After clearing the ruins of the ice house, Zhu Ziyang discovered two things where it once stood.
One was a natural spring, bubbling with Source-less Water. The other was half of a hundred-thousand-year-old Snow Lotus.
His gaze immediately fell upon the half Snow Lotus. It seemed deliberately preserved, sealed in ice to prevent its medicinal potency from dissipating. It wasn't hard to guess who had done this – clearly the soul beast that had turned into a fetus left it behind, intending to use it to restore her strength after completing her transformation.
Zhu Ziyang smiled faintly and reached out to touch the Snow Lotus. As soon as his fingers brushed its cold petals, his body trembled slightly. A surge of memory flooded into his mind.
A peerless beauty appeared within that memory. She wore a pure white dress; her long silver hair cascaded down to her ankles. Her sky-blue eyes were clear and ethereal, her tall and slender figure flawless. She exuded an aura of aloof nobility. Her cherry lips parted as her cold voice rang out:
"...Bingbing, if you're seeing this memory, it means I've successfully transformed and entered the human world.
I don't have the courage to face the seven-hundred-thousand-year tribulation, because I know I cannot overcome it. The Core Region will never accept me. If I wish to go further, my only choice is to transform.
Humans are weak and shameless, but they're our only path forward.
I'm going ahead first. Your four-hundred-thousand-year tribulation isn't far off either. If you don't have the courage to face it, then consume the Emperor-grade Snow Lotus I've left for you. If you succeed in transforming, come find me.
— Xue Di, Message."
This memory left Zhu Ziyang stunned. The sheer information contained within was astonishing.
The Snow Empress... Xue Di!
This soul beast fetus was actually Xue Di, ranked third among the Ten Great Savage Beasts and the leader of the Extreme North's Three Emperors – the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion's superior. She had chosen to transform and rebuild her cultivation. It was unbelievable.
"Teacher, I know who this fetus is!" Zhu Ziyang looked at Electrolux, eyes wide with shock.
"Really? Tell me," Electrolux said with interest. In his world, reincarnation through transformation didn't exist.
"She's the Snow Empress," Zhu Ziyang said, excitement in his voice. "They say her cultivation reached seven hundred thousand years. She was the strongest ice element practitioner ever known."
"Seven hundred thousand years!" Electrolux exclaimed, ignoring her abilities and focusing on her cultivation. "Unbelievable. For someone that strong to choose to rebuild… it seems the laws of Douluo Continent are harsh towards soul beasts."
"You're right, Teacher," Zhu Ziyang agreed. "She chose to rebuild because her seven-hundred-thousand-year tribulation was coming, and she wasn't confident she could survive it."
"I see!" Electrolux chuckled. "To give up seven hundred thousand years of cultivation for a chance at a greater future… such willpower. But alas, willpower is nothing before fate. Now she'll benefit us instead, hahaha!"
"Indeed." Zhu Ziyang nodded deeply. "Also, that half Snow Lotus was left for Bing Di, the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion, ranked seventh among the Ten Great Savage Beasts. She'll probably come here soon. We need to finish quickly."
"Then let's not waste time," Electrolux decided. "This spring is perfect. Let's begin the Soul Spirit Contract here. Release the other three Undead Kings to guard us."
"Yes!" Zhu Ziyang quickly summoned the remaining three Undead Kings to join the Hell Knight and Lich King in protecting the small island.
Zhu Ziyang calmed his mind, sitting beside the spring of Source-less Water. The Holy Frost Saint White Dragon martial soul possessed him; crimson soul rings floated behind him as the auras of Ultimate Ice and True Dragon intertwined. Electrolux stood beside him, holding the Snow Empress fetus with solemn eyes glowing faintly with divine light.
A ceremony that would split Douluo Continent's history into before and after was about to begin.
A gray-white scepter appeared in Electrolux's hand. His aura changed instantly, becoming impossibly noble and dignified – like a god incarnate. Zhu Ziyang felt it clearly: This is how Teacher must have felt at his peak.
Deep chanting filled the air as arcane syllables flowed from Electrolux's mouth. At first, his voice was low and deep, but it gradually began to echo within Zhu Ziyang's spiritual sea.
At first, Zhu Ziyang could understand his words. But soon, the chanting grew incomprehensible, lulling him into a daze. Suddenly, a booming shout woke him:
"Ziyang, offer your essence blood!"
His spirit jolted awake. Without hesitation, he bit his tongue, condensing a drop of crimson essence blood that floated into the air. He watched as Electrolux raised the Snow Empress fetus, revealing the tiny baby within.
"Despicable human, don't even think about succeeding!" a cold, furious female voice rang out from the fetus. Zhu Ziyang instantly recognized it as Xue Di's.
"Heh, don't be anxious." Electrolux smiled calmly, as if expecting her awakening. "In your current state, you can't stop this. Become my disciple's strength. Perhaps when he ascends to godhood, he'll take you with him."
"Shameless human! I'd rather die than let you succeed!" Xue Di roared, fury burning away her reason. The fetus trembled violently as terrifying power gathered. A snow-white pearl shot out – her lifetime's cultivation condensed into a Snow Pellet.
"Hahaha, if a mere remnant soul could overturn my plans, where would my dignity go?" Electrolux sneered. His scepter pointed at the fetus. Instantly, Xue Di's body froze in place, her voice silenced. The shining Snow Pellet hovered before Zhu Ziyang.
Electrolux nodded in satisfaction and instructed, "Ziyang, now! Merge your essence blood with the fetus and swallow the inner pellet!"
Zhu Ziyang moved without hesitation. His refined essence blood, inscribed with the Soul Spirit Contract, fell upon the fetus. The moment it touched her, a violent energy exploded. The spring water around him boiled, transforming into pure energy that surged into both him and the fetus.
Before he was completely submerged in the boundless world energy, Zhu Ziyang swallowed the Snow Pellet in one gulp. A vast torrent of soul power and life force filled his organs and meridians. He immediately focused all his will on refining it.
Deprived of her Snow Pellet and stained by essence blood, the fetus fell silent as it too was engulfed by the world energy. It slowly transformed into a spherical form resembling an enlarged Snow Pellet, within which the tiny baby could be seen absorbing the surrounding power.
Electrolux watched with a tired smile. Success. The world's energy has begun constructing this new system.
"Heh… haha… I, Electrolux, truly stand above all! Hahahaha!" he laughed triumphantly, then withdrew his aura and turned into gray mist, returning to Zhu Ziyang's spiritual sea. He was exhausted. Now that the Soul Spirit System no longer required his active maintenance, he could finally rest.
All that remained was for Zhu Ziyang to finish absorbing Xue Di's soul ring and Snow Pellet, and for her soul spirit to be born within his soul ring. Then, the Soul Spirit System would be fully established in this world.
Time – time was what any new system needed. It flowed silently. On the island, the five Undead Kings guarded day and night without the slightest laxity.
At the center, only Zhu Ziyang remained, sitting calmly, breathing in and out the world's energy. Behind him, a soul ring slowly formed, within which a baby seemed to move faintly.