Chapter 139: Triple Martial Soul Fusion Technique
The aged, steady voice of Electrolux sounded at just the right moment, taking up the thread of conversation: "Perhaps... it is connected to that latent power hidden within his body. Moreover, for some reason, this old man cannot shake the feeling that this whole matter carries an inexplicable, indescribable sense of strangeness."
"Strangeness? What's strange about it?" The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm was puzzled.
The Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion let out an irritable "Hmph," laced with contempt for Tianmeng's intellect: "Idiot! What's strange is that the degree of aura compatibility is bizarrely excessive! Use that brain of yours for once—how could two people's three fundamental auras possibly all achieve one hundred percent perfect compatibility? Even we soul beasts know that when something seems too good to be true, there's usually a catch! You, a creature that's lived in vain for a million years..."
She paused, her tone shifting to undisguised disdain: "Forget it. Expecting anything from you is indeed unrealistic. Aside from eating and sleeping, and then getting captured as a tonic, what life experience could you possibly have?"
The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm immediately felt aggrieved: "But... Yuhao's luck has truly always been exceptionally good! Meeting an almost demi-god-like existence like Furina, and later unexpectedly receiving Elder Electrolux's guidance—and now encountering a companion with perfectly compatible auras—it's not all that far-fetched, is it?"
"Luck this good?" The Ice Emperor's voice spiked sharply, tinged with anger. "Have you still not woken from your daydreams? Though I dwelt long in the Far North, I am far from ignorant of the human soul master system! Soul masters capable of executing martial soul fusion techniques are already exceedingly rare. Generally, compatibility must exceed fifty percent before fusion can even be attempted, and those exceeding eighty percent are as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns! Even that famed Netherworld White Tiger pair could never have reached one hundred percent compatibility—and their fusion, moreover, required both parties to share a deep emotional bond to succeed!"
Her analysis grew ever more incisive, piercing through Tianmeng's unrealistic fantasies like an ice awl: "By what logic can a mere embrace cause auras to merge so perfectly, to the point of achieving an unprecedented one hundred percent triple martial soul compatibility? Is that reasonable? Does it conform to the natural order? Use that brain of yours—the one that's been soaking in tonics for a million years—and think!"
"That..." The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm was rendered utterly speechless, momentarily at a loss for any rebuttal. The Ice Emperor was right. This was indeed far too abnormal.
Perhaps, having just witnessed the string of marvels Furina had brought about, he had subconsciously assumed one more miracle wouldn't hurt, and thus had overlooked the enormous, illogical oddity potentially lurking beneath the surface.
Listening to the debate raging within his spiritual sea, further questions sprouted in Huo Yuhao's heart. He spoke up: "So... the reason Wang Dong could absorb a thousand-year soul ring at just the second ring is also because of his three martial souls?"
The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm reined in his earlier excitement and gravely explained: "Consider this carefully. Even with twin martial souls, it would be absolutely impossible for someone—at what you humans call rank twenty soul power—to withstand the energy impact of a thousand-year soul ring. Unless, like you, they received external support from me, the Ice Emperor, and Furina, forcibly boosting their physique and spiritual carrying capacity."
"This little fellow, precisely because he possesses three martial souls—each one subtly and continuously remodeling and reinforcing the very foundation of his body—was able to accomplish this at just rank twenty. By your human standards, this little fellow you're holding is an unparalleled, once-in-ten-thousand-years genius."
He shifted tone: "Of course, compared to you and that girl Furina, he still falls a notch short. That Furina is inherently a divine inheritor—with her monstrous soul ring configuration and soul skill effects, she's the one who's easier to understand."
As for Wang Dong possessing three martial souls, Huo Yuhao, in truth, didn't feel all that surprised. He had long sensed that Wang Dong was shrouded in mysteries, his behavior occasionally peculiar. Combined with the fact that Furina had specifically prompted him this time, he had already harbored speculation in his heart.
What truly shook him—even unsettled him—was that inconceivable "one hundred percent perfect triple martial soul compatibility." This had already surpassed the realm of fortune and brushed against the mythic.
In the past, he might have been overjoyed, seeing it as the heavens' favor. But having followed Furina for so long, his horizons broadened, having absorbed knowledge far beyond his peers, Huo Yuhao deeply understood that behind such absolute perfection often lay deeper layers of causality—or design.
In the long annals of the soul master world, there had never been any record of such a phenomenon. Even among the deified first-generation Shrek Seven Devils, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing—renowned specifically for their martial soul fusion—could never have achieved a triple martial soul hundred-percent fusion.
"In that case, three teachers," Huo Yuhao asked with caution, "what do you believe we should do now?"
The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm answered first, his tone recovering a measure of calm: "My original thought was to seize this moment—while the martial soul fusion process is not yet completely stabilized—and, under my guidance, help you take the dominant position within the fusion. While martial soul fusion emphasizes compatibility, the one who assumes the dominant role generally reaps greater benefits and also gains stronger control over the fusion technique itself."
The Ice Emperor, however, maintained a prudent stance: "Though I also endorse strengthening one's own initiative, isn't attempting a deep fusion so abruptly a bit too reckless? This feeling... it's like an intricately laid trap with an enticingly baited pie set inside."
After a moment of deliberation, Electrolux spoke slowly: "Attempting it once might not be amiss. Thanks to those soul-nourishing pills that young lady Furina provided, this old man's divine sense has stabilized considerably. It is no longer the faint, drifting residual soul on the verge of dissipating at any moment. I am confident that I can still protect your spiritual sea and core divine sense against intrusion from external forces. Besides, we still have Big Worm and the Ice Emperor to assist from the side."
The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm immediately chimed in: "Exactly! Leave it to us! I admit I'm not much good in battle, but in the domain of spiritual power, I have a genuine million years of accumulated depth! Though slightly inferior to Elder Electrolux, when you look across this world, those who can match me in sheer, pure spiritual power are few and far between!"
The Ice Emperor, uncharacteristically, gave Tianmeng a rare sliver of positive acknowledgment, though her tone remained anything but gentle: "I have to admit, that lazy worm does indeed possess a certain degree of superiority when it comes to the sheer quantity of spiritual power."
Seeing Tianmeng about to get cocky again, she silenced him instantly with a single icy glare.
The Ice Emperor continued: "Moreover, this Emperor is also a Savage Beast of four hundred thousand years. My spiritual intensity is by no means comparable to ordinary soul masters. With the three of us pooling our strength, combined with Yuhao's own tempered spiritual power—even if faced with the covert surveillance of a deity, we would not necessarily be without a fighting chance!"
Receiving the explicit support of his three tenants, Huo Yuhao felt his heart settle somewhat. He nodded resolutely. "Good! Then what specifically should I do next? How can I seize the initiative in a martial soul fusion? My knowledge in this particular area is admittedly quite shallow."
The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm brimmed with confidence: "Very simple. First, completely relax your body and mind. Temporarily hand control of your body over to me to guide."
"Alright." Huo Yuhao didn't hesitate, choosing to trust the companion who had been with him the longest.