The Mu Yang spoken of by the Snow Empress possessed terrifying strength once he unleashed his Martial Spirit Fusion Skill—but Di Tian did not flinch.
For Di Tian had faith in his own power. No matter how monstrous the opponent, so long as he had not reached level one hundred and become a god, Di Tian was confident he could defeat anyone.
But when the Snow Empress told him that the man was also a Divine Realm god's inheritor of a God Seat, Di Tian lost his nerve.
After all, the Snow Empress had said that even before stepping into nine rings as a Title Douluo, that man's Martial Spirit Fusion Skill was second only to her. Now, with his spirit power advanced to nine rings, his strength had surged, and his Fusion Skill's power surely already surpassed hers.
With strength such as that, he might not yet be Di Tian's match. But if Di Tian truly went to strike at him, and the man chose to flee at the first sign of disadvantage—or worse, if a god of the Divine Realm secretly intervened—and Di Tian failed to eradicate him completely, then the consequences that followed would be disastrous.
Put himself in the other's place: if a powerful enemy came knocking and he was not their match, would he not also retreat, find a place to hide and cultivate, and then one day ascend to godhood—before returning to wreak vengeance?
If that man became a god and then came to settle accounts, and somehow discovered the hidden spatial realm beneath the Lake of Life where the lord Silver Dragon King lay wounded in slumber—would that not place his master's safety at grave risk?
In the strength of the Silver Dragon King, Di Tian had unwavering faith. He believed that even if gravely injured, his master was assuredly not a match for a newly ascended god.
But a battle between gods would unleash earth-shaking commotion. Once a divine war erupted upon Douluo Star, it would inevitably draw the attention of the gods of the Divine Realm. Should his master's whereabouts then be exposed, it would be equivalent to destroying the soul beast race's final hope.
Thus—Di Tian lost his nerve.
Suddenly, Di Tian asked the Snow Empress, "Snow Empress, what attribute is that man's second martial spirit?"
"It is a human-shaped martial spirit of the ice attribute."
Though she did not understand why he asked, the Snow Empress still answered truthfully.
"Ice-type human-shaped martial spirit? I see."
Di Tian's expression turned unreadable. After some hesitation, he spoke with slight evasiveness: "Snow Empress, this matter is far too significant. I believe it is better that we take the long view."
For his master's safety, and for the future of the soul beast race, Di Tian reasoned that sparing the man might not be impossible.
Besides, after learning he was a God Seat inheritor, Di Tian had also pieced together the origin of those so-called three three-hundred-thousand-year 'ferocious beast rings.'
They were most likely not ferocious beast rings at all, but god-bestowed spirit rings granted by the deity behind him.
So long as a Spirit Master's body could withstand the strain, condensing god-bestowed spirit rings with golden patterns above two hundred thousand years was normal.
And the reason he abducted the Ice Empress was simply because her ring was highly compatible with his ice-type martial spirit.
There were no ice-attribute ferocious beasts within the Star Dou Great Forest. So long as they did not provoke him, he should not come knocking, right?
Thus, Di Tian comforted himself in his cowardice.
"Di Tian, what do you mean by this?"
The Snow Empress' eyes narrowed. From the sound of it, was Di Tian planning not to act?
That man's identity as a God Seat inheritor—was that enough to daunt him so?
"Snow Empress, he is a God Seat inheritor. I have concerns and reasons why I cannot take action. I hope you can understand."
After long silence, Di Tian spoke at last.
"You—Di Tian, I misjudged you. In the end, you're nothing but a coward!"
The Snow Empress' words dripped with fury.
Understand? Understand your nonsense!
You, Di Tian, who proclaim yourself the king of soul beasts across the continent—yet you do not dare to strike down such a mortal threat to soul beasts? Truly disgraceful of one who calls himself the strongest beast of the land!
"I have my burdens, Snow Empress. Within one hundred thousand years, you will surely understand the choice I make today."
Meeting her gaze filled with disappointment, Di Tian's tone was calm.
His master's recovery was progressing optimistically. Within a hundred thousand years, the Silver Dragon King would surely heal fully. For his master's safety, and for the great future of the soul beast race, he had no choice but to act with restraint and forbearance.
"Di Tian, you will regret this!"
The Snow Empress, ignorant of the hidden truth, lacked Di Tian's grand vision. She spat the words with hatred, then turned and departed the Star Dou Great Forest through the skies.
Since Di Tian clearly refused to aid her, she would not pester him further.
Indeed, depending on others was never as reliable as depending on oneself. When faced with a crisis, the truest reliance lay always in one's own strength.
And if one's strength was not enough?
So be it.
Her hopes of surpassing the seven-hundred-thousand-year threshold were slim. Death, once so terrifying to her, suddenly no longer seemed so fearsome.
To fall beneath a heavenly tribulation—or to die at the hands of a human Spirit Master—was there really such a difference?
"Regret? Snow Empress, I am king of soul beasts on this continent. My duty is to the soul beast race. When the day comes that my master heals, our soul beasts will return to the summit of Douluo Star!"
Gazing at the departing Snow Empress, Di Tian thought to himself.
In the blink of an eye, another two months passed.
During this time, aside from training the Solar Body Refinement each day beneath the blazing sun, Mu Yang devoted nearly all his energy to deducing a secret method to increase the years of spirit bones.
Two months later, though that secret method had yet to be achieved, his Solar Body Refinement had already reached the limit corresponding to his current spirit power.
Most importantly, half a month ago he had already cultivated the Solar Body Refinement to the threshold of his Level 96 spirit power, and then obtained a god-bestowed spirit ring from Shui Bing'er—thereby condensing the seventh god-bestowed spirit ring for his Iceflame Holy Shadow martial spirit.
Because upon advancing to nine rings his spirit power had soared directly to Level 96 Title Douluo, the growth space of Solar Body Refinement was vast. Moreover, with his spirit power tempered by the dual-soul-core of yin and yang, its quality was incomparably high, effectively raising the refinement's corresponding limit—his physical attributes had leapt in quality compared to when he was at Level 90.
Just as Mu Yang expected, the seventh Iceflame Holy Shadow spirit ring he condensed shattered previous limits. Its color was nearly pure gold, with an age of over nine hundred thousand years—precisely nine hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred ninety-nine years—proving the upper limit of a god-bestowed spirit ring.
Seventh Spirit Skill: Iceflame Holy Shadow True Body. All spirit skills beneath seven rings had no cooldown, and all spirit skill effects increased by 150%.
And likely due to its extraordinarily high age, when activating the Iceflame Holy Shadow True Body he did not fall into weakness afterward. Its augmentation effects even surpassed those of the Purple Jade Profound Yellow Ginseng, reaching a full 150% increase.
Even the duration extended—whereas normal Martial Spirit True Bodies lasted half an hour, his endured for a full hour.
With the ninety-nine-thousand-nine-hundred-ninety-nine-year seventh spirit ring, Mu Yang's level leapt from 96 Title Douluo to 98 Title Douluo, his spirit power accumulation within the level nearly complete. He stood but a step away from Level 99—an Ultimate Douluo.
After half a month more of cultivation, Solar Body Refinement had again reached its spirit power limit. And since the Snow Empress, who had departed then, showed no sign of returning to trouble him, Mu Yang decided to take Shui Bing'er to the City of Slaughter, to continue the trials of the Asura God.
With a god-level Martial Spirit Fusion Skill in his hands, Mu Yang no longer feared any opponent beneath the level of gods—least of all the half-crippled Tang Chen.
Yet just after he and Shui Bing'er departed from the Elemental Academy, they encountered a troublesome affair.
Of course, the present was not the past. Though troublesome, it was merely a small trouble now.
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
Fairy Tail{30 Chapters}
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