The halo around him also slowly transformed. The white color gradually turned golden, then the golden deepened and completely shifted to yellow. This yellow still had a golden sheen; its color was very unique, incomparable to any spirit ring Huo Yuhao had ever seen.
Even if a ten-year white spirit ring, a hundred-year yellow, a thousand-year purple, a ten-thousand-year black, or a hundred-thousand-year red spirit ring appeared here, upon seeing this golden-yellow spirit ring before them, they could only submit.
This was the true color of the only million-year spirit ring on the Douluo Continent! It was also the first time the Heavenly Dream Iceworm had appeared in its true color.
This brilliant golden light sparked a bold thought in Huo Yuhao's heart.
One day, I also want to be like today. I want the ground, the trees, the sky, everything in this world to submit to me. I must be the one who controls that Sun and Moon Star-Plucking Divine Palace.
At this moment, the Heavenly Dream Iceworm not only instilled in him a desire to strive for strength but also planted a seed of belief in his heart to become the Sovereign of Heaven and Earth. For the first time, Huo Yuhao had an ideal even higher than his determination for revenge.
This seemed to have changed his heart. Yes, the Heavenly Dream Iceworm had brought him an extremely joyful feeling. It was a million-year-old spirit beast, and it was also his spirit ring. If he didn't have aspirations, wouldn't everything be wasted?
Streams of golden light emerged from Huo Yuhao's glabella. With each stream of light that flew out, Huo Yuhao felt his strength being drained. By the time all nine streams of light had flown out, he couldn't even stand steadily anymore.
Previously, when the Heavenly Dream Iceworm entered his body, there were a total of ten streams of light. These were the remaining fundamental forces, the most important energy streams. Now, with nine streams gone, only a single light sphere remained within him, which he had absorbed a little, and it was also his remaining connection to the Heavenly Dream Iceworm.
The nine streams of light slowly descended from the air. The first light sphere fell directly onto the snow, followed by the second, the third... until all nine formed a whole, then it slowly shrank. Only then did Huo Yuhao feel the immense power of the Heavenly Dream Iceworm. Its spiritual power showed no signs of weakening even after maintaining for an entire day.
After the nine light spheres stacked upon each other, they gradually took shape. Unexpectedly, they condensed into a human form, but... that person... made him gasp in shock upon seeing it... because it was him. Both were identical, from their skin to their Shrek Academy uniform, making Huo Yuhao go from bewilderment to a state between laughter and tears.
A surge of spiritual power, filled with longing, emanated from the Heavenly Dream Iceworm, and then its voice rang out:
"Ice Empress, I know you have sensed my existence. I... the Heavenly Dream Iceworm has returned for revenge. Do you dare to come out?"
At the same moment the Heavenly Dream Iceworm spoke, a surge of spiritual power instantly appeared beside Huo Yuhao, then sealed everything around him. His aura was instantly carefully concealed within this ice cave.
In a sense, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm and Huo Yuhao were already one. Therefore, Huo Yuhao, relying on its powerful spiritual force, unleashed a spiritual probe, clearly perceiving everything around him. His spiritual force was even influenced by the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, tending to expand. Within a kilometer radius, he could feel even a gust of wind, and even more miraculously, through it, he could see everything outside without directly looking with his eyes. However, it was merely seeing; he couldn't investigate anything further.
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm fell silent after speaking, but the golden light around it didn't dim; instead, it grew even brighter. The golden light amidst a field of white snow was truly striking. The already dim sky became even more obscured, and the atmosphere felt somewhat stifling.
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm seemed not to be in a hurry at all. It stood there silently, letting the fierce wind and cold blast around it.
But Huo Yuhao sensed that the soul beasts within the range of his probe were constantly fleeing in panic.
Perhaps in direct combat, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm was indeed inferior to even a ten-thousand-year soul beast, but if only spiritual force was considered, throughout the entire Douluo Continent, no soul beast could compare to it.
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's biggest problem was its bloodline. Although it had cultivated for a million years, its origin was still just an ordinary Ice Silkworm soul beast. Due to its humble origins, even though it had been continuously nourished by cold marrow for a million years, it could only evolve without gaining any strength. Simply put, it was like a soul master of an extremely high level, with terrifying soul power but no soul skills or soul rings.
If an opponent's cultivation was weaker than its own, it could easily defeat them with spiritual force, but what if it encountered someone with some real strength? There was nothing it could do. What good was immense spiritual force if it couldn't be transformed into skills? Even when it became Huo Yuhao's soul ring, bringing him four soul skills, this made it envious and admiring for a long time. But Brother Heavenly Dream always valued his pride; how could he admit it?
Otherwise, if it had just one skill back then, it's likely no one across the entire Douluo Continent could have threatened it.
At this moment, it used all its spiritual force to cover an extremely vast area; at least one-third of the central region was controlled by its spiritual force.
Don't think that the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm is usually playful and carefree; it's not truly simple-minded. The spiritual force it released this time was not its usual aura. At the very least, if any soul beast was familiar with it, they wouldn't recognize that this was a soul beast without any offensive skills.
For any soul beast that sensed this aura to tremble and not dare to resist, it had to choose the aura of the leading soul beast among the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the extreme north. That fellow's cultivation was over five hundred thousand years, and its bloodline was also extremely noble.
Moreover, it also stayed far away from that fellow's territory, so it wasn't afraid of being discovered. Thus, in the end, the ones who were scared were the surrounding soul beasts. They scattered like startled birds, not causing any trouble for Huo Yuhao.
The one it sought was the Ice Empress, the second strongest of the Three Great Heavenly Kings, and also the primary target of its detection. The Ice Empress had known it for a long time, so there was no way she could mistake its aura, especially after it had spoken those arrogant words.
Based on what the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm knew about the Ice Empress, it was certain that the Ice Empress would come. How could she refuse such a plump prey as the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm delivering itself right to her mouth? Moreover, the Ice Empress’s cultivation had already reached three hundred thousand years, but it was difficult for her to break through the barrier of four hundred thousand years.
Both the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm and the Ice Empress understood each other extremely well. When the Ice Empress had pursued and forced the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm to flee the far north, she had only just surpassed the three hundred thousand year mark. At that time, it clearly remembered the Ice Empress saying that this was her limit, and furthermore, her fundamental power had been damaged, making the four hundred thousand year barrier difficult to cross. And from that time until now… perhaps the Ice Empress’s great tribulation was not far off. Only by absorbing the fundamental power of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm could she break through the barrier, and even surpass the leader of the Three Great Heavenly Kings in one step.
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm’s only stroke of luck was that the other individual did not know of its existence; otherwise, it feared that even if it fled to the Star Dou Great Forest, it would be captured and brought back.
Under the allure of something that could change her own life, the Ice Empress fundamentally had no other choice. She would certainly want to come, and she would come. As for the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm in Huo Yuhao’s form, as it increasingly sensed the aura of the person it sought approaching, the smile on its face grew more pronounced. Its scheme was about to succeed.
Every tense second and minute passed. The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm showed no sign of impatience, while Huo Yuhao, almost frozen solid in the ice cave, dared not even breathe heavily, let alone move. He did not know when the Ice Empress that the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm had mentioned would appear, but he completely doubted none of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm’s words. Therefore, he desperately maintained his composure to pass this first test. Although his heart was still full of questions and doubts, he truly could not figure out how the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm could be so sure of defeating an expert even more terrifying than a Titled Douluo.
At this moment, his heart suddenly beat faster, filled with anxiety, fear, and even a sense of excitement. Because he discovered that there was a change outside.
The gray sky suddenly stirred, and then, from afar on the northern horizon, a stream of emerald light flew in at an astonishing speed.
The dark sky instantly turned emerald, as if the clouds in the sky had transformed into pieces of precious jade. The oppressive aura also dissipated with it.
When the emerald light spread to within a kilometer of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, Huo Yuhao immediately sensed it. A thought appeared in his mind: "She’s here, she’s really here."
"Heavenly Dream, I didn’t expect you to still be alive. You truly live up to your reputation as the longest-lived soul beast in our far north."
A clear voice echoed from all directions. After this voice rang out, the surrounding snow hills suddenly rose more than three feet in an instant, except for the hundred-meter radius around the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, which remained unaffected.
"Ice Empress, as long as you are still here, how could I possibly die? Do you remember what I said back then? If I don’t die, one day, I want to become your husband."
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's voice suddenly became extremely gentle, even excessively sweet, causing Huo Yuhao, who was listening outside, to break out in goosebumps.
At this very moment, his eyes suddenly widened, because… he suddenly thought of a possibility…
Considering his current strength and that of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, what they were doing was a huge adventure. Although the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm was powerful, it was now almost entirely dependent on him, because it was his first Spirit Ring. Even if it was an intelligent Spirit Ring… it was still a part of his body. Its strength or weakness was mainly determined by him, wasn't it?
In this situation, to benefit it, he first needed to acquire more Spirit Rings to strengthen himself. Only then should they come here to search for the Ice Empress and awaken his second martial spirit.
But why, when his spirit power had only reached level twenty, did it insist on him coming here to find this terrifying Ice Empress? Wasn't this too risky? Even if it had calculated everything meticulously, just one mistake could lead to both of them being eternally buried in this terrifyingly cold northern region.
What made the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm risk its life to come here? Was it to make him stronger? No… listening to its gentle voice, things didn't seem that simple…
Thinking this, his heart suddenly became unusually calm. He had no other choice now but to trust the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, constantly deluding himself that the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm wasn't like that, and that he was just overthinking things. Now, all he could do was wait… and observe.
"Heavenly Dream, do you want to die?"
The Ice Empress's clear voice, filled with murderous intent, rang out. The sky instantly changed from blue to emerald green. A terrifying wave of killing intent descended from the sky, causing the protective barrier around the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm to shrink instantly from a hundred meters to ten meters.
However, in a purely spiritual power confrontation, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm had no fear of the Ice Empress. It smiled, speaking with elegant composure:
"No, these are my true feelings. I have lived for a million years, and I have been here for just as long. Although most of that time was spent in slumber, in my heart, the only one who could leave a mark and truly stir my emotions uncontrollably is you, Ice Empress. Do you know why I returned today? Because I know that in less than a hundred years, you will reach your limit. That is the path of death. By then, if you cannot break through your limit, you will disappear forever in this icy world. Therefore, I had to return. I don't want to wait any longer; this boring life truly holds no meaning for me. I returned precisely because I want to help you continue living, so that we can truly be together."
Huo Yuhao sighed softly in his heart, closing his eyes. As expected! The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm had indeed deceived him; it truly had an ulterior motive for coming here.
From the day he met the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, Huo Yuhao had trusted it unconditionally. It was his million-year Spirit Ring, bringing him four Spirit Skills… and this was no different from giving him a new life.
In his heart, the friend he was most grateful for was this intelligent Spirit Ring. The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's position in his heart was even higher than that of Tang Ya, Bei Bei, or Wang Dong.
At this moment, something in Huo Yuhao's heart felt torn apart, just like the feeling he had when he was bullied as a child.
It tricked me, in the end, it really did trick me!
Pain, an unprecedented pain, caused tears to stream down his cheeks, yet as soon as they fell, they turned into ice crystals. Huo Yuhao was only twelve years old. Just as he felt hope, the betrayal of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm made his heart feel dead, and the resilience within him shattered in an instant.
Huo Yuhao was not afraid of hardship, not afraid of difficulties. As long as there was hope, no matter how hard it was, he would accept it.
A year at Shrek Academy had changed him greatly. Here, he had friends, teachers, and teammates. In a sense, all of it came from the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm. With the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, he had strength and confidence. Therefore, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's deception at this moment was like severing all his trust, like a tree being uprooted by someone.
This feeling, one could say, far surpassed the two words "suffering." The hope in Huo Yuhao's heart had vanished.
Although the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's spiritual power was strong, at this moment it was entirely focused on the Ice Empress, so it did not detect the earth-shattering change in Huo Yuhao's state of mind.
The Ice Empress listened to the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm and fell silent for a moment, as if its innermost thoughts had been accurately spoken, causing it to ponder quietly.
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm said with a hint of urgency:
"I'm back, Ice Empress. We haven't met for many years. Are you really unwilling to come out and meet me just once?"
The Ice Empress's cold voice rang out again:
"Heavenly Dream, have you forgotten that our races are natural enemies?"
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm let out a sad laugh and said:
"Of course I still remember, but so what? Who says one cannot love their enemy? And it seems, because of that, I like you even more."
The Ice Empress said disdainfully:
"Pity, you are not qualified to like me. However, I am very touched. I didn't expect you to come back here to be my food. Do you want to use this method for us to become one? How could I refuse such a good thing? Don't you feel me approaching? Wait for me, just one more minute, and I will help you achieve your wish. I will also take good care of your body and energy. Turn it into a part of me."
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm seemed accustomed to the Ice Empress's words, and said somewhat helplessly:
"Can't you be a little gentler? Always so cold and overbearing. No wonder you're still single. Oh right, there's something I've always wanted to ask you, that joke that spread throughout the far north... did you really like the Snow Empress back then?"
"Heavenly Dream, I will definitely tear you into ten thousand pieces."
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's last remark seemed to have touched a raw nerve in the Ice Empress's heart. Its voice suddenly became frantic. The emerald green sky instantly plunged into darkness.
The smile on the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's lips remained. It seemed to be deliberately provoking the Ice Empress, while Huo Yuhao, at this moment, no longer cried, only feeling his heart grow colder and colder.
From the conversation between the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm and the Ice Empress, it was clear that they had known each other for a long time and had many grievances and enmities. Things were not as simple as they appeared. And the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm deliberately provoked the Ice Empress, obviously having some trick up its sleeve.
But, are these things still important to him? Is the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm still worthy of his trust? Did it trick him into coming to this dangerous northernmost region truly to help his martial soul awaken? No, absolutely not. It was still hiding many things from him.
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, his face gradually turning cold. The pain in his heart had changed his disposition. The nervousness and anxiety had completely vanished, leaving only an icy coldness in his heart.
At this moment, the gray ball of light in Huo Yuhao's spiritual world stirred slightly, and a very, very faint voice sounded:
"This child has suffered too much, his inner self is the weakest. Well, let's consider this a trial for him. Otherwise, how will he grow? It's best if I don't interfere. However, that bug is quite something; I'll have to change my view of it!"
After speaking, the gray ball of light once again fell silent. At this very moment, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's voice echoed in Huo Yuhao's mind:
"Yuhao, get ready. I'll tell you when to start; now you must endure hardship. You must try your best, understand?"
"Mm."
Huo Yuhao replied coldly.
The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm seemed very nervous at this time and did not notice Huo Yuhao's change.
The dark sky above once again returned to a brilliant blue. In this stream of light, a pattern suddenly appeared, then flashed brightly an instant later, and a soul beast appeared before the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm.
Huo Yuhao was currently concentrating all his attention on observing his surroundings. Although he had not personally seen the Titan Snow Demon King, the third-ranked soul beast among the Three Great Heavenly Kings, he had seen its footprints. So, when he thought of the Ice Empress, who ranked even higher than the Titan Snow Demon King, she probably wouldn't be much smaller.
However, as soon as the Ice Empress appeared, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but be surprised, secretly praising her beauty in his heart. She was truly beautiful.
Indeed, the Ice Empress was very beautiful. Even though she was a soul beast, Huo Yuhao couldn't resist her charm.
The Ice Empress was about one and a half meters tall, with two colors intertwined on her body, one white and one brilliant blue. She was even smaller than the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's true form. Huo Yuhao had been speculating a lot about the Ice Empress's true form, but he was completely wrong, because in truth, the Ice Empress was a scorpion, an extremely beautiful scorpion.
Scorpion and beauty, do these two words have anything to do with each other? Yes, Huo Yuhao could now confirm the answer in his heart.
In front of its body was a series of overlapping armor plates, each layer growing larger from top to bottom. At the head, a faint stream of cold, silvery-white energy was hidden. This layer of armor looked extremely strange; it seemed that among all the soul beasts Huo Yuhao had learned about at Shrek Academy, he had never heard of such strange scales covering a body. No, to be precise, they should be described as protruding.