Douluo Dalu 3: Legend of the White Fox

"You want to bid on the Heart of the Ice God? Pfft,—"

Even Leng Yaozhu, an Ultimate Douluo, couldn't help but spray the tea she had just sipped all over Xia Yi's face upon hearing his words.

"For the Heart of the Ice God, I'll endure it." Xia Yi silently wiped the tea off his face.

"Do you think the Heart of the Ice God is just a giant radish or something?" Cold Yaozhu asked with a dark expression.

She felt no guilt at all for spitting tea on Xia Yi.

After all, he had just made an utterly outrageous request.

She had just returned from the Sea God Pavilion, burdened with a mountain of troubles to deal with, and now Xia Yi was throwing an even bigger headache her way.

Xia Yi said nothing and simply looked at her.

Seeing this, Leng Yaozhu gritted her teeth and asked, "Are you serious? Do you even know how much the Heart of the Ice God costs?"

"I just checked at the Shrek Auction House." Xia Yi replied solemnly.

"In that case, how do you even have the nerve to ask? We only met today, didn't we?"Leng Yaozhu asked coldly.

"I'm borrowing money from you. I'll definitely pay you back in the future." Xia Yi said sincerely.

"Borrow? Do you think a minimum bid of five billion Federal Coins is something you can just borrow?" Leng Yaozhu flicked her long hair and asked mockingly.

"If you have conditions, just say them." Xia Yi said helplessly.

"Fine. First condition—you better fix your attitude when asking me for money." Leng Yaozhu snorted.

"Understood, respected Heavenly Phoenix Douluo." Xia Yi immediately bowed respectfully to Leng Yaozhu.

He had no choice. The only person who could possibly help him acquire the Heart of the Ice God was Leng Yaozhu.

"That's more like it. Now tell me, why do you want the Heart of the Ice God?" Cold Yaozhu asked.

"It will help my martial soul evolve." Xia Yi didn't hide the truth.

He had considered using Leng Yulai to deceive Leng Yaozhu, but after thinking it over, he abandoned the idea.

For one, doing so would be too unethical.

For another, this matter was fundamentally different from the past.

Before, when he had lied to Leng Yaozhu, it was out of necessity.

Even if she found out one day, she wouldn't be able to blame him.

But this time was different. If he used Leng Yulai to trick Leng Yaozhu into buying the Heart of the Ice God, then once she realized the truth, she might kick him out immediately.

And after that, she'd likely never treat him kindly again.

"Honestly, with how weak your martial soul is, it's worth far less than even a fraction of the Heart of the Ice God. Using it for evolution is a complete waste." Leng Yaozhu said seriously.

She wasn't mocking him—just stating her objective opinion.

Using the Heart of the Ice God to evolve a martial soul was a ridiculous extravagance.

"You seem to know a lot about the Heart of the Ice God?" Xia Yi asked curiously.

"Of course I do. I researched it a few years ago, but unfortunately, I learned nothing useful." Leng Yaozhu said indifferently.

"You researched it? Can you tell me about it?" Xia Yi asked.

While he could sense the Heart of the Ice God's attraction to him and knew it could help evolve his martial soul, he actually had no idea what it really was.

She took a deep breath and said, "The Heart of the Ice God is not a natural treasure, nor is it a rare metal. It's an existence that no one knows the origin of. Because it contains an immensely powerful ice attribute, it was given the name 'Heart of the Ice God.'"

"To obtain it, at least nine Titled Douluo-level experts have already died. The surrounding temperature remains between minus 200 degrees and minus 237 degrees Celsius all year round. In other words, it constantly lingers near absolute zero. Because of this, the Federal Government theorizes that it is the core of some extreme cold, most likely originating from the Extreme North. Its energy levels have been thoroughly examined and found to be between that of a Level 9 and Level 10 Fixed Soul Guided Cannon's explosive core."

"Moreover, the energy within the Heart of the Ice God is extremely pure—purely of the ice attribute. Among the Titled Douluo who died for it, three weren't even killed in combat. They died from their bodies being frozen solid upon contact with it."

"So even now, no one knows how to use it or harness its energy. But there has always been a rumor that if someone were to create a fourth God-Slaying Fixed Soul Guided Cannon, the Heart of the Ice God would be the ultimate core material—bar none."

"Of course, this is only a rumor. The Heart of the Ice God has been studied for countless years by the military and the Federal Government. It has indeed been confirmed that it could serve as the core for a God-Slaying Fixed Soul Guided Cannon. But in reality, it's impossible. It's not just ultra-cold—it also isolates itself from any form of energy. Its internal energy cannot be manipulated through any Soul Guidance Device or Soul Guidance Array."

"If that weren't the case, the Heart of the Ice God would never have made it to auction in the first place."

Leng Yaozhu paused before continuing, "The allure of a God-Slaying Fixed Soul Guided Cannon is too great. Not only has the Spirit Pagoda bid for the Heart of the Ice God before, but even Shrek Academy and Tang Sect have participated in past auctions. But since none of them could unlock its power, they were ultimately forced to resell it just to reassure the Federal Government."

Xia Yi nodded. Whether it was the Spirit Pagoda, Tang Sect, or Shrek Academy, their power was already enough to threaten the Federal Government.

After all, in many areas of research, they had long surpassed the government.

Just because the government couldn't figure out how to use the Heart of the Ice God didn't mean they couldn't.

Holding onto it would only increase the government's suspicion of them.

"Even a slight leak of the Heart of the Ice God's power could freeze a Titled Douluo to death. Using it to evolve your martial soul… do you realize how dangerous that is?" Leng Yaozhu's expression turned solemn.

Even she feared the power of the Heart of the Ice God.

And Xia Yi? He only had one soul ring.

Touching it would be no different from courting death.

"No matter what, I need to get the Heart of the Ice God first." Xia Yi said firmly.

"Are you sure?" Leng Yaozhu asked seriously.

"I'm sure." Xia Yi nodded.

"Fine." Leng Yaozhu nodded as well. "I'll help you. But you have to do something for me in return."

"What is it?" Xia Yi asked curiously.

"Deliver this Storage Soul Guidance Ring to my sister." Leng Yaozhu said, revealing a fiery red ring in her palm.

The ring was exquisitely crafted, engraved with a lifelike Heavenly Phoenix. Though small, every feather was clearly defined.

Xia Yi could even see the phoenix's wings slowly stretching—it was definitely moving, albeit very subtly.

It was clearly no ordinary Storage Soul Guidance Device.

"If I see your sister again, I'll definitely deliver it." Xia Yi took the ring and said solemnly.

Leng Yaozhu looked at him and sighed. "I don't know if you're a blessing or a disaster for her."

(End of Chapter)