Peerless: I Became Huo Yuhao's Dark Personality

Chapter 124 Ice Emperor: I Like You, Huo Yumiao: What a Coincidence (Two Chapters Combined)

The Yuan Silver Crystal had long since shattered, and now, two pools of pure white liquid stood upright in the air, radiating a bright light.

Huo Yumiao, within his spiritual sea of ​​consciousness, did not recognize this thing, but he could clearly sense the surging emotions of the Ice Emperor. These emotions were extremely complex, a mixture of shock, surprise, and loss.

Huo Yumiao roughly knew what the two pools of liquid in front of her were. In the original work, Ice Emperor always appeared calm, but there was one place where she experienced a great fluctuation.

When Huo Yuhao discovered the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow at the Dragon Gate in Dragon City, the Ice Emperor's mentality underwent a drastic change.

The source of the change is the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow of the Earth Dragon Gate Secret Realm. The reason why the Ice Emperor chose to become a Wisdom Soul Ring is ninety percent because he cannot survive the next Heavenly Tribulation.

With the quantity of that ten-thousand-year-old Xuanbing marrow, it was not only enough for the Ice Emperor to break through the four hundred thousand-year Heavenly Tribulation, but also enough to break through several more hundred thousand-year tribulations.

But by then, Ice Empress had become Huo Yuhao's spirit. When she was most powerless, she encountered the thing she had longed for and anticipated. With such a huge gap, it would be strange if she didn't break down emotionally.

Huo Yumiao felt that the thing in front of her was most likely the Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow. Even if it wasn't, its effects would be similar, otherwise the Ice Emperor's current behavior would be inexplicable.

"Hyotei?" Huo Yumiao called out, waking Hyotei from her daze.

Hyotei's expression was complex, a hint of melancholy flashing in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. He transmitted his thoughts telepathically:

"This is the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow, which is a great tonic for ice-attribute soul masters, and is of the same grade as the Life Gold."

Similarly, it's a great tonic for ice-attribute soul beasts like myself. If I could have ten times the volume of this ten-thousand-year-old profound ice marrow, breaking through the four hundred thousand Heavenly Tribulation would be a piece of cake.

As Hyotei spoke, he raised his arm, and as a jade-green hand seal descended, the two pools of crystalline liquid merged together with lightning speed.

Wisps of emerald green light emanated from the seal and seeped into the merging liquid, compressing and solidifying at an astonishing speed. A cherry-sized ball of ancient ice marrow floated quietly in the air.

The emerald green seal gradually faded. The Ice Emperor looked at the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow before him, a strange look flashing in his eyes, along with a trace of nostalgia.

"Ice Emperor, can you still absorb the Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow in your current state?" Huo Yumiao asked deliberately, not because he wanted to ask, but because he had to.

Hyotei made no attempt to conceal his emotional fluctuations, so he could clearly sense Hyotei's yearning. It would have seemed strange if he hadn't asked.

"Yes, but the effect is different from when I absorb it in my soul beast form."

Absorbing in the form of a soul beast strengthens itself; in its current state, it's essentially storing it for you, and it will eventually merge with you.

However, it might have some minor effect in consolidating its own position, but it would be useless in the face of a major crisis.

Ice Emperor's tone became calm again, "Hurry up and absorb it. The cultivation speed of the Ultimate Ice is greatly reduced after the Soul Master level in order to hone the soul power and improve its quality."

The benefits will become more and more obvious in the future; even a wisp of someone else's soul power cannot compare to a single trace of yours.

Don't underestimate this small amount of Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow; it's enough for you to absorb for a week, and leveling up three or four times shouldn't be a problem.

"Just me absorbing it?" Huo Yumiao looked at Bingdi in surprise. Although that was his plan, he didn't expect Bingdi to think the same way.

After all, it was Huo Yuhao who was destined to become a god, not him. He thought that Ice Emperor would let him share half with Huo Yuhao.

"With so little, giving it all to Yuhao would make the improvement seem too small and ineffective. Resources can't be kept in perfect balance; there has to be some degree of tilt."

The Ice Emperor's answer piqued Huo Yumiao's interest. "Then why did you choose to favor me? The Ancient Ice God said that Yuhao would definitely become a god in the future."

"Speaking of becoming a god, I've always had a question. According to the ancient ice god, Yuhao is blessed with great fortune, so great that even Tang San has to worry about him."

But I really can't see what makes Yuhao so fortunate. His talent is almost entirely due to the transformation of Tianmeng and my origin.

In other words, anyone who accepts the transformation from my and Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's essence can possess the same or even stronger talent as Yuhao.

The only commendable thing about him is his unwavering belief, but there are far too many people in the world with unwavering beliefs, so this is not something to be particularly praiseworthy.

It has to be said that Ice Emperor's words greatly surprised Huo Yumiao, who actually thought of this level, but he couldn't explain it either.

Luck is such a mysterious thing. If you really want to trace it back, isn't luck just an opportunity? Huo Yuhao's opportunity was the Ice Emperor, the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, the Snow Emperor, and Elder Yi.

Looking at it from another angle, the Ice Emperor and the others formed Huo Yuhao's destiny. This explanation has a bit of an afterthought feel to it, but Huo Yumiao couldn't find a better explanation.

Hyotei's words did not end there, and Huo Yumiao continued to listen with curiosity.

"The reason why I have chosen you is simple: because I have chosen you. Do you know why I agreed to take control of the origin in your spiritual sea of ​​consciousness?"

"I don't know. I found it very strange at the time. It is the instinct of all living things to seek advantage and avoid misfortune. Choosing to come to my spiritual sea of ​​consciousness is clearly not good for you."

Huo Yumiao's words startled Bingdi. They were a bit too blunt, as if everything was laid bare.

"I am willing to exist in the form of a Wisdom Soul Ring in order to break free from the shackles of a mortal body and become an immortal being. Since Yuhao is destined to become a god, I actually already have a way out."

My essence resides within Yuhao. Even if you do not become a god and die of old age, I can return to Yuhao's body and achieve immortality.

Having a way out inevitably leads to other thoughts, and choosing to enter your mental consciousness is one of them.

You know, Tianmeng plans to create a god, and it wants to create Yuhao. But compared to that, I'd rather create you.

Ice Emperor's tone was firm, and Huo Yumiao remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

"Whether it's thinking or personality, you're much better than Yuhao. To be honest, if it weren't for Gu Bingshen, I would choose you without hesitation between you and Yuhao."

Besides personality-related reasons, there are two other reasons, one major and one minor:

The smaller one is Tianmeng. Now that we're colleagues, I can't say anything too extreme, but as you know, I really don't want to be around it.

Another crucial reason is that I like you, not in the way a partner would like, but more like the feeling of expecting you to grow and achieve something great.

Do you remember what you said during that competition? You said you wanted to help the soul beasts reduce the number of soul masters. I really don't understand, you're clearly human, yet...

"Ice Emperor, I know what you're trying to say. This isn't just about protecting the interests of soul beasts, it's also about protecting the interests of soul masters." Although Ice Emperor hadn't finished speaking, Huo Yumiao knew what she wanted to say and immediately explained. "Ice Emperor, let me say something you can understand. I've always been thinking from the perspective of human soul masters, it just so happens that what I'm doing is beneficial to soul beasts both on the surface and in reality."

You can take this as my idea; I'm going to tell you about a concept called sustainable development.

"Sustainable development?" Hyotei asked, puzzled. It was a term she had never heard of before.

"That's right, it's sustainable development. Simply put, it's about having access to one or more resources forever."

For human soul masters, soul beasts are resources, and for soul beasts, soul masters are the same. However, the degree and methods by which soul masters and soul beasts exploit each other are different.

Soul Masters almost never act alone when acquiring Soul Rings. Acquiring a hundred-year Soul Ring will be accompanied by a Soul Venerable, Soul Sect Master, or even Soul King leading the team, while acquiring a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring may even involve a Title Douluo providing protection.

Soul beasts are completely different. Most soul beasts act alone, especially the stronger they are. There are only a few exceptions, which makes soul beasts always the weaker party and the ones being hunted.

The ultimate reason for this situation, to put it bluntly, is intelligence. Below ten thousand years old, soul beasts act almost entirely on instinct, and such behavior is simply idiotic in the face of a soul master.

Huo Yumiao paused for a moment and continued, "Given the current trend in the development of soul tools, if humanity doesn't take measures soon, let alone ten thousand years, the number of soul beasts will experience an explosive decline in five thousand years."

It's not impossible that soul beasts could be completely wiped out on the continent.

What I mean by artificially reducing the number of Soul Masters is never with the intention of helping Soul Beasts, but also in helping humanity itself.

Huo Yumiao had one more thing to say, which was also helping himself: he was going to become a god, but the god he was going to become was a bit special.

Because his goal was never just to become a god. To put it more arrogantly, he wanted to become a god of the gods, a god above the gods.

"That's one of the reasons I 'like' you. You always lay out your true nature, even if you know it doesn't do you any good.

A smile appeared on Ice Emperor's cool and refined face. "I'm asking you, do you want the number of soul beasts to increase, so that they can have strength comparable to humans?"

"Yes." Huo Yumiao nodded in agreement.

"In your vision, will soul beasts be able to break free from the current situation where they are almost unilaterally hunted?"

"Yes." Huo Yumiao nodded again.

"Will soul beasts and humans eventually restrain each other, forming an unbreakable balance?"

"Yes."

"That's enough. I may not know your true thoughts or understand them, but the final result of your plan is what I want to see."

Even if it's just to see this outcome, I'm willing to give everything and bet everything on you.

Hearing Bingdi's words, which seemed to carry a hint of fanaticism amidst their firmness, Huo Yumiao rubbed her head helplessly. Bingdi had been spending too much time among soul beasts; her way of thinking was a bit too rigid.

No, that shouldn't be the case. Hyotei definitely possesses independent and complete intelligence. Perhaps for her, and even the entire continent, his "Thanos-like thinking" is strange and difficult to understand and accept.

However, only Huo Yumiao himself knew that he did this not for the sake of either humans or soul beasts, but only for himself.

Reducing the number of Soul Masters and strengthening Soul Beasts is merely a means to an end; the real goal is to gain profit, attain enlightenment, and become a god.

"I have to say, although your reasons are a bit strange and unconventional, it makes me like you even more. It feels so good to have everything laid out in the open, and I can only do this in front of you."

Hyotei was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, "It seems that your liking for me and my liking for you are not the same kind of liking..." (long and complex sentence)
"Of course not, my feelings for you are nothing more than pure companionship." Huo Yumiao looked directly into Bingdi's eyes and said very seriously.

"Why? I can actually sense it a little, but I don't understand. We've known each other for such a short time, so your liking is as strange as Tianmeng, a food, liking a predator."

Ice Emperor also stared at Huo Yumiao, her brows furrowed, her face full of confusion.

To be honest, she had only known Huo Yumiao for two or three months. For the Ice Emperor, who had cultivated for nearly 400,000 years and spent tens of thousands of years in the far north, this was hard to understand.

"There's no reason why. If you really want to know, you can think of it as me being attracted to your appearance, personality, and strength. After all, 90% of liking someone is composed of these three things."

Just as you like me to lay everything bare in front of you, I also like your unreserved nature.

You're beautiful, pure, and powerful, plus a touch of natural charisma—that's enough.

"Why can you only lay it all out with me? Can't Yuhao do it?" Hyotei asked, slightly puzzled.

“Yuhao won’t do, you know that. His thinking is still too simple. He can’t talk to him about this kind of pressure, so of course he can only tell you. After all, I trust you a lot.”

"Trust me? Is it only me you can trust?" Hyotei scoffed.

"That's not quite right. There's a difference between voluntary trust and passive trust. I chose to trust voluntarily, and of course, it also has a lot to do with your choice to enter my mental sea of ​​consciousness."

Trust, like liking, is essentially driven by positive emotions.

After hearing Huo Yumiao's words, Bingdi was even more puzzled. "I still don't understand."

"It's understandable if you don't understand. Anyway, I'm still very weak right now. For me, the most important thing is strength. For you, the most important thing is to successfully bet on me."

There is a close and inseparable bond of interests between us, which is almost impossible to sever. Of course, there will inevitably be some emotional ties between us as well.

As for whether we like it or not, it's too much of a luxury to talk about that now. You know, there's still Tang San waiting for us to deal with him.

Hyotei's eyes lit up, and he nodded slightly, as if he understood something. "In that case, let's trust each other and accomplish our goals together."

Huo Yumiao smiled casually and confidently, "Then, it's a pleasure to cooperate."

Hyotei smiled and said, "It's a pleasure to cooperate with you."

(End of this chapter)