"You?!!"
The Ice Empress's once-calm voice turned panicked.
"Bingbing, you know me. If I dare to show up here, at the very least I'm confident I can die together with you... Just recently, I surpassed a million years of cultivation and became the continent's only million-year soul beast." Skydream's tone was unhurried. Watching the Ice Empress struggle in the cocoon, he chuckled softly.
"It's useless, Bingbing. From the moment you appeared, the ending was set."
"We'll pursue the chance to become gods together, go to the God Realm, or..."
The Skydream Ice Silkworm's voice was faint.
"I'll drag you down with me and we'll share the Yellow Springs."
"Pick one."
"Despicable! Shameless! Skydream, you're a beast!" the Ice Empress cursed.
This place was completely sealed off by the Skydream Ice Silkworm's terrifying spiritual power; not a trace of aura would leak out.
By the time Snow Empress or Ah Tai noticed, it might be too late.
No matter how the Ice Empress vented and struggled, Skydream simply watched quietly. Huo Yuhao looked at the hysterical Ice Empress, a flash of reluctance in his eyes. Though morally condemnable, he still clenched his teeth; this concerned his future—success or failure hinged on this...
"I'll give you one more minute," Skydream said blandly.
"If you refuse, then we'll go together."
"I..."
A struggle flashed in the Ice Empress's eyes.
Crack—
Just as she was about to agree, a fissure suddenly appeared on the cocoon, spreading like a spiderweb in an instant.
Skydream, who was sustaining the cocoon, instantly weakened, then stared in shock at the few figures arriving late in the distance.
"You again?!!"
"Mhm." Su Wen shrugged.
With the Ice Emperor right in front, the Permafrost Domain activated. All ice-type skills fell on Skydream. Exhausted from maintaining the cocoon trapping the Ice Empress, Skydream had spent all his strength—his exterior was now a bubble that burst at a poke.
"Go!!!"
Skydream burned all of his life essence.
Not for mutual destruction, but to scoop up Huo Yuhao and flee.
...
When the Ice Empress finally broke free of the cocoon, bedraggled,
and swept her furious gaze around,
only three figures remained.
"You're the Ice Empress?" The boy in the middle stepped forward, eyes narrowed slightly as he sized her up.
The auras from the two at his side made her heart inexplicably palpitate, but she didn't dwell on it—her gaze focused entirely on the boy.
To dare come alone into the core of the Extreme North—
he must have a powerful backer.
Could it be he came for her?!!
Fresh from nearly being ritual-sacrificed by Skydream, the Ice Empress's rage darkened the sky. A wave of snow rolled outward. Coldly, word by word, she said, "Human, you—"
"Let's be friends."
Su Wen suddenly reached out his hand, eyes sincere.
Ice Empress: "Eh?"
The terrifying aura of one of the Extreme North's Three Kings froze mid-surge. She stared blankly.
"What did you say?"
"I said... let's be friends."
"He just helped you out of your predicament. I can testify!" Mu Qiuer quickly added.
"I can too," Gu Yuena said mildly.
"You are..." The Ice Empress's voice grew shocked. "A Rui Beast? And..."
...
"You came all the way to the Extreme North just to be friends with me?"
Core circle of the Extreme North.
The three leaders were all present.
The Ice Empress couldn't help but ask again.
"Not just you—also the Snow Empress." Su Wen speared a slab of snow-pig meat with a knife, roasting it over the fire, and nodded as he spoke.
Ice Empress: "..."
Still hard to grasp.
"What a weirdo, really..."
"But... is that a second Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion?"
On the other side, while speaking at length with the Rui Beast, the Snow Empress noticed a key point—she'd actually noticed long ago, just now found a good moment to ask.
She looked to the subject.
A cascade of pure white hair over her shoulders, sky-blue eyes clear and ethereal. A graceful figure wrapped in a white dress with no adornment, bare feet on the snow, like an otherworldly fairy descending to the mortal realm.
"Yep, its name is Ice Emperor," Su Wen smiled.
"How is it—more domineering than 'Empress,' right?"
"Tch~ 'Empress' is obviously more domineering."
The Ice Empress bristled.
"But I went through three great tribulations and cultivated for who knows how many years to become the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion. How did it manage in just a few thousand years?"
This Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion had come with Su Wen.
She'd never seen it in the Extreme North before.
The Ice Jade Scorpion clan was relatively harmonious with little infighting. As clan chief, she welcomed rising talents—there was no suppression...
"It's my martial soul," Su Wen said, biting into the snow-pig.
Personally caught by the Ice Empress, this thousand-year Snow Spirit Pig had firmer, richer meat—fatty but not greasy. Just for this pig, his trip wasn't in vain.
He patted the nearby Ice Emperor's head. It lay on the ground and nuzzled him.
A soul beast of several thousand years had some intelligence.
It only remembered living with its clan in the Extreme North a few years back, then being chosen by Su Wen in a daze, and then... becoming the Ice Emperor. Its mind was like a child's, but it was especially attached to Su Wen.
The closeness between man and beast
made even the Snow Empress click her tongue in wonder.
"Since signing a contract with it, we've been inseparable—As for your previous question—why it could become the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion in mere millennia—you can understand it as evolution."
"..."
After his explanation,
the Snow Empress and Ice Empress exchanged a look,
each seeing shock in the other's eyes.
"It's true," Gu Yuena said, poking the fire. She lifted a roasted pork leg and took an elegant bite, red lips parting slightly.
"This boy's situation is very special. Not long ago, in front of everyone, he absorbed a fourth martial soul. The Emerald Swan evolved on the spot into the Jade Spirit Swan—even Di Tian and the others were tempted."
"..."
"What about me?" the Ice Empress blurted.
"Hahaha, the Empress had the same reaction," Mu Qiuer couldn't help laughing.
"Possible," Su Wen nodded.
"..."
The Ice Empress looked at the Ice Emperor.
"If... I mean if, you use up one contract to sign with me—would that be a bit of a waste?" she asked carefully.
"...Yes," Su Wen nodded.
"Most skills and moves overlap. For me, your talent isn't much different from the Ice Emperor's."
"..."
A dimness flashed in the Ice Empress's eyes.
Su Wen's martial soul matched her too well.
Especially when she could hardly cross the fourth heavenly tribulation—this risk-free choice was tailored for her.
But...
Too late.
"..."
The Snow Empress was silent for a while.
"There are actually two more options."
As everyone fell quiet, Su Wen suddenly raised two fingers.
"First, you become a soul spirit attached to me. My chances of becoming a god are high—then it would be the god-making method the Skydream Ice Silkworm mentioned."
"Second, I help you resolve the fourth tribulation, and you continue cultivating here in the Extreme North," Su Wen said, chewing snow-pig meat.