Douluo: Emerald Poison Emperor

The consumption of this spirit ability isn't high. Its rate of consumption is even slower than Chen Ming's third spirit ring, the Deathly Poison Realm.

Although domain-type spirit abilities are notoriously energy-intensive, and can't be compared to ordinary spirit abilities, the fact that this ability consumes less than the Deathly Poison Realm proves it's relatively low in consumption for a ten-thousand-year spirit ability.

After Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo briefly discussed this spirit ability with Chen Ming, Chen Ming began dissecting the body of the Red-Eyed Ice Toad with a small knife.

Although the Red-Eyed Ice Toad was virtually unknown on the Douluo Continent, its body structure wasn't too different from that of a normal toad. Apart from its eyes, which were three times the size of an ordinary toad's, the rest of its organs were almost identical to the toad soul beasts Chen Ming had encountered before.

Soon, Chen Ming opened the stomach of the Red-Eyed Ice Toad. Inside, most of the Ice Jade Scorpion's body had already been corroded by the venom-laden digestive fluids.

Using his Spiritual Eye, Chen Ming carefully examined the remains. At the left claw of the Ice Jade Scorpion, he detected a unique soul power fluctuation. Chen Ming removed the left claw and infused it with soul power. As the soul power was absorbed, the scorpion claw rapidly shrank in size, shedding layers of carapace that had lost their soul power and nutrients.

Eventually, the half-meter-long left claw had shrunk to the size of a normal human fist. The sticky mucus and impurities that had covered it completely disappeared during the shrinking process, revealing a glowing, emerald-green Ice Jade Scorpion left claw.

"An external soul bone?" Chrysanthemum Douluo examined it curiously, poking it a few times. Feeling the unique soul power fluctuation, which was different from conventional soul bones, he realized he had just gained new knowledge.

"It is an external soul bone," Ghost Douluo muttered to himself. Although he owned a fifty-thousand-year soul bone, this was the first time he had seen an external soul bone that hadn't already been absorbed.

And why hadn't it been absorbed yet?

Because they had seen plenty of absorbed external soul bones over the decades.

For instance, before Bibi Dong had risen to prominence, although she referred to Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo as Elder Chrysanthemum and Elder Ghost even back then, she treated them with respect. While not officially their apprentice, she had received significant training from the two.

Although Bibi Dong's Six Purple Light Wings were kept secret from the outside world, the two of them had seen it numerous times. They had even personally witnessed the growth of that external soul bone, which had started as a thousand-year-level item and, over time, matured alongside Bibi Dong to approach the level of a hundred-thousand-year soul bone.

Seeing an unabsorbed external soul bone now piqued their curiosity, but they weren't greedy.

If it had been someone else, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo might not have been able to resist such temptation. But Chen Ming was their newly accepted disciple.

Not only did he have an impeccable character, but his natural talent was also unparalleled. They were extremely fond of him and wouldn't entertain the idea of coveting a ten-thousand-year external soul bone.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo were eagerly waiting for Chen Ming to grow stronger so they could eventually rely on him. They dreamed of the day when they could proudly claim the title of Masters of Chen Ming, the Ultimate Douluo in the history of the Douluo Continent.

"External soul bones are incredibly rare and valuable. You should absorb it quickly," Chrysanthemum Douluo said to Chen Ming. However, after a moment of silence, Chen Ming shook his head.

"I don't think I can absorb this external soul bone right now."

In the original story, the Ice Jade Scorpion's soul bone had the so-called Pride of the Ice Jade Scorpion. Only a soul master with the Ultimate Ice attribute could absorb it.

At that time, the Star Luo Imperial Family, which controlled the auction house, wasn't aware of this detail. It wasn't until Huo Yuhao pointed it out that they tested the soul bone and confirmed that only Ultimate Ice soul masters could absorb it.

Chen Ming had just used his mental power to probe the bone and found that it indeed had significant limitations.

The Ice Jade Scorpion's bloodline contained no toxins, only pure Ultimate Ice attributes. While it still had flesh and blood, it was closer to an elemental soul beast.

Soul rings primarily contained a soul beast's soul power and essence, while soul bones embodied its bloodline. Soul rings would display different abilities depending on the spi; master who absorbed them, while soul bones were much more stable. Generally, the abilities of a soul bone wouldn't change no matter who absorbed it. Hence, the saying on the Douluo Continent: "Soul rings depend on age, soul bones depend on quality."

Chen Ming tested the bone with his spiritual power and found that, while he could forcibly absorb it, the cost would be severe. His entire left hand would freeze solid, from muscles to bones to veins. Apart from retaining a faint trace of life, the hand would essentially turn into ice.

Even so, this outcome was contingent on Chen Ming's veins being at the Title Douluo level, his body being full of vitality, and his martial soul being the Jade Phosphorous Scorpion Emperor, which was somewhat related to the Ice Jade Scorpion.

For an ordinary soul master, even an ice-attribute one, the soul bone's energy backlash would cripple their arm at best, or at worst, freeze their heart and veins, costing them their soul power—or even their life.

For Chen Ming, absorbing it now simply wasn't worth it. If he wanted to absorb it someday, it would have to wait until after he consumed the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Infernal Delicate Apricot.

Although delaying would mean losing the chance for his arm bone to evolve, it wasn't worth risking his arm—or his life.

Chen Ming explained the Ice Jade Scorpion claw's properties to Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, who were left somewhat at a loss.

The concept of Ultimate Attributes hadn't been formally defined in this era. While they understood that some martial souls had overwhelmingly powerful attributes, they didn't fully grasp the idea of the Ultimate.

In this era, during the reign of the God-Level Seraphim Martial Soul, no martial soul on the continent dared claim to be "Ultimate." Even those whose attributes could be classified as Ultimate by future standards didn't dare to make such claims while the Seraphim Martial Soul remained in existence.

Even so, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo didn't covet the external soul bone. Instead, they told Chen Ming to find a box to store it safely for potential absorption in the future.

After finishing their business, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo took Chen Ming away from the Extreme North, a place highly inhospitable to human soul masters, and headed toward the central regions of the Douluo Continent.

After about three to five days, the trio left the boundaries of the Extreme North. Once outside, their speed increased significantly.

Due to Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo's delicate status with the Heaven Dou Empire, it was best to avoid exposing their connection.

As they neared the Heaven Dou Empire's borders, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo left Chen Ming behind, instructing him to find his way back to Heaven Dou City.

At level 44, Chen Ming was already considered a significant figure on the Douluo Continent. It was time he gained more experience on his own.

With his current strength, Chen Ming was far beyond most Soul Ancestors. Even Soul Kings and Soul Emperors would struggle against him, and only Soul Sages could put up a proper fight. While he couldn't quite roam the continent unchallenged, he faced little danger.

Of course, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo didn't abandon him entirely. Before leaving, they gave Chen Ming a Spirit Hall Elder Token and their personal tokens.

With those, Chen Ming could command any local branch of Spirit Hall. These items provided him with a powerful safeguard.

As for the possibility of Chen Ming being ambushed?

Well, Chen Ming was a poison soul master. He had been learning about poisons and ambushes since his martial soul awakened. Though he rarely showed it, his skills in these areas were exceptional.

Simply put, anyone attempting to ambush Chen Ming should consider themselves lucky if they weren't poisoned by him first.