Three days later.
"There really is news!"
Xiao Yan sat in an armchair in the study, holding information on the items auctioned by the Star Luo Empire's major auction houses over the past month.
The Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife was right there among them!
It was a little earlier than Xiao Yan had expected.
Then again, the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife itself had an infamous reputation as an ominous object.
It was only because no one could tell that the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife contained Gold of Life that Huo Yuhao had been able to buy it for a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins at the Star Luo Auction House in the original story.
And now, he was determined to obtain the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife, because it concerned his future cultivation plans.
Xiao Yan carefully looked through the information again and confirmed it.
The auction would be held in a month!
The venue was the Star Luo Auction House, the largest auction house in the Star Luo Empire.
Just in case, it wouldn't be too much to bring a million Gold Soul Coins.
Soon, however, Xiao Yan thought of his clan's situation, and the joy on his face faded somewhat.
Their clan had moved to the southwestern frontier after being suppressed by the Star Luo Empire. Their main business of transporting medicinal herbs had only just gotten off the ground, and they had invested a large sum in it.
Wasn't it a bit much for him to open his mouth and ask for a million Gold Soul Coins?
Just as Xiao Yan was fretting, a faint ripple suddenly came from the depths of his Sea of Consciousness.
"Awake?" Xiao Yan asked in his mind.
In the Sea of Consciousness, a jade-green figure slowly took shape.
It was the outline of a curled-up scorpion. Its tail stinger tilted slightly upward, and its six long legs stretched out as though it were taking a long, lazy stretch.
A moment later, the Ice Empress's voice rang out, hoarse and weary as someone who had just awakened, but still carrying its familiar icy pride. "I... how long did I sleep?"
"About a month," Xiao Yan said.
"A month..." the Ice Empress repeated, her tone relaxing a little, as though she had expected it. "That was a little longer than I expected, but I didn't think our Martial Soul compatibility would be higher than I'd imagined!"
In the Sea of Consciousness, the golden ball of light immediately lit up.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice shot out from the corner, excited after being neglected for so long. "Bingbing! You're awake! You're finally awake! I thought you were going to sleep for eight or ten years..."
"Shut up." The Ice Empress cut him off without so much as a glance.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm wasn't annoyed. The golden ball of light swayed in place, then retreated into its corner, though he didn't forget to mutter, "Good thing you're awake, good thing you're awake."
The Ice Empress turned her attention to Xiao Yan, and her jade-green spiritual power circled his Sea of Consciousness.
A moment later, she spoke, her tone a little more serious than before. "Your Soul Power reached rank forty-two already? And your fourth Soul Ring... twenty thousand years?"
"Mm. I hunted an Ice Silkworm in the Far North, and Tian Meng helped me raise it to twenty thousand years."
"At least Tian Meng knows what he's doing. The Ultimate Ice I gave him wasn't wasted."
There was a hint of satisfaction in the Ice Empress's voice, but she quickly returned to the matter at hand. "How does the Third Martial Soul feel? Is there any discomfort or sluggishness?"
"I wasn't quite used to it at first, but I've mastered it now," Xiao Yan replied with a smile.
"That's good." The Ice Empress paused. "If you need any help, just ask. We share in each other's glory and losses now."
"All right." Xiao Yan nodded slightly.
Now that he had the Ice Empress in his pocket, he could openly make plans for the Snow Empress in the future.
Once he had subdued the Ice and Snow Empresses, he would have a better guarantee when making plans for Heavenly Flames.
He just didn't know how to find Electrolux, but Xiao Yan had come to terms with it now. If he could meet him, all the better; if not, it didn't matter.
Once he was strong enough, Electrolux would come knocking himself.
As Xiao Yan was lost in thought, the Ice Empress's voice rang out. "Xiao Yan, what's that in your Sea of Consciousness?"
In Xiao Yan's Sea of Consciousness, the Nine Fire Heavenly Plate occupied the center, like an emperor.
"Lost your patience that quickly?" Xiao Yan teased.
"What do you mean, lost my patience? We're one now!!"
"Hahaha! This is my Second Martial Soul, the Nine Fire Heavenly Plate!"
"The Nine Fire Heavenly Plate?!" the Ice Empress asked. "But aren't Martial Souls supposed to stay out of the Sea of Consciousness?"
"Hmm... how should I put it? My Martial Soul is a little special. You could call it an unusual kind of Martial Soul. And I can only activate its abilities by obtaining the Soul Rings of Soul Beasts with the corresponding attributes."
Xiao Yan explained patiently. After all, they would be growing together from now on, and he could trust the Ice Empress and Tian Meng.
"You only need to know that this is what I'm relying on to become a god."
"I understand." The Ice Empress didn't understand, but she could tell it was formidable.
Moreover, as she gazed at the Nine Fire Heavenly Plate from within the Sea of Consciousness, a bone-deep fear gripped her, as though it could crush her at will.
It seems my choice really was the right one!
The Ice Empress was secretly glad she had made the right choice.
Elsewhere, a new situation had also arisen on Xiao Zhan's side.
"The Ling Clan has gone too far! We might as well bundle up our medicinal herb team and hand it over to them!"
Xiao Zhan was furious, and the imposing presence of a Soul Douluo burst forth from him.
The other clan had used the fact that a member of their direct line was a Shrek Academy Inner Academy disciple to pressure them. In the name of Inner Academy supervision, they demanded sixty percent of the profits from their medicinal herb transport business!
The Xiao Clan had spent a great deal just to open up trade routes in the early stages, and now that things were finally looking up, someone had already set their sights on them.
"Brother Zhan, what if we enrolled Xiao Xiao at Shrek Academy after all? The young master has his own ideas, and it's hard for us to stand in his way, but..." Xiao Zhong urged.
The best option now was to send Xiao Xiao to Shrek Academy. With that status, the Ling Clan wouldn't dare trip them up so brazenly.
"Sigh... Yan'er has a mind of his own. Don't bring this up again."
Xiao Zhan shook his head.
Both brother and sister had the potential to become Titled Douluo. They would receive attention at Shrek Academy, but only attention; it was impossible for them to be treated as successors.
In the end, it was what Xiao Yan had said in the study that day that had opened his eyes.
Xiao Yan was the Xiao Clan's genius!
"Father!"
Suddenly, Xiao Yan's voice came from outside the courtyard.
Xiao Zhan rose and went to greet him with a smile. "Yan'er, you're here. What is it? Do you need something?"
Xiao Yan had only just arrived and hadn't heard their conversation, but seeing the worry on Uncle Zhong's face and recalling the rumors in the clan, he had a rough guess.
But since they didn't say anything, Xiao Yan didn't ask. He simply replied, "I'd like to withdraw some Gold Soul Coins from you, Father."
"Oh, that's simple. How much do you want?" Realization dawned on Xiao Zhan, and he agreed without hesitation.
"A million," Xiao Yan answered.
"One... million?" Xiao Zhan asked again.
Xiao Yan nodded. "Yes, a million Gold Soul Coins."
"No problem." Xiao Zhan gritted his teeth and agreed. "Is there anything else you need?"
"I'd like to go to Star Luo City in three days to attend an auction," Xiao Yan continued.
"Mm, that's a small matter. As it happens, we have a batch of medicinal herbs to deliver to Star Luo City in three days." Xiao Zhan nodded in agreement.
"Then I'll leave the arrangements to you, Father," Xiao Yan said. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going?"
"Mm, right. Go see Xiao Xiao. You can't spend all your time cultivating as her older brother. Talk to each other more."
Xiao Zhan waved him off, telling Xiao Yan to go find Xiao Xiao.