Wei Xuan's gaze toward Jing Hongchen shifted slightly. "We can discuss that later. For now, we should focus on how to deal with them."
Jing Hongchen stared into the distance, his eyes filled with killing intent. "What's there to consider? We go over and kill them. I'm not exactly a man of mercy."
He was about to fly straight toward the assassins' position when Wei Xuan quickly grabbed his arm. "Hall Master Hongchen, don't be reckless. Since they dared to come knowing you're by my side, it means they're confident they can threaten you. If you charge in blindly, you'll be walking right into their trap."
At those words, Jing Hongchen frowned, paused, and then nodded after some thought. "You make sense. If they weren't fully prepared, they wouldn't have risked attacking us here."
He glanced at Wei Xuan. "Then what do you suggest?"
Wei Xuan smiled calmly, motioning for him to lean closer. "We'll do this…" he whispered.
When Jing Hongchen finished listening, his eyes lit up with amusement and admiration. "You little rascal—such a devious mind for someone so young. But I like it, haha!"
An hour later…
A five-meter-long serpent-dragon with scales shaped like crystalline ice diamonds let out a furious roar in the sky. Its icy-blue pupils gleamed with hatred and killing intent as it glared at the two humans below. After a brief hesitation, it shot off into the distance like a frozen arrow.
The Ice Profound Dragon Serpent was a sub-dragon species — the closest kin to true dragons. Though wingless, it could freely soar through the air, swift and agile.
It had barely flown a hundred meters when an explosion erupted from the snowy ground. A scorching wave of heat tore through the frost as a Soul Cannon shell shot upward, aimed precisely at the fleeing serpent.
The cannonball's speed was several times faster than the beast's flight. After a brief flash of red light, it struck its target dead-on.
"Boom!"
The explosion filled the sky with searing firelight, melting the falling snow. The serpent howled in agony as it was blasted out of the air, slamming into the ground with tremendous force.
"Let's go," Jing Hongchen said, retracting the Level 5 Soul Cannon in his hand. But before he could move, Wei Xuan had already dashed forward toward the fallen creature.
"This kid…" Jing Hongchen chuckled helplessly and followed.
Wei Xuan stopped four meters away from the Ice Profound Dragon Serpent. He could sense through his divine perception that the creature wasn't yet dead — its energy was still pulsing weakly. Any closer, and it might lash out.
Under Jing Hongchen's control, the Level 5 Soul Cannon had unleashed its full might, grievously wounding the seven-hundred-year-old beast.
The Ice Profound Dragon Serpent was no ordinary soul beast. Its quality was extraordinary, its body strength rivaling that of true dragons, and its element — Ultimate Ice — made it one of the apex predators among high-level beasts.
Even soul beasts of ten thousand years would think twice before provoking one.
Unfortunately, it had met Jing Hongchen — a Level 9 Soul Engineer. If it had ten thousand years of cultivation, it might have escaped. But with only seven hundred years, its fate was sealed.
Moreover, the Ice Profound Dragon Serpent species never surpassed ten thousand years of age.
The cannon strike had left a massive, charred hole in its abdomen. Blood spilled freely, staining the snow crimson. The scales around the wound were shattered, its previous aura of ferocity fading fast.
Wei Xuan watched in silence, thoughtful. He wasn't hesitating out of pity — he was calculating something else entirely.
Jing Hongchen, eyes bright with excitement, joined him. "Your Highness, you've struck gold this time. The Ice Profound Dragon Serpent is one of the rarest and purest ice-type soul beasts in existence. Its quality rivals even the rulers of the Extreme North — perhaps even surpasses them slightly."
"Unfortunately, they almost never survive beyond ten thousand years. If they did, this region might have a new monarch."
That statement caught Wei Xuan's attention. "Why can't they live past ten thousand years?"
It shouldn't have been difficult for a beast of such strength to do so. Why then did Jing Hongchen claim it was impossible?
Jing Hongchen's gaze softened with faint pity. "The Ice Profound Dragon Serpent's bloodline is too close to true dragons. Their blood is so pure it's both a blessing and a curse."
"Their immense strength comes at a terrible price. When they reach ten thousand years of cultivation, they face the Trial of Dragon Transformation — a chance to become a true dragon."
At that, Wei Xuan's eyes flickered. His expression turned intrigued as he looked upon the fallen serpent.
"So they die because of that. If they fail to transform, they perish outright — and the success rate must be nearly zero."
"Exactly." Jing Hongchen nodded grimly. "If they fail, they die. And as far as I know, no one in history has ever seen a true Ice Dragon."
That alone proved how impossible the transformation truly was.
Wei Xuan wasn't surprised. Transforming into a dragon was no easy feat. For a serpent to become a dragon — it was the dream of countless beasts, and the doom of most.
"It's because they all die at that threshold that their race can never produce a ruler," Jing Hongchen said with a sigh.
"Go on and finish it. If you hesitate any longer, it would have been for nothing."
The serpent's life force was fading fast. Another moment, and its soul ring might vanish entirely.
Wei Xuan nodded, walking forward. His divine sense spread out, brushing against the creature's mind.
Jing Hongchen stood close behind, on guard. A red Soul Barrier appeared in his palm, expanding rapidly to a ten-meter dome that sealed them within.
The barrier blocked both sight and spiritual detection — no one outside could see or sense what was happening inside.
The Ice Profound Dragon Serpent's eyes dulled, its will clouded by Wei Xuan's divine influence. With calm precision, he drove a dagger into its chest.
The beast convulsed once, then went still. A deep yellow Soul Ring floated free, glowing faintly against the snow.
Wei Xuan didn't rush. He looked to Jing Hongchen, who nodded firmly. Only then did he sit cross-legged.
"Roar…"
Behind him, his Ancient Ice Dragon Martial Soul manifested, its presence shaking the air. The already freezing temperature plummeted even lower. The dragon's aura filled the dome, warping the air with divine pressure.
Though it was his first time absorbing a Soul Ring, Wei Xuan's composure was absolute. Without needing instruction, he drew the Soul Ring toward himself and began the process.
The yellow ring hovered above his head, glowing softly — and within the light, a phantom serpent formed, mirroring the Ice Profound Dragon Serpent exactly.
Jing Hongchen frowned. "What's this?"
In all nine of his own ring absorptions, he'd never seen a soul beast's phantom appear above the ring. The phenomenon filled him with concern.
"Please, let nothing go wrong," he murmured under his breath. Even as a Titled Douluo, there was nothing he could do to assist — this was a trial only Wei Xuan could endure.
In truth, no one on the entire continent could have explained what was happening — no scholar, no master, not even those who had studied Soul Rings for a lifetime. Only Wei Xuan understood.
The phantom was the soul origin of the Ice Profound Dragon Serpent. Before killing it, Wei Xuan had used a secret technique to protect its essence — keeping it dead, but not truly gone.
It cost him a significant amount of divine power, but he had a purpose.
During his years at the Illustrious Virtue Hall, he hadn't only studied Soul Tools — he'd also researched the nature of Soul Rings themselves. His divine perception had allowed him insights far beyond what others could imagine.
He understood how Soul Rings formed and how they merged with a Soul Master's body. Those discoveries inspired a bold hypothesis — that a Soul Ring's age could be enhanced.
Normally, when a beast below ten thousand years died, its soul origin dispersed completely, leaving no trace of consciousness. Only beasts beyond ten thousand years retained fragments of will — remnants that could attack the Soul Master during absorption, but which were inevitably destroyed.
In other words, Soul Rings were lifeless constructs — dead energy.
But what if that essence could be preserved?
If the beast's soul origin were merged into the ring, would the Soul Ring not gain life? And if it possessed life, it could grow — evolve — increasing its age as the beast's lingering soul strengthened.
That theory had long resided in his mind, but he'd never had the chance to test it.
Now, he would.
By preserving the Ice Profound Dragon Serpent's essence and fusing it into the ring, he would prove his theory.
If it succeeded, his Soul Rings would no longer be static — they would grow alongside him, evolving endlessly with his power.