The Snow Empress, dressed in white robes whiter than snow, gazed at Little White's figure on the light screen, her eyes filled with affection.
"Little White, well done. Three hundred sixty thousand years. You have finally lived up to the expectations of the Ice Empress and me."
The Ice Empress stood beside her, a rare smile appearing on her face as she raised her hand and patted Little White on the shoulder.
"Not bad. Now the range of your 'Ice Bear Blizzard' has increased by another two thousand meters. In terms of large-scale combat power, there is no one in the Far North who can rival you."
"And in terms of cultivation years, you are no longer much weaker than I am."
The Ice Empress was close to four hundred thousand years in cultivation. After receiving the ranking reward, Little White was now approaching three hundred ninety thousand years and was already extremely powerful.
The Titan Snow Demon King snorted, his tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction, yet unable to hide his acknowledgment.
"Hmph, this silly bear finally didn't disgrace the Far North. But don't get too proud."
Little White stood over forty meters tall. Its white fur shimmered with dazzling silvery light, and excitement filled its pale blue eyes as it respectfully lowered its head to the Ice and Snow Twin Emperors.
"Thank you, Godmother. Thank you, Ice Empress. Without your guidance, and without the eighty thousand years of cultivation from the Heavenly Rankings reward, Little White could never have reached three hundred sixty thousand years!"
Feeling the surging power within its body, the range of "Ice Bear Blizzard" soaring from one thousand meters to three thousand meters, and the might of Ultimate Ice increasing severalfold, its heart brimmed with heroic pride.
"From today onward, I will protect the Far North with all my strength and never allow anyone to invade it!"
The Snow Empress nodded in satisfaction, her gaze shifting toward the Star Dou Great Forest to the south, a deep light flashing in her eyes.
"Now that the Soul Beast Ranking has appeared, turmoil will soon rise across the continent. Your growth, Little White, is the greatest source of confidence for our Far North."
At that moment, the sky suddenly darkened.
An invisible pressure descended like the heavens collapsing from above, instantly enveloping the entire Far North and causing all soul beasts to feel suffocated.
The Snow Empress, Ice Empress, and Titan Snow Demon King all changed expression and abruptly looked up.
"This aura… it is that God King from Heavenly Path Academy!"
The Snow Empress's voice trembled slightly.
In the sky, a cyan figure slowly emerged. It was Li Tianyi.
Beside him stood a young girl in a long blue dress, Shui Bing'er.
Li Tianyi's gaze fell upon the Ice Bear King, Little White, with tangible weight. Yet he did not act immediately. Instead, he spoke slowly, his calm voice clearly spreading across the entire Far North ice plains.
"Ice Bear King, I know you have just received the Heavenly Rankings reward. Your cultivation has already reached three hundred sixty thousand years, one step closer to the four-hundred-thousand-year tribulation."
Little White's expression changed. A trace of wariness and confusion flashed through its pale blue eyes as it roared,
"Human God King, what do you want?"
"I do not wish to forcefully act," Li Tianyi said with a faint smile, his tone carrying a hint of temptation.
"You should know that for a soul beast to face the four-hundred-thousand-year tribulation, the success rate is less than one in a thousand. It is heavenly lightning capable of tearing apart the divine soul itself. One misstep, and you will be completely annihilated, without even a chance to reincarnate."
"Not to mention you, even that scorpion beside you would find it extremely difficult to survive it. You and I both understand this."
He paused briefly, then stepped aside to reveal Shui Bing'er behind him and continued,
"This is my disciple, Shui Bing'er. Her martial soul is Ultimate Ice, ranked seventh on the Martial Soul Ranking. She is a natural ice and snow prodigy, destined to walk the path to godhood."
"Godhood?"
Little White's breathing quickened abruptly, a trace of yearning flashing in its eyes. Was not the ultimate goal of soul beast cultivation to endure tribulation and become a god?
"That's right," Li Tianyi said firmly. "If she absorbs your soul ring, not only will she break through directly, but she will also rely on your three hundred sixty thousand years of Ultimate Ice foundation to accelerate her progress toward godhood."
"When she eventually becomes a god, she will be able to reverse life and death with divine power, strip you from the soul ring, help you reconstruct your body, and bring you into the Divine Realm!"
"Bring me into the Divine Realm?"
Little White's entire body trembled. Unbelievable light filled its eyes, and it even forgot to struggle.
Three hundred sixty thousand years of cultivation made it understand the terror of tribulation all the more clearly, and it also made it long even more desperately for a chance at godhood.
The Snow Empress and Ice Empress were also stunned. They had never imagined that such a possibility could exist.
Seeing the wavering expression on Little White's face, Li Tianyi pressed on while the iron was hot.
"You are trapped in the body of a soul beast, and facing tribulation is perilous beyond measure. Rather than gambling everything on that sliver of hope, why not fulfill my disciple and exchange it for a guaranteed chance to enter the Divine Realm?"
"This deal benefits you, benefits me, and benefits my disciple."
Little White looked into Li Tianyi's deep eyes, then glanced at Shui Bing'er beside him, her temperament cold and faintly radiating the charm of Ultimate Ice. The struggle in its heart surged like a raging tide.
It knew Li Tianyi was not lying. The terror of the four-hundred-thousand-year tribulation far exceeded imagination, and becoming a god's soul ring, then being revived and brought into the Divine Realm, was an opportunity soul beasts could only dream of.
"I… why should I trust you?"
Little White's voice was hoarse, a trace of doubt still lingering in its eyes.
"Because I am a God King."
The doubt in Little White's eyes completely vanished. Indeed, this was the God King of the present age. There was no need for him to deceive it.
Little White nodded, decisiveness replacing hesitation.
It slowly lowered its head toward Li Tianyi, its voice trembling yet incomparably firm.
"I… am willing to offer myself in sacrifice. I only ask that you honor your promise, Senior!"
The Snow Empress and Ice Empress wore complex expressions. They wanted to speak, but Li Tianyi's God King pressure suppressed them, and in the end, it all turned into a silent sigh.
Li Tianyi nodded in satisfaction and said to Shui Bing'er, "Bing'er, prepare to absorb it."
Shui Bing'er took a deep breath, sat down cross-legged, and the soul power of Ultimate Ice began to circulate slowly around her.
Little White let out a long roar toward the sky. Silver ice and snow energy erupted wildly from its body, and the power of Ultimate Ice formed a towering pillar of light.
Its body began to burn, not with ordinary flames, but with the fire of its own soul core and the life fire of three hundred sixty thousand years of cultivation.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion rang out as a dazzling blue pillar of light shot straight into the sky, piercing the clouds and dyeing the entire sky of the Far North blue.
Within the pillar of light was pure Ultimate Ice energy. Like a blue dragon, it slowly ascended before suddenly diving downward, surging toward Shui Bing'er.
With her eyes closed, Shui Bing'er felt that vast and pure Ultimate Ice energy pour into her body. Pain appeared on her face, yet it was accompanied by incomparable resolve.
Her aura was skyrocketing at a visible speed.
From the peak of Soul Saint, it broke through little by little. Finally, with a crisp cracking sound, her aura surged violently, successfully breaking through to the realm of an eighty-level Soul Douluo.
At the same time, her seventh soul ring slowly condensed. It was a deep blue soul ring, radiating the charm of Ultimate Ice and shining with crystalline, powerful light under the sun.
When the final trace of energy merged into Shui Bing'er's body, the blue pillar of light that had pierced the sky suddenly converged, turning into countless points of starlight that dissipated into the air.
Li Tianyi raised his hand, and a strand of golden divine power wrapped around the scattered fragments of Little White's soul as he said calmly,
"Rest assured. I will entrust your soul to Bing'er for safekeeping. When Bing'er becomes a god, I will definitely fulfill my promise."
With that, he took Shui Bing'er with him, transforming into a streak of golden light that disappeared into the skies of the Far North.
Only the Snow Empress, Ice Empress, and Titan Snow Demon King were left behind, gazing at the sky, their eyes filled with complexity and reverence.
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