Chapter 20 – Breakthrough, Grand Soul Master
A purple-black 8,800-year soul ring slowly rose, exuding a massive wave of soul power.
This was a Titan Snow Demon's soul ring—one of the Extreme North's three overlord species and a paragon of physical strength.
The Titan Snow Demon was the epitome of brute force among Extreme North soul beasts. It was also the most suitable soul ring for Lin Yun—bar none.
If another ice-attribute power-attack soul master had the chance, they'd fight tooth and nail to obtain one. But unfortunately, few dared provoke the Titan Snow Demons in the Extreme North.
Snow Empress, gazing at the soul ring, lowered her eyes and gave a respectful bow to the Titan Snow Demon's corpse.
Ice Empress, standing beside her, followed suit.
This Titan Snow Demon had died for the sake of the Extreme North, becoming the soul ring of the Soul Beast Sovereign. That alone merited a bow from the two Empresses.
This was likely the pinnacle of its beastly existence.
Even Titan Snow Demon King Ah Tai had never received such a gesture from both Empresses simultaneously!
Titan Snow Demon: "Nice, I became the most honored member of my species after death."
"Respected One, may I bring its corpse back to the Extreme North for burial?" Snow Empress asked respectfully.
For ordinary soul beasts, death was death. Only kin might bring a corpse back out of sentiment. Most beasts died and were consumed—taken from nature, returned to nature. That was the soul beast way.
But this Titan Snow Demon had given its soul ring for the cause. Snow Empress was willing to return its body personally.
"No problem. I'll trouble you with returning it to the Titan Snow Demon clan, Xiaoxue," Lin Yun nodded simply.
He had no use for the corpse, and he had no appetite for humanoid beings.
"Pass a message to the Titan Snow Demon King for me—this contribution has been acknowledged. As a return gift, I'll protect it through its next tribulation," Lin Yun said, waving his hand. "Di Tian, one Crimson Ice Marrow."
"Those who contribute to the soul beast race shall not be forgotten. I will reward those who strive for our future."
Di Tian nodded and delivered a Crimson Ice Marrow before Snow Empress.
According to the original story, the Titan Snow Demon King was at 290,000 years of cultivation, on the verge of its next tribulation—just like the Ice Bear King.
One had to wonder if all four of the Extreme North's strongest were cursed somehow. From Snow and Ice Empresses down to the Titan Snow Demon and Ice Bear King, none could survive their next tribulation.
But by Snow Empress's estimate, one Crimson Ice Marrow was enough to help Ah Tai break through.
An 8,800-year-old Titan Snow Demon wasn't worth a Crimson Ice Marrow, but Lin Yun never lost out.
He soothed the Titan Snow Demon clan's feelings and let the two Empresses know: if you follow Lin Yun, you won't be mistreated.
Even while facing a soul ring, Lin Yun could feel the burning gaze of the two Empresses behind him.
The art of leadership!
Let's see who still thinks I'm just a musclehead!
"Thank you, Respected One!" Snow Empress bit her lip, hands trembling as she stored the Crimson Ice Marrow and gave Lin Yun a deep bow.
She understood that if Ah Tai couldn't survive past 300,000 years, the entire Extreme North would be in danger, especially with both her and Ice Empress gone. That Crimson Ice Marrow might just save them.
And Lin Yun had also saved both their lives.
Soul Beast Sovereign—truly worthy of the title.
With such a mighty yet kind-hearted ruler, how could any beast king not devote themselves completely?
As for Lin Yun calling her "Xiaoxue," that was her own request. In her words: how could she stand to hear a lofty title from Respected One? And besides, even with her tens of thousands of years of age, before the countless years of the Golden Dragon King, she was just a little girl.
She didn't mind in the slightest.
Ice Empress's name also changed to match—now she was "Bing'er."
Snow Empress, full of gratitude, stored the Titan Snow Demon's body and left Star Dou once more.
Ice Empress, led by Bi Ji, went to a hidden location to recover and prepare for tribulation.
"Respected One treats the Extreme North with such generosity. I must not let him down! I must pass my tribulation and protect him closely!"
That was Ice Empress's inner resolve.
With everything in order, Lin Yun sat before the soul ring, released his martial soul, and pulled the Titan Snow Demon's soul ring into his body.
Perhaps because the beast had died willingly, the pressure from this ring was actually less than what Lin Yun had faced from the Madblood Behemoth—and it even actively cooperated, gently merging its soul power into him.
It couldn't have gone smoother.
Although it contained immense energy, under Lin Yun's steady refinement, that energy was gradually converted into his own strength.
During this time, Di Tian and the Three-Eyed Golden Lion stood guard at his side without leaving.
Three hours later, the last trace of soul power was refined.
The Gold Dragon King tattoo on Lin Yun's body glowed again. A miniature golden dragon reappeared behind him. But unlike before, it did not show disdain for the Titan Snow Demon's soul ring. It simply gave a nod before swallowing it whole.
Your contribution is acknowledged.
With benevolence, I grant you the right to become part of me.
The bottleneck at level twenty shattered instantly. Two dazzling purple soul rings rose beneath Lin Yun and coiled around his dragon-clawed right arm.
Soul power breakthrough—level twenty-three!
It turned out that the Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear's right arm bone, which Lin Yun had absorbed at level nineteen, was more potent than expected. He'd thought it would only push him to twenty, but it gave an extra boost.
Combined with the Titan Snow Demon's soul ring, it directly raised his level to twenty-three.
Lin Yun had expected this. After absorbing the Behemoth ring, he'd already noticed that his soul power cultivation difficulty was likely on par with that of extreme martial souls.
As for total soul power?
Hard to say—he hadn't compared it directly with regular soul masters. But based on this breakthrough pace, Lin Yun's soul power might already rival high-level Soul Exalts or low-level Soul Ancestors.
(End of chapter)
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