Now that all three of them had completed their breakthroughs, it was time to find a suitable fourth Soul Ring for Bing Yekong.
"Senior Dugu, Senior Yang Wudi, do you dare come with me to the Far North and test our new selves?"
After packing up all the immortal herbs he needed, Bing Yekong asked the two of them.
Bing Yekong's target for his fourth Soul Ring was a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring—and not an ordinary ten-thousand-year one. So, he did not intend to return to the Great Star Dou Forest. Instead, he would head straight to the Far North to seek the Soul Ring best suited to him.
Yang Wudi's eyes lit up at once. "No problem. This old man feels terrifyingly strong now!"
After taking the pill refined from the Black Jade Divine Bamboo, Yang Wudi had improved in far more than just his Soul Power Level.
The Black Jade Divine Bamboo had enhanced the sharpness of the Soul-Breaking Spear, making his combat strength even greater.
With his current combat strength, if Yang Wudi went all out, he could absolutely suppress the Snake Lance Douluo from the middle and later stages of the original story with ease.
With his reckless fighting style of attacking without defending, even a Super Douluo would gain nothing by facing him.
Dugu Bo nodded as well. "This old man has barely visited the Far North. I'd like to see how the soul beasts there differ from those in my Sunset Forest."
Once they had settled on it, the three immediately set out for the Far North.
When he thought of the Far North, Bing Yekong first thought of its Three Heavenly Kings: the Heavenly Snow Woman, Snow Empress; the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion, Ice Empress; and the Titan Snow Demon King.
Thinking of that, Bing Yekong felt that his Tianshuang Sword martial soul was quite compatible with soul beasts like the Ice Jade Scorpion.
However, he did not consider the Ice Jade Scorpion his first choice. Finding one depended on luck, and they would most likely only be found in the core region.
And if they entered the core region, there was no telling whether the Ice Empress or Snow Empress would spot them.
Bing Yekong did not think that he and two ordinary Titled Douluo could defeat the two Ice and Snow Empresses.
There were still more than ten thousand years before the great calamity of the Ice and Snow Empresses arrived. At present, they were not much weaker than at their peak.
Thus, the Ice Jade Scorpion could only be a backup option. Their priority was to seek other ice-attribute soul beasts.
Several days later, the three arrived at Soul Hunting Town near the Frozen Forest on the outermost edge of the Far North.
In the original story, Oscar had once joined a mercenary group here while traveling and training outside.
However, Bing Yekong had brought two Titled Douluo-level powerhouses with him, so there was no need to seek out mercenaries.
After buying a map from a roadside shop, the three set off into the Far North.
The Far North was swept by biting winds, its temperature countless times lower than that of the Great Star Dou Forest.
Even hot water would freeze solid the instant it was taken out.
And that was only the temperature of the outer region.
Fortunately, all three of them had ways to resist the cold.
Dugu Bo and Yang Wudi relied purely on their cultivation to ward off the cold. Bing Yekong had it easier—by directly circulating the Ultimate Ice Soul Power within his body, he could even feel comfortable in this frozen wasteland while replenishing his Soul Power.
The Far North possessed the densest ice-attribute natural elements. It could be called the most perfect training ground for the Tianshuang Sword.
Unfortunately, there were too many soul beasts here, so Bing Yekong could not stay and cultivate.
Their most pressing task was still to find a suitable soul beast for his fourth Soul Ring.
Based on Bing Yekong's own judgment and Dugu Bo's examination, Bing Yekong's current physical condition could easily withstand a twenty-thousand-year Soul Ring.
Thus, they set their target at roughly twenty thousand years.
Whether it was an ice-attribute soul beast skilled in offense or one proficient in ice elements, both fell within Bing Yekong's considerations.
After all, his Tianshuang Sword now possessed the Ultimate Ice attribute. Unless he absorbed a soul beast with the same Ultimate Ice attribute, it would not be of much use.
It would be better to find a powerful ice-attribute soul beast and enhance the Tianshuang Sword's offensive power.
The three bypassed the outer region of the Far North entirely and headed straight for the mixed region.
After all, the outer region was just like the outskirts of the Great Star Dou Forest. There were not even many thousand-year soul beasts there, much less Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.
It was clearly impossible to find a fourth Soul Ring suitable for Bing Yekong there.
Once they entered the mixed region, the three became more vigilant.
After all, soul beasts of every kind mingled in the mixed region. A powerful Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast could appear at any moment.
A Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast would not frighten them, but it would be troublesome if the commotion from battle attracted more Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.
Therefore, unless necessary, the three would not take the initiative to fight soul beasts. They would only act when they encountered their target; otherwise, they would detour whenever possible.
An hour later, the three reached the depths of the mixed region.
"We can't go any farther."
Bing Yekong raised his hand, stopping the other two.
"This Far North is far more dangerous than we imagined. According to legend, its strongest soul beasts can easily kill even a Titled Douluo."
That was not an exaggeration.
Before the Snow Empress, Bing Yekong and Dugu Bo were no different. The latter was merely a slightly bigger ant.
With the Snow Empress's Limit Douluo-level combat strength, a casual wave of her hand would freeze the two of them into ice sculptures.
Dugu Bo and Yang Wudi nodded in full agreement.
The temperature deep in the mixed region had already made the two of them feel cold.
How could any soul beast capable of surviving in a hellhole like the core region be simple?
"Then let's search for a suitable soul beast here."
Bing Yekong nodded, then began searching the surrounding area with the two of them.
"A thirty-thousand-year Frost Wolf. No, its attributes are too poor."
"A forty-thousand-year Frozen Eagle. Its age is too high, and its quality is lacking."
"A ten-thousand-year Profound Ice Serpent. Its quality is passable, but its age is too low."
They found several in a row, but none suited Bing Yekong.
But that was how it went sometimes. One could not rush when looking for soul beasts. Keep looking, and perhaps the right one would eventually appear.
On the afternoon of the third day, Bing Yekong's thought was proven correct.
He truly encountered a soul beast that suited him perfectly.
Inside an ice cavern, the three discovered a lone Ice Jade Scorpion.
Judging by its size, it had roughly twenty thousand years of cultivation—just right for Bing Yekong.
Bing Yekong even had Yang Wudi and Dugu Bo scout the surrounding area, but they found no trace of any other Ice Jade Scorpions.
If the Ice Empress had been nearby... she definitely would not have been able to resist attacking after humans provoked her so openly.
Therefore, Bing Yekong could conclude that the Ice Jade Scorpion before them was alone.
That meant his fourth Soul Ring was settled.
A Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Jade Scorpion possessed the Ultimate Ice attribute without question, and its unparalleled offensive power made it simply perfect as Bing Yekong's fourth Soul Ring.
"Two seniors, this is the soul beast we'll take!"
Bing Yekong waved his hand. Yang Wudi hesitated no longer and charged forward first.
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