Shu Yan lifted his eyes slightly, showing no surprise at anything Luo Qinghan had just said.
These remnants of the Spirit Hall had long dwelled in the impoverished and treacherous southern regions of Star Luo. The suffering endured by their ancestors through generations had long since extinguished any hope they once held for the so-called "people of the world."
Over time, among them had developed a survival order not unlike that of the natural world—the absolute belief that only the strong reign supreme. Regardless of age or gender, their leader would always be the one with the greatest talent and strength in that generation. Resources naturally flowed toward these chosen leaders. It was one of the harsh adaptations they had made in response to reality.
If Shu Yan wanted them to yield or join him, he would need to demonstrate an overwhelming level of talent and confidence one that left no room for resistance.
Shu Yan was certain that there were still Title Douluo-level experts within this so-called Southern Alliance. But even so, in the face of his current group, that foundation alone was hardly enough to pose a threat.
After all, just how many human experts under the heavens could truly stand against the Snow Empress beside him?
The answer was simple—very, very few.
And the Snow Empress stood firmly on Shu Yan's side. While it was true that Shu Yan benefited from her presence, the fact that he was even capable of earning her favor already put him ahead of ninety-nine percent of outsiders.
As for talent… Shu Yan glanced down at himself. There really wasn't much suspense on that front either.
"You want proof? That's not difficult. But perhaps, before I demonstrate the full extent of my confidence, we can start by showing each other our hands. Miss Luo, what do you think?"
Shu Yan chuckled softly. His gaze remained calm as he looked into Luo Qinghan's eyes—eyes as still and emotionless as a dead lake. Even someone as composed as Luo Qinghan found it difficult to read him, momentarily unsure of how to respond.
Chen Ming and Wang Lin's expressions shifted subtly as well. They had never seen Luo Qinghan at a disadvantage in any negotiation before. This time, however, things had clearly taken an unexpected turn. A sense of caution rose within them, and their gaze toward Shu Yan became faintly wary, as though ready to act at any moment.
Luo Qinghan's gaze darkened, but after a moment of silence, she finally spoke in a low voice:
"Luo Qinghan. Martial soul: Azure Luan. Rank 49 Assault and Control System Battle Soul Sect."
Chen Ming and Wang Lin were briefly stunned but followed up without hesitation:
"Chen Ming. Martial soul: Blazing Flame Lion. Sixteen years old. Rank 44 Assault System Battle Soul Sect."
"Wang Lin. Martial soul: Black Tiger. Sixteen years old. Rank 43 Assault System Battle Soul Sect."
Shu Yan glanced at the two with a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He hadn't previously bothered to examine their cultivations closely, only sensing them vaguely. Now it was clear—these two were undoubtedly gifted geniuses.
Breaking through to the Soul Sect realm at sixteen was no easy feat. Anyone who achieved that level at such a young age was certainly among the top talents of any sect or faction. Although these Spirit Hall remnants had the support of the Star Luo royal family, the scarcity of cultivation resources was still one of their most pressing challenges.
After all, over thousands of years, aside from the most elite beast or tool martial souls, others like the Black Tiger or Blazing Flame Lion—though considered top-tier—had expanded in population and were even thriving.
Still, Shu Yan's surprise lasted only a moment. Regaining his composure, he looked at the three and said softly:
"Shu Yan. Thirteen years old. Martial soul: Ice Sky Snow Maiden. Rank 55 Assault System Battle Soul King."
His voice echoed through the hall as he slowly rose to his feet. Five black soul rings emerged, and wisps of cold energy spread outward from behind him. In an instant, delicate snowflakes began to drift through the hall like something out of a dream. Amid this magical snowfall, a hazy silhouette resembling the Snow Empress appeared out of thin air, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
With the appearance of that figure, the already freezing air plummeted even further. Naturally, those protected by the Snow Empress felt nothing. But the three across from them—Luo Qinghan, Chen Ming, and Wang Lin—grew visibly pale. Facing such extreme cold, they could barely endure it.
Luo Qinghan's eyes snapped up, shock surging within them—fully captured by Shu Yan. Behind her, Chen Ming and Wang Lin also showed expressions of disbelief. Their eyes locked on Shu Yan with sudden intensity. Both of them could clearly sense the powerful suppression emanating from a high-tier beast martial soul.
Among beast martial souls, it wasn't just soul beasts of the same type that followed a high-to-low hierarchy. Facing a super martial soul like the Ice Sky Snow Maiden, which commanded an ultimate element, even martial souls of different attributes would suffer suppression if their tier was beneath it. While this suppression would be lighter for non-ice types, it still existed.
From his earlier observations, Shu Yan could already infer that Luo Qinghan's Azure Luan was no ordinary version of that martial soul.
Normally, the Azure Luan possessed a strong wind attribute. Historical records from the empire even noted that the Azure Luan Douluo—one of the three high priests of the Spirit Hall ten thousand years ago—was highly proficient in using soundwaves as a unique attack method, in addition to wind.
Soundwaves primarily affected the spiritual realm. While not a spiritual attribute in itself, it was a special kind of spirit-focused soul skill.
More powerful spiritual soul skills would require stronger vessels—such as a true spirit-type martial soul or soul bones with spiritual attributes. From Shu Yan's analysis, the former seemed more likely in her case.
While the three of them were still stunned, Shu Yan had already retracted his martial soul and soul rings. The cold began to dissipate, and the temperature slowly rose.
Throughout the earlier display, Shu Yan had deliberately controlled the surrounding temperature. If he had allowed the Ice Sky Snow Maiden's ultimate cold to fully erupt, turning the entire hall into a frozen realm in an instant would've been effortless.
"An ultimate attribute super martial soul, and a thirteen-year-old Soul King—surely that qualifies me to earn your allegiance, don't you think?"
At this, Shu Yan gave a light chuckle and shook his head slightly.
"Also, let me correct something you said earlier. You weren't stable to begin with. Those words of comfort you're telling yourselves? They're fine to say—but if you actually believe them, that's the real joke."
His words threw the trio into silence.
They weren't foolish. Perhaps the name "Ice Sky Snow Maiden" had seemed unfamiliar at first, but once they understood, waves of shock surged through their hearts.
The astonishment was beyond words. They knew exactly what an ultimate attribute meant. Reaching the Soul King realm at thirteen despite the slowed cultivation speed caused by such an attribute was nearly as difficult as an ordinary soul master becoming a Soul Douluo by twenty.
Not impossible, but close.
And in the midst of their thoughts, the same feeling of helplessness and confusion welled up in all three of them. Shu Yan had spoken the truth: if one could really be fooled by their own comforting lies, then the problem was far worse than they'd imagined.