My Xue'er Wants It Too...

At the bottom of the icy spring of the Ice Fire Yin Yang Eye.

Jiang Zhen abruptly opened his eyes, and icy spring water instantly flooded into his nostrils.

Everything that had just happened felt like a long, vivid dream, yet the Dragon Core slowly rotating within his Dantian, radiating endless warmth and power—

As well as the azure skull in his hand, icy to the touch and incomparably heavy, told him with absolute clarity—everything was real!

He had obtained the final inheritance of the Water Dragon King, who had fallen here!

Suppressing the excitement and shock in his heart, Jiang Zhen did not dare linger.

He carefully placed the incomparably precious head Spirit Bone into his Storage Ring, then circulated his soul power and shot toward the spring's surface, where faint light filtered down from above.

Splash—

The tranquil surface of the icy spring suddenly broke as Jiang Zhen's head emerged from the water.

He took a deep breath of the strange air within the Ice Fire Yin Yang Eye, mixed with Extreme Heat and Extreme Coldness, while icy water streamed down his hair and cheeks.

He quickly swam to the bank, braced himself with both hands, and climbed ashore in a somewhat bedraggled state.

His face was slightly pale, not because he had exhausted himself, but because his recent encounter had been too shocking for his turbulent mind to settle.

More importantly, the clothes he had worn while diving to the bottom of the spring had long since been torn to shreds by the dual onslaught of the Extreme Coldness energy below and the pressure of the Dragon King's remnant soul, barely enough to cover him.

The cold air against his skin brought a trace of chill, but it also cleared Jiang Zhen's mind further.

Without hesitation, he took out a spare set of clothes from his Storage Ring and quickly changed into them.

Ice Empress, who had been staring fixedly at the spring's surface without moving a step, flashed before him almost the instant he came ashore.

Her pretty yet cold face was filled with undisguised urgency and curiosity. Her dark green Long Hair stirred despite the absence of wind, revealing the unrest in her Inner heart.

"A Zhen! What exactly happened down there?"

Ice Empress's voice still carried her usual chill, but she spoke noticeably faster than normal.

"You were down there for so long that This Empress even lost all sense of your presence for a time. I thought that Extreme Ice Core had frozen you to pieces!"

"And what was that ancient, terrifying pressure that came from below just now? It only lasted an instant, but..."

Her jade-like eyes swept sharply over Jiang Zhen. Then her words abruptly stopped, and a flicker of uncertainty crossed her gaze.

"Wait... your aura... seems a little different?"

She could sense that Jiang Zhen's Soul Power Level had made an enormous leap, surging to level 48.

Moreover, the "scent" emanating from Jiang Zhen had undergone a subtle change.

It felt deeper, closer to the source itself. In particular, the aura of water and ice had become incomparably pure, even faintly giving her a...

Indescribable, faint pressure originating from the level of life itself?

It was simply unbelievable!

Jiang Zhen tied his belt, took a deep breath, and looked at Ice Empress.

Faced with the questioning of one of the Three Heavenly Kings of the Extreme North, he knew there was no way he could hide the commotion from her.

He sorted through his Thoughts, met Ice Empress's scrutinizing gaze frankly, and slowly said, "Sorry for making you worry. Some... unexpected things did happen down there."

"...Just as I was about to be assimilated by that energy and frozen stiff, some opportunities I had obtained before Inside the Body triggered the remnant consciousness of... an ancient existence hidden at the bottom of that spring." Jiang Zhen's voice carried a trace of lingering shock.

"An ancient existence?" Ice Empress's pupils contracted slightly.

"Yes."

Jiang Zhen nodded, his expression solemn. "A Dragon King who claimed to command all waters and ice."

"A Dragon King?!"

Ice Empress cried out in shock. Her proud, aloof expression shattered instantly, replaced by utter disbelief.

Her beautiful green eyes widened sharply. She nearly exclaimed aloud again, but forcibly restrained herself. Even her voice carried a faint, barely noticeable tremble.

"Y-you mean... one of the nine great elemental Dragon Kings under the ancient Dragon God?!"

How was that possible?! How could such an existence... have fallen at the bottom of a tiny spring here?!

As a super Soul Beast that had lived for over a hundred thousand years, she knew all too well what the words "Dragon King" represented!

They were true existences standing at the pinnacle of the Soul Beast hierarchy, beings who could even rival the God Kings of the God Realm!

Legends among legends!

"Though it is hard to believe, that is the truth."

Jiang Zhen's tone remained calm as he continued, "It was merely a lingering imprint of consciousness. It tested me on my understanding and application of the origins of water and ice."

"Fortunately, I barely passed its test."

He omitted the specific details of the test, but Ice Empress could fully imagine how difficult it had been.

The "understanding and application" capable of earning the acknowledgment of a remnant soul from an ancient Dragon King was anything but ordinary.

"And then?"

Ice Empress pressed impatiently, her body unconsciously leaning forward.

The existence of a Dragon King was simply too astonishing; she could not help losing her composure.

"And then..."

Jiang Zhen paused. With a slight movement of his thoughts, he sensed the Dragon Core slowly rotating within his Dantian, radiating vast power. "It bestowed upon me a portion of its remaining origin power—a Dragon Core—as well as a Spirit Bone it had left behind."

"And it entrusted me... that if possible in the future, I should offer some care to the descendants of the Dragon Race."

As he spoke, he raised his hand, and the exquisitely azure dragon-head Spirit Bone, seemingly containing countless flowing ice stars, appeared in his palm once more.

Although he had deliberately restrained the Spirit Bone's power, its crystal-clear material, naturally inscribed profound patterns, and the faint yet supreme Dragon Might capable of making all beasts submit all proclaimed its extraordinary nature!

Ice Empress's gaze was instantly locked onto the Spirit Bone, and she could no longer look away.

She could clearly sense the terrifying energy and mysteries of laws within that Spirit Bone, far beyond the limits of her understanding! It was absolutely a relic of the godly level!

At that moment, all doubts in her heart vanished, leaving behind only endless shock and realization.

The way she looked at Jiang Zhen again became incomparably complicated. Surprise, envy, and even a trace of something indescribable...?

This human boy's fortune was simply too heaven-defying!

After a long silence, Ice Empress slowly let out a breath and spoke in a complicated tone.

"I never imagined... you would possess such fortune. A Dragon King's inheritance... this is an opportunity granted by heaven. Take care of yourself."

Once the shock had passed, she looked toward the lush Immortal Herbs and spiritual medicines surrounding the Ice Fire Yin Yang Eye, and her eyes burned with fervor again.

She still had not brought anything back for Xue'er...

"A Zhen, you haven't forgotten what you promised me, have you?" Ice Empress pointed at those immortal-grade plants. "Help me find some more spiritual herbs and Immortal Herbs that can aid ice-element cultivation."

"Of course."

Jiang Zhen nodded. His gaze swept over the exotic flowers and rare herbs glowing with treasures of every color as he swiftly calculated which ones had to be taken and which could be left for Ice Empress.

He stepped toward an Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid, its entire body pure white as though carved from ice and jade, and was just about to pluck it.

Just then—

"Insolence!"

An aged roar filled with overwhelming fury exploded abruptly from the direction of the valley entrance like thunder striking level ground!