Within the core of a massive, spear-like ice bone, a crystal light shimmered brilliantly, where intense spiritual energy of heaven and earth flowed and churned like running water, releasing a dazzling, mesmerizing radiance from within the bone.

This was the dragon body of the Glacial Crystal Dragon.

The colossal Glacial Crystal Dragon was a hundred meters long and ten meters wide; hollow in its vast expanse, all flesh and sinew had vanished, leaving only this enormous skeleton.

Shi Yan currently stood precisely at the center of this immense skeletal structure.

Beside him, an intensely clear ice bone, resembling crystal, emitted a sparkling, crystalline light. This space felt like a bone house constructed from thick, elongated bones, encased externally by dense rock.

The flowing spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged within the bones like water. Here, Shi Yan needed no focused effort to refine his essence; merely by breathing, he felt the spiritual energy, cool as dew, permeate his chest and abdomen through respiration, being absorbed by his body and gradually drawn into the ball of vital essence revolving in his lower abdomen.

The concentration of spiritual energy in this place was the densest Shi Yan had ever witnessed; even the Divine Stone Cave on the Undying Island of the Yang family paled in comparison to this location.

He felt as though he were bathing in an ocean of spiritual energy. Every pore on his body involuntarily absorbed the surrounding Qi, granting him supreme comfort, creating a desire to drown in it and never depart.

"Be careful; that entity is at the head of this dragon's skeleton," the Profound Ice Cold Flame transmitted its message from the Blood Vein Ring.

Shi Yan nodded silently, deliberately not releasing his spiritual sense. After calmly observing his surroundings for a moment, he looked upwards. Through the pearly white skeletal structure, he could only see thick layers of ice rock, frosted with chilling white vapor that was intensely cold—touching it would cause an ordinary person's limbs to freeze solid.

Although he did not fear the cold of the ice rock, he understood that leaving this place would not be easy.

"No need to worry too much," the Profound Ice Cold Flame paused before transmitting again. "The flames of the Ten Thousand Year Earth Core Fire can dissolve all the surrounding ice rock. Even if that entity is adept at utilizing icy energy, it won't gain the upper hand under the searing power of the Earth Core Fire. Moreover, with my assistance, your body can fully adapt to the invasion of the cold air; you only need to guard against its soul attack."

"Mm," Shi Yan acknowledged, cracking a cold smile, and replied, "The Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame is also in the Blood Vein Ring. That entity is likely just a spiritual phantom. Once it senses the aura of the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame, it will probably be far more terrified than I am."

"The Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame is indeed the bane of such spiritual entities," the Profound Ice Cold Flame agreed with his assessment. "However, can you control it?"

"I cannot control it." Shi Yan secretly shook his head. "It is tightly sealed within the Blood Vein Ring. I cannot communicate with it, nor can I perceive its current state. But the aura of the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame is very unique; I imagine that if the entity intrudes, it might sense something."

The Profound Ice Cold Flame fell silent for a moment before responding, "It is still best to be cautious."

Shi Yan smiled, offered no further reply, and proceeded directly toward the location of the dragon's head.

A massive, oval crystal, roughly the size of a table and chair, hovered within the empty skull cavity of the dragon head. The crystal radiated a biting cold, white as hoarfrost jade, within which flowed a strange, brain-like substance that gently swayed, resembling a human cranium, emitting an extremely potent life fluctuation.

Shi Yan grew solemn, subtly condensing his power and maintaining keen vigilance, stepping closer to the dragon head where the crystal floated.

Ten meters away, gazing at the stationary Dragon Crystal, watching the substance within tremble like a brain, Shi Yan paused for a long time before coldly demanding, "What do you intend to do?"

The brain-like substance suddenly began to boil as if plunged into hot water, bubbling up with small, snow-white spheres. As these bubbles burst within the Dragon Crystal, they released thin white mist that scattered throughout the crystal’s interior.

Simultaneously, a strange voice emanated from within the Dragon Crystal: "I want your body. Give me your body, and you can find another person to possess. In exchange, I will help elevate your soul, granting your main soul greater power. Furthermore, I promise that the host body you find can cultivate here, gathering spiritual energy, which will significantly accelerate your cultivation speed."

Shi Yan was astonished.

This Holy Spirit God of the Sacred Spirit Sect had proposed such a bizarre demand instead of immediately employing its formidable soul power for a direct forceful seizure.

This turn of events indeed exceeded Shi Yan's expectations.

"Sorry, I do not accept this bargain," Shi Yan shook his head, facing the Dragon Crystal with open candor. "I am very satisfied with this body and have no desire to exchange it. Moreover, if I wish to enhance my soul, I will do so through arduous cultivation and tempering, without needing your power."

What a joke. His current body contained not only the Undying Martial Soul but also the Petrifying Martial Soul. His heart absorbed the power of the stars, and all his acupoints collected and refined negative energy. It held countless mysterious marvels.

This body was a treasure trove and the fundamental guarantee of his survival. To discard it merely for a slight enhancement of his soul—only a madman would agree to such a trade.

Shi Yan rejected the offer cleanly and decisively.

"You refuse?" The bubbles emerging from the Dragon Crystal accelerated. "I gave you a chance. If you refuse, I will forcibly take it. In that case, your soul might be utterly destroyed. Don't force me to be ruthless."

"You understand mercy?" Shi Yan let out a dry laugh and shook his head. "If you truly have the ability, come and try to seize it. I'd like to see if you have the capacity!"

As his words fell, without waiting for any movement from the Holy Spirit God within the Dragon Crystal, Shi Yan's expression abruptly turned icy.

"Peng!"

Clusters of intense Heavenly Fire erupted fiercely from his palms. The Heavenly Fire transformed into serpentine jets, carrying the searing energy capable of incinerating all things, instantly lashing out toward the Dragon Crystal.

"Ch-ch-ch!"

The Heavenly Fire enveloped the Dragon Crystal, which emitted a strange sound. A massive amount of white mist billowed out as the icy cold and scorching heat collided, causing the temperature within the bone structure to fluctuate continuously.

"Heavenly Fire!"

The Holy Spirit God within the Dragon Crystal cried out in alarm. It had clearly not anticipated that Shi Yan possessed such a means and was forced to divert a portion of its energy to resist the Ten Thousand Year Earth Core Fire invading the crystal.

The Glacial Crystal Dragon was a powerful ice-attribute demonic beast, its bones possessing a bone-chilling coldness. However, the coldest element within the dragon's body was the Dragon Crystal itself. The Glacial Crystal Dragon's crystal was extremely icy and incredibly hard, truly one of the coldest rare materials in existence.

Even the enveloping flames of the Ten Thousand Year Earth Core Fire could not instantly burn the Dragon Crystal to ash. The Holy Spirit God continuously gathered cold energy to resist the invasion of the Earth Core Fire, allowing the searing heat to be canceled out by the cold energy, preventing any true harm to the Dragon Crystal itself.

"You struck first, so I won't be polite either."

The Holy Spirit God spoke from within the Dragon Crystal, its voice flat and devoid of emotion. Immediately, an extremely violent soul tide surged forth like towering waves, sweeping directly toward Shi Yan.

A soul assault piercing to the bone!

Shi Yan stood firm. Within his eyes, he seemed to see a vast expanse of ice and snow, ice shards condensing together, clashing and crisscrossing, unleashing sharp cold force and soul-shredding power. The two forces intertwined, overwhelming the sky and earth, rushing directly toward his Sea of Consciousness, intent on shattering it in one blow.

This was a guaranteed killing strike aimed at his Sea of Consciousness and main soul.

The sweeping soul impact was all-encompassing, allowing him no room to dodge. In an instant, he experienced an ominous illusion that his Sea of Consciousness was being blocked.

"Five Demons Attack!"

The Five Demons, already restless within his Sea of Consciousness, shot out like fierce ghosts, plunging together into the incoming soul tide.

The Negative Five Demons, each of a different form, were all sinister and bizarre, brimming with an evil and menacing aura. They burrowed into the soul tide released by the Holy Spirit God, immediately baring their fangs and claws, forcefully tearing the soul tide apart, shredding it into tattered strips of soul fragments drifting everywhere.

"Demon fiends!"

The Holy Spirit God shrieked, appearing extremely shocked within the Dragon Crystal, and hastily attempted to stop a new round of soul attacks.

The soul fragments torn apart by the Five Demons, which Shi Yan’s spiritual sense could detect, instantly recondensed, transforming into beams of piercingly cold light. These rays rapidly stretched, and as they rushed toward Shi Yan's Sea of Consciousness, they gradually morphed into countless tiny, crystalline ice bone dragons.

Each miniature ice bone dragon was only about a meter long, exquisitely translucent, exuding a pervasive chill. Their bodies were lifelike, yet each possessed a gaping maw from which icy energy was continuously exhaled.

Dozens of these small ice bone dragons, having reformed from soul fragments, bypassed the blockade of the Negative Five Demons and charged directly toward Shi Yan's Sea of Consciousness.

"Hmph!"

Shi Yan's expression remained unchanged, and his Sea of Consciousness twisted momentarily.

The calm Sea of Consciousness churned with countless divine senses swirling. A great wind rose within it, while the main soul continuously grew, suddenly becoming as vast as a mountain-sized god or demon.

The residual negative emotions left by the Five Demons within the Sea of Consciousness were forcefully pulled out by the main soul, transforming into ropes of opaque, dark light that shot out to entangle those ice bone dragons.

The main soul, within the Sea of Consciousness, twisted and shifted along with it, its direction fluctuating unpredictably. After several evasive maneuvers, it left behind numerous illusory projections of the main soul to confuse the invading ice bone dragons condensed from the Holy Spirit God's soul.

As the ice bone dragons drew near, the main soul waved its hands. The dark light ropes, condensed from negative energy within the Sea of Consciousness, suddenly erupted, wrapping around each ice bone dragon with pinpoint accuracy, rendering them immobile. They couldn't even enter the Sea of Consciousness, let alone capture Shi Yan's main soul.

"Impossible! Your understanding of soul mysteries cannot possibly reach such exquisite depths!"

The Holy Spirit God cried out in shock from within the Dragon Head. It could never have imagined that its meticulously planned, subtle strike would be so easily neutralized by Shi Yan once again.

"There are many impossible things," Shi Yan sneered. His Sea of Consciousness shifted again. The dark light ropes binding the ice bone dragons began to drag them, bundling them together.

Simultaneously, the Five Demons that had exited the Sea of Consciousness returned, their forms writhing excitedly, baring their fangs and claws as if eager to devour the ice bone dragons imbued with the Holy Spirit God’s soul aura.

"No!"

The Holy Spirit God screamed again.