang Bai's path to godhood would certainly not be inheriting a Divine Position. He would walk the path of creating his own Divine Position.

No, creating a Divine Position would take far too long. Jiang Bai needed to find a way to possess Divine Rank combat power while still in the realm of mortals.

In the end, Jiang Bai thought of a method: continuously refine the Soul Power in his body, continuously compress it, until it became the embryo of divine power. It wasn't impossible.

Therefore, aside from giving them away or using them to craft special Divine Outfits, Soul Bones had no other use for Jiang Bai.

But using them to create special Divine Outfits was far too wasteful. His and Huo Yuhao's Divine Outfits had already consumed dozens of Soul Bones, and their boosts might not even surpass future Battle Armor.

The current Divine Outfits were merely a temporary measure. They would definitely be replaced in the future.

So, Jiang Bai planned to use the remaining Soul Bones for trade, or give them away to build goodwill.

Up ahead, due to the compatible attributes and the gentle Soul Power within them, Su Tong completely absorbed both Soul Bones in only four hours.

After finishing the absorption, Su Tong could feel that while her overall Soul Power had only risen by one rank, the suppression from Ultimate Ice would no longer be so severe along her future cultivation path.

"Senior!"

Opening her eyes, Su Tong was incredibly excited, her eyes shining brightly.

Two genuine Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones! She felt as though her entire body had become incomparably clear and unobstructed!

Now, even ordinary Soul Ancestors probably wouldn't be able to defeat her, right?

"Cultivation must be taken one step at a time, especially with an ultimate attribute. You must be patient."

"Yes."

Su Tong nodded. Everything Senior said was right!

"This ten-thousand-year Soul Bone is for your family. Consider it a greeting gift for the Su Clan."

Jiang Bai took out another ten-thousand-year Soul Bone. It wasn't a rare attribute, merely an ordinary ice-attribute Soul Bone. This was meant as a gift for the Su Clan.

"As for the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, reveal just a little about it."

After handing the Soul Bone to Su Tong, Jiang Bai continued with his instructions.

"But don't say too much about the other matters."

With the Martial Soul Fusion Skill as a beginning, the Su Clan would believe the rest of what she said.

"Alright."

As Su Tong watched Jiang Bai ponder what came next, a very important question suddenly came to mind.

"Can I see your face?"

Su Tong looked curiously toward the edge of Jiang Bai's hood. Only his eyes were visible, but those green eyes had already captivated her.

She remembered the brief glimpse from last time. She had felt that Senior was quite handsome!

"Hm?"

Jiang Bai froze upon hearing that. What kind of strange request was this?

Jiang Bai undid the clasp at the front of his hood and hooked the white hood down with his fingers.

Hiding his identity wasn't particularly important.

After all, under the current circumstances, aside from concealing traces related to gods, everything else was already out in the open.

His Ultimate Ice was out in the open. Jiang Bai's methods for hiding Ultimate Ice could only fool mortals. If it were a god, they would see through it at a glance.

Unfortunately, gods wouldn't care about an insignificant ant like Jiang Bai. Even Ultimate Ice was the same—at most, he was an ant with slightly greater talent.

After Jiang Bai removed his hood, Su Tong saw what he looked like now.

His skin was fair, his brows and eyes handsome and refined, his lips faintly pink!

He looked... far younger than Su Tong had imagined.

Su Tong had thought that someone who could casually take out Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones had to at least be middle-aged, perhaps even an old senior with graying hair.

But with the face before her now, people would believe him if he claimed to be her older brother.

"!!!"

This senior of hers! Was he really that young?

Old... senior?!

"Senior, you're so young."

"Now that you've seen enough, it's time to go back. I'll come see you again after a while. Cultivate properly."

Jiang Bai put his hood back on. It was better for fewer people to see him.

"Alright, Senior."

Su Tong obediently walked over to Jiang Bai's side and was about to grab his arm, but the next moment, Jiang Bai lifted her up.

This senior was really so rough!

After returning Su Tong to the Su Clan, Jiang Bai noticed several Soul Kings trying to follow him as he left.

However, with Jiang Bai going all out, those Soul Kings were shaken off within a few breaths.

"Big Brother, should we keep chasing?"

"No. He's already noticed us, and the young miss returned safely. He probably isn't an enemy."

"Withdraw."

"Yes."

After shaking off the people tracking him, Jiang Bai checked the time. There were only a few days left before Huo Yuhao and the others set out.

If he headed toward Star Luo now, the timing should be about right. He might even run into them along the way.

"I just wonder what'll happen to that Death's Emissary this time. Xuan Zi, you'd better pull your weight."

As long as Xuan Zi didn't have an accident and performed normally, Jiang Bai felt there would be no problem joining the reserve team midway.