"Let's go, kid."
"And you are...?"
After packing up his things, Huo Yuhao saw an elderly man standing calmly at the previously arranged meeting place. His features were sharp and weathered, and his posture was tall and unwavering.
"The name's Zheng Zhan. Brother Hongchen asked me to escort you to the Extreme North. Haha, what kind of capability do you have, boy, to make that picky old friend of mine take you in as his final disciple?"
Hearing the name "Zheng Zhan," Huo Yuhao immediately recalled who he was and respectfully bowed.
"Unbreakable Douluo, Elder Zheng. I've heard of your great name for a long time."
"Cut the flattery, kid. Get yourself ready and let's go. You can use a flying soul tool, right?"
Huo Yuhao nodded.
"Of course."
Once they had flown a distance away from Mingdu, Huo Yuhao activated the flying soul tool that Jing Hongchen had given him and headed north.
As for Zheng Zhan, being a Titled Douluo, he simply rose into the air and flew beside him.
Glancing at the young boy beside him, who had only just reached level twenty, Zheng Zhan silently wondered how long Huo Yuhao could maintain flight before he needed to rest.
'He's not even a full Soul Ancestor yet. Ten minutes should be his limit.'
But ten minutes passed, and Huo Yuhao continued flying steadily, showing no signs of fatigue.
'Fifteen minutes?'
After twenty minutes, Huo Yuhao was still flying, only his breathing slightly labored.
Now, Zheng Zhan began to view the boy with new eyes.
'Not bad. The depth of his soul power suggests he's definitely one of the top in his rank. No wonder Hongchen chose him.'
'But twenty minutes must be his limit.'
Then, when twenty-five minutes had passed and Huo Yuhao finally suggested landing to rest and recover his soul power, Zheng Zhan, while keeping a calm exterior, was inwardly in shock.
As Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged on the ground and drank from a soul power-replenishing bottle, Zheng Zhan's mind was swirling with thoughts.
'This kid... for someone of his cultivation, to fly this long using soul power alone—he's definitely ranked number one in history. Even among the genius youth soul masters from the Three Kingdoms, he's unmatched. Is he really a student from Shrek Academy that Hongchen somehow poached?'
In truth, Zheng Zhan wasn't entirely wrong.
He made up his mind to have a serious talk with Jing Hongchen and arrange another strong soul master to guide Huo Yuhao. A dual-talented genius like this shouldn't be neglected.
If this boy continued to grow alongside those talented Hongchen siblings, perhaps the Sun and Moon Empire could finally defeat Shrek Academy in the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament...
Thinking of his own unresolved regrets from his days in the competition, Zheng Zhan's breathing quickened.
Of course, the reality was that with Huo Yuhao's current soul power reserves, he could only maintain flight for fifteen minutes at most—he didn't yet have his second martial soul, the Ultimate Ice.
Once he had it, he could sustain forty minutes easily.
So how did he last this long?
It was through Huo Yuhao's understanding and control of airflow dynamics—manipulating the wind to aid his flight. By applying fluid dynamics modified to fit the laws of this world, he lightened the soul power consumption.
In less than ten minutes, Huo Yuhao was fully recovered.
"Senior Zheng, shall we continue?"
Thanks to his incredible endurance, the journey that Zheng Zhan estimated would take a full day was completed in only ten hours.
As they approached the frozen expanse of the Extreme North, Zheng Zhan turned to Huo Yuhao, his face serious.
"You insisted on keeping things secret. Fine. Take this emergency beacon soul tool. If anything happens, don't be reckless, understand? Otherwise, I can't face your master."
Huo Yuhao nodded sincerely.
"Understood, Elder Zheng."
Watching the boy disappear into the icy wilderness, Zheng Zhan muttered worriedly to himself.
'If anything happens to you, not only can I not face your teacher, I'll be failing the whole empire.'
At that moment, deep within Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea...
After listening to Tianmeng Iceworm's explanation, the Ice Empress was silent.
Now that she had confirmed Huo Yuhao carried memories of a past life and was practically a prophet revealing countless secrets, the Ice Empress was thoroughly shaken.
'So, in that life, our plan to become gods succeeded?'
Tianmeng and Huo Yuhao both nodded.
'Exactly. Bingbing, your brother has good judgment, doesn't he?'
"But this time," Huo Yuhao said, eyes firm, "I don't want to follow the same old path. After finally becoming gods, we were nothing but slaves to that so-called God King. I aim to become a god—and surpass even Tang San."
The Ice Empress let out a self-deprecating sigh.
'To think that in the end, it would take a human to lead us soul beasts to godhood... Fine. I'll join you.'
She didn't hesitate at all and turned to Huo Yuhao.
'Human, I understand Tianmeng's plan now. I will give you your second martial soul, along with its first soul ring. More importantly, I will also bestow upon you a soul bone—my torso bone, to strengthen your body enough to endure my 400,000-year soul ring.'
'But be warned. Absorbing this soul bone will be excruciating. You must not pass out. If you do, we'll all die here. Understood?'
"I understand, Ice Empress," Huo Yuhao said without hesitation. "Compared to the future we aim for, this pain is nothing."
It was the truth.
No one knew the anguish Huo Yuhao had endured—losing his mother, saying goodbye to his past life, only to be left all alone.
If not for the hope that came with his golden finger—his cheat—he would've lost the will to live long ago.
So what was pain? Nothing.
Seeing the determination in his eyes, the Ice Empress was slightly moved.
'Good. Then let's begin.'
Within the protective cocoon formed by Tianmeng's power, Huo Yuhao entered a meditative state. The Ice Empress watched quietly, recalling the horrifying expression on his face during the soul bone fusion.
'He endured all that and didn't even make a sound... Tianmeng, you were right. Even if I knew we became gods in our last lives, I still wouldn't have believed that such a fragile human child could do it. But now, I do believe in him.'
Tianmeng Iceworm grinned smugly and scooted closer to her.
"Heh... Bingbing, I told you my judgment is top-tier... mmph!"
The human-shaped Ice Empress coldly kicked him away.
"Hmph."
"Haha... Big bug, little scorpion. You really do have good eyes. This boy Yuhao is destined for greatness."
Just as Tianmeng tried again to cozy up to her, an aged voice echoed through Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea.
Tianmeng and the Ice Empress immediately went on high alert. This was their host's mind—no outsiders should be here.
"Who are you!?"
"Ice Empress," Tianmeng said nervously, "remember the gray stream of light that descended during my soul fusion with Yuhao? I think... this is him."
Following his gaze, the Ice Empress looked to a dull, gray pearl quietly floating in the corner of the spiritual sea. But the aura it gave off sent shivers down her spine.
'That pressure... what is this...'
"Calm down. Since we share a roof, I mean you no harm. In fact, I might be able to help Yuhao."
The spiritual pressure from the gray orb made both Tianmeng and the Ice Empress nervous.
This power... completely outclassed any spirit beast on the continent.
"...May we ask your name?"
The old voice sighed.
"I've lived too long. Forgotten too much. All that remains of me is this fragment from another world..."
"They once called me the Undying Necromancer, the Calamity of Death. My name is Electrolux—though even that is fading."
"Big bug, little scorpion... I don't have much strength left. Soon I'll fall dormant again. But Yuhao... he doesn't just want godhood—he wants to be the god above gods. I don't know how 'god' compares between my world and yours, but I will help him however I can."
Hearing his words, Tianmeng and the Ice Empress exchanged glances, their eyes flashing with a new resolve.
"Protect Yuhao... Let's hope when I awaken again, we'll all still be here..."
After several unanswered calls, they realized Electrolux had already fallen into slumber once more.
Still tense, the Ice Empress asked Tianmeng,
"Tianmeng, who the hell was that...? That pressure was insane. Even Ditian wouldn't be his match."
Tianmeng shook his head.
"I don't know. But he followed me into Yuhao's mind during the fusion... and he's terrifying. Thankfully, he seems to bear no ill will toward us."
"Sigh. Well, I'm going to rest. The rest is up to you."
"Heh, no problem. With me here, everything's under control. Once Yuhao returns to the human world... that'll be the moment he truly soars!"
(End of Chapter)
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