Douluo Continent: My Martial Soul is the Black Dragon, I am the Lord of the Gods

Chapter 316 Evolution, The Crown of Ice and Fire

……

"What's wrong?" Xuanming turned to look at Xiaowu.

"Aren't you tired from climbing stairs in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

Xiao Wu didn't speak, but just quietly looked at Xuan Ming, at the weariness and vicissitudes that he couldn't hide between his brows, and at the faint, not-yet-fully-healed, fine cracks that were faintly visible under his black robe.

Countless images flashed through my mind—

In the Star Dou Great Forest, a powerful figure descended from the sky, freezing everything, and rescued her and her mother from Bibi Dong's clutches...

Outside Nottingham City, that shameless, bullying, childish kid who beat her up for half a month...

Soto City, Shrek Academy, all the laughter, tears, fighting side by side, and supporting each other that I've shared with my companions over the years...

And... the Ice Dragon King's icy yet expectant words echoed in my ears:

Saving you in the Star Dou Great Forest wasn't purely out of kindness; it was more about paving the way for Xuanming's future...

His seventh soul ring requires a 100,000-year-old soul beast that is willing to sacrifice itself. Only the wisp of divinity contained within a 100,000-year-old soul beast after undergoing the tempering of heavenly tribulation can enlighten that extremely vicious weapon, endow it with a true soul core, and lay the foundation for its future transformation...

Past fragments flooded back like a tide, ultimately transforming into the deepest, most unwavering resolve in my eyes.

"Xuanming," Xiaowu's voice was soft, yet exceptionally firm, "Let me help you."

Xuanming raised his head, his icy blue eyes looking at her.

Xiao Wu took a deep breath, forcing a hint of her usual playful smile onto her face, but behind that smile lay a calm and resigned acceptance of death: "I remember our promise, and I also remember what Senior Ice Dragon King said."

Her gaze fell on the faint phantom of the blood spear in Xuanming's palm: "The sacrifice of a 100,000-year-old soul beast, especially someone like me who has experienced the Heavenly Tribulation, the wisp of primordial divinity that erupted during the sacrifice should be able to help you, to truly touch the core of that spear... perhaps, to give it a true soul."

Her words were clear and direct, without the slightest hesitation or retreat, as if she were stating something that had been predetermined and was something she was willing to do.

However, no sooner had she finished speaking than a figure filled with urgency and panic rushed over from the side!
"No! Absolutely not!" Arou forcefully pulled Xiaowu behind her, shielding her daughter with her body. Her beautiful face was filled with unprecedented anxiety and determination, and her voice trembled slightly. "Xiaowu! Shut up! Live! This... let Mom handle it!"

She turned sharply to Xuanming, her eyes filled with sorrow and pleading, yet also with an undeniable maternal glow: "Xuanming! Use me! My cultivation is far greater than hers; the sacrifice will only be more effective! Let Xiaowu live! She's so young; she can live for a very, very long time..."

The sudden turn of events froze the atmosphere, filling the air with a tragic and suffocating feeling.

Xuanming watched the scene unfold in silence.

He looked at Xiao Wu's eyes, which, though protected by her mother, still shone with a resolute light, and then at A Rou's back, which was trembling slightly but exceptionally firm, full of sacrifice and protection.

After a moment, he slowly but with unusual determination shook his head.

"No need."

He knew what Arou was worried about, and he knew what she was afraid of.

If it were just a matter of preserving the soul through sacrifice, Arou wouldn't be so worried, but the Blood Spear is far too dangerous now.

Once sacrificed, even the soul of a 100,000-year-old soul beast is highly likely to be devoured by the blood spear, with no chance of resurrection.

The so-called imbuing of the Blood Spear with true will is less about giving life for life and more about exchanging lives.

"This is only the first test," Xuanming said calmly.

"If even this first test requires your sacrifice, your lives, to earn me a chance to pass, how am I supposed to face the even more difficult and dangerous trials that follow? What right do I have to bear them?"

His gaze rose again, sweeping over Xiao Wu and A Rou, his icy blue eyes unwavering: "Live on. Your lives have their own value, and they should not, and cannot, be wasted here, wasted on my first test."

His words were cold and direct, even somewhat cruel and inhumane, but they revealed an absolute confidence and an unyielding pride that came from the bottom of his heart.

If it's just to increase soul power, or if there's no danger, sacrificing is fine, since you can be resurrected anyway.

But now... there's no need for that.

……

Time comes the next day.

Without the slightest hesitation, Xuanming once again stepped onto the white jade staircase leading to the clouds.

Level 700, Level 750, Level 800...

He once again surged to that terrifying height at an astonishing speed, a height that would make even a Title Douluo unable to take a single step. The pressure around him was like tangible lead and mercury, frantically squeezing his body, causing his bones to groan under the unbearable strain.

But this time, he didn't start tempering immediately. Amidst the destructive energy surge of the eight hundred steps, he stood firmly, took a deep breath, and faced upwards with his palms.

Om-!
The Vast Ocean Universe Cover quietly appeared, its azure triangular shape emitting a soft yet profound light, creating a strange contrast with the surrounding raging golden light of the sea god.

The moment the Heart of Poseidon appeared, it seemed to be strongly stimulated by the same source of power. The light on its surface suddenly became brighter, and there seemed to be surging tides inside, emitting a deep hum.

Strands of purer, more refined azure light flowed out from it, swirling around Xuanming's arm like living things.

In the realm of gods, within the temple.

When Poseidon, the god of the sea, saw this, he raised his eyebrows slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"This kid... does he intend to..." he muttered to himself, his tone tinged with uncertainty and a hint of worry, "...forcefully fuse with the Heart of the Sea God? In his current state and with zero affinity, the Heart of the Sea God's own weak will will strongly reject him; it's almost impossible to succeed! Even if he manages to succeed by chance, he might not be able to control the Light of the Sea God; the risk is too great..."

However, Xuanming in the mirror had clearly made up his mind.

He ignored the terrifying pressure surrounding him, which was enough to crush steel, and focused all his attention on communicating with the Vast Ocean Universe Cover.

He tried to slowly inject his spiritual power and soul power into the Vast Ocean Universe Cover, attempting to establish a connection with the vast and ancient ocean will within and guide its power.

As Poseidon had predicted, the Heart of the Sea God sensed the intrusion of external forces, and its weak internal will immediately produced a strong rejection reaction!
Om-!
The azure light became sharp and resistant, and a powerful resistance, imbued with the majesty of the ocean, erupted from it, forcefully pushing away Xuanming's spiritual power. It even caused his soul to tremble, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth once again.

Externally, there was the oppressive force of the destructive light of the sea god; internally, there was the intense rejection from the heart of the sea god; and on top of that, the blood spear within his body constantly and viciously retaliated...

Xuanming was instantly plunged into an unprecedented predicament. His face was as pale as paper, and his body trembled violently, as if he might be completely crushed by the triple pressure at any moment.

But the light in his eyes grew even brighter!
Deep within those icy blue eyes, the phantoms of ice dragons and fire dragons seemed to light up simultaneously!

In an instant, the Ice and Fire Dragon Crown on his forehead burst forth with an unprecedentedly brilliant light!
Red and blue halos intertwined and flowed, and the illusory dragon souls of the Ice Dragon King and the Fire Dragon King seemed to have fully awakened, emitting a deafening dragon roar!
Two vast soul powers originating from the divine dragon king surged into Xuanming's body without regard for anything else, forcibly supporting his collapsing body and spirit. At the same time, they transformed into two powerful forces with completely opposite properties but perfectly integrated, and fiercely rushed towards the fiercely resisting Vast Ocean Universe Cover!
The freezing and imprisonment of ultimate ice! The melting and penetration of ultimate fire!
The power of the Ice and Fire Dragon Soul, in an almost domineering manner, forcibly suppressed, soothed, and began to slowly "refine" the resisting will of the Heart of the Sea God!
This is an extremely difficult and painful process.

The Heart of Poseidon contains a vast and boundless oceanic will; even a faint trace of its own consciousness possesses an extraordinary power of resistance.

Although the power of the Ice and Fire Dragon Soul is strong, it is only a remnant soul after all, and it needs to be distracted to resist the terrifying pressure from the outside world and the backlash from within its body.

Xuanming's body became the most brutal battlefield, with every inch of flesh and every wisp of soul enduring unimaginable torment.

Time, amidst this extreme pain and struggle, slowly passed.

One day, two days, three days...

Xuanming stood frozen amidst the destructive energy of the eight hundred steps, like a reef in a storm, enduring wave after wave of impact.

His body was on the verge of collapse time and time again, but was forcibly pulled back by the power of the Ice and Fire Dragon Soul and the vitality of the Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone.

Poseidon stood quietly not far away, her gentle aura isolating her from the pressure of the outside world.

She looked at the young man struggling against the golden tide and battling the will of the artifact, his eyes, which had seen the vicissitudes of life, filled with indescribable complex emotions.

Finally, as night fell on the third day, the stalemate was broken!

Om-! ! !
A deeper and more expansive hum, seemingly emanating from the depths of the ancient ocean, emanated from the Vast Ocean Universe Cover!

The originally fiercely resisting azure light gradually became gentle and mild, and finally, like all rivers flowing into the sea, it transformed into an extremely condensed azure light pillar, which slowly rose up and finally connected with the radiant Ice and Fire Dragon Crown on his forehead!
The red and blue Dragon Core Crown greedily absorbed the vast and pure ocean power, making the dragon patterns on it clearer and more majestic. The shape of the crown also began to change subtly, with sharper edges and smoother lines, as if it had truly solidified into a physical form!
The ultimate power of ice and fire, and the boundless power of the ocean, began a slow and arduous process of fusion and sublimation atop this magical crown!
The entire process was still fraught with pain and risk. The fusion of the three supreme powers was by no means easy, and the slightest mistake could result in energy conflict and death from body explosion.

But Xuanming, with his unwavering and almost superhuman willpower, managed to maintain that delicate balance and guide this transformation.

When the first rays of sunlight fell on Poseidon Island on the fourth day, the transformation was finally complete.

The crown on Xuanming's forehead has changed drastically.

It retains the red and blue color scheme, but the colors are deeper and more restrained, as if they contain endless energy.

On the crown, the originally relatively simple dragon pattern has transformed into a more complex and mysterious pattern. Upon closer inspection, the pattern appears to be woven from fine dragon scales and ocean waves, exuding an ancient and sacred aura.

In the center of the crown, a tiny, yet more solid, deep blue triangle is set, like the most perfect sapphire, radiating a gentle yet vast aura of power.

The Crown of Ice and Fire!

A new being that has merged with the power of the Heart of the Sea God!

Although Xuanming did not gain the Sea God's approval or affinity and could not control the Sea God's Light, the existence of this Ice and Fire God Crown greatly reduced the repulsion between him and the Sea God's Light, and allowed him to more clearly perceive, and even... guide a trace of the Sea God's Light's vast purifying power into his body!
Xuanming slowly opened his eyes, his icy blue eyes filled with extreme exhaustion, yet also with a hint of obvious joy.

Successful.

(End of this chapter)