The Extre North. Endless white snow.
Everywhere the eye could see was pure, untouched whiteness.
Outside Anyang City.
Many locals wrapped in thick cotton coats stared in surprise at a young man and two girls walking out from the city. The boy was handso, radiating vitality; the two girls stunningly beautiful, shining like gems. That much was striking already—but their clothes made it stranger still.
While the townsfolk were bundled like dumplings, the three wore light, thin outfits, as if they were tourists from the far south. The contrast was jarring.
"Are they soul masters?"
"Must be. The snow in Anyang can freeze you to death. Not far north is already the Extre North itself. Probably disciples from so academy. Their teachers might even be following behind…"
"Those gold- and silver-haired girls—twins maybe? So pretty."
"…"
Mu Qiu'er stamped her foot, breathed out a puff of mist, then darted excitedly across the snowy plain.
"Nana, why doesn't the Star Dou Forest have snow?" she asked curiously.
"The Star Dou Forest is springlike all year because of the Spring of Life. If snow were to fall there, it would an the spring was nearly dried up…" Gu Yuena replied calmly.
"Ohhh…" Mu Qiu'er stuck out her tongue.
Thank goodness no snow ever fell there.
She imdiately clung back onto Su Wen again.
Seeing him studying a map of the Extre North, she leaned closer—only to realize she couldn't read it at all. Her golden eyes burned into Su Wen.
"Where are we going?"
"The core region of the Extre North," Su Wen said plainly, pointing to a red dot on the map.
"What's this red dot?"
"The core region."
Mu Qiu'er: "…"
As the two talked, Gu Yuena stood quietly to the side, her silver eyes calmly observing Su Wen.
Ever since the Star Dou Forest incident eight months ago, she had noticed—even she felt a faint trace of goodwill toward this boy. As the Silver Dragon King, the co-ruler of all soul beasts, such a thing was rare. She considered it fate's guidance that had brought her to him.
But after these eight months together, she found Su Wen held surprisingly few secrets. Aside from his exceptional talent, there was little that attracted her—or that hinted at a way to resolve the human–soul beast divide…
The freshness had begun to fade.
She had only co along this ti because Mu Qiu'er insisted.
"So, who exactly are we going to find?" Mu Qiu'er chattered on.
"The Ice Empress."
That one sentence silenced both girls.
"What do you want with the Ice Empress?" Mu Qiu'er forced a smile, hesitating. "Don't tell … you an to hunt her, take her soul bone?"
Her impression of Su Wen was good. After gaining her freedom, she was happy staying at his side—far happier than the dull days in the Star Dou Forest.
But… she hadn't forgotten she was a soul beast.
The Ice Empress might rule the Extre North, but she was still kin. If Su Wen killed her today for a soul bone… what about tomorrow? Would it be her turn?
"Soul bone?" Su Wen shot her a surprised glance.
"I'm not interested in slaughter."
Shaking his head, he said, "I only ca to make a friend."
Mu Qiu'er: "…"
Gu Yuena: "…"
"You an… you traveled thousands of miles, all the way from Shrek to the Extre North's core, just to… make friends with the Ice Empress?" Mu Qiu'er's mouth hung open, her pretty face full of disbelief.
"That's right." Su Wen nodded solemnly.
"To make a friend."
…
"Brother Skydream, I'm freezing…"
In the icy wilderness, Huo Yuhao was bundled up like a dumpling, wearing every soul tool for warmth he owned. But still, the cold wind knifed through his sleeves, icy chills spreading through his body.
He shivered violently, his breath instantly crystallizing into frost that fell to the ground. He was reaching his limit.
"This is already the core region," Skydream Iceworm said, poking out and surveying the surroundings with a nod.
"So it's ti?" Yuhao's eyes lit up.
After all this effort—finally, the decisive mont?
"Right, Brother Skydream… where exactly is the Ice Empress? How do we call her out?" Yuhao scratched his head in confusion.
"Leave it to !" Skydream nodded heavily.
His tiny eyes locked on the distance.
He hid Yuhao in a separate snowbank.
Then, like a tidal wave, his vast spiritual power surged out from Yuhao's body, blanketing the land in a faint blue veil. Centered on Yuhao, it spread rapidly outward…
"Ice Empress, I know you've sensed my presence. That's right—it's , Skydream, co back for revenge! Dare you show yourself?!"
His voice echoed in countless overlapping layers, resounding far across the snowfield.
Yuhao's eyes widened.
Wait—weren't they supposed to be friends?
Why was the first thing he said revenge?
He had thought the hardest part of gaining the Ice Empress's sacrifice was persuading her. But now it seed… that might be the easiest part.
"Skydream! You dare return!"
A voice thundered from every direction. Snow crust shattered and exploded, waves of white rising several ters high.
"Hahaha, Bingbing, you are still as graceful and beautiful as ever…" Skydream Iceworm sounded utterly entranced.
"This ti, I've returned just to look at you one last ti… and then to give you all the energy left in my body. Because from the first mont I saw you… I liked you…"
His words eased the Ice Empress's suspicion. Just as she revealed her form—
Skydream suddenly attacked.
No soul skill left, no cocoon to use as a weapon—only his source power. He spun threads of white silk to wrap her tight.
Inside the snowy cocoon, the Ice Empress's expression was almost serene.
"Unexpected… Skydream, you're still this despicable. But do you really think with just a bit of source power, you can hold ?"
His source power burned away rapidly, even the Ice Empress looking a little pained at the waste. Why squander it so?
"Hehe… Bingbing, my aim was never to restrain you." Skydream laughed, triumphant.
"My wish is for you to do as I did—to sacrifice yourself to this boy. That is my true goal. Humans are the darlings of this continent. If we nurture a god among them, then we too can ascend in a roundabout way—and enjoy endless lifespans."
"Hmph! You think a fool?" The Ice Empress snorted coldly. "A gamble so vague… why not simply enjoy the last centuries in peace? Even if I cannot overco the calamity coming soon, worst case—I take human form."
"But you have no choice." Skydream's voice was soft, almost gentle.
"I'll detonate all my source power and shatter your final hope. Or—you can obediently sacrifice yourself to him. Choose."
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