Following behind Huo Yuhao, Wang Chen saw his target, the Tianmeng Iceworm, appear. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, his mood becoming cheerful.
For a million-year soul beast like the Tianmeng Iceworm, Wang Chen was determined to obtain it. Although with his own strength, talent, and the powerful functions of the Black Book, he was destined to reach the peak even without a million-year martial soul, being able to reach that peak faster, better, and more easily—wouldn't that be even better?
Just as no one would complain about having too much money, Wang Chen wouldn't complain about having too many methods or opportunities. After all, the threat of the Holy Spirit Cult still loomed over his head.
Wang Chen believed that if the people of the Holy Spirit Cult learned that his cultivation had reached level 70 and that he had condensed a soul core, Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao, those two, would most likely take action personally with a high probability. Once Limit Douluo powerhouses like Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao made a move, even if Wang Chen stayed in Mingdu, he wouldn't feel safe enough. Mingdu might be a dragon's den or tiger's lair for Super Douluo, but for Limit Douluo powerhouses, it wasn't that dangerous.
If Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao shamelessly resorted to assassination, unless Kong Deming guarded Wang Chen 24 hours a day or the five soul mentor groups of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Mentor Legion protected him closely, no one could guarantee survival under the assassination of a Limit Douluo powerhouse.
Therefore, Wang Chen urgently wanted to obtain enough power to survive against a Limit Douluo powerhouse.
The million-year soul beast Tianmeng Iceworm was undoubtedly the fastest way. As long as Wang Chen absorbed the Tianmeng Iceworm's million-year soul ring, his strength would inevitably soar.
It must be known that the strength of the seventh soul skill, Martial Soul True Body, depended entirely on the age of the seventh soul ring.
Wang Chen believed that if his seventh soul ring was a million-year soul ring, even if he couldn't defeat a Limit Douluo who had condensed dual soul cores, mastered some spatial power, had spiritual power reaching the tangible and material realm, had a physique capable of absorbing a 700,000-year soul ring, created powerful combat techniques, and possessed multiple 100,000-year soul rings and soul bones, he could at least hold his own against a level 98 Super Douluo. With the secret technique of ring detonation and a million-year Martial Soul True Body, he felt it wasn't impossible to compete.
After all, level 98 and level 99 were two different realms—one with a single soul core and the other with dual soul cores, with significant gaps in all aspects.
At level 98 combat strength, in front of Limit Douluo powerhouses like Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao, he could at least withstand a few moves, not getting instantly killed, which would provide a certain sense of security.
Moreover, absorbing the Tianmeng Iceworm's million-year soul ring wasn't even the most important boost to his combat strength. The most critical thing was that the Tianmeng Iceworm could grant Wang Chen a second martial soul.
Having an additional martial soul was equivalent to gaining nine more soul rings. As long as he attached 100,000-year soul rings to the second martial soul and absorbed a few more 100,000-year soul bones, Wang Chen's soul power cultivation could quickly reach the level 90 bottleneck. Once he condensed a second soul core, Limit Douluo would be nothing more than trash in his eyes—mere small fry to be sold off.
At that point, it wouldn't be the Holy Spirit Cult coming to kill Wang Chen, but a question of whether Wang Chen would annihilate the Holy Spirit Cult.
This was why Wang Chen placed such importance on the Tianmeng Iceworm. Even the spatial confinement of the God-Suppressing Spear was tailored specifically for the Tianmeng Iceworm, aimed at capturing it and preventing its escape.
To be extra cautious, Wang Chen had tampered with Huo Yuhao's body, quietly using the Origin of Spirit to imbue his clothes with spirituality. For three days, until the spirituality dissipated, Wang Chen could track Huo Yuhao's location at any time through this method.
Spirituality was different from soul power, spiritual power, or life force, and conventional detection methods were useless against it. Thus, Wang Chen wasn't worried about being detected.
Just as Wang Chen was thrilled about finding the Tianmeng Iceworm, the words "Come out, bro!" rang in his ears.
The Tianmeng Iceworm's small eyes squinted smugly, saying in Wang Chen's direction, "Hmph, you hid well, but trying to hide under your bro's nose? You're still too green."
Hearing the Tianmeng Iceworm's words, the corner of Wang Chen's mouth twitched. He hadn't planned to hide in the first place. Even if the Tianmeng Iceworm hadn't spoken, he was going to come out to find it.
However, the fact that the Tianmeng Iceworm could detect him showed it had some skills. As a million-year soul beast, its combat strength might be lacking, but its other abilities couldn't be underestimated.
After all, Tianmeng had escaped from the grasp of numerous ferocious beasts in the Star Dou Forest and, in the original story, even managed to bind the Ice Emperor. Its escape and survival abilities were top-notch, and it couldn't be taken lightly.
Wang Chen stepped forward, intending to "persuade" the Tianmeng Iceworm to become his seventh soul ring.
Tap, tap, tap… The sound of footsteps echoed.
The Tianmeng Iceworm and Huo Yuhao saw a man clad in black armor, holding a silver-white spear radiating a sharp, murderous aura with intricate black patterns. He wore a magnificent silver-white bracelet on his wrist, had foldable metal wings on his back, and his aura was deep and restrained. His face was covered by a mask.
Indeed, Wang Chen was currently equipped with four level-9 soul tools: the God-Suppressing Spear, soul tool armor, a flight soul tool, and a defensive soul tool bracelet given to him by Kong Deming for protection.
Huo Yuhao looked at the sharp silver-white spear in Wang Chen's hand. Even from a distance, its piercing aura made him feel as if needles were pricking his back.
Although Wang Chen hadn't activated his natal soul tool, the God-Suppressing Spear, the sharp aura inherent to a level-9 soul tool wasn't something a weak soul scholar without a single soul ring could withstand.
Huo Yuhao immediately turned his head, not daring to look directly at the God-Suppressing Spear, thinking to himself, "This person is terrifying. Why is my luck so bad today? First, I almost got killed by a wind baboon, then I ran into a talking giant bug. And now, a powerhouse in armor shows up.
Mother, your spirit in heaven must protect me. I haven't avenged you yet—I have to survive!"
Seeing Wang Chen's appearance, the Tianmeng Iceworm immediately became cautious, thinking to itself, "This guy looks very strong. Could he be a Titled Douluo? Am I really this unlucky?"
The Tianmeng Iceworm immediately used its tangible and intangible peak-level spiritual power to carefully scan Wang Chen. Upon discovering that Wang Chen's soul power was only level 70, it let out a sigh of relief.
Seeing Wang Chen's cultivation wasn't high, the Tianmeng Iceworm instantly became arrogant, saying to him, "So, just a Soul Emperor? A little Soul Emperor at the bottleneck, dressed so flashy—what's that about? You scared me for a second. I thought you were a Titled Douluo."
Wang Chen smiled and bluffed, "Speaking human words? I didn't expect to encounter a 100,000-year soul beast in the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest. That's rare.
And you're interesting for a soul beast—not attacking humans? Could it be, you want to follow the example of Xiao Wu, the Soft-Boned Charm Rabbit from ten thousand years ago, and offer a sacrifice?
If that's the case, are you interested in becoming my seventh soul ring? In terms of talent, even Tang San from ten thousand years ago wasn't my match. If you become my soul ring, who knows, you might ascend to the Divine Realm with me, like Xiao Wu, the Sky Azure Bull Python, or the Titan Giant Ape."
With that, Wang Chen began to flex his strength. Six black soul rings emerged, and his powerful soul power and early-stage tangible and intangible spiritual power erupted together.
The intense soul power fluctuations and spiritual fluctuations distorted the surrounding air, and fierce winds snapped trees within dozens of meters.
His strength was undeniable, and his aura was no less imposing than that of a Titled Douluo.
Especially the vibrant, life-filled vigor emanating from Wang Chen—anyone with a bit of discernment could tell he was very young.
Huo Yuhao, trembling under the terrifying aura, would have been blown away by the fierce winds if the Tianmeng Iceworm hadn't been shielding him.
Huo Yuhao's experience was limited, and he couldn't comprehend how terrifying Wang Chen's strength was or what his aura signified. But as a level-10 soul scholar, he understood the basics of soul ring counts and colors.
Swallowing hard, Huo Yuhao looked at Wang Chen with envy, thinking, "Six black soul rings. Though he's wearing a mask, his voice sounds young—no more than twenty years old.
I didn't expect someone so young to already be a powerful Soul Emperor. And from what the big bug said, it seems his soul power has reached the bottleneck. He's probably here in the Star Dou Forest to attach his seventh soul ring, meaning he's about to become a Soul Sage.
So strong, truly so strong. If I were that powerful, I could avenge my mother."
The Tianmeng Iceworm, seeing the aura Wang Chen unleashed, was so shocked its eyes nearly popped out.
Having lived for a million years, a Soul Emperor was nothing to it, but the terrifying aura Wang Chen exuded, comparable to a Titled Douluo, and his vibrant life force left it stunned.
"This is a Soul Emperor? This soul power, this spiritual power—probably even a Titled Douluo is just like this.
And this vibrant life force is incredible. Six black soul rings—could he have twin martial souls? Are you actually a Titled Douluo, and this is your second martial soul?"
Hearing that the Tianmeng Iceworm mistook him for having twin martial souls, Wang Chen found it amusing and said, "At my age, how could I possibly break through to Titled Douluo? I only have one martial soul."
Just as the Tianmeng Iceworm was about to say something, a loud boom echoed.
The Tianmeng Iceworm looked up at the lightning in the sky and shivered.
A million years ago, perhaps because its strength was too weak, it had never faced any heavenly tribulation. But when it broke through the million-year bottleneck, the tribulation came, and its lifespan reached its end due to it.
If it couldn't survive in another form, it would soon die of life exhaustion.
Thus, the Tianmeng Iceworm was now urgently seeking a spiritual attribute soul master to become its wisdom soul ring and preserve its life. Though it had lived a long time, it had no desire to die.
The Tianmeng Iceworm glanced at Wang Chen and sighed inwardly, "What a pity, such a powerful and talented person, but not a spiritual attribute soul master. Our attributes don't match, so I can only reluctantly pass."
Lowering its head to look at the weak, ordinary, and unremarkable Huo Yuhao, who was eleven or twelve years old and only at level 10 soul power, its pain reached its peak.
As the saying goes, without comparison, there's no harm. With Wang Chen as a shining example, it really couldn't bring itself to settle for a "failure" like Huo Yuhao.
At that moment, roars of furious and terrifying ferocious beasts echoed from the depths of the Star Dou Forest. Some relatively weaker soul beasts in the core area were scared by the powerful ferocious beasts and fled toward the mixed zone.
Seeing the disturbances in the depths of the Star Dou Forest, the Tianmeng Iceworm knew it couldn't delay any longer. If it did, and the ferocious beasts found it, it would have to use its trump cards to escape.
Its trump cards were all reserved for Bingbing (Ice Emperor)—how could it use them here?
Looking at Huo Yuhao, the Tianmeng Iceworm made up its mind, "Spiritual attribute soul masters are too rare. I'll have to make do for now. At worst, I'll switch to a more suitable spiritual attribute soul master later." (Original work: The Tianmeng Iceworm could switch hosts before fully integrating its spiritual origin into the host's body.)
The Tianmeng Iceworm's small eyes looked at Wang Chen, suddenly filled with wariness.
Having lived for a million years, it wasn't smart, but it wasn't foolish either. It figured that this human likely mistook it for a 100,000-year soul beast.
And it was well aware of how greedy humans were for the soul rings and soul bones of 100,000-year soul beasts.
The Tianmeng Iceworm thought, "If I reject this human later, will he attack me?"
Realizing it would be inconvenient to act after becoming a wisdom soul ring, it decided to strike first, either to deal with this person or at least drive him away.
In its view, no matter how strong this person was, he was just a Soul Emperor who had just reached level 70 and didn't yet have the Martial Soul True Body soul skill.
If it couldn't handle the ferocious beasts of the Star Dou Forest, could it not deal with a mere Soul Emperor?
Without hesitation, the Tianmeng Iceworm unleashed its tangible and intangible peak-level spiritual power, releasing a terrifying spiritual shock that surged toward Wang Chen.
Although the spiritual shock soul skill was weak—among the weakest of all soul skills, far inferior to the Evil Eye Tyrant Ruler's Evil Eye Gaze—with its vast spiritual power, this attack could rival a 100,000-year soul beast, and ordinary Titled Douluo would have to flee.
Seeing that the Tianmeng Iceworm dared to attack him, the smile on Wang Chen's face vanished.
Refusing the offer and choosing punishment—looks like this Tianmeng Iceworm wanted a beating.
Wang Chen gripped the God-Suppressing Spear tightly, muttering, "Looks like it's time to make you face reality."
Unity of Man and Heaven, Spiritual Domain, activate!
Immediately, Wang Chen's first, second, third, and fifth soul skills lit up simultaneously.
Then, he thrust his spear forward, the strike like a dragon. The silver-white tip of the God-Suppressing Spear tore through space, creating jagged black cracks.
The Tianmeng Iceworm watched as Wang Chen's spear shattered space, its unstoppable spear light ravaging and directly obliterating its spiritual shock.
The Tianmeng Iceworm was so terrified by the horrifying spear strike that its worm body stretched in fear.
"Damn, a Soul Emperor is this fierce!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are 30 early chapters available on Patreo
[email protected]/facficmax10