Hearing the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's gentle yet almost perverse words, the Ice Empress could not help falling silent. She could feel that he was no longer the food she had once chased around.
After all, the Ice Empress had lived for three hundred and eighty thousand years. She already knew she had no better choice. "Then how confident are you?"
"Seventy percent!" Like a pyramid scheme recruiter, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's eyes burned with fanaticism. "A full seventy percent! Do you know who he is?"
The Ice Empress turned her puzzled gaze toward Ning Yuhao, and Ning Yuhao greeted her with a standard smile.
"I can't tell. I haven't noticed anything special about him. To me, he's still far too weak." The Ice Empress spoke very bluntly.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm gave a crooked grin. "Xiao Hao, come on. Show her your Wicked Lord Shingan."
Ning Yuhao poured Soul Power into his Wicked Lord Shingan Martial Soul. Golden light spilled out, and as one of the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts, the Ice Empress detected a unique presence within it. Somewhat uncertain, she asked, "This is..."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion had used her own power to help Ning Yuhao awaken his second Martial Soul, so naturally, some of her presence had become mixed into it. Although it was very faint, Soul Beasts of their level could still detect a hint of it.
"Yes! It's exactly what you think. This child, my master, the wielder of the Wicked Lord Shingan, is someone chosen by the Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. Even she has placed a bet on Yuhao, hoping that he can bring her sufficient returns in the future. Even if you don't believe me, you should at least trust the Emperor Auspicious Beast's judgment."
The Ice Empress had no good choices to begin with. Now that she had heard that even the Auspicious Beast thought highly of this human Soul Master, she was already gradually reaching a decision.
"All right. I agree."
"This is wonderful, Bingbing! From now on, we can stay together for a long, long time. Release your Spiritual Origin. You know I can't just let you out like this."
The Ice Empress hesitated a little. If the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was deceiving her and intended to turn her directly into a Soul Ring, then once she released her Spiritual Origin, there would be no room for regret.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm added fuel to the fire at just the right moment, saying solemnly, "With the Ice God as my witness, I, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, swear in the name of ice: if I deceive the Ice Empress and fail to help her become a Wisdom Soul Ring after she releases her Spiritual Origin, may you strip me of everything that belongs to ice."
"All right. I hope you won't disappoint me." This oath completely dispelled the Ice Empress's misgivings. She separated her Spiritual Origin from herself, and her original body lost its vitality. The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm engulfed her Spiritual Origin in a single gulp, then returned to Ning Yuhao's body.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and the Ice Empress discussed matters at length, ultimately still choosing to proceed with the bone first, then the soul.
Two beams of green light shot from Ning Yuhao's eyes and struck the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion's body. Then that body, which had already lost its vitality, began to tremble violently. An ultimate chill left Ning Yuhao's body and soul somewhat numb. He was then lifted by a green light, while the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion's original body moved beneath him.
Intense green light surged toward the tail stinger, which then lashed upward, pierced Ning Yuhao's body, and embedded itself in his tailbone.
"Fuck!" Although Ning Yuhao had long since prepared himself, the excruciating pain still made him curse aloud in anger. Then he felt his breath catch, the pain almost closing around his throat.
Just then, the Wicked Lord Shingan Martial Soul activated on its own. Golden light surged from the depths of his eyes, enveloped his head, then flowed toward his back. As it covered his entire back, the light thinned to a pale gold. Although the pain did not lessen, his body involuntarily relaxed.
The Ice Empress gave a soft sound of surprise. Clearly, she had not anticipated this either. For a Martial Soul without even a Soul Ring to accomplish such a thing made even her marvel. "As expected of a second Martial Soul personally awakened by the Auspicious Beast."
The Ice Empress concentrated on controlling her power. Wisps of jade-green light flowed into Ning Yuhao's body along his spine, spreading toward his torso.
The suffering continued. Ning Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness kept trembling, yet showed no sign of collapsing. Even the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was somewhat surprised; none of the measures he had prepared had been needed.
Ning Yuhao spoke softly. "My heart is like a tree. The more a tree yearns for the light above, the deeper its roots must reach downward, into the soil, into the depths of darkness. I will ascend the highest throne, and naturally, I will also endure the most intense suffering."
As Ning Yuhao's words fell, his Sea of Consciousness stopped trembling. Instead, it began expanding slightly outward. His heart was so resolute, his confidence in himself so strong-how could he fall because of a little pain?
First came sharp pain, then the torment of alternating ice and fire, and finally an unbearable itch, as though countless ants were crawling through his bones and blood vessels.
Yet Ning Yuhao remained as unshakable as a mountain, a faint smile even resting on his face as he murmured softly, "Nothing but a little wind and frost."
Only after two full days had passed did it finally come to a complete end.
Ning Yuhao sat cross-legged amid the ice and snow. Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, but all avoided him. As time passed, an open patch actually formed with him at its center. Had anyone seen him, they would certainly have exclaimed, "Could he be a reclusive master?!"
After another long while, Ning Yuhao finally opened his eyes. A jade-green light flashed deep within them, then disappeared.
A Soul Ring shimmering with dazzling splendor rose behind him. It was a soul-stirring blood red, radiating boundless majesty and imposing might, with three golden markings twisting within it.
A huge tattoo had also appeared on Ning Yuhao's back, wrapping around from his back to his chest.
The corners of Ning Yuhao's mouth lifted slightly. "It worked."
"It finally worked. All my painstaking efforts weren't wasted after all." The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's weary voice rang out, full of relief. "Xiao Hao, you now have triple martial souls. I'm afraid you're like me now, a one-of-a-kind existence on the Douluo Continent."
"Thank you, Brother Sky Dream." Ning Yuhao thanked him sincerely. He knew that, relying on himself alone, he would probably have had to wait until he added a Soul Ring to his Wicked Lord Shingan before his first Soul Ring could possibly be three hundred and eighty thousand years old.
"No need to thank me. Besides, there's another piece of good news." The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm chuckled.
"What good news?"
"Activate the first level of your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
Ning Yuhao drew in a sharp breath, some guesses forming in his mind. Then he switched Martial Souls and poured Soul Power into his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.