Mu En watched the conversation between the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Mu Sheng on the Sky Screen, a glint flashing in his aged eyes.
If Huo Yuhao really obtained a Martial Soul like the Ice Empress's Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, he could absolutely become Shrek's hope.
He immediately looked at the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm floating in midair and asked, "Senior Sky Dream, are you truly sixty to seventy percent certain you can give Yuhao a Martial Soul like the Ice Empress's?"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm puffed out his chest, his voice brimming with confidence. "Naturally."
Mu En pondered for a moment, then asked, "If I sent Xuan Zi with you, would your chances rise to eighty or ninety percent?"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm turned to look at the utterly disheveled Xuan Zi beside him, sized him up, and asked in puzzlement:
"Does this Xuan Zi have the same strength as the one in the Sky Screen's images?"
Mu En recalled how the Xuan Zi on the Sky Screen had looked clean and tidy and had shown no gluttony for food or drink. The flaw in his Martial Soul had surely been brought under effective control.
He could only weigh his words before saying:
"There isn't much difference. They're both Level 98 Super Douluo. At most, he's only a little weaker than that Xuan Zi."
Xuan Zi, standing nearby, wasn't happy to hear that. He took a swig of wine and shouted:
"Elder Mu, aren't you being a bit too hasty? I don't think I'd necessarily lose to that Xuan Zi!"
Mu En sighed, weary at heart. Xuan Zi was already so old, yet he still had no self-awareness whatsoever.
He turned and glared at Xuan Zi. "You shut up."
Xuan Zi was left choking on his words. His wine gourd hung in midair before he sheepishly lowered it. He muttered something under his breath, but in the end, he didn't dare speak up again.
Only then did Mu En turn back to the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm. "Well? How certain are you?"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm first answered cheerfully, "More than ninety percent!"
Then he sighed.
"Unfortunately, with this Sky Screen here, the Ice Empress presumably knows about it too. That makes things a little difficult."
Mu En was startled. After giving it some thought, he hurriedly said:
"The Sky Screen only appeared a short time ago. The Ice Empress might not know yet. There's no time to lose. Why don't we go now? We might catch her off guard."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was sorely tempted, but when he thought of Huo Yuhao's physical condition, he shook his head.
"I'm afraid not. Yuhao has just received my sacrifice. His body can't withstand the Ice Empress's sacrifice. It'll be at least a month before he can."
Mu En was deeply disappointed, but he still didn't want to give up.
"It's all right. The Ice Empress has her Four Hundred Thousand Year Tribulation to face. After seeing the Sky Screen, she might well be considering sacrifice. I'll make arrangements for this, and when the time comes, we'll act together."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Huo Yuhao naturally agreed with pleasure.
Tian Meng also said quietly to Huo Yuhao in his mind, Yuhao, by the look of things, we can stay in Shrek a while longer.
Huo Yuhao replied in his heart, Brother Sky Dream, you're awesome. One plan, and Shrek's attitude toward us has completely changed.
Tian Meng gave a smug snort. Of course. Who do you think I am?
Just then, Mu En's voice rang out. "Huo Yuhao, I am Mu En, the Sea God Pavilion Master of Shrek. Would you be willing to take me as your master?"
Now that Huo Yuhao knew about the Body Sect, he had plans of his own, so he tactfully declined.
"Elder Mu, let's talk about it after the matter with the Ice Empress is settled."
Mu En felt a flicker of disappointment in Huo Yuhao, but he didn't press him.
"All right, then. We'll talk about it when the time comes."
In the Sky Screen's images, Mu Sheng listened to the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's assessment and said unhurriedly:
"That was how certain you were before I took fifty percent of your origin, wasn't it? Now I'm afraid you're not even fifty percent certain, are you?"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's expression turned ugly, and he nodded reluctantly.
Mu Sheng continued:
"Not even fifty percent certain. The risk is far too great for you two, so give up on the Ice Empress. I have other plans for her."
"As compensation, I'll find another Ultimate Ice Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast for Little Hao to use as his Second Martial Soul."
In the Douluo I world, people beneath the Sky Screen grew puzzled.
"Ultimate Ice? What's that? There's a distinction like that among ice attributes?"
"It sounds a lot stronger than the ordinary ice attribute. Are Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts divided into ultimate and non-ultimate ones too?"
"Why do new terms keep popping out of Mu Sheng's mouth? One after another, until my brain can barely keep up."
In the animated Douluo II world, however, eyes widened in two places beneath the Sky Screen at the same time.
In the Shrek Inner Court, Ling Luochеn's eyes flew wide at the words "Ultimate Ice," and a glimmer of fervor flashed through her ice-blue pupils.
Ultimate Ice was what every ice Soul Master dreamed of!
Compared with Ultimate Ice, the ordinary ice attribute was like a block of ice next to ten-thousand-year profound ice. They weren't on the same level at all.
Ling Luochеn clenched her fists, both envious and wistful. That boy Huo Yuhao was far too lucky. Mu Sheng was actually willing to help him find an Ultimate Ice Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast as his Second Martial Soul!
Sun Moon Empire, Illustrious Virtue Hall.
Meng Hongchen was sitting in a chair with her legs crossed, munching on fruit as she watched the Sky Screen with great interest. At the words "Ultimate Ice," she sprang to her feet, her eyes frighteningly bright.
Ultimate Ice!
Meng Hongchen had cultivated an ice-attribute Martial Soul for so many years, and even in her dreams, she longed to get a touch of Ultimate Ice!
Without another word, she turned and ran outside, charging all the way into Jing Hongchen's office.
"Grandpa! Grandpa! Did you hear that? Ultimate Ice!"
Jing Hongchen had also been watching Tian Meng with great interest, and Meng Hongchen startled him when she rushed in.
"I heard, I heard. What's the rush?"
Meng Hongchen stamped her feet anxiously. "Grandpa, help me find that Huo Yuhao too! Help me get hold of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's shed skin. With it, maybe I can get the Ice Empress to sacrifice herself to me, and I can become an Ultimate Ice Soul Master too!"
The more she spoke, the more excited she became, gesturing with both hands. "Grandpa, think about it. Ultimate Ice! If our Illustrious Virtue Hall produced an Ultimate Ice Soul Master, how much prestige would that bring us?"
Jing Hongchen narrowed his eyes and thought it over.
An Ultimate Ice Soul Master was indeed tempting.
"All right, I'll send people to find that Huo Yuhao. I believe the Sky Screen will show us where they're going shortly. But everyone under heaven must be watching this matter, so don't get your hopes too high."
Meng Hongchen paid none of that any mind and jumped up happily. "Thank you, Grandpa!"
In the Sky Screen's images, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's expression eased a little after hearing Mu Sheng's words. He gave a sullen snort, grudgingly accepting the compensation.
But he still felt a tightness in his chest, and he muttered under his breath:
"Bingbing... my Bingbing... It's all my fault. I let you fall into that bastard Mu Sheng's clutches..."
Huo Yuhao heard him and hurriedly cupped his hands toward Mu Sheng. "Thank you, Brother Sheng! I'll cultivate hard and not let this Ultimate Ice Soul Beast down!"
Seeing this, Qian Renxue's eyes darted around, and she moved closer to the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.
"Tian Meng, I don't want that Wisdom Soul Ring anymore. Could you help me get a new Martial Soul too?"
Hearing that, Tang Ya hurried over as well. "Yes, yes, yes! Help me get one too!"
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was already seething with anger. At those words, he exploded on the spot.
"What do you take Martial Souls for? Heads of cabbage? I could help Yuhao get a Martial Soul because I already possessed ice-attribute origin, and when I sacrificed myself, an incomplete ice Martial Soul that hadn't yet taken shape was left behind!
"You two want one? Go ask your dear Brother Mu Sheng!"
After Tian Meng shouted at them, Qian Renxue and Tang Ya both curled their lips. "Hmph, so that's how it is."
People in the Douluo I world and the animated Douluo II world also reacted with a chorus of remarks.
"So that's how it is. I thought the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm really could just create Martial Souls for people as he pleased."
In the Sky Screen's images.
Qian Renxue turned to Mu Sheng. "Mu Sheng, you promised to help me obtain a Wisdom Soul Ring. I've just reached the bottleneck where I need to obtain a Soul Ring. Help me find one."
Mu Sheng thought the request had come at just the right time.
He had already intended to become more familiar with the Sheep Talisman's abilities, and this was just the right target.
Moreover, he had a vague feeling that, during the Soul Spirit ritual, he seemed able to absorb some of the soul power overflowing from both parties. He could even absorb some of their attributes to strengthen himself.
If he could master this ability, it would be of great use to him as well.
So he carefully recalled the original story and thought it over before saying:
"I do know of a thirty-thousand-year light-attribute Soul Beast that would be perfect for you. I just don't know whether you can withstand a Soul Beast with thirty thousand years of cultivation."