By the time Huo Yuhao returned to his lodgings, it was already late at night.
Du Busi had discussed many things with him, including, but not limited to, obtaining the second and third Soul Rings for his Ice Dragon Martial Soul.
After returning to his room, Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged, took the ice marrow out of the Starlight Sapphire, and began slowly absorbing its energy.
According to Du Busi's plan, the target for his Second Soul Ring was an overlord-class Soul Beast of the sea: a Sea Dragon.
Sea Dragons were powerful and rare. As a human Martial Soul, one would be a top-tier Martial Soul no weaker than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
Of course, that applied only when fighting at sea.
Absorbing its Soul Ring could greatly enhance the resilience of Huo Yuhao's meridians, laying a solid foundation for his physique.
At the same time, since ice and water shared the same origin, even though a Sea Dragon was a water-attribute Soul Beast, the Soul Skill it granted would not waste one of Huo Yuhao's Soul Ring slots.
After giving Huo Yuhao all the necessary instructions, Du Busi flew straight toward the sea to search for a Sea Dragon.
He intended to capture one alive and bring it back for Huo Yuhao, so that he could absorb it as soon as his physical condition met the requirements.
Wisps of cold spread from the ice marrow, soon coating the surroundings in a thin layer of frost.
Huo Yuhao circulated the Martial Scripture, setting the Azure Heaven Dragon Transformation Art in motion and beginning to absorb the ice marrow's cold.
"Yuhao has already understood the path he wants to take."
Watching Huo Yuhao stimulate his meridians with the ice marrow, the Ice Empress said admiringly, "This is the first time, and perhaps the last, that I've seen someone use Ultimate Ice as a supporting power."
Hearing this, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm turned to glance at the Martial Scripture.
He replied, "Ultimate Ice is only an additional attribute Brother Hao gained from cultivating the Martial Ancestor's legacy. For him, placing too much importance on it would be abandoning the roots to chase the branches."
"If he suddenly starts taking it seriously one day, that can only mean the ultimate ice Soul Power you sealed inside him is no longer enough to improve his physique."
The Ice Empress cast an imperceptible glance at the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.
She felt that the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm before her now really did seem different from the one in her memories.
The Ice Empress said, "If you'd had this mindset back then, the Far North might have gained a million-year Silkworm Emperor."
"Unfortunately, you've come to understand it a little too late. For your Ice Silkworm Clan, spiritual power is what deserves praise, not the meager ice element in your bodies."
Recalling how he had once tried to control ice, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm could not help shaking his head and sighing.
"Let's not bring up the past."
The Ice Empress continued, "Since you can think this way now, what have you decided about the matter Yuhao brought up?"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm fell silent.
Seeing this, the Ice Empress sneered. "Forget it. I take back what I just said. You haven't changed at all. You're still the same worm I hunted until you had no road to heaven and no door into the earth."
Huo Yuhao knew nothing of the conversation in his Sea of Consciousness at that moment.
He devoted himself wholeheartedly to cultivation, guiding the energy within the ice marrow as it slowly seeped into every limb and bone.
He felt bone-piercing pain, yet remained exceptionally clearheaded.
Even though the Azure Sky Profound Ice Dragon had granted him the power of Ultimate Ice, Huo Yuhao's internal body had, after all, yet to be tempered by ultimate power.
Although the Martial Scripture had already made his meridians far superior to those of all Soul Grandmasters, Soul Elders, and even some Soul Ancestors, they still struggled to withstand the sudden influx of near-ultimate power.
The temperature in the room continued to drop, and with each breath he took, the moisture in the air gradually condensed into tiny ice crystals.
As the ice marrow's energy continued entering his body, Huo Yuhao's meridians began trembling slightly, and the onslaught soon brought them to the brink of shattering.
At that moment, he could feel his meridians, stimulated by the cold power, actually producing a searing pain like the scorching of flames.
At the same time, however, amid that agonizing pain, Huo Yuhao's meridians were becoming more solid and refined at an extremely slow pace.
"Things reverse when pushed to their extreme."
The Ice Empress transmitted her voice to Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, as long as you can persevere, the restrictions on your cultivation from Soul Elder to Soul Saint will be greatly reduced."
Huo Yuhao gave a hum of acknowledgment in response to the Ice Empress.
Seeing this, the Ice Empress began using the Soul Power sealed within her Soul Ring as a guide, turning the cold marrow's power inside Huo Yuhao into fine needles and driving them sharply into the weakest parts of his meridians. "Hold on!"
Huo Yuhao was in such pain that a low dragon's roar burst uncontrollably from his mouth.
Gradually, countless wounds began appearing across the surface of his body. Before blood could flow out, it froze into deep-red ice crystals.
His mind was utterly clear, even calmer than usual. "Ice Empress, keep going! I can still hold on!"
Huo Yuhao's entire body shuddered violently, and his Ice Dragon Wings spread open in an instant.
At the same time, a faint membrane of ice-blue Dragon Skin light began appearing over his body. Only this could forcibly stabilize his injuries and keep his flesh from collapsing.
At Huo Yuhao's signal, the Ice Empress increased the rate of her output.
Now, not only his meridians but also his bones and skin were being tempered together.
Time slowly passed, and Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth and endured the pain that was enough to drive a person mad.
Only when a sound came from within him as a Soul Power bottleneck broke did Huo Yuhao finally let out a long breath.
"My Soul Power Level has increased slightly."
Feeling the strength surging within him, Huo Yuhao clenched his fists. "Ice Empress, I'll have to trouble you to keep helping me guide the ice marrow in the days ahead, until I can use ultimate power to control it and circulate it steadily through my body."
The Ice Empress nodded. "No problem!"
Then the Ice Empress began explaining her own understanding of ultimate power to Huo Yuhao, as well as the Snow Empress's.
Watching Huo Yuhao and the Ice Empress continually exchange their understanding of ice, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm wriggled dejectedly over to the Gray Pearl.
"You're the only one who can keep me company now."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm muttered on and on. "I don't dare strike up a conversation with the Martial Ancestor's legacy, the Ice Empress doesn't want to pay me any attention, and Brother Hao is busy cultivating all day. You're the only one who'll listen to me ramble."
"If you wake up someday, we'll definitely be the best of friends."
Yet, as though unable to endure his incessant muttering, the Gray Pearl, which had lain dormant beside the Martial Scripture for nearly three months, suddenly began trembling violently.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's tiny eyes instantly widened. "I talked you back to life?!"
"It wasn't you talking me back to life, Tian Meng." An elderly figure appeared above the Gray Pearl. "I simply couldn't endure your prattling anymore. While restoring my Divine Sense, I nearly suffered cultivation deviation from listening to you."
"I can tolerate you pouring out your heart to me, but..."
The old man paused. "But you can't talk to me twenty-four hours a day without ever stopping."
Huo Yuhao and the Ice Empress noticed what was happening over there.
Huo Yuhao signaled for the Ice Empress to relax, then walked up to the old man and cupped his fist. "Venerable sir, you've awakened."
"You've stayed in my Sea of Consciousness for nearly three months, yet I haven't had the chance to ask your name or where you came from."
Electrolux looked at Huo Yuhao with a smile. "My name is Electrolux."
"As for where I came from, I'm not someone from your world, just like the Martial Ancestor."
Huo Yuhao recalled the disturbance from the Gray Pearl on the day the Azure Sky Profound Ice Dragon awakened.
He said, "So you were already awake that day, venerable sir."
Electrolux smiled. "Yes, but this fragment of my Divine Sense was too weak at the time. I lacked the strength to manifest and meet you, young friend."
Then Electrolux looked toward the Martial Scripture and said, "Besides, you were at a crucial point in your transformation then, young friend, so I had even less reason to disturb your cultivation."
"You possess extraordinary talent, young friend, and have gained the Martial Ancestor's opportunity, as well as the assistance of a million-year Soul Beast and an ultimate Ferocious Beast. Your future achievements are beyond measure."
Huo Yuhao, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, and the Ice Empress all noticed something Electrolux had mentioned.
Divine Sense.