The Far North

The Far North lay in the northern part of the Heaven Dou Empire. It was a gathering place for Soul Beasts several times larger than the Star Dou Forest.

Its overall strength was even comparable to that of the Star Dou Forest.

A thousand miles of frozen land, ten thousand miles of drifting snow. The Far North was blanketed by endless snow, leaving the world a vast expanse of white. The biting wind howled past, whipping up snow, and even the air seemed frozen solid.

Xue Yuheng switched the Motorcycle Soul Tool to Snow Shield Mode and sped through the icy landscape with Xiao Xiao. Ten hours had passed since they left Dragon City.

At night, visibility in the Far North was extremely poor. Xue Yuheng found a boulder sheltered from the wind, took tools from his Storage Ring, and worked with Xiao Xiao to build a shelter a few square meters in size.

They didn't have Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's shed skin.

Dinner was a delicious Braised Snow Rabbit. Xiao Xiao had caught the three snow rabbits in the snow a few hours earlier and had kept them hanging on the motorcycle.

"Xiao Xue, why are we risking a deal with the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Far North? We could just have Sect Master Nan hunt a Dragon Soul Beast in some other gathering place." Xiao Xiao lay on the Soul Guidance Electric Blanket, rubbing Xue Yuheng's soft cheeks.

Xiao Xiao was a little puzzled. Xue Yuheng had always been cautious.

It couldn't be for Nan Qiuqiu...

If Xue Yuheng had known what Xiao Xiao was thinking, he would surely have remarked, And what happened to that sisterly bond you two always make such a show of?

Technology made life easier. On the outskirts of the Far North, they could just about make it through the night with a few heating Soul Tools.

But deep in the Far North, the circuits would freeze and burst.

"The Soul Beast needed for the Dragon Blood Fruit is just a bonus.

"Heavenly Snow Woman and Ice Jade Empress Scorpion are my real targets."

Xue Yuheng never hid anything from Xiao Xiao, so...

"Xiao Xue, don't make that weird face!" Xiao Xiao noticed the wicked smile at the corner of Xue Yuheng's mouth and squeezed harder.

Xiao Xue really was turning bad. Hmph, it must be because of his cousin, Xu Sanshi!

Xiao Xiao had a strong grip, and Xue Yuheng knew that well. He gave a wry smile. "You little rascal, it's late. You should go to sleep."

In Soul Beast gathering grounds, Soul Masters usually took turns keeping watch in case of accidents. Xiao Xiao had known this since childhood.

"Xiao Xue, thanks for the effort."

Xiao Xiao gave Xue Yuheng a loving hug and murmured, "Good night, Xiao Xue."

"Good night."

After a day of traveling, Xiao Xiao quickly fell asleep.

Xue Yuheng sighed inwardly. The Soul Suppressing Family really thought highly of him. They hadn't even sent a strong expert to accompany Xiao Xiao. She had such a bright future, and yet...

He wondered who it was that had told the Soul Suppressing Family not to send anyone to protect them in secret before leaving.

Was Xue Yuheng arguing with himself?

He was short on muscle.

The north wind howled as Xue Yuheng stepped out of the shelter.

Yue, Ying, Rou, Qing, Ling, and Xin stood waiting in a neat line.

"Go. Make a bit of a commotion," Xue Yuheng said calmly, gazing toward the Far North's core region as he breathed out a cloud of white mist.

"Yes."

Six dark figures raced into the depths of the Far North.

The next morning, Xue Yuheng meditated through the night, then made breakfast, feeling refreshed.

"Xiao Xue..." Xiao Xiao stretched like a kitten just waking up, then caught the delicious aroma of breakfast on the folding table.

Was there anything happier than waking up to find the person you loved had made you breakfast?

Xiao Xiao thought she must be the happiest person in the world.

After breakfast, they rode the Snow Motorcycle deeper into the Far North for another six hours.

At last, following the special marks Yue had left behind, Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao caught up with the six women.

In the distance, a "mountain" was squaring off against six tiny ants in the sky.

The previous night, one of his Soul Beasts had reported sensing human Soul Masters nearby. It had quickly drawn the attention of the Titan Snow Demon King, who was in charge of patrolling the area.

"Humans! You don't belong here!"

Xiao Xiao was still searching for the source of the voice when she followed Xue Yuheng's gaze and spotted it.

The voice had come from the hundred-meter-tall little mountain in the distance.

Whether it was the Imperial Library or any academy or power on the continent, what they knew about the Far North existed only in theory.

For ten thousand years, every scholar who had come to survey the Far North had ended up a frozen statue.

Yue stood one meter eighty-five tall, but in the Titan Snow Demon King's eyes, she was no more than a slightly larger ant.

Yue inclined her head slightly.

"Senior, His Highness Prince Gan has come to make a deal with Snow Empress and Ice Empress."

The Titan Snow Demon King was no mild-tempered creature. When its warning was ignored, it kicked straight at the six women.

The six women reacted quickly, each manifesting a Martial Soul Avatar of a different color.

As Yue and Ying were enveloped in brilliant light, a deep thud echoed through the air. With a single finger, they knocked the Titan Snow Demon King's massive foot back.

As black and white light spread at its brightest, Yue and Ying merged into one, becoming a peerlessly beautiful woman two meters tall.

Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Dance of Moon Shadow.

Moon Shadow's long, ink-black hair fell like a waterfall, with a striking silver lock over her forehead. A dancer's gown appeared on her, and at her waist hung a long sword wreathed in black-and-white Soul Power—the form taken by Yue's External Soul Bone.

Her expression was cold, and bands of interwoven black-and-white Soul Power swirled around her. Light and shadow shifted with every gesture.

When the human hadn't been crushed into meat paste, the Titan Snow Demon King flew into a rage.

The Snow Demon clan was descended from the children left behind after the ancient Ice God consorted with the Titan Giants.

Bloodline Talent Skill, Body of the Snow Demon!

The Titan Snow Demon King's hundred-meter body shrank to two meters in an instant.

The three top experts became streaks of white and black light, colliding at high speed in the sky. In the brief instant of each clash, they exchanged more than ten blows.

Xue Yuheng watched the two battling fiercely in the sky. To avoid attracting the Titan Snow Demon King's attention, he used only the Motorcycle Soul Guidance Vehicle's silent mode and sped toward the Far North's core region with Xiao Xiao.

Xue Yuheng had gone less than half a li when he spotted a young woman lounging on the branch of a Frost Tree about ten meters away.

She had bright, jade-green twin tails and clear amber eyes that were both cool and charming. Her blue-green dress was adorned with sparkling green gems, and the emerald scorpion tail behind her glinted with cold light.

Was this Ice Empress? Why had she already taken human form?

The girl's lips parted slightly. "Human, are you trying to start a war between the Dou Ling Empire and the Far North?"

Xue Yuheng channeled the Power of Creation into his eyes and finally sensed a faint, unusual fluctuation from the girl. He breathed a sigh of relief.

So it was just an illusion formed from Soul Power.

"Greetings, Ice Empress. I am Xue Yuheng, Crown Prince of the Dou Ling Empire. I apologize for the disturbance caused by my presumptuous visit.

"I have a good deal I'd like to discuss with you both."

Xue Yuheng remained composed, showing no trace of panic despite the immense pressure Ice Empress brought to bear on him.

Xiao Xiao, however, regarded her with open hostility. Golden Crow and Xuanwu runes swirled over her small pink fists, and her Martial Soul merged into her body, raising all her physical abilities to their peak.

From beginning to end, the green-haired girl didn't look at Xue Yuheng or Xiao Xiao. She toyed with the Ice Jade Young Scorpion in her hand. "Is this the will of the Dou Ling Empire, or... your own?"

"I've long admired the Two Emperors of Ice and Snow. This is my own decision," Xue Yuheng replied.

"Oh? What gives you such courage?" The green-haired girl raised her hand as if admiring her beautiful nails, but killing intent seeped from her.

"Is it the four little girls following behind you?"

From the moment Xue Yuheng and Xiao Xiao had entered the Far North, every move they made had been under the watchful eyes of the Two Emperors of Ice and Snow.

Xue Yuheng remained unfazed.

"You and Snow Empress are nearing the end of your lifespans..."

Before Xue Yuheng could finish speaking, a blue-green figure flashed.

Five sharp, jade-colored fingernails appeared at his throat. One more slight movement would cut it open.

Two beams of golden light burst from Xiao Xiao's eyes. The Two Symbols Heaven-Suppressing Cauldron Martial Soul activated on its own, and the next moment, her Martial Soul Awakening skill, Goddess Transformation, was about to trigger.

At that critical moment, a woman caught the green-haired girl by her smooth, pale arm.

Xiao Xiao's Goddess Transformation seemed to be suppressed, and her Soul Power stopped circulating.

The woman had silvery-white hair like the ice and snow of the Far North, decorated with crystal ornaments. She was cool and regal.

Her ice-blue fitted dress accentuated her striking, mature figure, while her long, snow-white legs showed beneath the hem.

"Human, go on..."