Douluo Continent: You become gods, I become immortals

Chapter 19: Bizarre Soul Beasts

"Junior brother, come on, let's have a contest of golden light intensity!"

"Junior brother, you went to the orange grove behind the mountain, why didn't you bring me any oranges?"

"Junior brother, I've gotten you a new pair of shoes."

"Qingxuan..."

Those distant voices, piercing through the mists of time, echoed once again in Zhang Qingxuan's mind.

The mountain breeze of Longhu Mountain, the rising sun over the training ground, the hearty laughter of my fellow disciples, and my master's stern yet caring gaze...

The events of my past life unfolded before my eyes like a scroll being blown open by the wind.

At that time, he was the most favored junior brother on Longhu Mountain.

His fellow students always liked to tease him, but they would always remember to bring him back delicious food every time they went down the mountain.

Senior Brother Zhang Zhiwei liked to challenge him to a contest of the intensity of the Golden Light Mantra after morning practice, and sometimes he would complain that he didn't remember to bring oranges. Senior Brother Zhang Huaiyi also quietly changed his shoes to a pair that fit him better.

Those warm and mundane daily moments now seem like a distant memory.

"Young Master? Young Master?" Xiao Bai's clear voice was like a spring, pulling Zhang Qingxuan out of the deep pool of memories.

He turned his head in a daze and met Xiaobai's big eyes, which were full of confusion.

"What was wrong with you just now? You were staring at that big tiger, completely absorbed!"

Xiao Bai tilted his head, completely baffled—that Ice Soul Demon Tiger was funny, but it shouldn't be so captivating, right?

What bothered her even more was Zhang Qingxuan's expression just now.

That distant yet gentle gaze, the slight upturn of his lips, and the fleeting sadness deep in his eyes… She had followed the young master for so long, and had never seen him show such an expression.

"Hehe." Zhang Qingxuan didn't explain, but simply shook his head gently, suppressing those surging thoughts back into his heart.

Some past experiences are destined to be savored alone.

"You big liar, we need to talk!" Hyotei's clear but angry voice broke the silence.

"Bing'er, don't be rude." The Snow Empress frowned slightly, her long, silvery-white hair fluttering gently in the cold wind.

When she turned to Zhang Qingxuan, her expression had returned to its usual calm, but deep within her icy blue eyes lay a trace of worry that was hard to conceal.

"Hmph!" Hyotei turned her head away angrily, but didn't say anything more.

Snow Empress stepped forward slowly, her movements elegant and composed, each step seemingly blending seamlessly with the icy world.

Her voice was clear and cold, like spring water striking stone: "Mr. Zhang, my tribulation is approaching."

She paused, seemingly choosing her words carefully: "Even if I stop cultivating and suppress my cultivation with all my might, I can only delay it for about ten thousand years at most. I am not confident that I can survive this tribulation."

At this point, she raised her eyes and looked quietly at Zhang Qingxuan.

The worry in those beautiful eyes was almost overflowing—it was as if the message, "If you don't help me, I'm afraid I won't make it through," was written all over her face.

Zhang Qingxuan nodded, the lightning within his body slowly circulating, bringing a subtle sense of security.

With this power, even if negotiations break down, he at least has the confidence to walk away unscathed.

"I can help you!" he said slowly, but then his tone shifted:

"But why should I help you? What about compensation? There's no such thing as a free lunch; I can't help you for nothing."

"Hey! How can you be so greedy!" Hyotei instantly bristled, jumping in front of Zhang Qingxuan and pointing her finger at his nose:

"Can't you also benefit from the lightning tribulation? Isn't this just a piece of cake!"

Zhang Qingxuan remained unmoved, simply shrugging: "I could choose not to help. There are many other soul beasts in the world that need to undergo tribulation, but the only ones who can help you safely overcome your tribulation are probably my family."

Before the words were even finished, Xiaobai had already jumped out, pointing her little finger at Hyotei with an imposing air: "You're right! Why should my young master help you for nothing?"

"We're not even acquainted! Believe me or not, if I just tell everyone about the young master's abilities, those soul beasts preparing for tribulation will line up to offer gifts!"

After saying that, she deliberately raised her small face, looking arrogant as if she had the right to do so.

Hyotei was so angry that he trembled all over, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, but he couldn't find any words to refute it.

She had to admit that the other party was right—the initiative was indeed in the hands of this human.

Snow Empress remained silent for a moment, the cold wind blowing her long, silvery-white hair, and snowflakes slowly swirling around her.

After a long pause, Xue Di nodded gently in agreement: "Okay, what do you want? As long as it's within my power, I'll agree."

Zhang Qingxuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, the Snow Empress is ultimately simple-minded.

[They were persuaded so easily.]

"I want you to capture a 990,000-year-old soul beast," he said calmly, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"What?!" Hyotei erupted instantly, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and thick layers of ice crackled and froze on the ground.

"Are you sending us to our deaths? Nine hundred and ninety thousand years! How could we possibly win!"

Xue Di's expression also darkened, and her previously calm domain technique began to stir, with countless ice crystals flying erratically in the air: "Mr. Zhang, this joke is not funny."

Even Xiaobai was terrified, and hurriedly tugged at Zhang Qingxuan's sleeve, her little face full of "Young Master, are you crazy?"

As for the Ice Soul Demon Tiger in the corner, it immediately used its power to completely seal its hearing, curled itself into a ball, and pretended that it was just an ordinary piece of ice.

A soul beast that is 990,000 years old?

Is that a topic it can listen to?

That's already close to being a god!

Zhang Qingxuan smiled and shook his head: "I'm not joking. The soul beast I want... is a bit special."

He glanced at the various expressions on the faces of the crowd and slowly said, "That was a soul beast that got incredibly lucky. It accidentally fell into a treasure trove containing countless millennia-old mystic ice marrow."

The moment the words "Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow" were uttered, both the Snow Empress and the Ice Empress were shocked—that was a treasure coveted by ice-attribute soul beasts!

"Its cultivation level comes entirely from eating; all it does is eat and sleep!" Zhang Qingxuan's tone carried a strange hint of sarcasm.

"But its strength is pitifully weak; any 100,000-year-old soul beast could easily slap it twice."

"What's even more ridiculous is that when it broke through, even the Heavenly Tribulation didn't bother with it—perhaps the Heavenly Tribulation felt that this kind of cultivation, achieved through eating, wasn't worth sending down a test."

Zhang Qingxuan's words were like a bomb exploding in the water, leaving everyone present completely stunned!

Especially Xiao Bai, whose eyes were wide open. A being that was 990,000 years old and almost a divine beast was being bullied by a 100,000-year-old soul beast?

It doesn't even deign to send down a heavenly tribulation?

This completely overturned its understanding of cultivation.

What a weirdo this soul beast is!