Once Second Frost vented her anger, Zhu Ziyang began absorbing the Ice Demon Snow Soul King's spirit ring.
For the current Zhu Ziyang, a two-hundred-thousand-year spirit ring was nothing more than a minor matter. In just half an hour, he had fully absorbed the ring, which bore two golden lines.
Above the frozen lake, a majestic dragon appeared—a four-winged True Dragon. Its body was long and elegant, its scales diamond-shaped and glistening like jewels. Two pairs of wings stretched from its back: one pure ice-white, the other blue-white. Its crystalline horns gleamed like white crystal, emanating nobility and mystery. The dragon's immense presence filled the entire lake, even making the air tremble.
This was his Martial Soul True Body—the Heavenly Frost White Dragon King.
The Heavenly Frost White Dragon King let out a mighty roar, then swiftly shrank down into human form. In this form, Zhu Ziyang bore dragon claws and legs, two pairs of massive wings, a long and powerful tail, and a pair of sharp, gleaming horns—his fully Dragonized Form.
Landing on the ground, Zhu Ziyang flexed his clawed hands with satisfaction. "Not bad, not bad. So this is complete Dragonization? Excellent."
"Brother Yang, here—this is the Ice Demon Snow Soul King's spirit bone, for you." At that moment, Qian Lingyi approached and handed him a bone.
"Oh? A skull, huh? Quite nice." Zhu Ziyang examined it and immediately chuckled. Indeed, it was a skull. Given that the Snow Soul King possessed spiritual attributes, this skull would surely enhance spiritual power. Unfortunately, he already had a skull bone—otherwise, this one would have suited him well.
"Yiyi, do you need a skull bone?" he asked.
"Brother Yang, if you're thinking of giving it to me, then forget it." Qian Lingyi laughed, shaking her head. "The Snow Soul King had dark and ice attributes. For me, with light and fire attributes, this bone would be useless."
"Oh, true enough," Zhu Ziyang replied with a smile. "My mistake. Forgive me."
"It's alright!" Qian Lingyi beamed. "So, Brother Yang, now that everything's done, where shall we go next?"
"Well… why not head west from the Extreme North, take in the sights along the way? What do you think?" Zhu Ziyang suggested after a moment's thought.
"Mm! Sounds good!" Qian Lingyi nodded.
"Alright then, let's go!" Zhu Ziyang said cheerfully. He turned to his soul spirits. "Everyone, return for now."
The soul spirits withdrew back into his spiritual sea, and together Zhu Ziyang and Qian Lingyi set off westward. Along their journey, they paused in towns for a day or two, half traveling, half training. The road was never dull.
At the northwesternmost edge of the Heavenly Soul Empire lay Winter's End City—the northernmost human settlement on the continent and the only port on the North Sea. Its purpose was largely symbolic, for with current seafaring technology, ships could only sail a hundred li beyond the harbor before being forced to turn back.
What lay deeper in the North Sea remained a mystery. Legend said that the very heart of the Extreme North was the source of the North Sea, but no one had ever confirmed it. Not even the Snow Empress herself, sovereign of the Extreme North, could enter its core, much less explore its ties to the sea.
After leaving the Extreme North, Zhu Ziyang and Qian Lingyi arrived at Winter's End City, preparing to cross into the Sun Moon Empire.
Though tensions between the Sun Moon Empire and the Three Kingdoms of Douluo were high, the Heavenly Soul Empire did not defend its border as aggressively as the Star Luo Empire. While Star Luo amassed millions of troops at the frontier, the Heavenly Soul Empire maintained only ordinary garrisons, showing little hostility.
Even more, trade between the Sun Moon Empire and the Heavenly Soul Empire was frequent. Border towns bustled with commerce, softening people's attitudes. Unlike Star Luo, who bore deep hatred due to centuries of border wars and the great invasion four thousand years prior, the Heavenly Soul people had little enmity toward their eastern neighbors.
As for the Dou Ling Empire, its presence was faint. Shielded by both Heavenly Soul and Star Luo, it had no direct border with the Sun Moon Empire. With little threat to worry about, Dou Ling spent its time in endless cycles of internal strife. Over four thousand years, its royal line had changed hands nearly a hundred times—usurpers seizing power, the Xue clan restoring it, only to be toppled again. A most peculiar kingdom indeed.
In Winter's End City, Zhu Ziyang celebrated his eighteenth birthday, officially stepping into adulthood.
In Douluo, men came of age at eighteen, women at twenty. Adulthood marked the right to establish one's own household. Had Zhu Ziyang been born into a great clan, he would now have gained a branch family of his own and a measure of authority within the clan.
He and Qian Lingyi celebrated in a luxurious hotel. For her gift, she offered him her first kiss.
Her own birthday was only half a month away—soon, she too would be eighteen.
That night, after a candlelit dinner for two, Zhu Ziyang received blessings from Electrolux and his four soul spirits. His heart was full of joy. Even during cultivation, he wore a smile. As the saying went, joy nourishes the spirit. Perhaps because of this state of mind, his cultivation efficiency soared. That very night—three months after accepting the Sixth Trial of the God of Death—Zhu Ziyang's soul power advanced to Rank 80.
At just eighteen years of age, he had become a Contra.
Once again, he shattered Shrek Academy's records, and more than that, he had rewritten the history of the entire continent. Though none but himself knew it yet, his achievement was destined to be remembered for all time.
Suppressing the excitement in his heart, he felt the response of the flower mark on his forehead—the Death God's brand. Yet he did not rush into the God's inheritance grounds to claim the rewards of the Sixth Trial or begin the Seventh. Instead, he chose to first absorb his eighth spirit ring, condense his third spirit core, and complete the Threefold Soul Core System.
According to the theory of the system, the perfect moment to form the third core was while absorbing the Heavenly Frost White Dragon King's eighth spirit ring. Conveniently, he already possessed the ideal catalyst: the Ice Dragon King's Dragon Core.
Zhu Ziyang took out the orb that hung upon his chest, its glow heavy with the weight of countless years. Even after hundreds of thousands of years, its energy was immeasurable. He could not help but feel anticipation.
But before beginning, he spoke with Qian Lingyi. Condensing a soul core was no trivial matter—it meant they would have to remain in Winter's End City for some time.
When she heard his intention, Qian Lingyi was first stunned, then overjoyed. "Brother Yang, go ahead! Don't worry—I'll wait for you!"
"Good. Then I'll begin at once." He smiled, ruffled her hair, and turned to his room.
"Eighteen years old… and already a Contra…" Qian Lingyi whispered as she gazed at his departing figure, her eyes full of admiration and longing. Only once he had disappeared into his room did she shake her head, forcing herself back to calm. "No, I must work even harder… otherwise I'll be left too far behind! I must cultivate right now!"
With that, she hurried back to her own room and began training in earnest.
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