DD Black White [166-171] (Patreon)

Chapter 166 – Separation from the Ice Empress

"Yuhua, I'm sorry, I have to leave now, but I sincerely hope you and Skydream will succeed." The Ice Empress looked at Huo Yuhao, a flash of guilt in her eyes.

She had originally chosen to follow Huo Yuhao, embarking together on this path full of unknowns in pursuit of godhood. But now, she had no choice but to make the decision to leave.

In her heart, Snow Empress' importance outweighed everything.

Compared to gambling on the almost impossible chance of becoming a god with Huo Yuhao, she'd rather believe in Snow Empress.

After all, the power Snow Empress had just demonstrated far surpassed even Limit Douluos, shaking everyone present.

Shrek Academy, renowned across the continent, was utterly powerless before Snow Empress, suppressed by her overwhelming force.

If not for the fact that the aura on Snow Empress was still somewhat lower than the divine power released by the gods during the great battle ten thousand years ago, the Ice Empress would have thought Snow Empress had already become a god.

"There's no need for this, Ice Empress. I should be thanking you for choosing me back then. Without you, I could never have made it this far. If you want to leave, that's your freedom. I have no right to interfere."

Huo Yuhao shook his head lightly. Though his expression showed regret, it was clear he understood and accepted her decision.

Deep down, he knew the Ice Empress had her own choices to make. Without her help, he would never have been able to shine so many times, defeating Dai Huabin, and even forcing his rival to kneel and admit defeat.

"Just separate my spiritual origin. As for the soul ring and soul bone, I don't need them anymore." The Ice Empress turned to look at Mobius. Although she instinctively felt this woman was dangerous, since Snow Empress trusted her, she chose to let go of her doubts and place her trust as well.

She knew clearly that her soul ring and soul bone had long since merged with Huo Yuhao. Forcibly removing them would be no different than killing him.

"Alright, little guinea pig, get ready!" Mobius smiled softly, her smile carrying an unfathomable meaning.

Before her words faded, green arcs of electricity danced at her fingertips, which she gently pressed to the center of Huo Yuhao's brow.

At that moment, the Ice Empress' figure outside instantly dissolved into countless green light particles, quickly returning to Huo Yuhao's brow.

At the same time, the Skydream Iceworm wasted no time in returning to Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea.

He knew very well that splitting the Ice Empress' soul origin was bound to damage Huo Yuhao's own spiritual source. He had to go all out, using his own origin to make up for the loss and help stabilize Huo Yuhao's mental space.

Inside Huo Yuhao's spiritual world, a dark snake shadow with green markings quietly appeared, opening its bloody maw and swallowing a jade-green orb of light—the very core of the Ice Empress' soul.

Huo Yuhao felt as if an invisible giant hand was tearing his soul apart. Agonizing pain overwhelmed him, making him groan uncontrollably. His face turned as pale as paper, and darkness almost claimed his consciousness.

Fortunately, the Skydream Iceworm reacted quickly, using his million-year-old spiritual origin to promptly patch up the wound in Huo Yuhao's mind, preventing further harm.

Outside, Mobius withdrew her finger. In her palm now floated a ball of emerald light—the pure soul origin of the Ice Empress.

"Ice!" Snow Empress looked worriedly at the soul origin.

"Take it. Find that guy within three days, or her soul origin will dissipate." Mobius tossed the soul origin casually to Snow Empress.

Snow Empress hurriedly caught it, immediately wrapping it in a gentle layer of white light, forming a sturdy protective barrier.

"I understand. Thank you. I'll do as I promised."

She sincerely thanked Mobius, glanced at Huo Yuhao—who was clutching his forehead in pain—then turned into a beam of dazzling white light, speeding off toward Haiyuan City.

She had promised Ice Empress not to harm Huo Yuhao, and so she would not. As for Mobius, she couldn't control what she might do.

Mobius looked at Huo Yuhao with interest. At that moment, the soul tool storage device on his wrist suddenly shattered, revealing a dark red gemstone emitting an eerie glow.

The gem seemed almost alive, flying on its own to Huo Yuhao's brow and slowly merging with him.

"An unprocessed pseudo-Herrscher core… Can a Herrscher personality be born in this world too? How intriguing!"

Mobius stared at Huo Yuhao, who was now enveloped in a dark red glow, as if he were a fascinating experiment. Her figure gradually faded, dissolving into space.

"Pain, guilt, regret, hatred… How could 'I' be so weak!" In Huo Yuhao's spiritual world, the Skydream Iceworm was working hard to heal him when a familiar, haunting voice echoed from behind.

Both the Skydream Iceworm and Huo Yuhao's body jolted violently—the voice was unmistakably Huo Yuhao's own.

Instinctively, the two looked toward the source of the voice—only to be shocked by the sight of another Huo Yuhao in the mental space.

This Huo Yuhao looked almost identical except for blood-red pupils.

"Who are you? Why are you in my spiritual world?" Huo Yuhao's face was still pale as he stared gravely at the blood-eyed doppelganger, while the Skydream Iceworm looked on in disbelief.

"Who am I? You should have guessed by now. I am you!"

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao smirked, his powerful spiritual force spreading out, resonating with the whole space. In the blink of an eye, he seized control of Huo Yuhao's spiritual domain.

"Dai Huabin tried to kill you, but you never dared truly retaliate. The Academy shielded him, and you endured in silence. Snow Empress killed your teacher, and you didn't even dare show hatred. Shrek Academy abandoned you, Ice Empress has now left you too, and you just silently accept it all. How could I be so weak!"

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao's eyes blazed, and a flood of negative emotions surged into Huo Yuhao's mind.

The feeling was so familiar that Huo Yuhao blurted out, "You—you're that gemstone!"

"Yes and no. I was born from your negative emotions—your escape, your weakness. I am you."

He wasn't lying. Though the gem's power had helped, this was a true part of Huo Yuhao, born from his own accumulated pain and weakness.

"I will avenge my mother, I will kill Dai Huabin, and I won't forgive anyone who betrayed me!"

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao's voice was crazed and evil—he was the embodiment of negativity.

"Brother Skydream!" Huo Yuhao's face grew even paler. He shouted for help.

The Skydream Iceworm responded immediately. Ten giant golden orbs in the sky released spiritual power, transforming into chains that shot toward the blood-eyed Huo Yuhao, trying to bind him.

"Brother Skydream, I told you, I am Huo Yuhao. I am your true master."

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao smiled faintly. Instantly, the entire spiritual world trembled. Dark red light surged, engulfing the Skydream Iceworm.

The golden chains stopped in their tracks, the golden orbs above dimmed and lost their luster.

"Brother Skydream!" Huo Yuhao gasped, not expecting the Skydream Iceworm to be subdued so easily. The power of this blood-eyed self was beyond his imagination.

"Sleep. When you wake up, it will all be over. I'll avenge mother and make everyone who hurt or betrayed me pay!"

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao appeared directly before him, his blood-red eyes full of madness, staring into Huo Yuhao's soul.

"Sigh!" Just as Huo Yuhao was about to fall into unconsciousness, an old and helpless voice sounded.

"Grandpa Yi, will you stop me too?" The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao paused and turned to see Electrolux had appeared.

"Little Yuhao, it seems it's my fault…" Electrolux looked troubled. With his powerful consciousness, he could tell this blood-eyed Huo Yuhao was not some outside evil—he was Huo Yuhao himself.

In short, the blood-eyed Huo Yuhao was a second personality.

Not innate, but catalyzed recently by his suffering and the mysterious gem.

Electrolux was full of guilt. If not for him, Huo Yuhao would never have bought the gem, used it to cultivate, or given rise to this dark second self.

"Grandpa Yi!" Huo Yuhao struggled to resist the negativity, looking at Electrolux with difficulty.

"Little Yuhao, I've always told you, hatred is not all there is to life."

Electrolux spoke, spiritual power gathering at his fingertip as he pointed at the blood-eyed Huo Yuhao.

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao sneered, blood-red lines spreading from his eyes and forming a third, blood-colored eye in his forehead, set with a dark red gem.

With this change, a wave of bloody spiritual power exploded. Electrolux's energy body shuddered, strange red lines appearing on his form.

"So that's it. I was careless—only a wisp of my consciousness remains. If this was my prime, I'd never fall for such a trick!"

Electrolux looked at the spreading red lines with resignation.

Chapter 167 – Crimson Douluo, Scarlet Nightmare

Electrolux never imagined that the very gem he once used to restore his own spirit would become his greatest weakness.

"Grandpa Yi, I've always known how strong you are. I know you'd never agree with me, so just keep sleeping."

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao bowed respectfully.

He was Huo Yuhao, after all, and knew Electrolux and the Skydream Iceworm inside and out. Of course he'd prepare thoroughly before making his move.

He had been quietly lurking within the gem all along, waiting for the moment when the Ice Empress was separated and the main personality was at its weakest, to seize control and overpower the Skydream Iceworm.

Because Electrolux had used the gem to restore his spirit, he became vulnerable to the blood-eyed self's power.

Otherwise, with Electrolux's help, he'd have no chance of victory.

As Electrolux's consciousness faded, Huo Yuhao lost consciousness, falling into darkness. Yet, as the main personality, he could faintly sense what was happening.

In the outside world, Huo Yuhao collapsed, his body glowing with a sinister dark red light.

The glow radiated mental waves, frightening off all nearby animals, who scattered in terror.

Yet, while this evil power drove away animals, it attracted an unexpected guest.

"So this is the place!" With a deep whistle from the sky, a massive emerald bird descended from above.

Its wings spanned several meters, feathers gleaming like jade in the sunlight.

On its broad back sat a gothic-looking girl, around twelve or thirteen years old.

She held an ornate parasol, legs swinging playfully. She was cute, but radiated an indescribable evil aura.

The girl had long dark red hair in twin ponytails, and striking blood-red eyes.

She looked at the unconscious Huo Yuhao below with interest, a sly smile on her lips. "Interesting. Such wicked spiritual waves—a good seedling indeed."

With a flick of her finger, a faint blood-red thread flashed in the air.

The jade bird's eyes turned dull, and it obediently landed, stretching its giant beak to pick up Huo Yuhao.

But just as the beak neared him, the air turned freezing cold. Gray mist spread rapidly.

A planar gate opened, emitting a chilling aura.

A giant skeletal dragon's head poked through, green fire burning in its eye sockets, spewing a blast of icy breath.

The blast instantly froze the jade bird into a beautiful ice sculpture.

"Huh, undead?" The gothic girl's face darkened, but as she eyed the skeletal dragon and the wave of undead pouring from the portal, her interest grew.

She calmly stood in mid-air, watching with idle curiosity.

At that moment, Huo Yuhao opened his eyes, now clouded and blood-red, looking at the girl in the sky with a sullen expression.

He cursed inwardly: after all the effort to seize control of his body and subdue Electrolux and the Skydream Iceworm, he immediately ran into a Title Douluo.

What rotten luck!

He could dominate in his own mind, using the gem's power, but in the real world, his soul power was only at the Soul Elder level. No matter how strong his spirit, he was no match for a Title Douluo.

Helpless, he released the undead from Electrolux's demi-plane, hoping to create chaos and escape.

"Interesting, little one. Want to join us?"

The gothic girl laughed sweetly, but her laughter sent chills down Huo Yuhao's spine.

She revealed her nine soul rings—three purple, five black, one red.

Such a terrifying combination made Huo Yuhao's pupils contract sharply.

A powerful pressure descended, no less than that released by Xuan Zi. Countless blood-red threads fell like rain, precisely attaching to the summoned undead.

To his shock, Huo Yuhao found his control over the undead instantly wrested away.

Even worse, blood-red threads silently wound around his own body, binding him completely.

"When did this happen?" Huo Yuhao's face darkened, the blood in his eyes growing fiercer.

He couldn't figure out when she had made her move.

"Why, right when you tried to run!" The gothic girl flashed before Huo Yuhao.

She tipped his chin with a delicate finger, wearing a proud smile.

"I'm Scarlet Nightmare, Title: Crimson. The Holy Spirit Hall's Third Consecrator. Little one, want to join us? We're the same kind, you know!"

Her voice was soft, tinged with temptation.

"Holy Spirit Hall? Never heard of it!" Bound tightly, Huo Yuhao could still use his spiritual power.

He stealthily gathered power, sending a dark red glow into Scarlet Nightmare's mind.

"Hmph!" She snorted. Huo Yuhao felt as if his head had been struck by a hammer, blood pouring from every orifice.

"Bold little one! Your spirit is strong, but I'm a ninety-seventh-level Title Douluo. The gap between us is immense. If not for your interesting abilities and potential, I'd have killed you a hundred times for that stunt!"

A murderous glint flashed in her eye. If not for his talent and the evil power she appreciated, Huo Yuhao would already be a lifeless puppet.

"What do I get if I join?" Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth, enduring the pain.

He was filled with helplessness, but his desire for survival and power forced him to swallow his pride.

"I'll make you the Holy Son, how about that?" Scarlet Nightmare was delighted—if he would submit, everything would be easy.

Bringing such an outstanding talent back would surely please the Supreme Master.

"Deal!" Huo Yuhao squeezed out the word.

He no longer wanted to return to Shrek Academy. He had no better options. The Holy Spirit Hall, with a Third Consecrator this powerful, was clearly a hidden powerhouse.

He wanted revenge and strength. In these circumstances, finding a strong backer was the best choice.

He had thought about joining the Body Sect, but now, there was no other choice.

Refuse, and Scarlet Nightmare would kill him on the spot. He didn't want to die so easily.

"Excellent!" Scarlet Nightmare smiled in satisfaction. She had been drawn here by the fierce battle in Shrek City, but found an unexpected treasure instead.

"Come, I'll take you to the Hall!" She grabbed Huo Yuhao by the collar as if he weighed nothing.

She released her control over the undead, not even glancing at the jade bird, her former mount.

Huo Yuhao hurriedly recalled the undead to the demi-plane before leaving.

…

In the God Realm, Tang San hurried back to the Sea God Hall from the Forbidden Land, immediately using the divine sense left on Wang Dong to observe the lower world.

Within moments, his expression turned grave.

Huo Yuhao had left Shrek Academy, disrupting all his plans.

With Huo Yuhao separated from Wang Dong, even as a God King, Tang San briefly lost track of him.

He could have found him by other means, but the God of Destruction was watching his every move, forcing him to be cautious and patient.

Chapter 168 – Tang San's Doubt

"How could the timing be so coincidental?" Tang San frowned deeply. Just now, the Golden Dragon King in the Forbidden Land had begun attacking its seal.

As a law enforcer of the God Realm, he had to inspect things personally.

But in just that short time, so much had changed in the lower world—Huo Yuhao had slipped from his grasp!

Time passed differently in the God Realm; one day there equaled a year below.

Though he'd only checked the seal briefly, much had changed below.

With the feedback from the Golden Tree and Wang Dong, Tang San understood what had happened.

He had already started guessing at Snow Empress's sudden display of power; she was the first to break free of his calculations, which was not unexpected.

As for his divine sense clones left on the Golden Tree and Wang Dong, they would only act if those two were truly threatened.

Now that his plans had gone astray, Tang San's face grew darker, but his experience kept him calm. He quickly began working on a new solution.

But with the God of Destruction watching, he had to take things one step at a time.

…

"Tang San must be very confused right now."

Lu Jingming received news from Mobius about Huo Yuhao being taken away by a Holy Spirit Hall powerhouse, and couldn't help but smile slyly.

"That Golden Dragon King is interesting—even sealed, it keeps building strength. If it breaks free, it'll take several God Kings to stop it. It's much more powerful than your little silver dragon."

Herta tilted her trademark witch's hat, speaking with interest.

"Well, the Golden Dragon King inherited the Dragon God's power, so it's naturally stronger. But Herta, how did you do it?"

Lu Jingming tilted his head, curious.

He wondered how Herta had managed to let the Golden Dragon King attack its seal, forcing Tang San to respond.

"It was simple. I just fed it some Honkai energy to perk it up." Herta looked relaxed, as if it was nothing special.

Lu Jingming checked his own Honkai energy reserves and grimaced.

Not to mention how Herta had gotten into the heavily guarded Forbidden Land, but the point was—this was not a little Honkai energy. His reserves had dropped by half.

Still, if it distracted Tang San long enough to derail his plans, it was worth it.

Now that Huo Yuhao was in the Holy Spirit Hall, Tang San's plans were completely off course.

And Lu Jingming knew that after all these changes, Huo Yuhao was no longer the naive boy he had once been.

Thinking of the pseudo-Herrscher gem, Lu Jingming grimaced again.

He'd given it to Mobius to help her pick a World Serpent executive, but she'd ended up handing it to Huo Yuhao.

He knew Mobius would never give out such an item without a reason. The gem must be full of traps.

"Your little Snow Woman is here."

Suddenly, Herta spoke up. With a wave of her hand, space itself twisted and folded.

Within this spatial distortion, Lu Jingming vanished without a trace.

…

In Haiyuan City, outside a luxury villa on the sea cliffs, Snow Empress was quietly searching for Lu Jingming's aura. The moment he appeared, she sensed him and flew over like a streak of white light.

Before, Lu Jingming had been in Herta's lab, which was shielded from detection.

"Lu Jingming, I have something to ask you!" Snow Empress landed in front of him, straightforward and urgent.

"It's about the Ice Empress, right? Mobius told me. I can help her rebuild her body."

Lu Jingming glanced at the white orb in Snow Empress's hands—the Ice Empress' pure soul origin.

The Ice Empress hadn't known Huo Yuhao for long, so she chose Snow Empress with no hesitation.

But Huo Yuhao hadn't lost out—he still had the Ice Jade Scorpion martial soul and its rings and bones.

"What do you want? I'll agree to any condition."

Seeing Lu Jingming not immediately act, Snow Empress offered.

Lu Jingming smiled gently. "You misunderstand. For me, helping Ice Empress is just a bit of soul power—not worth asking for payment. We're on the same side, aren't we? But I do have a better idea."

His words were sincere. With his Black Abyss White Flower, helping the Ice Empress was nothing.

"What idea?" Snow Empress, realizing her mistake, blushed, covering her embarrassment by asking.

"You've heard of Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Marrow, right?" Lu Jingming said softly, admiring the rare blush on her usually cold face.

"Of course. It's an ice-type treasure. Why do you ask?" Snow Empress frowned, puzzled.

She knew its reputation well—the Skydream Iceworm had become a million-year soul beast after swallowing a great deal of it.

"If I use Mysterious Ice Marrow to rebuild Ice Empress' body, the effects will be even better. She'll recover her power faster."

Lu Jingming explained patiently.

"I know, but Mysterious Ice Marrow is extremely rare. It's hard to find even a piece anywhere on the continent."

Snow Empress frowned. She understood its value. With it as the foundation, Ice Empress could easily reach Limit Douluo, and with a Stigmata, prepare for godhood.

"I know where there's plenty of it."

Lu Jingming got straight to the point.

"Really!" Snow Empress's eyes lit up, her usual coolness forgotten in her excitement.

If there was truly a large amount, not only would Ice Empress benefit, but Snow Empress herself could speed up her own progress toward becoming a god.

"Why would I lie?" Lu Jingming rolled his eyes.

He did know—there was a large reserve in the Dragon City of the Heavenly Soul Empire, deep underground.

It was accompanied by top-tier soul metals.

The Mysterious Ice Marrow would be valuable to many, so he had already planned to collect it at the right time.

"Where is it? I'll go now."

Snow Empress was impatient, her usual aloofness gone.

"Don't rush. It's in territory that belongs to someone else. We need to plan. I'll make a temporary body for Ice Empress first." Lu Jingming said seriously.

With Snow Empress's power, she could steal it by force, but he had a better plan.

"Why bother? I'll do it myself. Even if it was in Shrek Academy, the Body Sect, or the Star Dou Forest, I could take it."

After single-handedly subduing Shrek, Snow Empress had grown confident—her tone was full of dominance.

"Listen to me." Lu Jingming's gaze was firm and commanding.

His words, though few, brooked no argument.

Under his gaze, Snow Empress felt her heart flutter for some reason. She quickly looked away, hesitated, then nodded softly. "Alright."

"Don't worry, you'll get the Mysterious Ice Marrow. No need to rush. Give me Ice Empress' soul origin."

Seeing her compliance, Lu Jingming smiled gently, back to his usual kind demeanor.

"Mm."

Snow Empress handed over the white orb, showing her complete trust.

Chapter 169: Seizing the Yang Soul, Scattering the Yin Spirit – The Hour of Midnight Has Arrived!

At this moment, the Ice Empress was completely stunned, her mind blank with shock.

She never expected that the person Snow Empress sought would turn out to be Lu Jingming.

She wasn't unfamiliar with Lu Jingming—after all, during the Soul Master Tournament, she had watched through Huo Yuhao's perspective, and Lu Jingming's performance on the field had left a deep impression.

But that wasn't the most shocking thing. What truly left her speechless was Snow Empress's attitude toward Lu Jingming.

Just now, Snow Empress had behaved so obediently and modestly—where was the dignity of the Lord of the Extreme North? Where was the terrifying aura of a powerful beast?

The once cold, proud, and aloof Snow Empress, at just one word from Lu Jingming, had instantly backed down, even handing over her own soul origin without hesitation!

Ice Empress even wondered if she was under an illusion, if all of this was just a dream.

Lu Jingming now thrust his pure white lance into the ground, instantly expanding a domain of pure white light centered on himself.

Bathed in this gentle radiance, Lu Jingming began reconstructing a physical body for the Ice Empress.

He had long since decoded the blueprint of human genetics and was thoroughly familiar with the structure of the human body.

Besides, for now, he only needed to create a temporary vessel for the Ice Empress, so there was no need for absolute precision—a regular human body would suffice.

Waves of white creative power flowed out, gently enveloping the Ice Empress' soul origin and slowly merging with it.

Lu Jingming carefully adjusted the frequency of his power, ensuring that even this ordinary body would be molded according to the unique blueprint of the Ice Empress' soul.

If the soul and the body didn't match, the Ice Empress would face all sorts of difficulties using it—possibly even severe problems.

As his soul power was steadily consumed, a figure gradually formed in the dazzling white light.

The figure was petite, yet with graceful curves, and slowly became clear.

"It's done!" Finally, the body was complete.

Lu Jingming withdrew his lance from the ground, a faint look of exhaustion on his face.

For him, using his White Flower to create a body was indeed a draining task.

As the bright light faded, the Ice Empress' figure appeared before him and Snow Empress, clear as day.

But the next moment, the corners of Lu Jingming's mouth twitched unconsciously, his gaze shifting away awkwardly, and Snow Empress's expression also changed.

The Ice Empress slowly opened her eyes, feeling out this new body.

Though it was incredibly fragile compared to her original form, what surprised her was how utterly familiar it felt—as if it was her original body, with no sense of disconnect.

She was amazed. She never imagined a human martial soul could possess such miraculous power—to help others reconstruct a body!

But suddenly, Ice Empress felt a chill—something was wrong.

Instinctively, she looked down and her eyes widened—her bare feet were exposed. This body, just like her old transformed form.

But that wasn't the worst part—where were her clothes?

She might be a soul beast, but she still had basic shame. Every time she transformed, she'd conjure clothes. She was no mindless beast!

Snow Empress shot Lu Jingming a helpless glare, then took a white robe from her storage space and gently wrapped it around Ice Empress, finally covering up what shouldn't be seen.

Compared to Snow Empress, Ice Empress' figure wasn't as impressive, but she still had a few curves—Lu Jingming thought to himself, "Little apple, huh!"

Noticing Ice Empress' fierce glare, Lu Jingming helplessly spread his hands and explained, "I can make the body, but I can't make clothes!"

Ice Empress clenched her fists, but with this fragile body, she felt helpless.

This vessel was just too weak—she didn't even dare use any of her residual power, fearing she might accidentally tear it apart.

Her desire to punch Lu Jingming was obvious, so he coughed lightly and said to Snow Empress, "Take Ice Empress to rest. She'll need time to adjust. In a few days, I'll take you to get the Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Marrow."

"Snow Empress, what's your relationship with him?"

As Lu Jingming walked off, Ice Empress finally straightened her clothes and looked at Snow Empress curiously.

She was full of questions about Snow Empress's changes.

And the Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Marrow was a treasure even soul beasts like her and Snow Empress dreamed of—was Lu Jingming really going to let her use it so generously? What was his motive?

"What relationship? I'd say he's my savior." Snow Empress thought for a moment, then told Ice Empress everything that had happened to her in detail.

She trusted Ice Empress deeply—after all, Ice Empress had nowhere to run in her current state and joining the World Serpent was basically a done deal.

Honestly, if Ice Empress really took the Mysterious Ice Marrow without paying any price, even she'd feel uneasy. There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world!

As for joining World Serpent, Ice Empress had no objections.

If Snow Empress had joined, why would she refuse? Besides, joining gave her a chance to become a god—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Only a fool would turn it down.

To live, to become a god and gain immortality—she'd been willing to gamble with Huo Yuhao before, so why not join World Serpent now when the odds were even better?

Still, Ice Empress felt Snow Empress's attitude toward Lu Jingming was more than just gratitude.

Otherwise, with Snow Empress's usual pride, how could she be so obedient?

…

Meanwhile, Lu Jingming was looking at a message from his soul communicator, a faint smile on his lips.

Originally, he had planned for Snow Empress to quietly sneak into the Earth Dragon Sect and find the hidden cave to take the Mysterious Ice Marrow.

After all, though the Earth Dragon Sect sat on a treasure, their abilities were limited—they could only use the energy from the cold spring to temper their disciples' bodies, which was a waste.

But the message Ji Yingying had sent changed his mind.

He decided to enter the Earth Dragon Sect openly, not just to take the Mysterious Ice Marrow, but also the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal mine.

….

….

Time moved forward. In Mingdu, capital of the Sun Moon Empire, a brutal massacre was unfolding inside a secluded three-story building.

Several white-robed, white-masked White Wuchang agents from the Wuchang Division flitted among a group of black-robed men, reaping lives like reapers from hell.

With every shriek and spatter of blood, life proved heartbreakingly fragile.

"How did you Wuchang people find this place? The Holy Church won't let you go!" roared a burly black-robed man—a six-ring Soul Emperor.

With his roar, his soul rings flared, black flames engulfed him, and amid the wails of souls, he turned into a giant black skeleton.

The skeleton swung its massive claws, shrieking and howling with vengeful spirits, causing the White Wuchang agents to pause briefly.

"Pointless struggle!" Ji Yingying snorted coldly, her chain flashing with icy blue flames and slicing through the skeleton, burning it to ash with ghostly fire.

"Hell doesn't take wandering ghosts like you. Disappear!" she said coolly, whirling her chain, her face as cold as frost.

She'd dealt with these evil soul masters often in the Sun Moon Empire.

Compared to the mission-focused, efficient killers of Wuchang Division, the evil soul masters of the Holy Church were truly disgusting.

At least she never ate human flesh, drank blood, devoured souls, or tortured innocents—she gave her targets a quick end.

By comparison, the Wuchang agents were the good guys.

"Second Brother! Damn it, if the Third and Fourth Elders were here, you'd never get away with this!" screamed another Soul Emperor as his brother fell.

He was a villain, yes, but this was his brother—his grief turned to fury.

"Die!" he howled, white flames bursting from him as vengeful spirits rushed at Ji Yingying.

The temperature plummeted, and the wails of the ghosts chilled the soul.

"Seize the yang soul, scatter the yin spirit—the hour of midnight has arrived!" Ji Yingying intoned, her blue ghost-fire exploding outward, targeting souls and making her the bane of evil soul masters.

As the blue flames raged, the wraiths screamed and vanished, perhaps finding release at last.

Seeing his ghosts destroyed, the evil Soul Emperor's face twisted.

He produced a white flag radiating evil—a Level 7 soul tool called the Holy Spirit Banner, made by the Holy Church's Third Elder.

It contained countless imprisoned spirits, and once unleashed, could overwhelm even a Soul Douluo.

This was why the Third Elder dared leave so many people behind—so long as the banner was there, no one but a Title Douluo could breach the Holy Church's stronghold.

"You made me do this—Holy Spirit Banner, Ten Thousand Ghosts Devour Souls!"

As countless ghost faces poured from the banner, the temperature dropped to freezing, and a thick layer of frost covered the secret chamber.

Seeing this, Ji Yingying's brow furrowed. Dark red chains wrapped her arms, burning with blue flames.

At the same time, nine soul rings appeared on her body.

"You… are you Wuchang Title Douluo? How can this be—you're here?!"

The evil Soul Emperor's face turned white with terror.

The Holy Church had clashed with Wuchang before, and many of their elders had suffered—so they knew about the Wuchang Title Douluo.

Her soul ring configuration—five black, four red—was unforgettable.

Seeing nine rings, he guessed her identity at once.

"Ghostly Fire, Manifest!"

Ji Yingying ignored his panic. She became a mass of blue ghost-fire, which surged upward and swept through the underground cave.

Chapter 170: Greater Lord Rukkhadevata

The Wuchang agents had already retreated at the first sign of Ji Yingying's nine soul rings.

They knew well the power of the ghost-fire—best to avoid friendly fire.

The blue fire transformed the cave into a sea of flames, the wails of the ghosts making the dungeon a true hell.

The battle lasted barely ten seconds before silence fell, the blue flames fading away.

When the Wuchang agents re-entered, only Ji Yingying remained.

As for the evil soul masters, their fate was clear.

"Go—go free your parents," Ji Yingying said to a pink-haired girl at the entrance.

The girl was about fourteen or fifteen, with healthy tanned skin—plain but pleasant looking.

"Yes, Lord Yama!" The girl's eyes shone with excitement.

She rushed into the depths of the chamber—her movements practiced, clearly familiar with the place.

Soon, the sound of her sobs drifted out—soft but full of both grief and joy. She must have found her parents' imprisoned souls.

A few minutes later, she reappeared before Ji Yingying, eyes red and cheeks tear-stained.

She dropped to her knees, her voice hoarse with emotion. "Thank you, Lord Yama, for fulfilling my wish! I'm willing to join Impermanence and serve you forever, without a single complaint!"

Her name was Na Na. Since childhood, she'd been in the Holy Church's clutches.

To control her, they'd imprisoned her parents' souls, forcing her to work as their spy at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.

But she'd always hoped to free her parents, even though her strength was insufficient.

Until Wuchang found her and promised to help in exchange for the location of the secret base.

Now, seeing the Holy Church's stronghold destroyed and her parents' souls freed, she had no more attachments.

Driven by hatred for the Holy Church and gratitude to Ji Yingying, she joined Wuchang, vowing loyalty.

She had also discovered, while undercover, that Mingde Hall was secretly colluding with the Holy Church, which made her hate the Academy and the Empire even more.

"Good. From now on, you're a White Wichang." Ji Yingying took a white mask from her pocket and handed it to Na Na.

Lu Jingming had provided Na Na's information, so there was no need for further vetting.

Na Na was talented—if nurtured, she could become a Title Douluo.

Her unique martial soul made her a perfect assassin, and Wuchang's style suited her.

With no more attachments, and out of gratitude, Na Na would now do anything Ji Yingying asked.

At the same time, Ji Yingying learned from Na Na that this Holy Church base had been guarded by the Third Elder, a Level 9 soul engineer nicknamed Ming Lei Douluo, who had already left for Dragon City in the Heavenly Soul Empire.

Lu Jingming, upon hearing this, recalled who the Third Elder was—a diehard admirer of Nan Shuishui, the Earth Dragon Sect master, who was a powerful Soul Douluo with the Rouge Dragon martial soul, able to fight even Title Douluos.

But now she faced both Ming Lei Douluo and You Ming Douluo, two evil Title Douluos—a huge threat.

Unless she stayed inside Dragon City, she'd be in grave danger.

The Third Elder had always wanted to kidnap Nan Shuishui, but the city was guarded by the Sky Dragon Douluo, a Super Douluo, so he never dared act.

But now, with the Holy Church cooperating with the Sun Moon Empire, their elders moved more freely.

This was why Lu Jingming opposed Snow Empress' idea of simply robbing the Mysterious Ice Marrow.

He planned to step in when the Earth Dragon Sect was in crisis, earning their gratitude—and making it easier to request the Mysterious Ice Marrow and Divine Crystal later.

He even considered recruiting the Earth Dragon Sect itself.

Dragon City would eventually fall to the Sun Moon Empire. The Earth Dragon Sect would need a new home—and Haiyuan City seemed perfect.

This way, Lu Jingming could avoid the reputation of a bully, unlike the Body Sect, whose brute force made them widely disliked.

Besides, this roundabout strategy wouldn't take much more time or energy.

With Snow Empress' power and two evil elders, they could easily handle it.

Thus, he could get the treasure, win goodwill, and rid the world of evil—all at once.

"If I remember right, the Sunset Forest is near Dragon City, and the immortal herbs in the Icefire Yin Yang Well should be useful to you, Buer."

Lu Jingming glanced at the blood-red stigmata on the back of his hand, speaking softly.

"I'm not sure, but as you said, absorbing the powers and memories of those herbs should strengthen the World Tree Stigmata," came a gentle, intelligent voice.

A beautiful woman in white appeared behind him—her hair fading from white to green, braided at the ends, her ears pointed like an elf, radiating wisdom and kindness.

"The World Tree isn't just a tree—it's knowledge, memory, wisdom. Its life force comes from that," Lu Jingming explained. "As its avatar, if you absorb those herbs, you should gain their powers and strengthen the Stigmata."

The immortal herbs all had miraculous powers, and in the presence of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, their powers would only nourish her further.

Chapter 171: Raiden Makoto

"They all have souls now… If possible, I'd rather not do it," Greater Lord Rukkhadevata sighed, her eyes full of compassion.

As the first Grass God, master of life, dream, and wisdom, her nature made her averse to consuming other sentient plant beasts just to strengthen a stigmata.

"I can preserve their seeds and memories, let them become companions to the new God of Life."

Lu Jingming had expected her gentle nature to protest, so he'd already planned a compromise.

"I suppose that's all we can do."

Greater Lord Rukkhadevata sighed, accepting that Lu Jingming's solution was already generous—giving the herbs a chance to live on as divine companions.

She was kind, not foolish, so she said nothing more.

"Buer, it's been a while. Who'd have thought we'd meet again?"

Just then, the stigmata on Lu Jingming's left hand glowed with lightning.

With a flash, a purple-haired beauty in a white-and-purple kimono, holding an oil-paper umbrella, appeared beside him.

She looked at Buer with a smile—an old friend reunited.

"Baal, yes! I never thought we'd meet again like this."

Buer smiled softly.

Both had long since passed away, even been forgotten by the world, yet here they were, revived by Lu Jingming's power.

"It's thanks to Xiao Ming—he gave us new life," Raiden Makoto said gently, looking at Lu Jingming with gratitude.

Without him, she'd never be reborn or see old friends again.

She'd seen not only Buer, but also Yae Miko, and wished Ei could be here as well.

"Don't worry, Makoto, I'll do my best to grant your wishes," Lu Jingming smiled, seeing through her thoughts.

He was also curious about the legendary Shogun and wanted to witness it himself.

"You're so good to me—I don't know how to thank you. Maybe I should betroth Ei to you?" Raiden Makoto covered her mouth, laughing playfully, her eyes full of mischief.

Was she joking? Who could tell?

"I'd love to agree, but I'd probably get chopped," Lu Jingming shrugged.

That stubborn, homebody village girl—maybe she could be conquered with food instead of force?

As the three chatted and laughed, the atmosphere grew ever more harmonious.

After all, Buer and Raiden Makoto had only recently awakened; this world was still new to them.

Lu Jingming patiently introduced them to the new world, telling tales of Inazuma and Sumeru.

Though revived, they still cared deeply about their old homes.

They had much in common, so their time together was pleasant.

Raiden Makoto's Lightning Stigmata contained the powers of lightning, destruction, and time—perfectly complementing Lu Jingming's Black Abyss martial soul.

Buer's World Tree Stigmata embodied life, wisdom, and dreams—matching his White Flower martial soul.

With these two stigmata, Lu Jingming was content and didn't plan to manifest a third anytime soon.

With these two goddesses' help, he wouldn't need to worry much about condensing a god position.

They would give their all to help him—he just needed to provide resources, luck, or faith.

Resources were easy; luck he could manage; faith was harder.

After all, ever since the fall of Spirit Hall ten thousand years ago, most of the continent's faith had gone to Sea God Tang San.

But Lu Jingming wasn't worried—he hadn't even reached Soul Emperor yet, and the road to godhood was long. No need to rush.

…

Time passed quickly. Two days later—

"You want me to go to the Heavenly Soul Empire with you—what for?" Gu Yue looked at Lu Jingming in confusion.

She really couldn't figure out why he suddenly wanted her along.

She was planning to return to Star Dou Forest, having just received an urgent message from Di Tian about the Auspicious Beast.

Since the tournament ended, the S-class students had gained considerable freedom.

There was little left to learn at the academy; each had chosen their own path.

Some had gone adventuring; others stayed at St. Freya Academy; some managed Haiyuan City.

They all had their own lives now, and Lu Jingming was fine with that—they had plenty of time ahead.

"Of course it's a good thing. Don't worry about it—just come with me." Lu Jingming smiled, taking Gu Yue's hand as they set off.

"Hey—" Gu Yue protested, but though she didn't like such ambiguity, she didn't pull away. The Auspicious Beast could wait.

Soon, Lu Jingming brought Gu Yue to meet Snow Empress and Ice Empress.

Over the past two days, Ice Empress had grown used to her new body, and she and Snow Empress had enjoyed some freedom in Haiyuan City.

"The time is right. Let's go." Lu Jingming gave the order.

This time, he only brought Gu Yue, Ice Empress, and Snow Empress.

Not because he trusted Snow Empress absolutely, but because Herta could always teleport Mirror to him if needed.

Within Douluo Continent, no one could threaten him as long as Herta on his side.

If trouble arose, he could call for help—having strong friends was more useful than being strong alone.

Gu Yue activated her flying soul tool, hovering beside Lu Jingming, glancing at Snow Empress flying with Ice Empress, her expression strange.

As the Sovereign of Soul Beasts, she immediately recognized Snow Empress and Ice Empress' true identities.

She just couldn't figure out how the two great beasts of the Extreme North had fallen in with Lu Jingming.

Conversely, Snow Empress and Ice Empress didn't recognize Gu Yue.

Though they knew there was a mysterious being stronger than Di Tian in Star Dou Forest, they'd never met her, so they didn't connect Gu Yue to the legend.

…

The Sunset Forest lay northeast of Heaven dou City in the Heavenly Soul Empire, not far from Dragon City and the Extreme North.

Its northern location made it colder than Star Dou Forest.

Entering the forest, one saw temperate plants scattered over the land.

Unlike the dense, humid Star Dou Forest, Sunset Forest was fresh and pleasant, the breeze cool and invigorating.

Over ten thousand years, the forest had shrunk from its former glory.

Once it was one of the great soul beast habitats, teeming with life.

Now, its area and soul beast population had dwindled, reduced to a small gathering place.

Years of poisonous miasma had made survival hard for soul beasts, leaving the core a dead zone.

And relentless human hunting had destroyed the ecology, making high-level beasts rare.

But for the Earth Dragon Sect disciples needing a fourth soul ring, the current state was perfect.

"Sect Master, didn't they say you can get a soul ring with a stigmata now, no need to hunt beasts? Why don't we buy one?" asked a black-haired girl, full of curiosity.

"Yeah, Mom, why not? I heard you can even customize them! Do you think there are Rouge Dragon stigmata? I want one!"

A pink-haired girl echoed, her youthful curves showing as she asked eagerly.

Nan Shuishui smiled, gently patting Tian Tian and Nan Qiuqiu on the head.

A chubby black-haired girl chimed in, "Sect Master probably wants to wait and see. Stigmata are new—you never know about side effects. Better to be cautious."

"What side effects? The three great empires and Shrek Academy are all involved—it should be safe!" Nan Qiuqiu said carelessly.

"And I heard Heaven Dragon Sect bought some century-old stigmata for their ordinary disciples. Maybe we should try it too," Tian Tian suggested.

A burly, dark-skinned boy named Xu Shenshu scratched his head. "I heard Heaven Dragon Sect only gave ordinary disciples the stigmata. The core disciples like Yu Tianlong didn't use them."

"Xu Shenshu, you idiot! Who asked you to rain on our parade!" Nan Qiuqiu and Tian Tian glared at him, making him retreat in fear.

Xiao Ye and Feng Jue looked at him like he was an idiot—arguing with the bossy girls was asking for trouble.

In this Earth Dragon Sect team, led by the mischievous Nan Qiuqiu, the boys were completely dominated—and they seemed to enjoy it.