Chapter 109: The Unlucky One's Strange Journey
When Lin Yun was wreaking havoc at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, the Extreme North also welcomed an uninvited guest destined for disappointment.
No, to be precise—two of them.
After several days of long travel, Huo Yuhao finally, though barely, arrived at the coldest place on the entire Douluo Continent.
After all, Huo Yuhao was nothing like Lin Yun. Even ignoring the powerful beast-level NPCs constantly appearing around Lin Yun, he himself possessed the flying external soul bone, the Golden Shadow Dragon Wings. If Lin Yun were to fly from Shrek to the Extreme North, he would need less than half a day. Huo Yuhao, however, spent nearly a full week.
By the time he reached the Frozen Forest, a quarter of his vacation had already passed.
"Brother Tianmeng, we've reached the Extreme North! What should we do next?" Huo Yuhao exhaled a puff of white breath and shivered violently.
Sensing the familiar chill, Tianmeng Iceworm awoke from its slumber and looked nostalgically through Huo Yuhao's eyes at this bitterly cold land.
Ever since it awoke from its sleep ten thousand years ago, after devouring the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow, it had been relentlessly hunted by the Ice Emperor. Crossing seas and mountains, it had fled to the Star Dou Great Forest—only to end up being used as a living power source. It had not returned to the Extreme North in ten thousand years.
Compared to the Star Dou Great Forest, where it had suffered countless years of torment, it still much preferred the Extreme North.
More importantly…
'Heh, Bing Bing, we're finally going to meet again!' Tianmeng Iceworm's heart rippled with excitement. Forcing down its emotions, it said to Huo Yuhao, "Don't rush, Yuhao. This is only the outer edge of the Extreme North. Our destination lies deeper within. Keep moving forward until I tell you to stop."
"Oh, okay, Brother Tianmeng." Huo Yuhao nodded blankly, then prepared to press deeper into the frozen land.
Watching his movements, Tianmeng Iceworm sighed deeply. With hatred in its small eyes, it muttered, "It's a pity that when I fused with you, my final molted shell was stolen by Di Tian. If you had it, you could walk sideways through the entire Extreme North. No soul beast would even be able to sense your aura."
"Not only would it hide your aura, but my molted shell would also protect you from the cold. Now, without it, there's nothing we can do. Damn it!"
Huo Yuhao's steps faltered slightly, but he said nothing.
Although he too felt regret, it was beyond his control. Back then, he had fainted completely and had no idea about this so-called molted shell. Now, he could only do his best to resist the omnipresent cold of the Extreme North.
Having come here with a soul power level not even reaching twenty, he felt as if the entire Extreme North was opposing him. Every step forward demanded all the strength he had.
Fortunately, the second martial soul granted to him by Tianmeng Iceworm still lay dormant within his body. Though yet to awaken, this ice-attributed, unshaped martial soul provided him with considerable resistance to cold. Otherwise, he would have already exhausted his soul power and frozen into a block of ice.
When external conditions reach a certain extremity, mere willpower can no longer hold out. Even with his resilient spirit and unwavering resolve to become stronger, without the protection of the molted shell, Huo Yuhao's body was inevitably being eroded by the cold of the Extreme North.
Such cold was far beyond what ordinary clothing could withstand. At the very least, only garments crafted from fire-attributed heavenly treasures could resist the chill of this land.
Unfortunately, Huo Yuhao could not afford any of those clothes.
"Yuhao, from now on, I will unseal a portion of my origin power to protect you. This power will not only shield you from the cold but also forcibly enhance your soul power. That is why, even before you reached level twenty, I allowed you to come to the Extreme North," Tianmeng Iceworm said when Huo Yuhao had reached his limit.
Within Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Sea, one of the ten seals on Tianmeng Iceworm cracked open, and a stream of radiant golden liquid energy slowly flowed out, cascading into his Spiritual Sea.
At the same time, Huo Yuhao felt the numbness caused by the biting cold begin to fade. His nerves regained sensitivity, his mind became cool and clear, while a gentle warmth spread through his limbs and bones.
The frostbitten cells in his fingers and toes, which would have been irreparable on Earth, revived under the restorative force of Tianmeng Iceworm's origin power. Such treatment was an extravagant waste of power that Tianmeng Iceworm would never have done if its molted shell had not been stolen. Its origin power could accomplish much greater things, and to spend it on healing frostbite truly pained its heart.
"Alright, Yuhao, keep moving forward!" Tianmeng Iceworm said, its tone full of encouragement. "Endure this trial, and you will become one of the most exceptional soul masters on the entire Douluo Continent!"
"I understand, Brother Tianmeng!" Fueled by this encouragement, Huo Yuhao's fighting spirit surged again. He steadied his revived legs and continued step by step toward the core of the Extreme North.
Along the way, whenever he grew hungry, he chewed on the frozen, rock-hard rations he carried. When he was thirsty, he drank the thawed snowwater melted by his own body heat.
After another two days of exhausting travel, the utterly weary Huo Yuhao finally reached the place Tianmeng Iceworm had designated.
Perhaps because the Ice Emperor and Snow Emperor had both left together, the Titan Snow Demon King was required to remain stationed within the core zone. As a result, Huo Yuhao did not encounter that formidable creature. Though he came across several other soul beasts, Tianmeng Iceworm's concealment ensured he passed through without serious danger.
"That's enough, Yuhao. Stop here. In a moment, I will leave a portion of my origin power on you for protection. The rest, I must draw out completely. Our success or failure depends on this!" Tianmeng Iceworm's voice grew stern.
Without the molted shell, its chances of trapping the Ice Emperor were greatly reduced. Moreover, its power to teleport Huo Yuhao away had already been spent. If not for the lingering attachment in its heart toward the Ice Emperor, a creature as afraid of death as Tianmeng Iceworm would never have taken such a risk.
"I understand, Brother Tianmeng!" Huo Yuhao nodded, his face pale and tired, before sitting heavily on the ground.
Using all his remaining strength, he dug a shallow hole into the permafrost of the Extreme North's core layer—barely large enough to fit his body—and crawled inside.
Seeing that Huo Yuhao was ready, Tianmeng Iceworm began its operation. Ten seals, each shining like a miniature sun, flew from Huo Yuhao's brow and gathered together before flashing skyward.
Hundreds of meters above, the ten seals merged into a radiant golden sphere of light, which then condensed into a humanoid form.
It was the figure of Huo Yuhao—the human shape assumed by Tianmeng Iceworm.
"Ice Emperor, I, Tianmeng, have returned for revenge! Do you dare come out and face me?!"
(End of Chapter)
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