Chapter 44: Seizing the Spiritual Source!

After saying those words, the Skydream Iceworm calmed down, but the golden glow on its body became even more intense.

That brilliant golden light stood out starkly in this world of snow and ice.

The sky grew darker, with thick clouds pressing down, making the atmosphere between heaven and earth even heavier. In this dim space, the golden radiance emanating from the Skydream Iceworm was dazzling.

Time passed bit by bit, and Huo Yuhao, who was crouching in the snow, was beginning to struggle.

Even though he had a part of the Skydream Iceworm's shed husk for protection, it was only a small portion. This was the core area, and he was freezing stiff.

Most of the shed husk had been used by the Skydream Iceworm to prepare a trap for the upcoming Ice Emperor.

"Brother Skydream, are you sure about this? I'm about to freeze to death."

Huo Yuhao shivered as he spoke.

"Relax, little Yuhao. No one knows the Ice Emperor better than me."

The Skydream Iceworm smiled confidently, curling its mouth into a smirk reminiscent of a sly dragon.

Having been hunted by the Ice Emperor for so many years, it understood the Ice Emperor very, very well.

The Ice Emperor was about to face its fourth tribulation. There was an 80% chance that it wouldn't survive.

That meant its own fat and juicy body was an irresistible temptation for the Ice Emperor.

It was steady—solid as a rock.

Half an Hour Later

Huo Yuhao had lost all ability to think due to the cold. He felt like he was going to freeze solid before the Ice Emperor even arrived.

"B-Brother Skydream… I… c-can't hold on anymore…"

The Skydream Iceworm's smile stiffened. The Ice Emperor still hadn't shown up. Was it not home? Or had it lost its charm?

Just as the two were feeling puzzled, a dark cloud shot toward them from the distance.

"Look! Brother Skydream, is that the Ice Emperor?!"

Huo Yuhao's spirit was suddenly lifted. Thanks to the Skydream Iceworm's release of its spiritual source, his perception had been enhanced, allowing him to see the rapidly approaching dark cloud.

"Not good! Yuhao, hide quickly!"

"That's not the Ice Emperor!"

The Skydream Iceworm let out a strange cry. The golden spiritual body outside swiftly retreated into Huo Yuhao's mind.

It had specifically chosen a location near the Ice Emperor's territory while avoiding other powerful soul beasts. It never expected that the Ice Emperor wouldn't come looking for it.

Instead, it had attracted something else.

How could it be this unlucky?

It could sense that the aura emanating from that dark cloud was no weaker than a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.

It was a scholar, not a warrior!

"Boom!"

In the blink of an eye, the dark cloud arrived at the Skydream Iceworm's location.

Two figures emerged.

They were Zhang Peng and Nangong Wan.

However, Zhang Peng's complexion was now ruddy, no longer pale, and Nangong Wan's soul body had stabilized, his eyes flickering with dark light.

"I just sensed the aura the young master mentioned, but now it's gone."

Zhang Peng frowned, looking puzzled.

"No matter. The young master said that person wouldn't have gone far. We just need to search this area."

Nangong Wan's expression was eerie and sinister.

The two of them had already started addressing Jiang Jue as "Young Master" instead of "Holy Son," indicating they were now fully under Jiang Jue's command.

When Zhang Peng woke up, he immediately understood the situation. But instead of feeling lost, he felt that his future had never been brighter.

He had been stuck at Rank 96 for a long time. With his talent, this was likely his limit—his Scorpion-Tiger spirit was not an Evil-Eyed Demon Tiger, after all. It didn't have that high of a ceiling.

But Jiang Jue, despite being so young, possessed unfathomable methods. The more Zhang Peng thought about it, the more he believed that Jiang Jue's future was boundless—perhaps even reaching that ultimate step wasn't impossible.

This time, Jiang Jue hadn't come in person. Instead, he stayed back in the Ice Valley with the Masked Douluo and sent Zhang Peng and Nangong Wan ahead.

"I'll handle it."

Green mist spread from Nangong Wan's body, shrouding the area below.

As a soul body, his perception was much sharper.

"We're doomed!"

"Brother Skydream, what have you attracted this time?"

Huo Yuhao whispered in the spiritual sea, his tone mixed with nervousness and excitement.

He had come all this way to the Extreme North with the Skydream Iceworm, only to be caught in this situation. Those two figures in the sky were clearly not ordinary people. Since they had been drawn here by the Skydream Iceworm, they were obviously looking for them.

"Ahem, Yuhao, your Brother Skydream miscalculated."

"But don't panic—I have a plan."

The Skydream Iceworm tried to maintain its composure.

It had already sensed the cultivation of the two figures above—both were Titled Douluo, and one was even a Super Douluo.

Using some special methods, it could take Huo Yuhao and escape, but it needed time to prepare.

Right now, as long as they stayed hidden within its shed husk, they wouldn't be discovered. But the moment they moved, there was no guarantee the enemy wouldn't notice.

The Skydream Iceworm was sweating nervously.

"This green mist is poisonous!"

Huo Yuhao was growing more anxious as the green fog quickly spread across the ground.

"Brother Skydream, say something!"

"Calm down, calm down."

The Skydream Iceworm's brain was working at full speed.

Suddenly, it thought of an idea.

The two above had been drawn by its released spiritual source. So what if it released another burst of spiritual energy to lure them away, then took the chance to flee with Huo Yuhao?

It was a genius!

"Yuhao, listen to me. I'll release a hundred-thousand-year spiritual source to draw their attention. Once they go after it, I'll take control of your body, and we'll escape!"

"I trust you, Brother Skydream!"

Huo Yuhao responded. At this point, he had no choice but to trust the Skydream Iceworm.

However, he was already feeling some resentment. He had endured suffering in the Extreme North for so long and hadn't gained a single benefit. Now, he was even facing a life-threatening crisis. How could he not feel aggrieved?

The Skydream Iceworm, however, didn't notice. It was currently channeling a golden light from Huo Yuhao's body outward.

The Skydream Iceworm's face twisted in pain—this was its spiritual essence!

Afraid that a small amount wouldn't be tempting enough, it directly released a hundred-thousand-year-old spiritual source.

A full hundred thousand years! This was the essence it had accumulated over a hundred thousand years of sleep!

It hurt!

It hurt so much!

"Whoosh!"

The golden light shot toward the sky at incredible speed, producing a sharp sonic boom.

"Hmm?"

The two figures searching below reacted instantly.

"Zhang Lao, retrieve it."

Nangong Wan's pupils turned a deathly gray as he spoke to Zhang Peng.

This was Jiang Jue controlling Nangong Wan remotely. Ever since Nangong Wan had been refined into the Soul Refining Banner, he had become one of Jiang Jue's tools—just like the beast souls within it.

Jiang Jue's body wasn't here, but his mind was.

Zhang Peng hesitated, but the skull imprint in his mind stirred, making him understand instantly. Without hesitation, he shot into the air.

Jiang Jue wanted to give Huo Yuhao a chance to escape—otherwise, how would they reveal themselves?

Nangong Wan remained on the ground, increasing the spread of the poisonous mist.

"?"

"They're not taking the bait?"

The Skydream Iceworm was dumbfounded, but it quickly gritted its teeth.

The stronger one had left, leaving the weaker one behind. This was worth the risk—otherwise, when the other returned, they'd have no chance at all.

"Buzz!"

Spatial ripples surrounded Huo Yuhao as a small rift began to open.

The Skydream Iceworm instantly took control of Huo Yuhao's body, ready to dive through.

Jiang Jue, observing through Nangong Wan, suddenly reacted.

He had found them!

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

With a sharp sound, two eerie chains shot out from behind Nangong Wan, aiming directly at Huo Yuhao's location.

A mere hundred-thousand-year spiritual source?

That wasn't enough for Jiang Jue.

If anyone saw this, they'd think the Skydream Iceworm couldn't afford to give more.

No—

He wanted it all!