"Wait, wait! We are willing to pay a price to buy our lives!"
Hearing the words of the three Supreme Elders of the Water Heaven Sect, Shui Wuhen's movements paused.
"Buy your lives? Then what are you prepared to offer?"
Seeing Shui Wuhen stop, the three Supreme Elders of the Water Heaven Sect let out a sigh of relief. Then the Supreme Grand Elder spoke: "We can offer one thousand… no, twenty million Golden Soul Coins, plus three sect supreme treasures in exchange for our lives."
"Three supreme treasures? Do you have any ten-thousand-year Spirit Bones?"
Upon hearing this, Shui Wuhen's expression did not change as he asked.
Twenty million Golden Soul Coins was indeed a huge amount, even more than the annual tax revenue of Tianshui City. However, to Shui Wuhen now, money was just a number and had no real use.
If he truly needed money, any item in his spatial Soul Guidance Device would be enough to drive the major sects of the continent crazy.
Only things that could directly enhance strength and combat power were worth his attention.
Ten-thousand-year Spirit Bones were already not very impressive to Shui Wuhen at his current level, but they were still useful for gifting others.
"…Ten-thousand-year Spirit Bones, this…"
Hearing Shui Wuhen's words, the three elders of the Water Heaven Sect were slightly stunned, then forced out a smile uglier than crying.
If they had ten-thousand-year Spirit Bones, they would have long used them to break through to Title Douluo. Why would they come here to compete for Shui Yueruo's opportunity?
After all, the Water Heaven Sect was the backing of Tianshui Academy. Someone like Shui Yueruo would, without accident, likely join their Water Heaven Sect in the future and become a Supreme Elder.
Although the three Supreme Elders did not speak, their expressions already gave Shui Wuhen the answer.
Shui Wuhen sneered: "So you don't have any. You don't even have a ten-thousand-year Spirit Bone, yet you dare call them supreme treasures and talk about buying your lives?"
"Are your lives as Soul Douluo so worthless?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Shui Wuhen's fingers moved slightly, and a spinning ice spike shot out instantly, piercing through the forehead of the Water Heaven Sect's Second Supreme Elder.
In an instant, the Second Supreme Elder's eyes widened, seemingly unable to believe that Shui Wuhen would kill so casually.
"Thud~"
With the death of the Second Supreme Elder, his body lost control and fell forward.
Seeing Shui Wuhen actually kill the second elder, the remaining two were instantly terrified. He was dead—truly dead.
Just as Shui Wuhen was about to strike again, the Third Supreme Elder gritted his teeth and grabbed his left arm, tearing it off in one motion.
After tearing off his arm, his aura instantly weakened, and his original level of 83 nearly dropped below Soul Douluo.
"My lord, this is my only ten-thousand-year Spirit Bone. Please spare my life!"
The Third Supreme Elder of the Water Heaven Sect forcefully extracted the Spirit Bone from his right arm and raised it above his head.
Forcibly removing a Spirit Bone through self-mutilation caused tremendous damage to a Spirit Master—not only would one's cultivation fall, but future progress would almost be cut off.
But at this point, he had no choice but to gamble. If he was killed, the Spirit Bone would still end up in Shui Wuhen's hands anyway.
Shui Wuhen glanced at the faint blue Spirit Bone emitting light in his hand and raised an eyebrow slightly. "You are quite decisive."
Then he took the ten-thousand-year Spirit Bone from him and casually threw it to Shui Bing'er behind him.
"Bing'er, you handle this Spirit Bone."
This Spirit Bone from the Water Heaven Sect's Third Supreme Elder was only barely at the ten-thousand-year level and was among the lowest quality, useless to Shui Wuhen.
"Okay, brother."
Shui Bing'er took the Spirit Bone and smiled lightly.
She knew Shui Wuhen looked down on it—after all, he had said even his worst Spirit Bones were at least one hundred thousand years.
But that did not mean ten-thousand-year Spirit Bones were not valuable. Most Title Douluo could not even assemble a full set of them, and some unlucky ones did not even possess a single one.
After handing over the Spirit Bone, Shui Wuhen turned his gaze to the last Supreme Grand Elder of the Water Heaven Sect. "And you? What will you use to buy your life?"
Hearing this, the Supreme Grand Elder hurriedly said: "My lord, although I do not have a ten-thousand-year Spirit Bone, there is a treasure within the Water Heaven Sect—mysterious in nature. You may be interested."
"Oh? A treasure?"
Shui Wuhen's expression did not change at all.
Seeing this, the Supreme Grand Elder quickly continued: "Yes. It is a blue orb about the size of a baby's fist. We do not know its use, but even I find its cold aura difficult to resist."
At this, Shui Wuhen paused and stroked his chin in thought.
"A bead that even an 89th-level peak Soul Douluo cannot withstand… that is indeed worth a look."
Thinking this, Shui Wuhen immediately withdrew his pressure and barked at the Supreme Grand Elder: "Where is the Water Heaven Sect?"
"Wuhen, the Water Heaven Sect is not far from Tianshui City, only about a hundred li away. At our speed, it will take at most half an hour. I know the way—I can take you there."
Seeing Shui Wuhen interested in the orb, Shui Yueruo immediately said excitedly.
In the past, she would never have dared to think about this—after all, that was the opponent's base. Once inside, anything could happen.
But now, Shui Wuhen's strength was simply too terrifying. Even if the Water Heaven Sect had an ambush, it would mean nothing to him.
Shui Wuhen nodded slightly. "Only a hundred li? Then it is indeed not far."
At his flying speed, it would take only a few minutes.
And if riding Articuno, the distance could be crossed in an instant.
Immediately, Shui Wuhen summoned Articuno. A huge ice-blue divine bird appeared on the scene.
Seeing Articuno, the two Supreme Elders of the Water Heaven Sect were stunned.
With their experience, they could naturally tell this bird was Shui Wuhen's Spirit.
But if so, did that mean when Shui Wuhen fought them earlier, he hadn't even used his Spirit?
"Terrifying… truly terrifying!"
The two Supreme Elders exchanged glances, both seeing shock in each other's eyes. This person must never be provoked, or the Water Heaven Sect would surely be destroyed.
As for the Second Supreme Elder who had just died—wasn't the Water Heaven Sect supposed to have only two Supreme Elders?
At this moment, Shui Wuhen reached out into the void, and the Second Supreme Elder's storage Soul Guidance Device flew into his hand like a streak of light.
Then Articuno opened its mouth and spewed out orange-red flames, instantly burning the corpse on the ground to ashes.
Originally, Shui Bing'er was excited watching the corpse burn, thinking a Soul Douluo must have at least one ten-thousand-year Spirit Bone.
But when the body disappeared, no Spirit Bone appeared at all, making her pout slightly. "Poor guy… lived so long and didn't even have a single ten-thousand-year Spirit Bone."
Although her voice was soft, everyone present was a top expert in the Spirit Master world and could hear it clearly.
The Third Supreme Elder was fine—though his mouth twitched, at least he had once possessed a Spirit Bone.
But Shui Yueruo and the Supreme Grand Elder felt their old faces heat up.
Though they were the strongest of a major force, they truly did not have ten-thousand-year Spirit Bones. Such items were rarely traded and depended entirely on luck.
Moreover, compatibility mattered. For example, Shui Yueruo's Spirit was water attribute—she could not absorb a fire-type Spirit Bone.
"Hmm~"
At this moment, Articuno suddenly grabbed the two Supreme Elders of the Water Heaven Sect and, under Shui Yueruo's guidance, flew toward the sect's location.
Articuno's speed was terrifying. In just a moment, they arrived.
"Eh? What is that?"
On the Water Heaven Sect's training ground, a disciple pointed at a distant dot.
Everyone looked over and saw a light spot growing brighter and brighter.
Soon, their expressions froze—because they recognized it as a giant ice-blue bird.
Chaos erupted instantly.
"It's a Soul Beast! A high-level Soul Beast is attacking our Water Heaven Sect!"
"Elders! Enemy attack!!"
…
At that moment, several figures rushed out from the sect buildings—Soul Saints of the Water Heaven Sect—gathering together and staring nervously at the approaching giant bird.
"That aura… at least a fifty-thousand-year Soul Beast."
"If that's the case, we're in trouble. The Supreme Elders are not here—we can't handle it!"
While they were speaking, Articuno had already reached above the sect, but they had no way to attack it since they could not fly.
"Wait… look! Isn't that the Supreme Grand Elder and Third Supreme Elder?!"
Someone suddenly shouted in shock.
Everyone looked and indeed saw the two elders being carried.
Then Articuno paused briefly before turning into a streak of light toward another direction.
"Not good! That direction is the sect treasure vault!"
The Soul Saints immediately reacted and rushed toward the treasure vault.
Meanwhile, Articuno arrived and shrank to the size of a sparrow, landing on Shui Wuhen's shoulder.
Shui Wuhen glanced at the somewhat shabby-looking door and twitched his mouth. "This is your treasure vault?"
"Ahem… simplicity helps deceive enemies."
The Supreme Grand Elder coughed, then said seriously: "Please, my lords, enter."
He took out a key and inserted it into an inconspicuous slot.
Immediately, the worn-looking door opened, revealing a dazzling interior.
Shui Bing'er peeked inside, but quickly lost interest—the treasures were valuable, but useless to her.
"That's it? Your treasure vault is rather poor."
Shui Wuhen also shook his head.
In his eyes, the treasures here were not even as valuable as the pile of Golden Soul Coins in the corner.
The Supreme Grand Elder remained calm. "Of course not. This is only the first level. The true treasures are on the third level."
Soon, led by him, they reached the third level.
Upon entering, Shui Yueruo's eyes immediately lit up.
"These are Deepwater Coral, this is Bluefruit… this is Dragon Stone—so many?"
The Supreme Grand Elder smiled proudly. "These are nothing. The deeper inside is better."
But Shui Wuhen's gaze was already locked onto two objects deep inside.
One was a blue orb the size of a baby's fist, emitting cold aura—the very item mentioned earlier.
The other was a chair-like object, ancient in appearance, but from which he could feel the aura of a god of ice.
Clearly, it was related to the Ice God—possibly even something once used by it.
As Shui Wuhen was thinking, Shui Bing'er suddenly seemed drawn by something and walked deeper into the treasure vault.