The Skydream Iceworm's voice rang again in Xu Zihuang's spiritual sea, its tone a little dry.
"What was that just now?"
"Didn't you see it yourself?" Xu Zihuang replied irritably. If not for the Skydream Iceworm, he wouldn't have been forced into such danger.
Fortunately, the final outcome was good.
The Skydream Iceworm wasn't offended. Instead, it said proudly: "Doesn't this prove my judgment was right? If it were anyone else, how could they possibly have gained my favor? Heh, alright then, Little Zihuang, hurry and find a safe place. I'll become your third soul ring—the very first wisdom soul ring in the history of Douluo Continent."
Faced with the shameless Iceworm, Xu Zihuang was completely speechless.
Born into the Sun Moon Empire's imperial family, when had he ever encountered such a character?
His gaze shifted forward again. By now, the corpse of the Dark Devilgod Tiger had already been consumed completely by the deep violet flames. Yet, unlike what Xu Zihuang had expected, no strange black orb appeared.
Could it be that such orbs only formed when a Dark Devilgod Tiger reached the ten-thousand-year level?
Still, he felt no disappointment. If fate granted it, good. If not, so be it.
Some things could not be forced.
The Skydream Iceworm, however, nearly lost its composure when it saw Xu Zihuang's indifferent expression.
"Do you even realize how powerful my million-year soul ring is?! It can grant you four whole soul skills! And my origin power can even raise all your future ten soul rings to the hundred-thousand-year level. Oh, and I can also give you an ice-attribute martial soul. But since you already have twin martial souls, that part's useless. Twin martial souls already demand a terrifyingly strong body. Your second martial soul's attributes are already too domineering—adding a completely different ice attribute martial soul would only cause problems."
Xu Zihuang silently listened to the Iceworm's explanations.
On the matter of an extra ice-attribute martial soul, it was indeed correct. Having twin martial souls was already a heaven-defying blessing. His talent was more than enough.
Greed devoured itself.
"I know, I know. Because you're the 'mighty' million-year soul beast," Xu Zihuang replied offhandedly.
"But I don't want you to be my third soul ring."
"Heh, that's more like it! Stick with me, and you'll have a bright future." The Iceworm's voice was full of pride, but when Xu Zihuang's next words sank in, it froze.
"What did you just say?! You're actually rejecting me?!"
"What I mean is, I plan to absorb the Dark Devilgod Tiger's soul ring now. Since you could already lodge in my spiritual sea without becoming my soul ring, then when I hit a bottleneck later, you can become my wisdom soul ring. You should know better than me just how powerful this Dark Devilgod Tiger's ring is." Xu Zihuang quickly explained.
He had no intention of letting the Iceworm become his third soul ring right now, wasting the rare chance before him.
Hearing this, the Iceworm's tone softened.
"Well… that could work. Heh, but Little Zihuang, while your body is strong, this bastard's soul ring energy is too domineering—it won't be easy to absorb."
When it came to the Dark Devilgod Tiger, which had nearly devoured it, the Iceworm harbored plenty of resentment.
Still, it thought, Forget it, I still need you for now.
Hearing it keep using that nickname, Xu Zihuang frowned slightly, but in the end held back and followed along.
"Aren't you the mighty million-year soul beast? Can't you help me fuse it?"
"Heh, of course I can. Don't worry, Little Zihuang—go ahead and absorb it. As long as I'm here, everything will be fine." The Iceworm's vanity was thoroughly satisfied.
Xu Zihuang chuckled softly, then rose and stepped toward the soul ring left behind by the Dark Devilgod Tiger.
Though the Skydream Iceworm had lived for over a million years, never having experienced the human world, its mind was in fact very simple.
Controlling it would be child's play.
At that moment, the Iceworm suddenly added: "Zihuang, if you want to absorb this guy's soul ring, you'll have to do it here in Star Dou Forest. You can use my shed husk to conceal your aura."
In high spirits, it seemed to have let go of its obsession with the word "Little."
"Not entirely useless after all," Xu Zihuang muttered inwardly, adjusting his state and preparing to fuse with the Dark Devilgod Tiger's soul ring.
—
Star Dou Forest, Core Region.
A clear lake made the air more humid. The towering trees around it cast reflections on the water. Bathed in sunlight, everything shimmered like crystal.
A man in a black robe stood quietly at the lake's edge.
His features were stern and cold, his black hair cascading to his heels—no more, no less. Amidst all that black, two locks of golden hair hung down his chest, standing out vividly.
At some point, another man appeared behind him, tall and lean.
The middle-aged man was not particularly handsome, his face tinged with green. Even his eyes were an eerie turquoise, brimming with a strange brilliance. His dark green robes floated gently despite the still air, his long hair of the same shade streaming behind him—stretching over ten meters.
"Ditian, the plant-type soul beasts under my command in the outer region of Star Dou Forest sensed the aura of that Dark Devilgod Tiger."
The black-robed man was none other than the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, Beast God Ditian, ranked first among the Ten Great Beasts.
The speaker was another of the Ten Great Beasts—the Myriad Demon King.
Ditian did not turn around, his cold features unchanging.
"Who was tasked with dealing with it?"
"It was Bear Lord," the Myriad Demon King answered, his lips tightening. If not for the enormous threat posed by the Dark Devilgod Tiger, he would not have wanted to provoke the always arrogant and domineering Bear Lord.
That brute was nothing but muscle and might easily hold a grudge. Even though his concern had only been for the soul beasts of the forest.
"Bear Lord again?" Ditian's expression darkened slightly.
He did respect Bear Lord's strength. Even if the Dark Devilgod Tiger survived, it would surely have been grievously injured.
But he disliked such recklessness.
That fellow had been far too unruly of late. If not for his overwhelming combat power, Ditian would never have tolerated him repeatedly challenging his authority.