Chapter 274: Subduing Tianmeng Iceworm

  Speaking of Shrek Academy during the Peerless Tang Sect era, it wasn't exactly a haven of fairness.

  Did it only admit "monsters"? Hard to say.

  But one thing was certain—it didn’t admit ordinary people.

  To join Shrek Academy, aside from meeting the talent requirements, you also needed a recommendation letter from a city lord of one of the three great empires. Only then could you gain entry.

  At first gnce, the requirement of level 15 at age 12 didn’t seem high.

  But why would a high-ranking city lord care about you? Sure, there were plenty of kids aged 15 with levels ranging from 16 to 19, but only a select few could ever hope to receive such a recommendation letter.

  This meant that Shrek’s students weren’t just exceptional in talent but also had extraordinary backgrounds.

  In short, most commoner children had no chance of entering this supreme academy on Douluo Continent.

  Ironically, when Flender first established Shrek Academy, it was because he despised aristocracy.

  A thousand years ter, the dragon syer had become the dragon.

  That said, perhaps it was better for commoner spirit masters not to attend Shrek.

  With decent talent, they might be nurtured as top students at other academies. But at Shrek, they’d likely be relegated to backup roles, finding it almost impossible to stand out.

  Some would even be eliminated outright by Shrek’s stringent standards.

  Simply put, Shrek only accepted the cream of the crop. The rest? They were sent back to the empires.

  “Heh, why am I even thinking about this?”

  “I’m not going there anyway.”

  Qin Xiao pushed aside his chaotic thoughts.

  For now, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

  According to the original storyline, Huo Yuhao’s first "cheat" was just up ahead.

  No matter what, he had to secure Tianmeng Iceworm and Electrolux.

  Tianmeng Iceworm would allow Qin Xiao to rapidly increase his cultivation and gain the power to protect himself.

  Moreover, having Tianmeng Iceworm was essential for activating the rest of Huo Yuhao’s "cheats."

  So, obtaining Tianmeng Iceworm was non-negotiable.

  Next was Electrolux, the Undead Holy Magus. Without him, spirit soul condensation would be impossible.

  Qin Xiao’s power was already drained to its limits—there wasn’t a drop of strength left to squeeze out.

  Given his current weak cultivation, these two were crucial allies.

  “Logically, with the wind baboon—one of the original key pyers—dead, Tianmeng Iceworm should make an appearance soon.”

  Qin Xiao furrowed his brow.

  And as if summoned by his musings, Tianmeng Iceworm’s voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

  “At st! A human with spiritual attributes! If I could cry, I’d be in tears!”

  Ah, the familiar opening line.

  Come on, little Tianmeng, let me give you a warm welcome. Heh heh heh.

  Unbeknownst to the Iceworm, it was walking right into a trap.

  The ground began to tremble.

  Cracks spread across the earth before Qin Xiao like a spiderweb.

  As the fissures widened, a faint golden-white glow shone through, accompanied by wisps of chilling air.

  The temperature in the area plummeted.

  Qin Xiao could even see the white mist of his breath.

  He knew Tianmeng Iceworm was about to appear.

  To lure the Iceworm into sacrificing itself willingly, Qin Xiao feigned panic, trembling as if scared out of his wits.

  Acting as though his knees were knocking together, he aimed to lower Tianmeng Iceworm’s guard.

  As time passed, the cracks expanded to a diameter of more than five meters. A plump, round head emerged, followed by a massive, fleshy body.

  The creature was over a meter thick and more than seven meters long.

  Its entire body was white and jade-like, gleaming with crystalline translucence. Golden rings encircled its body at regur intervals—ten in total, from head to tail.

  Qin Xiao observed it and muttered internally, So this is Tianmeng Iceworm? As dumb and adorable as the original story described.

  “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”

  Tianmeng Iceworm’s voice echoed in Qin Xiao’s mind again.

  Heh, my only fear is that you won’t try to hurt me, Qin Xiao sneered inwardly.

  Outwardly, however, he put on an astonished expression. “Are you… talking to me?”

  The Iceworm raised its head proudly. “Of course it’s me. Mesmerized by my beautiful figure, aren’t you?”

  Yuck… Qin Xiao wondered where this creature got its confidence.

  “Kid, let me introduce myself. I’m the embodiment of heroism and chivalry… the record-holder for the longest lifespan on Douluo Continent, Tianmeng Iceworm. You can call me Brother Tianmeng!”

  Qin Xiao’s eyes widened in mock amazement, pretending to be awestruck. “A… million-year soul beast?”

  He smirked inwardly. Keep bragging. Once I’ve got you, you’ll know the meaning of despair.

  Tianmeng Iceworm basked in his own glory. “Surprised, huh? Excited? You’re the first human ever to behold my magnificent form!”

  "What do you want to do?"

  Tianmeng Iceworm’s voice suddenly grew solemn. “I want to become your spirit ring—the first intelligent spirit ring in Douluo Continent’s history.”

  “Ah?”

  Tianmeng Iceworm gnced hastily in the direction of the Great Star Dou Forest, visibly anxious. “There’s no time to expin. Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle—it won’t hurt too much.”

  Before Qin Xiao could react, Tianmeng Iceworm’s massive body moved with speed that belied its size, instantly reaching Qin Xiao. Its plump head pressed against Qin Xiao’s forehead as the ten light rings on its body pulsed rhythmically, seemingly alive.

  In the next moment, Tianmeng Iceworm itself transformed into waves of white light that surged into Qin Xiao’s body.

  “This is too weak... way too weak. What a pitiful situation I’m in! How many seals will I have to pce on myself just to keep this fragile body from colpsing? Being an intelligent spirit ring isn’t easy,” the Iceworm grumbled upon sensing Qin Xiao’s frail state.

  Qin Xiao mentally rolled his eyes. You’re dissatisfied? Try being in my position.

  Just then, the clear sky suddenly darkened.

  Boom!

  A deafening thundercp echoed across the Great Star Dou Forest.

  The world plunged into darkness as the sun’s light vanished, repced by an overwhelming pressure that descended from the heavens, making it hard to breathe.

  Tianmeng Iceworm, startled by the thunderous roar, shuddered. Its golden eyes rolled upward to stare at the sky, filled with terror.

  “What’s happening? Is the sky falling?”

  The events unfolding clearly surpassed Tianmeng Iceworm’s understanding.

  At that moment, a gray stream of energy pierced through the void, instantly entering Qin Xiao’s body.

  “What the heck? Is someone trying to steal my spot?”

  Realizing what was happening, Tianmeng Iceworm erupted in anger. It unleashed all its spiritual power, desperately trying to merge with Qin Xiao and confront the intruder.

  Within Qin Xiao’s mental space, a hazy figure appeared, its voice ancient and heavy:

  “To grasp the sun and moon, to pluck the stars—there is no one like me in this world. Who would’ve thought that even a sliver of my soul could survive?”

  Without a doubt, Electrolux had arrived.

  However, he seemed utterly drained. After delivering this boastful line, he transformed into a tiny gray bead, no rger than a soybean, and fell silent.

  “Phew, I’m finally in!” Tianmeng Iceworm excimed. “Now, where’s that bastard?”

  The Iceworm darted its tiny eyes around, quickly locating the gray bead that Electrolux had become.

  Without hesitation, it unched a mental attack, its vast spiritual energy surging toward the bead like a tidal wave.

  Yet, the bead remained unaffected by the onsught, neither resisting nor interfering with Tianmeng Iceworm’s power.

  It was like punching air, leaving Tianmeng Iceworm utterly frustrated.

  “Could my luck really be this bad? I finally find a human with spiritual attributes, only for some jerk to fight me for it. Is this the heavens envying my brilliance? Poor me!”

  After several failed attempts, Tianmeng Iceworm let out a pitiful wail.

  Dejected, it soon shifted its focus to the brighter side.

  At least it had escaped the clutches of those monsters in the depths of the Great Star Dou Forest.

  “Haha! I’m finally free. Those jerks who treated me like food—your chance is gone! Hahaha!”

  After its triumphant ughter subsided, Tianmeng Iceworm decided to investigate its host’s life experiences.

  “Let me see what kind of life you’ve led.”

  With that, it began exploring Qin Xiao’s memories.

  In an instant, it was left utterly stunned.

  The first thing Tianmeng Iceworm saw was a towering man standing proudly in the void, surrounded by endless stars.

  The vast starry sky served as his backdrop.

  The gaxies bowed beneath his feet.

  Among the myriad stars, Tianmeng Iceworm even recognized a familiar one—Douluo Continent.

  “What the… Is this an illusion? Am I hallucinating?” The Iceworm’s mind spun with panic.

  Could anyone truly stand atop the gaxy?

  Was that even human?

  As it grappled with shock and confusion, the scene shifted.

  Terrifying figures tore through space and descended—nine of them in total.

  Each exuded an aura so overpowering that Tianmeng Iceworm’s very soul trembled.

  It felt as if these beings could erase it with a mere thought.

  Then, Tianmeng Iceworm saw their lips move, though it couldn’t hear their words. Moments ter, their faces twisted with fury as they unleashed their power against the solitary figure.

  The ensuing battle shattered space itself. Massive stars were reduced to fragments, swallowed by the colpsing void.

  Tianmeng Iceworm swallowed hard, its nerves frayed as it processed what it had just witnessed.

  Today was truly an eye-opener for it—a small knife cutting through the thick hide of its ignorance.

  The terrifying battle it had seen was beyond its wildest dreams, too horrifying to imagine.

  However, what left the Iceworm truly shaken was the figure under siege. That man exhibited an overwhelming power, fighting nine others alone while still maintaining the upper hand. Eventually, he even turned the tables, unching a devastating counterattack.

  Each time one of his opponents fell, it triggered celestial phenomena that seemed to resonate with the heavens and earth.

  Toward the end, a man and a woman fought him together, dispying powers that seemed capable of splitting the sky and shattering the earth.

  Yet, even they were no match for the man.

  "Unbelievable," Tianmeng Iceworm murmured. "To live as a human with such unparalleled magnificence—this is what it means to truly live! From now on, this person is my idol."

  Excitement coursed through the Iceworm, but the thrill quickly turned to dread as it suddenly shivered.

  The mighty man from the memory looked directly at it.

  The piercing gaze froze time itself, sending chills straight to Tianmeng Iceworm’s core.

  “C-can you see me?” its voice quivered.

  Wait a minute... isn’t this just a memory? How is this possible?

  “You’re in my mental space. What’s strange about me noticing you?” Qin Xiao responded with a faint smile.

  Without a doubt, the scene of him sughtering the God of Life, the God of Destruction, and the Seven Deadly Sins was deliberately shown to intimidate Tianmeng Iceworm.

  After all, Qin Xiao’s nature didn’t allow anyone to dictate terms to him.

  He intended to obtain the opportunity Tianmeng Iceworm offered but wouldn’t submit like the original Huo Yuhao, constantly referring to it as "Brother Tianmeng."

  If anything, it should be the Iceworm calling him "Brother."

  “So, what I saw... that was real?” Tianmeng Iceworm asked cautiously.

  “Indeed. Those were my actual memories. Since you wanted to peek into my past, I gave you a little snippet. Satisfied?” Qin Xiao’s tone was indifferent.

  Satisfied? Satisfied my foot!

  You scared me half to death! Tianmeng Iceworm internally grumbled.

  Then it realized something crucial: if that memory was real, those scenes of devastation and carnage truly happened?

  “Y-you’re not human?” the Iceworm stammered.

  Qin Xiao’s expression darkened.

  Did this bug just insult me?

  Tianmeng Iceworm noticed Qin Xiao’s change in demeanor and quickly backpedaled. “Wait, don’t misunderstand! I didn’t mean it like that. I meant you’re not an ordinary human—you’ve surpassed humanity and become a god, right?”

  Hearing this, Qin Xiao’s expression softened slightly.

  Seeing the Iceworm’s hesitation, he calmly said, “I know you have many questions. You may ask the important ones, but whether I answer depends on my mood.”

  “First… you’re not the original owner of this body, are you?”

  “No. I arrived just a few minutes before you.”

  “...Hiss!” Tianmeng Iceworm sucked in a cold breath.

  What kind of cursed luck is this? I spent so long choosing what I thought was the perfect host, only to walk into a tiger’s den.

  “Then you let me enter your body because… you have ulterior motives?”

  “Don’t make it sound so blunt. I merely need to borrow some of your power. Don’t worry—help me, and I’ll reward you handsomely. When this is over, you can ascend to godhood yourself.”

  “Do I have the option to refuse?”

  The thought of working for Qin Xiao made Tianmeng Iceworm uneasy, as if striking a deal with a predator.

  Only by escaping would it feel secure.

  “What do you think?” Qin Xiao’s smile widened as strands of Destruction God Power emanated from his soul, exuding a faint yet oppressive energy.

  ...

  The story was no longer following the original plotline. After subduing Tianmeng Iceworm, the subsequent events would diverge significantly from Peerless Tang Sect.

  (End of Chapter)

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