"Here, take this."
The previously quite imposing female voice rang out once again, only this time it sounded somewhat lacking in breath. Clearly, she had been frightened by the identities of Tang Wulin's group.
A ball of red light lit up from the edge of the fiery red lake, and the group gazed into the distance. It was a plant crimson throughout, quite tall, with a flower mouth smaller than the Aromatic Silk Beauty's, shaped like a Chinese cabbage and seemingly carved from a ruby.
As the red light flared, the air here also seemed to rise by a few degrees.
A transparent, fiery red colloidal substance flew out from the heart of the flower, was hoisted by the rising fiery red lake water, and rushed rapidly toward the group.
"This is Blazing Gel. Jiaojiao can only produce one drop a year. With this much Blazing Gel, I'm afraid her entire stock has been hollowed out."
Youyou's voice rang out, carrying a faint trace of amusement.
"This is compensation for her offending us earlier, no need to overthink it."
Tang Wulin was looking at the dimmed Infernal Delicate Apricot and feeling bad about it when Niu Tian's voice reached his ears. The Infernal Delicate Apricot in the distance didn't make a sound-whether in agreement or disagreement was unknown-so Tang Wulin had no choice but to stop dwelling on the matter.
Just as it reached the bank, the spring water transformed into a hand holding the Blazing Gel and tossed it toward the group's direction, then dissipated and fell back into the lake as spring water.
Niu Tian grabbed the Blazing Gel, looked at the fist-sized piece of it in his hand, and nodded with satisfaction.
"Wait a moment."
A cold voice rang out, and as the crowd looked over, it was a large, eight-cornered white flower with a few stamens flickering like ice crystals in the center.
As the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass drove its Soul Power, a portion of the spring water in the ice spring surged up abruptly, forming a humanoid figure of water in midair, its surface roiling with bone-chilling cold qi.
The humanoid spring water flew over and landed right in front of Huo Yuhao.
"What is your name?"
It was still a chilly voice, but Youyou, who was familiar with the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, knew that its tone had rarely taken on a trace of gentleness.
"What are you going to do?"
Tang Wulin instantly dashed through space to arrive behind Huo Yuhao, then grabbed Huo Yuhao's waistbelt and teleported with him to another spot far away from the ice spring.
"Don't get excited, don't get excited!"
Youyou's urgent voice rang out.
"Bingbing doesn't mean any harm."
"That's right, I harbor no malice toward this human."
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's icy voice rang out, its placid tone rarely carrying a hint of anxiety.
"What on earth are you trying to do?"
Tang Wulin stood in front of Huo Yuhao with a stern expression to shield him. What just happened had genuinely scared the wits out of him.
"Human, are you of twin martial souls?"
There was a hint of urgency in the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's voice.
"Yes-"
Huo Yuhao nodded, acknowledging it.
Wang Dong and Tang Wulin had known this for a long time, but Xiao Xiao was completely dumbfounded. A tiny class one, grade one actually gathered four individuals with Twin Martial Souls; it was truly astonishing.
"I sense that your ice-attribute martial soul doesn't have a soul yet, is that correct?"
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass couldn't help pressing on.
"Yes."
Huo Yuhao didn't know what the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass was up to, but he simply sensed by instinct that the other party bore no particular malice toward him, and answered honestly.
"That's simply wonderful."
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass seemed to have confirmed something, and anyone could hear a trace of relief in its voice.
"Yuhao, don't listen!"
"Don't listen to her!"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm in the Sea of Consciousness seemed to realize something, its expression distorting as it cried out in terrified alarm.
Huh? Sister Tianmeng?
Before Huo Yuhao could even react, the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's eager voice sounded once again.
"I wish to offer myself to you in sacrifice and become your martial soul."
"Ah???"
Everyone was astonished. What kind of operation was this, and what on earth was happening?
"Bingbing, you've lost your mind!"
Youyou's shocked voice rang out, and even the Infernal Delicate Apricot, which had been playing dead, relit its body. The conscious soul beasts in the surroundings also quietly "pricked up their ears," curious as to why the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass would make such a choice.
"For reasons unknown, this human's second martial soul is an ice entity without form or soul. As long as I sacrifice myself to him, I can transform into his second martial soul and grow alongside him."
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass explained in a cold voice.
"But this way you will lose your sentience, and besides, this human..."
Youyou's anxious voice rang out, but upon touching upon Huo Yuhao's situation, Youyou didn't continue.
After all, although Huo Yuhao had come along with Tang Wulin, his aptitude was still far too lackluster. It couldn't fathom why the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass would make such a choice-to live for another hundred years without sentience?
"I just want to take a gamble."
"Take a gamble?"
Wang Dong had already snapped out of his daze by this point and asked in puzzlement.
"That's right, he is the Son of God."
The humanoid spring water extended an arm and pointed at Tang Wulin.
"And you are the companion of the Son of God."
The humanoid spring water pointed at Huo Yuhao next.
"The Son of God harbors a vast power within him, which I cannot join. Furthermore, your condition is extremely suited to me. I want to gamble on whether, with my help and your following in the wake of the Son of God, you can recreate the glory of the Generation of Seven Gods from ten thousand years ago."
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass finally voiced its thoughts. It wanted to enter a mutually beneficial arrangement with Huo Yuhao, then piggyback on Tang Wulin's fortuitous encounter to see if Huo Yuhao could attain godhood, and subsequently resurrect it.
"Don't agree, Yuhao, wuwuwu."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was still screaming frantically within the Sea of Consciousness. Why had things suddenly developed into this state?
Under the guidance of Tang San's son, they had secured an immortal herb opportunity, and a hundred-thousand-year immortal herb soul beast wanted to offer a sacrifice-these were clearly two happy occasions, so why, when they collided, were they so sorrowful?
Huo Yuhao naturally heard the voice of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm as well, and seized the opportunity to enter the Sea of Consciousness to ask Sky Dream why he shouldn't agree.
This was the sacrifice of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, and an immortal herb at that; the martial soul's strength would undoubtedly be immense, raising the probability of him avenging his mother in the future.
Hearing Huo Yuhao's inquiry, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm stammered and finally revealed the reason.
"The martial soul I want to take you to acquire is the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, ranking second among the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Far North, with four hundred thousand years of cultivation-the Ice Empress."
"Ah?"
Huo Yuhao froze and pointed at himself.
"I am going to hunt the Ice Empress?"
"That's right, anyway, I have a way to make her sacrifice herself to you. That's a Ferocious Beast, far better than this weed."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm muttered.
Huo Yuhao fell silent for a moment, withdrawing his consciousness from the Sea of Consciousness. Looking at the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass waiting for his response, a sincere apology appeared on his face.
"I'm sorry, I've already made an appointment with someone else, this martial soul has already been decided."
Huo Yuhao's gaze grew firm. Although he didn't quite believe that the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm-which hid in his Sea of Consciousness without even a physical form-could lead him to survive under the Ice Empress, that was Sister Tianmeng, and no matter what, he had to refuse.
"Is that so?"
The Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass's voice was filled with disappointment.
"Second Brother, why did you refuse!"
Wang Dong looked at Huo Yuhao in astonishment, never expecting him to turn down the temptation of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
"Alright then, we can only use the final method."
Before you continue