After Ning Tian left, Huo Yuhao stopped concealing anything. As the power of purification surged wildly, the Spirit-Devouring Engraving Knife gradually revealed its original form.
Strands of blue-green light burst from the engraving knife, transforming it into something like azure crystal. A vibrant sense of life radiated from it as the Life-Spirit Gold finally revealed its true appearance.
The instant the cool crystal touched his forehead, it was pushed away by a warm life energy—it was the Life-Spirit Gold's instinctive protection, as though it were confirming its host's condition. He took a deep breath, and his Sea of Spirit abruptly began to boil. Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's immense spiritual origin surged forward like a tide, colliding with the life patterns within the engraving knife.
"Buzz—"
There was no conflict, only absolute resonance. His spiritual power formed a fine net, instantly wrapping around that rushing life energy and guiding it through his brow and into his meridians. At first, it was merely a trickling stream, but when the first thread of life energy touched the Soul Power within him, it seemed to find its home and came flooding in, racing through his blood vessels toward every part of his body.
A blue-golden radiance spread across Huo Yuhao's skin at a visible pace. His meridians were stretched open by that immense vitality, yet he felt no swelling pain at all. Instead, it was like a parched riverbed nourished by spring rain, every inch humming in comfort. He could clearly "see" faint golden light seeping from the gaps in his bones. It was life energy repairing the minute injuries left behind by his past cultivation. Even his Sea of Spirit was being reshaped by that ultimate life force, becoming sturdier than before.
Huo Yuhao's spiritual power moved through his body like supple threads, winding around the rushing life energy. With every winding, the life energy became purer, while his spiritual power took on an even richer vitality. When this fused power flowed back into his Sea of Spirit, specks of blue-golden light appeared out of nowhere within that crystal-clear spiritual world, drifting down slowly like fireflies on a summer night.
When those blue-golden motes landed on Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, they did not disperse. Instead, they seeped into his pristine white silkworm body like molten gold. Fine blue-golden patterns emerged across his already enormous form, as if draping this million-year soul beast in armor brimming with life.
When they landed upon the giant egg formed from Snow Empress's soul spirit, the egg began to sway, even showing faint signs of hatching.
One had to know that, according to Huo Yuhao's original estimate, he would only have a chance to hatch Snow Empress once his Soul Power Level reached Soul King!
"How... how is this possible?" Huo Yuhao abruptly opened his eyes. His Spirit Eye was filled with incredulous shock, and he even missed half a breath.
His spiritual power locked tightly onto the giant egg floating deep within his Sea of Spirit. The eggshell formed from Snow Empress's soul spirit had originally been translucent white with a hint of icy blue, like a star encased in ten-thousand-year ice. Yet now, the blue-golden motes had dyed it with a gentle golden rim. The egg swayed more and more violently, and fine cracks even appeared across its surface. Faint icy-blue mist seeped from those cracks. It was Snow Empress's unique Ultimate Ice aura, but it now carried a few extra traces of lively spirit.
"Thump, thump..."
It was as if a heartbeat came from within the eggshell, weak yet clear. Every beat carried the dual rhythm of ice and life. Huo Yuhao could "hear" the faint sounds coming from within the shell, like a sleeping creature stretching its limbs, or a frozen lake beginning to thaw. Every slight movement tugged at his heart.
"Good heavens! The vitality of this Life-Spirit Gold is way too overbearing!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice was full of astonishment and excitement. His enormous silkworm body leaned forward slightly, the blue-golden patterns flickering unsteadily with excitement. "The essence of Snow Empress's Soul Core is Ultimate Ice, and what she lacks most is life activity! Ordinary Soul Power can only nourish her, but the original life force of this Life-Spirit Gold is practically like pouring a scoop of boiling spring water over her frozen soul!"
Huo Yuhao's fingertips trembled slightly. He could clearly sense that the blue-golden motes seeping into the giant egg had not been frozen by the Ultimate Ice. Instead, they burned within the shell like Core Flames, transforming into threads of life that coiled around Snow Empress's slumbering soul core. That soul core, which had once been as silent as an inanimate object, slowly began to unfurl under the pull of those threads of life, releasing increasingly distinct fluctuations of consciousness—it was Snow Empress's aura, carrying a trace of newly awakened confusion, yet more real than ever before.
"Logically speaking, Snow Empress's soul spirit form needs a sufficient Soul Power foundation to bear her original strength. You're only at the Soul Elder realm right now..." Sky Dream Ice Silkworm smacked his lips, his tone filled with disbelief. "But this life force bypassed the limitation of Soul Power and directly activated her soul activity! It's like replacing the nutrient solution for a flower that is about to wither. Even if the flowerpot isn't large enough yet, the flower itself comes back to life first!"
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart. He focused his spiritual power, carefully enveloping the giant egg. He could feel the vibrations of the shell becoming rhythmic. The icy-blue mist leaking from its cracks had begun to mingle with faint blue-golden specks—it was Snow Empress's Ultimate Ice blending with the life force of the Life-Spirit Gold. These two seemingly opposing powers were now coexisting in perfect harmony, like yin and yang complementing one another.
"Snow Empress..." he softly called in his heart, his voice carrying indescribable anticipation.
As if responding to his call, the giant egg jolted violently. A clear crack spread from its top to its bottom, and the icy-blue mist suddenly thickened. Within the shell, he could vaguely see a slender figure curled up, surrounded by a blue-golden halo of life. Though he could not make out her face, Huo Yuhao could sense the consciousness conveyed by that figure—not cold majesty, but a faint warmth tinged with reliance.
"It seems we all underestimated the power of the Life-Spirit Gold." Huo Yuhao's voice caught slightly, and his eyes grew warm. He had never imagined that the surprise brought by this Spirit-Devouring Engraving Knife would be great enough to awaken Snow Empress's soul ahead of time.
Watching the giant egg shake ever more violently, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm suddenly laughed. "Now this is interesting. With Snow Empress awakening early, her knowledge will be a tremendous help to your future cultivation. But..." His tone shifted, becoming solemn. "Her soul activity has been activated, but your Soul Power Level is still insufficient. You'll need to work twice as hard from now on. Otherwise, when she fully breaks out of that shell, your Soul Power may not be able to withstand her strength, and the two of you could end up hurting each other."
Huo Yuhao nodded heavily, an unprecedented light shining in his eyes. He raised a hand and stroked the Life Carving Blade. A gentle pulse came from its body, as though it were taking credit for its achievement.
The blade of the Blade of Life pointed at Huo Yuhao's forehead and stabbed down fiercely. The intense pain was like countless red-hot needles drilling into his brow. Every muscle in Huo Yuhao's body tensed at once, his teeth grinding audibly as cold sweat instantly soaked his back. Yet in the next instant, that pain was washed away by an even more majestic warmth—the softened crystal of the Life Carving Blade seeped in along the lines of his brow, spreading across his forehead like molten glass. At last, it condensed between his brows into a blue-golden mark shaped like a vertical eye. Icy-blue patterns flowed around the mark's edges, echoing his original Spirit Eye from afar.
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