Extreme Ice, Encountering Huo Yuhao

"Forget it. I've just exited seclusion and have no interest in killing a weakling. Watch your words from now on."

Ice Empress said coldly.

"Congratulations on exiting seclusion, Senior."

Nan Shui Shui stepped forward and offered her respectful congratulations.

Even though she was now a Titled Douluo, she still could not gauge Ice Empress's true strength.

Ice Empress nodded casually.

With arrogant, domineering strides, she walked toward the banquet. Yet the aura erupting from her petite body left no room for anyone to underestimate her.

Vina broke out in a cold sweat, her limbs numb.

For that brief instant just now, she had nearly believed she was truly going to die.

To her, that aura was no less oppressive than the pressure of Sect Master Du Busi.

Dragon City... had Soul Masters this powerful?

"Vina, are you all right?"

Mu Xue asked with concern.

"I'm fine."

Vina let out a breath and regained her usual graceful softness.

Nan Shui Shui approached and said gently, "Your Highness, I'm sorry for frightening you."

Only after breaking through to Titled Douluo had she realized just how enormous the gap between herself and Ice Empress and Snow Empress was.

Vina's status was noble.

But that did not mean she could offend two mysterious seniors of unknown origins.

"Don't blame yourself. I was the one who offended that Senior."

Vina said tactfully.

Earth Dragon Gate might be a force of the Heaven Dou Empire, but it had no obligation to offend a peerless expert for the sake of one princess.

After the crowd dispersed,

Mu Xue leaned close to Vina's ear and whispered, "Vina, the aura that expert released just now was Extreme Ice!"

"Are you certain?"

Vina turned toward her, her expression grave.

"Yes."

Mu Xue nodded solemnly.

She was a disciple of the Snow Demon Sect, and her Martial Soul was snow. There were no shortage of Ice Attribute Soul Masters in her sect, yet not one of them had reached that level.

Vina drew a deep breath.

The last expert with an Extreme Attribute had appeared Three Thousand Years ago. It could almost be said that he had changed the continent's entire balance of power by himself, leading the Soul Masters of the three nations to victory over Sun Moon.

Otherwise, the Douluo Continent of today might already have become the Sun Moon Continent.

She turned to look at Zi Yao and Ice Empress, who were chatting intimately, and grew even more curious about Zi Yao's unfathomable background.

If Zi Yao had previously attracted her purely because of his appearance,

then now,

for the sake of her nation, she also needed to win over this mysterious force. It could possibly change the fate of the Heaven Dou Empire!

Meanwhile, Zi Yao and Ice Empress were quite relaxed.

Ice Empress held a skewer of roasted Ice Silkworms, popping them into her mouth one by one. Crispy on the outside and tender within, they overflowed with sweet juices.

As Soul Beasts that grew up feeding on snow, Ice Silkworms had exceptionally delicious meat and were free of impurities. They were the favorite staple food of most Ice Attribute Soul Beasts.

If they did not possess powerful mimicry spiritual abilities, Ice Silkworms would have long since been eaten into extinction.

"Xiao Yao, where are you planning to go Soul Hunting this time?"

"Star Dou Great Forest," Zi Yao answered honestly.

"Star Dou?"

Ice Empress's expression immediately turned wary.

If there was any place that could frighten her, despite her Four Hundred Thousand Years of cultivation, it would undoubtedly be the core region of Star Dou.

At least six of the continent's Ten Great Beast Kings had clearly taken root in the Star Dou Great Forest.

And there was also the Beast God—Di Tian.

Even with Four Hundred Thousand Years of cultivation, if she encountered Di Tian, it would be a certain death.

"Don't worry, Ice Sister. I'm only going to hunt a Soul Beast that's less than ten thousand years old. I won't clash with the Beasts in the core region."

Zi Yao said with a faint smile.

"I certainly hope so."

Ice Empress muttered as she stuffed a Giant Ice Silkworm into Zi Yao's mouth. "Eat more. This stuff is good for you. Eating it can even improve your affinity with the Ice Attribute."

"Mmph..."

Zi Yao's mouth was stuffed full.

Noticing this, Vina, who was skilled at reading people, brought over several plates of roasted Ice Silkworms. She tried to use them to build a better relationship with Ice Empress.

"Senior, these Ice Silkworms are all of Hundred-Year Quality and extremely rare. I brought them from the Imperial Family. Please accept them as my apology."

"Mm."

Ice Empress responded indifferently, swallowing a Giant Ice Silkworm in a single bite with her cherry lips.

Seeing that Ice Empress was not angered,

Vina relaxed. But she also understood that experts did not wish to be disturbed. It was enough that she had conveyed her sincerity, so she rose and left.

Zi Yao also sighed in relief.

Fortunately, Vina had not continued stepping on Ice Empress's sore spot. Otherwise, even he would not have been able to save her.

After the banquet ended, Vina sought out Zi Yao alone once more. She again expressed the Heaven Dou Empire's sincerity and promised to grant Zi Yao a noble Nobility Title.

But things like nobility titles were utterly useless to Zi Yao.

It would have been fine if they were simply handed to him for free like Tang San's had been, but Vina clearly wanted to recruit him into the Heavenly Soul faction. That would not be worth it, so he politely declined.

Seeing this,

Vina could not force the issue and left with a heart full of regret.

Early the next morning,

Ice Empress took Zi Yao and departed.

The two headed toward the Star Dou Great Forest, but following Zi Yao's directions, they stopped at a town in the Star Luo Empire.

"Xiao Yao, weren't we going to the Star Dou Great Forest? Why have we stopped in a Small Town?"

Ice Empress asked curiously.

"It's nothing. I suddenly got hungry. Let's find somewhere to eat."

Zi Yao said with a faint smile.

In truth, he had long since made his plans.

Soul Hunting was Soul Hunting, but he could not miss the opportunity presented by Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.

As the Child of Destiny, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's opportunity was most likely something the world itself had specifically prepared for the Child of Destiny.

Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence? A plump, well-fed Million-Year Soul Beast was somehow driven into a dead end, only to sacrifice itself to a level-ten Soul Master who just happened to be the Child of Destiny.

He did not possess such destiny.

And the Star Dou Great Forest was so vast.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm might be lacking in other aspects,

but when it came to escaping with Spiritual Power, it was exceptional. Even Ice Empress's Spiritual Power could not catch it. Otherwise, it would not have escaped to Star Dou just to deliver itself to someone's doorstep.

Therefore,

he had to keep track of Huo Yuhao's movements for the time being.

In the Small Town,

dusk was approaching. The lingering glow of the setting sun spilled across the empty streets, and at the end of the road stood a small stall.

An eleven- or twelve-year-old Blue-Haired Boy was tidying up the items at the stall. He could not be called handsome, only youthful and adorable at best. His face was smeared with black soot.

He rubbed at the dust with the back of his hand, only to find that it became dirtier the more he wiped. He simply gave up and weighed the Copper Soul Coins in his cloth pouch instead.

His heart was filled with joy.

At this rate, he would soon save enough for travel expenses.

Then, he could enter the Star Dou Great Forest and begin hunting his First Soul Ring!

His gaze gradually hardened as he touched the White Tiger Dagger in his pocket.

Mother, I will avenge you.

I won't spare a single one of those who hurt you!

"Two roasted fish."

A calm voice woke Huo Yuhao from his bubble of vengeance.

Looking up, he saw a White-Haired Youth standing before the stall. His looks and bearing were both extraordinary, his clothes luxurious, his frame tall and straight, and his purple eyes remarkably mysterious.

They were clearly the same age,

yet Huo Yuhao, malnourished since childhood, was a head shorter and vastly inferior in bearing. Standing beside the grill with his face grimy and dusty, he lowered his head after just one glance and answered with a dull hum.

He felt as if he and the youth before him belonged to two different worlds, just like himself and Dai Huabin.

He hated that feeling.

(I hope all my dear readers won't forget to keep reading over the next couple of days. It's crucial to whether this work can make it through the trial period. Thank you, everyone.)