Chapter 429: The Most Familiar Stranger, Part 1
Far North Arctic Plain
Strictly speaking, the Far North Arctic Plain is the largest gathering area of soul beasts on Douluo Continent. However, the extreme climate here limits the number of soul beasts, making it less appealing to most soul masters compared to the Star Dou Forest. Yet, this harsh environment has also fostered some of the most fearsome beasts, second only to Di Tian.
In the endless whiteness of the Arctic Plain, Ye Wen walked alone. Stretching for miles, this vast land was blanketed in snow, its flat, featureless landscape disorienting to anyone who traversed it. However, Ye Wen moved forward with purpose, finding his way effortlessly even with his eyes closed. In his original timeline, this place had once served as an anchor point for the Divine Realm of Douluo.
Suddenly, Ye Wen paused, noticing a figure ahead.
"Who are you?" a clear, cold voice echoed, tinged with a regal elegance. The sound of it brought an instinctive smile to Ye Wen's face.
"You insolent fool," she said icily.
Her tone was calm, but in the next instant, a blizzard roared toward him with relentless force, as if intending to sweep him from existence. Ye Wen marveled at her; in any timeline, Snow Empress was indeed as strong and noble as ever. However
With a snap of his fingers, he instantly dispelled the devastating snowstorm.
Snow Empress's brows furrowed as she recognized the scope of Ye Wen's power. A surge of soul power spread throughout her being. She couldn't yet tell if this stranger was human or soul beast. If he was human, he likely wasn't after her for a spirit ring at this level of power, but a human might still covet her spirit bones. If he were another beast at her own level of power, then perhaps he was here to challenge her dominance over the Northern Plains.
Prepared for either scenario, Snow Empress asked cautiously, "Are you human or beast?"
Ye Wen only smiled in response, giving no answer. Instead, he simply raised a hand, beckoning her forward.
"Defeat me, and you'll know," he replied calmly.
Snow Empress's expression hardened as she sprang into action. Despite her human form, she was an elemental lifeform through and through, practically a divine being by nature if not for the restrictions of Douluo's world. Having existed in the ruthless soul beast hierarchy, she harbored no mercy, unleashing an even more ferocious storm that darkened the sky for miles around.
"Imperial Sword, Imperial Palm, Imperial Frost Heaven!" she called out.
The raw soul power released was immense, so intense that it was felt by other powerful soul beasts from thousands of miles away. In the distance, the Emerald Ice Empress sensed the wave of energy.
"This aura it's Big Sister. Why is she exerting so much force? Could a human soul master be attacking? I need to go help!" Without hesitation, Ice Empress sped toward the source, a flash of emerald against the white landscape.
Meanwhile, deep in the frozen peaks, Titan Snow Devil King had also taken notice, his eyes widening as he looked in Snow Empress's direction. Despite being the weakest among the three Arctic kings, Titan Snow Devil felt a sense of solidarity with his fellow beasts. As someone with a deep admiration for Snow Empress, he didn't hesitate, and began rushing toward the disturbance.
Back in the heart of the blizzard, Snow Empress was in full attack mode. Though she'd unleashed the full power of her "Three Absolutes," Ye Wen remained untouched within a perfect cube shield.
"Not a single tremor," she observed grimly. "It seems this intruder is stronger than I expected. No need to hold back."
With her true power revealed, Snow Empress unleashed a second wave of blizzard, doubling the storm's size, plunging the area into near complete darkness. But despite this intensified attack, Ye Wen's shield remained unfazed, and he didn't counter.
Inwardly, Ye Wen was impressed. "So, this is the full strength of Snow Empress as she was meant to be: her unique element based spirit and the purest essence of ice," he mused. "She's close to the power of a half divine, level 99 Spirit Saint, though still a ways from true divinity."
Snow Empress, meanwhile, was growing increasingly unsettled. As the sovereign of the Northern Plains, she had rarely faced such an implacable enemy. She had encountered extreme Douluo humans before, but never experienced this level of powerlessness. The longer she attacked, the more shaken she became.
As her powers flared, Snow Empress sensed two powerful soul energies approaching. "Those signatures they're Ice Empress and Titan Snow Devil King! Curse it! Why are they coming? Are they trying to get themselves killed?"
She quickly sent a mental transmission to them. "Run! This enemy is beyond us all. Get away while I can still hold him off!"
Ice Empress and Titan Snow Devil King halted as the message reached them. Titan Snow Devil hesitated, realizing his assumption that Snow Empress could easily handle the intruder had been wrong. After a pause, he turned and fled.
Ice Empress, however, only paused for a second before charging toward the battle once more.
"Stubborn Ice Empress!" Snow Empress grit her teeth in frustration. "Why can't she just listen?!"
Abandoning her escape plan, Snow Empress focused on protecting Ice Empress and preparing to hold off the stranger alongside her.
Ye Wen, still holding his position, looked on with mild exasperation, then sighed. "It's one thing for them to be bonded like sisters, but now they're acting like total fools in love one would have been fine, but now two of them are getting themselves trapped."
Just as Snow Empress was considering teaming up with Ice Empress to take on Ye Wen, his perfect shield dissolved.
Before Snow Empress could respond, Ye Wen was upon her, a warm hand clasped gently around her slender neck. To her shock, no suffocating grip accompanied his hold, but she felt her soul power seal instantly, her strength draining away.
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