"Pssh——"
Tang Lan's Eight Spider Lances burst from his back, expanding alongside his Blue Silver Life Domain.
Golden Devouring Threads emerged, wrapping tightly around the Thunderclap Hellvine.
Instantly, it drained one-tenth of the compressed lightning stored within the vine's body.
With less lightning to control, the risk of losing control naturally diminished.
Meanwhile, the absorbed soul power was channeled into Tang Lan's Thunderflame Clear Sky Hammer, enlarging its form and intensifying its flame attribute.
"Zzzzz——"
The ice on the ground melted, releasing large amounts of steam.
"Dad, Little Ao, help evaporate more ice."
Tang Hao and Oscar obeyed, using their Nine Yang Divine Skill to steadily melt the surrounding ice.
Thick clouds of steam rose into the sky, forming a dense mist.
"Fire a few bolts of lightning into the clouds."
The Thunderclap Hellvine, though confused, complied.
Bolts of lightning arced into the mist, accelerating the movement of positive and negative charges within.
More and more electric energy brewed within.
A thundercloud was successfully created.
"Alright, now summon lightning down onto yourself."
"Strike yourself boldly. Don't worry—with me here, the lightning inside you won't exceed your control."
The excess Destruction Lightning had already been drained to a safe level.
What was there to fear?
"BOOM——"
A massive bolt of lightning struck the Thunderclap Hellvine.
Instead of resisting, it relaxed, stretching out its vine-like body, swaying in pleasure.
Its aura grew slightly stronger.
Yet, the amount of lightning inside it didn't increase—
The Devouring Threads were rapidly siphoning it away!
This thrilled the Thunderclap Hellvine!
It unleashed everything, summoning a downpour of lightning upon itself.
Its aura soared year after year in rapid succession.
In less than 30 seconds, the thundercloud was drained dry—
And its cultivation increased by 50 years!
"More! I want more!"
But just then, Tang Lan withdrew the Devouring Threads and approached the Thunderclap Hellvine again.
"So, do you accept my offer?"
A deal where it could increase its cultivation without any danger and obtain eternal life—
Hesitating for even half a second would be an insult to Tang Lan!
"No problem! If you can help me reach 100,000 years, I'll be your spirit soul!"
"Hurry up! Let's go!"
Tang Lan chuckled and shook his head.
100,000 years?
The Thunderclap Hellvine advanced by absorbing lightning.
If it could break past 100,000 years, then Heaven's Punishment would be meaningless against it.
Wouldn't it just keep skyrocketing toward a million years?
Such a unique trait deserved to be fully maximized!
Besides, Tang Lan wasn't worried about betrayal.
Why?
Because soul beasts couldn't become gods.
In fact, if their age exceeded a million years, they would be targeted by divine beings—
The gods might even issue missions to their successors, commanding them to hunt such creatures.
For true eternal life, the Thunderclap Hellvine had no choice but to follow Tang Lan.
But it was too soon to explain these things.
"I have other things to do first. I'll increase your cultivation later."
"Otherwise, with just the three of us creating thunderclouds, the process is way too slow."
"For now, I'll store you in a spatial ring. You can rest for a while."
"Later, I'll take you to a prime location—and bring along some fire-attribute soul masters to feed you properly."
The Thunderclap Hellvine, which had been standing tall, immediately slumped over in disappointment.
But it didn't push the issue.
"Fine—but don't keep me waiting too long~"
It didn't even need Tang Lan to act.
The Thunderclap Hellvine retracted its roots from the rock wall on its own.
And then—
What the hell?!
Though its vine body was only two meters long, its root system extended over a hundred meters!
A dense, sprawling network of roots!
Fortunately, Tang Lan had plenty of spatial rings.
He took out an empty one, sealed it with a Vast Sea Soul Seal, and stored the vine inside.
Another spirit soul secured.
9 Spirit Souls? Not Too Greedy.
Huo Yuhao had seven spirit souls.
Tang Lan wasn't too ambitious—
He'd settle for nine.
After all—
For his tenth divine ring, he couldn't possibly make a former god his spirit soul, right?
"Alright, let's move on."
Tang Lan returned to Tang Hao, Oscar, and Shui Bing'er.
Taking out skis and ice skates, he declared:
"From here on, we travel on our own."
"Ski on snow, skate on ice."
Shui Bing'er looked unfazed—she was familiar with both.
Tang Hao didn't care—he could fly.
But Oscar?
His expression darkened instantly.
As a southerner, he couldn't even swim—let alone ski or skate!
But there was no way he could admit it.
If he did, what if Tang Lan told him to go home on his own?!
For the sake of his future 100,000-year spirit soul sacrifice,
even if he had to crawl, he would keep up!
"I've got a mushroom sausage!"
With one gulp of a Flying Mushroom Sausage, Oscar sprouted wings and hovered at the back of the group.
Whenever he tripped, he'd just fly up again.
As a rank 40, three-ring Soul Elder, proficient in Lingbo Microsteps,
Within half an hour, he could keep up with the team.
"Wooohooo!" Oscar cheered. "This is easy! Yohohoho——"
But just as he shouted,
Tang Lan and Tang Hao simultaneously turned their heads to the right.
There, along the snow-capped peaks,
Oscar's excited yell echoed, bouncing off the mountains—
A massive crack spread across the slopes.
An avalanche was roaring down!
Oscar:
↓
Σ(っQДQ;)っ
His face turned green!
He frantically reached into his storage ring for another Flying Mushroom Sausage to escape.
But before he could—
"Let's make it a race!"
Shui Bing'er suddenly suggested, "No soul skills—let's see if we can outrun the avalanche!"
Tang Lan's interest was piqued.
"Sounds fun. I'll bet a soul bone."
"Oh?" Tang Hao chuckled. "Then I'll wager half a day of combat training."
Shui Bing'er hesitated.
But she couldn't just freeload.
She mumbled, "I… don't have anything valuable… How about a month of massages?"
"It's all about participation. The bets are just for fun." Tang Lan waved it off.
Oscar, Meanwhile…
His Flying Mushroom Sausage hovered near his mouth, but he just couldn't eat it.
A soul bone.
Personal training from a Titled Douluo.
A massage from a beauty—
…Okay, maybe not that last one.
Anyone with eyes could see Shui Bing'er liked Tang Lan.
Silently, Oscar put his sausage away, grinning.
"Win or lose, I'll cook all the meals for the next few days!"
A statement of commitment.
Tang Lan didn't mind—it was just a side bet.
"On three, we go."
"Three!"
BOOM!
Tang Lan blasted forward like a rocket, powered by Nine Yang Divine Skill energy.
The intense heat melted the ice beneath him, turning it into pools of water.
Tang Hao and Shui Bing'er froze for a second.
Wait—he could do that?!
"Wha—?! Shui Bing'er gasped. "Sect Master… did you just jump the gun?!"
Her answer?
Two blurs streaking past her.
"RUMBLE——"
The avalanche arrived!
Shui Bing'er had no time to argue.
She summoned her Ice Phoenix Martial Soul, instantly refreezing the melted water, creating a smooth path.
With years of ice expertise, she quickly overtook Oscar.
She and Tang Hao flanked Tang Lan from both sides, trying to close the gap.
Seeing this, Tang Lan cut his "rocket boost."
The ice ended, transitioning into endless snowfields.
With a leap, he switched from skates to skis, landing smoothly.
While in midair—
He scooped up a handful of snow, compacted it into a snowball, and hurled it at Shui Bing'er.
"Whoosh——"
"BAM!"
The snowball smashed directly into Shui Bing'er's forehead!
She stumbled, nearly losing her balance.
After barely recovering, she stared at Tang Lan in shock.
Was this really the Sect Master she respected?!
First, he jumped the gun—
Now he was turning it into an item race?!
But instead of frustration—
She felt a sense of delight.
This childish, playful side of Tang Lan…
It shattered the usual hierarchical distance between them.
For the first time—
She threw a snowball back!
"Missed."
Tang Lan effortlessly dodged, shifting his body slightly.
Then—
He grabbed two snowballs.
One aimed at her head—
One to block her escape route.
"BAM! BAM!"
Direct hits.
Tang Lan grinned victoriously, his strikingly handsome face glowing brighter than the snowy landscape.
Shui Bing'er froze, momentarily entranced.
And then—
(End of Chapter)
Notes-Read advanced chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X