Power, like a gentle tide, flowed ceaselessly through his meridians and soul. It was a seamless and overwhelming force that Immortal Lord Qingxu had never experienced before. At the core of the newborn Dao Seal, the complete Ice Soul Inheritance imprint rotated silently, radiating a profound chill and majesty. This should have been a breakthrough worthy of ecstasy, a glimmer of light finally seen after a long journey through darkness.

However, Immortal Lord Qingxu's heart felt as if it had been immersed in ten thousand years of ice, unable to feel even a trace of warmth.

His entire being was occupied by the dim, seemingly more deeply cracked soul ice crystal at the other end of the soul link. That faint life fluctuation, almost extinguishable at any moment, pierced his slightly invigorated nerves like a cold needle.

"Adaptive observation".

The cold intent left behind by the Dark Gold Consciousness was like a sharp blade hanging overhead. Its manner and timing of falling were unknown, but its target was absolutely clear—the ice crystal that had weakened due to the "gift".

The increase in power did not bring a sense of security; instead, it disrupted a fragile "balance," placing Su Nian in an even more unpredictable and dangerous situation. The burden brought by this newfound power far surpassed the pain of any previous backlash.

He dared not delay for a moment. Almost the instant he completed the breakthrough and stabilized the Dao Seal, he tried to mobilize the power of the newly formed Dao Seal and carefully transferred it to the dim ice crystal through the soul link.

Unlike the refined cold energy he had used before, this time he was channeling primordial power containing the complete essence of the "Ice Soul Condensation Technique," imbued with a hint of "resilience" and "symbiosis." This power was gentler, closer to the essence of ice crystals, as if it were a nourishment tailor-made for them.

However, the effect was... negligible.

The ice crystal was like an entity that had exhausted all its energy, extremely sluggish in responding to external nourishment. Power flowing into it was like water droplets seeping into parched and cracked earth, barely maintaining that faint life force, but utterly unable to mend the widening cracks or make the internal aura shine again.

It was too "weak". The previous "gifts" were almost a kind of overdraft at the source.

Immortal Lord Qingxu's heart sank. He could sense that the ice crystals weren't rejecting his power, but rather... they simply didn't have enough power to respond or absorb it. It was like an empty container, unable to hold anything more.

He dared not force the infusion, fearing that the already fragile ice crystals would shatter completely under his reckless action. He could only maintain this subtle and continuous nourishment, like guarding a candle flickering in the wind, his heart filled with a sense of powerlessness.

Just as he was focused on maintaining the life of the ice crystals, the "observation" foreshadowed by the dark gold consciousness quietly arrived.

There was no warning, no sign.

Above the soul link, the originally formless and intangible channel was suddenly forcibly "widened" and "solidified" by a force beyond comprehension! A torrent of thoughts, neither from Qingxu nor from Su Nian, cold, pure, and devoid of any emotion, surged into Qingxu Immortal Lord's sea of ​​consciousness like a bursting dam, along this solidified channel!

This is not an attack, but a kind of... forced "information synchronization" and "state collection"!

"Buzz—!"

Immortal Lord Qingxu groaned, feeling as if his consciousness had been ripped away and plunged into a vortex of countless streams of cold data. He "saw" every detail of the runes on his newly formed Dao Seal; its structure, energy flow efficiency, and degree of integration with his soul were all scanned, analyzed, and recorded in meticulous detail.

At the same time, he was also forced to "observe" the current state of that soul ice crystal from an unprecedented and extremely cruel "perspective".

No longer a vague sense of life, but a chillingly precise "numerical" presentation—

[Anchor Point: Su Nian (Soul Symbiosis)]

[Energy Level: Extremely Low (Below the threshold for maintaining basic conscious activity)]

[Structural stability: High risk (core crack propagation rate: +17.8%, continuing to deteriorate...)]

[Resonance with the Law: Rapidly Decreasing (The deviation in compatibility with the 'Container' New Dao Seal is widening...)]

[Risk Assessment: High (There is a risk of collapse, which may trigger a chain reaction of collapse in the symbiotic system...)]

Lines of cold data, a series of alarming warnings, pierced Qingxu Immortal Lord's senses like the sharpest icicles. He "saw" the cracks within the ice crystals that had once contained the radiance of inheritance, now like wounds of despair, constantly emanating a faint aura of the soul. He "felt" the weakness and coldness originating from the very source of his soul, far more suffocating than any physical pain.

This forced "observation," which turned Su Nian's "existence" into cold parameters, had a far stronger impact on Immortal Lord Qingxu than any direct attack. A violent emotion mixed with anger, regret, and helplessness grew wildly in his heart, almost crushing his mind, which had become increasingly resilient due to his cultivation of the "Ice Soul Condensing Heart Technique."

But he held it firmly in place.

He realized that this might be part of "adaptive observation"—observing his reaction to the weakening of his "anchor" after gaining power. Any loss of control could lead to even worse consequences.

Just then, that torrent of icy will surged once more, and a clear, unquestionable "command," accompanied by several highly complex energy operation models, was directly imprinted on the core of his consciousness:

[System imbalance detected. Optimization solution provided:]

[Option 1: Eliminate Redundancy. Proactively sever the deep soul connection with the 'anchor point,' while retaining the basic energy absorption channel. Use the 'anchor point' as a pure energy source and a reference point for laws, maximizing the growth efficiency of the 'container,' with an expected stability increase of 300%.]

[Option Two: Forced Equilibrium. Using the 'container' as the primary agent, the residual essence of the 'anchor point' is extracted in reverse, forcibly bridging any minor flaws in the Dao imprint, achieving final solidification, with an expected power level increase of 150%.]

Option 3: ...

Each "solution," cold and efficient, was based on sacrificing Su Nian to preserve his own and the "efficiency" of this "symbiotic system." They were like meticulously crafted keys, tempting him to open the door to greater power, but the price was the faint yet tenacious flame of his soul behind that door.

Immortal Lord Qingxu's consciousness trembled violently amidst the cold torrent of data.

These "solutions" were not shortcuts to power for him, but rather the whispers of the devil.

Stripping away? Extracting? Squeezing out and utilizing even the last bit of value Su Nian has left?

So what was the purpose of all that effort, enduring countless pains, and even accepting this dangerous symbiotic system?!

For power?

No.

From the very beginning, all he wanted was for her to survive.

This sudden, incredibly clear thought acted like a stabilizing force, instantly calming his mind, which was almost overwhelmed by cold data and monstrous solutions.

Without any hesitation, he responded silently yet resolutely to the omnipresent monitoring consciousness with his own will:

"Reject all optimization solutions."

"I choose to maintain the 'anchor point'."

There was no explanation, no pleading, only the most direct declaration.

The instant he made his choice, the forceful torrent of will on the soul link receded like a tide, and the solidified channel returned to its original state. It was as if everything that had just happened was merely a cold illusion.

But Immortal Lord Qingxu knew that the choice had been made and the scales had tipped.

He no longer attempted to "repair" the ice crystal, as that was beyond his current capabilities. He simply focused more intently and continuously channeled that gentle primal power, like the most patient guardian, using his own strength to transform into the most resilient threads, carefully wrapping and enveloping the cracked ice crystal, trying to build a final, warm barrier for it.

He didn't know if this could stop the next "adjustment" of the Dark Gold consciousness, nor did he know where this unbalanced system would ultimately go.

All he knew was that no matter what dire straits lay ahead, he would never let go, never abandon the soul sleeping within the ice crystals.

Without her, the other side of power would be nothing more than another, even colder, icy hell for him.

But in the deepest part of the ice crystals, unseen by him, in the endless silence and darkness, a faint, almost imperceptible warmth, born from being protected, flickered like a star.

---

(End of Chapter 41)

Chapter ending suspense:

1. Qingxu's Choice: Faced with the "optimization plan" offered by the Dark Gold Consciousness at the cost of Su Nian, Qingxu firmly chose to protect, clarifying his core motivation—power exists for protection.

2. Escalation of Conflict: Qingxu's personal will clashed directly with the cold logic of "efficiency" and "balance" based on the Dark Gold consciousness. This fundamental opposition foreshadowed a more intense conflict to come.

3. Su Nian's subtle reaction: The shimmering "trace of warmth" deep within the ice crystals suggests that Su Nian's subconscious is not completely dormant. She may have sensed Qingxu's protection and choice, which leaves a possible foreshadowing for her consciousness to recover.

4. Uncertainty about the future: Qingxu's rejection of the "optimization plan" means he has chosen a more difficult path. How will the Dark Gold Consciousness respond to this "non-cooperation"? Will it exert greater pressure, or launch a more extreme "test"? What new challenges will be faced in maintaining the life of the ice crystals?