Little Sister?

Outside.

Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged where he was, two Soul Rings—one red, one purple—emerging around him as their lights flickered in alternating rhythms.

The Ice and Snow Two Emperors stood guard nearby to prevent anyone from disturbing him.

Zi Ling crouched at the edge, wondering whether she should run away.

With the Ice and Snow Two Emperors standing guard here, they couldn't possibly move together if she tried to flee.

By that reckoning, she still had a chance to get away.

What worried her most now was the Mental Contract she had signed earlier. She did not know what terms it contained. What if there was some trap in it, such as a clause that would make her drop dead the moment she ran away?

But if she did not run now, it would only become harder to escape later.

Zi Ling knitted her brows, sinking into deep conflict.

Just then, a terrifying wave of Soul Power suddenly erupted from Huo Yuhao's body as he sat within the forest. A pair of Golden Black-Pattern Butterfly Wings burst open behind him, immediately drawing the Ice and Snow Two Emperors' attention.

Huo Yuhao was bare-chested, the butterfly wings on his back gently flapping as they lifted him into the air. He hovered in midair, while the veins of the Golden Butterfly Wings behind him drew upon the vast spiritual power within his body as nourishment. The slender veins throbbed like beating pulses, and the aura of the butterfly wings steadily rose.

Soul Bone Evolution?

The Ice and Snow Two Emperors could not help feeling astonished.

The red and Purple Soul Rings around Huo Yuhao flashed alternately. At the position of his third Soul Ring, a platinum Soul Ring gradually condensed, finally taking shape and radiating dense waves of Soul Power.

Huo Yuhao abruptly opened his eyes. Platinum patterns flickered within his enormous pupils, alternately appearing and fading with a soul-stirring intensity.

His gaze gradually regained focus. He discovered that he was floating in the air, and that the butterfly-wing Soul Bone on his back had somehow been released. It seemed to have been affected by the Sacrifice, its aura far stronger than before.

Did it possess growth potential?

Huo Yuhao silently descended with a flap of his wings. The Golden Ghost Butterfly Wings folded away as he looked up at the Ice and Snow Two Emperors.

What surprised him was that Zi Ling had not taken the chance to run.

At that moment, powerful Soul Power suddenly spread from between his brows. A figure flew out from within and revealed himself—it was Tian Meng, who had sacrificed himself earlier.

His body was translucent, suffused with a hazy white glow as he floated in the air.

His gaze fell upon the Ice Empress, his expression somewhat complicated.

The Ice Empress fell silent.

The Ice Empress had refused, Zi Ling had talked him into it, and Tian Meng had chosen Sacrifice.

Huo Yuhao obtained the Third Soul Ring, along with four exceptionally powerful support-type soul skills.

Although Tian Meng was sealing away his Soul Power as quickly as possible, the Soul Power that leaked out was still immense. It caused Huo Yuhao's Soul Power to reach its limit once more. Having only just broken through to Three Rings, his cultivation soared straight to level forty.

Since his rebirth, he had barely even cultivated, yet chance encounters had repeatedly pushed him across entire realms.

From the initial ten levels of Soul Power to his current forty.

In just three months, his Soul Power had risen by a full thirty levels. Such a leap was staggering.

From then on, Tian Meng became Huo Yuhao's Soul Spirit, retaining his self-awareness as he resided in the Sea of Consciousness.

Where there was meeting, there would always be parting.

The Ice and Snow Two Emperors had traveled south to heal the hidden injuries Snow Empress had suffered from the Heavenly Tribulation.

Now that Snow Empress had recovered, they naturally had no reason to stay.

There was likewise no need for Huo Yuhao to remain in the Far North Land. His stage was not here; sooner or later, he had to return.

It was time to part at last.

Icebound Forest, at the foot of Snow Dragon Spine Mountain.

Huo Yuhao bid farewell to the Ice Empress and Snow Empress, reminding them to take care and saying that their future held promise.

The Ice Empress stood beside Snow Empress.

Though she was tsundere, considering that Huo Yuhao had given her an immortal herb to extend her life, she reluctantly reminded him to watch out for his safety.

She also said that if he ran into any trouble in the outside world, he could come to the Far North Land and ask them for help.

Huo Yuhao thanked her in advance.

Snow Empress was very calm, merely watching him intently.

Huo Yuhao met Snow Empress's gaze and smiled gently.

He said they would meet again in the near future.

Snow Empress gave a slight nod in response.

In the end, Huo Yuhao left with Zi Ling.

Snow Empress remained standing amid the wind and snow, watching his figure grow smaller and smaller until it vanished into the vast dark forest.

In the near future, we'll meet again...

Icebound Forest, southern outskirts.

"Hey, where are we going now?" Zi Ling muttered at his side.

Huo Yuhao ignored her. And his name was not Hey.

"Say, why didn't you bring them with you? They're only used to staying in the Far North Land; it doesn't necessarily mean they like it. The outside world is much livelier than the Far North Land," Zi Ling said.

Huo Yuhao ignored her.

Everyone had their own way of living.

Though the Far North Land was not as prosperous and dazzling as the outside world, it was stable and peaceful.

There was no scheming, no deception. One lived simply to live.

It was both a forbidden land of life and a pure land.

The Ice Empress and Snow Empress belonged there.

"The Ice and Snow Two Emperors are so powerful. How great would it have been if you could have brought them out? That lake in the Star Dou Great Forest would have been like our own backyard. If those two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts dared object, we could just suppress them. Then wouldn't the Life Gold beneath the lake be ours for the taking? What a pity," Zi Ling said regretfully.

It seemed that, in her eyes, the Ice and Snow Two Emperors joining forces could sweep across the entire world.

Huo Yuhao was rather speechless.

The ignorant were arrogant, while the knowledgeable were humble. The saying truly fit the situation.

The Far North Land had the Three Great Heavenly Kings, all beings whose cultivation far surpassed that of Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

The Star Dou Great Forest was the largest gathering place of soul beasts in the world. How could it possibly be ordinary?

Di Tian and the others were merely sleeping, not dead.

When you caused trouble at Star Lake back then, you should have been grateful that you did not alert them.

Otherwise, with your ten-thousand-year cultivation, even if you rivaled a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, you would not have been enough to fill the gaps between their teeth. And you wanted to seize the Life Gold? You might as well have been dancing on Di Tian's fangs.

Even in this age when Soul Tools advanced with each passing day, the Star Dou Great Forest remained humanity's greatest threat. Di Tian was far more threatening than a rank ninety-nine Limit Douluo.

"By the way, you're human. How did you get to know Snow Empress and the others? And you seem so close?" Zi Ling asked curiously.

She had wanted to ask that question long ago, but with the Ice and Snow Two Emperors present at the time, she had not dared speak carelessly.

Before a human boy with shallow cultivation and little temper, however, she naturally became talkative.

"If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute." Huo Yuhao cast her a cold glance.

"Oh." Zi Ling immediately behaved herself.

At once, Huo Yuhao felt some peace around his ears.

"By the way, where are we going now?" Zi Ling spoke again.

The corner of Huo Yuhao's eye twitched. He raised a hand and rapped her on the head.

"Ow, ow, ow..." Zi Ling clutched her head, tears welling in her eyes.

Hah, finally quiet.

Half a month later.

Skywater City, on a broad pedestrian street.

"Where are we going?" Zi Ling followed behind Huo Yuhao, tugging at the corner of his clothes as she looked around.

It was her first time observing the human world from such close range, and she was afraid powerful human soul masters would notice her.

"Hey, it's you!" A delighted call came from ahead on the street.

Huo Yuhao looked up, somewhat surprised.

Xue Wu pulled Shui Bing'er forward to greet him.

The moment Shui Bing'er saw Huo Yuhao, she froze.

"What a coincidence. I didn't expect to run into you again," Xue Wu greeted Huo Yuhao warmly.

"What a coincidence," Huo Yuhao said with a smile.

"Huh?" Xue Wu immediately noticed the Purple-Clad Little Girl beside him, tugging on his clothes.

"Is this the long-lost relative you traveled so far to find? Is she your younger sister? She's so pretty." Xue Wu bent down and warmly greeted Zi Ling. "Hello, little girl. How old are you?"

Huo Yuhao paused slightly, only then remembering something.

Zi Ling looked puzzled as she raised her head to look at Huo Yuhao.

Younger sister?

Who was this woman, anyway?

Shui Bing'er finally came back to herself and buried her earlier emotions deep in her eyes.

As she looked at Zi Ling, she could not help feeling surprised.

She had originally thought his search for family was merely an excuse. She had not expected it to be true.