"Indeed. Be it Battle Spirit Masters or Control-types, no matter how strong they become, in the end it only means their spirit skills hit harder or control lasts longer.
But the eighth and ninth skills of Auxiliary and Food-type Spirit Masters often possess utterly inconceivable effects. Just like Xiao Yang's Silver Jade Undying Ginseng and Golden Jade Time-Reversing Ginseng—the words 'defying heaven' could not be more fitting!"
Huo Lie sighed with emotion.
Seven rings was a watershed. Below that level, Auxiliary and Food-type Spirit Masters' abilities rarely surpassed common imagination.
But once they crossed seven rings, their skills were nearly always extraordinary. Though restrictions might exist, if used properly, they could decisively overturn a battle.
Most importantly, unlike other high-level Auxiliary and Food-type Spirit Masters, Mu Yang's spirit ring years were astonishingly high. The spirit foods created by his eighth and ninth rings could be stored permanently. So long as he stockpiled them in advance, he needn't waste precious moments creating them mid-battle.
After everyone had finished marveling, Huo Lie's expression grew solemn. He raised the earlier matter of the powerful enemy who had attacked.
"Xiao Yang, what do you plan to do about that ferocious beast expert who attacked before?"
Huo Lie asked gravely.
"The Extreme North is one of the few true forbidden lands for Spirit Masters on the continent. Because of its environment, and the few ice-attribute Spirit Masters venturing there to hunt, the Extreme North harbors no shortage of spirit beasts above the hundred-thousand-year level.
The ferocious beast who attacked before was in fact the mightiest ruler of the Extreme North—her species is the Ice Heavenly Snow Woman. She is known as the Snow Empress, with cultivation exceeding six hundred thousand years. She commands the ultimate ice, and her strength is overwhelming.
Earlier, when Bing'er and I ventured into the Extreme North to hunt, we slew a Three Hundred-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor, known as the Ice Empress. The Snow Empress most likely came to avenge her."
Mu Yang's eyes turned to Shui Bing'er as he continued, "With my current strength, together with Bing'er, if we unleash our Martial Spirit Fusion Skill, defeating the Snow Empress is no problem.
However, I don't intend to deal with her just yet. I plan to leave her for Bing'er—to serve as her ninth spirit ring."
"Use her ring to advance into Title Douluo?"
Shui Bing'er raised her brows.
Mu Yang explained: "At first I thought of using her for my Iceflame Holy Shadow's seventh spirit ring. But later I realized—the seventh skill is always fixed as the Martial Spirit True Body. It's better for me to use the God-bestowed ring you hold, and leave the Snow Empress to you.
That way, I can obtain an even higher-aged seventh skill.
And compared to advancing with a God-bestowed ring, if you absorb the Snow Empress' ring, not only will your ninth ring's age be higher, your spirit skills will likely form two, and you'll also be guaranteed to obtain the torso spirit bone you need."
"This works too. Handle it as you judge best. But for now, you two mustn't leave the Academy. If she comes knocking, we won't be able to hold her off."
After hesitating a moment, Huo Lie nodded.
"Mm. I won't be leaving the Academy for now."
Mu Yang agreed with a nod.
Although his next stage was to continue the Asura God's Trial, before completing the Solar Body Refinement, raising his physique again to match his spirit power threshold, and attaching his Iceflame Sacred Shadow's seventh ring, he had no plans to head for the Slaughter City.
After all, Tang Chen, famed as 'Unrivaled on Land,' was too formidable. Mu Yang would naturally prepare as fully as possible.
Meanwhile—
Having been thwarted by Huo Lie and the others' shameless delaying tactics, the Snow Empress had retreated. Yet she did not return straight to the Extreme North. Instead, she diverted to the Star Dou Forest.
The Snow Empress understood well: Mu Yang's Martial Spirit Fusion Skill was not much weaker than her own. Once he advanced to Nine-Rings Title Douluo, she would likely not be his match alone. To take vengeance, she needed allies.
And with so many experts in the Elemental Academy, the Spirit Master world surely held powerhouses who clashed with them.
For when new strength rose, it inevitably disrupted the balance, seizing interests that once belonged to others.
But without question, the Snow Empress had no thought of joining hands with human experts.
For those with the qualifications to aid her would certainly be among the strongest in the human Spirit Master world. And the moment they learned she was a ferocious beast, not a Spirit Master, they would turn from allies into enemies coveting her spirit bones.
In the character of human powerhouses, the Snow Empress had not the slightest faith.
Which meant that even if she sought allies, they could only be other ferocious beasts of the spirit beast faction.
But with the Ice Empress dead, and the Titan Snow Demon King still gravely injured with a lower cultivation, the Extreme North had no other beast strong enough to be of use.
Fortunately, beyond the Extreme North, the Star Dou Forest—the greatest gathering place of spirit beasts on the continent—still housed many ferocious beast experts.
Foremost among them was the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, Di Tian—the strongest being of the spirit beast world. Even the Snow Empress herself could only contend with him by relying on the terrain of the Extreme North.
Two days later, deep in the Star Dou Forest's core region—
After searching the forest thoroughly, the Snow Empress still sensed no aura of ferocious beasts. Her brows knit tightly.
Where had all the forest's ferocious beasts gone?
Though she had not set foot in the Star Dou Forest for tens of thousands of years, she had expected that, even with tribulations taking their toll, there would still be many such beasts remaining.
Could it be they were all hunted by human experts?
The Snow Empress frowned in thought.
But soon she dismissed it.
Other than twin martial spirit wielders, how many humans could even withstand a ferocious beast ring?
Moreover, Di Tian's strength was unparalleled beneath the gods. Who in the Spirit Master world could possibly hunt ferocious beasts within the Star Dou Forest?
After pondering briefly, the Snow Empress released her aura. A terrifying wave of spirit power spread across a hundred li in all directions.
She was certain the ferocious beasts of the Star Dou Forest hadn't perished. Most likely they were hiding. Since she couldn't find them for the moment, she would make them come to her.
And sure enough, not long after she released her aura, within a lake nearly a hundred li away, a massive figure with flowing black hair erupted from the waters and streaked through the air toward her.
It wasn't long before a towering figure appeared in the distant sky, his aura vast and profound.
"The ruler of the Extreme North—what business brings you to the Star Dou Forest?"
Di Tian's deep voice rumbled as he addressed the Snow Empress.
Black dragons were tyrannical by nature, and Di Tian was pride itself. Yet toward the powerful Snow Empress, his tone was still courteous.
For if the spirit beast race was to rise again, then the Snow Empress, the mightiest sovereign of the Extreme North, was certainly one he wished to draw into alliance.
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
Patreon. Com/ALLISWELL123