Chapter 45: 250,000-Year-Old Spiritual Essence

"Oh no! We've been discovered!"

Although it had anticipated being detected, it never thought it would happen so soon!

Skydream let out a startled cry, its expression darkening as it hastily accelerated the construction of the spatial tunnel, frantically burning its spiritual essence.

This was its trump card, the very method it had used to evade Ice Emperor's relentless pursuit in the Extreme North—by consuming a vast amount of spiritual power, it could temporarily construct a spatial passage and escape into it.

However, where the spatial passage would lead was entirely unknown, but under the current circumstances, there was no time for careful consideration.

As the fluctuations in space intensified, the tiny spatial rift, originally the size of an egg, gradually expanded to the size of a basketball. It was nearly large enough for Huo Yuhao to pass through.

Escape was within sight, but two eerie chains in midair shot toward Huo Yuhao.

"Boom! Crack!"

The chains tore through the snow, charging toward Huo Yuhao's body.

"I'll block them!"

Skydream Iceworm split its attention and hastily projected its spiritual power outward, forming a milky-white spiritual barrier.

But almost immediately, Skydream let out a horrified shriek.

The moment the two chains sensed the spiritual barrier, they reacted like sharks catching the scent of blood. They trembled excitedly before hooking onto the barrier, ravenously devouring the spiritual energy within.

"Thieves! Robbers!"

Skydream cursed angrily, speeding up the formation of the spatial passage.

These two chains were, of course, manifestations of Jiang Jue's Soul Refining Banner, possessing the ability to devour spiritual power. They could temporarily attach themselves to the souls refined within the banner.

Furthermore, Jiang Jue was using Nan Gong Wan, a Titled Douluo-level spirit body, to control the chains, amplifying their devouring power to an extreme.

Even if it was only temporary, at this moment, it was more than enough.

Skydream Iceworm's spiritual barrier grew thinner and thinner, like a fragile sheet of ice, seemingly ready to shatter at the slightest touch.

"Brother Skydream, hurry! Hurry up!"

"The other person is coming back!"

Because Skydream Iceworm had taken control of his body, Huo Yuhao's soul had been temporarily sent into his spiritual sea. There, he anxiously urged Skydream on.

"I'm trying! Can't you see I'm busy?!"

Skydream, in its panic, shouted back.

Huo Yuhao stiffened, a strange surge of rage welling up in his heart.

It was Skydream who had insisted on coming to the Extreme North. It was Skydream who had been so confident. Now that danger had struck, it had the audacity to yell at him?

Who did it think it was?!

What gave it the right?!

But before he could respond, the chains had already shattered the spiritual barrier and were now aiming directly for his forehead.

"Pop!"

A crisp sound echoed as the chains pierced through Huo Yuhao's forehead.

In that instant, the chains transformed from solid to ethereal, slipping fluidly into Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea.

Once inside, they displayed no hesitation or unfamiliarity, as if returning home. They shot straight toward the remaining eight golden orbs of light, wrapping around them decisively.

These were none other than Skydream Iceworm's spiritual essence.

"Yuhao, stop those chains! Those are your future backup energy reserves!"

Huo Yuhao froze for a moment, pointing to himself in disbelief.

"Me?"

He was just a soul master who hadn't even reached Rank 20 yet. What right did he have to stop chains controlled by a Titled Douluo?

Did Skydream Iceworm want him dead so it could take over his body?

Even though Huo Yuhao had grown up in hardship, he had still heard of cases where soul beasts forcibly took over a human's body.

He spread his hands out, indicating his complete helplessness.

"You… You!"

Skydream was so furious that it almost couldn't breathe.

Meanwhile, the two chains had already wrapped around one of the golden orbs, beginning to drag it out of the spiritual sea.

At the same time, Nan Gong Wan's figure was rapidly descending, heading straight for Huo Yuhao's location.

"If only I hadn't been so hasty back then, if only I hadn't invested so early… Would things be different?"

"I was so naive. Really."

"There's no such thing as 'no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters'—that's just a lie!"

Skydream Iceworm was overwhelmed with regret. If it had known, it never would have read all those human books.

It was now paying the price for being too educated!

"No! I can't let this continue!"

Steeling itself, Skydream Iceworm stopped resisting altogether. Instead, it actively pushed the golden orb entangled by the chains outward.

At the same time, an overwhelming surge of spiritual power erupted from Huo Yuhao's body.

Though it had merged with Huo Yuhao, Skydream Iceworm could still manipulate its own spiritual essence. However, doing so would severely damage Huo Yuhao's body—but it no longer had the luxury of caring.

"Human! Do not be too greedy!"

As the golden spiritual essence was pushed out, Skydream Iceworm's voice thundered.

A ferocious beast's aura surged forth, making the snow on the ice plains tremble.

But Jiang Jue merely laughed.

"You've already lost, and now you think releasing some pressure will change that? Isn't it a little too late to struggle?"

From the very start, Skydream Iceworm had already lost its momentum.

With a casual wave, Jiang Jue retracted the chains, grasping the golden essence in his hand.

Multicolored light shimmered over the golden orb, beautiful beyond words. It exuded an enticing aura, and just inhaling its presence made one feel incredibly refreshed.

As expected of a 100,000-year-old spiritual essence—its sheer volume of power surpassed several Nan Gong Wans combined.

"A mere soul master who isn't even Rank 20 dares to speak to me like that?"

Jiang Jue mocked in a condescending tone while channeling his dark green soul power.

"I know you're a Titled Douluo, but my Brother Skydream isn't so easily bullied!"

Huo Yuhao shouted, and immediately, an intense golden glow radiated from his body, as if it was about to explode with boundless destructive force.

Jiang Jue remained calm and composed, his eyes flickering with intelligence.

Skydream Iceworm had truly been pushed to the brink—it was even threatening to self-destruct now.

While Skydream's combat power was negligible, its spiritual explosion would be devastating. If it truly detonated, it could obliterate everything within a hundred-mile radius.

"You already have what you want. Why not let us go?"

Skydream pleaded.

Truthfully, it was terrified.

It absolutely would not self-destruct. If it did, it would never see its beloved Ice Emperor again.

Jiang Jue smiled inwardly.

He never planned to kill Huo Yuhao outright—if he died, all his previous arrangements would be wasted.

"You can leave, but…"

Jiang Jue rubbed two fingers together, a clear gesture.

"You have to pay extra!"

Skydream's vision went dark.

It had already handed over 200,000 years' worth of spiritual essence, and now he wanted more?

Was this guy a bandit?!

Was it justified to keep extorting an honest soul beast?!

But though it was fuming internally, Skydream acted swiftly.

It split off another smaller portion of spiritual essence, though this one was only half the size of the first.

"This is my final offer! Otherwise, we all die together!"

It threatened with a grim expression.

Jiang Jue accepted the second spiritual orb and nodded in satisfaction.

Now, he had 250,000 years' worth of spiritual essence—not too much, not too little, but just right.

Afterward, he shot Skydream Iceworm a look, silently telling it to get lost.

(Chapter End)