Time passed by, second by second, as Zhou Sicheng's body trembled uncontrollably.
Despite his remarkable physique and potential, a layer of frost formed on his skin—sweat that had condensed in the frigid air.
The circulation of his blood essence had reached an astonishing speed, to the point of being terrifying.
Had it been anyone else, they would have already died from their body exploding under the pressure.
The acceleration of blood essence flow was an inevitable consequence of fusing with an external soul bone. During this process, the residual medicinal energy within his body was also being refined and absorbed, granting him an additional boost.
The powers of the Fire Jelly and Ice Jelly lingering inside him were likewise being tempered. From extreme cold to blazing heat, and then back again—it was a cycle of ice and fire clashing.
Beneath the emerald glow surrounding him, ice-blue and crimson flame-like patterns spread across his entire body. This was the power he had acquired during the incomplete secondary awakening of his Body Martial Soul.
At this moment, it felt as if his Body Martial Soul was undergoing yet another transformation.
Feeling the two massive energies within Zhou Sicheng's body, even the Ice Empress couldn't help but grow curious about the nature of his physique.
Skydream Iceworm explained, "This was due to a fortunate opportunity Sicheng encountered in the past. It allowed his Body Martial Soul to undergo a secondary awakening, but the process wasn't complete. The true awakening hasn't yet been fully achieved."
The Ice Empress mused thoughtfully, "A secondary awakening of a Body Martial Soul, huh..."
Skydream chuckled. "But it's not a huge issue. Sicheng's Martial Soul is of such high quality that completing its full awakening will be incredibly difficult. In the future, he'll probably have to visit the Body Sect if he wants to finish it."
The Ice Empress nodded slightly. "With the way that sect operates, if Sicheng ever visits, they'll probably treat him like an ancestor and worship him."
Skydream laughed aloud. Even the Ice Empress knew of the Body Sect's reputation—it showed just how obsessed they were with those who possessed Body Martial Souls.
The title "Ice Empress" had stuck with her ever since she began interacting with Elder Yi and Skydream. Calling her by name felt too distant, and she couldn't bring herself to call Zhou Sicheng her master either, so this was the most appropriate compromise.
Zhou Sicheng had already blocked out their voices, focusing entirely on the fusion of the external soul bone. He had entered the most critical phase.
Even though the Ice Empress had only separated a portion of her origin power to fuse with his blood essence, it was still an extraordinary tonic for him.
After all, it was the power of one of the Three Great Kings of the Extreme North, with a cultivation nearing 400,000 years!
At that very moment, Zhou Sicheng's muscles, bones, and internal organs began to undergo transformation under the nourishing effects of this power.
The near-400,000-year-old external soul bone was fusing perfectly into him, enhancing his physical body in every aspect.
As his physique improved, the pain he was experiencing gradually began to recede from its peak.
The Ice Empress's body floated quietly in place, now lifeless due to the depletion of her origin power.
Zhou Sicheng sat suspended in mid-air, legs crossed. At the end of his spine, a scorpion tail composed of five jade-like emerald segments gently swayed. Its barbed stinger at the end gleamed with a chilling, razor-sharp glow.
The fusion was flawless. After enduring two full hours of excruciating pain, Zhou Sicheng had successfully and completely merged with the Emperor Scorpion Tail bestowed by the Ice Empress.
The scorpion tail moved as naturally as an extension of his own limbs—Zhou Sicheng could now control it at will. It had become a true part of his body.
Though he was still far from being able to unleash its full power, its capabilities already surpassed those of ordinary 100,000-year soul bones.
Most of the Ice Empress's origin power had been sealed within the Emperor Scorpion Tail, allowing Zhou Sicheng to gradually absorb and nourish his body over time.
The immense energy stored in the tail was akin to a massive power bank. Whether to heal his body or recover soul power, the Emperor Scorpion Tail would be an invaluable asset for a long time to come.
Moreover, the fusion process had also greatly benefited Da—the soul beast partner fused with Zhou Sicheng. His cultivation had skyrocketed from 25,000 years straight to 40,000 years!
Naturally, this was a gift the Ice Empress had intentionally left behind for him, and it deepened Da's understanding of Ultimate Ice to an even greater level.
At this point, Da was just short of kneeling before the Ice Empress and calling her ancestor in gratitude for such a generous reward.
A long while later, Zhou Sicheng slowly opened his eyes. The emerald glow in his gaze gradually faded, revealing a pair of radiant, ice-blue pupils.
After fusing with the Ice Empress's soul bone, his soul power level had leapt from Rank 48 to Rank 50. He now only needed a single soul ring to officially step into the realm of five-ringed Soul Kings.
Aside from that, his bones had visibly grown under the effects of the nourishing energy. His shoulders had widened, and his height had increased from 183 cm to 190 cm.
His muscles, tendons, fascia, blood vessels, and internal organs had all become vastly more resilient, and his skin now emitted a lustrous sheen akin to jade. Even in this snowy world, he radiated an aura of nobility.
Only thirteen years old, Zhou Sicheng now looked far more mature and charismatic. Compared to his previous self, there was a newfound aura of composed strength about him.
He stretched his legs and gently descended to the ground. The scorpion tail behind him swayed softly. The sharp barb at its end emitted a cold, emerald light that looked capable of tearing through space itself.
Zhou Sicheng couldn't help but clench his fists. A sound like muffled thunder rang out from his body, and the overwhelming strength he now felt left him deeply satisfied.
This fusion with a near-400,000-year external soul bone had massively boosted all his attributes!
He reached into his spiritual sea and sensed that the Ice Empress was now quite weakened. Concerned, he asked, "Ice Empress, are you alright?"
A faint voice answered, "I'm fine."
Zhou Sicheng nodded slightly. "Good. Let's begin absorbing the soul ring now. If you remain in this state too long after draining your origin power, it'll harm your spiritual essence."
"Understood," she replied.
Skydream quickly interjected, "Ice Empress, leave the rest to me. I'll protect your spiritual essence and make sure Sicheng doesn't get overwhelmed by the soul ring's consciousness. You'll be able to retain your intelligence."
The Ice Empress didn't argue. She knew well that maintaining her consciousness was the foundation for becoming a god and achieving immortality in the future.
She had never considered this kind of situation before, much less experienced it firsthand. To say she wasn't nervous would be a lie—one wrong move, and she could lose herself forever.
With Skydream Iceworm, someone who had gone through this exact process before, aiding her, she felt at least somewhat reassured.
Zhou Sicheng once again sat cross-legged, releasing his Body Martial Soul. A platinum-colored soul ring rose around him, etched with ten dazzling golden patterns.
This represented the power of Skydream Iceworm's million-year soul ring. Once it had become an intelligent soul ring, every 100,000 years of further cultivation added another golden pattern.
Then, under the Ice Empress's control, all of the origin power sealed within the Emperor Scorpion Tail began to condense, transforming into a rich, surging energy that enveloped Zhou Sicheng entirely.
If he didn't need a soul ring, this origin power would indeed serve as a high-capacity battery.
But how could he possibly settle for a "battery" when he could obtain a soul ring nearing 400,000 years in age?
As his Body Martial Soul fully activated, golden ripples of light began to appear, guiding a stream of pure white energy into his body.
Skydream got to work as well, doing everything he could to help his beloved "Icey."
On one hand, he protected Zhou Sicheng's spiritual sea. On the other, he shielded the Ice Empress's spiritual essence. At the same time, he helped compress her immense power.
Thanks to Skydream's formidable spiritual strength, the fusion process went much more smoothly.
Yet even with this aid, the process remained long and arduous.
As he supported the Ice Empress with his own origin power, Skydream even thoughtfully used part of that power to help her cultivation break through from 399,999 years to a full 400,000.
Though it may seem like a small difference, it represented a monumental leap in quality. Between 300,000 and 400,000 years, soul beasts underwent fundamental changes in essence.
Now that the Ice Empress had officially crossed the 400,000-year mark, it meant that Zhou Sicheng's Body Martial Soul...
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