"Hiss!"
In Seven Treasures Village, Tian Lin's mother, Mo Lan, was sewing a new outfit for her son. Her needlework had always been the best in the entire village. However, this time, for the first time, she made a mistake and accidentally pricked her finger.
"What's wrong, Lan?" Jun Tianhai asked worriedly as he pulled out medicinal powder to apply to his wife's hand.
"I don't know. My heart suddenly feels uneasy. Could something have happened to Xiao Tian?"
It is said that there is a deep connection between a mother and her child. Even though Mo Lan was an ordinary person without soul power, as a mother, she could feel the pain Tian Lin was enduring at that moment.
"No way. He's the top genius of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect now, and there are so many Titled Douluos protecting him. How could anything happen?" Jun Tianhai stroked his wife's hair, comforting her.
Mo Lan nodded, hoping that it was nothing more than her imagination.
But at that very moment, it wasn't just her who had an uneasy feeling. Within the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Chen Xin, who was meditating to master the unity of man and sword, suddenly opened his eyes. All the sword energy around him dissipated, causing his practice for the day to fail.
"Xiao Tian!" Chen Xin ascended into the sky with his sword, gazing into the distance with furrowed brows. "Xiao Tian, I don't know what you're doing, but don't push yourself too far."
...
Meanwhile, in the Heaven Dou Palace, palace maids presented exquisite dishes for Xue Qinghe to enjoy.
Having just completed her political duties, Qian Renxue stood from her desk. Suddenly, a wave of unease hit her, and she clutched her chest.
"Your Highness, are you alright?" The maid beside him asked with concern. Xue Qinghe was always kind and respectful to others, so he was well-loved by those around him. Seeing him in such a state, they couldn't help but worry.
"I'm fine. I simply feel unwell today. You may take the food away. I'll rest instead. Do not disturb me."
"Understood, Your Highness. Should I summon the court physician for you?"
"No need. I'll be fine after some rest." Qian Renxue waved her hand dismissively, and the maids quietly retreated.
Once they were gone, Qian Renxue could no longer maintain her disguise. Her form shifted back into the divine and ethereal appearance of Qian Renxue. Six beautiful wings unfolded behind her back.
"The Six-Winged Angel... Even the Heavenly Snow Power is warning me. Xiao Tian is in danger. What happened to him?"
"Uncle She!"
Qian Renxue called out, and a man suddenly appeared in the corner of the room. It was She Long, the Snake Lance Douluo, who had once severed Orf's other ear.
"Young Master, are you alright?" She Long asked with concern as he looked at Qian Renxue, who had returned to her true form. If something significant hadn't happened, she would never reveal her true appearance here.
"I'm fine, Uncle She. I need you to do something for me. Go to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and find out what's happening with Xiao Tian. I suspect he's in mortal danger."
"Young Master, please forgive me for speaking frankly, but you care too much about Tian Lin. Don't forget—he is our enemy. Over the years, even though you've done everything to win his favor, I believe his heart still belongs to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, not to you." She Long reminded her.
"I know," Qian Renxue said firmly. "But Uncle She, Tian Lin and I share an extraordinary martial soul fusion power. Thanks to cultivating alongside him, my progress and soul power purity over the past few years have been unparalleled. He's still useful to me. Rest assured, if the day comes when we have to face each other as enemies, I will not hold back."
Qian Renxue's tone was resolute, but She Long detected a trace of melancholy in her words.
"Young Master, do you truly only see him as a tool?" She Long thought to himself. However, he said nothing aloud, merely replying, "As long as you're clear about your priorities. I'll return with news soon."
With that, She Long's figure vanished from the Eastern Palace.
...
As they had feared, Tian Lin was indeed enduring immense suffering at that moment.
Absorbing a million-year soul ring and a million-year head soul bone simultaneously, the sudden surge of attributes was tearing his soul and body apart.
The Skydream Iceworm worked hard to seal its soul ring's age. However, due to the arrival of a divine tribulation, the sacrifice had been far too rushed this time. Unlike in the original story, there had been no time to prepare thoroughly. Now, even the Skydream Iceworm didn't know how much it could suppress.
Fortunately, Tian Lin had trained his Golden Body with immortal herbs and had the immense mental strength provided by external soul bones, allowing him to barely hold on. But no one knew how much longer he could endure.
They had calculated everything—except for the unexpected enhancement of the Skydream Iceworm by the Snow Soul Divine Pill, which had prematurely triggered its divine tribulation. The explosion of power meant it hadn't even had time to compress its soul power.
"Ahh!"
Tian Lin's anguished cries echoed through the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
The Skydream Iceworm, growing increasingly anxious, exclaimed, "Xiao Tian, you must hang on! If you die, it's over for both of us!"
"I'm sorry, Brother Skydream. It's my fault you're in this mess. I don't think I can hold on much longer," Tian Lin said apologetically as his consciousness began to fade.
"Well, this must be my fate too," the Skydream Iceworm sighed. "Xiao Tian, don't apologize. If it weren't for me asking you to save me, you wouldn't be in this situation. I guess this time, we'll die together as a pair of tragic companions."
"Little bug, are you giving up already? Also, your terminology is all wrong. You and Xiao Tian should be considered brothers in hardship, not a pair of tragic lovers."
A gentle voice suddenly echoed through Tian Lin's spiritual sea.
Startled, the Skydream Iceworm jumped in shock. It was a proud million-year spiritual soul beast, yet someone had entered its soul space undetected.
What kind of power was this? Not even a god could achieve such a feat. Could there truly be a hundred-million-year soul beast in this world?
"Who's there? Show yourself! Don't scare me! I wasn't raised to be easily frightened!" The Skydream Iceworm mustered its courage, though its trembling tone betrayed its fear.
"Don't be afraid. I mean no harm," came the reply.
A soft golden light emanated from Tian Lin's Holy Spirit Pearl, and a beautiful woman with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a serpent appeared in his spiritual sea.
"A serpent soul beast? What are you? I've never seen a soul beast like you before. And why are you in Xiao Tian's spiritual sea?" the Skydream Iceworm demanded, bombarding her with questions.
The woman smiled calmly. "A soul beast? I am not one of your kind. I am of the Nuwa Clan—a descendant of Lady Nuwa, to be precise. The Holy Spirit Pearl in Xiao Tian's possession is the sacred relic of our Nuwa Clan, and I am the oldest soul residing within it."
"Nuwa? What's that? A deity?" the Skydream Iceworm asked.
"More or less. Let's just say Lady Nuwa is slightly stronger than the gods you know. With a single celestial spell, she could destroy—"
Before the woman could finish, the Skydream Iceworm interrupted, "Let me guess. You're about to say she could destroy the entire continent in one move, right? That's ridiculous. I don't believe it."
The Skydream Iceworm scoffed, annoyed by what it thought was an exaggerated claim.
However, the Nuwa descendant didn't get angry. Instead, she said, "You're right. That would be ridiculous. Lady Nuwa's attack wouldn't merely destroy a small place like the Douluo Continent. It would obliterate your entire divine realm."