Sky Dream Ice Silkworm

Soul Hunting Forest.

Qin Muchu and Xiao Wu kept an eye on their surroundings as they walked.

"Sister Xiao Wu, with your current physique and mental strength, you should be able to absorb a two-thousand-year Second Soul Ring, right?" Qin Muchu glanced at Xiao Wu beside him. From his research over the past few days, Soul Beast Transformation meant giving up one's original body and using powerful Soul Power to seal the strength from one's time as a Soul Beast within bloodline memories. Some Soul Power was inevitably lost in the process. That was why, after reaching level seventy, transformed Soul Beasts also had to hunt Soul Beasts for Soul Rings. Condensing a Soul Ring themselves meant drawing out the power that had always been theirs from those bloodline memories.

As for why they had to cultivate in the human world after transforming, it was because their bodies had become human, but the origins of their souls were still those of Soul Beasts. They needed to let their souls take on a human aura in the human world and gradually cultivate themselves into humans. After all, of the heavens' fifty paths, only forty-nine were revealed, while one escaped. Perhaps this was the laws of heaven and earth offering some compensation for Soul Beasts' inability to become gods.

"Mm. Two thousand years should be fine." Xiao Wu seemed distracted.

Seeing this, Qin Muchu smiled, then suddenly clutched his stomach. "Oh no, oh no! Something I ate this morning upset my stomach. I need to find somewhere to relieve myself. Stay here and don't wander off. I'll come back for you in a bit." Without waiting for Xiao Wu to reply, he hurried away as though he could not hold it another moment.

A flash of delight crossed Xiao Wu's face as she watched Qin Muchu rush off. She quickly found a secluded spot nearby, sat cross-legged, and began condensing her Soul Ring.

Qin Muchu did not go far. After making a circuit of the area and finding no danger, he prepared to wait nearby until Xiao Wu finished condensing her Soul Ring.

Just as he lifted his foot, he felt the ground shift beneath him. He looked down but saw nothing unusual.

"Scaring myself over nothing?" Qin Muchu muttered.

The moment he spoke, an enormous force erupted from underground. It came so suddenly that he had no time to react before it launched him into the air.

The force vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He had barely risen into the air when the push abruptly ceased, leaving him flailing helplessly. The world spun around him. All he could see was the sky, tree trunks, and ground tumbling wildly past.

Thud! He finally slammed into the ground. The instant he landed, stars burst before Qin Muchu's eyes. Darkness crept in from the edges of his vision, and his consciousness ebbed away like the tide. Just before he passed out, he finally saw the culprit: a huge white grub.

How could it be him? With that thought, Qin Muchu could hold on no longer and blacked out.

The huge grub responsible seemed to be at the end of his strength too. He barely raised his head to glance at Qin Muchu before passing out as well. Only the alternating breaths of one boy and one grub remained in the forest.

Who knew how much time had passed before Qin Muchu's eyelids twitched and he opened his eyes with difficulty. His whole body felt as though it had fallen apart, and his head throbbed fiercely. He managed to lift a hand to the painful spot and felt a swollen lump.

Bewilderment flickered in his eyes. Then, as if recalling what had happened, he gritted his teeth, pushed himself upright, and looked toward where he had been before.

Sure enough, a huge white grub lay there.

Qin Muchu walked over slowly and examined him. There was no mistaking that appearance. This had to be him, more likely than not. But how could he be here at this point in time?

As Qin Muchu watched, the huge grub suddenly opened his eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, then both jumped in fright.

"Human, what are you planning to do? I'm telling you, I'm not someone you want to mess with," the grub blustered, though his voice betrayed his fear.

Qin Muchu did not answer. He frowned and thought it over instead. According to the story, there was no way this creature should be here yet. What had gone wrong? After turning it over in his mind without finding an answer, he decided he could only ask the one involved.

"Are you the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm?"

"That's right, I'm the one... Huh? How do you know the name I gave myself? Tell me, who are you?" Panic flickered across the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's chubby face.

"Relax. I just want to ask you a few questions. Look at how small I am. What could I possibly do to you?"

"True enough." The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm breathed a sigh of relief. "Human kid, what do you want to ask?"

"Why are you here in the Soul Hunting Forest? At this point, shouldn't a group of Ferocious Beasts have you imprisoned beneath the Life Lake, absorbing your origin energy?" Qin Muchu asked.

The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm jolted again and tried to use his ninth Soul Skill—Escape in a Hurry. But after squirming a few times, he found he had no strength left. In the end, he closed his eyes in resignation. "I never thought they'd find me even after I ran all the way here. Looks like this is my fate. Go on, kid. Do it."

Qin Muchu was speechless. "Uh, do what? I'm human, not a Soul Beast like you."

"Oh, right. You're human. Then how do you know so much?"

"That's rather complicated to explain. Just assume I have some kind of power over fate and can see things other people can't. Now will you tell me why you're here? By rights, you shouldn't be able to escape for another ten thousand years."

The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm shook his head, making the feelers atop it sway. "Another ten thousand years? Looks like I defied the heavens and changed my fate this time. You're right. Di Tian and the others had me imprisoned. But a while ago, some huge fellow showed up out of nowhere and started fighting them. That fellow was incredibly strong—even Di Tian was at a bit of a disadvantage. Later, afraid the fight would catch the other Soul Beasts nearby in its wake, they all went to the forest's core. I took the chance to escape. But I'm not very strong, and I was badly hurt by the fighting. I was afraid other Soul Beasts would find me, so I dug my way here underground. Then I ran into you the moment I came out."

"Stronger than Di Tian? How is that possible?" Qin Muchu was stunned. From what the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had said, the newcomer was undoubtedly a Soul Beast. But as far as he knew, only the Evil-Eyed Tyrant Ruler and the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King could contend with Di Tian. The Evil-Eyed Tyrant Ruler was close in strength, but still could not match Di Tian, let alone gain the upper hand. The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King might be able to suppress Di Tian at sea if Di Tian did not use the Dragon God Claw. But the fight had taken place in the Star Dou Great Forest. That was impossible.

Could it be the Silver Dragon King? He dismissed the thought as soon as it arose. Whether the Silver Dragon King had even awakened yet was another question.

Who could it be? Qin Muchu pondered, unease stirring in his heart. Over the past few years, he had cultivated diligently enough, but knowing how the story would unfold and having the system's help had left him looking down on this world a little. He had believed that, with his foreknowledge, he only needed to follow the story step by step to grow stronger and eventually reach heights others could scarcely attain. Now the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had escaped early, several Ferocious Beasts had appeared ahead of time, and a powerful Soul Beast stronger than Di Tian had emerged. He had thought everything was under his control. Suddenly, it seemed events were heading somewhere he could not foresee.