"Truly?"
Hearing the Snow Empress's words, Niu Tian looked at Jiang Shengyu in disbelief.
The Snow Empress nodded. "I am a soul beast, the sovereign of the Extreme North. If Shengyu could not truly aid our kind, how could I ever praise a human so highly?"
Niu Tian and Tai Tan both stared intently at Jiang Shengyu. Niu Tian asked, "Why would you do this? You are, after all, a human."
Jiang Shengyu spread his hands. "And the two of you—are you not soul beasts yourselves, yet raising Wang Dong'er as your ward?"
Niu Tian shook his head. "That's different. We are bound by an oath to her parents. We must protect her."
"Then if you can make an agreement with Wang Dong'er's parents, why can't I choose to do something that benefits soul beasts?" Jiang Shengyu countered. "You are soul beasts, yet here you stand before me. I call you seniors—is there any problem with that?"
At Jiang Shengyu's words, Niu Tian suddenly laughed. "This boy is sharp indeed! If you truly succeed in this endeavor, then yes—you would be our race's benefactor. Should you ever need our aid, simply send word. Whatever we can do, we shall do."
Jiang Shengyu glanced at the Snow Empress. Seeing the smile on her face, he understood her intentions. Bowing slightly to Niu Tian and Tai Tan, he said, "Many thanks, seniors."
Tai Tan clapped him on the shoulder. "Stay here in the Clear Sky Sect for a while! If you need anything, just tell the sect disciples. They'll provide it. And this Ten-Thousand-Year Frigid Jade Essence—let it be my gift to you, Snow Empress."
"You are generous," Niu Tian remarked, giving Tai Tan a look but saying no more. He urged the Snow Empress to focus on her cultivation, then departed with Tai Tan.
He trusted the Snow Empress—she had no reason to deceive them.
Jiang Shengyu and his companions remained at the Clear Sky Sect for nearly half a month. During this time, the Snow Empress completely absorbed the power of the Ten-Thousand-Year Frigid Jade Essence, leaving it nothing more than an ordinary block of ice.
It was time to return to the Extreme North.
The Snow Empress reverted to her embryonic form and entered Jiang Shengyu's storage-type soul tool.
When Wang Dong'er learned they were leaving, she tried her utmost to persuade Jiang Shengyu to stay longer. But Niu Tian and Tai Tan, aware of the Snow Empress's situation, persuaded her otherwise.
Unable to keep them, Wang Dong'er then wanted to accompany them to the Extreme North—but after a stern scolding from Niu Tian and Tai Tan, she could only remain behind, dejected.
Xiao Xiao returned to the Dou Ling Empire, while the Jiang siblings and the Hongchen siblings—four in all—set off together toward the Extreme North. The journey from Heaven Dou City was long, but with the aid of flying soul tools, it did not take them much time.
At present, the Heavenly Soul Empire did not yet possess the ability to monitor its airspace thoroughly, so they could freely use their flying tools.
When at last the endless white expanse of the snowfield came into sight, the four descended from the skies.
Meng Hongchen said, "The Zhuqing Ice Toads have both ice and fire attributes, so their habitat should be near the edge of the snowfields."
Jiang Shengyu suggested, "Then let's split up. Whoever finds a suitable Zhuqing Ice Toad first should mark the location and notify the rest."
The others nodded in agreement.
After parting, Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong wasted no time, flying deeper into the Extreme North.
To save time, they directly invoked the Taixu Spirit-Wandering Technique. Very quickly, they reached the core of the snowfields. Here, all was an endless expanse of white, the blizzards stretching without end.
Jiang Shengyu summoned the Vocuous-Devouring Flame to keep warm.
The Snow Empress emerged from his storage tool, gazing at the boundless snowscape with a sigh. "At last, I've returned. Shengyu, Qingtong—soon I will summon a beast to act as my guardian. Don't be alarmed."
"Understood." The siblings both nodded.
The Snow Empress lifted her hand and cast a beam of light into the storm.
About a quarter of an hour later, the ground began to rumble. In the distance, a storm of snow rose as an enormous, shaggy white figure charged toward them.
When it drew near, Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong saw it clearly—a colossal white bear!
"Xiao Bai, it's been a long time." The Snow Empress smiled at the Icefield Bear King before her.
Xiao Bai blinked his great ursine eyes, ignoring Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong completely. His focus was entirely on the Snow Empress. "Snow Empress! I've searched for you for so long. Where did you go?"
"I traveled to the human world."
The Snow Empress beckoned Xiao Bai closer and introduced him to Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong.
The bear's body was immense, while the two humans appeared tiny before it. Its nose alone was as large as their torsos. Crossing its eyes slightly, it peered down at them.
"Greetings! I am Xiao Bai, the Icefield Bear King—raised by the Snow Empress herself." Despite their being human, since the Snow Empress had brought them, he considered them trustworthy friends.
"Hello, Xiao Bai," Jiang Shengyu said, looking up at the largest soul beast he had ever seen aside from the Silver Dragon King.
The Snow Empress said to him, "Xiao Bai, I need you to guard me."
"No problem. Leave it to me!" Xiao Bai didn't even ask why—if the Snow Empress required his protection, then he would ensure her safety.
Afterward, the Snow Empress told Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong, "Go sit on Xiao Bai's back. His fur is warm—you won't need your flame to keep out the cold."
Shaking his massive head, Xiao Bai said cheerfully, "Come on! I'm all fluffy!"
The siblings didn't hesitate. They climbed onto his back, nestling into the thick fur for warmth.
The Snow Empress sat cross-legged in midair. Torrential soul power erupted from her, swiftly stirring a colossal storm in the core of the Extreme North! Her full might—ranked third among the Ten Great Beasts, a seventy-thousand-year-old entity—was on full display.
The soul beasts of the Extreme North all felt this overwhelming, heaven-like aura. One by one, they curled up or pressed their heads into the ground, paying homage to their sovereign and trembling before such divine might.
Endless blizzards enveloped the Snow Empress until she could no longer be seen.
The sheer force of it left Jiang Shengyu in awe.
No wonder people said that within the Extreme North, even Ditian and the Evil Monarch might not be her match.
Exaggeration, perhaps—but it showed just how mighty she truly was in her domain. Her power had already surpassed that of ordinary Limit Douluo. At the very least, Mu En could not rival her here.
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