"But isn't the Ice Grudge Snow Fiend's main attribute the mental attribute? Absorbing it won't strengthen my body."
If possible, Yang Xingchen would rather obtain a Soul Bone that could strengthen his body. The ice body tempering the Snow Empress had proposed was honestly far too exhausting.
"Don't think this empress doesn't know what you're thinking. Even if you obtain a Soul Bone that strengthens your body, the ice body tempering won't be canceled."
"Besides, every time I circulate ice-attribute Heaven and Earth Yuan Power to temper your body, this ruler pays attention to where your body's limits lie."
As she spoke, the Snow Empress stepped forward, her doll-sized body gradually returning to its original form as she entered the Ice Spirit Cold Spring before her.
The ice-attribute Heaven and Earth Yuan Power drifting above the Ice Spirit Cold Spring seemed to sense this ruler of the Far North and gathered around the Snow Empress.
"Mmm, a body without restraints really is more pleasing to both body and mind."
Amid a cloud of white mist, the Snow Empress finished stretching her body and turned to look at Yang Xingchen, who was still standing on the bank.
"Xingchen, take the External Soul Bone dropped by the Ice Grudge Snow Fiend and enter the Ice Spirit Cold Spring to absorb it."
"Seriously, Snow Empress! I have to undergo ice body tempering just to absorb an External Soul Bone?"
Seeing the Snow Empress's movements, Yang Xingchen immediately realized what she intended and took a step back, holding the External Soul Bone.
"Heaven rewards diligence. Otherwise, with your current physical strength, you absolutely won't be able to withstand the second seal after breaking through to level twenty."
With that, the Snow Empress turned her hand over and pressed down. The Heaven and Earth Yuan Power that had been drifting about surged madly into the Ice Spirit Cold Spring, instantly turning all its water deep blue.
Having Yang Xingchen absorb all the Heaven and Earth Yuan Power contained in the Ice Spirit Cold Spring in a short time was unrealistic.
The Snow Empress could only control the Ice Spirit Cold Spring's Heaven and Earth Yuan Power as best she could, keeping it at the maximum Yang Xingchen could endure to temper his body.
Hearing this conclusion again, Yang Xingchen gripped the External Soul Bone and stepped into the Ice Spirit Cold Spring as though resigned to his fate.
The Ice Spirit Cold Spring looked about the size of a basketball court, but its waters were exceptionally shallow. Only when Yang Xingchen reached the center and sat down did the water rise above his mouth.
"Absorb it without worry. In this empress's hands, the Ice Grudge Snow Fiend's remnant soul cannot stir up any wind or waves."
To prevent Yang Xingchen's worries from giving rise to fear that the Ice Grudge Snow Fiend's remnant soul could exploit, the Snow Empress gave him a precautionary reassurance.
With those words from the Snow Empress, Yang Xingchen no longer hesitated. He pressed the External Soul Bone against his forehead and began absorbing it.
Seeing Yang Xingchen begin absorbing the External Soul Bone, the Snow Empress also began driving Heaven and Earth Yuan Power into his body to temper his flesh.
Undergoing simultaneous tempering of mind and body, Yang Xingchen naturally did not forget to have Cangyuan shoulder some of the burden.
Cangyuan had barely enjoyed a second of happiness after Yang Xingchen released him before a tremendous surge of ice-attribute Heaven and Earth Yuan Power poured into his body.
"Hmm, with Cangyuan here, this empress can increase the intensity a little more."
Glancing at Cangyuan, whose body had stiffened in front of Yang Xingchen's chest, the Snow Empress pressed her hand down a little farther, increasing the concentration of Heaven and Earth Yuan Power.
Meanwhile, inside the Nuoding City Junior Soul Master Academy.
"Little San, are you certain you don't want to hunt a Ghost Vine for your second Soul Ring and obtain a parasitic ability, but instead hunt Black Jade Bamboo to obtain powerful vitality and defense?"
Faced with Tang San's refusal to follow the training plan he had designed, Yu Xiaogang struggled to suppress the anger in his heart.
In Yu Xiaogang's view, Tang San's desire to take Blue Silver Grass down the path of vitality was nothing but a tale from the Arabian Nights.
Only by following his training plan could Tang San become a true powerhouse!
"That's right, Teacher! After several months of thought and research, I've confirmed that taking Blue Silver Grass down the path of vitality suits me better."
"Even if I really do choose the wrong path in the end, strengthening my vitality won't do me any harm. I still have the Clear Sky Hammer to provide offensive power!"
As though afraid Yu Xiaogang would disagree, Tang San even summoned his Clear Sky Hammer and held it in his hand, showing it to Yu Xiaogang.
But in the eyes of Yu Xiaogang, a man who had broken past fifty years of age while remaining at level twenty-nine, this series of actions became Tang San showing off and challenging his authority.
How Yu Xiaogang wished he could speak with such confidence like Tang San. He wanted the chance to make mistakes, too!
If he had the chance to make mistakes, perhaps he could shed the label of trash and become a true Grandmaster.
"As long as you don't regret it. The dean will personally take you Soul Hunting this time. I won't come along and drag you down."
With Tang Hao, a Titled Douluo, standing behind Tang San, Yu Xiaogang did not dare truly make things difficult for him.
"Then have a good rest at the academy, Teacher. When your disciple returns, I'll be sure to tell you whether my choice was wrong."
Tang San paid no heed to the meaning beneath Yu Xiaogang's words. He was already convinced that the path of vitality suited Blue Silver Grass best.
Three days passed in a flash, and Yang Xingchen's cultivation as he soaked in the Ice Spirit Cold Spring finally approached its end.
The aching, swollen sensation caused by the Heaven and Earth Yuan Power entering his body at the beginning had completely vanished, replaced by an icy coolness.
Yang Xingchen had also finished absorbing the External Soul Bone dropped by the Ice Grudge Snow Fiend and named it the Frost Nightmare Ice Mask.
The Frost Nightmare Ice Mask possessed two Soul Skills, Grudge Ice Condensing Gaze and Satiated Frost Heart Peering, as well as one passive ability.
Grudge Ice Condensing Gaze was a control Soul Skill. By consuming spiritual power, his eyes could release a spectral-blue current of mental frost, briefly halting the target and causing hallucinations.
Satiated Frost Heart Peering was a Spiritual Detection Soul Skill that sensed the emotional fluctuations of all living creatures within thirty meters of him.
The passive ability allowed the Frost Nightmare Ice Mask to automatically absorb surrounding fear while in use, thereby reducing Yang Xingchen's Soul Power consumption.
In theory, as long as there was enough fear, Yang Xingchen could even unleash these two Soul Skills without consuming any Soul Power.
There were no other creatures in the Ice Spirit Cold Spring for him to test Grudge Ice Condensing Gaze on, so he could only try out Satiated Frost Heart Peering's consumption first.
"Satiated Frost Heart Peering!"
A frost-blue ice crystal appeared at the center of Yang Xingchen's forehead. In the blink of an eye, it spread into an extremely thin, translucent mask.
The ice crystal mask covered the upper half of Yang Xingchen's face, with spectral-blue cracks around its eye sockets.
A strange fluctuation of spiritual power instantly spread out from Yang Xingchen, reaching thirty meters in every direction.
Perhaps because Yang Xingchen was currently in the underground Ice Spirit Cold Spring, even driving Satiated Frost Heart Peering at full power only allowed him to sense the emotions of the Snow Empress and Cangyuan.
"Boy, Xingchen, withdraw your Spiritual Detection. This empress doesn't like this feeling."
The Snow Empress's voice had barely sounded in Yang Xingchen's mind when he discovered that he could no longer detect her.
It seemed that not only could powerful creatures sense Satiated Frost Heart Peering, but they could also block it outright.
However, Yang Xingchen could still sense Cangyuan's emotions.
Cangyuan's mood was not particularly pleasant at the moment, though. He was angrily blowing bubbles at Yang Xingchen.
He had never expected that Yang Xingchen had summoned him this time to undergo ice body tempering alongside him.
"All right, I won't recall you for the next few days. Go play nearby!"
Hearing that Yang Xingchen was giving him a few days to roam freely, Cangyuan immediately stopped blowing bubbles and happily rolled over several times.
"But before you go roaming freely, you have to manifest my second Soul Ring for me. Three days of ice body tempering let me successfully break through to level twenty."
Yang Xingchen patted Cangyuan's head, signaling for him to calm down.
Hearing this, Cangyuan steadied himself and nodded at Yang Xingchen, then closed his eyes and condensed a deep-purple Soul Ring around his body.
After three days of body tempering with Heaven and Earth Yuan Power, Cangyuan's cultivation had also reached over five thousand six hundred years.
Thanks to the Snow Empress's ongoing ice body tempering, absorbing a thousand-year Soul Ring without any lingering consciousness did not place too great a burden on Yang Xingchen.