At this moment, changes began to appear on the Wind Baboon's body. A white spirit ring quietly emerged around it.
Huo Yuer glanced at it briefly before ignoring it completely. She wasn't the Huo Yuhao from the original timeline—she had better options.
As Ye Wen had said, the Wind Baboon was merely a tool for her training.
As for overhunting soul beasts affecting the future of soul masters? Huo Yuer had no such concept. Moreover, in this era of indulgence, everyone acted recklessly—it was simply how things were done.
Huo Yuer didn't even have any spirit skills yet, so her consumption of soul power was minimal. The only real expenditure had been during her use of Instant Step earlier, and the rest was mostly physical exhaustion. After some rest, she quickly recovered.
"Let's go. A mere monkey isn't enough to train me," Huo Yuer muttered softly.
But just as she took a step forward, the winds shifted dramatically.
"Finally, I've encountered a human with spiritual attributes! If only I could cry, I'd be shedding tears of joy!" A flamboyant voice echoed within Huo Yuer's mind.
Startled, Huo Yuer had no idea why a voice suddenly appeared in her head.
At that moment, the ground beneath her feet trembled without warning. Cracks began to form, gradually widening into fissures. Faint golden-white light shimmered through the cracks.
"What is this?! Master, help me!"
Faced with the unknown, even the protagonist Huo Yuer panicked and instinctively sought help.
But before her plea could leave her lips, Ye Wen transmitted a calm message:
"Don't worry, little Yuer. Just watch—this is your destined opportunity."
After that, Ye Wen fell silent. After all, Tian Meng Ice Silkworm was merely a bonus; there were greater opportunities ahead, and he couldn't interfere.
At this moment, an icy chill seeped out from the cracks in the ground. The surrounding temperature dropped noticeably, and the fissures expanded rapidly, reaching a diameter of over five meters within moments.
The golden-white light finally revealed its true form—a round, chubby head, plump and meaty, belonging to a giant silkworm over a meter in diameter.
Unfortunately, Huo Yuer only recognized it as some kind of bug—she couldn't even identify it as a silkworm, let alone its species.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I won't harm you."
The earlier voice sounded again in Huo Yuer's mind. The enormous silkworm nodded at her, lowering its massive head until it stopped about a meter away from her.
At this point, Tian Meng Ice Silkworm continued its mental transmission: "Allow me to introduce myself. I am the embodiment of heroism and chivalry, the pinnacle of wisdom and beauty among soul beasts—the King of Kings. I'm an unparalleled powerhouse who has cultivated for over a million years, setting the record for the longest lifespan in the history of the Douluo Continent. You may call me Brother Tian Meng!"
Huo Yuer's eyes went blank. "A… a million-year-old soul beast?"
She never expected her destined opportunity to be a talking million-year-old soul beast. In her understanding, weren't the strongest soul beasts only ten thousand years old?
Perhaps because Tian Meng Ice Silkworm lacked the usual ferocity and imposing aura of soul beasts, Huo Yuer's initial tension eased.
Driven by childish curiosity, she asked, "Aren't soul beasts limited to only ten thousand years?"
Tian Meng Ice Silkworm proudly replied, "Otherwise, how could I dare call myself the King of Kings among soul beasts?
Surprised? Excited? You're the first human to ever see my true form!"
This self-absorbed speech further lowered Tian Meng Ice Silkworm's standing in Huo Yuer's eyes. Her master, a Titled Douluo, remained humble, while this soul beast acted so arrogantly—what right did it have to boast?
Huo Yuer asked, "Then what do you want with me?"
Tian Meng Ice Silkworm's tone suddenly turned serious. "I will become your spirit ring—the first intelligent spirit ring in the history of the Douluo Continent."
"Ah?" Huo Yuer was shocked once again.
Staring wide-eyed at the Tian Meng Ice Silkworm before her, she momentarily lost the ability to think.
So this was the true opportunity.
But how had her master known about it?
However, Huo Yuer quickly pushed this question aside. It would be foolish not to take advantage of such an opportunity, especially since her master clearly had her best interests at heart. There was no reason to refuse.
"Alright, then go ahead," Huo Yuer said calmly.
Her composed attitude exceeded Tian Meng Ice Silkworm's expectations, leaving it secretly astonished. Were human children these days really this mentally resilient? It was offering itself, a million-year-old soul beast, as her spirit ring voluntarily!
But Tian Meng Ice Silkworm didn't have time to dwell on it. Suddenly, its body shuddered violently as it looked toward the core of the Star Dou Forest.
"Damn it, have those bastards discovered me already? Though this girl seems strange, I can't worry about that now. Spiritual-type soul masters are rare. If I'm captured and taken back, it's all over for me."
Tian Meng Ice Silkworm made up its mind. With a sudden wriggle, it lunged forward, pressing its forehead against Huo Yuer's.
The sacrificial process began, but Tian Meng Ice Silkworm immediately regretted its decision.
Having spent its life eating and sleeping after breaking through the million-year mark, it had been imprisoned and knew very little about humans. It had even entertained the idea of becoming the spirit ring of a Titled Douluo—but the result was catastrophic, as the Douluo's body had exploded under its overwhelming power. Such was its ignorance of humanity.
Huo Yuer, with innate soul power at level one, had only reached the rank of a level-10 soul master at the age of twelve—a testament to her poor talent among humans.
It was only now, too late, that the shortsighted Tian Meng Ice Silkworm realized this.
"Too weak, too weak. This is pitiful.
Poor me! How many seals will I need to place on myself just to allow her frail body to withstand me? Being an intelligent spirit ring isn't easy."
As Tian Meng Ice Silkworm began pouring itself into Huo Yuer's body, an invisible wave of spiritual energy radiated outward from its form.
Its terrifying spiritual power instantly covered every corner within a hundred-mile radius.
Even Bei Bei and Tang Ya, who were nearby and trying to catch up to Huo Yuer, were caught in this wave of spiritual energy, falling into a brief stupor.
Though the mental shock wasn't particularly destructive, it temporarily robbed all living beings of their ability to think.
At this moment, the Star Dou Forest grew eerily silent.
And at this time, the previously clear sky suddenly darkened. A thunderous roar echoed high above.
The sunlight was completely obscured by darkness, and an oppressive force that felt impossible to resist enveloped the forest.
From the shadows, Ye Wen watched the sky with a faint smile.
"So, it's finally here—the Holy Calamity Necromancer, Electrolux."
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