An Unexpected Encounter: The Snow Empress Appears

In the eternally silent white curtain of snow, a crystalline, jade-like hand suddenly appeared. She held a snowflake in her palm. As the view pulled back, a figure in a long white dress stood proudly amid the snow, her gaze fixed blankly on the distance as though searching for something.

Amid the raging blizzard, the Snow Empress's long white hair danced in the wind. Her sky-blue eyes were hollow, yet seemed to hold a trace of barely concealed agitation. In but an instant, the Snow Empress vanished once more, while the snowflake in her hand continued drifting into the distance with the wind.

A hundred li outside the Extreme North Land.

The Purple Vortex appeared out of thin air, and four figures emerged from it. After taking out a map and examining it, Shattered Star Douluo, who was leading the way, turned and asked:

"Boy Shu, are you sure you sensed the Snow Empress's aura?"

Shu Yan set Xu Jiujiu down from his arms, then nodded lightly.

"At the moment the bloodline in my body awakened, I did sense a special resonance between identical bloodlines deep within the Extreme North Land. If I could sense it, then the Snow Empress naturally could as well."

Shattered Star Douluo pondered for a moment before saying:

"Our current location is already at the outermost edge of the Extreme North Land. Less than ten kilometers ahead lies the territory of the Heaven Dou Empire. Even if the Snow Empress sensed your aura, she likely would not easily leave the Extreme North Land to pursue us. It's just that if we want to come to the Extreme North Land to hunt soul beasts again in the future, I'm afraid it'll be difficult..."

Shu Yan held Xu Jiujiu's hand, not knowing what to say for a moment.

He had long expected this day would come, but he had not expected it to arrive so suddenly. The last time they came to the Extreme North Land, the bloodline within his body had not stirred, and the aura of his martial soul had been completely suppressed by Shattered Star Douluo. In addition, the soul beasts they hunted had not required them to venture too deeply into the Extreme North Land. That was the only reason they had barely managed to leave unharmed.

But this time was entirely different. When awakening his Talent Domain, his martial soul bloodline would inevitably be activated. At that time, Shu Yan simply could not control the leakage of his martial soul's aura. The Snow Empress was like a sovereign in the Extreme North Land. Even ordinary major events could not escape her notice, much less the appearance of another Heavenly Snow Woman's aura within the Extreme North Land.

Just then, Xu Jiujiu, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke:

"Since we've already left the Extreme North Land, the chances of anything happening again should be very small. But the most important thing now is to return to Star Luo City as soon as possible. Every additional day we remain outside brings another measure of danger. For at least five years, A Yan absolutely cannot return to the Extreme North Land..."

Shattered Star Douluo nodded in agreement and said:

"Her Highness Princess is right. We can enter Tianhun territory immediately. Over the next few days, I'll lead everyone back at the greatest possible speed. Barring any accidents, this trip can be considered a complete success."

After a brief discussion, the four prepared to continue their journey. Once they left the boundaries of the Extreme North Land, vegetation gradually became more abundant, and the mountains and rivers slowly gained a touch of green. The forest beneath their feet brimmed with life, vibrant vitality surging skyward, and the turmoil in their hearts gradually settled.

The crisp chirping of birds continuously entered their ears. Streams babbled past, tinkling as they passed the cliffs. Everything was so peaceful and beautiful, as if the earlier fear and unexpected events had been washed away. Everyone quietly let out a breath of relief.

The four figures flashed through the sky like streaks of light. Perhaps because nothing unusual had happened for so long, everyone had relaxed considerably. They could even exchange a few light jokes. Almost no one noticed, nor could anyone have noticed, that atop a distant mountain peak, a cold, otherworldly white figure was watching them with icy eyes.

Everything happened far too suddenly. Shattered Star Douluo, who was leading at the front, suddenly stiffened. Then an incomparably domineering force descended from the heavens. The lush forest around them seemed to transform into an icy hell in an instant. Shattered Star Douluo and Nebula Douluo had not even come to their senses before they uncontrollably plunged downward.

Shu Yan's breathing also halted. The Soul Power within his body seemed to freeze in an instant. Without Shattered Star Douluo's Soul Power supporting him, he and Xu Jiujiu began plummeting at high speed. Almost instinctively, Shu Yan reached out and grabbed Xu Jiujiu beside him. After falling some distance, he abruptly seized a branch from a nearby tree. After several flips to slow their descent, they finally landed safely.

Everything in the forest seemed to have frozen solid. A chilly aura unique to ice and snow drifted through the air. Birds suspended in midair were frozen in place, and everything seemed to have fallen into slow motion.

Xu Jiujiu, who had landed in Shu Yan's embrace, uncontrollably raised a hand to her throat. She felt as though breathing had become unbearably heavy and difficult. Even with Shu Yan supporting her beside her, she still had to kneel on one knee before she could feel even slightly better.

With one hand supporting Xu Jiujiu, Shu Yan continuously scanned their surroundings. The Heavenly Snow Woman bloodline within his body was boiling, constantly resonating with another bloodline. The sensation stirred an inexplicable flutter in his heart, causing his heartbeat to accelerate wildly. Even the flow of blood seemed to have become audible, exceptionally clear in the silent surroundings.

The next moment, a white figure suffused with a noble and icy aura appeared directly before Shu Yan. His pupils suddenly contracted. In almost an instant, he guessed the identity of the newcomer.

The foremost of the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Extreme North, the Snow Empress!

The Snow Empress wore a white dress. Though it bore no adornments whatsoever, it still made her appear incomparably pure and breathtakingly beautiful.

At that moment, the Snow Empress was also staring intently at the young man before her. A deep agitation surfaced in her sky-blue eyes, only to turn into a trace of confusion the next instant.

"Human... A bloodline and life aura with the same origin as mine. How is that possible..."

The Snow Empress murmured softly. Her voice was as crisp and empty as a clear spring flowing over stones. It carried both clarity and a hint of confusion, as though she were curious, yet more than that, she was simply stating a fact.

Unexpectedly, faced with the Snow Empress who had truly appeared before him, Shu Yan felt no fear beyond a little nervousness. Instead, he sensed a trace of affinity from her. It came from the resonance and closeness between their bloodlines. Even though he knew her identity perfectly well, he could not help wanting to draw closer to her.

The Snow Empress advanced step by step. Shu Yan shielded Xu Jiujiu behind him and was just about to retreat slowly when, in the next second, the Snow Empress took a single step and instantly teleported to a spot not far in front of him.

The two auras collided, making Shu Yan's scalp tingle. A faint fragrance entered his nostrils. He struggled to open his eyes, only for his gaze to meet the Snow Empress's. The distance between them was now less than half a meter. Shu Yan could clearly feel the faint chill emanating from her body. At the same time, the Snow Empress released the confinement over the surrounding space, allowing everything to return to normal.

Xu Jiujiu gasped for breath, drenched in cold sweat from tension and fear. Her golden hair clung to her forehead, yet even so, she tightly gripped Shu Yan's hand. Even though the stunning woman standing less than a meter away was the Snow Empress, ranked third among the continent's Top Ten Fierce Beasts, a powerhouse comparable to a human Limit Douluo...

Shattered Star Douluo and Nebula Douluo hurried over from nearby. Looking at the scene before them, both felt their throats go dry. Other than the Snow Empress, they truly could not think of a second candidate for a white-haired woman possessing such terrifying power.

Shattered Star Douluo clenched his fist with difficulty, then stepped forward and said in a strained voice:

"Honored ruler of the Extreme North, we had no intention of offending you. We are willing to compensate you for the three soul beasts we previously hunted. Please, for the sake of the Star Luo Empire, spare us this once..."

Facing the Snow Empress, whose cultivation was comparable to that of a peerless human Douluo, Shattered Star Douluo knew that even if the four of them self-destructed together today, they likely would not be able to harm her in the slightest. If they wanted to live, lowering their heads and begging for mercy was already their best choice.

The Snow Empress could not be bothered to acknowledge Shattered Star Douluo's words. Her gaze remained fixed on Shu Yan, hesitation flickering faintly in her beautiful eyes. She seemed to be considering how to deal with these four human insects before her. After a long while, the Snow Empress finally spoke slowly:

"Human, tell me: where did the bloodline within you that shares the same origin as mine come from? Why do I sense the aura of a Heavenly Snow Woman from you..."