In the garden pavilion—
Zhang Lexuan was sipping tea brewed with cold spring water, with several plates of pastries beside her. She couldn't help but sigh in admiration—this cold spring water was truly extraordinary.
Not only could it strengthen the body, it also had noticeable beauty-enhancing effects. Although drinking it pure had the best results, for someone like Zhang Lexuan, who was already a Soul Douluo, its body-enhancing effects were limited.
Moreover, to benefit in terms of beauty, one needed to drink it over the long term.
That was why she used the cold spring water for tea instead.
Nan Shushui was quite generous. Not only did she allow the women to wait by the well in the garden, she even let them drink the spring water freely—and take some with them if they wished.
After all, the cold spring water was abundant.
The women were also courteous enough to only take a symbolic amount.
At the moment, Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luocheng, and Weina were chatting casually with Nan Qiuqiu as they sat on stone stools nearby. It had already been six days since Huo Yuhao had entered the forbidden area of the Earth Dragon Sect. Over this time, the similarly aged women had grown familiar with one another and now acted like close friends.
"I wonder if Yuhao and Nan Qiuqiu will end up together in the future. If she joins in, that makes four women," Zhang Lexuan pondered. And judging from the current situation, Ma Xiaotao and the others seemed open to accepting Nan Shushui as well.
Then she shook her head and thought to herself, Yuhao is just too much of a playboy.
Normally, if someone else were this flirtatious, Zhang Lexuan would think poorly of them. But when it came to Huo Yuhao, she oddly found it acceptable.
Partly because Huo Yuhao was truly outstanding, and his character had received the full approval of Elder Mu. But also because it was the choice of Ma Xiaotao and the others to be with him, and they all got along well.
In truth, Huo Yuhao's harem stood out in Shrek Academy, where pure and singular love was the norm. It made many men envious and jealous.
But he had talent and strength—so there was no problem at all.
And since none of the women involved had any complaints, outsiders didn't have much room to comment.
Only Xian Lin'er seemed to look down on Yuhao a bit—she disliked unfaithful men. Yet she still acknowledged his talent and strength.
How on earth did Huo Yuhao manage this?
To make Ma Xiaotao and the others love him this much?
Zhang Lexuan couldn't understand.
As she drifted deeper into these musings, her expression suddenly changed. She immediately put down her teacup, stood up, and looked toward the well.
In the next instant, a figure appeared beside her—it was Nan Shushui. She, too, looked toward the well.
Their reactions caught the attention of the other women, who quickly stood and joined them.
"Your Grace, Rouge Crown!" Zhang Lexuan was the first to greet her.
"No need for formalities," Nan Shushui waved her hand casually, her eyes still locked on the well. She asked, "You felt it too?"
"Yes," Zhang Lexuan nodded.
"Felt what?" asked Ling Luocheng, Weina, and Nan Qiuqiu, none of whom had noticed anything due to their lower cultivation.
Ma Xiaotao, being a Soul Sage, had just barely sensed the abnormality after the two did. She looked toward the well and explained to the others, "Heaven and Earth energy is converging into the well!"
"Exactly!" Zhang Lexuan nodded, then turned to Nan Shushui and asked seriously, "Your Grace Rouge Crown, what's going on?"
"This has never happened in the forbidden area before," Nan Shushui replied, then revealed a smile. "But this shouldn't be a bad thing. Young Master Huo must have gained a great opportunity, triggering a massive influx of Heaven and Earth energy. His cultivation is likely about to break through dramatically."
Zhang Lexuan found it strange how confident Nan Shushui seemed, but felt somewhat reassured.
Of course Nan Shushui had confidence—in her heart, Huo Yuhao was capable of anything!
Very soon, as the energy continued to gather, it formed a massive vortex—like an enormous funnel—pouring a torrential stream of Heaven and Earth power into the well, deep into the cold spring below.
Even Ling Luocheng and the others sensed it this time and were visibly awestruck. A phenomenon of this magnitude was truly rare in a lifetime.
The huge stir caused by the influx of Heaven and Earth power also attracted the attention of all soul masters in Tianlong City.
The first to arrive were the Earth Dragon Sect soul masters.
"Sect Master!" they called respectfully upon arrival.
Before anyone could ask questions, Nan Shushui immediately issued orders, "It's nothing dangerous. Go stabilize the sect and maintain alert status. I'll explain everything later."
"Yes, ma'am!"
No one objected.
Soon, soul masters from the rest of Tianlong City arrived at the Earth Dragon Sect as well, trying to investigate the cause. Many suspected some powerful treasure had appeared—but they were all blocked at the gates by vigilant Earth Dragon Sect members, including those from the Tianlong Sect.
Not everyone was blocked, however.
As a dragon's roar echoed through the sect—
An old man suddenly appeared in the garden. Though elderly, his posture was straight and his muscles firm. Only his white hair and stubbly beard showed his age.
His sudden arrival startled the others.
Nan Shushui, however, seemed unsurprised. She merely shot him a sideways glance and said coldly, "Old Tianlong, this isn't your Tianlong Sect!"
The man was none other than the Tianlong Sect's Sect Master—Heavenly Dragon Douluo, a 95th-rank titled Douluo known by his title "Heavenly Dragon."
He was also the only titled Douluo in the Tianlong Sect.
Faced with Nan Shushui's cold words, the Heavenly Dragon Douluo simply laughed heartily, appearing a bit thick-skinned. "Little Shui, I'm just here to take a look. I'm not going to cause any trouble."
After all, he had trespassed into someone else's sect and was clearly in the wrong—so he played dumb.
Nan Shushui just snorted and didn't chase him out.
Had it been anyone else acting like this, she would've taken action immediately. But since it was the Tianlong Sect Master, and given the special relationship between the two sects, she let it slide.
The Heavenly Dragon Douluo breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, Nan Shushui briefly introduced the others.
"This is the Tianlong Sect's Master, Heavenly Dragon Douluo. These are elite disciples from Shrek Academy."
"Greetings, Your Grace Heavenly Dragon!" Zhang Lexuan, Ma Xiaotao, and the others bowed.
"No need for that," Heavenly Dragon Douluo chuckled. "As expected of Shrek's top students—you're all incredibly powerful at such young ages."
He already knew that the Sea God Pavilion's young master had brought companions to train in Tianlong City, but this was his first time seeing them.
Zhang Lexuan—Soul Douluo in her early twenties.
Ma Xiaotao—Soul Sage, not yet twenty.
Ling Luocheng—Soul Emperor, likely to reach Soul Sage before twenty.
Weina—High-level Soul King, also likely to reach Soul Sage around twenty. Nan Qiuqiu, who was about the same age, had only just broken through to Soul King—not even close in comparison.
The Heavenly Dragon Douluo couldn't help but marvel—Shrek Academy truly produced monsters. Any one of these four young women could qualify as sect leader successors with their talent.
And even among these four, they weren't the most talented. Word had it that the Sea God Pavilion's young master was the real monster among monsters.
But curiously, he wasn't here today.
He remembered the report mentioning that the young master was a man—and a notorious flirt.
But aside from himself, there were no men present.
Heavenly Dragon Douluo paced into the pavilion, standing not far from Nan Shuishui, his gaze fixed on the well that was now absorbing the energy of heaven and earth. He couldn't help but ask, "Shui girl, what's going on here? If I recall, that well was a cold spring, wasn't it?"
"Just wait patiently, and you'll find out," Nan Shuishui replied casually, offering no further explanation.
"Haha, then I'll not intrude."
And with that, everyone settled in to wait patiently.
In truth, Heavenly Dragon Douluo had come out of goodwill.
At first, he suspected that the massive surge of energy was caused by Nan Shuishui—after all, in the entire Earth Dragon Sect, only she had the ability to trigger such a phenomenon. Concerned that something had gone wrong within the sect, he rushed over to help.
But now, it was clear that the disturbance had not been caused by Nan Shuishui.
Thinking of the absent Vice Pavilion Lord of Sea God Pavilion, Heavenly Dragon Douluo began to form a suspicion, once again astonished.
Heavenly Dragon Douluo belonged to the same generation as Nan Shuishui's parents. In terms of both seniority and strength, he had always been above her.
If one traced the family lineage, he was, in fact, Nan Shuishui's blood relative. It had only been a thousand years since her ancestors had left the Heavenly Dragon Sect to found the Earth Dragon Sect. In terms of a soul master's lifespan, that equated to merely five or six generations.
And for the Earth Dragon Sect to have managed to carve out a place for itself on Heavenly Dragon Sect's territory—and with no objections from the latter—it showed that Nan Shuishui's ancestors clearly had extraordinary identities.
Rather than being an entirely independent sect, the Earth Dragon Sect was more like a rebellious, unaffiliated branch of the Heavenly Dragon Sect.
But times had changed. Nan Shuishui had recently broken through to become a Titled Douluo—reaching level 94 in one leap. Her strength now rivaled that of Heavenly Dragon Douluo, leaving him little room for condescension.
It wasn't surprising that she had managed such a breakthrough. Given her revealed hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, it was easy to deduce she had also absorbed a hundred-thousand-year spirit bone.
With both a hundred-thousand-year ring and spirit bone enhancing her, such rapid breakthroughs were perfectly reasonable. In fact, her future ascension to Super Douluo wouldn't come as a shock to anyone.
Conversely, Heavenly Dragon Douluo, who lacked a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring and whose potential was mostly spent due to age, couldn't confidently say he could beat Nan Shuishui—even with his one-level advantage.
So in front of Nan Shuishui, he had no choice but to put aside any air of seniority.
…
Half an hour passed before the energy gathered from heaven and earth fully poured into the well.
Then, everything fell silent.
Yet everyone present could sense the atmosphere in the garden growing heavier. A wave of chill, centered around the well, began to spread outward through the garden.
Heavenly Dragon Douluo exhaled a white breath, his eyes gleaming. "Such terrifying cold! Even this residual chill is this intense!"
"This is Yuhao's Ultimate Ice!" Ma Xiaotao exclaimed with joy.
"I've heard the Vice Pavilion Lord of Sea God Pavilion is an Ultimate Attribute soul master, but I didn't expect his attribute to be this terrifying," Heavenly Dragon Douluo muttered in awe.
Only those familiar with Huo Yuhao knew—his Ultimate Ice had grown even more fearsome!
Clearly, Huo Yuhao had reaped immense benefits!
Suddenly, the water in the well began to boil.
The next moment, an explosion echoed from the bottom of the well, and a figure shot out from within, landing on the garden ground.
Icy-blue short hair, a face of unmatched beauty—who else could it be but Huo Yuhao?
At that moment, his entire body radiated bone-piercing cold.
With his appearance, the entire garden seemed to plunge into winter.
Frost spread across the ground from where he stood. Blossoming flowers froze solid. Snowflakes drifted down from the sky. All throughout the Earth Dragon Sect, people stared in astonishment at the falling snow.
Nan Shuishui raised her hand to shield Zhang Lexuan and the others from the cold. Heavenly Dragon Douluo rubbed his arms, his expression strained.
Cold powerful enough to affect a Titled Douluo? Was an Ultimate Attribute soul master really this terrifying?
"Yuhao!" the girls cried out with joy.
Huo Yuhao looked over at them and gave a brilliant smile. "Sorry to make you worry. I'm back!"
While the girls were simply relieved, Heavenly Dragon Douluo remained focused on Huo Yuhao's strength.
The soul power surging from Huo Yuhao had reached level 70!
"I've heard… he's not even fifteen yet? Hissss—"
This time, Heavenly Dragon Douluo sucked in a real breath of cold air.
A Soul Sage under the age of fifteen?
Even among the legendary Shrek Seven Monsters from ten thousand years ago, no one had reached this level of talent!
This youth was terrifying beyond belief!
After suppressing the cold radiating from his body, the others dared to approach Huo Yuhao again.
He had swallowed all of the millennia-old Mysterious Ice Marrow from the forbidden zone—he would digest it gradually over time. Even so, his Ultimate Ice had already plunged below minus 200 degrees Celsius!
His physical body had also undergone immense improvement. Now, he only lacked spirit rings.
"It's time to head north!" Huo Yuhao thought to himself.
…
In Tianlong City, with the Heavenly and Earth Dragon Sects working together, the situation was quickly brought under control.
This incident also allowed Huo Yuhao to establish a connection with Heavenly Dragon Douluo. From now on, he had ties to both sects.
And once everyone became "familiar," things would be easier to consume later on.
Huo Yuhao had no intention of sparing the Heavenly or Earth Dragon Sects. Both were ideal for cultivating dragon bloodlines. Once he devoured them, his Divine Dragon Visualization would progress immensely.
But it wasn't yet time to make a move.
Afterward, Huo Yuhao spent another three days meditating and refining his condition using his cauldron technique, preparing to acquire new spirit rings.
During this period, the girls around him benefited as well from his overflowing cold aura. Among them, Ling Luocheng and Vina gained the most, even breaking through by one level. Ma Xiaotao's flames became even purer—though her inner lustful fire would be "chilled" for quite a while.
For this trip north to acquire his seventh spirit ring, Huo Yuhao had no intention of bringing Ma Xiaotao and the others. He had already prepared his reasoning.
"I plan to head into the Extreme North to acquire my hundred-thousand-year seventh ring. Lord Rouge has agreed to assist me, so it'll just be the two of us this time," Huo Yuhao explained.
Zhang Lexuan was a little surprised but not shocked—she had already guessed that his seventh ring would be a hundred-thousand-year one. She originally wanted to join him, but Huo Yuhao talked her out of it.
He explained that the inner region of the Extreme North was no place for ordinary soul masters. Only someone like Nan Shuishui, a Titled Douluo, could resist the cold and aid him. If Zhang Lexuan came, her strength would only be hindered.
In the end, Zhang Lexuan agreed to stay behind. She knew Huo Yuhao wasn't lying—she'd been to the Extreme North before with him but hadn't dared to venture too deep.
This time, Huo Yuhao was targeting a hundred-thousand-year soul beast and would have to enter the core zone of the Extreme North.
The danger was self-evident.
Ma Xiaotao and the other girls knew they couldn't help and didn't insist on going either. They all chose to stay behind.
In the end, only Nan Shuishui would accompany Huo Yuhao on his journey to the Extreme North.
Before their departure, the girls were filled with worry and reluctant to part.
But no woman could ever halt Huo Yuhao's steps.
"Let's go!"
Back once more to the Extreme North!
"This is the fourth time we've come to the Extreme North, huh."
Huo Yuhao gazed across the vast, endless ice fields and couldn't help but sigh. It felt like returning to an old battlefield, like a triumphant hero coming home.
The first time was when he came with Bei Bei and Xuan Zi to obtain a spirit for his martial soul. Back then, he was still weak and had his life threatened by the Ice and Snow Emperors. But in the end, he succeeded in shedding his former self and being reborn.
The second time was to head north and fend off the beast tide, obtaining a spirit ring. He hadn't ventured deep into the Extreme North, but he had devoured Dai Yaoheng.
The third time was under the pretense of helping Ling Luocheng find a spirit bone. That time, he awakened his Ultimate Poison attribute and added his seventh spirit ring, even subduing the Titan Snow Demon King.
And now came the fourth time—to obtain the spirit rings of the Ice and Snow Emperors and break through to Titled Douluo!
To Huo Yuhao, the Ice and Snow Emperors' spirit rings were merely tools to help his mutated Frost Centipede martial soul evolve.
What he truly coveted was the fortune they carried—unique to the Extreme North!
When he subdued the Titan Snow Demon King back then, Huo Yuhao gained a huge amount of fortune. This time, he was certain the harvest would be even greater.
Once he acquired the fortune of the Ice and Snow Emperors, the Extreme North would completely fall under his control, becoming his personal backyard.
Nan Shuishui stood behind Huo Yuhao. Though the official reason for her presence was to help him obtain a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, in truth, she was just a cover.
She didn't even qualify to join the fight.
At Huo Yuhao's casual wave, she respectfully and reluctantly left, heading to a safe area away from the battlefield.
The soul beasts who knew that Huo Yuhao was about to make a move against the Ice and Snow Emperors were excited.
"With me around, even the Ice and Snow Emperors can't threaten Brother Hao's safety!" the Golden Tortoise was the first to declare proudly.
"Yeah right, blow harder. You? Against them?" scoffed Ah Hui. He'd once roamed the Extreme North when he was alive and knew just how terrifying the Ice and Snow Emperors could be.
Ah Tai's deep, booming voice echoed in Huo Yuhao's mind:
"Shame I can't leave my spirit bone to fight, or I'd help Brother Hao capture them alive!"
Once the weakest of the Extreme North's three kings, Ah Tai now truly had the strength to make that claim—he had become a 550,000-year fierce beast.
He probably couldn't beat the Snow Emperor, who was nearing 700,000 years, but suppressing the Ice Emperor would be no problem.
And if he could lead an army, even fighting the Snow Emperor head-on wouldn't be impossible.
Back then, the Titan Snow Demon King had even courted the Snow Emperor—but she'd rejected him and shattered every bone in his body.
Now, the Titan Snow Demon King was loyal only to Brother Hao.
"Women just distract me from following Brother Hao," he said.
Since losing his physical body, he had truly become abstinent.
"Actually, it's not like we can't go out. We could summon a heavenly tribulation to smite them—they definitely wouldn't dare get caught in one," suggested the Overlord Dragon, rarely offering an idea.
"Spare us your terrible ideas," said Ah Hui, speechless. "Before the tribulation hurts the Emperors, it'd probably blast us all into dust."
The Overlord Dragon only suggested it because he wanted an excuse to go out and stretch. He was tired of staying trapped inside the spirit bone.
As for the two other bone spirits—Evil Thorn Centipede King and Ghostface Centipede King—they kept silent.
Don't ask. If the Ancestor says fight, they fight.
To them, Huo Yuhao was their Centipede Ancestor.
With similar thoughts was the former Heavenly Dragon Horse, who had now evolved into a true Heavenly Dragon.
"The Ice and Snow Emperors, huh..." The Three-Eyed Golden Lion finally pulled her head out from the illusory gourmet feasts in the spirit ring space, transforming into Jin Qiu'er. Her expression shifted slightly.
"I heard the Snow Emperor is a spirit beast birthed by the Extreme North itself. Her status here isn't any lower than mine in the Star Dou Great Forest."
Huo Yuhao's eyes flickered with thought.
That status wasn't from strength—but from identity.
Perhaps... his Ghost Banner Martial Soul could now add a fifth spirit ring.
He wouldn't need the Snow Emperor to join him willingly.
He could erase her consciousness and forcibly add the ring.
Later, a new intelligence would be born—no more loyalty concerns.
Finally, Electrolux appeared and calmed the rowdy soul beasts.
"The Ice and Snow Emperors are blessed by the Extreme North environment, making their strength immense. If we fight, it'll be one of the most climactic battles on the continent. You all stay out of it."
"The best plan is for me, Yuhao, and Mu En's soul to join forces, with the Healing Angel puppet supporting from the rear. Four versus two gives us the best odds."
It was a sound strategy.
Electrolux and Mu En both had near half-god-level strength. The Healing Angel Puppet could be treated as a Level 99 healing-type Ultimate Douluo. Add in the wildcard that was Huo Yuhao, and the chance of defeating the Ice and Snow Emperors was high.
As for the Ice Jade Scorpion Clan, Ice Bear King Xiaobai, and the Ice Bear Tribe—those minions were nothing to worry about.
The ghosts raised in the Ghost Banner Martial Soul weren't just for show.
"No rush. Charging in head-on is always the worst choice."
Huo Yuhao was confident. He already had a plan.
"Let's go. We need to make some preparations first!"
...
Extreme North, Core Region – Ice and Snow Mountain Range
This was the heart of the Extreme North. The coldest region—so harsh even the three kings of the Extreme North didn't want to stay here.
And yet, powerful soul beasts still lived here—each incredibly dangerous.
The weak and kind-hearted had no place in this land.
What drew soul beasts here was the dense elemental energy of ice and snow, and the rare heavenly treasures that slowly formed over countless years.
Rumble—
Two massive 90,000-year-old soul beasts were locked in combat in the mountain range.
A Primordial Mammoth and a Glacial Barbaric Dragon.
Both were towering, fierce beasts. Their battle was brutal and primitive—pure body-to-body collisions. Each clash sent shockwaves through the mountains.
What caused their clash?
Mid-battle, they accidentally shattered a small mountain. A radiant light shot into the sky, followed by an intense burst of life energy erupting from within. It quickly spread across the entire mountain range, instantly catching the attention of every living creature nearby.
To soul beasts, it was an irresistible temptation.
Boom! Boom!
The mountain trembled as countless soul beasts stampeded toward the source of the energy, greed in their eyes.
Seeing the treasure exposed, both massive beasts charged toward it at once, each hoping to devour it before the other could.
But they collided once again—this time, both using their trump cards to unleash their strongest attacks, aiming to kill the other.
And fate played its trick—their attacks missed each other but struck vital areas simultaneously.
Their final roars rang out before both collapsed, life fading.
The other soul beasts, arriving shortly after, grew wary at the sight and didn't dare approach.
Within the shattered mountain, a jade-like ice bamboo shoot radiated golden light, growing like a bamboo sprout from the earth.
More and more soul beasts were arriving.
And each of them was immensely powerful.
There wasn't a single one below fifty thousand years of cultivation—some were even hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.
Yet precisely because so many had gathered, none dared to step forward and snatch the treasure.
Doing so would invite the wrath and assault of the others, and the outcome would be uncertain—likely fatal.
But none of the soul beasts were willing to leave either.
After all, whatever was inside the small mountain had to be something that could help them break through. Such an opportunity—no soul beast would willingly give it up. On the contrary, they were all secretly hoping for a share of the prize.
Huo Yuhao crouched in a distant gully, observing in secret while muttering to himself, "Why haven't the Ice Empress and Snow Empress arrived yet?"
That's right—the commotion here was orchestrated by none other than Huo Yuhao.
As for that bamboo shoot-like thing growing in the mountain? Naturally, it was a counterfeit.
It was jointly manufactured by Huo Yuhao, Snow Lotus, and the Healing Angel puppet, carefully mimicking the aura of the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow. There was no way the Ice and Snow Empresses wouldn't take the bait.
Huo Yuhao: When it comes to counterfeiting, I'm a pro!
Still, if the Ice and Snow Empresses took too long to arrive, the fake ice shoot would begin to reveal flaws within three days, possibly raising their suspicion.
Though a bit anxious, Huo Yuhao remained calm—he knew the two empresses were bound to show up.
After all, both of them were threatened by upcoming tribulations. How could they pass up such a chance to survive?
However, a single fake ice shoot could only deceive one of them. Huo Yuhao didn't plan on crafting a second one.
After all, true treasures are rare to begin with—having one was already a miracle. Making two would be overkill and might backfire.
Besides, if the two empresses were truly close as sisters, sharing one wasn't impossible.
In any case, the dosage was definitely more than sufficient.
Huo Yuhao had also considered the risk of other soul beasts stealing the item. Even if one did, the Ice and Snow Empresses would undoubtedly reclaim it.
Furthermore, the ice shoot, made from pure Ultimate Ice, could only be absorbed slowly by those with similar attributes—namely, the two empresses. Any regular soul beast that tried to swallow it whole would likely freeze to death on the spot.
Ultimate Ice suppresses ordinary ice attributes—what, you think this is a joke?
Huo Yuhao didn't take any excessive action. The best schemes are often the simplest. All he needed was patience.
Still, he planted his Ghost Banner martial soul underground, waiting for the chaos of a soul beast brawl—ready to reap some souls in the aftermath.
These soul beasts weren't ordinary.
For example, the Ancient Mammoth and Glacial Barbarian Dragon he'd already absorbed into the Ghost Banner—both were ninety-thousand-year soul beasts with ancient bloodlines, their combat power rivaling even hundred-thousand-year beasts.
This frigid, isolated mountain range concealed many rare soul beasts and bloodline descendants of ancient species.
The Frost Venom Centipede was one such exotic species.
Huo Yuhao didn't provoke any fighting—he feared leaving behind evidence that would alert the two empresses. Even if the soul beasts didn't start fighting on their own, he had already memorized their auras. Once he dealt with the empresses, he planned to sweep the entire Extreme North clean. None of these beasts would escape.
The bodies and blood essence of dead soul beasts would be frozen by the subzero mountain temperatures, preserving most of their value.
The only real waste would be the soul rings dropped after death.
Wasting a soul ring below a hundred thousand years wasn't a big deal, but losing a hundred-thousand-year ring? Even Huo Yuhao would sigh in regret.
His Healing Angel puppet martial soul still had unfilled soul ring slots, after all.
While waiting for the Ice and Snow Empresses, Huo Yuhao started chatting with the Heavenly Dream Iceworm. Until now, the Iceworm hadn't joined any discussions on how to deal with the empresses.
Which was odd—because the Heavenly Dream Iceworm was usually the most talkative of all. He and the Golden Tortoise made the perfect comic duo.
"Brother Tianmeng, are you still thinking about the Ice Empress?" Huo Yuhao didn't even have to guess—he was sure it was because of her.
The Iceworm finally spoke, sighing. "Decades—no, hundreds of thousands of years of emotion… How could I just let go?"
"What are you thinking, then?"
Huo Yuhao was open to considering his opinion.
The Iceworm hesitated, clearly torn. In the end, he just sighed again, shaking his head and retreating into silence.
In truth, he'd wanted to ask Huo Yuhao to spare the Ice Empress—at the very least, let her retain her sense of self.
It wasn't just out of love. He'd read the original story—in it, he and the Ice Empress did end up together, even if the method was despicable.
And since his spirit was linked with Huo Yuhao's, he could feel that if he did ask, Huo Yuhao would likely grant the Ice Empress a chance.
Even in the face of life and death, the Ice Empress might compromise.
But…
Feeling Huo Yuhao's unwavering sincerity, the Iceworm suddenly didn't know how to ask.
If he looked into his heart… did he really still love the Ice Empress?
The answer: Yes. Down to his very core.
She had been the only light that kept his mind from collapsing during countless years of slumber and torture under savage beasts.
But now… the emotions in his heart were no longer just love. In fact, love wasn't even the most important anymore.
Some things… are more important than love.
He couldn't let the Ice Empress become a potential weakness for Huo Yuhao in the future—especially when facing that person.
Loyalty that's not absolute… is absolutely disloyal!
The Iceworm didn't know why he was thinking like this. He startled himself. Finally, he could only sigh again and say, "Brother Hao, I've really been messed up by you."
It must be your influence!
Their spirits were linked—of course Huo Yuhao's mindset rubbed off on him.
Huo Yuhao: "???"
Wait, how did this suddenly become his fault?
"Brother Tianmeng, I think I'm doing pretty well. I'm happy every day," Huo Yuhao said with a smile.
"I'm not talking about happiness! I'm talking about love! You don't understand love!"
"Oh, I see," Huo Yuhao replied thoughtfully. "Then how about I give you the Ice Empress's soul, so you can play with it however you want?"
He was willing to give up even a four-hundred-thousand-year beast soul—for the Iceworm's sake.
"That's not pure love!" the Iceworm cried out, clearly outraged. "I'm a man of true love!"
"Sure, forced love might not be sweet—but it quenches thirst. And didn't you originally use force anyway? As long as your own desires are satisfied, who cares if the world floods?"
The Iceworm suddenly thought… that made some sense.
But he still couldn't accept it.
"Forget it. I don't even have a body anymore—at most I can enjoy things spiritually. What's the point of saying so much?" he muttered, dejected.
"I can lend you my body, Brother Tianmeng."
"…"
The Iceworm was completely speechless.
Neither of them spoke again about winning the Ice Empress over—because the chance was slim.
In the original story, the Iceworm had put in tons of effort and time, and even had to rely on Huo Yuhao's insane talent and Snow Empress's alliance to barely make it happen.
Too many conditions. Too little time for love games.
If Huo Yuhao hadn't had the potential to become a god—hadn't had so many lucky encounters—the Ice Empress wouldn't have even looked at the Iceworm. She would've just treated him as a business partner.
There was never any hope of going further.
Just like back then—what the Ice and Snow Empresses originally wanted to do was swallow Huo Yuhao whole. That was the most realistic outcome.
If the god position is the dowry, sure.
But the Ice Empress? She's not worthy!
RUMBLE—!
Suddenly, the ground shook violently.
A massive presence had arrived.
It was a gigantic ice bear, crossing the icy mountains.
Seeing it, Huo Yuhao's expression turned serious.
The Ice and Snow Empresses were coming!
Because the one who had arrived… was their vanguard—
The Ice Bear King—Xiaobai!
RUMBLE—
A colossal ice bear lumbered forward, its towering bulk resembling a small mountain. Even walking on all fours, it stood over fifteen meters tall. Its thick fur shimmered with a faint silvery-white glow.
This was Little White, the Ice Bear King—Snow Empress's adopted son!
Now one of the newly established Three Heavenly Kings of the Extreme North, Little White had taken the place of the Titan Snow Demon King to help maintain order in the region.
Although he had assumed the Demon King's position and had been capable of rivaling the Titan Snow Demon King in battle, making him widely recognized as a two-hundred-thousand-year-level soul beast, Little White had not yet fully crossed that threshold.
In truth, he was nineteen thousand years old, on the cusp of becoming a two-hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
The arrival of his tribulation was not far off.
However, his combat strength had already reached the two-hundred-thousand-year level, and he stood a good chance of surviving his upcoming tribulation.
Little White did not arrive alone—behind him followed a whole ice bear clan. Born an orphan, he was adopted by the Snow Empress. The ice bear tribe he led now was one he had gathered and subdued after reaching maturity. Their numbers were considerable.
As a species already massive in size, the ice bears caused the ground to shake as they moved. The mountains trembled, and multiple avalanches broke out across the range.
Even Huo Yuhao was almost buried by a sliding mass of snow from the mountain slopes.
Among Little White's followers were two particularly towering ice bears, walking on all fours yet still over ten meters tall—two hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts.
"ROAR—!"
As Little White arrived, he let out a thunderous bear roar that stunned the surrounding soul beasts into submission. The beasts living in the mountains instinctively lowered their bodies. Those under one hundred thousand years of cultivation quickly backed away or even fled entirely.
Despite his cute name, Little White's ferocity was undeniable.
Any beast capable of contending with the Titan Snow Demon Clan could not possibly be weak.
Only those beast kings who had passed the hundred-thousand-year barrier dared remain in place, tensing their bodies and growling in defiance while locking eyes with Little White.
Compared to the Titan Snow Demon King, Little White—the newly crowned Third Heavenly King—still lacked in strength, influence, and intimidation.
Inside the soul bone, the Titan Snow Demon King scoffed with disdain.
To him, the current Little White was as fragile as a child.
Little White swept a wary gaze across the other soul beasts and let out a snort, as if to say, "This treasure isn't for the likes of you trash."
Then, with no further regard for the others, he strode straight toward the ice bamboo shoot—his goal was clear: to bring it back to his mother, the Snow Empress, and earn her praise.
As he approached, Little White caught sight of the bamboo shoot and sensed its overwhelming life energy.
He couldn't help but gulp.
So tempting!
But he quickly suppressed his desire. In his heart, nothing was more important than the Snow Empress.
He also noticed the hostile glares from the surrounding soul beasts—but Little White didn't care in the slightest. He had never viewed them as threats.
Looking at the bamboo shoot, he scratched his head and muttered, "An ice bamboo shoot growing in the mountains?"
In the Extreme North, a species called ice bamboo soul beasts produced bamboo shoots when reproducing. As an omnivore, Little White had eaten ice bamboo shoots before during his long life.
So he recognized what it was.
But he didn't overthink it. All he needed to know was that it was valuable.
With that, he boldly reached out with a massive bear paw and gave the shoot a strong yank—
But it didn't budge at all.
Little White was surprised by its sturdiness. He examined the base more closely, then extended sharp claws and slashed—
SWISH.
His razor-sharp claws sliced through the bamboo shoot, and the entire stalk popped out of the ground.
But just then, a fragrant aroma surged from the now-broken mound.
Little White looked down and saw, to his shock, a recessed ice platform where the shoot had been. At the base, golden liquid pooled like the bamboo shoot's sap, giving off an intensely alluring fragrance.
Drool began to spill from Little White's mouth.
It smelled even better now!
"I'll give the full bamboo shoot to Mom. But this leftover juice... I should be allowed a lick, right?"
Before he could finish that thought, his tongue was already out instinctively.
Why hesitate?
Lick!
Maybe absorbing this liquid would push him over the edge and help him break through to the two-hundred-thousand-year level, making his status as the Third Heavenly King even more secure.
But the fragrance didn't reach only Little White.
The other soul beasts, already drawn here, lost control of their instincts. Without hesitation, they surged forward to fight for the treasure.
Most of them, carrying ancient bloodlines and raw instinct, were more primal and wild—beasts that had lived in the seclusion of the mountains, untouched by the outside world. They were barely civilized.
In the face of temptation, if they didn't sense a certain death, they would always act to seize it.
Thus began the current chaos—a swarm of soul beasts attacking Little White.
Unfazed by the numbers, they pounced.
Little White's tribe rushed to his aid, but apart from the two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, their power paled in comparison to the sheer numbers and combined strength of the invaders.
Little White himself had to shield the ice bamboo shoot, no longer able to protect the golden sap, fending off three hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.
If he let the gift for his mother be stolen, that would be a serious problem.
Had he not been protecting the bamboo shoot, he wouldn't have feared those three attackers. But now, Little White was forced to fight defensively, barely holding his ground.
"It's really breaking into a fight?"
Even Huo Yuhao hadn't expected it to escalate like this. And he certainly hadn't expected Little White to be so clumsy—spilling the precious liquid and triggering this frenzy.
That golden liquid, which remained fluid even in extreme cold, was no ordinary substance. It was essence formed from pure life energy.
And it had been specially modified by Huo Yuhao.
Its flavor and effects were both exceptionally potent.
But just as Huo Yuhao was watching the battle unfold, his expression shifted, and he quickly concealed his presence.
Because the true targets had finally arrived!
Two overwhelming auras descended from the sky—
Silencing the battlefield in an instant.
Two figures flew in from the distance and slowly landed.
They were none other than the nearly seven-hundred-thousand-year-old beast Ice Jade Empress Scorpion and the nearly four-hundred-thousand-year-old Ice Heavenly Snow Lady!
The Snow Empress and the Ice Empress—arriving together!
The Ice Empress came alone—she didn't need an entourage. She was powerful enough to dominate the entire mountain range by herself.
They said nothing. Their mere presence, their sheer aura, was enough to send the frenzied soul beasts trembling in fear, crouching to the ground, not daring to raise their heads.
Only Little White remained unaffected.
Neither the Snow Empress nor the Ice Empress spared a glance at the other beasts. Upon arrival, their eyes instantly locked onto the ice bamboo shoot in Little White's arms.
Little White, excited, scampered up to them and held up the bamboo shoot like a precious offering.
"Mama, Mama, look what I found!"