An idea stirred in Wang Dong's mind. Since they had nothing else to do, they might as well try it. He looked at Huo Yuhao.
"Yuhao, there's something I want to tell you."
Huo Yuhao raised his head. "What is it?"
"I've always felt especially close to you whenever I see you." Wang Dong looked utterly serious.
"I suspect there's some kind of attraction between our martial souls. We might even be able to achieve Martial Soul Fusion."
Huo Yuhao froze for a moment. "Martial Soul Fusion?"
As a soul master, he knew about Martial Soul Fusion too, but wasn't the chance of that far too low? Over the past ten thousand years, only a handful of soul masters had possessed Martial Soul Fusion Skills. They were even rarer than twin martial souls.
"Right. Give me your hand. Let me try." Wang Dong held out his hand, his expression open and honest. "Don't worry. I won't try anything funny."
Huo Yuhao blushed. After a moment's hesitation, he offered his hand anyway. Wang Dong continued:
"Relax and feel my soul power. See if there's any response."
Huo Yuhao nodded, closed his eyes, and tried to calm his mind.
He could feel warm soul power flowing from Wang Dong's palm, slowly entering his body.
At first, everything was calm. Before long, however, he suddenly felt his Spirit Eyes martial soul tremble slightly, as though it had sensed something.
Then a strange power surged from within him and mingled with Wang Dong's soul power, producing a resonance that defied description.
Huo Yuhao's eyes flew open. "I... I felt a response!"
Joy leaped in Wang Dong's heart, but he kept his expression calm. "Don't rush. Keep feeling it."
Huo Yuhao nodded, closed his eyes, and began carefully sensing that resonance.
At the same time, he quietly called out in his mind to the being who had been sleeping there all along. "Big Brother Tian Meng! Big Brother Tian Meng, wake up!"
"Hmm? What is it, little Yuhao?" A lazy voice sounded in his mind, slightly hoarse from sleep. "Why are you calling me so early in the morning... huh?"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice suddenly turned serious. "This is... Martial Soul Fusion? Little Yuhao, who's that person beside you?"
"His name is Wang Dong. He's my classmate," Huo Yuhao hurriedly explained. "He said he felt a resonance with my martial soul, so we gave it a try..."
"Interesting." The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm fell silent for a moment, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "Your martial souls are highly compatible. You really can achieve Martial Soul Fusion. Little Yuhao, cooperate with him. I'll see if I can seize control."
Huo Yuhao paused. "Control?"
"Silly boy, control over Martial Soul Fusion is very important." The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm chuckled. "Listen to me and do as I say. Once we take control, we won't have to worry about this brat having you under his thumb."
Wang Dong, however, had already noticed something amiss.
He could feel the fluctuations of soul power inside Huo Yuhao suddenly becoming rather strange, as though something was trying to steer the fusion.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, and he sneered inwardly. Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, you really are trying to seize control, just like in the original story.
Unfortunately for you, you probably have no idea that my third martial soul is now the golden dragon king bloodline.
Wang Dong remained unhurried. Instead, he deliberately released his suppression of the golden dragon king bloodline. An overwhelmingly domineering aura surged from his body, carrying the pressure unique to a superior dragon, and instantly filled the entire fusion space.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was just about to exert his strength when he suddenly sensed an aura that made his soul tremble.
It was a crushing superiority on the very level of life itself, as though a slumbering ancient dragon had opened its eyes and was looking down from on high at a tiny insect like him.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm went rigid, his face filled with shock. "This... this is... the golden dragon king bloodline? You've got to be kidding."
He was the mighty Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, a million-year soul beast. Yet at that moment, the bloodline pressure he felt left him unable to muster even the slightest thought of resistance.
This is terrifying. Isn't the Golden Dragon King dead? What's going on with this bloodline?
Gulp. The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm swallowed, his voice trembling. "Little Yuhao... just what is your classmate's background?"
Huo Yuhao was bewildered. "I don't know either... he's just a new student. His martial souls are the soft bone rabbit and the Clear Sky Hammer..."
"The soft bone rabbit? The Clear Sky Hammer?" The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice was filled with disbelief.
"But he clearly has the golden dragon king bloodline inside him, and it's complete, without a single seal on it! How... how is that possible?!"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had once been imprisoned in the Star Dou Great Forest, so naturally, he knew a few secrets.
He drew his neck in, his voice growing noticeably quieter.
"Forget it, forget it. Little Yuhao, just cooperate with him properly. Don't make him angry..."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm immediately fell into line. He had no desire to kick the bucket right now; he still wanted to snuggle up with Bingbing later.
That was right. Although the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was male too, that did nothing to stop him from liking the Ice Empress!
He had lusted after her body for ages and was just waiting until the second ring to help "kidnap" her.
Although Huo Yuhao was completely at sea, he obediently did as instructed. He relaxed his mind and fully cooperated with Wang Dong's guidance of their soul power.
At that moment, their soul power merged completely, forming an entirely new power that circulated between them. Golden light shone from Wang Dong, while a soft glow rose around Huo Yuhao. The two lights intertwined, finally forming a perfect cycle.
After quite some time, the light gradually faded. Huo Yuhao opened his eyes and looked at Wang Dong with delighted surprise. "I felt it! My soul power cultivation seems to have sped up! Is... is this Martial Soul Fusion?"
Wang Dong also felt the changes within himself. He could sense that a wondrous connection had formed between him and Huo Yuhao, as though an invisible bond linked them together.
However, he also discovered that this Martial Soul Fusion was somewhat different from the original story. He held control over the fusion, and its power seemed even more domineering, carrying the overbearing aura unique to the golden dragon king bloodline.
As for what other specific effects it had, those would probably have to be developed gradually.
"It worked." Wang Dong smiled. "Our Martial Soul Fusion succeeded."
Huo Yuhao was so excited that his eyes reddened, and he nearly wept with joy. He had never imagined that a failure like him, with only rank-eleven soul power, could actually possess a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
With this, his cultivation speed could at least double. Perhaps he would soon be able to break through to the second ring.
"Oh, right. Let's give this Martial Soul Fusion a name." Wang Dong thought for a moment. "How about... Haodong Power?"
"Haodong Power?" Huo Yuhao paused. "Hao... dong..."
"The Hao from Huo Yuhao, and the dong from Wang Dong." Wang Dong looked at him, his eyes curving with his smile. "Our names, put together."
Huo Yuhao blushed again. He lowered his head, his voice as faint as a mosquito's hum. "...Okay. Let's call it Haodong Power."
The moment he finished speaking, an angry voice suddenly came from behind them. "I told you to stand here as punishment! What are you two holding hands for? Are you dating?!"
Both of them stiffened and whipped their heads around. At some point, Zhou Yi had come to stand behind them. Her hands were planted on her hips, her face livid, and she looked as though she wanted nothing more than to pick them both up and throw them out.
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