Inside the hotel room, Zhu Ziyang entered the Divine Inheritance Realm.
As soon as he appeared, he landed on the fortieth step of the Ascension Path. On both sides, the Divine Locking Pillars displayed the rewards for completing the fourth Death God Trial. As expected, it was the same as the previous three: a ten percent increase in divine affinity and an additional pair of Divine Locking Pillars.
Zhu Ziyang smiled faintly. Clearly, he was used to this by now. With his divine affinity reaching fifty percent, he stepped lightly onto the fiftieth step, where the pillars revealed the details of the Fifth Death God Trial.
"Divine Affinity: 50%"
"Fifth Death God Trial: As the inheritor of the Death God, you've already completed half the journey. Congratulations. From this point on, the contents of the trials will vary and adapt based on your strength."
"Trial Requirement: Complete your soul bone set and remove the barriers between each soul bone, transforming them into a unified soul bone set."
"Specific Order: Limbs first, then skull, lastly torso. Time Limit: Within five years."
"Trial Reward: Unknown."
"To think the trial is for me to complete my soul bones!" Zhu Ziyang paused in surprise, but then a smile crept onto his face.
"Well then, time to go soul bone hunting."
He exited the Divine Inheritance Realm and returned to his hotel room, where Electrolux and his three soul spirits—Snow Empress and the Frost Sisters—appeared. Zhu Ziyang explained the details of the Fifth Death God Trial to them.
"Complete the soul bones and make them into a full set?" Electrolux mused.
"Getting the bones is one thing, but what exactly constitutes a 'complete soul bone set'?"
"That's not exactly clear." Zhu Ziyang looked puzzled.
"There's an old saying passed down on the continent—that when a soul master gathers all six soul bones, they'll automatically interconnect inside the body and grow roots, eventually forming a kind of full-body armor. But for thousands of years, there's been no case of such a transformation, even among the few who have collected all six."
"Daddy, I heard this soul bone set is connected to the gods," said Snow Empress thoughtfully.
"Of course it is," Zhu Ziyang replied. "I know that two divine-level soul bone sets have appeared in history—one was the Angel Set from the Angel God, and the other was the Sea God Set from the Sea God. But the issue is, how exactly do you make six individual soul bones fuse into one whole?"
"Don't rush it," Electrolux calmed him with a wave of the hand.
"There's an old saying—when the cart gets to the mountain, there'll be a road. You're already worrying about merging six soul bones when you haven't even gathered them yet. Let's collect them first. Maybe once you've got all six, the method will naturally reveal itself."
"Alright, that's fair." Zhu Ziyang knew Electrolux was mostly trying to console him, but since he had no clear path either, his only option was to proceed step by step.
"So where do we look next?" Ice Empress asked. "Hundred-thousand-year soul beasts always yield soul bones. Why don't we go to the Extreme North? We can search for those soul beasts and attach spirit rings to your second martial soul."
"I agree!" Er Shuang immediately shouted. "I want to find that Ice Demon Snow Soul King and make him pay for betraying us!"
"No problem." Zhu Ziyang chuckled, but then another idea popped into his mind. "But before that, I want to make a trip to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."
"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?" Er Shuang blinked.
"Why?"
"You mean the Ice Dragon King's corpse at the bottom of the well?" Electrolux instantly understood and looked surprised. "But how do you know for sure that there's a soul bone there?"
"It's worth a try. There's no harm," Zhu Ziyang smiled.
"If hundred-thousand-year beasts can produce soul bones, then surely a god-level true dragon like the Ice Dragon King must have left behind one. Even if I can't absorb it, the energy it contains will still boost my cultivation significantly."
"Haha, fair point!" Electrolux laughed heartily.
With the plan settled, Zhu Ziyang wasted no time and began preparations immediately.
The next morning, he told Qian Lingyi, "Lingyi, I need to head to the Extreme North. Are you coming with me, or would you rather travel on your own?"
"Huh?" Qian Lingyi was still half-asleep, but his words sobered her up instantly.
"You're going to the Extreme North just like that?"
"There's something I must do," Zhu Ziyang replied simply, and Qian Lingyi could sense the determination behind those two words.
"Then I'm going too!" she said without hesitation.
"You said we'd travel the continent together—you can't just ditch me!"
"In that case, I need you to promise me a few things first," Zhu Ziyang said, unsurprised by her answer.
"No problem!" she agreed immediately.
"Alright, then we'll talk on the way," Zhu Ziyang smiled.
The two of them set off toward the north of the continent. Within a day, they arrived at Heaven Dou City, the capital of the Heaven Soul Empire.
Zhu Ziyang had no interest in entering the city. His true destination was Sunset Forest on the outskirts. As he led the puzzled Qian Lingyi into the forest, he was surprised to find that it had undergone some significant changes.
Most noticeable was that the poisonous miasma that once blanketed the forest had faded considerably. In fact, the outer perimeter was completely clear. Only some withered, corroded trees remained as evidence of the forest's deadly past. But overall, Sunset Forest was showing signs of rebirth. In a few hundred years, it might once again flourish into a paradise of life.
"Why are we here?" Qian Lingyi asked curiously. "Isn't this forest supposed to be filled with poison mist?"
"Didn't you promise not to ask too many questions?" Zhu Ziyang said with a glance.
"But I'm curious!" she pouted.
"Curiosity won't help you here. Just follow me." Zhu Ziyang liked her sweet tone, but didn't answer. She'd understand soon enough—no need to waste words.
Before long, they arrived outside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. The land that had once been overrun with Jade Scale Flowers had changed dramatically. Since Zhu Ziyang uprooted them a year ago, the field had blossomed into lush greenery, full of flowers and shrubs teeming with life.
Enriched by the remnants of the Jade Scale Flowers, this patch of land was now the second most fertile part of the entire forest—surpassed only by the well itself. In ten years, this place would likely grow towering trees.
Standing at the entrance of the Yin Yang Well, Zhu Ziyang turned to Qian Lingyi and said, "Come here. Hold on tight to me."
"Huh? Oh!" she blushed and happily threw her arms around his neck, resting her head gently against his chest.
This wasn't exactly the hug Zhu Ziyang had in mind, but it worked. He wrapped his arm around her slender waist and looked toward the well. A golden light brewed in his eyes and shot forth. Their figures vanished, leaving only golden sparkles behind.
When they reappeared, they were standing deep inside the Yin Yang Well, right at the edge of the frigid spring.
Qian Lingyi was still a bit dazed. She hadn't expected Zhu Ziyang to possess teleportation abilities, let alone bring her to such a heavenly place. As she took in the rich elemental energy and the array of rare herbs and exotic plants, she realized why Zhu Ziyang had insisted on secrecy.
This place—where even she couldn't name half the flora—had to be one of Shrek Academy's most guarded secrets.
But Zhu Ziyang had no time for wonder. His gaze locked onto the center of the cold spring, where a peculiar, icy-white plant grew: the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
"You're… that Zhu Ziyang?" the grass's voice echoed with astonishment—but more than anything, with joy.
(End of Chapter)
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