Dai Youheng's lavish spending on an item of uncertain usefulness caused another small stir.
Just then, an elderly woman in an emerald-green robe appeared silently beside Dai Youheng. Her hair was impeccably combed, and her eyes were gentle yet profound. She looked like an ordinary wealthy old lady, but Dai Youheng could sense her unfathomable depths!
This was Dai Youheng's first time meeting her, but he could roughly guess her identity. Behind the Treasure Gathering Pavilion stood Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion, and the person in charge here was Lin Huiqun, one of its elders-a Super Douluo around rank ninety-six or ninety-seven, known as Elder Lin.
"Young man," Elder Lin began gently, her gaze settling on Dai Youheng with a hint of scrutiny, "you wish to buy this Ice Crystal Snow Lotus?"
"Yes, Senior," Dai Youheng replied, bowing neither servilely nor arrogantly.
Elder Lin nodded slightly and said slowly, "The Ice Crystal Snow Lotus has unusual medicinal properties. It does not offer much help in directly increasing your soul power level. Its greatest effect is that, shortly after consumption, it forms a layer of protective ice crystals within the user's body, shielding both flesh and soul. If taken before absorbing a soul ring, it can greatly increase the chances of success even when the ring's energy far exceeds your limits. You... intend to use it to absorb a soul ring beyond your limits, don't you?"
Dai Youheng inwardly admired Elder Lin's keen eye. She had pierced his secret with a single remark. Since she had seen through him, there was no point concealing anything. He admitted frankly, "Your insight is clear, Senior. That is indeed my intention."
In this era, absorbing soul rings beyond one's limits remained rare, but it was no longer as earth-shattering as Tang San absorbing a ten-thousand-year ring as his fourth ring ten thousand years ago.
Many of the finest geniuses had attempted it to some extent, so mentioning it was hardly too shocking.
Seeing his unwavering gaze, a trace of appreciation flashed through Elder Lin's eyes. Still, out of a sense of responsibility, she cautioned him, "It is good to have such ambition. But I would advise you not to rush into using it at rank forty. With this Ice Crystal Snow Lotus's medicinal potency, taking it at rank forty might help you absorb a fourth soul ring of around ten thousand years. While impressive, that would be something of a waste of its potential."
She paused before continuing, "If you save it until rank seventy, its protective power might help you absorb a Seventh Soul Ring of eighty thousand years, or even close to a hundred thousand years! Only then would you truly make the fullest use of it."
As the person running the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, she had an obligation to explain the best way to use its merchandise.
Dai Youheng knew Elder Lin was speaking about ordinary circumstances and had his best interests at heart. But he had his own plans and trump cards. He bowed respectfully once more. "Thank you for the reminder, Senior. I will keep it firmly in mind."
Using it at rank forty would be a waste? Dai Youheng had his own calculations. That only applied to ordinary people!
His circumstances were entirely different! He possessed the Snow Empress's Seven Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, and the first soul skill it bestowed, the Snow Soul Condensing Ice Pill, could temporarily grant him the power of ultimate ice!
If he took the Ice Crystal Snow Lotus together with the Snow Soul Condensing Ice Pill, the protective ice crystals formed by the lotus would also temporarily rise to the level of "ultimate ice," multiplying their defensive strength and stability exponentially!
The age of the soul ring he could absorb beyond his limits would then far exceed Elder Lin's estimate. Perfectly absorbing a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring would be no mere fantasy!
Besides, he still had one final trump card: the Seven Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring's second soul skill, the Snow Woman Sacred Heart Pill! Even in the most extreme circumstances, if his body collapsed during absorption, taking the Sacred Heart Pill on the spot would trigger its resurrection effect and reconstruct his body.
Although that would mean he had failed to absorb the soul ring, it would also eliminate the risk of death.
With the Snow Empress's planning, plus the Ice Crystal Snow Lotus and his two great soul skills safeguarding him, he would press ahead with this attempt to absorb a ring beyond his limits! Dai Youheng brimmed with confidence.
He completed the transaction and carefully placed the Ice Crystal Snow Lotus, which emitted a faint, chilling aura, into his Storage Ring.
Beside him, the Lan Sisters watched with their mouths hanging open. They were astonished by Dai Youheng's wealth, but even more shocked by his decisiveness and the words of that unfathomable senior who had suddenly appeared.
Absorbing a soul ring beyond his limits? Their Brother Youheng's ambitions were far greater than they had imagined!
Before long, the Treasure Appraisal Fair finally drew to a close. As the Treasure Gathering Pavilion slowly shut its doors, the guests dispersed one after another.
Dai Youheng stood at the street corner and pondered for a moment.
Worried that Dai Huabin might still have another move up his sleeve, he decided not to return. Instead, he would book a room right in the city center and stay the night. He refused to believe Dai Huabin had the nerve to attack someone in the heart of Shrek City.
If he returned early tomorrow morning, it would be broad daylight, with crowds bustling all around. Dai Huabin would have to have lost his mind and be tired of living to try anything then.
His caution was justified.
Most of the assassins Dai Huabin had hired had indeed followed Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, but he had left behind one Soul King-level soul master. The man lay in ambush along the route back to Shrek Academy, waiting for an opportunity to attack Dai Youheng, reclaim the soul bone, and teach him a lesson he would never forget.
Yet Dai Youheng's decision to "stay out all night" left that hapless Soul King feeding mosquitoes in the cold wind outside the city until morning, all for nothing.
In truth, however, this had also saved his life. By comparison, his companions who had gone after Huo Yuhao... had probably already been reduced to ashes beneath Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix Flame.
Having made up his mind, Dai Youheng took the Lan Sisters to a rather luxurious-looking hotel in the city center.
When they approached the front desk, Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo looked at the suggestive lighting. Whatever crossed their minds, their pretty faces instantly flushed scarlet.
Lan Susu fidgeted, then spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, tinged with shyness and a hint of wariness. "B-Brother Youheng, d-don't think that just because you gave us Soul Ascension Pills, you can do whatever you want with us! Even... even if you want to... do that, you should court us properly and date us first! And you can only choose one of us sisters! You can't... you can't have us both!"
Lan Luoluo, equally red-faced, nodded like a chick pecking at grain. "Yes, my sister is right! That's exactly how it is!"
Dai Youheng: "...?"
Three enormous question marks seemed to spring up over his head. What on earth was going through these sisters' minds?
He could not be bothered to explain and simply let his actions speak for him. Turning to the receptionist, he said calmly, "Two rooms. A single room for me, and a twin room for these two young ladies."
Only then did he turn back and explain to the sisters, who were still blushing and letting their imaginations run wild, "It's too late tonight, and the Soul Guidance Bus back to the academy seems to have stopped running. Let's rest here for the night. It's safer. Remember to take your Soul Ascension Pills in a little while and properly absorb their medicinal power. We'll head back together first thing tomorrow morning."
Before you continue