Word Count: 2,562 Words
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"Everything is in your hands, Elder Yi."
Their lives had been bound together through trials of life and death. Ling Bai and the Snow Empress naturally held unconditional trust in Electrolux. They had discussed the principle of 'good fortune follows adversity' thoroughly before and unanimously agreed the plan was feasible.
Four palms pressed together, and the terrifying power born from the mingling of the Seraphim's and the Heavenly Snow Woman's four ultimate attributes surged forth.
Electrolux's expression grew solemn as his incantation rose to an unusually high pitch. He raised his staff, slowly yet firmly tracing gray runes in the air that converged into a ring. The symbol descended into the center of the four ultimate attributes, where the power of the Necromancer Sacred Law God formed a distinct boundary between the Seraphim and Heavenly Snow Woman.
The Snow Empress opened her mind completely, granting Electrolux control over her spirit power. He guided a wisp of Ultimate Snow from the 700,000-year spirit ring into the gray ring. An instant later, the Ultimate Snow actually ignited, transforming into a crystalline pale flame that poured into the Seraphim's spirit power on the other side.
No conflict occurred. During their mutual fusion, Electrolux even purified the Snow Empress's power. Some of the subtle changes were so minute that even Ling Bai, one of the parties involved, couldn't clearly perceive them. He only felt his Seraphim joyfully accepting the Snow Empress's spirit ring.
When yin reaches its extreme, yang is born; when adversity is at its peak, good fortune follows.
In another timeline, the snow pearl the Snow Empress had become was ignited by the Frigid Jade Essence Bed, leading to a tragic outcome. Now, however, Electrolux meticulously controlled the transformation of her spirit power bit by bit through necromancy.
This Snow Empress wasn't desperately clinging to life in a Spiritual Sea after self-detonation. And Electrolux had recovered much of his former power through two pieces of Life Gold. Both were far stronger than their alternate selves.
As the blood-red 700,000-year spirit ring transferred into Ling Bai's body, the Snow Empress's solid figure grew increasingly faint. Having lost both her spirit ring and spirit bone, she could no longer leave his Spiritual Sea. Her existence now resembled that of Ice Empress, who had become Huo Yuhao's Intelligent Spirit Ring in that other timeline.
Ling Bai slowly opened his brilliant golden eyes. The moment they met his gaze, the Snow Empress and Electrolux felt their souls tremble, as if looking into an endless golden land beneath a cloudless azure sky.
A golden halo drifted down from above; it was the freshly produced 200,000-year origin energy from Skydream Iceworm.
Truthfully, Ling Bai had become nearly as familiar with Skydream's origin as Huo Yuhao once was. With practiced ease, he fused it into his Seraphim's third and fourth spirit rings, transforming their purple and black colors into the blood-red that signified 100,000 years.
'Only 200,000 years left to go…' Ling Bai thought to himself.
When he came back to his senses, Electrolux's figure had already disappeared. The old man had left a message saying he had overexerted himself and needed to sleep for several days. His gaze shifted to the Snow Empress, whose jade-like hands were toying with a pale flame. The scorching heat it emanated made even him take notice. He asked curiously:
"Is that Ultimate Fire?"
"Mm."
The Snow Empress said with a beaming smile. "Thanks to Elder Yi, I've mastered the transformation between cold and heat."
Ling Bai nodded as if in a sudden realization. "If you possess both Ultimate Snow and Ultimate Fire, then the title 'Snow Empress' no longer suits you."
"What should I be called then?"
"Flame Empress."
Snow Empress: (￢_￢)
"Or perhaps Bone Chilling Flame Empress?"
The Snow Empress gave him a look of utter contempt. I was a fool to even ask you!
Ling Bai, being 'widely read and knowledgeable,' had subconsciously associated a flame that was both extremely cold and hot with the Bone Chilling Flame of the Flame Emperor from the story next door.
Beyond the Snow Empress's ring and Skydream's origin, Ling Bai had one more thing to integrate.
A divine relic, the Bloodsea Heart.
The crimson heart was wrapped in a network of blood vessels. Ling Bai felt as if the pulsing organ was watching him, its thread-like veins resembling the eyes of some eldritch creature.
A ripple passed through the Snow Empress's sky-blue eyes, and she said with some apprehension, "Just looking at that heart sends a strange chill through me..."
"The Bloodsea Heart originates from Slaughter City, which was known as 'Paradise of Depravity' ten thousand years ago."
Ling Bai explained softly. "Legend claims it was the inheritance ground of the Asura God and Rakshasa God. Asura governed slaughter while Rakshasa controlled evil thoughts. Neither of these two Gods is of a benevolent kind.
The Bloodsea Heart absorbed their power and was irrigated by the blood of countless wicked souls. It's like a flower of pure evil blooming in a boundless sea of blood.
But that doesn't matter. The Death Abyss Spider Emperor isn't exactly a righteous and glorious Martial Spirit either. I don't care about the Bloodsea Heart's evil nature, only its power."
Ling Bai grasped the heart with one hand, a thin cold smile on his lips. Without hesitation, he pressed it to his chest.
A unique power poured into him as the Bloodsea Heart transformed into a scorching torrent and merged with his original heart.
He could almost hear blood flowing through his veins and sense every subtle change in his organs. A nearly tangible killing intent formed a massive vortex within the Spectral Demiplane. Countless spectral creatures craned their necks to see what earth-shattering deed their master was performing.
Only when the killing intent dispersed, revealing Ling Bai's unharmed figure, did the Snow Empress suspended heart finally settle. She asked, "What benefits did this divine relic bring you?"
Ling Bai gently rubbed his chest, his eyes glinting. "The Bloodsea Heart is essentially a special external spirit bone, and it comes with four skills.
The first is Slaughter Hell, a domain-type skill that increases my momentum while weakening enemies and strengthening allies within its range. It can affect everyone in the domain or target specific individuals. I'll need time to explore it further.
The second skill is Bloody Mary. It makes my bodily fluids addictive. Anyone who consumes them must do so again after a certain period, or they will become anxious and mentally unstable until they suffer a complete breakdown.
Hmm, this second skill seems rather useless. Controlling people with blood?"
As Ling Bai pondered this, the Snow Empress suddenly interjected:
"Bodily fluids... must it necessarily be blood..."
"Huh?"
Ling Bai went from confusion to contemplation to realization to shock. He pointed at her with a trembling finger:
"You... who are you really! The Snow Empress is pure and immaculate! She couldn't possibly be so filthy!"
The Snow Empress's willow-like brows knitted in faint anger. "You misjudge a kind heart. Blood is a treasure to the strong; how can it be given away casually? I was asking if you could substitute it with sweat!"
"Ah... right, right. Sweat would work too..."
Ling Bai gave a dry laugh, resolving to die before ever admitting where his thoughts had just been.
"The third and fourth skills are for combat support. I'll find some people to test them on."
He couldn't stay—absolutely couldn't stay. With his mind having gone astray, Ling Bai felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles and desperately needed an excuse to get away from the Snow Empress.
"Who are you going to find?" the Snow Empress asked.
"There are three idiots squatting outside the Sun Moon Imperial Academy. Perfect time to deal with them."
...
Late that night, clouds concealed the moon and stars, casting a heavy darkness over the land.
Three figures hid outside the gates of the Sun Moon Imperial Academy. One of them grumbled, "The Cult Leader has forbidden us from damaging the academy, but what are we supposed to do if that Seraphim just hides inside and won't come out…"
"We've waited for two whole days without seeing a trace of him. Why don't we just sneak in, kill the brat, and get out? Brother Gu Mo, you have the highest spirit power—make the call. My brother and I will follow you."
Ancient Demon Douluo spoke in a hoarse voice. "The Holy Cult has an agreement with Crown Prince Xu Tianran. The Sun Moon Imperial Academy is the empire's talent cultivation base, which is why the Cult Leader forbids us from destroying it.
Besides, the academy is on highest alert after the Body Sect's recent attack. The interior is blanketed with detection Spirit Guidance Devices. Rushing in would be dangerous. Even if we killed the Seraphim, it would just give Shrek an excuse to make trouble for Illustrious Virtue Hall.
Si Qi, Wang Qi, be patient. I heard the brat just broke through to Rank 70. He'll have to come out to hunt his seventh spirit ring sooner or later. I'm a Rank 96 Titled Douluo, and you two brothers are both Rank 93. The Cult Leader sending the three of us to ambush a Seraphim who doesn't even have his Avatar is already like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. All we need is patience..."
Death Knight Douluo and Undead Knight Douluo reluctantly grunted their agreement. Mighty Titled Douluo from the Holy Spirit Cult actually following rules—if word got out, people would laugh their teeth off!
"Look! Isn't that the brat coming out now?"
Ancient Demon Douluo laughed heartily.
Death Knight and Undead Knight focused their gazes. It was indeed their target, the Seraphim. The holy aura drifting from him filled them with a deep physiological disgust!
"Follow him. We'll make our move once he's far from the academy."
The trio melted into the night, closely tailing Ling Bai.
Good things come to those who wait. To their pleasant surprise, Ling Bai walked straight out of Mingdu and into the desolate wilderness beyond the city!
This place was uninhabited. Calls to heaven would go unanswered, and pleas to earth would be futile. It was a perfect spot for murder and robbery!
How considerate of the Seraphim to choose his own graveyard!
The three Evil Douluo revealed bloodthirsty, cruel sneers. They could already hear the Seraphim's screams as they skinned him alive and pulled out his tendons!
"You three. After following me all this way, are you going to keep hiding?"
Ling Bai's clear voice carried across the distance. The three Evil Douluo strode out brazenly, unscrupulously examining his body up and down.
Ancient Demon Douluo shook his head. "Your perception is quite sharp, but unfortunately, it's useless. You're still going to die."
A Rank 96 Super Douluo and two Rank 93 Titled Douluo. Three of them against a single Seraphim without an Avatar.
With an advantage like this, tell me, how could we possibly lose!
The three Evil Douluo formed a triangle around Ling Bai, their eyes like those of starving wolves.
Ling Bai's gaze swept across their faces. He smiled, cracking his knuckles with a series of sharp pops as his aura surged like a mighty dragon.
"Caught three big fish. After killing you all, I should be able to rise two or three ranks..."
"Dream on, little brat! Death is at your doorstep!"
These words made Ancient Demon Douluo laugh wildly, but a second later, he suddenly couldn't laugh anymore, because he saw spirit rings rising from beneath Ling Bai's feet!
Yellow, Purple, Red, Red, Red, Red, Red!
"You... you... you..."
Ancient Demon Douluo was too shocked to speak. Death Knight Douluo and Undead Knight Douluo's pupils contracted violently. What kind of outrageous spirit ring configuration was this! Even they, as Evil Spirit Masters, had nothing so absurd!
Especially that blood-red seventh spirit ring with seven golden patterns inscribed upon it, emanating a savage, glacial aura. It was undoubtedly a ring from a Super Great Beast!
"Wait, where did that seventh spirit ring come from?!"
Death Knight Douluo's worldview shattered. He racked his brain but couldn't comprehend how Ling Bai had manifested a spirit ring from thin air—and the seventh ring, no less, that marked a Spirit Master's greatest transformation!
The watershed for high-level Spirit Masters was the 7-ringed Spirit Saint precisely because of the seventh spirit skill: Avatar!
Blazing golden pupils ignited in the darkness as the Seraphim's seventh spirit ring shone with blinding light.
The six-winged illusory figure drifted forward. A layer of brilliant gold coated Ling Bai's entire being, from skin to hair. Dazzling golden flames enveloped him, instantly dyeing his other six spirit rings with their radiant light.
The three Titled Douluo instinctively recoiled but forcibly suppressed the urge, gritting their teeth against the majesty radiating from those golden pupils.
His silhouette formed a holy cross. The six angelic wings flowed with burning radiance, their edges lined with blades of ice-cold, sky-blue light. The Seraphim's holy light dispersed the thick fog, bathing Ling Bai in moonlight as a fierce wind lifted him above a sea of clouds!
He tilted his head back and took a deep breath, as if inhaling the essence of the surrounding world!
Seventh Spirit Skill, Angel Avatar!
The power of an Avatar was directly proportional to both the Martial Spirit's quality and the age of its seventh spirit ring. The stronger the Spirit, the older the ring, the more potent its amplification when activated. This was why the seventh spirit skill was most significant for powerful Martial Spirits. Only through the Avatar could a Martial Spirit's true might be unleashed!
Ling Bai extended his arms and released a long, melodious cry. Sacred golden light expanded at a speed defying the naked eye. In a blink, it covered several thousand square meters of sky, completely enveloping the three Titled Douluo.
Angelic Domain!
Only after manifesting an Avatar could a domain unleash its full power. Within the Angelic Domain, glorious, high-pitched hymns suddenly soared in intensity. The pressure on the three Evil Douluo multiplied. Crimson beads of blood seeped from their skin as their blood pressure skyrocketed, rupturing vessels throughout their bodies!
"Martial Spirit Avatar!"
The three frantically summoned their Martial Spirits. Ancient Demon Douluo's Evil Ancient Blood Demon was a vile creature that grew by devouring life force. It transformed him into a terrifying giant with a bloody face and protruding fangs.
Death Knight Douluo and Undead Knight Douluo, being brothers, both possessed the Death Knight Martial Spirit. Their Avatars clad them in full armor, mounted upon imposing undead warhorses.
But all three had lost their former menacing aura. The Seraphim's golden pupils now burned a scorching crimson-gold that inspired terror in all who met their gaze!
Within the Angelic Domain, the ultimate attributes of holy and light were natural nemeses to Evil Spirit Masters, and fire was a counter to all things dark and sinister. The very air the three breathed grew thick and heavy. Under the stare of those sacred golden eyes, their bodies trembled as searing pain shot through them, as if red-hot branding irons had been thrust into their flesh!
It was the absolute suppression of one Martial Spirit over another; the absolute suppression of the Seraphim over Evil Spirit Masters!
When angels descend, all evil is purged!