What Is Your Relationship with Snow Empress?

Hearing Mu Yuan's request, Yu Gu asked in surprise, "What could you possibly have to discuss with her?"

Mu Yuan did not answer. He merely fixed Elder Yugu with a resolute gaze.

Meeting Mu Yuan's eyes, Yu Gu sighed helplessly.

"Fine."

This was an extremely risky move. Ice Empress had already backed down, they had killed a Titan Snow Demon, and the Titan Snow Demon King would certainly put that debt on the Body Sect's account. Ice Empress had also been drawn out by that Titan Snow Demon, while Mu Yuan had absorbed a Ten-thousand Year Soul Ring.

At a time like this, leaving safely was the top priority.

Provoking Ice Empress again was hardly a wise move.

To be honest, even Yu Gu had not expected to encounter Ice Empress during this trip to the Far North.

Still, he had fulfilled his responsibility.

In truth, even if Ice Empress had not backed down earlier, even if they had not known that she was close to her Heavenly Tribulation, and even if she had not been troubled by the Heavenly Tribulation and could have fought at full strength, Yu Gu could still have done it. He had already prepared to burn himself completely to create a path of survival for the four others.

Ice Empress had no such restrictions and could strike with full power. Naturally, Yu Gu could not allow her to suffer any losses, but by burning himself completely, he could have bought Mu Yuan and the others a chance to live.

The reality was that Ice Empress could not fight with all her strength, so all five of them had a way out.

To Yu Gu, the two outcomes were worlds apart.

Although Ice Empress had already yielded and was unlikely to continue fighting desperately, she was still an Empress. Having her dignity provoked again and again could still enrage her.

But Mu Yuan was insistent, so Yu Gu could only indulge him.

Because the information about Ice Empress undergoing her tribulation had come from Mu Yuan.

He released his Soul Power as gently as possible.

"Ice Empress, please show yourself."

The world fell silent.

It was unclear whether Ice Empress did not wish to respond or had already left.

"Ice Empress, I have information about Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow."

There was still no response.

"It is located in a Myriad Year Profound Ice Cave."

The temperature of heaven and earth plummeted, and a Willpower emerged. It was unmistakably Ice Empress.

She said nothing. She did not even condense a phantom image, merely observing Mu Yuan in silence.

Mu Yuan sighed.

He knew that Ice Empress still believed he was talking nonsense.

At this moment, he needed to give Ice Empress a definite answer. Otherwise, she would only think he was spouting nonsense.

But he certainly could not reveal the location of the Myriad Year Profound Ice Cave, and he had no way to prove it now.

As long as Ice Empress was listening, that was enough.

He had a way to pique her interest.

"It is an enormous Myriad Year Profound Ice Cave, filled with countless masses of Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow. Its immense ice-element source power could perhaps pile even a weak Ice Silkworm up to a million years of cultivation."

The moment those words left his mouth, the heavens and earth changed color.

Ice Empress's phantom appeared. Her voice was indifferent as she stared at Mu Yuan and demanded, "What is your relationship with Tian Meng?"

"Tian Meng? I do not know what you are talking about."

Mu Yuan met Ice Empress's gaze without fear.

"Let us talk. Your Heavenly Tribulation is right before you. Perhaps your chance of surviving it lies in that Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow."

Ice Empress fell silent for a moment, then spoke a single word.

"Fine."

Mu Yuan stepped forward alone, walking roughly two hundred meters away and putting distance between himself and Yu Gu's group.

After waiting a moment, a woman in an emerald-green dress descended from the sky and landed opposite Mu Yuan.

Yu Gu's expression changed at the sight, but seeing that Ice Empress had not attacked, he forcibly suppressed his anxious feelings.

He did not know what secret Mu Yuan possessed that allowed him to find common ground with Ice Empress, one of the Three Great Kings of the Far North.

But things had come to this, and all he could do was wait.

Looking at Ice Empress before him—her cold, stunning face, skin as white as ice and snow, and lovely features—Mu Yuan felt a faint sense of emotion.

"Ice Empress, I have long admired your name."

"Hmph. Spare me the useless pleasantries of you humans. There is nothing for us to discuss. Where is the Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow you mentioned?"

Mu Yuan smiled slightly. "Naturally, I would not deceive you. The Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow truly exists. I will find a way to obtain it, and perhaps I will give it to you then."

Ice Empress's gaze abruptly turned piercing. Her expression was cold, and biting frost rose around her.

"Do you take me for a fool? Why would you give it to me?"

"Yes, why would I hand the Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow over to you?" Mu Yuan said. "At the very least, you should do something for me. Consider it a transaction."

Ice Empress said coldly, "You have already absorbed a Titan Snow Demon's Soul Ring."

"Not enough. Your Heavenly Tribulation is approaching, and it is already inconvenient for you to act. Our ability to retreat was also our own skill."

"What do you want me to do?"

Ice Empress frowned, somewhat impatient.

"Mm..."

What should he ask her to do?

Mu Yuan's immediate goal was to ruin Tian Meng's chance of sweet-talking Ice Empress into helping Huo Yuhao.

That was why he had spoken up now, proposing a transaction with Ice Empress.

At this point, he could not accept Ice Empress's Soul Ring at all.

Then what should he have Ice Empress do? How could he make her willing to enter into this transaction?

Fortunately, he had already prepared a solution.

"I want you to help protect Snow Empress."

Ice Empress: ???

A look of astonishment appeared on her cold, breathtaking face.

What?

Had she heard correctly?

A Human Soul Master had come to the Core Ring of the Far North, found her—the dignified Ice Empress—and wanted to trade Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow for her protection of Snow Empress?

Ice Empress's mind shut down.

She could not process it.

Watching the mentally frozen Ice Empress, Mu Yuan said softly, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mu Yuan. My martial soul is my arms, and I come from the Body Sect."

"What is your relationship with Snow Empress?"

Ice Empress did not want to hear Mu Yuan's background. At this moment, she only wanted to know his relationship with Snow Empress.

If Xue'er was in danger, why was a Human Soul Master asking her for help?

She should have gone to help willingly!

Ice Empress felt incomparably conflicted.

"I come from the Body Sect. Snow Empress and my Body Sect are fated to be connected."

Mu Yuan merely gave this cryptic, seemingly unrelated explanation.

Ice Empress was even more confused.

What was that supposed to mean?

"Your task is to immediately find Snow Empress and protect her through her upcoming transformation."

Ice Empress's expression changed repeatedly.

Hearing Mu Yuan's request, she instinctively considered it from the perspective of malice. She thought he intended to follow her and harm Snow Empress.

Instinctively, she even glanced toward Yu Gu and the other four. Her Mental Power swept across the surroundings, searching for other powerful Soul Masters who might be hiding nearby.

Unfortunately, she found nothing.

Soon, she decided that she had been overthinking it.

In the Far North, even if she and Snow Empress had to be wary of their Heavenly Tribulations, together they still did not fear a human Limit Douluo.

So this fellow really wanted her to protect Xue'er?

Why?

"Transformation? What transformation? Xue'er—Snow Empress is transforming?"

As Ice Empress asked this, anxiety rose in her heart as well.

If she remembered correctly, Snow Empress's Heavenly Tribulation was also about to arrive. Could it be that Snow Empress was making one final attempt in preparation for it?

At that thought, Ice Empress's heart trembled.