When he realized that the Skydream Iceworm would arrive soon, Nan Zhuliu deliberately "passed out," just in case.
The Skydream Iceworm was weak in combat, unable to defeat even most hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts, but her spiritual power was genuinely enough to burst a Titled Douluo.
Before long, Nan Zhuliu felt a powerful wave of spiritual power envelop them in an instant.
Strangely, though, when this Spiritual Shock-which could briefly strip every creature with weaker spiritual power than hers within a hundred-li diameter of the ability to think-landed on him, Nan Zhuliu remained conscious.
Immediately afterward, a powerful fluctuation of mingled Soul Power and spiritual power gradually approached them, accompanied by a drop in temperature.
Then came Huo Lingtong's voice, trembling violently with terror.
"What did you mean just now? What did you do to Zhuliu?"
"What are you going to do?"
Hearing this, Nan Zhuliu could not help inwardly reflecting that if Huo Lingtong (Huo Yuhao) had not been targeted by Tang San and brainwashed by Shrek's glory, she would absolutely have been a companion worth trusting with his life.
Suddenly, Nan Zhuliu felt something soft but heavy fall onto his legs.
Nan Zhuliu wanted to open his eyes to see what it was, but since the Skydream Iceworm was currently fusing with Huo Lingtong, he could only suppress his curiosity.
The light around them abruptly dimmed. With a deafening clap of thunder, an immense pressure that almost left them unable to breathe descended from the sky.
"With the sun and moon in my grasp, I pluck the stars; none in this world is like me."
"To think that a wisp of this old man's remnant soul could still survive."
Hearing those familiar words, Nan Zhuliu knew that Electrolux had arrived.
A gray current appeared out of thin air above the Star Dou Great Forest, then turned into a streak of gray light with the speed of thunder outpacing the ear, pouring in through Nan Zhuliu's brow like water into a whale's maw.
Sensing an indescribable presence within his Sea of Spirit, Nan Zhuliu was delighted. Electrolux had actually chosen him.
To him, Electrolux's Necromancy was far more useful than the Skydream Iceworm.
After entering Nan Zhuliu's Sea of Spirit, Electrolux floated quietly in midair, showing none of his earlier oppressive presence.
It seemed that getting him to speak of his own accord would have to wait until Nan Zhuliu obtained the Soul-Devouring Carving Knife.
Only after that wave of spiritual power receded at an astonishing speed did Nan Zhuliu slowly open his eyes.
The moment he opened them, he saw Huo Lingtong resting her head on his thigh, her sleeping face peaceful.
Just then, Huo Lingtong also slowly woke up.
In an instant, their eyes met.
Huo Lingtong was somewhat dazed at first, but when she met Nan Zhuliu's dark, composed eyes and felt the softness beneath the back of her head, her face flushed bright red.
She hurriedly sat up, apologizing in a fluster. "Sorry, I really didn't mean to."
Then, as though something had occurred to her, Huo Lingtong asked nervously, "I didn't touch your wound, did I?"
"...It's fine."
Huo Lingtong immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."
Thinking of the wondrous, dreamlike experience just now, she pinched her cheek hard.
"Ow!"
That hurts! It actually wasn't a dream!
Huo Lingtong was both astonished and delighted. She really had obtained her first Soul Ring, and it was an unprecedented Million-Year Soul Ring at that.
Huo Lingtong was just about to try out the Soul Skill she had obtained when she suddenly remembered that Nan Zhuliu was still there, leaving her at a loss.
She had only just accepted Nan Zhuliu's kind offer to help her obtain a Soul Ring, yet the Skydream Iceworm had promptly delivered herself to her doorstep and become her Wisdom Soul Ring. How was she supposed to explain that to Nan Zhuliu?
Sister Skydream had also just said that she could not casually reveal her existence to others...
What should I do?
"Lingtong!"
A young girl's sweet voice cried out in surprise, drawing both Nan Zhuliu's and Huo Lingtong's attention.
They saw a girl who looked a few years older than them running toward them, with phoenix eyes, an oval face, and black hair tied into a ponytail.
Following behind her was a boy around her age, tall and slender, with short, deep-blue hair that shone like a gemstone and a gentle, refined bearing.
Huo Lingtong said delightedly, "Sister Tang Ya, Brother Bei Bei, what brings you here?"
Tang Ya looked at Nan Zhuliu with undisguised wariness. "Lingtong, are you all right?"
Bei Bei, who arrived a moment later, likewise sized Nan Zhuliu up at once.
When his eyes met Nan Zhuliu's, for an instant, Bei Bei seemed to see a living golden dragon filled with destruction and wild fury.
His gentle smile froze on his face. His slender frame shuddered violently, and he involuntarily staggered back several steps, nearly losing his refined composure.
Who exactly is this boy? Why does my Martial Soul feel terrified when facing him?
Bei Bei could clearly feel that, when facing Nan Zhuliu, his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul had instantly become utterly terrified, even developing the impulse to submit.
The sharp-eyed Huo Lingtong immediately noticed that something was wrong with Bei Bei and asked in confusion, "Brother Bei Bei, are you feeling unwell?"
This was also Tang Ya's first time seeing Bei Bei like this, and she could not help asking anxiously, "Bei Bei, what's wrong?"
"I'm fine." Bei Bei steadied himself and asked, "Lingtong, who is this?"
"This is Zhuliu, Nan Zhuliu."
Bei Bei smiled gently. "Hello, little brother Zhuliu. My name is Bei Bei, and this is Tang Ya."
Nan Zhuliu did not have a particularly favorable impression of this master-and-disciple pair, nor did he intend to get close to them. He merely nodded in silence.
Bei Bei took a small porcelain bottle from his storage soul tool. "I see you're injured. As it happens, I carry some healing pills with me that can speed up your recovery. Please take them as a small token of goodwill."
"No, thank you. I have healing pills prepared myself, so I won't trouble you two."
Aside from someone like Huo Lingtong, a newborn calf unafraid of tigers, who would come to the Star Dou Great Forest without preparing some healing pills?
After Nan Zhuliu refused him, the perceptive Bei Bei sensed that he was not particularly keen on them and stopped pressing his warm face against a cold backside. "All right, then."
Tang Ya said bluntly, "Lingtong, why didn't you tell us you were coming to obtain a Soul Ring? We're here to get a Soul Ring too, but you headed straight into the Star Dou Great Forest alone without a word."
"Don't you know the Star Dou Great Forest is known as a forbidden zone for humans? You certainly have some nerve."
Huo Lingtong scratched her head sheepishly.
Bei Bei looked thoughtfully at Nan Zhuliu and asked, "Are you here to obtain a Soul Ring too, little brother Zhuliu?"
Nan Zhuliu answered, "Yes."
Tang Ya said, "Since we're all here to obtain Soul Rings, why don't we travel together? We can look out for one another."
"Uh..."
Huo Lingtong was rather unsure how to explain to them that she had already obtained her very own Soul Ring just now.