Chapter 9: None Like Me in This World

With an indifferent gaze, Yao Lao looked at the figure floating behind the gray mist. His hand clenched slowly, and the bone-white flame gathered, radiating an icy visual aura, though its core burned fiercely.

"Rest? I don't care who you are; I advise you not to have designs on my disciple, or else…" Yao Lao's voice held a thinly veiled threat as his eyes narrowed.

But before he could make his move, the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, having just broken free from its icy prison, cried out in alarm, "Oh, dear! Scared me half to death!"

The next second, the silkworm glanced nervously toward the depths of the Star Dou Forest before turning back to Xiao Yan. "You… you all! Oh no, I don't have time! Forget it—I'm going in first. I'll explain later!"

With that, the ten golden rings around the silkworm quickly enveloped Xiao Yan, and its entire form transformed into a series of white waves that surged toward his body. A powerful spiritual force swept out over a hundred miles around them.

"Xiao Yan, be careful!" Yao Lao, still locked in a standoff with the gray mist, had his pupils shrink in shock as he saw this. He hadn't expected the silkworm to take advantage of the situation. Had he not been occupied with the mist, this creature wouldn't have had the chance to approach Xiao Yan at all.

In that same instant, the gray mist slipped through, also merging into Xiao Yan's body and disappearing.

Seeing this sudden turn of events, Yao Lao's face changed, and he launched himself toward Xiao Yan. "Damn it! If not for the damage to my soul source when we crossed into this world, I wouldn't have allowed these two to seize the opportunity!"

Looking at the unconscious Xiao Yan, Yao Lao's eyes turned cold. "Today, I'll see what you both are planning. I, Yao Chen, will protect my disciple at all costs!"

With those words, Yao Lao's ethereal form transformed into a plume of white smoke and dove into Xiao Yan's body.

"What's this? Someone else wants to fight me for control?" Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, already in Xiao Yan's spiritual sea, grew furious. Its massive spiritual power surged, trying to drive out the gray mist.

Yet the gray mist had now condensed into a tiny gray bead, about the size of a soybean, settling down without conflicting with the silkworm or reacting to its presence.

Another white energy soon appeared in Xiao Yan's spiritual sea as Yao Lao arrived.

"Another one? Just when I found the perfect human, two idiots show up to ruin it! Heaven must envy my talents… I'm truly pitiful!" Tianmeng Ice Silkworm grumbled but quickly cheered up. "At least I'm free! All those who wanted to turn me into food, they've lost their chance, ha-ha!"

Meanwhile, deep within the Star Dou Forest, several powerful auras fluctuated violently, as though sensing something.

As Xiao Yan lay unconscious, he dreamt he was in a pure white space filled with countless floating lights that stretched as far as the eye could see. Ten massive golden rings hovered above, slowly rotating.

The golden rings soon coalesced into ten large golden spheres, expanding the space several times over.

Floating nearby was a small, unassuming gray sphere. The golden spheres shone brightly, seemingly attempting to push it away, yet their light couldn't affect the gray sphere at all.

Gradually, Xiao Yan's consciousness stirred, and he opened his eyes to see a plump worm hovering before him.

"So, your name is Xiao Yan?" A familiar voice spoke—it was the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm that had entered his spiritual sea. "But why did you change your name? Shouldn't your surname be Dai?"

Whether it was due to being a transmigrator or something else, the silkworm seemed able to read only his memories from the Douluo Continent, unable to access those of his previous life.

"Why are you here in my mind?" Xiao Yan asked, puzzled as he looked at the chubby creature before him.

The silkworm explained, "Didn't I already tell you? I'm here to become your spirit ring—the first intelligent spirit ring on the continent! To do so, I've compressed and sealed my power greatly. With this spirit ring, you'll become what humans call a soul master."

"With a spirit ring, you might also be able to solve your Dou Qi cultivation issue."

"Cultivate Dou Qi? How do you know about that?" Xiao Yan's eyes widened in surprise.

"Your spiritual sea is linked to your brain's subconscious, right behind your Spirit Eyes martial spirit. I've copied all your memories of this life. I know everything that's happened to you on this continent." Tianmeng Ice Silkworm reassured him with a cheerful tone. "Don't worry; I won't harm you. I'm fully invested in you now! From now on, we'll share in each other's fortunes."

"Ah, so it's only my memories from this life," Xiao Yan murmured, relieved. Then he asked, "Why do you want to become my spirit ring?"

The silkworm sighed deeply. "Do you think I had a choice? My life was nearing its end, and the creatures of Star Dou Forest were hunting me. I had no other option but to rely on you humans."

With a hint of regret, it continued, "I don't want to hide anything from you, so I'll tell you everything."

"Go on," Xiao Yan nodded.

The silkworm began a lengthy tale, explaining how it had inexplicably slept its way to a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast status, endured captivity by the fierce beasts of the Star Dou Forest, and eventually, after breaking the million-year barrier, escaped.

It then boasted about the strength it would bring to Xiao Yan, including a million-year spirit ring and four powerful spirit skills. It even tried persuading him to abandon Dou Qi cultivation in favor of focusing solely on martial spirits, as it could grant him a second spirit.

"I've given you an ice element as a second martial spirit, although it doesn't have a specific form yet." The silkworm added proudly.

"A second martial spirit?" Xiao Yan was puzzled. Could someone awaken a second martial spirit later on?

The silkworm replied, "I'll explain more later. While I've given you the attribute, it currently lacks a shape. Stick with me, and I'll make sure you win every battle!"

"I'm the only million-year spirit beast in the world, the overlord of the Extreme North, the pinnacle of all spirit beasts. They say, 'With hands that grasp the sun and moon, and the power to pluck stars, there is none like me in this world!' Ha-ha!"

Just as the silkworm's voice fell, an elderly and angry voice echoed through the spiritual sea: "You think you can guide my disciple? You're nothing but an overgrown worm not even on the level of a sixth-tier magical beast!"