Chapter 8: Holding the Sun and Moon, Plucking the Stars

"Who are you?" Hearing the voice in his mind, Xiao Yan jumped in shock, utterly baffled as to why such a voice had suddenly appeared.

The next second, the ground in front of him began to tremble without warning. About two meters away, cracks appeared, gradually widening into fissures, from which a chill seeped into the air.

"Xiao Yan, be careful. Another spirit beast has appeared, and its cultivation seems considerable," Yao Lao's voice echoed in Xiao Yan's mind.

Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, feeling the cold air spreading around him as his face grew serious. But before he could make a move, Yao Lao's voice sounded again: "Leave this one to me."

The temperature around them dropped sharply, and the fissure expanded until it stretched five meters across. A faint golden light glimmered from the crack as a plump creature wriggled its way out. The creature was white and translucent, with a plump head and a length of over seven meters, resembling an enormous silkworm.

The creature looked like a spirit beast, yet its appearance was odd. Its jade-white body glowed as if polished, its skin smooth and clean, and beneath the surface, golden light pulsed. Its head bore two twinkling little eyes, and every segment of its body was ringed with golden lines—ten in total.

Just as Yao Lao was about to take action, the creature spoke: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Huh?" Xiao Yan was taken aback, then cautiously asked, "Are you… talking to me?"

The massive silkworm nodded, speaking again in a cheerful tone. "Of course I am! Who else is here? Are you mesmerized by my magnificent body?"

Seeing that this silkworm-like creature bore him no ill will, Xiao Yan and Yao Lao both felt slightly more at ease.

"Master, what should we do next?" Xiao Yan asked mentally.

"Let's see what it wants. It doesn't seem hostile," Yao Lao replied.

The silkworm continued, "Allow me to introduce myself! I am the embodiment of heroism and chivalry, the ultimate ruler among spirit beasts, a being of wisdom and beauty! I am none other than the great Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, a spirit beast of a million years, holding the record for the longest lifespan on Douluo Continent. You can call me Brother Tianmeng!"

"What? Did you say you're a million-year-old spirit beast? Is it even possible for a spirit beast to live that long?" Xiao Yan couldn't hide his disbelief.

Tianmeng Ice Silkworm beamed with pride. "Of course! I'm living proof, am I not? You're the first human to see my true form."

Still wary, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows. "So, why are you here? What do you want from me?"

"What do I want? Simple. I want to merge with you, become your spirit ring, and be the first intelligent spirit ring on Douluo Continent!" The silkworm moved closer, an amused smile in its tiny eyes.

"Huh?" Xiao Yan took a few steps back in alarm, assuming a defensive posture. "What did you say? You want to… enter my body? No way! Stay back, or I'll attack you!"

This had come out of nowhere, and the idea of a spirit beast entering his body set Xiao Yan's nerves on edge. Naturally, he wouldn't let a spirit beast do as it pleased, especially with Yao Lao by his side.

"How dare you speak to me like that! The more you resist, the more I like it!" Tianmeng Ice Silkworm bounced its plump body forward, inching closer. "I'm big, but if you endure it, it'll be over soon. Don't worry; I'll be gentle."

In the next moment, the ten golden rings on the silkworm's body began to pulse as if alive. Xiao Yan's eyes trembled slightly, and then, as if a switch had been flipped, his normally dark eyes turned an eerie white.

"Xiao Yan, let me handle this," Yao Lao's voice sounded in his mind. "Whether or not this spirit beast means well, I won't let it have its way with you."

Raising his hand, a pale white flame flickered to life. As Tianmeng Ice Silkworm floated into the air, it was hit by a chilling aura and instantly encased in ice.

This was Bone-Chilling Cold Flame, a unique blend of intense heat and extreme cold. When hot, it could burn everything to ashes; when cold, it could freeze the land.

Frozen mid-air, the silkworm dropped like an ice sculpture, its face frozen in a look of shock.

Seeing the spirit beast encased in that eerie white ice, Xiao Yan let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Master. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know how to deal with this."

"This little worm didn't seem malicious, but the thought of it entering your body was troubling," Yao Lao said, his voice now tinged with exhaustion.

"Master, are you alright?" Xiao Yan asked, sensing Yao Lao's fatigue.

"My soul was damaged when we crossed through the dimensional barrier to this world, which is why I absorbed your Dou Qi for those years to heal myself. Though the Bone-Chilling Cold Flame consumes little energy, I'm still weak, so it's no surprise I feel tired," Yao Lao explained quietly.

"In the future, if you find any treasures that restore soul power, I'll need your help in locating them. With those, I could—"

Before he could finish, the once clear sky darkened abruptly. A thunderous rumble echoed overhead as darkness eclipsed the sun, casting everything into shadow.

An oppressive aura descended, heavy enough to suffocate.

A swirling gray mist appeared in the distance, moving as if drawn by an invisible force, and it shot toward Xiao Yan's position.

"Who dares target my disciple?" With an ancient voice filled with authority, Yao Lao's ring pulsed, and his faintly ethereal form materialized before Xiao Yan.

As the gray mist surged toward him, Yao Lao's expression turned icy. A pale white flame erupted from his hand, transforming into a bolt of fire that shot toward the mist, colliding with a loud boom.

"Boom!"

The impact of the two forces sent waves of energy rippling through the air, crashing into the ice encasing Tianmeng Ice Silkworm and shattering it into white shards. The silkworm took advantage of the chaos to wriggle free.

Then, from behind the mist, a shadowy figure emerged, its aged voice filled with unspeakable majesty. "Who am I?! With hands that grasp the sun and moon and pluck the stars, none can compare to me!"

The figure chuckled. "It seems a trace of my soul still lingers. I bear no ill will—I only seek a place to rest."