Gu Qingnian's voice rang out across the entire Sea of Consciousness.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm froze, and the gray gas stirred slightly.
"Whoosh-"
As the gas drifted, Gu Qingnian's figure appeared in the Sea of Consciousness. His expression was utterly calm as he looked at the sphere and the silkworm.
Gu Qingnian waved one hand, and an immensely powerful aura abruptly bore down on them both.
The gray gas remained as steady as a bell, but the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was slammed flat.
"You! What are you trying to do?" His face was full of bewilderment.
"Crush your soul, then reshape it for my use!" Gu Qingnian's expression turned cold. Without a trace of pity or a moment's hesitation, he began controlling the Divine Mill.
He dragged the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's consciousness into the Chaos World in one swift motion. Thoroughly frightened, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm couldn't help shouting, "You bastard! A million-year soul beast like me offers to become your soul ring, and you turn me down to crush my consciousness instead!"
He then frantically used his spiritual power to resist, only to discover that it was useless in the Chaos World.
"Don't waste your strength. In this world, I am the ruler! This isn't a spiritual world. Once you entered my consciousness, your life became mine to command!"
Gu Qingnian continued coldly. The Chaos World was another world he had independently opened beneath the Sea of Consciousness using spiritual power, separate from the Sea of Consciousness itself.
Its essence was somewhat different from spiritual power. It had been created through the soul essence and spiritual power of the Chaos Divine Mill Visualization Method. Although it still contained a certain amount of spiritual power, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was too frightened to notice for the moment.
"I don't want to die yet... Boo-hoo... I finally found a suitable human, and he actually wants to kill me... My life is so bitter..." The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm suddenly began bawling.
Gu Qingnian sent the Divine Mill smashing toward him. Seeing this, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm hurriedly said, "Wait! I can help you... I can help you find a second martial soul! And a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!"
"Oh?" Gu Qingnian's brow furrowed slightly. Naturally, he knew what the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm meant, but he didn't expose him, waiting for him to volunteer the information instead.
Next, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm gave an embellished, simplified account of his method.
"Oh, all right. You can go now. I can do that myself." A second later, Gu Qingnian controlled the Divine Mill again.
"What! Ah, boo-hoo-hoo! What exactly do you want? What will it take for you to let me go? I'll just leave, all right?" The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm wanted to cry but had no tears left, feeling the excruciating pressure.
"That won't do. How about this? You're still somewhat useful. Obey me, and I'll let you keep living in my Sea of Consciousness. As for that Ice Jade Scorpion, I'll go find her too. How's that?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm agreed without hesitation.
Gu Qingnian smiled slightly and returned him to his original spot. After all, he was only talking big. The spiritual power of a million-year soul beast wasn't something he could destroy simply by saying so.
It was all to make sure this silkworm behaved himself.
Back in his original spot, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm couldn't help exhaling, hurriedly patting his chest. "Scared me to death..."
"Idiot..." The gray sphere tossed out a single word before falling silent.
"..." The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was speechless.
"Qingnian! Yuhao?"
"He's in the bushes! Where's Qingnian?"
"Over there!"
Two dark figures hurried toward the spot. One swiftly approached him and lifted him into an embrace, and a fragrance suddenly wafted over him.
Although Gu Qingnian had fallen into an exhausted sleep, his subconscious remained active, leaving him with some awareness of what was happening outside.
Is it Tang Ya? he thought. He held on for a while, then fell completely asleep once he was certain the two had carried him away.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, on snatching the most important cheat belonging to the child of destiny, Huo Yuhao: the million-year soul beast, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm. You have received a nine-star reward... Congratulations, host, on snatching the child of destiny Huo Yuhao's cheat, the divine consciousness fragment of Calamity Electrolux. You have received an eight-star reward...]
(Special note: Electrolux's reward is lower than the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's because the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm is the most important. Without him, most of what follows would have little to do with Huo Yuhao, and even if it did, the difficulty would rise.
Without the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, Electrolux would not have been drawn here. Without the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, a second martial soul would be almost impossible, as would a third martial soul. Huo Yuhao might not even stay at Shrek for long, and he would be even more likely to fail to make it out of the Star Dou Great Forest.
This does not deny Huo Yuhao's own fortune, however. It is simply that the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm occupies a very important place within it.)
Outside-
Tang Ya knelt on the ground with Gu Qingnian in her arms, while Bei Bei held Huo Yuhao beside her. Both anxiously checked the two boys' conditions.
"We came too late. They seem to have been attacked, even though we're right at the outermost edge." Tang Ya looked somewhat dazed.
Bei Bei gently laid down Huo Yuhao, whose breathing was steady, and walked over to inspect the bushes. A dagger lay on the ground, and beside the bushes was a baboon's corpse.
"This is a Wind Baboon. Judging by its size and muscle strength, it should be at the level of a ten-year soul beast. It's already dead.
This dagger is a soul tool. Yuhao probably used it to kill the Wind Baboon.
This baboon's speed and strength are both quite good. For Yuhao to kill it at his age is already impressive. But Qingnian... Could the two of them have fought it together? Something doesn't quite add up."
Bei Bei spoke as he examined the scene.
Tang Ya looked nervously at Gu Qingnian's face, a faint blush rising on her own. That peerlessly beautiful face had appeared clearly before her once again, and this time, it was so close.
A faint fragrance drifted from his body into her nose, making her unable to resist taking a few more sniffs.
Her thoughts kept racing. Ahhh, do I have to give him mouth-to-mouth? But I don't know how! Still, if I give him my first kiss, does that mean I just have to kiss his lips? But Bei Bei is right here... No, no... This is just saving someone!
Hearing Bei Bei speak, she couldn't help exclaiming, "What's the use of saying all that now? It's my fault for insisting on washing my hands and face
and wasting time.
And little brother Yuhao too... Ah, I wanted to bring them both into the Tang Sect!"
Bei Bei turned around, only to see Tang Ya staring at Gu Qingnian. Looking at Gu Qingnian's face, Bei Bei couldn't help marveling again himself.
Then a strange feeling washed over him. After thinking for a moment, he shook his head. Xiaoya is probably like this because he saved her life... This girl...
Elsewhere.
Inside Gu Qingnian's Sea of Consciousness.
Gu Qingnian stood atop the Azure Sea, looking over everything he had created, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who are you? I should at least be able to learn a little about you, but I can't find out anything at all..."
Just then, the familiar voice rang out, and the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm appeared beside Gu Qingnian.
"My name is Gu Qingnian. Baby silkworm, all you need to know is that you've got a bright future if you stick with me!" Gu Qingnian said casually.
"B-baby silkworm!!! I'm the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm! The super, thunderous, invincible, supreme-above-and-below-the-heavens million-year spiritual-attribute
Soul beast lord!
Anyone else would be over the moon to encounter something like this, yet you threaten and bully me..." Having said that, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm wore a look of utter despair.
Gu Qingnian couldn't be bothered with him and stared straight at the gray sphere. He already knew all about the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and didn't feel like entertaining him. Calamity Electrolux, however, was someone he truly knew little about.
But there was no time to deal with that now. At present, he had to consider whether to find Huo Yuhao a soul ring, since he had snatched what belonged to him.
Still, one shouldn't be a bleeding heart. Given Huo Yuhao's temperament and identity, though, he could lend him a hand in the future and, if possible, take him under his wing as a little brother.
Snatching Tang San's son-in-law to make him my little brother... Not bad! Besides, I never planned to do it myself. This fellow right in front of me is a capable hand.
With that thought, Gu Qingnian smiled at the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and asked, "Tian Meng, do you have any information on soul beasts roughly a hundred years old and of a similar type to you?"
"Huh? You want it for that boy outside?" The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm didn't know why, but Gu Qingnian's smile sent a chill down his spine.
"Yes."
"You brat... Call me Brother Sky Dream!" The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm suddenly felt he had the upper hand, and the words slipped out instinctively.
A second later, a palm rose to meet the challenge.
"You got it! I'll take Brother Nian to find a soul beast later! Let's go, go, go!" The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm instantly put on an inspired expression.
Gu Qingnian obligingly patted his head. "Call me Young Master Gu!"
"You got it, Young Master Gu!"