Douluo: Soul-Breaking spear

Chapter 258: Capturing the Skydream Iceworm

Yang Potian immediately sensed something was amiss—Skydream Iceworm must have already been awake. Likely, the moment he had sensed it with the Asura Demon Sword, Skydream had become aware of his presence too. Inwardly frustrated, Yang Potian realized Skydream's strongest abilities were mental detection and psychic interference. And as a hundred-rank soul beast, Skydream's mental power far exceeded his own, making it easy for the creature to trick him.

The white cocoon surrounding Yang Potian radiated an intense divine aura—no doubt Skydream's cast-off shell from the moment he ascended to godhood. At that moment, a powerful mental shockwave hit Yang Potian's mind, even causing blood to trickle from the corner of his mouth. A giant iceworm appeared in his mind, threatening to shatter his very soul with its mental force.

Clenching his teeth, Yang Potian disregarded the shock in his mind and unleashed a radiant crimson light that enveloped everything in his Asura Divine Light. Yet even his powerful godly field could not break free of Skydream's cocoon—a testament to the strength of a godly being's remnants.

Determined, Yang Potian gripped the Asura Demon Sword with both hands and drew it from its scabbard. A flood of red light cascaded across the surroundings, filling the world as if with a sea of blood. With all his might, he struck at Skydream's cocoon, slicing through the white barrier in one powerful motion.

Emerging from the cocoon, Yang Potian saw the puzzled expressions on everyone's faces. Something was wrong. "This isn't good. Skydream Iceworm must have escaped!"

The others were baffled, and the Snow Empress quickly asked, "What just happened? We were all here and didn't see Skydream Iceworm leave."

As her words faded, Skydream's form dissolved into an illusion, and mocking laughter echoed from a distance.

"We were all affected by Skydream's mental interference. It's already escaped! Let's go after it!" Yang Potian took off in pursuit, and the others hastily followed. None of them had anticipated Skydream's mental power to be so formidable.

After the group had moved a considerable distance away, a faint shimmer appeared in the ice. What looked like a simple chunk of ice morphed into the shape of an iceworm—it was none other than Skydream himself.

Snickering slyly, Skydream muttered, "Just a few humans, thinking they could capture me, the only million-year soul beast in existence."

Before it could revel further, a red sword light surrounded Skydream, exuding a suffocating killing intent. Despite being a divine beast, Skydream could sense an overwhelming threat from the attack.

Above, a massive cage appeared in the sky and descended over Skydream, trapping him completely. The cage was a dense, earthy hue, its walls impenetrably thick, as though even a fly couldn't pass through. No matter how Skydream tried to use its mental power, it couldn't breach the cage's defenses.

Yang Potian and his group reappeared at the ice layer, and Yang Potian, smiling slightly, addressed Skydream. "You're truly a cunning one, Skydream Iceworm. Your diversion almost fooled me—you really do live up to being a million-year soul beast."

Skydream, visibly disheartened, asked, "How did you know I hadn't really escaped? I thought I had you all chasing after me."

Yang Potian shook his head. "Your mental power may surpass mine, but you're still, at your core, an ordinary iceworm. Speed isn't your strong suit, and you have little combat power. With the entire Extreme North searching for you, fleeing would be suicidal. Staying hidden here was the only move that gave you a slim chance of survival."

Skydream swallowed nervously, astonished at Yang Potian's deductive prowess. The young man had accurately predicted his every thought and action. Skydream attempted to summon its mental strength again, but the cage seemed to possess a unique divine energy, completely immobilizing it.

Yang Potian chuckled, "It's useless. This cage was specifically crafted from meteorite copper and reinforced with Asura's divine energy. There's no way for you to break out of it."

In desperation, Skydream turned to the Ice Empress and pleaded, "Ice Empress, save me! I don't want to die here!"

The Ice Empress glanced away, unwilling to respond. Yang Potian looked at Skydream and continued, "There's no point in begging. No one here can free you from me. And besides, I went through considerable trouble to capture you. I'm not just after your soul ring and soul bone—there's a mutually beneficial deal I'd like to propose."

Turning to the Ice Empress and Snow Empress, Yang Potian said, "This operation went rather well. Skydream is mine, but we'll split the remaining thousand-year ice marrow in this cave evenly. What do you think?"

The Snow Empress nodded, "That sounds fair. This cooperation has proven beneficial for both sides."

The Ice Empress, however, seemed hesitant. "Yang Potian, this iceworm is a million-year soul beast, a divine being of our soul beast race. What are you planning to do with him?"

Yang Potian reassured her with a small smile, "Rest assured, Ice Empress. I don't intend to kill him. I'd like to cooperate with him in other ways. However, if he refuses, I won't hesitate to take his soul ring and soul bone. After all, it's not every day one encounters a million-year soul ring."

After the discussions, the remaining ice marrow in the cave was divided equally. Even with only half, each side ended up with more than ten pieces of this precious material, a rare treasure for all involved.

Yang Potian couldn't help but be astonished at how much ice marrow Skydream had consumed. "How much of this stuff did that iceworm eat?" he wondered. "This remaining half alone contains over twenty pieces. At this rate, the entire cave must have been filled with it when Skydream first arrived, and he managed to reach a million-year lifespan by gorging on it. Truly wasteful!"

He turned to his grandfather and said, "Grandfather, please store our share of the ice marrow. Once we return, we'll use it to create spirit-enhancing pills. We should be able to produce quite a few."

Yang Potian then addressed everyone else, "Though the ice marrow is gone, this ice cavern is still an excellent cultivation site. Training here should allow each of us to increase our spirit power by at least one level."

The group nodded in agreement. The density of spirit energy here was indeed extraordinary, making it an ideal place for cultivation and further refining their strength.

Yang Potian collected the thirteen strands of ten-thousand-year ice marrow, and everyone began settling in to cultivate. Meanwhile, he turned his gaze toward the trapped Skydream Iceworm, whose whole body seemed to shiver under his scrutiny.

With a hint of desperation, Skydream stammered, "You… you, boy! Don't come any closer! What are you planning? Help, someone!"

Yang Potian calmly sat outside the cage, smiling slightly as he said, "Save your breath, Skydream. No one's coming to rescue you, and no soul beast can reach you here. Let's be reasonable—you should just agree to cooperate with me."

Skydream's antennae twitched as he replied reluctantly, "Kid, is this how you approach a negotiation? You want cooperation, but where's your sincerity?"

Yang Potian shook his head. "This cage is my sincerity. Do you know how much effort it took to make this? Collecting this extraterrestrial meteor copper was no easy feat. And to top it off, I infused Asura God energy into this cage. Without it, even a soul beast as powerful as you—a million-year-old beast—would be impossible to contain."

He continued with a casual tone, "So, what do you think of my sincerity? If that's not enough, I have other options. Given your unique body and energy, advanced soul beasts might be able to absorb your essence. Trading you to the beasts of the Star Dou Forest could fetch a handsome reward."

Hearing this, Skydream Iceworm visibly shivered, beads of sweat forming on its shell. Reluctantly, it replied, "No, no need for that. I think I'd rather negotiate with you. The Star Dou Forest beasts are far too savage—I wouldn't dare get involved with them."

Yang Potian nodded. "That's wise. My Heavenly Path Academy has a partnership with the Extreme North, and you, as a resident of the region, should show some goodwill, don't you think?"

Skydream hesitated. "Why would you want to collaborate with the soul beasts of the Extreme North? Are you working with Ice Empress and Snow Empress?"

Yang Potian confirmed, "Yes. Heavenly Path Academy is close to the Extreme North; we're neighbors. There's a saying that a close neighbor is better than a distant relative. As allies, we can help each other if we ever face a real threat."

He smiled faintly. "Besides, my first collaboration with Ice Empress and Snow Empress was… well, capturing you."

Skydream gulped. "So, what exactly do you want from me? I don't want to die here."

Yang Potian's tone grew serious. "I've heard that a million-year soul beast, if it sacrifices itself, can form an intelligent soul ring, granting the soul master a second spirit. Is that true?"

Skydream's eyes widened in shock. "Who told you that nonsense? That's just a baseless rumor. I'm just an ordinary soul beast—I couldn't possibly grant a soul master a second spirit!"

"If that's all a lie, then I'll have to kill you to absorb your soul ring and soul bone. It would be a bit wasteful, though."

"Wait! I may be a powerful soul beast, but you'd still risk bursting from my energy. No soul master could absorb a ring of my level without being torn apart."

Yang Potian chuckled. "Don't worry about me. I'm a twin spirit user and a peak-level Titled Douluo. My body can handle the energy of a million-year soul ring."

He summoned his primary spirit, displaying its seven red ten-thousand-year soul rings. Even the Skydream Iceworm recoiled at the sight, realizing the power Yang Potian wielded.

Finally, Skydream relented, "Fine! Tell me what you want. How are we going to cooperate?"

Yang Potian smiled. "Now we're getting somewhere. Let's look at mutual benefit. My sister, Yang Tianyue, is now at rank ninety. If you could willingly sacrifice yourself to her, it would grant her a second spirit. With that, she could quickly ascend to rank ninety-nine."

He added, "In case you're interested, my sister is the Sea God's chosen heir. She's completed seven of the Sea God's nine trials. Once she passes the final two, she'll become the new Sea God. When she ascends to the Divine Realm, she'll have the power to revive you as an immortal divine beast."

Skydream's eyes darted about, clearly calculating his options as he pondered how to escape his predicament.

Yang Potian noted the hesitation and thought, This Skydream hasn't suffered enough; he still clings to his life. If he had endured the millennia of torment that awaited him later, he'd probably be more willing to sacrifice himself.

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