The Titan Snow Demon King hadn't been doing well lately.
His battle with Xuanzi had left him with some injuries.
Later, after launching the beast tide, he was confronted by many powerful human experts. Though he repelled them, the fight only worsened his wounds.
Fortunately, for the Titan Snow Demon King, such injuries were trivial—far from life-threatening.
Back when the Snow Emperor shattered every bone in his body, he still didn't die—though he had to recuperate for a thousand years.
This time, however, the injuries forced him to calm down. He refrained from personally joining the beast tide outside the Extreme North, knowing full well that humanity had experts capable of threatening his life. Without the environmental advantages of the core region, he might not return alive.
Beast clans knew all too well how treacherous humans could be!
Despite his brutish appearance, he was sharp as a tack.
Of course, the Titan Snow Demon King was still furious, especially at Xuanzi, who had wounded him in the first place.
So, he vented his rage on other humans. Recently, no trespasser who dared enter the core region had left alive.
Naturally, the Titan Snow Demon King didn't bother dealing with them personally.
He had an entire clan!
A single command was all it took for his kin to handle things for him.
Amidst towering mountain ranges, the Titan Snow Demon King flattened a small peak to serve as his throne. His colossal frame, over 120 meters tall, sat imposingly upon it.
Before him, dozens of Titan Snow Demons roamed the mountains—some playing, others resting. Among them were newborns and powerhouses exceeding 100,000 years in cultivation.
Every Titan Snow Demon was massive. Even the infants stood over ten meters tall.
Compared to other soul beasts of the Extreme North, the Titan Snow Demons lived leisurely.
After all, this was the territory of one of the Three Great Overlords—the Titan Snow Demon King's clan. Who would dare attack here? Any beast foolish enough to challenge his authority ended up as food for the clan.
The Titan Snow Demons' enormous size meant their appetites were equally vast—especially the Titan Snow Demon King's. This demand for food limited the clan's growth. Even now, the entire clan numbered barely over a hundred.
But if the king were excluded, the Titan Snow Demon Clan was undoubtedly the strongest in the Extreme North.
Neither the Ice Jade Scorpion Clan nor the Ice Bear Clan could compare!
However, due to their massive food requirements, many adult and prime-aged Titan Snow Demons spent most of their time hunting, rarely gathering together.
Currently, most of the clan members in the mountains were the elderly, the young, and a few guards.
Finally, some of the hunting parties returned, dragging the frozen corpses of soul beasts behind them. The frigid temperatures of the core region had long since hardened the carcasses.
The Titan Snow Demons' diet was broad—they could eat most soul beasts—but they preferred larger prey, like Iceplain Mammoths, for their abundant meat and fat.
"So this is the Titan Snow Demon Clan?"
Hidden atop a distant peak, Huo Yuhao observed the clan while suppressing his aura.
There was no denying it—the Titan Snow Demon Clan was terrifyingly powerful!
Under Huo Yuhao's scrutiny, he noted over sixty ordinary Titan Snow Demons in the territory. More than half exceeded 50,000 years in cultivation—and these were just the females and elders.
The guards numbered around ten, all above 80,000 years, with two surpassing 100,000 years in cultivation and standing over 100 meters tall.
The returning hunters were also all above 50,000 years, including a few 100,000-year-old Titan Snow Demons.
And presiding over it all was the 200,000-year-old Titan Snow Demon King.
Skimming through a book conjured from his memories, the Skydream Iceworm summarized the clan's situation.
"The Titan Snow Demon Clan likely has a little over a hundred members. Their strength comes from having the most 100,000-year-old experts—over ten. The Ice Jade Scorpions and Ice Bears combined don't even come close."
"If all of them gathered, they'd be invincible in the Extreme North. But… judging by the situation, most of their adults are out hunting due to food scarcity. Right now, there are only five 100,000-year-old Titan Snow Demons in the territory, including the returning hunters."
"Though the Titan Snow Demon King is still here. But I recall he enjoys roaming outside and often hunts for food himself."
Closing the book, Skydream turned to Huo Yuhao. "Brother Hao, should we wait for him to leave and ambush him alone?"
After observing the Titan Snow Demon King for a while, Huo Yuhao shook his head.
"From the looks of it, he's recuperating here and won't leave easily."
"Besides…" A smirk crept onto Huo Yuhao's face.
"Skydream, I'm thinking of taking down those 100,000-year-old Titan Snow Demons as well!"
Skydream was stunned by Huo Yuhao's boldness—but quickly rallied behind the idea.
"Brother Hao, that's insane! Count me in!"
If they could wipe out the Titan Snow Demons here, the clan would be as good as extinct. Even if a few 100,000-year-olds remained outside, without their clan's support, they'd be nothing more than stragglers.
And annihilating the Titan Snow Demon Clan? That was the kind of achievement that would make anyone's reputation soar.
Who would dare call him Skydream useless after this?
"Yuhao, how do you plan to do it?" Elder Xuan's voice echoed in Huo Yuhao's mind.
"To defeat the enemy, capture their leader first. Once the Titan Snow Demon King falls, the rest will crumble. As for the method…" Huo Yuhao's gaze settled on the freshly hunted prey.
A bold idea began to take shape.
The Titan Snow Demons delivered their haul to the Titan Snow Demon King, who didn't hoard it for himself. Instead, he distributed the food based on the clan's needs.
The females and young received the most, as they were the clan's future.
The adults came next, ensuring their combat strength remained intact.
Even the elders were given enough to sustain themselves. Intelligent soul beasts didn't abandon their old like wild animals. The experienced elders served as mentors, passing down hunting and survival knowledge to the next generation.
Of course, the Titan Snow Demon King kept the remaining half for himself.
As the clan's leader, strongest warrior, and protector, no one questioned his right to the largest share.
When it came to managing a clan, the Titan Snow Demon King was the most astute among the Three Great Overlords—so much so that even the Snow Emperor had praised him.
Under his rule, the clan had flourished, producing over ten 100,000-year-old experts and earning a reputation of invincibility.
The Titan Snow Demon Clan revered their king without question.
With food secured, the atmosphere grew even livelier.
Watching his clan rejoice, the Titan Snow Demon King smiled before digging into his own meal.
"Hm? Such a huge centipede? Rare. Let's see how it tastes."
"Chew~ chew~ (￣～￣) chew!"
"This centipede tastes awful! And there's so little meat—it's all hard and gristly. What a waste of such a huge body!" The Titan Snow Demon King grumbled in dissatisfaction. Still, it didn't waste food and swallowed the giant centipede whole.
Then, the Titan Snow Demon King picked up its favorite—an Icefield Mammoth—ripped off a leg, and began chewing voraciously.
A ten-thousand-year Icefield Mammoth was no different from a roasted chicken in the hands of the Titan Snow Demon King.
The frozen, rock-hard meat crunched like candy between its teeth, effortlessly crushed as frozen fat and juices oozed out, satisfying its taste buds.
A look of contentment spread across the Titan Snow Demon King's face.
What it didn't realize, however, was that something unclean had quietly slipped into its stomach.
Inside the Titan Snow Demon King's stomach, corrosive gastric fluids filled the space, slowly breaking down the flesh of the swallowed spirit beasts—including the giant centipede it had just devoured.
But as the centipede dissolved, it suddenly turned into icy debris and vanished, leaving behind only a sphere of Ultimate Ice. Something seemed to be hidden within it.
Abruptly, the ice sphere floated up and shattered on its own, revealing a twisted humanoid figure.
It was Huo Yuhao!
Huo Yuhao hovered in the stomach cavity, his body contorting unnaturally as if boneless, shifting from a spherical shape back into human form.
This was merely a simple bone-compression technique—meant to reduce his size and avoid being bitten or spat out.
If the Titan Snow Demon King had tried to regurgitate him, Huo Yuhao would have had no choice but to act preemptively, diving deeper into its belly.
Fortunately, his gamble paid off.
The "giant centipede" earlier had been nothing more than an illusion—far inferior to the Dream Butterfly's transformation abilities, but enough to deceive the unsuspecting Titan Snow Demon King.
It looked like a centipede, tasted like a centipede, but in reality, it was just a shell of ice particles.
"Success!" A glint of triumph flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes, but he didn't let his guard down. This was only the first step of his plan.
Next, he intended to launch an internal assault on the Titan Snow Demon King.
"The Titan Snow Demon King's body is incredibly tough, but I refuse to believe its insides are just as strong! Even the hardest man is soft on the inside!" Huo Yuhao mused silently.
Summoning his Mutant Frost Centipede spirit, he began poisoning the Titan Snow Demon King from within.
The Ultimate Toxin seeped into its flesh, spreading frostbite and numbing its senses.
The Titan Snow Demon King, still blissfully enjoying its meal, remained oblivious to the impending danger.
This was what they called disaster entering through the mouth!
While the Mutant Frost Centipede worked its venom, Huo Yuhao retrieved the remaining twenty-thousand-year ice-attribute spirit bone, preparing to fuse it with his left arm bone.
He had sensed earlier that breaking through the 200,000-year threshold for his left arm bone might trigger an anomaly. Now, inside the Titan Snow Demon King's stomach, he decided to test that theory.
If something did go wrong, it would at least deal additional damage to the Titan Snow Demon King.
No time to waste.
Using Ultimate Ice to create a platform, Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged and activated the Bone Fusion Art.
"Aghhh—Uwaaaah—!"
The Bone Fusion Art inflicted excruciating pain on the bone spirit, but it also brought growth—the spirit bone's age directly correlated with the bone spirit's power!
Pain and pleasure intertwined~
Nearby, the Tyrannosaurus bone spirit watched Ahui's suffering with a mocking grin.
Watching another bone spirit endure torment brought it immense satisfaction.
This fusion process took far longer than usual.
Half an hour later…
The twenty-thousand-year spirit bone fully merged, and the Glacial Radiance Left Arm Bone officially broke through to 210,000 years!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Waves of spirit power erupted, surging through Huo Yuhao's body. His expression shifted slightly.
The 200,000-year spirit power fluctuations would have severely injured an average person, but Huo Yuhao's physique withstood the impact. Instead, the energy surge tempered his body, further enhancing his constitution!
The most significant change, however, was in Ahui—who had now officially reached the level of a 200,000-year spirit beast!
Ahui's phantom emerged from the spirit bone, hovering above Huo Yuhao's head and radiating the aura of a 200,000-year spirit beast.
The Tyrannosaurus suddenly felt a pang of envy.
But Ahui's joy was short-lived. Its face paled as it cried out, "Boss Huo, we've got a problem!"
"What's wrong?" Huo Yuhao asked urgently.
"It's—it's the 200,000-year tribulation! I'm not even a spirit beast anymore—why is the tribulation still targeting me?!" Ahui wailed.
Back then, it had faked its death precisely because it lacked the confidence to survive the 200,000-year tribulation. Now, the tribulation was back—had its sacrifice been for nothing?!
That a bone spirit's breakthrough to 200,000 years was calculated based on its spirit beast age was something Huo Yuhao hadn't anticipated.
After a brief silence, Huo Yuhao reassured, "Ahui, calm down. We're inside the Titan Snow Demon King's body. It'll take the first hit, not you."
Ahui, who had been on the verge of tears, blinked. "...Oh. Right."
Meanwhile, outside, the Titan Snow Demon King was the one on the verge of tears.
Staring at the gathering 200,000-year tribulation clouds above, it was utterly dumbfounded.
"Didn't I already survive my 200,000-year tribulation?! Since when do we get second rounds?!"
Panic set in.
But there was no time to dwell on the reason.
It tossed aside its meal and bellowed to its still-confused clan members in the mountains, "All of you—evacuate the territory immediately!"
Though worried and puzzled, the Titan Snow Demons obeyed their king's command, gathering their families and sprinting away from the mountain range.
The stampede of massive snow demons shook the earth, triggering avalanches and landslides in their wake.
The Titan Snow Demon King rose from its throne, its hundred-meter-tall body standing defiantly against the 200,000-year tribulation.
"So what if it's a second tribulation? Or even a third? A mere 200,000-year trial thinks it can challenge me?!"
Surviving a 300,000-year tribulation might be uncertain, but the Titan Snow Demon King had zero doubts about conquering this one. Its current strength far surpassed what it had been during its first tribulation. Even with injuries, its power remained undiminished.
Finally, the lightning struck!
BOOM—!
The moment the 200,000-year tribulation took form, it stirred the attention of numerous powerhouses in the core regions of the Extreme North—especially the Snow Empress and Ice Empress.
"A 200,000-year tribulation? That's coming from the Titan Snow Demon clan's territory. Did one of them break through?" The Snow Empress frowned in confusion.
The Ice Empress was equally curious.
They both decided to investigate.
If the Extreme North truly gained another 200,000-year凶兽, it would be a boon for the entire region.
Even if the Titan Snow Demon clan ended up with two凶兽, it wouldn't disrupt the balance of power among the Three Great Overlords.
However, when they arrived at the Titan Snow Demon territory, they found only fleeing snow demons—with no sign of the Titan Snow Demon King.
The Ice Empress grabbed a 100,000-year Titan Snow Demon and demanded answers, only to be shocked by the revelation: the one undergoing the tribulation wasn't another clan member—it was their king, who had already surpassed 200,000 years.
"How is that possible?!"
A bolt of lightning descended, carrying immense destructive force, obliterating nearby mountaintops.
The Titan Snow Demon King, standing at a towering height of 120 meters, remained unyielding as it bathed in the lightning.
But heavenly tribulation was still heavenly tribulation. Even though the Titan Snow Demon King had grown stronger over the years, it was still inherently restrained by the tribulation. Thus, it was wounded. Its massive body was now covered in icy-blue blood, its once-imposing form riddled with scars, a pitiful sight.
Yet, the heavenly tribulation had failed to bring the Titan Snow Demon King to its knees.
Wiping the blood from its face, the Titan Snow Demon King gazed at the gathering final strike of the tribulation, a hint of resignation in its heart.
"This time, my injuries will take at least a hundred years to recover from."
But it was the Titan Snow Demon King! One of the Three Great Overlords of the Extreme North! A descendant of the Ice God!
This tribulation had not been without gains. Amidst the lightning, its body had grown even stronger, and its understanding of the heavenly tribulation had deepened. It now had greater confidence in breaking through to the 300,000-year threshold and surviving the tribulation that came with it!
"Come at me, tribulation!!" The Titan Snow Demon King roared defiantly at the sky, utterly fearless.
As if in response, the final and most devastating bolt of lightning struck down.
Just as the Titan Snow Demon King prepared to muster its strength to resist, its body suddenly stiffened. Its soul power circulation faltered, and its strength ebbed away like a receding tide.
A look of terror flashed across the Titan Snow Demon King's face, its eyes filled with disbelief. "What's happening?!"
It was the effect of the Ultimate Poison taking hold!
And so, defenseless, the Titan Snow Demon King was struck by the final, most powerful bolt of heavenly lightning. Its unyielding body was finally brought low, grievously wounded.
At the same time, an overwhelming spiritual force invaded the Titan Snow Demon King's mental sea.
All it saw was the phantom of a colossal centipede soaring into its mind, atop which sat a majestic figure radiating golden light, flanked by a silkworm, a tiger, and a turtle.
"No… this is bad…" A surge of panic gripped the Titan Snow Demon King as it realized it had been targeted by a hidden enemy. Fury boiled within it.
It wanted to fight back, but it was already too late.
Chants of Buddhist scriptures seeped into its ears.
"Namo, Namo, Amitabha… Namo, Namo, Amitabha…"
"Lay down your blade, and you shall attain enlightenment…"
The chants sapped its will, dragging the Titan Snow Demon King's consciousness into darkness.
With immense unwillingness, the Titan Snow Demon King's breath finally ceased.
Beyond the mountain range…
The moment the heavenly tribulation dissipated and the Titan Snow Demon King's aura fluctuated, the Snow Empress and Ice Empress' expressions shifted.
Suspecting something had happened to the Titan Snow Demon King, they immediately rushed into the mountains, followed by the entire tribe of Titan Snow Demons, all deeply concerned for their leader.
Yet, when they found the Titan Snow Demon King, all they saw was its battered form sitting on its throne, breathing heavily amidst the devastation left behind by the 200,000-year tribulation.
It seemed as though the Titan Snow Demon King had expended much energy in the tribulation but showed no signs of mortal danger.
In fact, its aura had grown even stronger.
Most strikingly, the energy radiating from the Titan Snow Demon King now carried a sense of threat that even the Snow Empress and Ice Empress could feel!
The Ice Empress, never one for restraint, demanded bluntly, "Titan Snow Demon King, what exactly happened? Why did you undergo another 200,000-year tribulation? And why does your aura now feel threatening even to me?!"
The Ice Empress had always held a grudge against the Titan Snow Demon King—after all, the Titan Snow Demon King had once confessed its feelings to the Snow Empress, something even the Ice Empress herself had yet to muster the courage to do!
Even if she sensed danger from the Titan Snow Demon King now, the Ice Empress was not afraid of it.
In response to her questioning, the Titan Snow Demon King remained calm, its voice rumbling, "Snow Empress, Ice Empress, you've arrived. I merely obtained a treasure that enhanced my strength, and due to certain circumstances, underwent another 200,000-year tribulation."
"I am not in the best condition now, so forgive me for not entertaining you further."
Normally, the Titan Snow Demon King would have shown reverence to the Snow Empress—in the past, even a glance from her would have elated it for days.
But now, its casual demeanor suggested an arrogance born from its newfound power.
Shifts in personality were not uncommon among soul beasts, as they lived by the law of the strong.
The Snow Empress, born from the natural essence of ice and snow, held a special status in the Extreme North. But the Titan Snow Demon King, with its lineage of the Ice God, no longer saw itself as inferior.
However, deep within its gaze lurked wariness—its current state was far from ideal.
"Titan Snow Demon King, are you seeking death?!" The Ice Empress flared up, ready to attack.
But the Snow Empress raised a hand to stop her.
Her voice, as always, was cool and composed. "If that is the case, A'Tai, then the Ice Empress and I shall take our leave. Once you've recovered, I hope you will visit my territory for a discussion."
Finally, the Snow Empress fixed the Titan Snow Demon King with a deep look and added, "The Extreme North is a land of purity. All soul beasts here are family."
"A'Tai understands. When the Snow Empress summons, A'Tai will surely come! We can discuss matters in detail then!" The Titan Snow Demon King's tone softened slightly this time.
The Snow Empress nodded and led the indignant Ice Empress away.
Once they were gone, the Ice Empress turned to the Snow Empress, puzzled. "Xue'er, why didn't we seize this chance to subdue the Titan Snow Demon King? It dared to disrespect you—it's clearly rebelling!"
The Snow Empress shook her head. "Bing'er, the Three Great Overlords of the Extreme North must not turn against each other. Even if the Titan Snow Demon King rebels in the future, if I am no match for it, I will willingly cede my position. I simply do not wish for the Extreme North to be ravaged by our conflict."
"But…" The Ice Empress clenched her teeth. "You sensed it too, didn't you? If we could uncover the secret behind its power, we might stand a chance against our next tribulations!"
"Bing'er, that is A'Tai's fortune. We cannot take it by force. Let us speak no more of this." The Snow Empress shook her head again.
She had indeed sensed the threat emanating from the Titan Snow Demon King, but she knew that even if they subdued it, there was no guarantee they would gain anything.
Some opportunities, once used, could not be extracted again.
Moreover, the Titan Snow Demon King's resistance could spark internal strife in the Extreme North. If the Titan Snow Demon tribe were to revolt, it would spell disaster for the other soul beasts—even the Ice Jade Scorpions and the Ice Bears would suffer.
Thus, the Snow Empress chose to leave, leaving fate to its course.
The Ice Empress, still resentful, glanced back at the Titan Snow Demon tribe's mountain range before reluctantly following the Snow Empress away.
Little did they know, deep within those mountains…
A young man and a giant insect were watching them depart with reluctant gazes.
Perched on the Titan Snow Demon King's shoulder…
"Snow Empress, Ice Empress, the eighth and ninth soul rings of my Mutant Frost Centipede martial soul are reserved for you. I believe we will meet again soon!" Huo Yuhao withdrew his gaze and turned to the Heavenly Dream Iceworm's spiritual avatar beside him.
Seeing the longing in its eyes, Huo Yuhao sighed. "Brother Tianmeng, snap out of it! Are you still unable to forget the Ice Empress?"
The Heavenly Dream Iceworm retracted its gaze and sighed deeply. "Little Yuhao, a million years of yearning cannot be erased so easily. But… this time, the excitement isn't as overwhelming as before."
"Oh?" Huo Yuhao grew curious. "Why is that?"
The SkyDream Iceworm looked at him solemnly. "Because now, they are your enemies. And just now, they even considered making a move against your prey. Hmph… it doesn't sit right with me."
Huo Yuhao's smile froze for a moment. He turned away, gazing into the distance, and fell into a long silence.
Next came the time for rewards!
The Titan Snow Demon King swept his gaze over his clansmen below, who were looking at him curiously, and spoke in a deep, resonant voice, "My people, fear not! Your king has gained tremendous benefits this time. Now, I must digest these gains, and the process may be dangerous."
"Therefore, I need all of you to wait outside the mountain range. Do not enter until I summon you, lest you be accidentally harmed."
Hearing that their chieftain had grown even stronger, the Titan Snow Demons were overjoyed, nodding enthusiastically.
Several hundred-thousand-year Titan Snow Demons also rumbled in agreement, vowing to guard the mountain range and ensure no other soul beasts would disturb their king.
The Titan Snow Demon King nodded in satisfaction.
The Titan Snow Demons then left the mountains with their families—no longer in panic, but in high spirits.
Soon, the mountain range fell into complete silence.
After confirming that all the Titan Snow Demons had left and that no one was spying, the Titan Snow Demon King's figure suddenly twisted. In the next second, it transformed into a massive centipede coiled atop the former throne—none other than the Mutant Frost Centipede martial soul!
The ability just used was none other than the divine skill—Heavenly Mirage Transformation!
Meanwhile, in a previously empty spot nearby, the scenery also twisted and warped, revealing the truth hidden beneath the illusion.
The real Titan Snow Demon King lay there—but only as a corpse! A blood-red 200,000-year soul ring hovered above the body, waiting for Huo Yuhao to absorb it.
The Heavenly Dream Iceworm's simulation ability had concealed the Titan Snow Demon King's corpse, deceiving even the Snow Empress and Ice Empress.
The Snow Empress and Ice Empress had arrived too quickly—Huo Yuhao hadn't had enough time to fully dominate the Titan Snow Demon King's will, leaving him no choice but to resort to this elaborate deception.
Elder Yi, the Golden Tortoise, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, Ahui, and the Tyrannical Dragon all emerged.
"So this is the soul ring of a 200,000-year soul beast?" Ahui exclaimed in awe, though a hint of melancholy tinged his voice. "I've reached 200,000 years myself now. If I had a soul ring, it'd probably look like this too."
"Before Brother Hao, even a 200,000-year soul beast meets its end," the Golden Tortoise flattered shamelessly.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion wasn't particularly emotional—it wasn't familiar with the Titan Snow Demon King.
The Tyrannical Dragon even considered taking a few bites out of the corpse.
Elder Yi had already set up formations to mask the soul power fluctuations before turning to Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, you may begin absorbing the soul ring now."
Huo Yuhao nodded.
Then, he turned his attention to the Mutant Frost Centipede martial soul.
The Mutant Frost Centipede moved autonomously, coiling on the ground as it began drawing in the 200,000-year soul ring of the Titan Snow Demon King, initiating the absorption process.
A martial soul absorbing a soul ring on its own—this was the unique trait of the Mutant Frost Centipede. However, it still placed demands on Huo Yuhao's physical constitution and strength.
While the Mutant Frost Centipede absorbed the soul ring, Huo Yuhao didn't idle. He summoned the Ghost Banner martial soul and pulled the Titan Snow Demon King's soul into it.
The moment the Titan Snow Demon King's soul transformed into a ghost, it attempted to resist Huo Yuhao. Having been deceived and killed, the Titan Snow Demon King burned with rage.
But Huo Yuhao only needed to exert a fraction of his power to suppress it completely.
"Titan Snow Demon King, the victor becomes king, the loser a bandit. You've lost. Submit willingly, and I'll lead you to godhood in the future. Otherwise—annihilation."
Though the Titan Snow Demon King wasn't qualified to serve as the Ghost Banner's primary spirit, it was still a formidable addition. Moreover, barring unforeseen circumstances, it would become the spirit of its own soul bone. Hence, Huo Yuhao was willing to spare a few more words.
But clearly, the Titan Snow Demon King was stubborn.
"Treacherous human! Titans shall never be enslaved! I'll kill you!"
Huo Yuhao played his trump card: "Titan Snow Demon King… surely you don't want anything to happen to your clansmen, do you?"
The Titan Snow Demon King: "..."
Its clansmen were indeed its weakness.
Then, Huo Yuhao stoked the flames further by revealing the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. "This is the Beast of Fortune from the Star Dou Forest. Now, she's mine. Follow me, and the bare minimum you'll achieve is becoming a World Lord. The choice is yours!"
"W-what do you mean, yours?!" the Three-Eyed Golden Lion immediately protested.
Huo Yuhao ignored her.
The Titan Snow Demon King, however, sensed the aura of the Beast of Fortune radiating from the Three-Eyed Golden Lion and was struck speechless.
The Golden Tortoise adjusted its shell, then waddled toward the Titan Snow Demon King. "The Golden Negotiator Tortoise requests to engage!"
For added persuasion, it brought Ahui along.
Huo Yuhao withdrew his consciousness from the Ghost Banner and began processing the Titan Snow Demon King's corpse.
A soul bone was excavated from the body.
Surprisingly, it wasn't a torso bone—but a right arm bone.
Huo Yuhao had assumed the physically powerful Titan Snow Demon King would produce a torso bone capable of greatly enhancing his physique.
Fusing it with other Titan Snow Demon soul bones to elevate its age to at least 500,000 years would have made it a decent torso bone.
But it didn't matter. He'd absorb it anyway.
At the same time, the Snow Lotus' roots extended, devouring the Titan Snow Demon King's flesh.
Thus, the Mutant Frost Centipede absorbed the soul ring, Huo Yuhao absorbed the soul bone, and the Snow Lotus absorbed the flesh's essence.
The Heavenly Dream Iceworm and Elder Yi stood guard.
The Golden Tortoise, Three-Eyed Golden Lion, and Ahui worked to persuade the Titan Snow Demon King.
The Tyrannical Dragon? It was busy gnawing on He Caitou.
He Caitou, now at the Soul Emperor level, had grown more intelligent. He reacted to the Tyrannical Dragon's harassment—though only by swinging his fists in a brawl, never resorting to his martial soul.
Two full hours passed.
Huo Yuhao's soul power suddenly surged violently.
The Mutant Frost Centipede had fully absorbed the soul ring, and his soul power skyrocketed—breaking through directly to level 80!
Since Huo Yuhao had also finished absorbing the soul bone, and the Snow Lotus had infused the flesh's essence into his body...
Coupled with his previous accumulations...
Breaking through to level 80 was effortless.
Moreover, his physical constitution had reached a level nearing that of a peak assault-type Title Douluo—almost catching up to his conventional mental power.
This was partly due to the Titan Snow Demon King's fleshly essence.
The Mutant Frost Centipede stretched, its body expanding beyond its previous 9-meter limit—soaring to 19 meters!
This was the influence of the Titan bloodline, allowing the Mutant Frost Centipede to surpass its racial limits. But this wasn't the full extent of the Titan Snow Demon King's benefits.
"Frost Centipede—Armor Manifestation!" Huo Yuhao commanded.
The Mutant Frost Centipede shattered instantly, transforming into segments of armor that streamed toward Huo Yuhao, encasing him in a full suit.
Including:
Lower-body armor forged from the White Tiger's bloodline.
Upper-body armor forged from the Golden Tortoise's bloodline.
A helmet forged from the Evil Fire Phoenix's bloodline.
Greaves forged from the Ice Radiance Dragon's bloodline.
Spiked components added by the Thornfrost Snow Centipede's external soul bone for damage reflection.
This time, two new additions came from the Titan Snow Demon King's bloodlines—the Titan bloodline and the so-called Ice God bloodline.
That's right—the Titan Snow Demon King's bloodline had contributed two new components to the Frost Centipede Armor!
The Titan bloodline condensed into a pair of wrist guards.
The Ice God bloodline formed a single ice-blue gem, embedded at the center of the Each piece of the Frost Centipede Armor had its own unique effects.
The White Tiger lower-body armor enhanced agility, the Golden Hawksbill upper-body armor boosted defense, the Evil Fire Phoenix helmet resisted mental interference and could even counter-affect opponents, the Glacial Radiance Dragon foot armor increased the lethality of kicks, and the Thorny Snow Centipede spikes reflected physical damage while poisoning enemies.
The two newly added components also had impressive abilities.
The Titan Wristbands strengthened wrist power.
The Ice God Gem enhanced ice-attribute power and control, and could even unleash a powerful ice-attribute beam attack.
Huo Yuhao wasn't sure whether the condensed Ice God's bloodline within the gem truly originated from the Ice God, as there was no divine aura in the bloodline. However, he could sense that it contained immense power and granted extraordinary mastery over ice elements.
The bloodline was indeed powerful, but the concentration of the Ice God's bloodline within the Titan Snow Demon King wasn't as abundant as he had hoped.
Still, it was far richer than the Golden Dragon King bloodline he had extracted from the Tyrant Dragon.
Next were the soul ring abilities.
The 200,000-year seventh soul ring granted only one soul skill—the Martial Soul True Body.
However, its effects were exceptionally potent, far surpassing the amplification of an ordinary Martial Soul True Body. Moreover, it had two forms.
The first was the Mutant Frost Centipede activating its Martial Soul True Body independently, causing its body to grow even larger and drastically enhancing its combat capabilities in every aspect.
The second was activating the Martial Soul True Body while in the Frost Centipede Armor state, where the amplification would instead be applied to Huo Yuhao himself.
Of course, in the Martial Soul True Body state, he could freely use the soul skills from his first six soul rings.
Amplification abilities were Huo Yuhao's favorite. As long as he could withstand the pressure from the enhancements, he could keep stacking them indefinitely. With full amplification active now, he was confident he could go toe-to-toe with Elder Mu.
Next was the right arm soul bone skill.
The soul bone carried the Titan Snow Demon King's two most powerful soul skills, which it had once used during its battle with Xuan Zi. However, since they were now manifested through a soul bone, the skills had undergone some changes.
Soul Bone Skill 1: Titan Demon Light Cannon—Condenses soul power in the right arm to unleash a devastating energy blast capable of piercing through anything.
Soul Bone Skill 2: Ice God Snow Demon Transformation—Boosts all attributes by 200%, but sends the user into a frenzied state with diminished rationality.
One was an offensive skill, the other a reinforcement skill—both quite useful.
But the soul skills were secondary. What truly mattered was the enhancement the soul bone provided to Huo Yuhao's physique.
After this upgrade, Huo Yuhao's physical constitution had improved dramatically, reaching a level where he could now absorb a 300,000-year soul beast's soul ring!
This was most evident in the fact that the first soul ring of his Mutant Frost Centipede Martial Soul had broken through to 300,000 years!
"Still, a 300,000-year tolerance isn't enough to absorb the Ice Empress' 400,000-year soul ring. I'll need to further improve my physique." Huo Yuhao's thoughts turned to the Titan Snow Demon clan beyond the mountain range.
But before that, Huo Yuhao directed his consciousness into the Ghost Banner Martial Soul to check on the Titan Snow Demon King's condition.
The Titan Snow Demon King was no longer frenzied. It sat silently on the ground, its 100-meter-tall frame towering even while seated, dwarfing most other soul beasts. The Tyrant Dragon seemed almost insignificant in comparison.
However, the Tyrant Dragon was quite interested in the Titan Snow Demon King.
It had already grown tired of playing with He Caitou and now wanted to spar with the Titan Snow Demon King.
The Golden Hawksbill waddled over to Huo Yuhao on its turtle legs and said smugly, "Brother Hao, it's basically settled!"
"Good work, little turtle~" Huo Yuhao replied with a smile.
"At your service, Brother Hao!"
A Hui, however, wasn't satisfied. "Hey, we helped too—me and the Beast of Fortune!"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion snorted. "I wasn't helping him!" It then turned around, presenting its fluffy rear to Huo Yuhao.
The Golden Hawksbill chuckled. "This old turtle just omitted some unimportant subjects, that's all."
A Hui glared. "You overgrown tortoise, looking for a fight?"
"Try breaking my defense first~"
"You %￥#@…"
"Look at you, getting all worked up~"
"..."
Ignoring the bickering between the Golden Hawksbill and A Hui, Huo Yuhao gave the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's fluffy rear a quick rub before walking up to the Titan Snow Demon King.
Behind him, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion cursed indignantly at the unwanted petting.
"Human," the Titan Snow Demon King rumbled. Its willingness to speak first already indicated its stance.
"I prefer being called Brother Hao."
"..." The Titan Snow Demon King clenched its fists briefly before reluctantly uttering, "Bro… Brother Hao."
"Mhm~" Huo Yuhao drew out the syllable before asking, "So, you've chosen to submit?"
The Titan Snow Demon King fell into another long silence before finally rising to its feet. Then, with a thunderous crash like a collapsing mountain, it dropped to its knees before Huo Yuhao, prostrating itself in sorrow.
"Please… please spare my Titan Snow Demon clan, Brother Hao! From now on, I, the Titan Snow Demon King, will obey your every command without hesitation!"
"I have to admit, you're a good clan leader. But you should know—that's impossible." Huo Yuhao's smile didn't waver, nor did his tone change, but his words sounded utterly merciless to the Titan Snow Demon King.
The Titan Snow Demon King lifted its head, lips trembling as it stared at Huo Yuhao. It opened its mouth but ultimately couldn't muster a response.
The Golden Hawksbill had already laid out the truth for it.
Following Huo Yuhao guaranteed divinity—at the very least, lordship over a realm, with infinite lifespan and control over an entire plane. Because Huo Yuhao was extraordinary by nature.
Moreover, Huo Yuhao had already grown powerful enough that the risk of him falling prematurely was negligible.
With the Beast of Fortune's assistance, the day Huo Yuhao reached the pinnacle wouldn't be far off.
The Titan Snow Demon King and its clan were but stepping stones on Huo Yuhao's path to supremacy.
Joining now would make them allies, ensuring a brighter future. Refusal, however, would only invite ruthless methods to subjugate the Titan Snow Demon clan.
But the Titan Snow Demon King didn't want its clansmen to end up like the mindless spirits around them, doomed to an eternity of senseless wandering.
Unable to resist, it could only seek whatever mercy it could in reluctant acceptance.
Thus, the Titan Snow Demon King had gambled on Huo Yuhao's kindness.
Yet the truth was—Huo Yuhao had no kindness to spare.
However, Huo Yuhao now knew how to manipulate the Titan Snow Demon King.
Crafting soul bones still required the Titan Snow Demon King's cooperation, and the combat prowess of the Titan Snow Demon clan was indeed formidable.
In the future, when facing the four great empires, Huo Yuhao would inevitably clash with their armies. He would need a powerful, loyal force of his own.
The spirits within the Ghost Banner Martial Soul were strong, but most lacked rationality and could easily be countered by enemies with advantageous attributes.
"The Titan Snow Demon clan is mine. Not even the Snow Empress can stop me from claiming them!"
"However, your clan is indeed impressive. I plan to use their souls to forge another artifact. If successful, your clansmen's souls will retain their sentience and even retain the potential to grow stronger in the future."
As expected, a glimmer of hope flashed in the Titan Snow Demon King's eyes. "If… if that's truly possible, then I, the Titan Snow Demon King, am willing to bow in submission."
"Heh, this isn't a negotiation. It's my plan, and you have no choice but to accept it—with gratitude." Huo Yuhao's lips curled into a smile.