The Blue Silver King, Snow Devil Douluo of the Far North

Meanwhile, at Spirit City's north gate.

An exceptionally spacious and luxurious carriage rolled out of the city gate. Dressed in ordinary clothes, Qian Xunji officially set off north with Bibi Dong, Little Qian Renxue, and Shui Bing'er.

Little Qian Renxue leaned against the carriage window, watching the scenery recede outside. She asked excitedly:

"Dad, how much longer until we reach the Far North?"

Qian Xunji smiled.

"No rush. Before we go to the Far North Ice Plains, we'll stop by the Blue Silver Forest in the Heaven Dou Empire along the way."

Bibi Dong pressed her lips into a smile.

"Xue'er, your father is going there to fulfill a promise to your Aunt Ah Yin."

Shui Bing'er blinked and asked curiously:

"Teacher, do Soul Beasts live in the Blue Silver Forest?"

"That's right."

Qian Xunji spoke gently.

"It's the sacred land of the Blue Silver Grass Clan. Ah Yin is their emperor, and the one leading them now is a Blue Silver King with eighty-five thousand years of cultivation.

"Today, we're going to help him take that final step."

The carriage traveled at great speed. In less than two days, it reached the heart of the Blue Silver Forest.

The Blue Silver Grass around them grew ever thicker and more robust. A breeze swept through it, setting off waves of blue.

When the four stepped down from the carriage and entered the depths of the forest, countless blades of Blue Silver Grass suddenly began to sway violently. A wary fluctuation of Soul Power echoed through the woods.

"Human expert, why have you trespassed into our clan's sacred land?"

Along with the aged, steady voice, countless enormous blue vines burst from the ground and intertwined to form a kind, elderly face. It was the Blue Silver King, who had always guarded this place.

Qian Xunji smiled calmly without releasing the slightest pressure. He simply turned his hand and produced a grass-leaf token that radiated a gentle blue-gold light. It was the Blue Silver Emperor's origin essence that Ah Yin had given him before he left.

The Blue Silver King's expression changed dramatically, and the vines around him trembled violently.

"This is... my emperor's essence?!

"Are you... His Holiness Qian Xunji, the Pope of Spirit Hall?!"

Qian Xunji nodded.

"That is correct. It is I.

"Ah Yin is now with child and resting peacefully in Spirit City.

"She has never stopped thinking of you. I came today to fulfill the promise I made to her."

With that, Qian Xunji reached into his Storage Soul Tool and took out a smooth jade box.

The instant the jade box opened, an exquisite Immortal Herb floated into the air. It was a deep, dark purple all over, with petals like snow and a peculiar medicinal fragrance. Its rich medicinal power made the Blue Silver Grass throughout the forest leap for joy.

"This... what is this?"

The Blue Silver King's voice trembled.

Qian Xunji said:

"This is called aromatic silk beauty, an immortal-grade medicinal herb born of the wonders of heaven and earth.

"You have long been trapped at the eighty-five-thousand-year bottleneck. Relying on your own arduous cultivation, you would need at least another ten thousand years for even a sliver of hope of breaking through to one hundred thousand years.

"Today, I bestow this Immortal Herb upon you, to cleanse your marrow and temper your bones, and help you shatter the hundred-thousand-year shackles in one stroke."

Overcome with emotion, the Blue Silver King wept freely. His enormous vine body prostrated itself on the ground, and he kowtowed heavily.

"This old one thanks Your Holiness for your great kindness!

"And thanks my emperor for her boundless favor!

"From this day forth, the Blue Silver Clan swears loyalty unto death to Your Holiness the Pope and my emperor. We will plunge into boiling water and walk through fire without hesitation!"

Little Qian Renxue looked at the enormous vines and tugged on Bibi Dong's sleeve, whispering:

"Mom, this old tree spirit is amazing, but he's so respectful to Dad."

Bibi Dong smiled gently.

"That's because your father has the strength to dominate the continent, as well as means that reach the heavens and a benevolent heart."

Qian Xunji swept his sleeve and sent out a stream of pure Soul Power, slowly dissolving the Immortal Herb's medicinal power and infusing it into the Blue Silver King.

"Calm your mind and refine it quickly.

"In three months, Ah Yin and I will be wed. I hope to see you in Spirit City with a hundred thousand years of cultivation by then."

"This old one obeys! I will not fail Your Holiness's expectations!" the Blue Silver King cried.

Having settled his ties of karma with the Blue Silver Forest, Qian Xunji returned to the carriage with Bibi Dong and the two girls, his gaze fixed on the distant sky of the Far North.

"Let's go. Next stop, the Far North Ice Plains!"

Several days later, on the outskirts of the Far North.

Goose-feather snow whirled through the sky, and the fierce wind cut like a knife.

The carriage stopped in front of a Spirit Hall Branch on the outskirts. A middle-aged man, broad and towering as a pagoda, with white hair falling to his shoulders, had long been waiting there with dozens of deacons.

He was the Titled Douluo whom Spirit Hall had stationed in the Far North, the level 94 Snow Devil Douluo.

Seeing Qian Xunji step down from the carriage with Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, and Shui Bing'er, Snow Devil Douluo immediately strode forward and knelt on one knee, his voice booming like a great bell.

"Your subordinate Snow Devil greets Your Holiness the Pope!

"Greetings, Your Holiness Spider Emperor, Your Highness the Saintess!"

Qian Xunji raised a hand to bid him rise and said warmly:

"Dispense with the formalities, Elder Snow Devil. Thank you for your hard work."

Snow Devil Douluo rose and grinned.

"Your Holiness the Pope, your personal visit to the bitter cold of the Far North is a tremendous honor for our Far North branch!

"We've prepared strong liquor and hot soup inside. Your Holiness, madam, please come in!"

Little Qian Renxue studied Snow Devil Douluo curiously and tugged at the hem of Qian Xunji's robe.

"Dad, this uncle is so big and tall! His Soul Power is so cold, but it feels so strong!"

Qian Xunji smiled.

"Elder Snow Devil's Martial Soul is the Titan Snow Demon. In this world of ice and snow, even an ordinary level 95 Super Douluo might not be his match."

Snow Devil Douluo rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Your Highness the Saintess flatters me. My meager skills are entirely thanks to His Holiness the Pope's guidance back then. Otherwise, how could I have achieved what I have today?"

Once inside the inner hall, Bibi Dong got straight to the point.

"Elder Snow Devil, what is that hundred-thousand-year Icefield Raging Bear mentioned in the letter doing now?"

Snow Devil Douluo's expression turned solemn, and he said in a deep voice:

"Your Holiness Spider Emperor, I sent three Soul Saints to keep watch day and night at the boundary between the mixed zone and the core zone.

"That Raging Bear has just survived its hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation and suffered a little backlash. It is now sleeping and recovering from its injuries in a dark ice cavern deep in Ice Storm Valley. It definitely won't be moving anytime soon."

Qian Xunji nodded slightly.

"Very good.

"But before dealing with it, we need to take care of the two little ones' Soul Rings.

"Bing'er needs a thousand-year Soul Ring of the pure ice attribute, while Xue'er needs her Fourth Soul Ring."

A few days earlier, Shui Bing'er had obtained several pieces of Whale Rubber and successfully refined them with Ling Yuan's help.

With her current physique, absorbing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring was well within her ability.

Hearing this, Snow Devil Douluo looked at Shui Bing'er. After sensing her Martial Soul, he said in surprise:

"A top-tier Beast Martial Soul, the Ice Phoenix?

"No wonder Your Holiness personally took her as a disciple!"

He pondered for a moment, then immediately said:

"Your Holiness, there's a flock of Ice Crystal White Jade Falcons in the Frozen Forest, a hundred li beyond the outskirts. Their leader is just over a thousand years old.

"It's incredibly fast and possesses an extremely pure power of frost storms. It's perfectly suited to the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul!"

A flicker of longing passed through Shui Bing'er's eyes as she looked at Qian Xunji.

"Teacher, a thousand years... can I withstand that for my First Soul Ring?"

Qian Xunji smiled.

"With me here, and the body-tempering spiritual liquid and Whale Rubber you've taken these past few days, a mere thousand years is no problem at all.

"As for Xue'er..."