Seeing this, Huo Yuhao shook his head slightly, a faint smile playing on his face. "So it's this beast. Can't you come up with anything new? Still, this is further proof that everything seems to be happening just as it did in my previous life."
His gaze was composed, the inexperience he had shown when he first entered the forest gone completely. As he was now, one Wind Baboon was nothing. Even if ten came at him, he could fight them all without a problem.
The Wind Baboon facing him didn't care what Huo Yuhao was thinking. It kicked off with its hind legs and lunged at him again, the wind whistling in its wake.
Huo Yuhao moved nimbly, dodging the Wind Baboon's attacks with ease like a phantom. Every time the Wind Baboon missed, it grew more agitated, its roars growing louder.
"This time, I'm not afraid of you." Huo Yuhao muttered an incantation, then shouted under his breath, "Fireball Technique!" A scorching fireball instantly gathered in his hand, shining with dazzling light. Its temperature was so high that the surrounding air warped from the heat. "Boom!" The fireball struck the Wind Baboon head-on like a cannonball. The Wind Baboon let out a piercing scream as the impact knocked it to the ground. Flames blazed across its body, scorching its fur and filling the air with a pungent stench.
The blow left the Wind Baboon in terrible pain. It struggled to get up, the vicious gleam in its eyes replaced by fear.
Taking advantage of the Wind Baboon's weakened state, Huo Yuhao strode forward, raised his right fist high, and gathered all his strength before punching fiercely at it.
"Bang!" The punch sent the Wind Baboon flying several meters. It slammed hard into a tree, then fell to the ground. After twitching a few times, it went still, dead just like that.
Behind the shadow of a tree to one side, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm lay hidden, utterly astonished by the scene before him.
When Tian Meng had first seen someone approaching and realized it was a child, he had been full of curiosity, wondering whether this little fellow might make a suitable host.
But who could have expected the child to display such terrifying strength? Tian Meng ranted furiously in his heart, Damn, he's only level ten right now, isn't he? How can he use so many skills?
Wait, were you supposed to win this fight? In a normal story, shouldn't I make a grand entrance, save you from fire and water, and have you willingly become my host? Then I'd support you every step of the way as you set out on a Heaven-Defying path of growth, wouldn't I?
The situation put Tian Meng in a bind. You're this strong, so how am I supposed to stay in control? Speaking of which, does he even count as human? Could he be some sect genius with Self-Created Soul Skills? Humans do seem to have people like that.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm shook his head and continued thinking, Anyway, there's no way I can keep a genius like him under control. He's bound to become a dragon or phoenix someday!
Although he was a Hundred-Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, Tian Meng knew he had almost no means of attack. If he chose this boy as his host, the boy might end up riding roughshod over him someday, doing whatever he pleased. Where would that leave his dignity?
But at this point, Tian Meng had no other choice.
He examined the child closely, and the more he looked, the more promising he seemed. His Martial Soul appeared to be spiritual in nature, and an exceptionally rare Body Martial Soul at that. He was simply the perfect candidate for the God-Creation Plan to nurture.
Worse still, if he missed this chance and his pursuers caught up with him, he didn't want to endure the agony of Di Tian and those other Soul Beasts extracting his origin again.
He inwardly spat at himself and said, I've disgraced myself all the way to the Far North. Whatever else he is, he's just a little boy at level ten. Even if my attack power isn't strong, how strong could he possibly be?
If I'm afraid of a little kid like this, how am I supposed to hold my ground in Soul Beast circles or get by in the future? How could I have the face to call myself a Hundred-Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?
That's right, that's right. My spiritual power is incredibly strong. With a mere thought, I can have him firmly in my grasp. There's nothing to be afraid of.
Elsewhere, Huo Yuhao frowned deeply, concentrating on every movement around him as he thought, Something's not right. According to my memories of my previous life, Tian Meng should have appeared by now.
But there's no sign of him. Could the course of events have changed because I was reborn? Or am I just so impatient that I'm imagining things?
As he turned over the possibilities in his mind, he kept a wary eye on his surroundings, letting no tiny change escape him.
As the saying went, "Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao appears." Just as Huo Yuhao was puzzling over it, long cracks suddenly appeared across the previously peaceful ground without warning, like gaping wounds ripped into the earth.
Immediately afterward, a figure glowing with pale golden light slowly emerged from underground. As it appeared, wisps of cold spread outward from it. Wherever they passed, the air seemed to freeze, and a thin layer of frost quickly formed on the leaves.
Only when the mysterious figure had fully emerged before Huo Yuhao did he get a clear look at it-it was a plump little silkworm.
It slowly wriggled its fat body toward Huo Yuhao, muttering, "Human, I am..." Before it could finish, Huo Yuhao involuntarily blurted out, "What a huge bug!"
That shout instantly shattered the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's act. He trembled all over with anger and yelled, "What? How dare you call your big brother a huge bug? Don't you have eyes? I'm a silkworm, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, and what's more, I'm a Hundred-Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the first in the entire continent's history! Don't you underestimate me!"
In truth, Huo Yuhao couldn't really be blamed for calling the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm a huge bug. Deep within his consciousness, the Third Prince had made him say it involuntarily. It hadn't been him at all. All he could say was, "I'm not taking the blame for that!"
But the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm paid no mind to any of that. He began complaining incessantly, berating Huo Yuhao for having eyes but failing to recognize Mount Tai, his aloof bearing as a Hundred-Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast completely gone.
Huo Yuhao helplessly pressed a hand to his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. He groaned inwardly, This guy's just as petty as he was in my previous life.
Suppressing his exasperation, he asked, "Then, esteemed Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, what brings you here in person?" He understood that, no matter what, he had to play along and see Tian Meng's act through.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm cleared his throat and deliberately assumed a dignified air. "I'll forgive your rudeness just now for the time being. Now, I solemnly announce that you've been chosen by me, young man!"
He paused, his eyes sparkling with excitement, then continued, "Do you want to grow stronger? Do you want a Million-Year Soul Ring and enough power to dominate the continent? Do you want to stand at the peak of the Douluo Continent and look down upon all living beings?
"All you have to do is let me become your Wisdom Soul Ring, and none of this will be a dream! Look, I'm even throwing in my spiritual origin as a bonus. When the time comes, you can absorb my spiritual power as you please. And that's not all the perks I have to offer. Not 998, not 888-all you have to do is nod your head, and a Million-Year Soul Ring will be delivered right to your door!
"I guarantee you won't lose out, and you certainly won't be tricked. What's more, I'll throw in an extra gift: buy one, get one free-I'll help you awaken a brand-new Martial Soul, a Soul Bone, and a Four-Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Well? Isn't that tempting?"
With that, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm burst into smug laughter, thinking, With an offer this good, the boy will definitely be eager to agree. So what if he's a genius?
Who else on the Douluo Continent could offer a package like this? If he doesn't agree, there must be a hole in his brain.
But he could sweeten the deal even further. After all, he could swindle more of his brothers in the Far North. The God-Creation Plan was indispensable. Become a god, become a god, and forget all your troubles.