Li Jin opened his eyes and woke up, then checked his body.
He was taller, stronger, and more handsome.
His face was fair, his features striking.
With skin like ice and bones like jade, he had an otherworldly bearing.
"The increase in Soul Power was a little disappointing. I'm probably only level 12 or 13. The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm hid his million years of cultivation inside his shed husk. I barely absorbed any of it."
"But that husk is in my dantian now, and I can slowly absorb the primordial Qi of heaven and earth inside it. In a way, does that count as the million-year-old Sky Dream Ice Silkworm taking human form?"
"Heh, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm really gave me a wonderful gift. Now I can be like Xiao Wu. I won't have to cultivate diligently. As long as I absorb the primordial Qi of heaven and earth in the husk, my Soul Power will naturally shoot up."
Li Jin's brows relaxed, a smile playing on his lips.
"There was only a million-year Soul Ring, no million-year Soul Bone, but he did give me the beginnings of a second martial soul-ice without a soul. Should I make the Ice Empress my second martial soul, or the Snow Empress?"
"There's also the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's spiritual origin. Once I absorb it all, my soul will have both form and substance, on par with a divine soul."
"And in the future, all nine Soul Rings of my Koi martial soul can reach the hundred-thousand-year level by absorbing the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's origin power."
"As expected of Huo Yuhao's golden finger. Foolproof resources for becoming a god-even an idiot could eventually become one."
"Time to scram. I've stolen the resource pack belonging to Di Tian and those other ferocious beasts. I can't stay here any longer."
Li Jin turned and ran toward the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.
After becoming a Soul Master, Li Jin was light on his feet, his speed at least fifty percent greater than before. He soon disappeared from the Star Dou Great Forest.
"Despicable human! Utterly vile human! Give me back my spiritual origin, or I won't go easy on you! I'm a million-year Soul Beast! I have plenty of trump cards and killing moves!"
"As long as you return my spiritual origin, I'll tell you the secret to how I became a million-year Soul Beast."
"Well, human? Do you know what being a million-year Soul Beast means? It means what reaching level one hundred and becoming a god means for you humans."
"Give me back my spiritual origin, and I'll let you reach level one hundred and become a god!"
In the Sea of Consciousness, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had lost his spiritual origin and was being crushed repeatedly by the Nine-Colored Koi. Seeing that force would not work, he prepared to try persuasion.
He decided to use the world-shaking wisdom he had accumulated through eating, sleeping, sleeping, and eating to trick Li Jin into returning his spiritual origin.
Li Jin united his mind with the Nine-Colored Koi, suppressed the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm with a swipe of its tail, and began looking through his memories on the spot.
"Ahh... Bingbing, you're so beautiful. Come on, step on me, tear me apart. Don't take pity on me just because I'm so plump and delicious..."
Seeing the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's memories, Li Jin immediately felt a chill of revulsion.
"Junior Meng, your memories really are frighteningly thin. If you weren't eating, you were sleeping. Otherwise, you were peeping at the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion and fantasizing about all sorts of things."
"Didn't your million years of cultivation come from eating ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow? All that primordial Qi of heaven and earth is still inside your husk."
"You really are a godhood gift pack, helping every dream of becoming a god come true."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm flushed red, screamed, and lost all will to live.
Having his memories read was every bit as socially mortifying as taking a shit in the street.
"Enough, enough! Stop looking! I don't want my spiritual origin anymore, or my million years of cultivation! I just want my innocence!"
"I fear neither shattered flesh nor pulverized bones, so long as my innocence remains in this world."
"If Bingbing finds out about this, she'll absolutely hate me."
Hearing this, Li Jin narrowed his eyes like a fox that had stolen a chicken and threatened the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm:
"Junior Meng, you wouldn't want the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion to learn about these memories of yours, would you?"
"If not, you'd better behave and do as you're told from now on."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's plump white body immediately began trembling, unease flashing in his eyes.
"Human, what wicked scheme are you plotting? The sun and moon can bear witness to my love for Bingbing. As long as it doesn't hurt her, I can consider agreeing."
Li Jin finally unrolled the map to reveal the dagger.
"Your Soul Beast origin gave me the beginnings of a second martial soul-ice without a soul. I want you to make the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion or the Heavenly Snow Woman become my second martial soul."
"Think it over carefully. If you refuse, I'll tell the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion about every one of those memories."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was stunned.
This human was terrifying. He even knew how to turn the beginnings of a second martial soul into a true second martial soul.
Should I agree?
Having Bingbing come keep me company would put her in danger, with her life and death controlled by this human.
Or I could choose the Snow Empress. That way, Bingbing could live on safely.
(PS: I'd like everyone's opinion: should the second martial soul be the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion or the Heavenly Snow Woman?)
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm curled up, his voice hesitant.
"Let me think about it."
Li Jin was in no hurry either. He had plenty of time now. "Then take your time, Junior Meng. I hope you make the right choice."
Just after Li Jin left the Star Dou Great Forest, a terrifying fluctuation of Soul Power erupted from the Lake of Life in its core region.
The Star Dou Great Forest's two great beast kings-the Forest Emperor, the Sky Azure Bull Python, and the Forest King, the Titan Giant Ape-were both prostrated on the ground, trembling.
A deep voice rang out in fury.
"Go find him! Even if you have to dig three feet into every inch of the Star Dou Great Forest, find the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm!"
Clearly, with the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's sacrifice, the false body he had created could no longer remain concealed and had been exposed.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was crucial to increasing the strength of all the ferocious beasts. The Star Dou Great Forest would probably become quite lively for a while.
Three days later!
Having returned from the Star Dou Great Forest, Li Jin ran into Yu Xiaogang and his disciple Tang San at Nuoding City's gates as they returned from the Soul Hunting Forest.
Originally, Yu Xiaogang and Tang San could have returned from the Soul Hunting Forest in half a day. However, Tang San had drained Yu Xiaogang's poisoned blood, and Yu Xiaogang had also suffered severe injuries to his rear. His body was very weak, so the journey had taken some extra time.
Seeing Yu Xiaogang and Tang San, Li Jin was in a good mood. After all, he had picked up one of Yu Xiaogang's Storage Soul Tools for free.
"Tang San, Yu Xiaogang, from the looks of you, you've just returned from the Soul Hunting Forest. Those injuries look pretty serious. Your face is still pale."
At the mention of the Soul Hunting Forest, Yu Xiaogang's anus clenched. Remembering those two frenzied hours, his expression darkened completely.
That had been his lost chastity.
He was furious inside. Seeing Li Jin now, he vented that anger.
"Li Jin, I told you that you would regret it."
"Through my meticulous selection, Little San obtained the most suitable first Soul Ring, and a hundred-year Soul Ring at that."
"Although he only has the trash martial soul Blue Silver Grass, thanks to the power of his Soul Ring, his strength ranks among the very best of one-ring Soul Masters."
"As for you, you're lucky to have come back alive. But you certainly just absorbed an ordinary ten-year Soul Ring to make up the numbers."
"Am I right?"
Tang San scratched his neck with one hand and his backside with the other. Ever since absorbing his first Soul Ring, he had frequently felt unbearably itchy all over.
However, he had yet to connect this problem with the mangy snake Soul Ring he had absorbed.
At that moment, Tang San was also secretly gritting his teeth. He stared fixedly at Li Jin. Li Jin had become even better-looking. Why should he get to have that?
He was handsome, a gold mine had been discovered in his village, and Xiao Wu liked him and slept with him.
Each and every one of these things made the wildfire called jealousy blaze in Tang San's heart.
Only by relying on the Tang Sect Secret Arts, along with Yu Xiaogang's help, had he obtained a hundred-year first Soul Ring.
With Li Jin looking too weak to truss a chicken, there was no way he could have killed a Soul Beast over a hundred years old.
Tang San's mindset began to twist. He wanted to trample Li Jin underfoot.
"Li Jin, I'm heading to Spirit Hall to register. Since we've run into each other, why don't we go together?"
"When the time comes to test our Soul Power and show our Soul Rings, I'll let you see what a hundred-year Soul Ring looks like."