In the Far North, not far from the Ice Empress's palace, lay the territory of the Ice Jade Scorpion clan. From a high vantage point, one could see countless Ice Jade Scorpions, their translucent bodies shimmering, their green tails striking. The sheer number was staggering.
No wonder in the Peerless Tang Sect era, hunting a tens-of-thousands-year-old Ice Jade Scorpion was as challenging as killing a 100,000-year soul beast. Ning Rongrong couldn't help but take a sharp breath. Over a thousand 10,000-year Ice Jade Scorpions—most just crossing that threshold—were terrifying enough, and the millennium and century-old ones were even more numerous, stretching endlessly.
"This twin-tailed loli has quite the army," Ning Rongrong thought. You couldn't judge a scorpion by its appearance or measure its strength by its tail.
"Well, human? Aren't my subordinates impressive?" the Ice Empress said with a smug expression, eager to see shock on Ning Rongrong's face.
"They're alright," Ning Rongrong said, refusing to indulge the loli's ego. "I didn't expect so many Ice Jade Scorpions to follow your orders. I almost feel sorry for them."
"What do you mean by that?!" The Ice Empress's anger flared, her twin tails floating slightly under the influence of her aura.
"Nothing, just saying you've got great vision, Commander," Ning Rongrong teased.
"I don't get your human innuendos, but you're definitely slandering me," the Ice Empress huffed.
"Ha, don't overthink it," Ning Rongrong said, spreading her hands. "No wonder the Snow Empress thinks you're childish. You won't win her over like this."
The Snow Empress: "…"
Can you two argue without dragging me into it? Fine, time to change the subject.
Worried her dear Ice Empress might throw a tantrum, the Snow Empress spoke up. "Ning Rongrong, aren't you at all worried about Dugu Yan's condition?"
The Ice Jade Scorpion's venom wasn't comparable to ordinary soul beast toxins. Unlike the Ice Empress, who had forsaken her venom to master the Extreme of Ice, the Ice Jade Scorpions possessed both ice and poison attributes. While their ice attribute paled compared to the Ice Empress's, it was still close to the Extreme of Ice. Combined with their unique scorpion venom, the effect was far greater than the sum of its parts. Each release of venom carried an intense chill, not quite at the Extreme but beyond what most humans could handle. This so-called Misfortune Poison Body could absorb poison, but could it handle such near-Extreme ice chill?
Ning Rongrong glanced at Dugu Yan, seated in a pool of deep green Ice Jade Scorpion venom dozens of meters away, and shook her head. "No one starts at the top. There's no path in this world until many walk it. Just as not every Ice Jade Scorpion is the Ice Empress, and not every Ice Snow Maiden is the Snow Empress."
In the Peerless Tang Sect era and beyond, the Ice Snow Maiden martial soul ranked below the Ice Jade Scorpion. But what did that prove? The Ice Jade Scorpion wasn't the Ice Empress, and the Ice Snow Maiden wasn't the Snow Empress, yet the Ice Empress was an Ice Jade Scorpion, and the Snow Empress was an Ice Snow Maiden.
"Is that so…" the Snow Empress murmured, her radiant eyes studying Dugu Yan, who was deep in meditation within the venom pool. "Ning Rongrong, have you considered what happens if Dugu Yan loses control?"
The more she observed Dugu Yan, the more terrifying she found her. The Snow Empress, with her acute sensitivity to nature as a 690,000-year-old soul beast—a half-god nearing quasi-god strength—felt a chill after closely sensing Dugu Yan's aura. It was as if Dugu Yan had compressed all her poison into her body, even her spiritual world. If anything went wrong, that unimaginable poison could erupt.
The Snow Empress couldn't fathom the consequences. She felt that a being whose cells, blood, and possibly soul were infused with poison shouldn't exist among humans—or even soul beasts. It was like a liver in a game: some had a liver in their body, while others were a head growing on a liver.
"Such a constitution shouldn't exist," the Snow Empress murmured, then turned to Ning Rongrong. "Dugu Yan's Misfortune Poison Body—it's related to you, isn't it?"
Though phrased as a question, her tone was certain.
"Yes," Ning Rongrong admitted without denial. "Dugu Yan's talent wasn't enough to become a top-tier powerhouse on the continent. She needed another path. You both know how crucial talent is—sometimes more than effort. Not everyone can cross boundaries, but if someone does, isn't that a form of talent in itself?"
The Ice Empress and Snow Empress fell silent.
"If time allowed, I wouldn't have pushed Dugu Yan to fully merge her soul, spirit, and body with poison so quickly. It's risky," Ning Rongrong said.
"Are you using her?" the Ice Empress asked coldly. "As expected, humans are inherently evil."
The Ice Empress respected strength, but she disdained such two-faced behavior.
"It's not about using her. I explained all the potential risks and challenges she'd face on the way here. It was her own will," Ning Rongrong said.
"You seem in a hurry," the Snow Empress noted, sensing a shift in Ning Rongrong's emotions. "Why?"
"To prepare for possible future events—dealing with certain soul beasts, or even a beast tide," Ning Rongrong replied.
The Ice Empress and Snow Empress's pupils contracted.
"Do you know what you're saying, human?" the Ice Empress's gaze turned icy. "Talking about fighting soul beasts and beast tides in front of me and the Snow Empress? Are humans really that evil? Or have you done something to soul beasts again?"
The Snow Empress grabbed the Ice Empress's hand to calm her, remaining in listening mode.
The Ice Empress suppressed her anger and snorted. "Human, if you don't give a clear explanation today, you're staying in the Far North!"
"Oh? Even Di Tian and the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King couldn't keep me. You think you can?" Ning Rongrong's tone was calm.
What? Even Di Tian and the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King…
The Ice Empress was shocked. The Snow Empress, however, didn't doubt Ning Rongrong's words.
The Ice Empress opened her mouth to speak, but the Snow Empress stopped her with a look.
"Ning Rongrong, can you tell us why? I sense traces of Di Tian's aura on you," the Snow Empress said. As an Ice Snow Maiden, she was highly sensitive, but she didn't believe Ning Rongrong could kill Di Tian. Even she could only barely contend with Di Tian by borrowing the Far North's power.
"The information is reliable, from the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's wife," Ning Rongrong said. "Sea soul beasts are planning a beast tide against the continent. As for why, I can't tell you yet, but it's likely tied to Sea God Island."
"Sea God Island? The island where Bo Saixi became a god?" the Ice Empress and Snow Empress exclaimed in unison.
"Yes. The Sea God's inheritor has appeared, but for certain reasons, I haven't acted against him," Ning Rongrong nodded. "You might not believe me if I tell you these things. Sometimes, it's better to see for yourself. If you meet Di Tian, his words would likely carry more weight than mine, a human."