Wicked Thoughts

Ye Yan nodded and looked at the two beasts, Xiao Bai and A-Tai. Even if they sacrificed themselves, they would only produce soul bones of types he did not already possess, and he already had the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone.

So would two torso bones be better, or one torso bone and one right arm bone? Torso bones were the most precious, but they could not be replaced. Still, would a two-hundred-thousand-year right arm bone be too much of a waste?

Hmm...

So annoying, so annoying! òᆺó

After thinking it over for a long time, he decided he still wanted a Right Arm Soul Bone. He would be giving it to Bo Saixi anyway, and his first wife deserved nothing but the best. As for a torso bone, he could borrow one from that eighty-something-year-old Demon Empress later.

"Titan Snow Demon King, sorry for the trouble, but please form a Torso Soul Bone when you sacrifice yourself. You don't need to fuse it with me.

"And Far North Icefield Bear, sorry for the trouble, but please form a Right Arm Soul Bone when you sacrifice yourself. You don't need to fuse it with me either.

"Don't worry. I'll revive you within nine years at most. To you, that really is no longer than a nap. Your clans and everything else will be perfectly fine."

The two beasts agreed. Since they had already decided to sacrifice themselves, they would naturally defer to him. Securing a divine official's position later would be far better than struggling away at cultivation on their own.

With a deep, furious roar, dazzling red light erupted from the Far North Icefield Bear's brow. Wherever its radiance spread, everything froze.

A spherical red barrier enveloped Ye Yan, and the Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords appeared in his palm. A scarlet soul ring threaded with wisps of golden patterns descended from above and circled him.

Once he finished absorbing it, the Titan Snow Demon King sacrificed himself as well. Under the influence of the two two-hundred-thousand-year ferocious beast soul rings, the wind and snow swirling around them were drawn together into a howling white snow tornado.

Ye Yan had barely opened his eyes and had yet to show off when he noticed the disturbance overhead. His outermost soul ring lit up.

"Second Soul Skill: Ice Ruins Shatter the Cosmos Tribulation!"

Frost slipped from his lips as he swept his sword upward. A thread so fine it was nearly invisible sliced through the heavens, and time seemed to stop.

Boom!

The raging snow tornado froze for an instant before dazzling white light erupted. Falling snow, fierce winds, and even the clouds were torn apart.

"What... what terrifying power."

Ye Yan stared blankly at the rampaging aftershocks. Even though he had now reached level forty as a Quasi-Soul Ancestor, this spectacle was beyond not only a Soul Ancestor, but even a power attack system Soul Saint.

"Congratulations on getting your wish, Xiaoyan."

While Ye Yan was still dazed, warmth enveloped him. For some reason, Bibi Dong felt that her naughty disciple had grown even more captivating, making her want to cling to him every moment.

In truth, his external soul bone was to blame. During the sacrifices, all the energy he could not absorb in time had poured into Frosttail.

It had now grown from thirty thousand years to over ninety thousand years, only a single step away from one hundred thousand. Once Ye Yan finished absorbing the Blue Silver Emperor's fourth soul ring, it should be able to cross that great chasm.

After finally struggling free, he began introducing his newly acquired soul skills to everyone.

"Xiao Bai's soul ring gave me two soul skills: Snowbound Bamboo, and Heavenly Light Shines, Moonlight Returns to Dust.

"Snowbound Bamboo is a passive soul skill. It increases the sharpness and speed of the Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords by two hundred percent, while also boosting my own base strength by one hundred percent.

"Heavenly Light Shines, Moonlight Returns to Dust consumes a large amount of soul power to unleash crisscrossing azure sword energy. It's fast and extremely powerful. Besides ignoring the opponent's physical defenses, it also has a seventy percent energy penetration effect.

"A-Tai's soul ring gave me two soul skills: Ice Ruins Shatter the Cosmos Tribulation and When the Radiant Day Grants My Wish, Spring Will Carpet the Earth After Snow.

"Ice Ruins Shatter the Cosmos Tribulation is the move I just used. Its defining feature is speed—speed surpassing everything. Its sword energy is as fine as silk and extremely difficult to detect, with an eighty percent armor-piercing effect. After hitting, it also unleashes an immensely powerful wave of cold that can turn someone into an ice sculpture in an instant.

"When the Radiant Day Grants My Wish, Spring Will Carpet the Earth After Snow is a comprehensive soul skill. Once activated, it turns the area within a ten-li radius into a realm of eternal frost. Within that range, ice-type soul skills become fifty percent stronger, while fire-type soul skills become fifty percent weaker. Once Ye Yan masters the Snow Empress's Three Absolutes, stacking it with Imperial Dance, Radiant Sun will make it even stronger.

"Additionally, enemy units within its range have their movement speed reduced by forty percent. That reduction keeps increasing over time, by roughly ten percent every quarter of an hour.

"Ice explosions will also form beneath enemies' feet, dealing area damage while adding further slowing effects. The more people there are, the faster those effects stack. It's practically a divine skill for team battles."

"That's my little Xiaoyan for you. You're amazing."

Bibi Dong played along, clasping her hands over her heart and putting on an utterly adoring expression.

"Mmm~"

Clearly, Ye Yan thoroughly enjoyed this, lifting his head with a sweet, pleased smile.

"Oh, right, Dong'er, here's your soul bone. Since I already have a right leg bone, neither of them could form one. On our way back, let's stop by the Star Dou Great Forest and trick that Titan Giant Ape into coming out so it can become your Eighth Soul Ring."

Bibi Dong smiled and accepted her little disciple's kindness, even though, with her current strength, she could have charged straight into the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest and hunted those two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts without any trouble.

Once Bibi Dong finished refining the torso bone, the group quietly arrived in Heaven Dou City. Worried that Dong'er would discover his relationship with Qian Renxue, Ye Yan did not even dare greet Qian Renxue. He left a handwritten letter, then fled with Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu had been cultivating in the back courtyard when her vision suddenly went black. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the face she had yearned for day and night.

She reached out dazedly to stroke his cheek. After more than half a year apart, why did Xiaoyan seem even more captivating?

Smack!

Just as her delicate pink hand was about to touch him, another, larger hand suddenly appeared and slapped it away.

Who was that? Who dared hit your Sister Xiao Wu?!

Fuming, Xiao Wu tilted her head to look. Her eyes flew wide open. She would never forget that figure.

"Bibi Dong, pay for my mother's life with yours!"

Ye Yan hurriedly grabbed Xiao Wu as she tried to lunge at Bibi Dong. Little bunny, have you lost your mind? A Soul Grandmaster daring to attack a Peerless Douluo?

"Well, little bunny, we meet again. I thought all you could do was run. Still, I have you to thank for letting me meet my dear disciple."

Bibi Dong watched Xiao Wu with amusement, undisguised mockery in her eyes. A mere rabbit dares covet my man? You really don't know whether you're courting life or death.

Xiao Wu screamed in fury at her words, then turned her tear-bright eyes toward Ye Yan and demanded to know what was going on.

"Sister Xiao Wu, calm down first and hear me out. I'm deeply saddened by your mother's death too, but soul masters hunting soul beasts is as natural as heaven and earth. Surely you can't blame my teacher for that?"

Ye Yan gently stroked her beautiful back, trying to comfort her. But with Bibi Dong present, there were many heartfelt things he could not say. As a result, his words not only failed to soothe Xiao Wu, but even kindled a trace of hatred in her.

What did he mean?

So now that you're Bibi Dong's disciple, you won't avenge my mother? Not only that, you won't even call her your mother-in-law anymore! After being away for over half a year, you think I'm beneath you now, is that it?!