As Huo Yuhao listened to Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's story, a strange thought suddenly crossed his mind.This Tianmeng Ice Silkworm… could its name really have come from dreaming every single day?
"Although I couldn't get out of that cavern, the feeling the ten-thousand-year cold marrow gave me was just way too comfortable. Later on, I simply stopped trying to find an exit. I crawled around inside, searching for ten-thousand-year cold marrow to eat. Whenever I found a big chunk, I'd take a nap. Eventually, even I didn't know how long I'd slept, until the first ring of golden patterns appeared on my body."
"Golden patterns are extremely important to us Ice Silkworms. They symbolize that my cultivation had entered the hundred-thousand-year level. In my memories, our Ice Silkworm clan had never produced a hundred-thousand-year existence before. I was the first in history! At that time, I evolved into a Golden-Pattern Ice Silkworm. By then, I already had enough strength to break through the solid ice and escape. What I didn't know back then was that once you become a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, you face massive restrictions, and it becomes extremely difficult to improve your cultivation further. Maybe I was just lucky. Plus, our Ice Silkworm clan has weak combat ability, so I somehow didn't attract any heavenly punishment. Heh—well, maybe I slept too much. I got lazy and didn't bother leaving. I just kept sleeping and sleeping inside the ice cavern. As my cultivation grew, places I couldn't reach before could now be accessed by breaking through the ice. That's how I discovered even more top-grade cold marrow deep inside the cavern. Naturally, it all became my food."
"And so I ate, then slept; slept, then ate. I don't even know how time passed. Only the golden patterns on my body could mark the passage of my existence."
"Finally, one day, I ate all the cold marrow inside the ice cavern clean. I drilled straight out from the bottom of the cavern and entered the sea. I drifted along the ocean currents, floating southward along the edge of the continent. And it was during that journey that I encountered my first enemy."
"At that time, I already had nine golden patterns. I was a powerful nine-hundred-thousand-year soul beast. I thought I should be invincible in this world. But…"
At this point, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm sounded clearly embarrassed."But it turns out, aside from sleeping, I didn't really know how to do anything else. I wasn't good at fighting either. In the end, I scared that enemy away purely by relying on my massive spiritual power. That finally made me alert. I tried cultivating offensive abilities, but then I realized something—long cultivation years don't necessarily mean strong combat power. I was a nine-hundred-thousand-year soul beast, yet my fighting strength wasn't even as good as some ten-thousand-year soul beasts. As for those hundred-thousand-year soul beasts specialized in combat, I stood no chance against them at all. The outside world was just too dangerous. But by then, I'd already lost my way back."
"The sea was dangerous, so I thought maybe land would be safer. So I went ashore. But I quickly discovered that the land wasn't peaceful either. Probably because I absorbed too much cold marrow, my body developed a special scent that attracted the attention of all soul beasts. They would treat me as food."
"In the end, I was captured by a powerful hundred-thousand-year soul beast within the Star Dou Forest. But it didn't kill me right away. Instead, it took me back into the forest. From what it said, I learned that I possessed an enormous amount of heaven-and-earth vital energy. As long as it could absorb and convert my power, any soul beast could become a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, and existing hundred-thousand-year soul beasts could break free from cultivation-year limits. But because my million-year cultivation power was simply too vast, it would take a long time to absorb. That's why it brought me back to its lair."
"But that guy underestimated how awesome your big bro really is. Even though I'm not great at fighting, I can amplify my aura. So I lured all the hundred-thousand-year soul beasts in the Star Dou Forest over. Hehehe."
"That great chaotic battle practically involved every soul beast in the Star Dou Forest above ten thousand years. The fighting was brutal! I thought I'd finally have a chance to escape. But who would've guessed those guys were so cunning—they actually stopped to negotiate once the fighting died down. And that's when your big bro met his tragedy. In the end, they decided to absorb my power together. After all, the soul power inside me was more than enough. They trapped me at the center of the Star Dou Forest and forced me to release my heaven-and-earth vital energy for them to absorb. The stronger the soul beast, the closer it stayed to me, and the more benefits it gained. Those bastards literally treated your big bro as food."
"Sigh… I couldn't resist at all, so I could only let them do whatever they wanted. While being squeezed dry, I kept thinking of ways to escape their control. My soul power was extremely pure—enough for them to absorb for tens of thousands of years. After several thousand years of thinking and observing, I realized that escaping wasn't enough. I also needed to hide my aura. That's when humans gradually entered my field of vision. Several times, especially powerful humans ventured deep into the Star Dou Forest to hunt hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. Unfortunately, they all met tragic ends. Under your big bro's 'nourishment,' the high-level soul beasts of the Star Dou Forest were already among the strongest on the Douluo Continent. Even though those humans had powerful weapons, they still suffered huge losses. But it also let me see the advantages of you humans."
"Your big bro is a dual-attribute soul beast—spirit and ice. After thinking it through, I decided to find a way to become a human's soul ring. That way, that human would definitely become extremely powerful. With my spiritual attribute, I could keep my consciousness from dissipating and become the first intelligent soul ring in human history. Hmph! When that time came, your big bro would get revenge—help that human kill every bastard who ever persecuted me. So I began trying. But who knew my first attempt would fail? The guy I picked seemed to be some kind of Titled Douluo among humans. He was pretty strong, but still trash. I blew him apart in an instant—he couldn't even withstand my spiritual impact, and never even saw my true body. That's when I realized becoming my host wasn't so easy. First, they had to have a spiritual attribute. Second, they had to be able to bear my soul power. That was even harder. So I searched for thousands of years and still failed. Meanwhile, those hundred-thousand-year soul beasts had almost completely absorbed my soul power. Your big bro was about to run out of oil."
"But heaven still favored your big bro. Just when I was completely desperate, the tenth golden pattern appeared on my body. I finally became the first-ever million-year soul beast. When that tenth golden pattern emerged, I finally gained the power to contend with those combat-type hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, and I could hide my aura. That's when I named myself Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, no longer just Golden-Pattern Ice Silkworm. But I still couldn't beat so many hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. And most of my heaven-and-earth vital energy had already been absorbed. All that remained was my most nourishing essence—my innate soul power, namely my two attributes. Revenge was something I couldn't achieve on my own. So I seized an opportunity and used my post-breakthrough power to hide my aura and escape underground."
"Ah—" Tianmeng Ice Silkworm sighed. "But your big bro was still tragic. Breaking through to a million years was a double-edged sword. It barely let me escape their control, but my lifespan came to an end because of sudden heavenly punishment. If I couldn't survive in another way, my life would soon wither away. And that's when I met you, little guy. You're weak to the point of pity, but I had no other choice. At least you have a spiritual attribute. So your big bro had no choice but to merge with you. No matter what, those bastards won't get my most precious thing."
Listening to Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's story, Huo Yuhao had long forgotten his fear. Filled with righteous indignation, he said, "They're too despicable! How could they do that—imprison you for nearly ten thousand years!"
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm replied with shared hatred, "Exactly! Even if your big bro is a bit cuter, a bit more handsome, and a bit stronger, they still can't treat me like food! But it's fine now—I finally escaped and didn't let them get my body. Huo Yuhao, you might be young and weak, but at least you're pure. I'll treat this as a cultivation project. When you grow strong in the future, you must help me get revenge! Didn't they rely on absorbing my soul power to evolve? In the future, turn every last one of them into soul rings and soul bones! Hmph!"
"Alright! When I grow up, I'll definitely help you get revenge!" Huo Yuhao agreed without hesitation. In this strange yet miraculous story, the bond between one human and one soul beast quickly drew closer.
In truth, although Tianmeng Ice Silkworm had lived for a million years, it had interacted with very few soul beasts. Its intelligence was no less than a human's, but how could it understand the dangers of the human heart? If a human had experienced what it did, they would never reveal their story so easily. Choosing Huo Yuhao—who was also like a blank sheet of paper—was actually its good fortune.
"Tianmeng-ge, there's still something I don't understand. You're so powerful, yet becoming my soul ring means sealing your own strength. What's going on? Can you still give me soul skills?" With his fear gone, Huo Yuhao was now filled with curiosity.
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm chuckled. "Your big bro naturally has a way. After pondering for so many years, I already made proper arrangements. After that experience of blowing up a human, I realized everything I do to help you must prioritize your safety. I have no way out now—if you die, that means I'm finished too. My original soul power was mostly absorbed by those Star Dou Forest soul beasts. Otherwise, even if I sealed my strength, you still wouldn't be able to endure it. What I merged into you is more my origin power and spiritual power. See those ten light orbs? Those are the ten layers of seals I set. From another perspective, you can see them as the power I bestowed upon your first soul ring—just that you can't use it yet."
"In other words, although your first soul ring is million-year level, it currently doesn't possess million-year might. But as your cultivation improves, the power I sealed within you will gradually unseal, strengthening this soul ring. It can even enhance your future soul rings. After all, a million years of accumulated power is simply too vast for you."
Huo Yuhao blinked. "I still don't quite understand."
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm snorted. "Idiot. Let me put it simply. Right now, your body can only withstand a four-hundred-year soul ring at most. That means the actual might of your first soul ring is four hundred years. Later, when you break through and can endure a thousand-year soul ring, your first soul ring will become a thousand-year one. The strength of your first soul ring grows with your body's tolerance. In other words, it can evolve at any time—and the same goes for future soul rings you obtain. Of course, the evolutionary power I can provide is limited. The stronger your other soul rings are, the more of my power I can conserve. With the power I sealed in you, I can at most support ten soul rings reaching the hundred-thousand-year level."
"Ah? That many? Aren't soul masters only able to have nine soul rings at most?" Huo Yuhao asked in shock.
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm snorted arrogantly. "That's for ordinary people. After fusing with your big bro, you're no longer ordinary. A single martial soul can indeed only absorb nine soul rings. But you're no longer a single martial soul. Killing a hundred-thousand-year soul beast always yields a soul bone and a soul ring with two soul skills—right?"
Huo Yuhao nodded.
"As a million-year soul ring—and the first intelligent soul ring in history—I'm obviously far stronger than them. The first soul ring I become can evolve infinitely based on your physical condition and will also grant you four soul skills. I don't have a soul bone to give you, but I can give you an additional martial soul."
Although Huo Yuhao had expected the million-year soul ring to be powerful, he never imagined it would be this powerful. An infinitely evolving soul ring was already an unimaginable blessing—but the greater surprise was yet to come. Four soul skills plus an extra martial soul—what kind of concept was that?
Since all four soul skills came from the first soul ring, their power would naturally evolve alongside it and could be used for life. As for gaining another martial soul—this could only be described as a miracle. It turned him from someone with only the Spirit Eyes martial soul into a dual-martial-soul genius. The additional martial soul could carry at least nine soul rings—nine more soul skills. How could such an increase compare to a mere hundred-thousand-year soul ring? Even though he was still weak and needed to grow step by step, this undeniably opened a path straight to the heavens, giving the originally mediocre Huo Yuhao an infinite future.
"The martial soul I grant you is ice—but for now, it's soulless ice," Tianmeng Ice Silkworm said, pulling Huo Yuhao back from his joy.
"Soulless ice? What does that mean?" Huo Yuhao asked in confusion.
"It means the martial soul currently has only an attribute, no form. Once you absorb your first ice-attribute soul ring, this martial soul will take shape. Whatever soul beast you absorb it from—that will be your second martial soul. In other words, it will definitely be a beast-type martial soul. No need to rush; I've already planned it for you. Your cultivation just isn't high enough yet. Once you're stronger, I'll take you to complete the first ice-attribute soul ring. Now you understand why I said my power to enhance your soul rings is limited, right? So when choosing soul rings in the future, you must be extremely cautious and listen to my advice."
"Okay!" Huo Yuhao agreed excitedly. "Then what are my four soul skills?"
"That's something you'll need to comprehend yourself," Tianmeng Ice Silkworm replied. "What you realize on your own is clearer than what I tell you. But don't get happy too soon. Yes, I gave you four soul skills, all spiritual-attribute. And the power I sealed in you is immense. But remember a few things. First, the power sealed in you can only increase your soul ring's year limit when your cultivation reaches the corresponding level—it can't raise your own cultivated soul power. Second, because of my nature, the four soul skills I gave you are mostly auxiliary and lack strong offensive power. So you're still weak, and you have a long road ahead if you want to become strong. Understand?"
"I understand. My mother taught me that no one can reach the heavens in a single step. Only by moving forward step by step, relying on diligence and effort, can one rise above others. Tianmeng-ge, don't worry—I'll definitely work hard."
"That's good. Though your aptitude really is poor… sigh. In the future, we'll need to find some heavenly treasures for you to eat. Your Spirit Eyes martial soul is a mutated one with good potential, but the mutation also affected your physical functions from childhood. Your meridians are narrow and sluggish, making cultivation difficult. Take it slow—this can't be rushed. Oh, right. There's one more thing I must tell you."
"See that gray light orb above?"
"I see it. Is that also your power?" Huo Yuhao asked.
"No. I don't know what it is either. When I merged with you, a sudden change occurred—as if it was attracted by my spiritual power. That gray light orb is a trace of a soul, and it doesn't seem to belong to this world. I don't know where it came from. It's weak, but its quality is extremely high—even I can't do anything about it. However, I can sense that it has no ill intent. It's probably sleeping now. It might never awaken in your lifetime, or it might wake up and cause trouble. But don't worry—if it dares harm you, I can protect you easily."
"Alright, you should wake up now. Those two humans outside have been waiting for you, and they don't mean you any harm."
"Two humans?" Huo Yuhao exclaimed in surprise. The scene before his eyes suddenly blurred, and he felt as if he were pulled into a massive vortex, plunging into darkness.
...
"Why isn't he awake yet?!" Tang Ya patted Huo Yuhao's face and glanced at Bei Bei questioningly.
Bei Bei smiled gently. "His qi and blood are stable, and his soul power is normal—very vigorous, actually. If I'm not mistaken, he's just broken through from Soul Disciple to Soul Master. His body needs time to fuse with that power and adapt. Naturally, that takes time. It's just a pity—it was only a ten-year Wind Baboon."
Tang Ya snorted. "What's there to pity? A weak first soul ring is normal. He was alone and still managed to kill a Wind Baboon—that's already impressive."
Bei Bei chuckled. "To win a woman's heart, you really do need to win her stomach first. Especially for someone like you, where heart and stomach are connected."
Tang Ya's cheeks flushed slightly. "Pah! You're the one with heart and stomach connected. Watch your manners—I'm your teacher, remember?"
Bei Bei didn't argue, only smiled warmly at her.
"Mmm…" A soft groan escaped Huo Yuhao's lips as he slowly opened his hazy eyes.
"Xiao Yuhao, you're finally awake! You nearly scared me to death," Tang Ya exclaimed happily.
Huo Yuhao felt his mind in a mess. After steadying himself, his memories of talking with Tianmeng Ice Silkworm were crystal clear. He muttered subconsciously, "Was I really not dreaming?"
Tang Ya giggled and pinched his arm. Huo Yuhao yelped in pain. "Sister Xiaoya, what are you doing?!"
She laughed. "Helping you check if you're dreaming! Well? Feeling more awake now? You really are brave—daring to enter the Star Dou Forest alone."
Huo Yuhao scratched his head awkwardly. After encountering the Wind Baboon, he truly realized how weak and reckless he was. But that embarrassment was quickly replaced by urgency. He jumped up and circulated his soul power.
A scene of pure joy unfolded.
The soul power that had reached a bottleneck underwent a qualitative transformation. Even his physical strength seemed to increase. Smooth soul power surged forth. Everything seen through his Spirit Eyes became clearer, and many instinctive imprints appeared in his mind—skills. Four of them. Four skills! Tianmeng-ge was real. I wasn't dreaming. This is all real. I really have a million-year soul ring!
Only at this moment did Huo Yuhao dare to believe it all. Ecstasy surged uncontrollably, and he couldn't help shouting, "I succeeded—!"
Bei Bei and Tang Ya saw a milky-white soul ring rise from beneath Huo Yuhao's feet, slowly circling up to his head before descending again. It was his first soul ring.
Bei Bei instinctively thought: a ten-year soul ring. Yet he felt puzzled—why did this white soul ring look so crystal-clear, so different from ordinary ten-year ones? Could the Wind Baboon's cultivation have been higher? How could he know that even a million-year soul ring was also white?
It wasn't just the soul ring that changed—Huo Yuhao's eyes did as well. A faint golden sheen appeared in his deep-blue eyes. Both Bei Bei and Tang Ya could sense the soul power fluctuation within them, as well as a spiritual ripple that made them momentarily dazed.
Earlier, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's immense spiritual power had temporarily robbed them of thought, but the gap in strength was too large for them to notice. Now, with Huo Yuhao so close, the spiritual fluctuation from his eyes shocked them both.
"A spiritual-attribute martial soul? And one that absorbed a Wind Baboon as its first soul ring?" Even the usually composed Bei Bei couldn't help but change expression. According to soul master theory, this shouldn't be possible—yet the truth was right before them.
The golden light quickly faded from Huo Yuhao's eyes. He snapped back to himself and jumped excitedly. "I succeeded! I really succeeded! I'm a Soul Master!"
Bei Bei and Tang Ya exchanged looks, both seeing shock in each other's eyes. Tang Ya couldn't help asking, "Xiao Yuhao, is your martial soul spiritual in nature? I just felt a strong spiritual fluctuation."
Huo Yuhao snapped back, scratching his head shyly. "Yes! My martial soul is Spirit Eyes—a mutated martial soul with spiritual attributes."
Tang Ya's eyes lit up. "Spirit Eyes? A body-type martial soul? That's great!"
Bei Bei nodded as well. "I never expected this. It's a pity we arrived too late—otherwise, we could've helped you find a better soul beast."
Huo Yuhao had already calmed down. Though young, his upbringing made him cautious. He instantly realized they thought his first soul ring came from the baboon. Since even a million-year soul ring was white, this misunderstanding was perfect cover. Naturally, he didn't explain.
"Brother Bei, Sister Xiaoya—were you chasing after me? Is something wrong?" Huo Yuhao asked tentatively.
Tang Ya scolded gently. "At first we only guessed you planned to enter the Star Dou Forest alone. Turns out it was true—you're far too bold. Don't you know the Star Dou Forest is called a forbidden zone for humans? Even high-level soul masters don't dare go deep. Kids your age absolutely need elders with them. We chased after you to protect you—we're both soul masters too. But you're really lucky. Even though your first soul ring isn't strong, at least you weren't hurt."
Hearing this, a warm feeling surged in Huo Yuhao's young heart. He had seen much of life's coldness, and he could tell Tang Ya's sincerity was genuine.
"Sister Xiaoya, I—" On impulse, he almost revealed Tianmeng Ice Silkworm. But at that moment, a cough echoed in his mind, and a cool sensation swept through him, making him swallow the rest of his words.
Tang Ya burst into laughter. "Look at how silly you are. Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Xiao Yuhao, now that you've obtained your soul ring, what do you plan to do next?"
Huo Yuhao froze.Yes—what did he plan to do?
Before coming to the Star Dou Forest, his only goal had been to become a Soul Master and obtain his first soul ring. Soul Disciple and Soul Master were worlds apart. Becoming a Soul Master meant stepping through another door into a vast world. But he truly hadn't thought about what came next. He was only eleven, and it was his first time leaving home.
Seeing the confusion in his eyes, Tang Ya felt secretly delighted and signaled Bei Bei.
Bei Bei nodded and asked, "Xiao Huo, do you have any family left?"
Huo Yuhao's gaze stiffened for a moment, then he shook his head firmly. "No one. It's just me now."
Tang Ya blurted out joyfully, "That's great!"
Huo Yuhao was stunned. Bei Bei looked speechless and knocked Tang Ya on the head. "Watch what you say."
Tang Ya realized her mistake and glared at Bei Bei. "I didn't mean it like that. Xiao Yuhao, since you don't have any plans, how about joining our sect?"
"A sect?" Huo Yuhao had heard of sects while living in the Duke's Manor. On the Douluo Continent, sects wielded immense power. Some ancient soul master sects could even rival noble houses.
Tang Ya nodded seriously. "Yes, a sect. Our sect was once the number one on the continent. You definitely won't lose out by joining. And our sect's techniques are very suitable for you. You're alone and still so young—joining a sect means people can look after each other. It's better than you wandering around recklessly. Luck won't always favor you—what if something happens?"
Huo Yuhao asked instinctively, "Sister Xiaoya, what's your sect called?"
Tang Ya answered solemnly, "Tang Sect. Once the number one sect on the continent."
Hearing the words Tang Sect, Huo Yuhao's body trembled. Even though the Tang Sect had declined, its weight in Douluo history was unmatched.
When he was very young, his mother had told him Tang Sect legends. Founded ten thousand years ago, it was one of the oldest sects in history. Its first sect master, Tang San, was said to have changed the fate of the entire continent and laid the foundation for the future of soul masters. Back then, Tang Sect truly deserved the title of number one under heaven. Legend even said Tang San broke through the ultimate realm of soul masters and became an undying existence. What happened afterward, no one knew.
Ten thousand years passed. The legend remained, but the sect itself faded from history. Few knew if Tang Sect even had descendants left. Some even said that without Tang San laying the foundation back then, the Douluo Continent might not have defeated the Sun and Moon Continent four thousand years ago and unified the two lands.
"Xiao Huo, you've heard of the Tang Sect?" Bei Bei asked.
Huo Yuhao nodded. "I've heard some legends. I just didn't know where the Tang Sect was."
Tang Ya's eyes suddenly reddened. "The Tang Sect no longer has an estate. Our foundation was taken. Right now, the Tang Sect only has Bei Bei and me left. I'm the current sect master, and Bei Bei is my first disciple."
"What?" Huo Yuhao stared at them in shock. Tang Ya didn't seem much older than Bei Bei, and nothing about their interactions suggested a master-disciple relationship.
Bei Bei coughed twice. "You see the situation, Xiao Huo. The Tang Sect now consists of just us two. But we'll definitely work to restore its glory. If you're willing, you're welcome to join. There's one thing Xiaoya didn't exaggerate—Tang Sect has a technique that should suit you very well and benefit your future greatly."
After hesitating briefly, Huo Yuhao asked, "If I join the Tang Sect, what would I need to do?"
Tang Ya replied, "Cultivate diligently and grow stronger. When the sect needs you, you must contribute. I won't deceive you—the Tang Sect has declined. But our techniques are still intact. Also, as a former number one sect, we retain certain privileges. You've heard of Shrek Academy, right? Shrek Academy is extremely strict with admissions, but it gives Tang Sect one guaranteed slot every year. Bei Bei and I are already students there. This year, there happens to be an open slot. If you join Tang Sect, it'll be yours. Whether you can stay in Shrek Academy will depend on your own effort. That's all I can offer. But Xiao Yuhao, I have one condition—once you join the Tang Sect, you're a member for life. If you ever leave, you must return all Tang Sect techniques."
Tang Sect… Tang Sect…
Huo Yuhao's eyes gradually lit up. He looked seriously at Tang Ya."Sister Xiaoya, I agree. I'm willing to join the Tang Sect."