"Star Dou Great Forest... is a hellish place. There are dozens of ferocious beasts there with over a hundred thousand years of cultivation."
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm condensed his experiences, hoping to bring Huo Yuhao up to speed as quickly as possible.
"Heh, they could hurt you?" Huo Yuhao scoffed. "Didn't you claim to be a million-year soul beast?"
"I hadn't officially broken through to a million years then, and I'm not good at fighting. Other than concealing myself with Spiritual Power, I had no other options. But... they still caught me."
"My true body is filled with the primal energy of heaven and earth. To those ferocious beasts, I was the finest food imaginable. They imprisoned me and kept devouring and absorbing my power, for... ten thousand years."
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice gradually sank, as though he were reluctant to mention that past.
"But my opportunity finally came. Not long ago, I finally broke through to a million years and became a true million-year soul beast. At last, I could conceal my aura completely, and I escaped."
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's account sounded quite logical. He had explained the causes and consequences, and it was tragic enough to stir anyone's sympathy.
Unfortunately, he still failed to earn Huo Yuhao's trust.
"So the first thing you did after escaping was try to become a human's soul ring?" Huo Yuhao snorted. "Then here's a suggestion: blend into human society looking like this, and I guarantee no soul beast will find you. The Star Luo Empire is in that direction. Let's part ways here. It'll be better for both of us."
"I'm out of time," Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said anxiously. "I've passed a million years. A soul beast's final reckoning will come soon, and I definitely won't survive this heavenly tribulation. Only by becoming your soul ring-the soul ring of someone with twin martial souls of the ice and mental attributes, a perfect match for me-can I survive."
Huo Yuhao said, "Heh, what kind of logic is that? You can't survive now, but becoming a soul ring will keep you alive?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said, "I can retain my consciousness and some of my power after becoming a soul ring. Then I'll do everything I can to help you grow stronger, all the way to the level of a god!"
"Only gods possess eternal life. Attached to you, I'll be able to survive the heavenly tribulation and achieve eternity too."
"That's my god-making plan!"
"Hurry! What are you waiting for? Let me become your soul ring!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm grew increasingly anxious. He spoke faster and faster, his voice rising without him realizing it, until his tone turned pleading.
He looked at Huo Yuhao in bewilderment. Huo Yuhao still held his wrist without a trace of expression, and those blue-glowing eyes stirred a hint of fear in him.
Say yes already! What on earth are you hesitating over?
Just agree, and you'll have the only million-year soul ring on the entire continent!
"Hurry... I can feel them coming..." Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice began to tremble.
She could sense that Spiritual Power following her here from the core region of Star Dou Great Forest.
Fortunately, the other party could only sense his general direction, not pinpoint his exact location.
But with that methodical sweep, even though his pursuer was still dozens of li away, his discovery was only a matter of time.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm knew he could delay no longer. He had to merge into Huo Yuhao's body immediately to conceal his aura.
Gritting her teeth, she disregarded the harm she might cause the still-resistant Huo Yuhao and strengthened the mental restraint on him, forcibly breaking through the mental barriers Huo Yuhao had erected and pouring all her Spiritual Power inside.
The ten golden rings on his true body seemed to come alive as they enveloped Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao's body jolted as he was forced to begin accepting Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's power. His expression darkened, and his right hand tightened its grip.
"It worked!"
Joy surged through Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's heart.
He knew such a rough fusion would inevitably bring Huo Yuhao certain side effects, but he could no longer afford to worry about that.
I'll explain everything afterward. I'll do my best to make it up to him.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm silently told himself this.
Just as Sky Dream Ice Silkworm thought everything was settled, a sudden change occurred.
Boom-
Thunder suddenly exploded across the previously clear sky. Boundless darkness blotted out the heavens in an instant, and a mass of gray energy descended with an overwhelming pressure.
It fell into the vast expanse of Star Dou Great Forest, yet headed straight for Huo Yuhao, landing on his head and slowly merging into his body.
The sky returned to its former clarity.
"Wh... what?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was aghast. Once that mass of gray energy merged into Huo Yuhao's body, the transfer of power between them stopped. The ten golden rings enveloping Huo Yuhao also returned to Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's true body.
"Y-you... who are you? Why are you stopping me?" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm asked the oppressive presence in a trembling voice.
But no one answered him.
"I-it's fine. I can start again..."
When the owner of that oppressive presence gave no answer, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm recovered a little.
Suddenly, his pupils contracted sharply. He turned his head stiffly, mechanically, in one direction, then collapsed to the ground with a thud. He braced both hands against the earth, doing everything he could to keep himself from falling over, his entire body trembling nonstop.
"It's over... it's all over..."
With the mental restraint released, Huo Yuhao immediately felt relief. Enjoying his newfound freedom of both body and mind, he moved his limbs and snorted coldly. "Why did you stop?"
"It's over... it's all over..."
Yet Sky Dream Ice Silkworm did not answer him, only shivering as he repeated those words.
He narrowed his eyes and looked in the direction Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was facing. Another powerful surge of Spiritual Power came from there.
A golden reflection appeared in his blue eyes.
It was a four-legged soul beast shaped like a lion, about three meters long and covered in golden fur. Yet it also resembled a dragon, with sharp claws on all four feet and scales covering its body.
Most peculiar were its eyes. Besides its two normal golden eyes, it had a strange, vertical red eye on its forehead, radiating majesty.
As it ran, it looked like a little golden sun.
"Suanni?"
Huo Yuhao frowned. The first image that came to mind was the lionlike creature among the Dragon's nine sons that he remembered.
But did Suanni have three eyes?
Huo Yuhao did not dwell on it. With his body free again, he wanted to flee immediately.
Whoosh-
A vast wall of fire rose around them, trapping Huo Yuhao and Sky Dream Ice Silkworm where they stood.
Why is there a soul beast of this level at the edge of the forest?
Feeling the intense heat of the flames, Huo Yuhao cursed inwardly.
If he tried to force his way through that sea of fire, even if he survived, he would lose a layer of skin.
Suanni gradually approached, slowing her steps. A trace of mockery actually appeared on her face.
"What luck. I almost let you get away, you big worm."
She spoke in human language, her voice unexpectedly clear, melodious, and feminine.
"So it really is you. Only you could have found me... why didn't they stop you from leaving the core region?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice trembled, and two trails of desperate tears already streamed from the corners of his eyes.
"I have you to thank for that." Suanni giggled. "Thank you for concealing my aura up ahead. That's how I managed to sneak out. I've wanted to suck out your brains for ages."
She padded forward elegantly, her eyes greedy.
"What's with that pathetic human appearance? You're just as weak as the human beside you."
Only then did Suanni seem to notice Huo Yuhao's presence, and she asked with interest.
"Human..."
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm looked at Huo Yuhao, resentment welling in his heart as his sorrow deepened.
Why couldn't he have agreed sooner?
Why didn't I force the fusion sooner?
Now both the human and the silkworm would become food for that auspicious beast.
She was violent by nature, and she only liked eating brains.
Now there won't even be an intact corpse left...
At that thought, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm grew even more miserable.