Douluo Continent: My name is Lu Mingfei, and my martial soul is Lu Mingze.

Hyotei tried to move his body a bit, and after confirming that he was indeed unaffected, his expression became even more complicated.

"It's not just a soul bone." The Snow Empress raised her right hand, and an ice-blue ball of light appeared in her palm.

"What is this new force?"

In her palm, the ball of light was slowly rotating, with several runes she had never seen before flowing inside.

Hyotei also raised her hand, and a ball of light appeared in her palm, though its color was more turquoise.

"I felt it too." Hyotei's voice was filled with confusion. "This power is related to water, but it's not any of the powers we cultivate. It's more like... language."

"It's language."

Lu Mingze's figure appeared beside Lu Mingfei.

He was wearing his signature black suit, holding a glass of red wine, and sporting that kind of smile that made you want to punch him.

"This is the power of words." He walked up to the Ice Emperor and the Snow Emperor, looking up at them. Although he was short, his calm and collected demeanor was in no way inferior.

"Words of power are a unique ability of the dragon race. They can change reality by chanting dragon script. What you now possess are the Words of Power of the Ocean and Water King lineage, which number in the dozens."

He looked at the Ice Emperor and the Snow Emperor with a smile: "These Word Spirits are all harmless. They do not require the consumption of soul power or the support of soul rings. You can use them whenever you want, however you want."

"The only limitation is bloodline, but you are now the kings of the ocean and water, so there is no problem with your bloodline."

Hyotei stared at the ball of light in her palm, remained silent for a few seconds, and then asked, "Why is it ocean and water? We are ice-attribute."

"Ice is the solid form of water," Lu Mingze shrugged.

"In essence, your power originates from water. It's just that the place you live in is too cold, so the water turned into ice. The authority of the ocean and the king of water encompasses all forms of water, including ice."

Xue Di nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

Hyotei closed her hands, the ball of light disappeared, and she turned to look at Lu Mingfei.

Lu Mingfei felt uncomfortable under her gaze: "Um... Sister Bing, is there a problem?"

"It's nothing." Hyotei looked away, her voice indifferent. "Just confirming that you really didn't lie to us."

"How could I dare to lie to you?" Lu Mingfei chuckled dryly.

Xue Di walked up to Lu Mingfei and handed him the two silver-white soul bones: "Take them."

Lu Mingfei was taken aback for a moment: "This is...?"

"Our soul bones. Since they have withdrawn on their own, it means they should belong to you." Xue Di's voice was calm.

"Your physical strength has improved, but it's still far from enough. After absorbing these four soul bones, you will become even stronger."

Hyotei also came over and tossed the two emerald green soul bones into Lu Mingfei's arms: "Stop dawdling. Just take them."

Lu Mingfei held the four soul bones, feeling his arms trembling. The chill emanating from these four soul bones was terrifying.

If he hadn't just increased his physical strength, he would probably be frozen solid by now.

He looked at the Snow Empress, then at the Ice Empress, and opened his mouth: "My two sisters, it's true that I really want to become stronger, but—"

Lu Mingze, holding a glass of red wine, said slowly, "Brother, just accept it. They are your subordinates now. As you become stronger, they will also become stronger. It's a two-way street."

Lu Mingfei then remembered that Lu Mingze had said before that the connection between him and the Ice Emperor and Snow Emperor was two-way—as he became stronger, they became stronger.

He became a god, and they gained personhood.

But the problem is...

"Lu Mingze," Lu Mingfei lowered his voice, "Why do I feel like I didn't do anything, yet all the benefits are mine?"

Lu Mingze said matter-of-factly, "Because you are the lord. The lord eats meat, and the followers drink soup. Only when you truly become a god can they eat meat too."

"Then tell me, when will I become a god?"

"What's the rush? This is just the beginning."

Lu Mingfei wanted to hit someone.

Hyotei and Yukiteru ignored their bickering.

Xue Di glanced at the sky outside the cave entrance, then turned to Lu Mingfei and said, "We still have some things to take care of. We need to explain things to the other soul beasts in the far north; we can't let them think we've disappeared."

"Oh, okay, ladies, please make yourselves at home. Don't worry about me," Lu Mingfei quickly said.

Xue Di glanced at him and said calmly, "There must be rules in doing things. Since I've followed you, I must abide by the rules."

Lu Mingfei was taken aback for a moment, then waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no, sis, there's really no need to be so formal. I hate formalities the most, let's all just relax."

Xue Di did not speak, but a barely perceptible gentleness flashed in her deep blue eyes.

Hyotei snorted and swung its tail hook: "Whether I do what I want or not is my business, I don't need you to tell me."

Lu Mingfei wisely kept quiet.

Just as the two were about to leave, Lu Mingfei's gaze inadvertently swept over the emerald green tail hook behind Hyotei. It gleamed with a cold light, segmented, and the silvery-white hook tip at the very end sent chills down one's spine.

He swallowed hard, and a thought suddenly popped into his head—if this thing were to accidentally hit him one day, would his current physical strength be able to withstand it?

do not know.

But it must hurt a lot.

Lu Mingfei hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Um... Sister Bing, can I ask you something?"

Hyotei turned around, her emerald green eyes looking at him: "Speak."

"Can you turn into human form?" Lu Mingfei scratched his head, a fawning smile plastered on his face.

"It's just that... I've had a bit of a phobia of scorpions since I was little. It's not directed at you, Bing-jie, you're really beautiful, it's just my own problem."

Hyotei's tail hook lashed out, cracking the ice wall beside them.

"You think I'm ugly?"

"No, no, no, no, no!"

Lu Mingfei almost jumped up: "What I mean is, you look incredibly imposing and domineering right now, but I'm a coward. My legs go weak at the sight of a scorpion. It has nothing to do with whether I look good or not; it's just that I'm a coward!"

Hyotei snorted, and a layer of emerald green light appeared on his body.

After the light faded, standing in the same spot was a humanoid Hyotei.

Her delicate features were less haughty than the adult version of Xue Di, but more aloof and beautiful. Her long, dark green hair was draped behind her, and her skin was as white and translucent as snow, with a faint emerald glow visible beneath.

She wore a long, emerald-green dress and stood barefoot on the ice, her cold beauty so striking that it was almost unbearable to look directly at her.

Lu Mingfei was stunned; the change was too drastic.

"Satisfied?" Hyotei's voice was icy cold.

"Satisfied, very satisfied." Lu Mingfei nodded like a chicken pecking at rice.

Hyotei snorted again and turned to walk towards the cave entrance. Yukitsu followed behind, and their figures quickly disappeared into the snowstorm.

Lu Mingfei stood there, staring at the direction of the cave entrance, and remained in a daze for a long time.

Lu Mingze's voice echoed in his mind: "Brother, do you have some kind of idea about Hyotei?"

"What are you thinking!" Lu Mingfei almost jumped up. "I was just terrified! Don't you understand fear?!"

"Okay, okay, I'm scared, I'm scared."

Lu Mingfei ignored him, sat cross-legged on the ground, and placed the four soul bones in front of him.

The four soul bones emitted different colors of light—two silver-white and two emerald green.

"Lu Mingze, how do you absorb this stuff?" he asked.

"Place it on your person and guide it with your soul power," Lu Mingze said lazily.

"Your body will absorb it automatically, just like absorbing a soul ring. However, the process may be a little painful, since their soul bones are very 'large'. Just bear with it."

How painful is it?

"It's a little lighter than being whipped by Hyotei's tail hook."

"...?"