"So, Bing'er, you mean that human saved me."
"You've also joined their God-Making Plan, seeking Eternal Life."
Snow Empress's furrowed brow relaxed, and the killing intent in her eyes faded.
"That's right, Xue'er. You failed to form your Second Soul Core, and your time is almost up. You should join us too!" Ice Empress said, her eyes filled with hope.
Snow Empress narrowed her eyes and glanced at Huo Yuhao. He was just a little human boy.
Huo Yuhao noticed Snow Empress looking him over and walked over to her.
"Hello, Snow Empress. It's nice to meet you. My name is Huo Yuhao, and I'm Ice Empress's new partner."
Snow Empress got straight to the point. "Human, you want me to join your God-Making Plan, right?"
Huo Yuhao nodded. "That's right."
Snow Empress glanced at Ice Empress, forcibly suppressing her reluctance, then coldly refused.
"Take Bing'er and go. As the leader of the Far North, I have my people to protect and responsibilities to fulfill."
"Thank you for your kind offer. I'll remember this debt I owe you. Take Bing'er and go."
"Xue'er, you...!"
"Bing'er, don't try to persuade me. I've made up my mind."
As the leader of the entire Extreme North, Snow Empress had her own pride. She could never trust a human so easily.
Huo Yuhao said, "There's no need to remember that debt. Why don't you repay it now?"
Snow Empress looked surprised. "How does this emperor repay you?"
"It's simple. Join us, and we'll be even." Huo Yuhao spoke calmly.
Snow Empress's voice was cold. "That's impossible."
"Is saving your life not enough? You're so coldhearted!" Huo Yuhao said.
Snow Empress studied Huo Yuhao. "Every living being has principles they stand by."
"Besides, what you did for me doesn't count as saving my life. At most, you kept me from being injured. It wasn't a matter of life and death."
"But your origin power is as vital as your life, isn't it?" Huo Yuhao's gaze sharpened.
"Your origin wasn't damaged beyond recovery. That was all thanks to my help."
"If you recover properly, you may still be able to attempt the Yin-Yang Soul Core a second time in the future."
"Had things followed their original course, you'd have suffered the backlash from failing to form your Second Soul Core. Just standing here talking to me would have been a remarkable feat!"
"Name another condition. I've already told you, I will never join you." Snow Empress's expression remained cold.
Seeing Snow Empress refuse to budge, Huo Yuhao sighed inwardly. He could only resort to a threat.
"Snow Empress! You don't want me taking out my frustration over today's failure on Ice Empress, do you?"
"What do you mean?"
In the conversation that followed, Huo Yuhao used Ice Empress and the debt for saving Snow Empress's life as leverage. Snow Empress was forced onto the back foot at every turn.
At last, furious, she was about to attack. Huo Yuhao smiled faintly. Miss Snow Empress, Ice Empress's life is connected to mine now.
Snow Empress was so angry that she cursed Huo Yuhao as shameless. "You shameless scoundrel! Get that idea out of your head. I'd rather die than submit to you."
Huo Yuhao could hear the struggle beneath Snow Empress's stubborn words. "Is that so? Then, Tian Meng, Ice Empress, let's go!"
"I never thought Snow Empress of the Far North would be so cold and heartless."
"When some Soul Beast dies in the future, a grieving Ice Empress will be at her most vulnerable."
"Besides, there are Tian Meng and me..." Huo Yuhao turned away, deliberately raising his voice.
"Wait, human!"
"Is something wrong?"
Snow Empress looked at Ice Empress and gave in. "You win. I agree to go with you."
Huo Yuhao immediately changed his expression. "Welcome to the God-Making team, Snow Empress!"
"I'm sure joining us will be the best decision you've ever made!"
"Stick with me, and you'll get a godhood—and Eternal Life, too."
"I won't let you regret it!" Huo Yuhao spoke with fervor as he painted a rosy picture.
Watching Huo Yuhao change faces faster than turning a page, Snow Empress nearly laughed in disbelief.
When he was trying to recruit her, he'd been utterly shameless. The moment she gave in, he started making grand promises.
"Xue'er, this is wonderful!"
Ice Empress hadn't paid attention to a single thing Huo Yuhao had said. She'd only heard the result: Snow Empress had joined them.
Snow Empress didn't want to look at Huo Yuhao's face anymore. Her gaze was fixed entirely on Ice Empress.
Forget it. Rather than cling to her pride, she'd protect what she wanted to protect right now.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm looked puzzled. "Yuhao, it's a good thing Snow Empress is willing to join us."
"But we only have one spot for a Martial Soul. Which of them do you want to become ours?"
"Judging by bloodline, Snow Empress would undoubtedly make the stronger Martial Soul."
Huo Yuhao grinned. "Only children have to choose. Adults take them both!"
Three days later, they were in a cave on the outskirts of the Extreme North.
"Have you finished taking care of everything?" Huo Yuhao asked the two Empresses before him.
Ice Empress said, "More or less. We've chosen a new clan leader."
"I'm about done, too. But I have one request, Yuhao."
Snow Empress looked a little uneasy. In a sense, she had been half-forced into joining them.
"Go ahead," Huo Yuhao said.
"Once you reach Super Douluo, could you take us back to the Extreme North?"
Snow Empress made the request because she hadn't yet decided whether Titan Snow Demon King A'Tai or the White Ice Bear King, whom she'd taken in, should rule the Far North.
She had an idea of her own, but Yuhao was too weak for now, so she could only put it aside for the time being.
"No problem." They were partners now, and Huo Yuhao had only said those things to Snow Empress to bring her over to their side.
Now that he'd achieved his goal, he wanted to restore at least a little of his standing in Snow Empress's eyes to ensure they worked well together in the future.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's spirit appeared, her face filled with concern.
"Yuhao, are you really going to do this? If something goes wrong, we could all be crushed."
"Crushed?" Ice Empress asked curiously. "Tian Meng, what did Yuhao tell you while we were away these past three days? Why do you look like that?"
Huo Yuhao said calmly, "It's time to tell you. Ice Empress, the plan we discussed with you has changed a little."
"Now that Snow Empress has joined us, I want to fuse both you and Snow Empress into the ice Martial Soul Tian Meng gave me."
"What?" Ice Empress's lips parted slightly.
Snow Empress was astonished by Huo Yuhao's audacity. "You want to fuse both of us into Tian Meng's Martial Soul? You certainly have some nerve, Yuhao."
Huo Yuhao said, "I know it sounds crazy. Whether you or Ice Empress becomes a Martial Soul, you'd be among the top Martial Souls in the world."
"With my talent, we'd have a good chance of becoming gods in the future."
"But that's not enough. To earn a god's favor, we need talent and willpower far beyond the ordinary."
"If we can combine your powers, no one will be able to match our talent in the future!"
"Are you willing to take this gamble with me?" Huo Yuhao held out his hand, palm open in invitation.
Before you continue