Ice Soul Contract

The Snow Empress's breathtakingly beautiful face was full of shock.

Th-this was her sixth Soul Skill, Emperor Sword: Ice Extreme Peerless!

It was the core ultimate technique exclusive to her seven-hundred-thousand-year-old ice and snow origin.

But why...

Why could Qian Lingye execute it perfectly?!

And the power he unleashed and the laws it contained were several times more overbearing, more pure, and more terrifying than when she used it herself!

Just what kind of monster was the young man before her?!

Endless questions, shock, and bewilderment filled the Snow Empress's mind. She stared blankly at the young man before her, unable to recover her senses for a long time.

Just then, Qian Lingye's expression changed. He spun around and struck a palm toward the Snow Empress.

The Snow Empress understood at once and ducked out of the way.

Behind her, a Titan Snow Demon burst out of an ice pit and threw a punch.

The instant fist and palm collided, the fine snow in the surrounding air seethed.

Qian Lingye and the Titan Snow Demon each stepped back, though Qian Lingye clearly retreated farther, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

He licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, took a pill from his bag, and put it in his mouth, adjusting the rhythm of his breathing.

Titan Snow Demons were Soul Beasts that were both cunning and savage, and they excelled at attacking in groups.

The two Qian Lingye had just slain had clearly been there to draw his attention.

Meanwhile, this one had lain hidden beneath the ice, waiting for a chance to strike.

If Qian Lingye and the Snow Empress hadn't possessed sharp senses, it would likely have succeeded.

And this Titan Snow Demon was clearly stronger than the previous two!

It had already come close to reaching the six-thousand-year realm.

If a five-thousand-year Soul Beast's strength merely approached that of a level-fifty Soul King, then a six-thousand-year Soul Beast had fully reached a level-fifty Soul King's level!

A difference of one word, yet as vast as the gulf between clouds and mud.

Qian Lingye had just used Evil God Authority and couldn't use it again for a short time.

Golza and Gagi were still some distance away, leaving him in an extremely unfavorable situation.

"Human! Human!"

The Titan Snow Demon caught Qian Lingye's scent and grew extremely agitated.

As human activity had grown more frequent over the years, quite a few humans had ventured into the Far North.

The Soul Beasts of the Far North had less and less space to live, and many had even gone extinct as a result.

Thus, the Soul Beasts of the Far North were extremely hostile toward humans, especially savage Soul Beasts of limited intelligence like the one before them.

Its beastly instincts made it desperately want to tear Qian Lingye apart.

But when its gaze fell on the Snow Empress, its beady, dark blue eyes narrowed slightly.

"Y-you're Lady Snow Empress!"

The Snow Empress's presence was unique; no one could imitate it.

And to the Soul Beasts of the Far North, the Snow Empress's presence caused a tremor that came from the depths of their souls.

The Titan Snow Demon recognized her at once, and its body trembled slightly. But then it froze, its beady eyes sweeping over the Snow Empress as though weighing something.

After a long moment, he seemed to reach an important decision and suddenly threw back his head and laughed. "Hahaha, it's true! The rumors are true."

"So the Snow Empress really did fail to take human form. I thought those idiots were talking nonsense."

"This is wonderful! She failed to take human form, yet her origin is completely intact. This couldn't be better."

"If I absorbed the Snow Empress's origin, how powerful would I become?"

At that, a greedy light appeared in his eyes, and even his breathing grew rapid.

"Let him go."

The Snow Empress suddenly spoke, her back turned to Qian Lingye and the Titan Snow Demon.

The Titan Snow Demon said angrily, "There's not a single good human! He must die today! As for you, Snow Empress, heh heh."

The Snow Empress said calmly, "Let him go, and I'll go with you. Otherwise, I'll destroy my own origin, and you'll get nothing."

The Titan Snow Demon's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're actually willing to sacrifice yourself for this human?"

The Snow Empress turned to look at Qian Lingye. Her gaze was calm, holding neither anger nor sorrow, only a trace of resolve.

"I'm very happy you were able to bring me back to the Far North. I thought I'd never return here in this lifetime."

"After arriving in the Far North, I had long since foreseen this situation. I had long since sensed it, but I still held on to the faintest hope."

"I don't want to drag you into this, so go, Qian Lingye. I'm glad I met you."

Even at the end, her voice remained calm, though a faint note of loneliness had crept into it.

She would not suffer humiliation. After Qian Lingye left, she would detonate her origin, wiping out the Titan Snow Demon and herself.

She had been born from this ice and snow, and would return to this frozen plain. It was the best end the Snow Empress could imagine.

Only, her life had been too short.

Seven hundred thousand years had passed in the blink of an eye.

She had endured seven hundred thousand years of cold and loneliness, and had long since had enough. That was why she had chosen to risk great danger to take human form.

Unfortunately, she had barely begun to experience human happiness before falling into a miserable fate.

Qian Lingye had rescued her and brought her home.

So no matter what, she had to protect the life of the young man before her. It was the only way she could think of to repay him.

Qian Lingye had not said a word from beginning to end. His gaze had remained fixed on the Snow Empress, watching her intently.

Seeing that he still wouldn't leave, the Snow Empress said urgently, "Hurry and go!"

Qian Lingye shook his head. "My mother said a true man must keep his word. I said I'd take you home, and I will."

"Besides, Xiao Xue'er, we agreed from the start that you would listen to me on this journey, not the other way around. Remember, a woman should listen to a man."

As he finished, the corners of Qian Lingye's mouth lifted in a brilliant smile.

The Snow Empress stood rooted to the spot, speechless for a moment. Deep in her snow-white eyes, a glimmer of light shimmered.

The Snow Empress nodded gently. "All right, I'll listen to you. I'll help you!"

The Snow Empress closed her eyes, and her body was suddenly covered in a thin mist. Specks of deep blue starlight shone around her.

Immediately afterward, her body transformed into a stream of deep blue light that shot into Qian Lingye.

In an instant, Qian Lingye felt a gentle, warm current flow into his body, filling him with comfort.

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Boom! A surging force of ice and snow poured into Qian Lingye's meridians.

Qian Lingye's Soul Power Level soared: level 23, level 24... level 28!

In just a few seconds, Qian Lingye's Soul Power had risen to level 28!