The Count's Second Wife

Shui Li City was a frontier city of the Heaven Dou Empire near the Extreme North Ice Plain. It was territory granted by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family to the Water Clan. Over several centuries of inheritance and development under the Water Clan, it had gradually grown from a remote town into a city.

The strongest member of the Water Clan had been a level seventy-nine Soul Saint. Unfortunately, he had fallen in the Extreme North Ice Plain not long ago.

The Water Clan's inherited martial soul was the Jade Dolphin. Its quality was not high, but it possessed a natural advantage in the Extreme North Ice Plain.

As they drew closer to the Extreme North Ice Plain, the air grew colder by the day. Snow-laden winds blew relentlessly, and the chill was piercing. Travelers on the main road wore thick fur clothing, some holding crimson spheres that radiated scorching light to keep themselves warm.

This was a Warm Cup developed by a major merchant guild in the Extreme North based on research into ancient Soul Tools. As long as Soul Power was infused into it, it would emit a warm glow, dispelling the cold and preserving warmth.

Nearly every resident of the cities surrounding the Extreme North Ice Plain bought one.

A pale-blue, elegant carriage moved slowly along the main road. The coachman held a Warm Cup in one hand, enjoying the heat it gave off, while gripping the reins with the other. He did not dare drive too fast; the road was slippery, and if the carriage overturned, that would be the end of it.

Compared to the outdoors, the interior of the carriage was exceedingly warm. Four Warm Cups infused with Soul Power emitted a comforting glow that shone over Gu Shenggo and Lan Qingyan.

"The Extreme North Ice Plain... I had planned to come here after visiting Heaven Dou Imperial City."

Gu Shenggo lifted the curtain of the carriage window and felt the cold wind blowing in as he spoke softly. Lan Qingyan was somewhat puzzled. He had come to the Extreme North?

"What brings Mr. Gu to the Extreme North?"

"Nothing major. I just want to hunt a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast."

Gu Shenggo said it casually, but shock appeared in Lan Qingyan's beautiful eyes. Hunting a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was something even powerful Titled Douluo might not be able to accomplish.

Yet from Gu Shenggo's tone, it seemed effortless.

The main reason Gu Shenggo had not hunted Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest before was that he could not beat a whole group of them.

The Extreme North Ice Plain was different. There were only three known Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts: the Titan Snow Demon King, the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, and the Heavenly Snow Woman.

What Gu Shenggo wanted most was the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion's soul ring, as well as its genes.

With his current strength, dealing with one was manageable. But if there were two, they would be difficult to handle.

The most troublesome one was the Heavenly Snow Woman. For no other reason than that she was too small.

Both the Titan Snow Demon King and the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion were enormous, making them easy targets for bullets.

Before Gu Shenggo, they were simply moving live targets. They posed virtually no threat at all.

They were only two Soul Beasts. Once Bullet of Four stopped time, could they withstand Void Archive's attacks?

According to what had been mentioned in Douluo II, the Heavenly Snow Woman had undergone nirvana and turned into an embryo ten thousand years ago. He just did not know at what point she had undergone nirvana, nor whether she was still in the Extreme North Ice Plain.

If he really encountered her, he would either kill her or flee.

As for dating the Heavenly Snow Woman, Gu Shenggo could not transcend the barrier between species. She looked human, but she was still a beast.

He could consider it once she transformed into a human.

As for the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, it still had to die. After all, Gu Shenggo wanted its genes to formulate a Fusion Potion.

Kekeddi did not seek soul ring skills. It only needed the Soul Power contained within soul rings to fire time bullets.

But the ninth soul ring of the Ice Thorn Vine had to be the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion's.

Gu Shenggo silently calculated all of this in his heart. At the same time, the system's voice rang out in his mind once more.

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[Ding~ A new mission has been activated. Please check it, host.]

"Hmm? Again?"

Gu Shenggo's expression did not change when he heard it. He closed his eyes and connected with the system. Seeing this, Lan Qingyan did not ask any questions, merely assuming that Gu Shenggo was tired.

However, as she looked at Gu Shenggo's pale and handsome face, the beautiful mature woman became somewhat entranced.

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[Mission: Ninth Soul Ring]

[Content: Hunt any one of the Three Kings of the Extreme North and make it your ninth soul ring.]

[Reward: One lottery draw.]

"The ninth soul ring? It seems this system issues missions according to my thoughts. Interesting."

Gu Shenggo looked at the new mission and seemed to have discovered the pattern behind how missions were issued. Fortunately, this system was fairly normal.

Two hours later~

Snow filled the sky as cold winds howled. A city with pale-blue walls appeared faintly before the coachman, gradually becoming clear.

The plaque above the city gate bore the words [Shui Li City]. Dolphins were carved into the open gates, and people continuously entered and exited. Only two Soul Masters stood in the freezing wind, collecting the entry fee.

The coachman drove the carriage directly into Shui Li City. The Soul Masters guarding the gate recognized it at a glance as the carriage of the Earl's Manor, so naturally they did not dare stop it.

The carriage proceeded slowly down the city streets, while pedestrians around it hurriedly stepped aside.

Soon, the carriage arrived at the City Lord's Manor, a vast residence entirely painted a fitting pale blue. Four Soul Masters stood guard at its entrance, each of them a Soul Grandmaster.

The moment they saw Lan Qingyan's carriage, their expressions changed slightly. One guard hurried into the manor to summon the clan elders and the Second Madam, while the other guards went to receive the carriage.

Seeing that they had arrived at the City Lord's Manor through the window curtain, Lan Qingyan turned to invite Gu Shenggo.

"Mr. Gu, we've arrived at the City Lord's Manor. Let's get down."

"Mm." Gu Shenggo nodded slightly and got out of the carriage with Lan Qingyan. However, he still maintained a certain distance from the beautiful mature woman. Some things, once done, did not necessarily need to be known by others.

The forbidden pleasure of stealing it was often far more intense than anything done openly and aboveboard, and far more satisfying deep down.

When the guards outside the carriage saw the First Madam step down with a young, handsome man, puzzled looks appeared on their faces. Hadn't the First Madam gone to Heaven Dou Imperial City to invite the dean of Skywater Academy? Why had she brought back some pretty boy instead?

In their eyes, the pale-skinned Gu Shenggo was exactly that—a pretty boy.

"Mr. Gu, this is the City Lord's Manor. Please come in."

After stepping down from the carriage, Lan Qingyan ignored the guards. Her voluptuous body swayed as she moved, and a charming smile appeared on her dignified, beautiful face. Her voice was respectful and gentle, leaving the guards beside her somewhat dumbfounded.

Was this really the stern and arrogant First Madam they knew? She was treating a pretty boy with such respect—and she was even smiling.

Gu Shenggo looked at the enormous City Lord's Manor with an indifferent gaze. He had lived in places even larger than Spirit Hall; there was nothing to be surprised about.

Lan Qingyan turned around, her ample hips swaying as she led Gu Shenggo inside. Seeing the once dignified and meticulous First Madam now walk somewhat like the Second Madam, the guards became even more confused.

They entered the City Lord's Manor, only to find a group of people approaching them. They all wore pale blue clothes embroidered with dolphin patterns and were somewhat advanced in age, but at their head was a seductive young married woman.

The young married woman was exceedingly alluring, and despite the cold weather, she was dressed rather revealingly.

She had an exquisite oval face, snow-white skin touched with light makeup, and fox-like eyes brimming with charm. Her hair was styled in a low side ponytail, and she wore a low-cut, semi-sheer long dress with a high slit that exposed her legs. Her skin was fair as snow, her bare shoulders rosy-white, and her ample breasts proud and full.

Her slender waist could be encircled with one hand, while her rounded buttocks resembled ripe peaches. Her figure was curvaceous, forming a perfect S-shape. White lace-patterned thigh-high stockings wrapped around her long legs, and her jade-like feet wore towering heels. Seductive and coquettish, she looked just like a vixen.

The moment Lan Qingyan saw the seductive young married woman, her expression immediately darkened as she secretly cursed:

"Shameless vixen!"

The seductive young married woman was none other than the Second Madam of the Count's Manor, Shui Yue'er's mother—Bai Yujie.

(Ahem, ahem... Keep the comments a little more restrained.)