Chapter 28: The Skydream Iceworm!
Lin Yun, who had been watching from above, noticed Bei Bei and Tang Ya even before Huo Yuhao did. Under Tang Ya's lead, the two of them had taken a straight path to find Huo Yuhao!
The outskirts of the Star Dou Forest were vast, so how could Tang Ya have accurately located Huo Yuhao?
Was it because of the smell of Huo Yuhao's grilled fish?
No, there was something fishy going on!
Lin Yun had no interest in watching what happened next. It was nothing more than Tang Ya inviting Huo Yuhao to join the Tang Sect, along with some playful banter between Tang Ya and Bei Bei.
As long as it was confirmed that Huo Yuhao was firmly under Tang San's control, that was enough. This meant Huo Yuhao could serve as the perfect shield for Lin Yun, buying him time to develop!
Huo Yuhao would be in the open, while Lin Yun would remain in the shadows. By the time Tang San was happily training his "dog," a fully developed Lin Yun could strike from behind and deliver a devastating blow to Tang San's Chrysanthemum of Heavenly Passage!
A backstab—how satisfying!
It wasn't until Huo Yuhao finished his exchange with Tang Ya and prepared to enter the Star Dou Forest alone that Lin Yun looked down again, focusing his gaze on Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao set off alone, while Bei Bei and Tang Ya stayed behind at the spot where Huo Yuhao had been grilling fish, taking a short rest.
[Warning: Entering the Star Dou Forest within the next 50 miles. Soul beasts are present. Proceed with caution.]
As expected, Huo Yuhao stopped in front of the warning sign at the edge of the Star Dou Forest. After a moment of excitement, he cautiously moved forward into the forest.
His snail-like pace made Lin Yun almost want to grab Huo Yuhao by the collar and toss him straight into the Star Dou Forest.
He was way too slow!
By the time Huo Yuhao finally entered the Star Dou Forest, Lin Yun was nearly falling asleep.
"Screech!" A piercing shriek instantly woke Lin Yun from his drowsiness and startled Huo Yuhao, who had already been on high alert.
Huo Yuhao quickly turned his head, looking toward the gray figure among the branches.
Here he comes, here he comes!
Following the infamous Blind-Eyed Douluo Su Yuntao, another legendary Douluo meme—the God-Slaying Wind Baboon!
Under Lin Yun's expectant gaze, the God-Slaying Wind Baboon bravely charged at the future God of Emotions. However, the God-Slaying Wind Baboon failed in its divine mission and was gutted by the White Tiger Dagger... or rather, the White Tiger Dagger extended a blade of light several feet long, slicing the Wind Baboon open at the last critical moment.
"Dead, as expected. Totally unreliable!" Lin Yun slapped his thigh in frustration, his tone filled with disappointment.
As the co-ruler of soul beasts, I hereby announce that the Wind Baboon species is officially stripped of its soul beast heritage starting today!
So embarrassing!
"That weapon... it seems to be something humans call a soul tool, right?" Di Tian frowned, thoughtfully observing the White Tiger Dagger in Huo Yuhao's hand.
He could tell that without that weapon, Huo Yuhao would have been no match for the Wind Baboon. Not only would he have failed to kill it, but he would have certainly died.
"Correct, that's a soul tool," Lin Yun nodded, his tone tinged with helplessness.
This was why Lin Yun had never considered relying on large numbers of low-level soul beasts. With the existence of soul tools, the vulnerability of soul beasts against humans had been brutally demonstrated in the original story during Di Tian's beast tide assault on the city.
Fortunately, Lin Yun only needed strong individuals as protectors, and soul beasts happened to have plenty of those!
Lin Yun had originally wanted to remind Di Tian not to underestimate soul tools, especially since Di Tian himself had eventually been turned into one. However, another disturbance erupted in the forest below.
Thick icy mist began to spread, covering everything around Huo Yuhao with a layer of frost. The temperature in the forest plummeted to freezing levels.
Crack!
The ground was torn apart by a powerful force, and dense white mist gushed out. Within the mist, a vague, enormous shadow could be seen.
"It's actually it?!" Di Tian's eyes sharpened instantly as he stared intently at the figure in the mist.
Having used it as a power source for tens of thousands of years, nearly draining it dry, how could Di Tian not recognize its aura?!
The Skydream Iceworm! That useless power source with a combat power of less than five!
"Damn it, I didn't expect it to escape here. And it seems to have broken through to that level!" Di Tian clenched his fists, his voice tinged with jealousy.
"No wonder I couldn't find it no matter how much I searched the Star Dou Forest. It turns out it has broken through that barrier and become a million-year soul beast!"
Lin Yun smiled slightly but said nothing.
There was no point in explaining. Escaping under the noses of so many powerful soul beasts in the Star Dou Forest wasn't just a matter of luck. There was undoubtedly an unseen hand behind it all.
"Your Excellency, this iceworm is the one we captured before, but back then, it was only a 900,000-year soul beast," Di Tian said solemnly. "It once encountered a tremendous opportunity, which allowed it to grow from a weak-blooded iceworm to its current state."
"Although it doesn't have much combat power, its essence is a rare treasure. Perhaps it wasn't worthy of becoming your strength in the past, but now that it has broken through to a million years, it could definitely provide significant assistance to Your Excellency!"
"We absolutely cannot let it go!"
Di Tian's meaning was clear. Since they had found the Skydream Iceworm and discovered its considerable value, there was no reason to let it go when they could easily capture it.
However, Lin Yun simply waved his hand and said softly, "Look, you're getting impatient again. I just told you that the child of fortune is already being watched, and even this iceworm might be part of someone else's plan."
"I could indeed intercept the iceworm, but what then? I would be exposing myself to the eyes of the person behind this, which would be a huge blow to my future plans."
"Disrupting my future plans for a minor boost in strength is not worth it. Besides, I need a child of fortune like him to stand in the spotlight and draw attention."
Di Tian was Lin Yun's top subordinate, both in terms of strength and loyalty. Lin Yun didn't mind revealing part of his plan to him.
After hearing Lin Yun's words, Di Tian suppressed the killing intent in his eyes toward the Skydream Iceworm.
The Supreme One is right. I just need to follow his arrangements. The rest is not my concern.
Di Tian was pacified, but there was still another who wasn't.
If Lin Yun hadn't kept a hand pressed against his chest, the Ice Empress hidden there would have long since jumped out, demanding blood.
The Skydream Iceworm—the food she had coveted for countless years! The ultimate delicacy that should have helped her rival or even surpass the Snow Empress!
Lin Yun could even feel the Ice Empress drooling inside his robe.
Recommended a book by a great friend of mine. I've been bugging him daily in the group chat to update /dog emoji
(End of Chapter)
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'Wuwuwu, it smells so good, I want to eat it! Your Excellency, let me devour it!'
Through their mental connection, the little loli continuously transmitted feelings of hunger and the desire to eat to Lin Yun.
Even though she had learned from Di Tian that the power of the Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Essence stored within Tianmeng had been drained, Tianmeng's body, nourished by the Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Essence, was still incredibly tempting to the Ice Empress!
Just thinking about it made the Ice Empress salivate.
Crispy, with a chicken-like flavor, and six times the protein of beef!
Besides, only the energy had been drained. Tianmeng's essence was still intact, and that was the most delicious part.
No, I can't think about it anymore. The more I think, the more I crave it!
If I remove the head, coat it in breadcrumbs, and deep-fry it until golden brown…
"Tsk tsk, you're making me want to try it too," Lin Yun smacked his lips, his expression showing a hint of temptation.
"Right, right! Your Excellency, before that worm escapes, let's catch it and deep-fry it!" The Ice Empress's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"That's a great suggestion, but no," Lin Yun said as he pulled the Ice Empress out of his robe and placed her on his palm. The ten-centimeter-long scorpion looked like a perfect piece of art under the sunlight.
Seeing the Ice Empress's visibly low spirits, Lin Yun chuckled and poked her with his finger. However, the Ice Empress was clearly not in the mood, responding weakly to Lin Yun's teasing.
Normally, she would have playfully interacted with him using her tiny pincers.
"Alright, don't be so down," Lin Yun said with a smile, placing the Ice Empress on his shoulder and speaking softly.
"Why do you want to eat that big worm? Isn't it because your essence was damaged, and you needed the energy from the Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Essence to recover? But now your essence is complete, and you've already passed the 400,000-year tribulation. You're no longer in danger."
Although the Ice Empress still looked dejected on the surface, she was secretly listening intently to Lin Yun's words.
"You're already strong enough now. As my hidden protector, your strength is sufficient. Growing further would take too much time and effort. Why not wait until I return to my peak and help you ascend to godhood effortlessly?" Lin Yun tilted his head and looked at the Ice Empress with a meaningful smile.
The Ice Empress's crystal-yellow eyes suddenly lit up.
That's right!
Even if she ate Tianmeng now, she would only gain enough strength to pass one or two more tribulations, reaching at most 600,000 or 700,000 years. After all, Tianmeng had been nearly drained, so the benefits would be limited.
And such a small boost could easily be achieved by Lin Yun once he regained his peak strength. Wasn't she just focusing on the trivial and neglecting the important?
"I understand, Your Excellency!" The Ice Empress nodded, her desire to eat Tianmeng greatly diminished.
Although she still wanted to devour it, the urge wasn't as overwhelming as before.
While the three of them were chatting, the fusion between Huo Yuhao and Tianmeng had already begun.
The Skydream Iceworm, shrouded in icy mist, pressed its large head against Huo Yuhao's forehead. At the same time, the ten golden patterns on Tianmeng's body lit up with a dazzling light, forming ten small sun-like orbs that merged into Huo Yuhao's body along with Tianmeng's form.
All that remained was Tianmeng's translucent shell, which also seemed ready to merge into Huo Yuhao's body.
"Di Tian, take action! Grab that shell for me!" Lin Yun's eyes flashed with sharpness as he ordered in a low voice.
That shell was Tianmeng's molted skin, equivalent to the dragon race's incredibly defensive scales.
During the process of having its energy drained by Di Tian and the other fierce beasts, Tianmeng had secretly used its energy to nourish this molted skin. Its quality was now comparable to a unique million-year soul bone!
I'll leave Tianmeng's essence and soul ring for you, Huo Yuhao, but as the price for my turning a blind eye, leaving behind this molted skin as interest isn't too much, right?
Just as the molted skin was about to merge into Huo Yuhao's body, Di Tian's right hand shot out, and dense spatial energy enveloped his palm. He then clenched his fist.
The connection between the molted skin and Tianmeng was abruptly severed, and the skin instantly appeared in Di Tian's clenched hand.
The molted skin was now in their possession!
Tianmeng, who had already merged into Huo Yuhao's body, was startled. Its small eyes filled with terror as it glanced around. Since it had merged with Huo Yuhao, it could no longer wield the power it once had as a million-year soul beast.
Thus, it couldn't detect where the enemy was!
Moreover, the terrifying spatial energy Di Tian had used when taking action filled Tianmeng with deep-seated fear. That power had imprisoned it for tens of thousands of years!
"Di Tian… you're like a lingering ghost!" Tianmeng, who had initially wanted to utter a few threats, was now terrified. It gritted its teeth, its golden eyes filled with hatred.
But it didn't have much time to hesitate. If Di Tian could steal its molted skin, he could just as easily capture Huo Yuhao and take them both back to the Lake of Life, forcibly extracting Tianmeng's power from Huo Yuhao's body!
It had already succeeded in finding a human host. Now, it only needed to wait for the host to grow, and it could begin its god-making plan.
It absolutely couldn't fail here!
Dense spatial energy instantly enveloped Huo Yuhao. A golden light flashed, and Huo Yuhao's body disappeared from the spot.
This was the ability Tianmeng had mentioned to Huo Yuhao in the original story—a one-time use ability to teleport him away instantly!
"You bastards who treated me as food, you've missed your chance! Just wait, I, Tianmeng, will return one day to take my revenge!"
Before leaving, Tianmeng still managed to utter a threat. The words, carrying strong mental fluctuations, clearly reached the ears of Lin Yun and the others.
Although it couldn't locate Di Tian, it was certain Di Tian could hear its words!
"Damn it, that weak-blooded ant!" Di Tian's eyes flashed with cold light.
If it weren't for Your Excellency forbidding me to act, do you think your amateurish spatial energy could escape my grasp?
To ordinary people, spatial energy might seem elusive and intangible, but to Di Tian, following the direction of Tianmeng's departure was as easy as tracing a web connection. The spatial fluctuations wouldn't dissipate so quickly!
"Enough, it's just the empty boasts of an ant. Don't take it too seriously," Lin Yun waved his hand, his expression indifferent.
Tianmeng might think it had found the perfect host for its god-making plan, but to Lin Yun, it had actually found someone else's scapegoat—a shield!
(End of Chapter)
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