427. New Approach

Hearing the gasps of surprise from Bibi Dong and the others, Ice Scorpion couldn’t help but puff out her chest, pride and satisfaction swelling within her.

Hmph! This is the respect I deserve as the Ice Emperor!

Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, despite their exalted statuses, were both astonished as they observed Ice Scorpion.


Even with their vast knowledge, they had never heard of a soul beast in the Extreme North possessing over 100,000 years of cultivation.

“It’s the second-in-command?”

Bibi Dong furrowed her delicate brows and said gravely,
“Does that mean there are soul beasts with cultivation exceeding 400,000 years?”

Her words caused a renewed look of shock in Qian Renxue’s eyes.

“That’s correct,” Qian Renjue answered plainly with a nod.

“It’s the Ice Snow Empress, with nearly 700,000 years of cultivation.”

“She’s my elder sister!” Ice Scorpion added enthusiastically, clearly enjoying their astonishment, which gave her a sense of superiority.

“Seven... 700,000 years?!”

Hu Liena was dumbfounded, as though she were listening to a tale from a fantasy book, entirely unable to process it.

Ling Yuan was equally shocked. As a Titled Douluo, she had only encountered a few 100,000-year soul beasts while accompanying Qian Renjue.

Now, not only had His Highness brought back a soul beast with 400,000 years of cultivation, but it also seemed like he had formed a close bond with a 700,000-year soul beast.

Ling Yuan couldn’t help but believe it.

Qian Renxue, recalling her earlier conversation with Qian Renjue, seemed to piece together some key points.

Looking at her brother in awe, she said incredulously,
“Jue, your original plan for the eighth soul ring was to find the Ice Snow Empress, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right,” Qian Renjue replied without hesitation.

“The one who was supposed to perform the sacrificial offering was the Snow Empress, but due to certain reasons, it ended up being Ice Scorpion instead.”

“Hmph!”

Ice Scorpion's pincers clicked as though she were grinding her teeth.

This scoundrel! Did he have to keep bringing that up?!

“Sacrificial offering?!”

The four women exclaimed in unison.

Even Qian Renxue was left slightly dazed, marveling at the unimaginable methods her “silly” little brother had at his disposal.

While shocked, Bibi Dong also felt a sense of realization.
It seemed that Qian Renjue’s tendency to leave Ling Yuan behind during his trips wasn’t for mischief but to carefully plan for his eighth soul ring all along.

Before Bibi Dong could ask, Hu Liena boldly questioned:
“Senior Brother, how did it agree to offer itself as a sacrifice?”

“Indeed, I’m curious too,” Bibi Dong added, nodding slightly. As someone who had experienced a 100,000-year soul beast sacrifice herself, she continued,
“Moreover, if it was a sacrifice, what’s its current state?”

“It’s now a kind of symbiotic relationship,” Qian Renjue explained, placing Ice Scorpion in his palm.

“It’s a unique sacrificial method, and that’s the key to why it was willing to do it.”

He continued, “As for the deeper reason... that involves understanding the growth process of 100,000-year soul beasts.”

Ling Yuan looked puzzled.
“Your Highness, isn’t a soul beast’s growth simply a matter of continuous cultivation?”

“Of course not,” Qian Renjue replied, shaking his head. He ruffled Hu Liena’s hair, his gaze filled with emotion.

“That only applies to cultivation below 100,000 years.”

“Hmph! Our soul beast cultivation isn’t as simple as it is for you humans!” Ice Scorpion interjected, her tone tinged with sorrow.

“When we break through 100,000 years of cultivation, we face two choices: transcend the tribulation or transform into human form!”

“Tribulation?!”

Bibi Dong froze in place.

Exchanging glances with Qian Renxue, they could grasp the literal meaning of the word but found the implications hard to fathom.

"That's right!"

"Every time we soul beasts reach 100,000 years of cultivation, we face a heavenly tribulation after another millennium. If we survive, we live. If not, we perish."

"But transforming into human form allows us to avoid the tribulation," Ice Scorpion continued. "However, this comes at the cost of abandoning everything that makes us soul beasts, starting anew."

Her voice grew sorrowful as she lowered her head.

"For so many years, countless soul beasts have been reduced to ashes under the tribulation."

"Glup~"

Hu Liena couldn't help but swallow nervously.

Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue furrowed their brows, somewhat perplexed.

Does the world have something against soul beasts?

Even in human form, a soul beast's lifespan would only feel like drinking poison to quench thirst.

"So, it chose to sacrifice itself to Senior Brother because it couldn't survive the fourth heavenly tribulation?" Hu Liena asked tentatively, her eyes filled with pity.

"But even then, this seems..." Ling Yuan trailed off, not daring to finish her sentence.

She knew better than to voice what Bibi Dong and her daughter might be thinking—it would be disrespectful.

"The god seat?!" Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong exclaimed in unison.

"Indeed," Qian Renjue said softly, his gaze falling on Ice Scorpion in his palm.

"One of my bargaining chips was the Fallen Angel Godhood left behind by our ancestor."

He could sense Ice Scorpion's resentment toward the unfairness of the heavens but knew there was no changing it—it was the law set by their Dragon God.

Gently, he stroked Ice Scorpion's scorpion-like back.

"Don't touch me!"

Ice Scorpion hastily raised her pincers, struggling to escape. She quickly climbed back onto Qian Renjue's shoulder.

"I see," Bibi Dong said, her gaze falling on Qian Renjue with a glimmer of pride in her eyes.

As expected of my son! He always manages to accomplish what others cannot.

"Everything about this sacrifice is meticulously planned."

"My dear little brother," Qian Renxue said, poking Qian Renjue's cheek with a gleam in her eyes. "You're becoming more impressive by the day!"

She had thought her early participation in the divine examination would allow her to surpass Qian Renjue, but it seemed she had underestimated him.

"Senior Brother is the best!" Hu Liena cheered, clinging to Qian Renjue's arm.

Ling Yuan nodded in agreement.

However, beneath Bibi Dong's pride lay a hint of danger in her eyes.

"Just lucky," Qian Renjue said modestly, forcing a smile.

"Is that so? By the way," Bibi Dong said, her expression turning cold as she stepped in front of him.

Though she wasn't tall, the natural suppression of their shared bloodline made Qian Renjue instinctively lower himself.

"Mom, I—"

Before he could finish, Bibi Dong pinched his cheek with some force, a hint of reproach in her gaze.

"Hmph!"

"Why didn’t you tell me earlier that you were going somewhere so dangerous?!"

"I didn’t want to trouble you, Mom," Qian Renjue said with a dry laugh.

He knew all too well that if Bibi Dong had known, she might have emptied the Elder Hall—or even dragged the Worship Hall into it.

"Hmph! What’s there to be afraid of? Those old men don’t have anything better to do anyway," Bibi Dong snorted.

Hearing this, Ice Scorpion trembled slightly, eyeing Bibi Dong warily. Hu Liena and Ling Yuan also stiffened, their bodies tense.

Her voice was cold and chilling:
"If the Spirit Hall lost its future Pope, what purpose would its existence serve?"

"Uh..."

Qian Renjue felt his heart skip a beat at her words.

Qian Renxue, who was about to nod, quickly steadied her mind, patting her chest to calm herself.

She nearly got carried away by the thought.

Imagining herself in the same position, she wasn’t sure what she might turn into—a six-winged Fallen Angel, perhaps?

Sensing the tension, Qian Renjue hurriedly changed the topic, grabbing his mother’s delicate hand.

"Mom, don’t worry. See? I’m perfectly fine, aren’t I?" he said with a smile.

Then, looking at his mother and sister, he added meaningfully,
"Mom, Sister, after all I’ve said, don’t you have any thoughts of your own?"

"Hmm?"

Bibi Dong blinked, retracting her killing intent and looking puzzled.

"Thoughts about what?"

"A new approach to soul hunting—conquering without fighting," Qian Renjue said with a smile.