Douluo: I become stronger when I take in disciples!

Chapter 252 Sharing of Spiritual Power, Fourth Ring, 100,000-Year Soul Ring.

The icy mist churned through the valley, thick and unyielding like churned milk. The ice crystals surrounding the Ice Fairy Tiger refracted a chilling blue light, flickering in the mist like countless wary eyes. Its sharp claws stomped heavily on the frost-covered rocks, producing a teeth-grinding scraping sound, each movement sending up fine ice shards that flew into the air.

"Stop now! Don't blame me for being impolite!" Feng Yang's icy voice, like a drawn sword, pierced the stagnant air. Before his words even finished, a vast, abyss-like, and chillingly powerful aura of divine resolve swept towards the Ice Immortal Tiger with overwhelming force. That aura seemed to be the primordial power of the beginning of heaven and earth, carrying undeniable majesty and strength. Wherever it passed, the air emitted sharp crackling sounds, and the frost and snow on the ground were whipped up by the invisible force, forming a white wall of mist in the air.

The Ice Fairy Tiger's originally wide-open, murderous amber pupils rippled instantly under the impact of this aura. The violent rage receded like a tide, replaced by a clear and serene expression. Its massive body trembled slightly, and a low growl escaped its throat, as if all its anger and resentment had been completely suppressed in the face of this aura.

Mo Lingyun and Ren Yaoyao stood frozen in shock, their faces filled with disbelief. Mo Lingyun instinctively gripped the Spirit Control Pendant at her waist, the warm jade giving off a cool sensation in her palm; Ren Yaoyao's eyes widened, her mouth agape, unable to close for a long time. They had never witnessed such a shocking scene before—a mere aura was enough to instantly suppress all hostility in an Ice Immortal Tiger, whose strength far surpassed that of an ordinary 100,000-year-old soul beast and was practically a spirit beast.

"Just how strong is he?" Ren Yaoyao's voice trembled, filled with undisguised awe and doubt as she murmured to herself. Mo Lingyun did not respond, but her gaze was fixed on Feng Yang, her eyes flashing with a complex light—a mixture of amazement, curiosity, and a hint of anticipation.

At this moment, under the intimidation of Feng Yang's aura, the Ice Immortal Tiger dared not act recklessly in the slightest, but it still couldn't hide its anger when faced with Mo Lingyun's question. Mo Lingyun took a deep breath, composed herself, and bowed respectfully to the Ice Immortal Tiger, her posture dignified and sincere: "Mountain God! Didn't you cultivate together with our sect's ancestor for many years and share a deep bond? Please tell us where our Spirit Control Sect went wrong!" Her voice was clear and firm, echoing in the silent valley.

Upon hearing this, the Ice Fairy Tiger's previously calmed eyes blazed with fury once more. Its massive tail lashed out angrily, whipping up a gust of icy wind that sent surrounding rocks and ice shards flying into the air. But under Feng Yang's invisible pressure, it suppressed its rage and began to recount that long-buried past.

"I still remember those days!" The Ice Immortal Tiger's voice was low and hoarse, carrying the vicissitudes of time and painful memories. "He cultivated and shared spiritual power with us immortal spirit beasts. Back then, how much trust did countless soul beasts over ten thousand years old place in him! We regarded him as our closest friend, opening our hearts without reservation, sharing our strength and emotions." The Ice Immortal Tiger paused, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes, which was then replaced by intense hatred. "But who would have thought that this unscrupulous villain from the Spirit Control Sect would be so greedy! He actually secretly used binding techniques on us to forcibly steal our spiritual power, attempting to accelerate his ascension to godhood!"

At this point, the Ice Immortal Tiger's body began to tremble violently, every hair seemingly telling of its past suffering. "He treated us as sacrifices for cultivation; our lives were utterly worthless in his eyes! I was exploited by that villain for decades, every day was torture, every moment was the excruciating pain of my spiritual energy being forcibly extracted. I endured it all, just so that one day I could regain my freedom." The Ice Immortal Tiger's voice grew louder, filled with anger and resentment, "Fortunately, that villain lacked the aptitude to become a god, yet he dared to defy the heavens. Finally, he couldn't bear it any longer and died suddenly, and only then did we regain our freedom."

"What?" Mo Lingyun staggered back a step, her face turning deathly pale. She felt a ringing in her ears, and Bing Xianhu's words struck her heart like a heavy hammer. She couldn't believe that her ancestor, revered as a saint in the Yuling Sect's records and admired by later generations of disciples, would do such a despicable thing.

"Years of shared cultivation? Deep affection? Hahahaha! How laughable! You scoundrels have the nerve to distort the truth! And now! You still have the nerve to ask me to share my spiritual power?" The Ice Immortal Tiger's laughter was full of mockery and disdain, echoing in the valley and sounding particularly grating.

Mo Lingyun lowered her head slightly, her hair falling down to obscure the complex expression on her face. A storm raged within her; the glorious history of the Yu Ling Sect and the lofty image of its ancestors crumbled in an instant. "The Yu Ling Sect's past was so wretched," she murmured to herself, her voice filled with bitterness and confusion.

But soon, Mo Lingyun raised her head, her eyes regaining their determination. She clasped her hands in a fist salute to the Ice Immortal Tiger again, her posture even more upright than before: "Senior Mountain God! You have cleared up a long-standing question for me. The Spirit Control Sect was once glorious, but suddenly declined rapidly. So that's why. Thank you."

Ice Tiger snorted coldly, clearly not entirely convinced of Mo Lingyun's sincerity. Just then, Mo Lingyun gritted her teeth, deciding to prove herself with actions. She circulated her soul power, and the soul ring within her body began to slowly pulse, emitting a soft and mysterious light. As the light grew brighter, a small, exquisite bird gracefully flew out from the soul ring, circling around her shoulders, chirping joyfully, its feathers shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight.

"Oh?" Ice Fairy Tiger was slightly taken aback, and the anger in his eyes unconsciously subsided, revealing a hint of surprise.

Mo Lingyun looked at the flower spirit on her shoulder with gentle yet firm eyes: "I have been learning the techniques of the Spirit Control Sect since I was a child, but I did not know that this was a technique to bind and control spirits. It is not my intention to forcibly take it. I have already made a mistake, and I only hope that I can make amends."

"If that's the case, then that's for the best! Listen carefully, and then do as instructed." After saying this, the Ice Immortal Tiger muttered incantations, and a crystal-clear spiritual power emanated from its mouth, outlining mysterious runes in the air before enveloping Mo Lingyun.

Mo Lingyun felt a cool power envelop her, and the voice of the Ice Immortal Tiger, which only she could hear, rang in her mind, instructing her in detail on how to break free from the restraints. She dared not slacken in the slightest, and immediately circulated her soul power, following the Ice Immortal Tiger's guidance.

As her soul power circulated, several circular chains, gleaming with a faint light, gradually appeared around the Flower Spirit Bird—the materialization of the shackles that had once bound it. Mo Lingyun took a deep breath and loudly chanted, "All things have life, and their mysteries are revealed. With my essence, I transform into a blade of emptiness. I sever the shackles of formlessness, break the chains of the invisible. The spirit returns to its source, and the bond of destiny is broken—"

Her voice was clear and firm, echoing through the valley. As soon as she finished speaking, the circular chains surrounding Hua Ling began to emit a dazzling light, which grew brighter and brighter, almost blinding people.

A deafening crash of breaking chains echoed, as if a thousand years of imprisonment had crumbled in that instant. The Flower Spirit chirped joyfully, flitting and twirling around Mo Lingyun, more delighted than ever before. It nuzzled affectionately against Mo Lingyun's cheek, its eyes filled with dependence and happiness.

Seeing this, the Ice Immortal Tiger's aura completely calmed down, and its massive body relaxed as it lay down on the ground. "This mountain god underestimated you, descendant of the Spirit Master." Its voice carried a hint of relief and recognition.

Ice Immortal Tiger turned its gaze to Flower Spirit and said gently, "Young child of the Spirit Beast Clan, you are now free. From now on, this mountain god will take care of you."

Hua Ling flew forward and stopped in front of the Ice Fairy Tiger, chattering away as she shook her little head from time to time, as if expressing her thoughts.

"Hmm?" Ice Fairy Tiger was slightly startled. "You don't want to leave her?"

Hua Ling nodded vigorously, her wings flapping rapidly, appearing very determined.

“Young spirit beast, you are too inexperienced to distinguish right from wrong. Come to this mountain god immediately,” the Ice Immortal Tiger continued to persuade, his voice carrying an undeniable authority. But Hua Ling still shook her head, chattering incessantly, seemingly telling the Ice Immortal Tiger about her interactions with Mo Lingyun, expressing her trust and reliance on Mo Lingyun.

“Little one! Does she really treat you like family? Has she never let you down?” Ice Fairy Tiger asked again.

Hua Ling nodded vigorously again, chirping happily, and even flew to Mo Lingyun's shoulder, nuzzling her chin with her little head.

"Alright." Ice Fairy Tiger seemed to have given up her suspicions and turned to look at Mo Lingyun. "What's your name?"

Mo Lingyun clasped her hands in a respectful greeting, her voice clear and melodious: "Junior Mo Lingyun."

Ice Immortal Tiger pondered for a moment, then asked, "How many Spirit Masters and disciples does the Spirit Control Sect still have?"

Mo Lingyun looked somewhat dejected: "Our sect currently only has one spirit beast, Hua Ling, along with my grandfather and myself. There are no other disciples."

The Ice Immortal Tiger fell silent, its massive body trembling slightly, a complex expression flashing in its eyes. Clearly, it too felt a pang of regret and unease at the decline of the Spirit Control Sect. After all, it had once been a member of the Spirit Control Sect, and those shared years, though filled with pain, had left a deep mark on its life.

But soon, Ice Immortal Tiger regained his aloof demeanor, snorted coldly, and said disdainfully, "Hmph, the decline of the Spirit Control Sect is its own fault. Without Spirit Control, even if you have the protection of the gods now, don't even think about reviving the Spirit Control Sect."

"Divine protection?" Mo Lingyun and Ren Yaoyao exclaimed simultaneously, their voices filled with disbelief. They looked at Feng Yang incredulously, their eyes filled with awe and curiosity.

"You, you're actually a god?" Mo Lingyun stammered, her voice filled with a mix of nervousness and excitement.

"No wonder he's so strong," Ren Yaoyao murmured to herself, her face filled with admiration.

Feng Yang merely nodded slightly, the earth-shattering pressure emanating from him receding rapidly like a tide, returning him to his previous calm and composed demeanor, as if the chilling scene just moments before had been merely an illusion. The valley fell silent once more, save for the howling wind, which seemed to whisper tales of the turmoil and tranquility that followed the revelation of this secret.

The mist in the valley continued to drift slowly. Mo Lingyun straightened her back and bowed again with her fists clasped. Her fingertips trembled slightly, but she tried her best to keep her voice steady: "Senior, rest assured, I am aware of the past. From now on, the Yu Ling Sect will do its utmost to make amends for its mistakes." Every word was as if engraved on metal and stone, carrying a do-or-die determination.

The Ice Immortal Tiger's amber vertical pupils contracted slightly, its massive tail swaying gently behind it, stirring up a few wisps of snow. It remained silent for a long time, its deep voice carrying an icy pressure: "Then... are you willing to enter into a contract with this mountain god?" As soon as it finished speaking, the surrounding air seemed to freeze; even the flower spirits stopped chirping, staring nervously at the Ice Immortal Tiger.

"Huh?!" Mo Lingyun subconsciously took a half step back, her eyes filled with disbelief. Ren Yaoyao even covered her mouth, letting out a suppressed gasp. In their understanding, a 100,000-year-old spirit beast voluntarily proposing a contract was nothing short of a fantasy.

The Ice Fairy Tiger swung its tail violently, the ice cracking crisply under its claws: "I ask you if you are willing to enter into a contract to share spiritual power with this mountain god!" Its voice pounded on everyone's eardrums like a heavy hammer, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

Mo Lingyun snapped out of her daze, digging her fingertips into her palms to calm herself. She took a deep breath, her robes fluttering as she bowed: "Thank you for your favor, Senior!" Tears welled in her eyes; this was not only an opportunity, but also a turning point to wash away the stain on the Yuling Sect's reputation.

"Don't be too happy yet." The Ice Immortal Tiger bent down, its breath condensing into ice crystals between the two of them. "This contract has no binding magic. If you disappoint this mountain god, I will withdraw all my spiritual power at any time." Its voice was as cold as a thousand-year-old ice, but it also hid a trace of barely perceptible expectation.

"Rest assured, senior! I will certainly live up to your expectations!" Mo Lingyun knelt on one knee, pressing her right hand heavily against her chest. Behind her, the Spirit Pendant suddenly emitted a faint light, as if echoing her promise.

"Good!" The Ice Immortal Tiger roared, and the ice crystals around its body shattered. A surge of powerful spiritual energy transformed into a silver stream of light, enveloping Mo Lingyun like an inverted Milky Way. She felt a chill creep into her head, yet a warm current flowed through her meridians. A mixture of intense pain and bliss mingled within her. She endured the surging blood energy, sat cross-legged on the ground, and opened her sea of ​​consciousness to receive this power.

Time seemed to lose its measure in the storm of spiritual energy. Five hours later, Mo Lingyun's spirit rings lit up one after another. Yellow, yellow, purple—when the fourth 100,000-year spirit ring soared into the sky, the entire valley was stained crimson. Ren Yaoyao staggered backward, muttering in disbelief, "A 100,000-year spirit ring! She's broken through to level 40!"

The Ice Immortal Tiger had now transformed into a palm-sized cub and hovered in mid-air: "It's just a sharing of spiritual energy. Otherwise, with its level 30+ bones, if it had truly absorbed a 100,000-year soul ring, it would have exploded and died long ago."

Although her tone was arrogant, it couldn't hide her approval of the new contractor.

The morning light pierced through the clouds, shining on the two spirits of one person, giving this pact that transcended grudges a brand new glow.

(End of this chapter)