Chapter 4 – The Choice of Destiny and the Wisdom Ring
What was going on? Why had it suddenly come down to such a decisive choice?
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm stared at the human before him. This young one—stronger, more talented, superior in physical fitness and soul power—was clearly the better choice. Objectively, everything pointed toward choosing him.
And yet…
Just moments ago, he had considered another human. A weaker one, with lesser talent and fitness. But that boy gave him… a different feeling.
Huh? Wait—what was I thinking just now?
Tianmeng was stunned by his own thoughts. Why had he even hesitated between the two? That wasn't like him. For a soul beast who planned to ascend to godhood, it was logical to pick the most optimal human host.
So why did his instincts momentarily push him toward the weaker one?
Tianmeng didn't have time to figure it out. He was still being hunted in the Star Dou Great Forest. His time was running out. He had only one viable candidate left—Xiao Qiang.
Objectively speaking, Xiao Qiang was more suitable. There was no other choice now.
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's massive head turned toward the deeper parts of the forest, then returned to Xiao Qiang.
"Don't be afraid," he said, voice calm but firm. "I'll be gentle. It won't hurt… too much."
Xiao Qiang: "…"
What kind of tiger-wolf line is that?
Before Xiao Qiang could even respond, Tianmeng surged forward, his powerful spiritual energy flooding into Xiao Qiang's body. He had made his choice—he would become Xiao Qiang's third soul ring.
"Tch… Too weak. Still too weak. Sure, he's better than the last human, but this body is barely suitable. I'll have to seal off most of my power again… This job is truly miserable. Being a wisdom soul ring is no easy task."
Tianmeng muttered similar complaints as he had done in the past, except this time, there was no interference. No Alex to interrupt and seize the opportunity.
In another life, Huo Yuhao had inherited this fate. But in this timeline, Xiao Qiang had acted meticulously, planning ahead and anticipating every possible twist. This time, Tianmeng still had his physical body—and Xiao Qiang made his move before fate could shift.
But Electrolux… Electrolux was a different story altogether. Xiao Qiang had no way to prepare for a remnant soul like that. And besides, the moment Tianmeng entered his body, Xiao Qiang had blacked out.
Even if he had stayed conscious, he wouldn't have been able to stop Electrolux from slipping away. Xiao Qiang understood this. So, after regaining consciousness in the Sea of Spirit, he sat and waited.
There was no black orb. No strange voice. No Electrolux.
With a small sigh, Xiao Qiang let go of that thread of fate. He had already surpassed expectations by obtaining Tianmeng. That was enough. Some would even call it a guaranteed jackpot—one that could take him to the realm of a Limit Douluo.
Right now, this was the best possible outcome.
"You're awake," Tianmeng's voice echoed. "I've expanded your Sea of Spirit to its current limit. When you become stronger, it can grow again—but at that point, it won't be a 'sea' anymore. It might be more accurate to call it the Abyss of the Spirit."
Xiao Qiang nodded. "Oh. Thank you."
"…You're welcome. But…" Tianmeng paused. "Wait—why are you so calm?!"
A faint sense of unease rippled through the silkworm's spiritual form. Could this brat have tricked me? But Xiao Qiang looked young, only 13 or 14. He didn't seem like someone capable of scheming against a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast.
Xiao Qiang answered with a calm voice. "Why am I calm? Because there are only three possibilities for what's happening with my consciousness.
"One, you can't kill me.
Two, you don't want to kill me.
Three, you haven't had time to kill me yet."
"Given you can talk, you're at least a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. So I know option one is out. As for helping me expand my spiritual sea, I lean toward option two. But even if it's the third, it doesn't matter…"
He shrugged slightly.
"I can't resist a soul beast of your level anyway. So there's no point in panic or fear. Besides…"
Xiao Qiang raised his hand and pointed to his eyes. His one-magatama Sharingan had now evolved into a two-magatama form due to the surge of spiritual energy.
"…my eyes told me it would be good to come here. I don't know the exact reason, but I trust my martial soul. It never lies to me."
Tianmeng's eyes lit up. "Wait—your martial soul can guide you? Help you avoid danger and find fortune?"
"If you put it like that, maybe. Sometimes it gives me a feeling… a sense of direction. I followed that to the Star Dou Great Forest. According to what my martial soul showed me, we aren't meant to be enemies."
Xiao Qiang didn't elaborate further. He let Tianmeng draw his own conclusions. There was no proof that Xiao Qiang was lying—and in fact, everything so far supported his words.
"Hahaha, that's perfect!" Tianmeng laughed. "I'll be your third soul ring—and not just any soul ring. I'll be your wisdom soul ring!"
"Wisdom soul ring?" Xiao Qiang blinked, pretending to be confused.
Tianmeng gleefully explained what a wisdom soul ring was, and how, with patience, it could be cultivated to the legendary million-year level.
"A million-year soul beast… Four soul skills… And even the potential for a second martial soul! Brother Tianmeng, you're amazing!"
Xiao Qiang knew all this already, but he played the role well. He flattered Tianmeng just enough to boost his confidence and keep him loyal. He couldn't risk Tianmeng feeling second thoughts and switching hosts if fate or destiny shifted again.
"Hehe, don't be obsessed with me. I'm just a legend," Tianmeng chuckled.
Xiao Qiang: "…"
That joke was old even back when the Tang Sect first returned…
Still, he smiled politely.
"Oh right, Brother Tianmeng, about that second martial soul—can we go get it now?"
Xiao Qiang's tone was casual, but there was urgency behind the words.
He wasn't anxious about power itself. He was anxious about protection.
In the early stages of the Peerless Tang Sect timeline, while the Sun and Moon Empire would eventually dominate the high-end power scene, right now, danger lurked in other forms. Shrek Academy still had formidable players, like that one expert who could infiltrate Mingde Hall without being noticed.
If such a person discovered Xiao Qiang's twin martial souls—especially if they knew he carried an extreme martial soul—then Xiao Qiang could be seen as too valuable to leave alone. He could be killed on the spot, or worse, his soul could be erased and he could be dragged back to Shrek as nothing more than a breeding tool.
No thank you.
Humans couldn't be trusted right now. The other two Extreme Douluos were aligned with Moon, the Dragon God Douluo. Kong Deming? He might not even have the power to stop Moon yet, and certainly couldn't act as Xiao Qiang's shadow bodyguard.
Only one person came to mind.
The Snow Empress.
Someone with a future connection to Xiao Qiang. Someone strong enough to offer real protection. And someone who, if he played things right, might just become his strongest ally.
Xiao Qiang was ready to take that step.