"Eh?" The eighth-level Soul Engineer felt the temperature rising again and exclaimed in surprise, staring at the infant in his hands.
"How did it return to normal?" he murmured, his heart filled with unease at the abrupt change. His pace quickened considerably as he hurried back.
Seeing the Soul Engineer return, Ye Yulin stiffened and immediately went on guard, as if facing a great enemy.
The surrounding experts swiftly moved to protect the Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, each one holding a high-level Soul Tool, ready to react to any sudden changes.
"What are you all panicking for? Step back!" the Emperor scolded sharply.
"This…" The Soul Engineers exchanged awkward glances. Getting this nervous over a mere infant did seem excessive. After a brief hesitation, those standing before the Emperor stepped aside.
The eighth-level Soul Engineer came before the Emperor, bowing slightly as he extended his arms and presented the baby.
The Emperor smiled faintly at the infant before waving his hand. A nearby maid understood his signal, retrieved a yellow cloth from the carriage, and stepped forward to receive the baby, gently wrapping him.
From the moment the infant had been brought near, Ye Yulin's gaze had never left him. The fearful expression in his eyes gradually turned to confusion.
The dangerous aura that had once emanated from the child had vanished completely; now he seemed utterly ordinary — just a normal baby. The sudden change made Ye Yulin question his earlier senses. How could a baby possibly make him feel danger?
"This child seems to share a fated bond with me. Take him back to the palace," the Emperor said after observing the baby for a moment.
"Your Majesty, you must not!" Ye Yulin quickly interjected. "This child appeared in such an abnormal environment — it is most suspicious. I fear he himself may be strange. It would be unwise to bring him into the palace."
After a pause, he added, "If Your Majesty truly cannot bear to leave him in the wilderness, then perhaps he could be sent to a nearby town or village to be adopted. That might be best for him."
The Emperor said nothing. He simply looked at Ye Yulin silently. His expression had not changed from before, yet his aura was now completely different — far more imposing. Under that calm gaze, Ye Yulin felt immense pressure.
"Your Majesty…?" Ye Yulin bowed deeply, eyes lowered, not daring to meet the Emperor's gaze.
Though a Level 9 Soul Engineer, he still feared the ruler of the Sun Moon Empire — this Emperor was not a man of gentle temperament.
The Emperor smiled slightly and patted Ye Yulin's shoulder. "It's nothing. I merely wish to remind you — I respect you, Elder Ye, but that does not mean you may defy my will, nor does it mean you may make decisions on my behalf."
By the end of his words, his tone had turned cold.
Ye Yulin's body trembled as he quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I wouldn't dare."
"No need to be so tense. I am only reminding you, not accusing you," the Emperor said softly, patting Ye Yulin's shoulder again before turning to reenter the carriage with the maid — the infant in her arms.
Only after the Emperor entered the carriage did Ye Yulin straighten up, exhaling in relief. Cold sweat beaded his forehead — that brief exchange had left him deeply unsettled.
"Continue forward," Ye Yulin ordered once he had regained his composure.
...
Six years later.
Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, Illustrious Virtue Hall.
It was a vast hall, its decor entirely metallic in style, dominated by pale gold tones. It was not luxurious, but every detail exuded craftsmanship and strength.
"Your Highness Wei, are you ready?" an elderly man asked. He was short and broad, stout in build — the kind of frame one might call short and fat.
Judging by appearance, "elderly" was not quite accurate, for he looked to be in his forties, though his true age exceeded a hundred.
This man's identity was far from ordinary — he was the Hall Master of the Illustrious Virtue Hall, Jing Hongchen, one of the few Level 9 Soul Engineers on the continent, holding a position of immense influence within the Sun Moon Empire.
The one addressed as "Your Highness Wei" was a six-year-old boy named Wei Xuan — the very child whom the Emperor had brought back six years ago.
After being taken in by the Emperor, Wei Xuan had been adopted as his foster son and granted the status of prince. However, the Emperor did not give him the imperial surname Xu, instead naming him Wei Xuan — the reason known only to Wei Xuan himself.
At six years old, Wei Xuan stood nearly a meter tall. His long, ice-blue hair draped over his back, and his features were delicate and handsome. His eyes, deep as a tranquil pool, concealed a calm and steadiness far beyond his age.
"Hall Master Hongchen, let's begin," Wei Xuan said with a light smile. Without waiting for further instruction, he stepped forward into the Martial Soul Awakening formation, relaxed his body, closed his eyes, and waited for Jing Hongchen to inject his Soul Power into the array.
He had lived in this world for six years now. Through books and conversations, he had gained a thorough understanding of it — including the process of Martial Soul Awakening. Having witnessed the ceremony many times, he was already familiar with every step.
"This child…" Jing Hongchen chuckled, shaking his head. Without wasting more time, he struck out with one palm, channeling gentle Soul Power into the formation.
As he did so, his gaze remained fixed on Wei Xuan's right hand, eyes filled with curiosity. He truly wondered what kind of Martial Soul this extraordinary child would awaken.
The moment Jing Hongchen infused his Soul Power, the array began to operate. Wei Xuan felt streams of warmth coursing through his body.
"So it's finally appearing… Soul Power," Wei Xuan thought. His divine sense observed every change within him. In the once-empty void of his body, energy began to stir — and a rare hint of joy surfaced in his heart.
The warmth intensified until suddenly it was replaced by biting cold. Frost spread from his body.
"Roar—" A deep dragon's cry echoed from within Wei Xuan, and the surrounding temperature plummeted. Within moments, the room's warmth dropped below freezing — and kept falling sharply.
"Crack… crack…" Ice spread from beneath Wei Xuan's feet like rippling waves.
Jing Hongchen's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Wei Xuan. "This…"
He never finished the sentence. The scene before him left him speechless.
From the air behind Wei Xuan, an ice dragon slowly emerged, coiling upward around him. Its body, as thick as Wei Xuan's own, radiated the weight and majesty of a mountain as it moved.
When the ice dragon fully manifested, it hovered behind him, majestic and imposing.
Without even turning around, Wei Xuan knew his Martial Soul's form — a four-meter-long Ancient Ice Dragon, also known in the Immortal world as a Primordial Ice Dragon.
He was not particularly surprised. In fact, it was exactly as he had expected.
A Soul Master's awakened Martial Soul was determined by the bloodline within their body.
Barring mutation, one's Martial Soul reflected their inherited bloodline — and his body contained the blood of a Primordial Ice Dragon.
With that lineage, awakening such a Martial Soul was only natural.
"Hm?" A sudden sharp pain struck his eyes, making Wei Xuan furrow his brow and press a hand to them.
"What's happening?" he wondered, puzzled by the abrupt pain. His divine sense extended inward to inspect the change — such agony could not appear without cause.
"Could this be…" Jing Hongchen's eyes locked on the ice dragon, a bold idea flashing through his mind. Could it be an Ultimate Ice Martial Soul?
The thought alone sent his heart racing — his composure shattered by excitement.
But when he saw Wei Xuan's expression twist in pain, his excitement vanished, replaced by alarm. He rushed forward, supporting Wei Xuan's shoulder. "Your Highness Wei, what's wrong with your eyes?"
"I'm fine, Hall Master Hongchen. Don't worry," Wei Xuan said steadily, his voice calm despite the pain.
Hearing that, Jing Hongchen stood aside anxiously, watching closely.
"This is… the Heavenly Eyes!" Wei Xuan's heart trembled in shock. Through his divine sense, he saw that each of his eyes now contained two pupils — identical to the Heavenly Eyes he had once obtained within ancient ruins.
So… he had become a Heavenly Eye bearer?
The realization made his heartbeat quicken, his breathing rough. His emotions surged beyond joy or excitement.
He knew perfectly well what Heavenly Eyes represented — born undefeated!
A single pair of such eyes could guide one toward invincibility. Though he had always believed he could reach the pinnacle even without them, possessing them now would make the path to supreme strength far easier. It would become his greatest asset in the future.
The pain gradually subsided. Wei Xuan opened his eyes. Under his deliberate control, the Heavenly eyes did not reveal any overwhelming power; they lay hidden, as if nonexistent.
In truth, the dual pupils were hidden — because he had withdrawn them.
Indeed, withdrawn. The instant he realized he possessed Heavenly Eyes, Wei Xuan understood they were actually his second Martial Soul.
And since they were a Martial Soul, they could be retracted. Not wishing to draw Jing Hongchen's attention, he deliberately concealed them.
"Your Highness, are you all right?" Jing Hongchen asked again.
"I'm fine," Wei Xuan replied, shaking his head. Seeing that the Hall Master still looked worried, he smiled and shifted the subject. "What does Hall Master Hongchen think of my Martial Soul?"
"Ah…" Jing Hongchen instinctively looked at the ice dragon behind Wei Xuan and nodded in satisfaction. Smiling broadly, he said, "Your Highness's Martial Soul is extraordinarily powerful. If my judgment is correct, it should be an Ultimate Martial Soul — of the Ultimate Ice attribute."