Subduing the Ice and Snow Empresses

Level thirty-five, twenty-two Soul Skills...

Even Qian Lingye himself couldn't fucking help laughing.

An ordinary level-thirty-five Soul Master would have three or four Soul Skills at most.

He alone had enough skills to equip a whole platoon.

What was more, they covered everything: offense and defense, control, spiritual attacks, enhancement, and assassination. He had no weaknesses at all.

His trip to the Far North had truly been a bountiful one.

The only thing giving him a headache was that he had been away too long. Bibi Dong must have noticed by now, and once he got back, his mother would probably give him a thorough beating.

"Oh, right, system, why hasn't my third Authority activated?"

The first token was the Lava Crystal Core, which corresponded to Wrath.

The second token was the Earth Vein, which corresponded to Pride.

The third token, the Tears of the Sky, corresponded to Envy.

[Host, some of the Tears of the Sky's power remains and is still being absorbed. Envy Authority will activate only after it has been completely absorbed.]

So that's why...

The first two Authorities both had absurd abilities that nearly defied the rules. Qian Lingye was already looking forward to Envy Authority.

Just as his thoughts were racing, two graceful figures came across the snow and landed before him.

They were the Snow Empress and the Ice Empress.

Before Qian Lingye could bid them farewell, the Snow Empress assumed a solemn expression. Together with the Ice Empress, she bowed deeply, offering the most respectful of greetings.

"We pay our respects to the Ice and Snow Divine Envoy."

Qian Lingye was momentarily stunned. He looked around and saw no one else, so he asked in confusion, "Are you talking to me?"

The Snow Empress raised her head, her gaze full of reverence, and spoke with solemn emphasis:

"Before the Ice and Snow Goddess faded away, she left a divine decree!"

"You have inherited the Ice and Snow Dao and wield the sacred relic, the Tears of the Sky. You are the Ice and Snow Divine Envoy chosen by fate!"

"From this day forth, you are the new master of the Far North!"

"Bing'er and I swear to follow you unto death, never leave you for the rest of our lives, and remain at your side every step of the way!"

With that, she gave the Ice Empress beside her a gentle nudge. The Ice Empress looked thoroughly reluctant and was secretly curling her lip.

The Ice Empress was unwilling, but she dared not defy the divine decree, so she could only bow her head in silence.

A gleam instantly flashed in Qian Lingye's eyes.

This was a good thing.

Once the Snow Empress made a full recovery, she would be a top-tier Ferocious Beast at the seven-hundred-thousand-year level. The Ice Empress had a foundation of nearly four hundred thousand years.

Having the two of them helping him would be wonderful.

Although the Ice Empress looked unconvinced right now, that was no real problem.

He could slowly train her in the future!

"Rise. There's no need for such formalities from now on. Just call me young master."

"Thank you, young master." The Snow Empress rose obediently.

Qian Lingye looked at the two of them and asked, "If you leave with me, what will become of everything you've built in the Far North?"

The Snow Empress answered calmly, "Rest assured, young master."

"I have already given orders for the Titan Snow Demon King to remain in the Far North and govern the entire ice plains in our stead."

"After this battle, he was utterly convinced and submitted wholeheartedly. There is no possibility of betrayal."

Qian Lingye nodded slightly, his worries put to rest.

Everything was settled. It was time to go home.

He raised his eyes toward the south, a sharp glint shining in them.

Spirit City, I, Qian Lingye, am back!

Spirit City.

A young man, accompanied by two aloof and breathtakingly beautiful young women, slowly entered the most prosperous city on the continent.

"So this is where humans live. There's nothing special about it. It's noisy and chaotic, nowhere near as peaceful as the Far North Ice Plains."

On her first visit to a human city, the Ice Empress looked around at the noisy crowds and couldn't help grumbling under her breath, her discomfort plain on her face.

The Snow Empress explained from beside her, "I heard that a major tournament is being held in the city soon. Soul Masters have gathered from all directions, which is why there are far more people than usual."

The Snow Empress and the Ice Empress had both taken the forms of lovely, graceful young women.

The Snow Empress already had the ability to transform freely and could change her form at will. The Ice Empress, meanwhile, had temporarily gained the ability to transform with the help of a treasure.

Not only that, both women had signed Dark Contracts with Qian Lingye.

Qian Lingye said, "The event you're talking about is the Advanced Soul Master Tournament, organized by the two great empires and Spirit Hall. I'll go back to the hall first. You two can look around the city yourselves. Remember to behave, and don't cause me any trouble."

With that, Qian Lingye turned and walked straight away.

Watching the young man's retreating figure, the Ice Empress immediately curled her lip and grumbled, "Sis, that little brat is only nine, but he insists on talking like an old man. He's obviously putting on airs in front of us. We've lived for hundreds of thousands of years. In terms of seniority, we could be the grandmothers of his great-great-great-great-great-grandmother!"

The Snow Empress shook her head gently and soothed her, "Bing'er, behave."

"This is the guidance of fate left by the Ice and Snow Goddess, a bond we cannot escape. If not for him, I might never have been able to return to the Far North in this lifetime, and we sisters might never have seen each other again."

Those simple words instantly touched the softest spot in the Ice Empress's heart.

The Ice Empress's eyes reddened slightly. "Sis, don't say any more."

The Snow Empress chuckled softly and continued, "Look at us now. This may well be the best outcome. This city is noisy, but it's a hundred times more interesting than the deathly silent Far North. Besides, by staying at his side and receiving the constant nourishment of the ice and snow divine power within him, my cultivation is slowly recovering. Given time, I may yet be able to return to my peak."

The Ice Empress nodded firmly, her gaze earnest. "Sis, wherever you go, I'll always stay with you."

Meanwhile, Qian Lingye had walked some distance away, but he heard every word of the two women's conversation.

After absorbing the Spiritual Origin of the million-year Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, his Spiritual Detection covered a terrifyingly vast range. At this distance, their voices couldn't escape his ears.

Qian Lingye couldn't help scratching his head, his face full of resignation.

The description of the Dark Contract had clearly said that those bound by it would naturally feel trust and goodwill toward the host.

Why had it completely failed with the Ice Empress?

She was a complete oddball!

It seemed that to win over this little tsundere, he could only rely on his own damned personal charm and slowly bring her around.

But right now, he had no time to dwell on the Ice Empress's little temper.

Compared to the tsundere Ice Empress, his biggest problem at the moment was his own mother.

He had sneaked out and run wild for so long. Sneaking out was fun for the moment, but going home was sure to be a crematorium!

He really was a little afraid to return to Spirit Hall now.

"Young... young master? Y-you're back?"

A somewhat hesitant voice suddenly rang out.

Qian Lingye looked up and found himself face-to-face with Chrysanthemum Douluo, dressed in a floral robe. He immediately smiled and raised a hand in greeting. "Senior Chrysanthemum, long time no see. I'm back. Is my mother in the hall?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo's expression instantly turned exceedingly complicated. After hesitating for a long time, he finally squeezed out an honest word:

"Young master, let me give you a piece of sincere advice... How about you just don't come back?"

Gulp.

Qian Lingye swallowed instinctively, a strong sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

Just then, an extraordinarily cold female voice suddenly descended from above the Spirit Hall Main Hall, devoid of the slightest emotion:

"Qian Lingye, come in."

Chrysanthemum Douluo wore a look of solemn mourning as he patted Qian Lingye on the shoulder, silently telling him to pray for his own good.

"Young master, go on in."

Qian Lingye took a deep breath, steeled himself, and stepped into the solemn, imposing Spirit Hall Main Hall.