The searing hot spring and the frigid cold spring clashed together above, and under the combined influence of ultimate fire and ultimate ice, the entire valley was filled with rare and wondrous herbs.
Closest to the two springs, however, grew the likes of the Eight-Petal Ice Crystal Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot —top-tier, ultimate-element plant-type soul beasts!
The instant Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong set foot in this land, the Infernal Delicate Apricot flared with a crimson radiance. From that glow leapt forth the figure of a woman, barring their path.
"That fellow Youyou actually allowed humans in here? You two… could it be that you are the descendants of that person from ten thousand years ago?" the Infernal Delicate Apricot demanded, frowning at the two.
Jiang Qingtong shook her head. "No. We've only come to take two things."
"Two things?" Infernal Delicate Apricot eyes narrowed. "What things?"
"Your origin essence—and the power of the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well."
Jiang Qingtong stated her purpose directly. Upon hearing this, Infernal Delicate Apricot looked as if she had just heard the most ridiculous joke. With a cold snort, she said:
"Impossible! Since you're not that person's descendants, then the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well does not welcome you. Get out—before I change my mind!"
"We aren't here to negotiate," Jiang Qingtong said evenly, shaking her head. "You have only two choices. Either hand over your origin essence now—or be defeated by us, and then hand it over."
As she spoke, the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass near the cold spring slowly grew taller, manifesting the image of a simple, honest-looking human youth who cast his gaze toward them.
Several other hundred-thousand-year soul beasts also revealed their humanoid forms, turning their attention this way.
They all wanted to see who dared to speak so arrogantly.
The Infernal Delicate Apricot loathed humans. Hearing Jiang Qingtong's words, she laughed loudly and scornfully:
"Very well! Let me see for myself what ability you humans have that could allow you to take my origin essence from me!"
At once, she summoned a surging tide of flame. Waves of ultimate fire roared across the heavens, merging with the blazing spring below in a sea of crimson.
Seeing this, Jiang Qingtong and Jiang Shengyu clasped each other's hands. The martial souls Mirror's Flower and Water's Moon floated forth, merging behind them.
Radiant divine light burst out. In that instant, Infernal Delicate Apricot felt an overwhelming surge of power sweep toward her. From within that light, Jiang Qingtong and Jiang Shengyu vanished—replaced by a single, more mature existence bearing both their traits.
The God of Destiny!
The aura of a level 98 Super Douluo erupted unrestrained, crashing down upon all the gathered plant-type soul beasts.
Those farther away immediately retreated back into their true bodies, no longer daring to watch. Even the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass retracted its leaves.
Only the Infernal Delicate Apricot stared at the God of Destiny with shock and uncertainty.
"This… impossible! A human martial soul fusion skill? But why… why is it like this?"
She could not understand. Neither of these two seemed very strong on their own, so how could their fusion produce an existence whose very aura crushed her own martial soul fusion skill outright? Something was not right!
The God of Destiny fixed her gaze upon the Infernal Delicate Apricot , and the voices of Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong rang out together:
"Two choices. Choose."
The oppressive might pressed down on her. Instinctively, she wanted to bow her head, yet pride as a soul beast would not allow her to submit so easily.
Forcing herself to endure, she said hoarsely: "Soul beasts have the pride of soul beasts!"
"Without strength," the God of Destiny replied with a sigh, "pride is meaningless."
With a gentle step, the God of Destiny rose into the sky. A single palm descended toward the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass , the unleashed might suppressing even the aura of the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well itself. The flames of the hot spring could no longer lend her any aid.
She had only her own power to resist.
But she knew—she could not.
As that palm was about to fall, she cried out desperately:
"I surrender! I surrender!"
The God of Destiny stayed her hand, sweeping her arm skyward instead. A torrent of power dispersed the poisonous mists and dust that lingered above the valley, allowing sunlight to stream down and illuminate the terror-stricken face of the Infernal Delicate Apricot .
"You… what are you really?" she trembled, staring at the God of Destiny. "Since you are not that person's descendants, then why have you come here?"
"Must one be his descendant to come here?" the voices of Jiang Qingtong and Jiang Shengyu asked in unison.
Infernal Delicate Apricot froze, unable to answer.
The God of Destiny extended a hand toward her. "Hand over your origin essence. Don't force me to act."
Under that crushing aura, she clenched her teeth—but in the end, resigned herself. From her body, she drew forth a mass of crimson gel-like essence. The very space around it rippled and distorted from its searing heat.
This was the distilled origin of an ultimate fire soul beast—its purest essence!
"That little bit? You think you can fob me off with scraps? All of it!"
The God of Destiny shook her hand, warning the Infernal Delicate Apricot not to harbor any delusions.
"This is my very origin! I must at least keep some for myself! What I've given is already half of all I've accumulated over these ten thousand years! That's equivalent to more than fifty thousand years' worth of ultimate fire essence outside!" she protested, her hand trembling with fury as she held the fiery gel.
The God of Destiny gazed at her silently for a long while. Finally, divine radiance faded, and she split apart once more into Jiang Qingtong and Jiang Shengyu.
Jiang Qingtong reached out and received the fiery essence from the Blazing Fire Apricot Jiao Shu. She then released her Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul. The flaming phoenix spread its wings, black fire intermingling with crimson.
Sensing the aura of the Evil Fire Phoenix Infernal Delicate Apricot expression twisted with disgust. "Ugh! What a chaotic flame! Such a foul stench—stay away from me!"
"If not for this, why else would we borrow your essence to help it evolve?" Jiang Qingtong replied with a faint smile, sitting cross-legged to absorb the fire origin.
Infernal Delicate Apricot leaned closer, muttering in bewilderment: "Strange… this is too strange. This is your martial soul? Isn't your martial soul that flower? Hm? Then what is this? From that flower I sense an even fouler aura that I detest even more!"
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