Return to the Extreme North

"Well, you really are something, Mu Xuanheng. You have such an incredible thing and didn't even think to tell us."

Xu Sanshi pulled Bei Bei over to give him a harsh critique.

The news of the orange soul ring had spread far too widely.

As a new color for a soul ring, far too many people wanted to understand the reason behind it.

As the owner of the orange soul ring, Mu Xuanheng was already well-known throughout Shrek.

And Gu Yuena, whose third ring was already a ten-thousand-year soul ring, was just as famous, her reputation inextricably linked to his. After all, they were together constantly, whether in class or at meals.

Bei Bei asked out of curiosity, "What about Gu Yuena? Isn't she inseparable from you?"

Xu Sanshi chimed in, "Bei Bei is right. Even Nannan and I aren't as close as the two of you."

"The holidays are here, so she has to go home. I can't exactly force her to stay here and chat with you guys."

Mu Xuanheng felt a bit guilty even as he offered the explanation.

At the mention of the holidays, Xu Sanshi was ecstatic. "The holidays are here! I'm going to take Nannan home. Or, going to her place works too."

Bei Bei asked, "What are you going to do, Xuanheng?"

Mu Xuanheng held a finger to his lips. "It's a secret."

What he had to do was simple enough: find Bing Di and then form a Contract with her.

She had rejected him last time, but he believed she wouldn't this time.

"Fine, fine, you and your secrets. I'm taking Nannan and heading out. See you next semester."

Bei Bei said, "I'm almost a Soul Ancestor. You must be close too, right?"

Mu Xuanheng checked his Soul Power Level; he was currently at level 39. "Just about."

Speaking of his level, he felt like he had been completely screwed by the version update.

He had originally planned to be a four-ringed soul master by his first year after contracting the Snow Empress.

But then he became an user of Ultimate Ice, which compressed all the soul power he had previously cultivated.

On top of that, the slow cultivation speed of an Ultimate Martial Soul between levels 30 and 70 meant his soul power had coincidentally stalled at level 39.

Once he hit level 40, he wouldn't even need to hunt a soul beast; he could directly obtain his fourth soul ring and become a Soul Ancestor.

After parting ways with Bei Bei, Mu Xuanheng set off on the road to the Extreme North alone.

"Not bringing that old man along?" the Snow Empress's voice echoed in his mind at the perfect moment.

He couldn't possibly bring Mu En again after the last time had caused the elder's lifespan to decline.

But unlike Huo Yuhao, who could deceive people on both ends, he was being watched.

Xuan Zi appeared right as he left Shrek City and dragged him back.

"Hey, old man, what do you think you're doing? You won't even let me leave the house?"

Xuan Zi spat out a bone he had been chewing. "Do you take Elder Mu and me for fools? He warned me long ago that you wouldn't give up on contracting Bing Di. And look, I caught you red-handed."

Mu En had been nearby during the failed contract attempt and saw that Mu Xuanheng truly wanted Bing Di.

Fearing Mu Xuanheng would run into the same problems again, he had ordered Xuan Zi to keep a close eye on him.

"With me here, there won't be any problems in the Extreme North." The Snow Empress appeared beside Mu Xuanheng. As the ruler of the Extreme North, her aura could repel any soul beast.

"Old man, what are you afraid of? Chaofeng hasn't even flickered, so I'm definitely safe."

Chaofeng was a sign of danger; no movement meant no threat.

"Still trying to lie to me. Chaofeng doesn't have the ability to predict the future. Even if it could see impending danger, it wouldn't be more than two days out. What happens if you get into trouble this time?" Xuan Zi was determined not to let him go.

"How about you come with me?"

"I was waiting for you to say that." Xuan Zi coughed. "You heard wrong."

"So, are you going or not?"

"I'm going!" Xuan Zi also wanted to see what this Contract was all about.

The ability to create a soul ring out of thin air, and even produce colors different from existing ones—such a method was incredibly attractive to him.

The old man and the youth were being watched clearly by Mu En in the Sea God Pavilion.

"Go ahead. As long as Xi Shui and Xiao Yao don't intervene, Xuan Zi is more than enough to keep Xuanheng safe."

And so, the old man and the youth set off.

Xuan Zi flew quickly, and before long, they arrived at the Extreme North.

Upon arriving, the Snow Empress returned home, as if she could feel the very heavens and earth welcoming her back.

The snow and ice of the Extreme North grew even more magnificent.

"Snow Empress, come to think of it, Xuanheng has already contracted you, so why can't he use your Three Ultimates of the Snow Empress?" Xuan Zi was truly poking at a sore spot.

The icy beauty tapped her finger lightly against Mu Xuanheng's brow. "Indeed, why can't my dear master use my Three Ultimates of the Snow Empress?"

"It's all Chaofeng's fault. Its fixed soul skills prevent me from acquiring the soul skills of the Three Ultimates of the Snow Empress." This was a matter for shifting blame; he absolutely could not let it fall on himself.

The Snow Empress was not so easily deceived: "Are you perhaps planning to blame me for not granting you a corresponding soul skill from my soul bone?"

Mu Xuanheng: "How could that be? The Heart of Ice and Snow has granted me a very powerful soul skill."

Because the external soul bone was located right over his heart, he had simply named it the Heart of Ice and Snow.

Xuan Zi, acting as the instigator, added fuel to the fire: "Hm? How come I didn't know there was a soul skill?"

The Snow Empress: "There isn't really a soul skill, it simply allows him to cheat death once, and it can summon me in my peak state for a period of time."

The calmest words revealed the most outrageous effects.

Summoning a seven-hundred-thousand-year soul beast with only three rings—who else in the same realm could possibly win? And that phrase, "simply allows him to cheat death once," was even more incredible.

Mu Xuanheng jumped in to explain: "Old man, don't overthink it. I can't handle that kind of consumption right now; just having the Snow Empress appear and strike once is already a stretch."

The soul bone's skills were effects outside of the Contract.

The Snow Empress was not using her own origin power, but merely mobilizing the power of the soul bone.

As for the other effect, Xuan Zi was sensible enough not to ask. This was Mu Xuanheng's absolute trump card.

Since the soul bone already had two skills, the Three Ultimates of the Snow Empress would naturally not appear on the soul bone.

The Snow Empress: "The Three Ultimates of the Snow Empress are my self-created soul skills. Xuanheng, you must learn them in the future; this is not a suggestion."

The burden on Mu Xuanheng's shoulders grew heavier once again.

Before he could sigh or refuse, the Snow Empress continued: "Starting today, I will teach you personally to ensure you can learn them."

"Is there a reward?"

"What kind of reward do you want?"

Mu Xuanheng thought for a moment, avoiding Xuan Zi and choosing to inform the Snow Empress directly within his spiritual sea.

"Can we swap Emperor Cold Heaven Snow Dance Shining Sun for Heavenly Snow Woman Dance?"

He was simply trying to be lazy; after all, if the Snow Empress was already out dancing, how could there not be a domain?

The Snow Empress's smile turned dangerous: "How about we swap Heavenly Snow Woman Dance for an Ice and Snow Duet Dance instead?"

The reward was rejected outright, but a sliver of possibility remained.

The Snow Empress reappeared in the outside world.

"How do you two plan to find Bing Di?"

The Snow Empress and Mu Xuanheng looked at Xuan Zi as if he were an idiot: "Why would we need to find Bing Di? Isn't she the one who should be looking for us?"

The Snow Empress: "With me here, Bing'er will definitely come."

They approached the core circle, and the Snow Empress radiated her aura.

The creatures of the Extreme North began to flee from this direction. This was the majesty belonging to the ruler of the Extreme North.

No soul beast would doubt whether this was the real Snow Empress; that Emperor Sword which had soared into the sky a year ago was the best proof that the Snow Empress was alive.

An emerald color once again filled the sky. The Ice Jade Empress Scorpion was galloping toward them.