"I died, but I didn't entirely die."
"What you see now is merely a remnant soul carrying a wisp of divine consciousness. As for how much longer I can live... a year or two at most."
"Of course, now I might fade away in less than a year."
The Ice God's remnant soul floated down and sat on the ice crystal before Gu Yunxiao, explaining her circumstances as she did.
Had she not sensed something "special" about Gu Yunxiao, she certainly would not have spent the energy to pull him into her space.
"So you just haven't finished dying."
Gu Yunxiao blurted that out without thinking.
The result was exactly what he expected.
Smack!
The Ice God's remnant soul slapped Gu Yunxiao on the head again, her tone ominous. "Gu Yunxiao, with that mouth of yours, you're sure to stay single your whole life."
"You have a partner, then, venerable elder?"
Gu Yunxiao looked rather surprised.
At his words, the Ice God's remnant soul immediately fell silent. Rather than answer, she smacked the back of his head hard.
"Don't ask what you shouldn't!"
The Ice God's voice was tinged with irritation.
Clearly, Gu Yunxiao seemed to have touched a sore spot.
Heh, I knew you didn't, Gu Yunxiao chuckled inwardly.
"Back to business."
The Ice God took a deep breath and went straight to the point. "Gu Yunxiao, you're very special. Not only do you possess the Dragon God's power, you also have a power even more terrifying than the power of destruction."
"So I'd like to make a deal with you."
"What sort of deal?" Gu Yunxiao's eyes flickered. He already had an inkling.
"I want to stay inside your body for a while, to ensure this remnant soul doesn't disappear."
"I know you need a martial soul. In exchange, I can give you an exceptionally powerful ultimate ice martial soul."
"I'll also guide your cultivation."
The Ice God did not care about Gu Yunxiao's relationship with the Dragon God. All she cared about was whether she could seize this slender thread of hope and return to life.
"Those terms are tempting, but there's no way your staying inside me won't affect me at all."
Gu Yunxiao narrowed his eyes slightly. He did not entirely trust the Ice God before him.
What if she was merely making an excuse and actually intended to possess him? Wouldn't he be spinning a cocoon to trap himself?
He already possessed the power of heavenly tribulation and the Dragon God's power. Even if he lost this opportunity involving the Ancient Ice God, it would hardly matter.
After all, his second martial soul was only a stepping stone.
Then again...
If his gamble paid off, the outcome would be different.
With the God of Heavenly Tribulation, the Dragon God, and the Ice God-three great "demon king guardians"-by his side, the road ahead would surely be free of obstacles.
"There will certainly be an effect, but since you possess the Dragon God's power and that other kind of destructive power, it will be negligible."
"I also know you don't trust me."
"So this deal is entirely up to you. Regardless of your decision, I'll grant you my blessing and let you obtain an ultimate ice martial soul."
The Ice God was gambling too, betting that Gu Yunxiao would trust her.
If she won, she would have a chance at resurrection.
If she lost, the worst that could happen was death.
"Well..."
Gu Yunxiao rubbed his smooth chin, looking like a little grown-up.
The Ice God waited for Gu Yunxiao's answer. She looked calm, but she was actually somewhat nervous.
"Answer one question honestly, and I'll agree." Gu Yunxiao gave her a meaningful smile.
"You want to ask what martial soul I'll give you if you agree, don't you?"
"There's nothing to hide, really. Actually..."
The Ice God instinctively began to tell Gu Yunxiao.
Instead, Gu Yunxiao waved a hand to interrupt her, his expression utterly serious. "What I wanted to ask was, you haven't really been single your entire life, have you, venerable elder?"
The moment those words left his mouth...
The air went still, and the entire space seemed to sink into deathly silence.
"Gu! Yun! Xiao!"
The Ice God shot into the air, fury rising in her golden eyes. She wished she could tear Gu Yunxiao apart.
"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down, calm down!"
Gu Yunxiao hurriedly waved his hands and said loudly, "That's my only question. If you want me to agree, answer honestly."
"And if you dare hit me again, I'm leaving right away. I'll just do without your blessing."
His words fell.
Silence. Utter silence. Absolute silence.
The Ice God's remnant soul froze in midair, her golden eyes fixed fiercely on Gu Yunxiao. There was no killing intent in them, but her gaze was even more terrifying than killing intent.
A long while passed.
"Yes! I've been single my whole damn life! Are you satisfied now?"
The Ice God roared, making the entire space shudder.
That alone showed just how furious she was.
"Hehe, come on in."
Gu Yunxiao chuckled and opened his mind.
"Hmph!"
The Ice God snorted and flew toward Gu Yunxiao. Her remnant soul gradually grew insubstantial and disappeared, clearly having entered his sea of consciousness.
Upon entering Gu Yunxiao's sea of consciousness, the Ice God instinctively surveyed her surroundings.
"Your spiritual power isn't ba... what is that?"
The Ice God had just been about to praise Gu Yunxiao when she saw the colossal creature overhead.
It was the phantom of a strange beast with twelve dragon heads. Though its body was incomplete, it still radiated an incomparably terrifying aura.
The Dragon God's power and the "power of destruction" within Gu Yunxiao originated here.
Strangely, at the center of the phantom was a... lizard with a soul body?
"The Heavenly Tribulation Demon Dragon. It possesses the Dragon God's power and the power of heavenly tribulation. You can consider it my bloodline."
"A word of advice: don't go near it."
Just then, Gu Yunxiao's consciousness condensed into a soul body and appeared beside the Ice God.
"You..."
Looking at Gu Yunxiao, the Ice God suddenly realized this child was even more mysterious than she had imagined.
She knew about the Dragon God's power.
As for the power of heavenly tribulation... she had never heard of it.
Still, its name alone, along with that destructive aura surpassing even the power of destruction, told her how formidable the power of heavenly tribulation was.
"Remember the ultimate ice martial soul you promised me. I'm looking forward to it."
Gu Yunxiao smiled, and his soul body dispersed.
The Ice God remained silent for a long time. In the end, she asked no further questions.
With a slight shift of her consciousness, she stirred a portion of the power within herself and infused it into the vacant slot for Gu Yunxiao's ice martial soul.
"Hum..."
Outside the Ice Mountain.
Light flashed, and Gu Yunxiao stepped out.
"Yunxiao, how did it go?"
Di Tian quickly approached and examined Gu Yunxiao.
Only after seeing that Gu Yunxiao's aura remained powerful, with an added trace of potent ice power, did Di Tian breathe a sigh of relief.
The Ice and Snow Empresses were also studying Gu Yunxiao.
They knew Gu Yunxiao had already received the Ice God's blessing.
Moreover, something about him had changed.
They could not say exactly what was different.
All in all, they could not help feeling a sense of closeness toward Gu Yunxiao.
"Uncle Tian, I succeeded."
Gu Yunxiao smiled faintly and instinctively channeled his soul power, releasing his second martial soul.
Di Tian, the Snow Empress, and the Ice Empress were not the only ones curious. Gu Yunxiao himself also wondered what his second martial soul actually was.
Under several pairs of watchful eyes, light flashed in Gu Yunxiao's palm, and an ice bow rapidly took shape.
The bow was ice-blue throughout, formed entirely from ice. Carved patterns on either side shimmered faintly, ancient and sacred.
Its string was an icy white. On closer inspection, countless tiny snowflakes formed a straight string, glittering like ice dust.
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