In the centermost region of the Far North Land.
Unlike other places, there was no blizzard filling the sky here, only endless, severe cold. Ice that had not melted for hundreds of thousands of years glinted with an azure color under the sun.
And yet, in such a place, a living being stood, quietly admiring the scenery that had not changed for ten thousand years.
The Ice Empress looked at that beautiful back, a flash of envy and joy in her eyes.
Skydream constantly praised her beauty, but how could she not know that the most beautiful being in this Far North Land was actually the Snow Emperor.
"You're here." The Snow Emperor slowly turned around. Her silver-white hair, which fell to her feet, swayed in the wind. Her azure eyes were bright and clear, as if untainted by a single speck of worldly dust.
Although this clear, cold, and elegant voice had no emotional fluctuations, the Ice Empress could sense the welcome the Snow Emperor held for her.
The Snow Emperor was a being born from Innate Origin Power. Though classified as a Soul Beast, her appearance was closer to that of a human.
A look of amazement filled the Ice Empress's eyes. No matter how many times she saw her, she was always captivated by the Snow Emperor's noble and ethereal aura.
After a long moment, as if sensing the doubt in the Snow Emperor's eyes, the Ice Empress came back to her senses. "I came because there is something I wish to discuss with you."
She immediately recounted the matter concerning Li Xun and Skydream.
"Ice Empress, I cannot determine whether that human is telling the truth or not."
The Snow Emperor was silent for a long time. "You don't have to worry about the four-hundred-thousand-year limit. I will help you."
Deeply moved, the Ice Empress said, "Snow Emperor, you should know how much energy I'll need to pass the Heavenly Tribulation after my origin was damaged. If you help me this time, what will you do about your own seven-hundred-thousand-year Heavenly Tribulation?"
It was easy for a higher-level being to help a weaker one, but for the weaker one to return the favor was incredibly difficult.
The Snow Emperor naturally understood this principle as well.
Although her and the Ice Empress's cultivation levels were different, the time until they reached their respective bottlenecks was roughly the same. If she helped the Ice Empress, even if the latter returned the favor in time, it would very likely not be fast enough for her own approaching Heavenly Tribulation.
She could only gamble on breaking through first to ensure they both remained safe.
But even so, that was still a more reliable option than the human's words. After all, a Soul Master's goal was to obtain Spirit Rings, so they were capable of telling any kind of hypocritical lie or excuse.
"I do not trust the promises of humans. If possible, I would like to meet him," the Snow Emperor said after some thought, no longer trying to persuade her.
Warmth flowed through the Ice Empress's heart, and she quickly moved closer to the Snow Emperor's side.
After two months of travel, Li Xun once again stood on Seagod Island, a place where it was spring all year round. Compared to the bone-chilling cold and the endless expanse of white, he still preferred it here.
"You're back!"
Ning Rongrong was as cheerful as ever, trotting over with a skip in her step. "Brother, I have good news for you! I'm about to reach level sixty."
"That's quite some progress." Li Xun smiled and rubbed Ning Rongrong's little head. Although she was younger than him, the girl was now seventeen.
Hmm... she had grown up quite a bit.
And it wasn't just her age. With the rise of Zhu Zhuqing's intense competitiveness, Ning Rongrong's cultivation speed had also clearly quickened.
"Of course," Ning Rongrong said, tilting her little face up.
Li Xun flicked her on the forehead. "Give you an inch and you take a mile. How many steps have you climbed?"
"Eighty-nine... Brother, his trial is completely unreasonable!" Ning Rongrong's spiritedness instantly deflated.
"The rules were set by others. We only have three choices: obey, refuse, or break them." Li Xun led Ning Rongrong to the intersection point of the Sea God's Light.
He looked back at Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan. "Today, I'll help you complete this trial."
The Sea God's Light trial was indeed quite difficult. Without a teammate with cheat-like abilities, it would be impossible to pass within a year.
Even Zhu Zhuqing, the strongest of the three women, was currently stuck on the 193rd step, a far cry from the required 263rd.
Of course, this was also related to their age and cultivation level.
Dugu Yan thought for a moment. Among them, her requirement was the lowest. "Little brother Li Xun, let me go first."
"Alright." Li Xun nodded and smiled, extending his hands. To him, it didn't matter who went first.
Dugu Yan's eyes lit up. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Li Xun's neck.
"Let's go!"
Li Xun swept Dugu Yan up by the waist, pushed off with his feet, and instantly charged up the steps.
Fifty-seven, ninety... In a flash, they had covered more than half the steps required for Dugu Yan's trial, and only then did Li Xun begin to feel a bit of pressure.
Watching the hard-working Li Xun from the side, Dugu Yan wore an expression of pure enjoyment.
Her Sea God Seven Trials required her to reach the 136th step, and she had already reached the 98th on her own. Although she could feel a mountain-like pressure bearing down on her, it was still within her tolerable limits.
She buried her head in Li Xun's shoulder. "Should I reward you tonight?"
Feeling the warmth by his ear, Li Xun nearly stumbled and fell on the steps.
Steadying himself, he said fiercely, "I've seen your true nature long ago. You're all talk. When it comes to the critical moment, you're more timid than anyone. I'm telling you, the more you provoke me, the more you'll suffer in the end."
"Hehe, I'll be waiting, big sister. I'm just afraid you don't have what it takes. After all, I've only ever heard of bulls working themselves to death," Dugu Yan said, her almond-shaped eyes narrowing as she blew a breath of air by Li Xun's ear.
Giving Dugu Yan's bottom a firm squeeze, Li Xun committed this to memory. He said no more and quickened his pace, charging upward.
One hundred ten... one hundred twenty. Li Xun's speed wasn't very fast, mainly because he was looking out for Dugu Yan.
The pressure from the hundredth step onward was already immense, as could be seen from Dugu Yan's expression. Moving too quickly could very well cause her internal injuries.
And even though he had slowed down, Li Xun had already used his healing ability to protect her.
Feeling the warm current constantly circulating within her, Dugu Yan's heart warmed.
This was the first time she had ever enjoyed Li Xun's healing ability. Previously, whenever she bickered with Ning Rongrong, Ning Rongrong would always use this fact against her when she got exasperated.
Dugu Yan rested her chin on Li Xun's shoulder and slowly gave Ning Rongrong a smile from her position on the mountain.
Down below, Ning Rongrong stomped her feet in anger, muttering nonstop.
One hundred thirty...
When Li Xun carried Dugu Yan and stepped onto this stair, a red screen of light shot out from her forehead. The pressure from the red seven-pointed star was so strong that even Li Xun was affected.
[Top Seven Trials, First Trial: Pass through the Sea God's Light. Complete. Soul Power increased by one rank, Spirit Ring age limit increased by five hundred years.]
A voice sounded in Dugu Yan's mind. Immediately after, layers of red light surged from her body, continuously circling and weaving around her before transforming into a red halo that merged into her body.
The Spirit Rings at Dugu Yan's feet appeared involuntarily. Her original second yellow Spirit Ring quietly transformed under the Amplification, and six Spirit Rings—yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, and black—shone in succession.
Watching this scene from the bottom of the steps, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up, and they were instantly amazed.
Li Xun also walked down the steps at this moment and extended a hand to Zhu Zhuqing. "I'm afraid Yan will need a little while longer. Let's start first."
Shyly, Zhu Zhuqing reached out with both hands and, mimicking Dugu Yan, wrapped her arms around Li Xun's neck.
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