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"W-what the hell are these spirit beasts?!"
Oscar stared at the wriggling mass of worm-like creatures before him, his heart sinking into despair.
"Master, it seems your disciple will die before his time… Don't grieve for me. I have no regrets becoming your pupil."
At that moment, Oscar resigned himself to fate. Closing his eyes, he silently began to draft his own last words.
Those creatures weren't just worm-like—no, they were worms. Ice Silkworms.
They gave Oscar, the outsider, only a passing glance. Sensing no threat from him, they indifferently turned away and went back to devouring the strange food piled before them.
Eyes shut tight, Oscar heard nothing but the ceaseless gnawing and crunching. Yet his body remained untouched.
After a long while, impatience gnawed at him. They're… not interested in me? Why aren't they attacking?
Of course, it was no wonder he thought so.
In the Frozen Forest, most spirit beasts pounced on humans like starving wolves spotting prey.
Time dragged on, every second like a year. At last, Oscar couldn't endure the suspense any longer. He opened his eyes—
Only to find the Ice Silkworms feasting with relish, ignoring his very existence.
At once, Oscar felt utterly insulted.
"What… what kind of spirit beasts are these? Why won't they eat me?!"
As he muttered in confusion, a shadow quietly loomed behind him, watching silently.
Oscar exhaled in relief. For some reason, he even sounded expectant as he spoke:
"Yes, that's more like it. I knew I'd be appealing to something at least."
He closed his eyes again, waiting for death to claim him.
But the Ice Silkworm behind him only tilted its oversized head, round eyes full of puzzlement.
What's wrong with this human? Why is he blocking my path? If I don't get by, the food will be gone.
Paying him no more attention, the creature turned aside and lumbered toward its meal.
Oscar sensed the movement, his face twitching uncontrollably at the corners.
No way… Even this one's not interested in me?!
Meanwhile, up on the snowy surface, Lan Minghua was struggling not to burst out laughing.
"I have to admit, these Ice Silkworms are like the capybaras of the spirit beast world—the most unflappable creatures alive."
Though spirit beasts, the silkworms' diet simply did not include humans.
To them, Oscar was neither threat nor meal.
Even if he posed some danger, they would likely just squirm away rather than bother fighting.
Lan Minghua hadn't expected it at all—Oscar had blundered his way into stumbling across a colony of Ice Silkworms.
Or rather… the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworms.
This species uniquely enhanced human spiritual power, a trait no other spirit beast possessed.
Lan Minghua had been worrying. Oscar and the others were about to attempt absorbing ten-thousand-year spirit rings as their fourth rings—something inherently dangerous.
Even with Beiming Divine Art sharing the burden, whether the process succeeded still depended on the individual's spiritual power.
Not even Lan Minghua himself could directly help them strengthen that.
Tang San, with the spiritual strength of two lifetimes, had barely managed it himself.
But with aid from the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworms, Oscar and the others could raise their spiritual strength just enough. That way, they could safely absorb a ten-thousand-year ring as their fourth.
Some might argue: But don't you need to absorb a Heavenly Dream Silkworm as a ring to gain its spiritual boost?
Not necessarily—that was simply the perfect method.
These silkworms were themselves walking masses of spirit energy. Even if Beiming Divine Art absorbed them inefficiently, it was still enough.
Oscar and his companions already had decent spirit power. With just a little more, the impossible would become possible.
It wasn't a permanent method of growth, but it was enough to break through their immediate bottleneck.
At that thought, Lan Minghua used his Thousand-Mile Voice Transmission to reach Oscar.
"Oscar, stay put and heal. Don't scare those Ice Silkworms away. Wait for me."
The sudden voice ringing in his ear made Oscar nearly leap out of his skin.
Frantically scanning the cavern, bewildered, he asked:
"Master? I can hear you, but why can't I see you?"
"I'm still up on the ice, you fool. If you could see me from there, wouldn't that be terrifying? This is the Thousand-Mile Voice Transmission of the Heavenly Dragon Sect." Lan Minghua's tone was teasing.
Oscar's eyes sparkled like stars.
"Master, can I learn that too?!"
"Of course. Every disciple of the Heavenly Dragon Sect can. But for now, just sit tight and focus on healing. I'll bring your fourth spirit ring's beast to you."
After giving some more instructions, Lan Minghua ended the transmission.
Obediently, Oscar crossed his legs and began recovering inside the Ice Silkworm den.
By this time, Lan Minghua had already hunted down a ten-thousand-year Frost Leopard and a ten-thousand-year Frostscale Ice Python.
These two would serve as Zhu Zhuqing's and Meng Yiran's fourth spirit ring beasts.
He also had his eye on the Mirror Shadow Beast.
After sealing the Frost Leopard and Frostscale Python inside his Devouring Pouch, Lan Minghua returned to the two girls.
They immediately rose to greet him.
"Master."
"Come on. Time to go find the others."
Sweeping them up with his spirit power, Lan Minghua flew swiftly toward the ice chasm where Dugu Yan had fallen.
Why from her side?
Because her situation was far less fortunate than Oscar's.
And the Mirror Shadow Beast lurked below as well.
More importantly—her fourth spirit ring's beast was also down there.
At this very moment, Dugu Yan was already face-to-face with her destined spirit beast.
The ten-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion.
Or rather… she was being hunted.
Unlike the docile Ice Silkworms, the Ice Jade Scorpion was fiercely territorial and dangerously aggressive.
As a ten-thousand-year beast, its power was immense. And as a descendant of ancient fierce beasts, its threat level was unquestionable.
A mere rank-forty spirit master like Dugu Yan stood no chance.
Lan Minghua had planted safeguards on her, but those were life-saving cards—ones not to be squandered lightly.
"Hold on tight," he warned, sensing her peril. With a burst of speed, he dove sharply.
At that moment, Dugu Yan was fleeing for her life. Even with the sausage boost from Oscar's third skill, her speed was not enough.
Sensing the predator closing in, despair flickered in her eyes.
Am I going to die here…?
The scorpion suddenly lunged, its massive pincers slicing the air with lethal speed, aiming for her waist.
Her pupils shrank, her heart nearly stopped.
Rank forty against a ten-thousand-year beast—there was no chance.
Resigned, she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Oi, oi, oi. Little Scorpion, what do you think you're doing to my disciple?"
Startled, Dugu Yan snapped her eyes open—
Only to see a slipper smash down from above, cracking the scorpion's armored skull with a resounding bang.
Its hard carapace split, and it collapsed unconscious to the ground.
Dugu Yan was once more left in stunned disbelief.
Her fiercest attacks hadn't scratched it—yet her master had felled it with a single slipper.
Lan Minghua casually waved, drawing the unconscious beast into his Devouring Pouch.
Turning to her, he said:
"This Ice Jade Scorpion will serve as your fourth spirit ring. Now, I'll take you all somewhere better suited for absorption."
Sweeping her up as well, Lan Minghua launched off once more.
But before long, yet another Ice Jade Scorpion emerged from the icy tunnel ahead.
"It's that scorpion again!" Dugu Yan gasped.
Lan Minghua's lips curled into a grin.
"Finally… I've found you."
(End of Chapter)