Chapter 20: 1,000,000 Soul Ring Alter
...
"A dragon!" The Silver Demigod exclaimed.
The Soul Beast before him spanned over seven meters. Its long crystalline blue body gleamed like living ice. It was shades of blue and white, adorned with jagged frost-like scales. Its face, oddly gentle-looking for its massive body, carried mammalian features framed with a pinkish-crimson feathered crest and golden antlers on its crown.
Golden halos pulsed faintly around its body, moving like flowing rivers of light. Most strikingly of all were the ten glowing stripes circled on its body.
A cold breeze passed through him, turning the sweat from his body into ice as he let out a cold breath.
Huo Yuhao regretted every decision that had led him here. This thing… this Soul Beast was by far the strongest thing he's encountered in Soul Land, and he was too weak to even think about fighting.
After his fight with that strange horned baboon, his body was a wreck. His muscles were heavy, and he was running on fumes on Soul Power. Escape wasn't an option, and fighting was suicide.
'...' His teeth were clenched in silent rage as the bitter cold gnawed at his bones.
This was a lose-lose situation no matter how he looked at it.
But he wouldn't give it the satisfaction of seeing him wallow in despair. That's not how he rolled. If he was going to die right here, then he would go out swinging. He'd use his teeth if he had to.
Raising his White Tiger Dagger in his left hand, he planted his feet and glared daggers at the blue dragon. "Come on!" His silver eyes flared as silver water materialized behind into a dozen needles, to which it gave a curious glance.
But unlike what he expected, the giant Soul Beast didn't have any intent on hurting him. 'Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you.' Its weirdly playful-sounding voice spoke in his mind, stunning the Silver Demigod.
The dragon's massive head lowered until its golden gaze locked with his, so close he could feel its icy breath. "Are you talking inside my head?" He took a cautious step back.
The giant dragon nodded, a strange, almost friendly smile in its eyes, contrary to how the horned baboon looked at him. 'Of course, it's me.'
He just stood there in silence for a good minute. He wasn't new to speaking monsters. Intelligent monsters existed in his previous life too. What did surprise him was that it was talking to him in a calm and reasonable manner. When comparing that to the murderous intent of the horned baboon from earlier, it painted a real picture of just how oblivious he truly was when it came to Soul Beasts.
Seeing this, the blue dragon asked, 'You look speechless. Are you captivated by my beautiful and delicate body? I don't blame you.' He nodded as if his guess was right, which was far from the truth.
Quickly composing himself, Huo Yuhao asked, "Then if you don't want to kill me, then what do you want from me, dragon?"
'First of all, I'm not a dragon.' It corrected with a quick flick of its tail before continuing, 'I'm actually a silkworm baby from the extreme north. Let me introduce myself.' He then began introducing himself with more pizazz than the silver demigod would've liked. 'I am the incarnation of heroism and chivalry, the king of Soul Beasts with both wisdom and beauty, an unparalleled powerhouse, having cultivated for a million years, creating a life span record in Soul Land. I am the illustrious Skydream Ice Silkworm. You can call me Brother Heavenly Dream!' He finished his overly long introduction with a flourish as if expecting an applause.
Huo Yuhao's eyes became the size of saucers. "You're... a million-year-old Soul Beast!" He exclaimed.
A million-year-old Soul Beast actually existed in this world. Just when he thought hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Beasts were the apex creatures in Soul Land, this guy came along.
The Skydream Ice Silkworm puffed its chest up proudly. 'That's right. Pretty amazing, huh? You're the first human to ever see me in my true form.'
Huo Yuhao was still processing the information. He wasn't usually fazed and always thought things rationally, but he was literally standing in front of what amounted to a god in this world with next to no chance of defending himself if it wanted him dead.
"You still haven't answered my question. What do you want with me?" He asked sharply.
The playful tone of the Skydream Ice Silkworm vanished and became dead serious. It was obvious to it that the human didn't like beating around the bush. 'I want to become your Soul Ring. The first unprecedented wisdom Soul Ring in Soul Land.'The Silver Demigod blinked. "...You what?"
A Soul Beast wanting to become a Soul Ring—was this supposed to be a bad attempt at a joke?
He came here looking for a Soul Ring, sure, but his goal was to get a ten-year-old or hundred-year-old one to bring out more of his former powers, but here it was a living, breathing million-year-old Soul Beast, and it was offering to become his Soul Ring. This was too good to be true. He honestly thought it was playing a prank on him.
Regardless of the truth, this guy was batshit insane. There was a limit to how strong the first few Soul Rings for a Soul Master can be, especially for beginners like him. It was common knowledge that a Soul Master's body had a limit to the age of the Soul Rings they could absorb. If they tried, they would die. That's why there weren't fledgling Soul Masters walking around with ten-thousand-year-old black Soul Rings.
Even as a demigod, he didn't want to find out the hard way. He couldn't allow it to become his Soul Ring. 'I need to get a world away from here.' He turned on his heel, limping as fast as his injured body would allow.
'Hey, where are you going?' The Skydream Ice silkworm looked at him curiously.
"Stay the hell away from me!" He limped faster, despite the pain. "You're crazy if you think I'm going to let you become my Soul Ring!"
The Silver Demigod didn't make it far, and the Skydream Ice Silkworm coiled its body around him, preventing him from leaving. "Hey!"
The million-year-old Soul Beast couldn't just let its only chance slip away. 'Oh, c'mon, you won't die. I'll be gentle. It won't hurt... too much.' He then let out a cold breath his way.
Feeling frost beginning to encase his body, Huo Yuhao glared angrily at the Skydream Ice Silkworm. "I said no!" He tried to shoot the silver water needles right at it, but the howling ice-cold winds and ice surrounding his body got to him first.
"You son of a—" His curse was cut short as the wave of extreme cold rushed into his body, and he lost consciousness.
'Don't worry. You'll thank me later.' The ten golden rings across the silkworm's body pulsed like beating hearts.
The million-year-old soul beast wrapped itself closer around the Silver Demigod until it made contact with his forehead. Its crystalline form shimmered, then dissolved into radiant streams that flowed into the demigod's body. Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eyes activated upon contact.
At the same time, the sky darkened with grey clouds, and then—
*LIGHTNING!*
The forest shook as a gray lightning bolt shot down and landed on the Silver Demigod, but he remained unharmed. Instead, there was a gray shadowy wisp burrowing itself in his head.
...
The Skydream Ice Silkworm drifted inside a world of silver. An endless sea stretched beneath him, calm and glimmering, while a pitch-black sky hung overhead, pricked with stars in strange constellations unlike anything from the outside world.
"Such a vast inner world…" The Skydream Ice Silkworm muttered, awe mixing with unease. "His vitality is through the roof… Is this kid even human?" He briefly wondered, but he had more important things to worry about.
Though he'd admit that the silver-haired child's physical body was better than he expected, it was still not enough to handle his power. However, he did sense another kind of power in here. It could definitely work with this.
"The kid has a lot of potential, but it's locked away. How many seals must I place upon myself to enable your body to endure? This is not as easy as I thought it was going to be, but I should manage."
As he was focused on ending the fusion along with placing the appropriate seals, the silkworm failed to notice the golden eyes gleaming behind him.
"Well, well, well... what do we have here?" A dark voice spoke with an amused tone.
The Skydream Ice Silkworm froze. A chill ripped through his body. He tried to move, but fear nailed him in place.
"W-who are you?" He stammered, terror creeping over him. He's never felt such an evil presence of this magnitude before. The closest he could think of was the Black Dragon that once kept it imprisoned.
Towering behind the million-year-old Soul Beast was what can only be described as a monster of gleaming gold, draped in a deep black Greek toga fastened by a yellow snake clip. Its muscular body looked like it was made of molten armor-like skin. Glowing energy coursed around its muscle as if it were alive. Its head bore a menacing Greco-Roman helmet design that was smooth yet angular. Glowing golden eyes blazed like fire, while its mouth shone with a ghostly blue hue as if it were eating life. Resting on his shoulder was a golden scythe.
"That," It began, exhaling a cold mist. "Is above your paygrade, worm."
*PIERCE!*
The silkworm screamed as the golden monster's arm rammed straight through his body. "AAAAHHHHH! AAAAAHHH!" He convulsed in place as agony ripped him apart.
The golden being stared in amusement, enjoying the show. "Well, in any case, since I'm here I might as well help out my grandson by taking out the trash." It chuckled darkly. "Starting with you, you insignificant creature."
Dozens of golden magic circles spun into existence overhead. Lightning rained down, each strike searing the silkworm, cracks of black-gold tearing open across his flesh.
"Wha--what are you doing to me?!" He shrieked as he convulsed wildly. He could feel himself becoming nonexistent all the while its powers were getting pulled out of him.
"Oh, nothing major." It smirked, savoring his torment. "I'm only taking everything away from you." The moment he said it, a gasp look spread across the million-year Soul Beast. "This is a similar spell that my grandson took and improved to use on me, only modified slightly. You know, the person you forced yourself to become his—what'd you call it again? Wisdom Soul Ring? I'm just taking you out of the equation."
A look of terror flashed across the million-year-old Soul Beast's eyes. "No! Please! I'm begging. I'll do anything!" The silkworm struggled wildly, desperate to survive, but the golden being was stronger than him, holding him in place like an executioner about to swing the axe.
"There is no use in struggling, worm. You will become nothing, and I will replace you." He smiled devilishly at the look of despair on its face. It has been too long since he's seen it. Way too long.
Tears streamed down from the Skydream Ice Silkworm's eyes. "Please—gah!...No, I...I still need to save her." He pleaded as the image of a jade green scorpion flashed in his eyes as even more cracks surrounded its body.
But the golden being was unfazed by the big worm's plea. In fact, he was purposely making the process slower just to beat it down further. "Sorry, worm, but three is a crowd. You're not needed."
"No... Bing!" He whispered someone's name before shattering into dust.
The golden magical circles dissolved, their light collapsing into radiant orbs that circled the golden being's body before fusing with him. The same golden markings that were on the silkworm were now on him, spider-webbed across his arms, chest, back, legs, and hands as though he had devoured the million-year-old Soul Beast whole.
His eyes flickered between white-gold and dark gold, glitching as torrents of stolen memory poured into him.
Usually transferring so much information at the same time and so forcefully at that was incredibly dangerous to the psyche, but he merely laughed, "AHAHAHAHA!"
When it stopped, his eyes remained dark gold, and he gave a low chuckle. "So that was your plan. Gotta say, Wormy. You couldn't have picked a worse person to help turn into a god, but I'll make it happen." He grinned, a dark glint in his eyes.
A cyclone of dust engulfed him, and when it cleared, the monstrous form was gone. In its place stood a man—black-bearded, golden-eyed, clad in the same toga, scythe resting casually at his side. He stretched, joints popping, and smiled as if savoring a new dawn.
This was Kronos, the Titan of Time and longtime mentor and guide to his grandson. He had survived.
"Ahh, it is good to be back." His eyes narrowed, glinting with hunger, but before he could celebrate too soon, a moment later, dark clouds formed above him, as if all light had been snuffed out. "What!?" He exclaimed as he looked up at the sky.
*THUNDER!*
*LIGHTNING!*
*THUNDER!*
A series of thundering roars was made, and grey lightning carrying the aura of death cracked in the sky. A look of anger spread across the titan kings face as well as disbelief. Unknown to him, from somewhere far, far away, another entity was stepping into his grandson's inner world, much like the Soul Beast had done before.
Kronos sneered at the grey gas ball above him. It had entered his grandson's mind. "Who dares invade this space!" He brought out his golden scythe, ready to slice that gas ball in two for its transgression. "The boy's mind isn't yours to inhabit. I'll gut you for this insult!"
He then jumped, and with a surge of spiritual fluctuation, one of the many powers that he had robbed from the million-year Soul Beast, he struck in an attempt to expel it out of Perseus. "Disappear!"
*LIGHTNING!*
*BOOM!*
When his scythe made contact with it, a burst of clashing black and gray light spazzed wildly as if a lightning storm was having a crazy dance party. 'What? It's strong enough to counter me… who is this?' He gritted his teeth in irritation.
Sure, he wasn't as strong as he was before, but he was still a divine spirit now absorbed in the power of a million-year-old Soul Beast. Whoever this person was, their soul was in the realm of the divine.
The lightning died down, and Kronos was sent tumbling down. Just before crashing into the water, he stopped by floating. During their clashing, this unknown invader did not fight back and merely defended against his strongest strike at that.
Kronos bared his teeth. "I don't know who you are, but you have no idea what kind of enemy you have made." He raised his golden scythe at it and narrowed his eyes with so much murderous intent the baboon would pale in comparison. "I'll make sure to erase you like I did the worm, and I promise you it will be slow and painful."
But the gray gas wasn't fazed by the threat, only emitting these simple words in response. "My hand grasps the sun and moon and plucks the stars from the sky. This world has no one else like me. I will not be vanquished by the likes of you, vile creature."
The Titan of Time's face stood still, his eye twitched at the not-so-subtle insult and a deep silence ensnared the inner world.
A small bit of laughter echoed throughout these plains before morphing into an enormously insane smile that could not even begin to describe the rage he was feeling. "You're dead!" He gripped his weapon, about ready to see if it could survive a second onslaught but stopped himself at the last minute.
He couldn't use another spiritual impact because he used it inside his grandson's mind, and while he was weakened, it caused some side effects to happen in the real world. Right now, blood was oozing from the boy's eyes, mouth, ears, and nose. If he continued any further, his grandson wouldn't be able to recover.
The Titan did not have the time to waste on this big gray fart. He needed to go talk to Percy. There was a lot they needed to discuss.
Kronos turned his back to the gray ball but turned back and pointed at it. "Tch, I'll deal with you later." He glared before turning back.
The gray ball remained silent, unbothered by the threat, and went into a deep slumber.
...
The ice-cold atmosphere and aura of the one-million-year-old Soul Beast exhibited and covered over a hundred-mile radius, began to shrink at an astronomical rate until vanishing entirely so much so that in the depths of the Xingdou Forest, several powerful Soul Beasts that had recognized it were left stunned when it disappeared. Later in the day they would be sent out to investigate, only to be met with nothing.
A circle of white light quietly emerged beneath Huo Yuhao, revolving three times around his body before fading back into him. At the same time, his body flickered with a silver light, pulsing on and off like a light switch. When it subsided, his wounds were gone. Besides his dirt-stained clothes, he looked completely healed.
The fissure in the ground began to slowly close up, and the ice that covered the grass and the tree had quickly melted away, leaving only Huo Yuhao and the corpse of the horned baboon he had slain in the area.
Everything seemed completely normal, as if the Skydream Ice Silkworm had never been there to begin with.
Before long, two figures raced toward his location with remarkable speed. It was Tang Ya and Bei Bei. Seeing the Silver Demigod sprawled on the ground, they instantly rushed to his side, fear evident on their faces.
"Yuhao!" Bei Bei shouted as he stopped a few inches from him.
"No!" Tang Ya cried as she dropped to her knees. Her hands moved quickly over his body, searching for signs of life. Relief washed over her when she felt his breathing. "He's still breathing."
Bei Bei released the breath he didn't realize he was holding, shoulders relaxing. "Thank goodness. I thought the worst after that explosion." He looked down at Yuhao and shook his head. 'Yuhao, what were you thinking?'
Tang Ya glanced at the scene around them and clenched her fists. "It seems Little Brother Yuhao was attacked by a Soul Beast." A look of anger flashed across her face. "These Soul Beasts are getting bolder and bolder. To think they'd come this close to the forest's edge…"
Investigating the area, Bei Bei spotting the corpse of the Soul Beast, went to it. When he turned it over, he visibly shuddered. "Am I seeing right?" He gave a once-over at the Soul Beast to make sure what he was.
Dead was an understatement. Its entire body was full of unrecoverable damage. It was missing an arm, while the other was mangled, and many, many gaping bloody holes littered its body. Instead of a Soul Master, it was as if the baboon had done battle with another, even fiercer, Soul Beast instead. "Did he really do this...?" He wondered.
He'd have to reevaluate Huo Yuhao's skills.
Straightening, Bei Bei called back, "It's a variant Wind Baboon." He revealed getting a shocked look from Tang Ya.
"He fought a variant Soul Beast!" Her mouth hung open.
Variant Soul Beasts were a new kind of Soul Beast that appeared very recently in the past ten thousand years due to an unknown reason. Compared to normal Soul Beasts, these types had a mutation that set them apart from the rest of their kinds, granting them dangerous abilities, enhanced power, and many other unpredictable traits not normally found. A ten-year variant Soul Beast can contend against a hundred-year Soul Beast. They were extremely dangerous because actively sought out humans to kill or eat.
Variants were not rare occurrences either. Encounters and sightings have been quite frequent. Researchers in the study of Soul Beasts have dubbed them variant Soul Beasts because they surpassed their normal species limits in weird and unexpected ways.
Bei Bei nodded grimly. "Judging by the horns on its head, this one was a variant Wind Baboon. Going by its size and muscle build, it was a ten-years old Soul Beast, but its strength was on par with a hundred." He glanced back at Yuhao. "And he took it down all by himself." Admiration colored his voice.
When he was his age and starting out as a Soul Master, he couldn't even think about challenging a variant by himself without adult supervision. It didn't matter if he had a top-tier Martial Soul or not. The gap between humans and Soul Beasts was that vast.
Bei Bei crouched near Yuhao and noticed the White Tiger Dagger by his wrist. As he picked it up, a faint blue glow spread across his hand, and immediately the same-colored light emerged over the knife.
"This is a Soul Guidance Device. Yuhao must have used it along with his short sword to kill the mutated Wind Baboon. Although it's only ten years old, its physical strength and speed as a variant are very notable. It also has a long-range innate soul skill, which was most likely what we heard earlier. To be able to kill it at his age is no doubt impressive."
While variant Soul Beasts were known for being abnormal, their existence did bring something fortunate. Whenever a Soul Beast is slain, their corpse is the Soul Master's property. From them they can get meat, nails, bones, hides, etc. All of it can be used for something, and that goes double for variant Soul Beast because what they leave behind are very sought-after materials.
For example, the variant Wind Baboon's golden horns, when sold to the right person, can fetch a pretty penny compared to a regular Wind Baboon that didn't even have horns. Their prices were as different as heaven and earth.
Bei Bei continued, "He must've absorbed its Soul Ring before losing consciousness. He must already be at the level of a level one ring Soul Master now."
Tang Ya looked down at Huo Yuhao with a tearful look. "It's my fault. If I hadn't insisted on washing up, we would've been here in time to help." Her eyes began to water as she brought him closer. "I swear, if little Yuhao comes to any harm, I'll never forgive myself. No matter what his talent is like, I'll convince him to join the Tang Sect." Her voice hardened with resolve.
Bei Bei looked at her softly. He admired this sweet kindness most about Tang Ya. "Don't worry. Compared to the variant Wind Baboon, he doesn't seem at all hurt, and there's no bleeding. Most likely the fight depleted him of Soul Power, and he passed out after absorbing the Soul Ring. He should recover in no time with some rest."
Tang Ya shot him a glare, cheeks puffed. "If you knew, why didn't you say so sooner? I was worried half to death!"
Bei Bei lifted his hands with an innocent shrug.
"Hmph." Tang Ya turned away, though her relief was plain. She gently raised Yuhao's head, resting it on her lap.
Bei Bei chuckled as he stood, keeping his senses spread wide. Tang Ya followed his lead, alert. Until Yuhao woke, they would protect him.
Unknown to them, the Silver Demigod was in his mind having a much-needed discussion with his grandfather.
...
..
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(You know, I never really thought much of Tang Ya in the beginning because she didn't strike me as a cool heroine, but I didn't hate her. I was like fifteen when I read Soul Land, so characters were either yay or nay. Bei Bei, on the other hand, was definitely a favorite. I was like, "Lightning dragon, hell yeah!")