"Hmph, that's more like it~"
The Ice Empress snorted twice, quickly regaining her usual haughty demeanor.
Though her words were proud, hearing Ye Feng's assurance inexplicably put her at ease. Her wariness toward him diminished further, while her fondness grew.
...
After some preparations, the trio set off, flying beyond the Land of Extreme North.
Though Ye Feng possessed the ability to Blink, he preferred flying. While teleportation was faster, it somehow robbed the journey of its enjoyment.
As for the Snow Empress…
Ye Feng had no immediate plans.
Convincing the simple-minded Ice Empress had already been difficult enough—persuading the Snow Empress would be even harder. One misstep could backfire, possibly even causing the Ice Empress to reconsider.
For now, Ye Feng decided to settle the Ice Empress first. Once she completed her shape-shifting, he could then bring her along to persuade the Snow Empress—a much safer approach.
"By the way, what did you mean earlier about a breakthrough?" The Ice Empress flew alongside Ye Feng when a thought suddenly struck her, prompting her to ask.
"My cultivation progress unlocks new Bloodline Talents, which automatically transform into human Spirit Ring Skills. So, I don't need to hunt Soul Beasts—I can grow stronger just by utilizing various resources."
Ye Feng didn't hide much, explaining patiently.
"So… if you absorb a bit more of my Source Power, your next Bloodline Talent will awaken?" the Ice Empress pressed.
"Mm~"
Ye Feng responded half-heartedly, his mood clearly dampened by the fact that the last trace of his bloodline remained sealed.
"Young Master, Bi Ji has over 500,000 years' worth of Source Power. Do you need it?"
Before the Ice Empress could decide, Bi Ji quickly interjected.
Only now did she realize that Ye Feng absorbing a Soul Beast's Source Power could yield such benefits. If he needed it, she was more than willing to offer hers!
"Sister Bi Ji, your Soul Power is life-attribute—it's not very effective for me. I'd probably have to drain your Source Power completely…" Ye Feng shook his head.
The reason he could utilize the Ice Empress 's Source Power was because he had fully comprehended the Ice Rule, making the absorption highly efficient.
Though he possessed the [Source of Life] Lexical Trait, his understanding of the life attribute's rules was less than half. Absorbing Bi Ji's Source Power would yield extremely low conversion efficiency.
To break the remaining 0.4% seal, he'd need to deplete at least 300,000 years of Bi Ji's cultivation—far from worthwhile. It'd be better to grind it out slowly; it'd only take a few days anyway.
But if he absorbed the Ice Empress 's Source Power, he'd only need around 50,000 years.
Since she was going to shape-shift anyway, losing 50,000 years of Source Power wouldn't hinder her early stages—it was a negligible sacrifice.
"I see…"
Bi Ji looked slightly disappointed.
"Wait! I—I can do it! If you really need it, you can take the last 50,000 years…"
The Ice Empress suddenly grew anxious, speaking up hastily as if afraid Bi Ji might steal the opportunity.
"Oh? So you agree now?"
Both Ye Feng and Bi Ji stopped, turning to her in surprise.
The Ice Empress felt somewhat uneasy under their intense gazes and said with a hint of guilt, "Actually, shape-shifting at 150,000 years is still a bit challenging. If you extract another 50,000 years of my Source Power, it'll make the transformation easier for me..."
Though she said this, the Ice Empress had already made up her mind.
Even if she had joined Ye Feng's faction, she was still an outsider at the end of the day.
Even if Ye Feng were to ascend to godhood in the future, her entry into the divine realm might be delayed.
After witnessing Bi Ji's display of "unwavering loyalty" earlier, she knew her future standing would inevitably be beneath Bi Ji's—perhaps even lower than Ye Feng's other friends.
After all, in their transaction, Ye Feng had given more, while she had merely received a favor from him.
But if she willingly sacrificed this last 50,000 years of Source Power to help Ye Feng awaken his bloodline talent, it wouldn't exactly be "sending charcoal in snowy weather," but it would undoubtedly earn her significant goodwill in Ye Feng's eyes.
If Ye Feng ever became a god, he might just remember this favor—making it a highly cost-effective move for her.
Her earlier reluctance stemmed from her innate distrust and aversion toward humans.
But after spending time with Ye Feng, she had come to understand his character.
Moreover, the fact that Ye Feng's Soul Rings were all self-condensed, without hunting a single Soul Beast, further elevated her opinion of him.
All these factors combined were the true reasons she was now willing to offer him this final 50,000 years of Source Power!
...
"Alright, in that case, thank you, Sister Ice Empress ~"
Ye Feng licked his lips and once again grasped the Ice Empress 's cold, delicate hand. Channeling his ice-attribute Soul Power, he slowly probed deeper into her body...
Soon, he reached the Source Power she had already opened to him and began absorbing it directly!
The Ice Empress shuddered slightly, her face paling once more.
But she offered no resistance, allowing her Source Power to be steadily drained by Ye Feng.
As Ye Feng absorbed and fused with the energy, his bloodline began unlocking further!
In mere moments, the remaining 0.4% of the seal was completely shattered.
"Boom—"
The next instant, a terrifying aura erupted from Ye Feng's body.
A surge of Soul Power burst forth, forcefully repelling the Ice Empress before enveloping Ye Feng entirely.
Hummmmmm—
Five pitch-black Soul Rings slowly rose from beneath Ye Feng's feet.
"Five Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings... Just how powerful is this?" The Ice Empress covered her mouth in shock, utterly astounded.
Though she was a Soul Beast, she understood human cultivation methods and their general standards.
While most Soul Masters started with mere decade- or century-level Soul Rings, Ye Feng's first ring had already reached the terrifying Ten Thousand Year tier!
His first Soul Ring alone surpassed the combined lifespan of most Soul Masters' entire sets.
And this was after less than a year of cultivation!
If a prodigy like this couldn't become a god, then no human in this world ever could...
Just then, the Ice Empress noticed something strange—Ye Feng's fifth Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring had begun trembling faintly...
Fine cracks even started appearing across its surface.
"What's happening?"
"Why is the Soul Ring cracking?"
The Ice Empress and Bi Ji stared fixedly at the fifth Soul Ring behind Ye Feng, their hearts uneasy, clearly unaware of what was happening.
"Crack—crack—crack—"
As the cracks on the Soul Ring multiplied, faint red light began to seep through the fissures.
"A red Soul Ring... Wait, this is the aura of a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Ring! The Young Master's Soul Ring can actually evolve!!"
Bi Ji was utterly shocked and couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment.
At that very moment, the aura of the Soul Ring abruptly changed, and the cracks on its surface exploded open.
"Crash—"
The pitch-black surface of the Soul Ring instantly turned to dust, replaced by a deep crimson hue!!
Although Ye Feng's Soul Power level hadn't increased, his aura surged dramatically once more!
Profound and boundless, unfathomably deep!
"The Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Ring—success!"
Ye Feng exhaled sharply, his eyes brimming with exhilaration.
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