"Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass?" Zhu Ziyang's lips curved into a smile. "So it's your turn to stand guard now?"
"Yes!" the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass replied, its voice brimming with excitement. "Um, um… did you come this time for that girl beside you? Do you want to choose a soul spirit or an immortal herb for her? What's her martial soul? Do you think I'd be a good match?"
"Eh…" Zhu Ziyang was momentarily stunned by its enthusiasm, at a loss for words. After a pause, he chuckled. "You don't seem too willing to stay here in the Icefire Yin-Yang Well, do you?"
"Hmph!" the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass snorted coldly. "Why would I be willing to remain in this garden? Am I supposed to just sit here, waiting for someone to pluck me?"
"Garden, huh? That's a fitting description," Zhu Ziyang said with a laugh, approving of its words. Then he added, "Unfortunately, Yiyi doesn't have an ice attribute. But… she's actually very compatible with the Fiery Apricot right beside you!"
"You mean it?" A crisp, fiery voice rang out, and the Fiery Apricot burst up from the spring, its tone filled with excitement.
"Oh, you were awake too?" Zhu Ziyang blinked in surprise, feeling a little awkward.
"I just woke up!" the Fiery Apricot ignored his reaction, its voice urgent. "Is this girl really compatible with me? Really? Truly?"
"Brother Yang, these plants can all speak… does that mean they're hundred-thousand-year soul beasts?" Qian Lingyi gasped, her face pale with shock. Talking plants—what else could they be but terrifying plant-type soul beasts that had cultivated for a hundred thousand years?
"No," Zhu Ziyang corrected gently. "This place is called the Icefire Yin-Yang Well, a paradise blessed by heaven and earth. The plants that grow here are all spiritual herbs, and those by the twin springs are immortal herbs."
"What?! All immortal herbs?" Qian Lingyi's jaw dropped in disbelief, her voice trembling.
"Yes. The two here in the springs are the extremes of ice and fire: the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Fiery Apricot. Look—Fiery Apricot seems to have taken quite a liking to you. Show it your martial soul."
"Taken a liking to me? What does that even mean?" Qian Lingyi muttered in confusion. Still, she obeyed Zhu Ziyang, summoning her Holy Angel Martial Soul. Six radiant soul rings appeared around her, shining with brilliance that marked her extraordinary talent.
"An Angel Martial Soul!" Fiery Apricot exclaimed in surprise, its voice filled with delight. "I can feel fire within your martial soul, but… it hasn't awakened yet? Why is that?"
"Because right now, I only have two wings," Qian Lingyi explained. "When I reach the Soul Sage realm and grow a second pair of angel wings, only then will I awaken the fire attribute."
"I see…" Fiery Apricot said thoughtfully. Then its tone grew eager again. "In that case, would you like me to become your soul spirit? If you agree, I can help you awaken your second pair of angel wings in advance!"
"Soul spirit? What's that?" Qian Lingyi asked, frowning slightly. Her instincts told her it had something to do with Zhu Ziyang.
"You can think of it as a special kind of soul ring," Zhu Ziyang said with a faint smile. He didn't rush to explain in detail—he knew she would understand once she saw it herself. "You can accept Fiery Apricot's request. It will only benefit you."
"Okay!" Though still a little confused, Qian Lingyi trusted him completely. She turned to Fiery Apricot and declared, "I'm willing to let you become my soul spirit!"
"Really? Wonderful! Splendid!" Fiery Apricot's laughter rang joyfully. With pride, it shouted to Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, "Ice, I'll be leaving ahead of you! Hahaha!"
"Ahhh!" Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass cried out anxiously.
But Fiery Apricot ignored it. Turning back to Qian Lingyi, it called, "Yiyi, come closer!"
Qian Lingyi stepped forward. The Fiery Apricot shook its body, and a globule of golden-red nectar flew out, landing in her hands.
Startled, Qian Lingyi cradled the warm nectar, unsure what it meant.
"This is my essence," Fiery Apricot explained. "One of the rarest fire-attributed divine medicines under heaven. Once you ingest it, you should be able to awaken your fire attribute early. Then, when you reach seven rings, I can become your soul spirit, hehe!"
"I… I see!" A blush of excitement spread across Qian Lingyi's face. She could barely contain her joy.
"Yiyi, take it now," Zhu Ziyang instructed softly. "I'll stand guard for you."
"Mm!" She nodded happily, sat cross-legged by the spring, and swallowed the Fiery Apricot's nectar. Closing her eyes, she began to absorb its power.
Once she had entered meditation, Zhu Ziyang's expression turned serious.
"Komaka, Rogier—come out."
"By your command, my lord!" Two figures—Holy Knight Komaka and Light Priest Rogier—appeared from the void, kneeling before him.
"You'll guard Yiyi here," Zhu Ziyang ordered.
"As you command!" they answered firmly.
"What's this? Why summon others?" Both Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Fiery Apricot grew wary. They could sense Zhu Ziyang was about to do something that frightened them.
"Don't worry," Zhu Ziyang said with a smile. "They're only here to protect Yiyi. They won't harm you—so long as you don't provoke them."
"Alright then," Fiery Apricot said lightly.
"Wait—you said 'leave them here.' Are you going somewhere?" Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass asked, alarmed.
"Not leaving," Zhu Ziyang corrected. "Just… another task to handle."
Before their astonished eyes, he released his Holy White Frost Dragon Martial Soul. Five scarlet soul rings blazed forth, their bloody glow shaking both immortal herbs to their core. Scales spread across his body as he transformed, and then—without hesitation—he dove straight into the icy spring.
"What is he doing?!" Fiery Apricot shrieked. "Ice, stop him!"
"I know, don't shout!" Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass darted into the spring as well, panic in its heart. It knew—Zhu Ziyang was aiming for the Ice Dragon King's corpse buried below. If he disturbed it, the balance of the Yin-Yang Well itself could collapse!
Zhu Ziyang plunged into the extreme cold. A lesser man would freeze solid in three seconds, but to him, this icy temperature was no different from the outside world. Without hesitation, he pushed deeper, swimming toward the bottom. Electrolux had already told him the Ice Dragon King's remains lay at the point where the icy and fiery springs converged. Angling downward, he headed straight there.
"Zhu Ziyang, stop immediately!" Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass cried from behind, but he ignored it and swam faster.
"Xue'er, block her!" Zhu Ziyang called, releasing the Snow Empress.
The girl spun around, intercepting Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
Startled at first, the plant recognized at once this was one of Zhu Ziyang's spirit souls. It tried to speak, but the Snow Empress showed no mercy. She seized the plant, her eyes flashing with terrifying divine majesty.
Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass trembled uncontrollably, staring in terror at the girl's deceptively innocent face.
With a sweet smile, the Snow Empress said, "Daddy told you—not to disturb him."
"But…" Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass tried to protest, but a single sharp glare silenced it instantly. Overwhelmed, it could only pray desperately that Zhu Ziyang would retreat before it was too late—for if he truly disturbed the Dragon King's bones, the Icefire Yin-Yang Well's delicate balance could collapse entirely!
Meanwhile, Zhu Ziyang knew none of its fears. He only felt the water grow colder and colder as he descended nearly fifty meters. The freezing chill was now so extreme that even he needed to unleash the full might of his Ultimate Ice to resist it.
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