Raging Wind Ice Vulture

After hearing everything, the Ice and Snow Empresses were first delighted by the approval in the first half, but when they heard "sacrifice themselves to a human," both froze, their eyes filled with shock.

They had lived for hundreds of thousands of years and seen countless Spirit Beasts fall, yet they had never heard of becoming gods in the God Realm after sacrificing themselves to humans.

After a brief silence, the Snow Empress spoke first, her tone carrying unquestionable resolve:

"If this is the Ice God's arrangement, then I, the Snow Empress, have no objections. I can sacrifice myself to you at any time. It would be my honor to pave the way for the Ice God's inheritor."

To her, the Ice God's will was an absolute faith. As long as it was the Ice God's command, even if it meant sacrificing herself, she was willing.

The Ice Empress immediately echoed her:

"Me too! As long as I can fulfill the Ice God's wishes and gain the possibility of eternity, what does sacrifice matter? It's just... are you really not lying to us? What if you haven't received the Ice God's recognition and only want to trick us out of our Soul Rings and Soul Bones?"

She was more cautious than the Snow Empress. After all, sacrifice meant completely giving up one's current form, and there was no room for carelessness.

Xue Tianxing had long expected this concern and said frankly:

"I completely understand why you're worried that I might be deceiving you.

How about this? When I reach level seventy, I'll return here to formally accept the Ice God's Legacy. Once you witness the legacy being opened with your own eyes, you can decide whether to sacrifice yourselves to me.

That way, you can be completely at ease and have no lingering concerns."

This proposal was both thorough and prudent. The Ice and Snow Empresses exchanged a glance, each seeing agreement in the other's eyes.

The Snow Empress nodded and said solemnly:

"Fine! We'll do as you say.

From now on, we will continue guarding the Ice God Crystal and wait for your return at level seventy. When that time comes, we will fulfill the Ice God's command and help you complete the legacy!"

The Ice Empress nodded as well:

"That's right! We'll wait for you here in the core region of the Extreme North.

I hope you won't disappoint the Ice God's expectations, nor betray our trust."

Looking at their resolute gazes, Xue Tianxing thought that when he reached level seventy and accepted the legacy, he would not only obtain the Ice God's power, but also gain two top-tier Soul Rings and Soul Bones. His strength would surely undergo a qualitative leap.

"Don't worry. I will never disappoint Senior Ice God's command, nor will I let you down."

Xue Tianxing made his promise solemnly.

Looking at the two of them, Xue Tianxing showed a hint of urgency.

"Can you send me back now? Grandpa Liu and Elder Dugu must be worried sick after discovering I've gone missing."

"Let's go. We'll send you back right away."

The Snow Empress nodded and raised her hand, preparing to take Xue Tianxing back to Liu Tianfeng.

But the Ice Empress suddenly spoke from the side:

"Wait. I see that your Soul Power has already reached level forty, so you happen to be lacking a fourth Soul Ring. Rather than spend time searching after you return, I might as well help you find a suitable one directly. Once you absorb it, we'll send you back. It'll save both time and effort."

Xue Tianxing's eyes lit up—the Ice and Snow Empresses were the overlords of the Land of the Extreme North and knew the distribution of Spirit Beasts here like the backs of their hands. Any Soul Ring they found would certainly be far more suitable than one they searched for blindly.

He immediately nodded.

"Then sorry for the trouble, Senior Ice Empress! I want a top-tier ice-attributed Spirit Beast or one possessing Extreme Ice, around twenty thousand years old. If it carries Phoenix Bloodline, that would be even better."

"You want Phoenix Bloodline too?"

The Ice Empress raised an eyebrow and said with a trace of helplessness:

"Do you know how rare Spirit Beasts with Phoenix Bloodline are in the Land of the Extreme North? In the entire Extreme North, there are probably only a few species that can even be remotely related."

Just then, the Snow Empress spoke:

"I can think of a suitable one. Let's go to the territory of the Raging Wind Ice Vultures. Some time ago, the Raging Wind Ice Vulture King came to me and said her child had been severely injured by human Soul Masters, asking me to help treat it. I went to see it, but the little one's heart meridian had been damaged, and it was already beyond saving. It is roughly twenty-three thousand years old, which happens to meet your requirements. Moreover, the Raging Wind Ice Vulture's Ice-Wind Power is extremely pure. It can barely be considered to possess the bloodline of an Ancient Divine Bird. Though it is not a phoenix, it is still rare."

The Ice Empress's eyes brightened.

"Good, then we'll go there!"

Before her words had even faded, the Ice Empress reached out and grabbed Xue Tianxing's arm. The Snow Empress followed close behind, and all three rose into the air, flying in one direction.

The overlords of the Extreme North flew at incredible speed. Before long, a towering snow mountain appeared before them—the mountain's rock face was covered in nests of varying sizes, while countless Raging Wind Ice Vultures with wingspans of several meters circled among them, letting out piercing cries.

"This is the territory of the Raging Wind Ice Vultures."

The Snow Empress said softly, then released, alongside the Ice Empress, the pressure belonging to the overlords of the Extreme North.

In an instant, every Raging Wind Ice Vulture on the snow mountain fell silent. They all crouched within their nests, not daring to raise their heads.

From the largest nest at the mountain's summit, an enormous figure soared into the sky—it was a Raging Wind Ice Vulture with a wingspan of dozens of meters. Its feathers were blue and white, its beak and claws as sharp as ice crystals, and fierce wind and snow power swirled around its body.

It flew before the three of them, its form flashing as it transformed into a middle-aged woman dressed in blue-black robes, her face carrying both reverence and confusion.

"Lord Snow Empress, Lord Ice Empress, I did not know the two of you were coming. What are your orders?"

The Raging Wind Ice Vulture King asked respectfully. Her gaze instinctively fell upon Xue Tianxing, and her heart was full of confusion—why had these two overlords brought a human child here?

The Snow Empress went straight to the point:

"We did not come for you, but for this child. Your severely injured hatchling cannot be saved anymore, correct? We want it to sacrifice itself to this child and become his Soul Ring."

As she spoke, she raised a hand and pointed at Xue Tianxing.

The Raging Wind Ice Vulture King's body stiffened abruptly, pain and anger flashing through her eyes—her child had been injured by humans, and now the Snow Empress wanted it to sacrifice itself to another human?

But she knew her own strength—she only possessed a cultivation of one hundred and fifty thousand years. She could not even withstand a single move from the Ice Empress, much less face the unfathomably powerful Snow Empress.

No matter how unwilling she was, she could only bury it in her heart.

She clenched her fists, her voice slightly hoarse:

"Lord Snow Empress, that is my most beloved child... Even if it cannot be saved, it should be allowed to rest in peace. Why must it sacrifice itself to a human?"

The Ice Empress said coldly:

"That is not for you to question. Besides, being able to sacrifice himself and become this child's Soul Ring is his honor. Furthermore, his bloodline and ice attribute are both compatible with this child. Rather than die for nothing, he might as well make use of his final value. If you refuse, then don't blame us for being impolite."

The Raging Wind Ice Vulture King trembled all over. Looking at the chill in the Ice Empress's eyes, she ultimately lowered her head.

"I... I agree. I only hope you can let him go peacefully."

"Don't worry."

The Snow Empress nodded and said:

"We will let him complete the sacrifice without pain."

The Raging Wind Ice Vulture King gritted her teeth, turned, and flew toward the nest at the summit.

"Follow me."