Ice Empress's New Sacrificial Target

"Whether it was you, Ice Empress, or Snow Empress, you should both have been nearing your Heavenly Tribulations. Neither of you was confident you could survive them."

Mu Yuan spoke slowly.

"You could only wait for death, but Snow Empress had her own method. However, she would face disaster during her transformation and needed you to protect her."

Mu Yuan's words moved Ice Empress, and she could not help asking again.

"What exactly is your relationship with Snow Empress?"

Mu Yuan smiled helplessly.

"I told you, I come from the Body Sect and have a connection with Snow Empress."

Hearing this, Ice Empress curled her lips.

She stared coldly at Mu Yuan and did not mention the Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow again.

If she truly brought up that reward again, she would feel as though she needed someone else's payment before she would agree to protect Xue'er.

How could that be acceptable?

She was willing to protect Xue'er of her own accord.

This Human Soul Master had told her about Xue'er's danger, yet she still wanted payment. Could she even call herself a beast then?

In short, Ice Empress's feelings were extremely complicated.

She persuaded herself that Mu Yuan had only brought up the Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow to catch her attention and make her negotiate with him.

That Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow did not exist in the first place, so there was no need for her to care.

With mixed emotions and endless doubts, Ice Empress turned into a streak of light and vanished beyond the horizon.

After she left, Mu Yuan turned and walked back toward Yu Gu and the other three.

"Elder, it's fine now. Let's go."

"What did you discuss with her?"

Wei Na showed a curious expression, as though she had merely asked casually.

Though she had asked casually, her gaze remained fixed on Mu Yuan, as if she cared greatly about his answer.

"Nothing much."

"Do you really know where the Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow is?" Yu Gu asked.

Mu Yuan nodded.

"You intend to give the Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow to Ice Empress so she can survive her tribulation?" Yu Gu's voice was full of confusion.

There was no accusation in his tone, nor did he blame Mu Yuan.

He simply did not understand.

He could not understand why Mu Yuan would do such a thing.

Wei Na's eyes were also fixed on Mu Yuan.

What relationship did Mu Yuan have with Ice Empress?

"Sigh, it was nothing. I only used the Myriad Year Profound Ice Marrow to lure her out and get her to help with something," Mu Yuan said.

Seeing that Mu Yuan did not wish to reveal any more details, the four of them put away their curiosity as well.

There was no point in asking further. They would not get anything out of him.

Thus, the group departed to search for Soul Rings suitable for Long Aotian and the others.

The streak of light Ice Empress had become crossed the sky and headed straight for the center of the Core Ring, where Snow Empress's territory lay.

Her relationship with Snow Empress was close, so she could naturally enter this place directly.

However, after searching Snow Empress's territory once, she did not find Snow Empress.

Thinking of Mu Yuan's words, she grew somewhat anxious.

"Could Xue'er have already met with disaster?"

"Oh no, could that person have lied to me?"

"Xue'er isn't home. She's outside, being watched. That human told me to find Xue'er, but he was actually trying to lure me away!"

As Ice Empress let her imagination run wild and her heart fell into turmoil, a familiar aura entered her senses.

Ice Empress immediately looked into the distance in delight.

It came from the direction opposite the one she had arrived from. A streak of light shot over swiftly and landed before her.

It was Snow Empress.

Her true form was humanoid. Her snowy white hair fell from the back of her head all the way to her feet, while her sky-blue eyes were ethereal and clear, as though they could see through everything in the world.

Her graceful body was slender and flawless. Her white dress bore not a trace of ornamentation, yet made her appear so pure and peerlessly beautiful.

Having commanded countless Soul Beasts and ruled the Far North for innumerable years, merely standing there gave her a natural majesty. Her cold, proud aura spread unconsciously, creating a sense of distance.

Proud and indifferent.

Yet when facing Ice Empress, Snow Empress's indifference quietly faded, and a trace of warmth appeared in her eyes.

"Bing'er, why have you come looking for me?"

"Xue'er, where did you just go?" Ice Empress asked hurriedly.

Snow Empress did not hide anything.

"I went to search for some Heavenly Treasures. You know, my Heavenly Tribulation is approaching."

Seeing Ice Empress's anxious expression, she looked helpless and tapped her on the head.

"You, always so rash. I thought something serious had happened."

Ice Empress's aura had indeed been unsettled just now. Snow Empress had been able to sense it from far away.

Hearing this, surprise flashed through Ice Empress's eyes.

"Xue'er, do you really have a way to survive the tribulation?"

Delight appeared on her face.

"Whether it will work is still uncertain," Snow Empress said. "Did you come looking for me because you have no way to survive your Heavenly Tribulation either?"

She had assumed Ice Empress had truly run out of options and had come to seek her help.

"No, I encountered several Human Soul Masters."

Ice Empress repeated Mu Yuan's words to Snow Empress without changing a single thing.

"Crisis? Transformation?"

A thoughtful look flashed through Snow Empress's eyes.

"Xue'er, how exactly are you planning to survive the tribulation? From what he said, your danger is not the Heavenly Tribulation. But other than that, what disaster could you possibly face?" Ice Empress asked in confusion.

"I am preparing to undergo Human Transformation."

Snow Empress revealed her plan completely.

"I found a Snow Lotus close to a Hundred-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus. It will mature soon. With its help, I am confident I can seal my cultivation, return to the stage of Human Transformation I had at one hundred thousand years of cultivation, and thus take human form."

She explained the principles clearly.

"That Snow Lotus has not transformed into a Soul Beast, but it possesses the age of one hundred thousand years. I will use it as my foundation and merge with it, borrowing its hundred-thousand-year cultivation to recreate the opportunity for Human Transformation at one hundred thousand years..."

Ice Empress listened with a face full of shock.

So it could be done this way?

It was common knowledge that Soul Beasts could undergo Human Transformation upon reaching one hundred thousand years of cultivation. They could then cultivate as humans, no longer restricted by Heavenly Tribulations and with a chance to become gods, but they would have only a hundred years to live.

They could also choose not to undergo Human Transformation and walk the path of a Beast King. However, for every additional hundred thousand years of cultivation, they had to face a Heavenly Tribulation. Those tribulations were nine parts death to one part survival; failure meant being reduced to ashes.

If they did not undergo Human Transformation at one hundred thousand years, they would lose their only chance to do so in that lifetime.

She had never expected Snow Empress to find a way to undergo Human Transformation with nearly seven hundred thousand years of cultivation!

As expected of the ruler of the Far North who had reached seven hundred thousand years.

Ice Empress marveled at Snow Empress's idea.

"Xue'er, as expected of you."

"But if you do this, you will only have a hundred years..." After her amazement came worry.

"It is worth a gamble. After all, I do not have the slightest chance of surviving a seven-hundred-thousand-year Heavenly Tribulation."

Snow Empress was very calm.

She knew she had reached her limit and had no chance of further transformation.

The path of Human Transformation was her final opportunity.

"Bing'er, your true form is an Ice Jade Scorpion. I truly cannot think of any Heavenly Treasures that could help you undergo Human Transformation again." Snow Empress gave a bitter smile.

It was not that she had withheld this method from Ice Empress. There simply were no Heavenly Treasures suited to Ice Empress.

This Hundred-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus could not be used by Ice Empress either.

More precisely, her method was only suitable for her, a Heavenly Snow Woman born of heaven and earth.

Ice Empress fell silent for a long while before sighing.

"I probably have no chance."

But soon, she revealed a happy smile again.

"However, if you undergo Human Transformation, Xue'er, I can Sacrifice myself to you. Then we sisters can work hard together, and your chances of becoming a god will be greater."

After all, her Heavenly Tribulation would descend within a hundred years.

Snow Empress looked at Ice Empress and reached out to stroke her cheek.

"Bing'er..."

After gazing at each other for a long time, Snow Empress took a deep breath. A thoughtful look flashed through her eyes.

"You said that Mu Yuan claimed I had a connection with the Body Sect?"