The Far North was swept by cool breezes, its climate unpredictable. One moment, the sun blazed overhead; the next, snow fell heavily. Ice crystals, sharp as knives, whipped through the air with howling winds, striking skin like arrows, as if to drain all warmth from life itself.
"Rongrong, isn't it about time you told me why we came to the Far North?" Dugu Yan, with her Misfortune Poison Body and Soul Sage strength, was unaffected by the mere chill of the frost.
Ning Rongrong was even less bothered. Walking on the Far North's snow, the biting wind felt like a gentle breeze, refreshingly pleasant. But Dugu Yan remained skeptical of Ning Rongrong's intentions. Traveling thousands of miles from the south to the north—Ning Rongrong might be quirky, but this level of impulsiveness was absurd. More than ten long-distance spatial jumps? Dugu Yan didn't believe Ning Rongrong was just wandering aimlessly out of boredom.
"To help Sister Yan break through to Soul Douluo. Isn't that touching?" Ning Rongrong said earnestly.
"Uh… I'm only level 78, still two levels from 80," Dugu Yan replied.
"So, we'll use pills. You won't die from eating a bit more toxic stuff. It'll help somewhat."
"No way," Dugu Yan's face darkened. "Do you think I'm a trash bin, eating anything?"
"The herbs in the sect are no longer useful to me."
"I know!" Ning Rongrong said. "That's why we're here for something special."
"But did we have to come to the Far North?" Dugu Yan asked suspiciously. "What are you really planning?"
"I originally wanted to go to the Star Dou Great Forest…" Ning Rongrong shrugged helplessly. "I had my eye on the Myriad Demon King's toxins. But a few years ago, I tricked him, causing him to drop from level 99 to 98. I'm not shameless enough to ask him for help again."
"Your face isn't that thin," Dugu Yan teased. "If it was really feasible, would you have skipped the Star Dou Great Forest for the Far North?"
After years of friendship, didn't she know Ning Rongrong's personality? More than ten spatial jumps, exhausting herself like a dog, only to rush to the Far North? There was definitely more to it.
"Fine, I'll come clean," Ning Rongrong said, shrugging. "I once ate a fruit from the Myriad Demon King, sent by Bi Ji. From its properties, I deduced that the Myriad Demon King's plant-based toxins aren't very suitable for you. So, I didn't bother going to him. I owe Di Tian a favor, and I'd rather not face the Myriad Demon King's glares. I'm not that shameless."
"The Ice Jade Scorpions of the Far North are a great alternative," Ning Rongrong mused. "There are plenty of them. If we can convert their toxins into your power, you might reach level 80. With luck, we might even trick one into a 100,000-year soul beast sacrifice."
"A 100,000-year soul beast? That easy?" Dugu Yan's eyelids twitched. "Are you trying to make enemies of the Snow Empress and Ice Empress? Wait—Ice Jade Scorpions? Aren't those the Ice Empress's clan?"
The Ice Empress, full name Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, led the Ice Jade Scorpion clan, didn't she?
"Exactly!" Ning Rongrong exclaimed. "Sister Yan's memory is pretty sharp. I'm targeting the Ice Empress's clan. Isn't that super thrilling?"
"And…" Ning Rongrong's eyes gleamed. "I've spotted a lone Ice Jade Scorpion."
Grabbing Dugu Yan's hand, Ning Rongrong left her speechless. In a blink, they arrived at a cave carved from ice. A few meters away lay a scorpion, about two to three meters long, its body covered in a translucent ice-blue shell, as if sculpted from crystal, radiating a cold sheen. Its tail was a striking emerald green, contrasting vividly with its ice-blue body, creating a visually pleasing effect.
"Quietly, let's sneak over. Don't get noticed," Ning Rongrong whispered, gesturing for silence to Dugu Yan.
She pulled out a meter-long wooden stick and cautiously approached the dozing Ice Jade Scorpion. Her tiptoeing made Dugu Yan roll her eyes.
Bang! The stick struck, causing a recoil. A large bump formed on the Ice Jade Scorpion's blue head. The dozing scorpion's eyes rolled back, and it passed out.
"Perfect, we weren't spotted," Ning Rongrong said, making a V-sign and storing the stick back in her soul tool for future use.
"All this fuss for a mere 10,000-year soul beast?" Dugu Yan facepalmed, walking to Ning Rongrong's side.
"No choice. Even a lone scorpion has backing. I don't want it snitching to the Ice Empress someday." Dugu Yan approached the scorpion's tail, using soul power to extract its venom into a glass container.
Looking at the slightly viscous blue-green venom, Dugu Yan dipped a finger into the container, tasting a small amount. "Cool and bitter," she said, sensing changes in her body. "It's somewhat useful, but the venom's too weak."
"This Ice Jade Scorpion just crossed into 10,000 years. It's normal for its venom to be weak," Ning Rongrong said, dipping her finger into the venom and tasting it. Dugu Yan quickly stopped her.
"Hey, Rongrong, don't eat everything!"
Ning Rongrong's sudden move startled Dugu Yan.
"Relax, a mere 10,000-year Ice Jade Scorpion's venom has no effect on me," Ning Rongrong said, showing no signs of poisoning. "It's sticky and feels weird. The ice attribute is lacking, and the venom's not great either. It hasn't fully matured in any aspect."
Using zhenqi to evaporate the remaining venom from her finger, Ning Rongrong dusted off her clothes and stood up calmly. "It's decided. We'll use the Ice Jade Scorpion."
In her palm, specks of light gathered, and the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda appeared, radiating healing energy that enveloped the scorpion. The bump on its head gradually flattened. The scorpion let out a "woo-yeh" sound, seemingly waking from its coma but still asleep.Moments later, Ning Rongrong retracted the pagoda. Before the scorpion fully woke, she tidied up the crime scene, grabbed Dugu Yan, and left the cave.
Ten minutes later, the Ice Jade Scorpion let out an "awoo" and flipped upright. The 10,000-year beast stood shakily, its bulging eyes scanning the surroundings like a dead fish.
"No mistake, this is my nest. No one's touched it," it thought. "Was I just having a nightmare? Why does my head feel phantom pain?"
After blinking, the scorpion closed its eyes and fell back asleep, determined to rest fully for energy.