"All right, Xiao Hao, let's stop here. If I take away my shed skin, how long do you think you can withstand the cold here?" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm asked after daybreak the following morning, once they had traveled a little deeper.
"Fifteen or twenty minutes shouldn't be a problem. I'm a rank-27 Soul Grandmaster now, after all. I have at least that much resistance."
Ning Yuhao hid in the ice chamber he had built, slowing his breathing to minimize his loss of body heat. Those five or six minutes felt grueling even to him, but fortunately, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm did not fail.
Although she was still ten thousand years away from her final limit, Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion's injuries were not much better, and she had also had ten thousand fewer years to nurse them. Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, meanwhile, had genuinely spent one less year being used as a blood bag, preserving a considerable amount of the world's primal power. With these differences, subduing Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion was even easier for him.
As the shed skin covered Ning Yuhao's skin once more, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's excited voice rang out in his mind. "Xiao Hao, run! Don't make a sound. Head in the direction I tell you, right now. Ice Empress's clansmen are here. They sensed her presence disappear and will definitely find their way here soon. We have to leave as quickly as possible. Once we're somewhere safe, we'll be calling the shots."
Ning Yuhao mobilized the Soul Power within him and shot off like an arrow loosed from its bow in the direction Sky Dream Ice Silkworm indicated. Concealed by the heavy snow and Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, he left no trace behind.
The entire Ice Jade Scorpion Clan, however, went completely berserk, searching everywhere for their empress.
"Brother Sky Dream, I never would've guessed you were such a hopeless romantic." Even as he ran, Ning Yuhao still had enough strength to tease Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm hugged himself and wriggled in the Sea of Consciousness. "The first time I saw her, that body sparkling with dazzling light, that great jade-green tail-she was simply too beautiful. From that day on, I was deeply drawn to her. Especially that cold, aloof air of hers. If you asked when she was most charming, it would have to be when she was scolding me. Even though she wanted to eat me, I still fell hopelessly in love with her."
Ning Yuhao clicked his tongue. "Isn't that Stockholm syndrome?"
"What stock, what syndrome?" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm froze. An unfamiliar, tongue-twisting term like that was difficult for him to remember on the spot.
"Nothing. I just think you might have the potential to get into the BDSM scene." Then Ning Yuhao nodded in agreement. "Come to think of it, with that plump, juicy body of yours, you really might."
"What BDSM scene?" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm still did not understand.
Ning Yuhao had no time to explain while they were still making a strategic retreat, so he simply opened up a portion of his memories. "Here! See for yourself."
After that, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm fell silent, though his silkworm body wriggled from time to time, even twitching.
A full sixteen hours passed. Ning Yuhao had nearly run out of the Far North before Sky Dream Ice Silkworm finally spoke. "Here will do."
Ning Yuhao noticed that Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice still seemed a little shaky and tight.
"Brother Sky Dream, are you all right?" Ning Yuhao asked.
"I'm fine! What could possibly be wrong with me? I'm a Million-Year Soul Beast, a Wisdom Soul Ring!" For some reason, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm reacted very strongly.
Without waiting for Ning Yuhao to respond, he continued, "All right, get ready. I'm going to let Ice Empress out."
A ball of golden light emerged from between Ning Yuhao's brows and floated into the air. Sky Dream Ice Silkworm also took back his shed skin, but fortunately, they were almost at the edge of the Far North. Ning Yuhao could still endure this degree of cold.
At first, it was only a golden point of light. Then it began to expand, turning into a golden disc about a meter across in the blink of an eye. A figure then emerged from the golden disc, while Sky Dream Ice Silkworm also emerged from Ning Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness.
The Wisdom Soul Ring truly was peculiar. If Ning Yuhao used the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to summon Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, it would consume his Soul Power. But when Sky Dream Ice Silkworm emerged from the Sea of Consciousness on his own, it had little to do with Ning Yuhao.
Of these two methods, one produced a body condensed from Soul Power, while the other brought out Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's Spiritual Origin. Summoning him had its advantages, however. Even if he was beaten to death, only the Soul Power would be dispersed, leaving Sky Dream Ice Silkworm unaffected.
Ice Empress struggled the entire time, but unfortunately, it accomplished nothing.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said, "Ice Empress, stop struggling. You've already tried many times since the beginning. You should know by now that it's useless."
Ice Empress said coldly, "What do you want?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said tenderly, "I only want to be with the one I love forever."
Ice Empress snorted coldly. "Is this how you love me?"
"Bingbing, don't be impatient. Hear me out." Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's tone grew even gentler.
Ice Empress was not swayed. Her voice icy, she said, "Hear you say what? That you love me? If you really love me, why are you still unwilling to reveal your true body? I'm already your prisoner. What else do you have to fear?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm sighed. "It's not that I'm unwilling to meet you in my true body. My true body is already gone. All that remains of me now is my Spiritual Origin. I've become a Wisdom Soul Ring."
Ice Empress froze. She had never imagined that Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had already died. In shock, she said, "You've already been subjected to human Soul Hunting?!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm shook his head. "No, no, no. It wasn't Soul Hunting. I sacrificed myself willingly. Otherwise, how could I still retain my intelligence?"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm then recounted his experiences over the years and introduced his God-Creation Plan. Ice Empress listened intently, seemingly pondering something herself.
"Bingbing, I know what you're thinking. You want to find a human yourself, don't you? But you've forgotten that your spiritual power is far inferior to mine. It would be very difficult for you to accomplish on your own. And most importantly..." Sky Dream Ice Silkworm floated over to Ice Empress and gently stroked her through the light, as though caressing a rare treasure. "Bingbing, do you think I'd let you leave?"
At those words, Ice Empress became utterly furious. Her thoughts had just been mercilessly exposed, and the sliver of hope that had just arisen had been destroyed as well. She roared, "Sky Dream Ice Silkworm!!!"
"Bingbing, don't blame me. For the sake of my eternal life, for the sake of my master's strength, you must become a Soul Ring. If you refuse, I'll have no choice but to erase your intelligence." Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice was very gentle, but his words were cruel. "But that's all right. Even if you lose your intelligence, I'll still keep you by my side forever."