Snow Empress

Th-this couldn't be the embryo of the Snow Empress, as she reincarnated as a human?

Xu Lanqing clicked his tongue in amazement.

He stared at the ball of white airflow for quite a while, fascinated.

Unfortunately, separated by a screen, he couldn't make out what she looked like at all, nor could he sense her power.

He looked again at the tray embedded with various gems. It radiated the distinctive aura of a Level 9 Soul Tool. It had to be the God-Sealing Platform.

A faint golden light shone from the God-Sealing Platform onto the barrier, making the platform and barrier seem to merge as it slowly seeped through without disturbing the embryo.

Time passed, bit by bit.

Nine-tenths of the God-Sealing Platform had already squeezed inside. Only a small part of it remained outside.

The old man stretched both hands forward, pouring all his Soul Power into the God-Sealing Platform. Watching it about to enter successfully, he trembled uncontrollably with excitement.

This was the embryo of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast reincarnating as a human! Who could keep calm in the face of such a once-in-a-lifetime treasure?

No one had ever encountered anything like this, from ancient times to the present. He was probably the first. How could he not be excited?

He never expected to stumble upon such a treasure by chance while exploring the Far North.

Someone else might not even have realized this was the embryo of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast reincarnating as a human. If he hadn't once read about it in an ancient text, he might have missed it too. On top of that, his own unique Level 9 Soul Tool, the God-Sealing Platform, was just what he needed.

This was fate's gift to him.

If he succeeded, a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone would be his for the taking.

And because the Soul Beast was at a critical stage of transformation, once he completed the sealing, he could use the God-Sealing Platform to absorb all of her power directly.

If the absorption succeeded, he might even turn this Soul Beast into his Second Martial Soul, one that could be given nine Soul Rings.

That was the Twin Martial Souls so many people dreamed of but could never obtain.

Outside the palace doors.

Xu Lanqing watched in silence, his expression indifferent. His eyes had already changed from black to gray.

A cryptic, silent incantation slowly left his lips. Clearly, Electrolux had taken control of his body.

"Because my divine sense is incomplete, Lan Qing, you have only one breath of time."

Xu Lanqing nodded. "That's enough. As for the outcome, all we can do is our best and leave the rest to fate."

When the incantation was complete, Electrolux returned to the Sea of Consciousness, and a ball of flickering white flame appeared out of nowhere in Xu Lanqing's hand.

The flame was illusory, giving off a sacred feeling. A layer of gray airflow shrouded it, keeping the old man from noticing it.

Once he had assessed the situation, Xu Lanqing decided to intervene.

Otherwise, once the old man had a free hand and came out, he would inevitably spot him. There wasn't a single place to hide in this empty space. Against a Rank Nine Soul Master, he wouldn't even be able to fight back.

He wasn't naive enough to think the old man would show mercy and let him go. Faced with such a tempting treasure, there probably weren't many people in the world who wouldn't want it all to themselves.

So he had to act in self-defense—but he needed to choose the right moment. If he just charged in recklessly, a Soul Scholar facing a Titled Douluo wouldn't even know how he died.

Xu Lanqing steadied his breathing and looked from the flame in his hand to the old man, who was entirely focused on his task. The distance was too great; he had to get close to him.

Though he could conceal his presence and sound, he was still visible to the naked eye.

I hope he doesn't turn around...

Almost there!

Just a little more!

The old man watched the God-Sealing Platform slide completely inside, his eyes feverish. His withered lips spread into a silent, wild grin.

He controlled it with utmost care. The faint golden light from the God-Sealing Platform slowly surrounded the white airflow like a heavenly net.

Somehow, the white airflow seemed to sense the danger. It drifted through the air a few times, as if about to wake from its slumber.

The golden light flared in an instant. The white airflow had no time to react before it was completely enveloped.

Just then, a small hand holding a white flame suddenly struck him in the back. The moment the blow landed, Xu Lanqing flapped his ice wings and darted away from the old man.

"Wha—"

The instant Xu Lanqing attacked, the old man whipped around. He began to speak, then swallowed the rest of his words.

The white flame entered his body in an instant. His face turned ghastly, disbelief filling his eyes.

He couldn't control his body! He tried to unleash his spiritual power, but his soul felt as if it had been cut off from him, as though it no longer belonged to him.

What's more, he had clearly set up Soul Power and Spiritual Detection devices outside. And yet someone had crept up behind him without his noticing—not just the devices, but him as well. How had his opponent done it?

Only two seconds later, the old man found he could control his body again.

He didn't have time to wonder who had ambushed him. He hurriedly looked toward the God-Sealing Platform, hoping to salvage the situation—but it was too late.

Two seconds was enough to change many things, even for the strong.

Without the old man controlling it, the God-Sealing Platform fell to the ground. The golden light it emitted vanished as well.

The next moment, the temperature in the already freezing palace plunged at an astonishing speed. With the God-Sealing Platform's seal gone, there was no one left who could capture her.

A clear, furious woman's voice rang through the palace. "You despicable humans! Die!"

As soon as the words fell, white frost burst in every direction, and terrifying, boundless cold swept through the palace.

Xu Lanqing was still flying away when everything before his eyes turned white in an instant. Then, despite having an Ultimate Ice Martial Soul, a thin layer of ice froze over his body, and he dropped from the air.

"Bang!"

The ice shattered. The old man stared at the embryo in terror. The Rank 9 Soul Tool shield he had released had been frozen solid in an instant. This Soul Beast's strength was far beyond anything he had imagined.

Daring not to stay a moment longer, he fired up his propulsion Soul Tool and Flying Soul Tool together. Their powerful thrust sent him a thousand meters away in an instant, and he didn't dare stop for even a moment.

As he passed Xu Lanqing, the old man glared fiercely at the person who had ruined his plan. If not for him, he would have already succeeded and left. Things wouldn't have come to this.

But the old man didn't stop to take out his anger on him. Xu Lanqing was an ant he could crush with a finger, but he didn't want to risk being trapped here forever by wasting time. His own life mattered more. He could only grit his teeth and swallow this bitter pill.

The very next instant, an ice-blue longsword, seemingly formed from crystalline ice, streaked across the void and slashed toward the old man.

Wherever the terrifying sword light passed, cracks appeared in the air, as if all the air had frozen solid before the sword cleaved through it.

The ice-blue longsword swept past the fleeing old man, yet he seemed not to feel a thing and continued flying at full speed.

Two or three seconds passed before a thin ice-blue line appeared on the old man's body, running from the top of his head to his feet and splitting him cleanly in two.

The cut was smooth and ice blue, without a trace of blood. The old man's bewildered face showed that he still didn't know what had happened.

One sword. Instant death.

Emperor Sword, Ice Extreme Peerless!