I Want You to Be My Partner

Two flowers bloom, each on its own branch.

Seeing the object in the hand of Qian Xunji, the ice-blue eyes of the Snow Empress, which had remained as still as an ancient well for ten thousand years, contracted violently.

Even as the seven-hundred-thousand-year Ruler of the Far North, she could not maintain her composure at this moment; the golden token emitted a level of energy that filled her with dread.

That was the aura truly belonging to a god. The soul beast race was suppressed to the point of suffocation by the rules of the God Realm, and a fierce beast of her age was the most sensitive and wary of such an aura.

Furthermore, the mere wisp of dark blue cold air overflowing from the jade box held in Qian Xunji's other hand caused the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Platform beneath the Snow Empress's feet to resonate with longing.

That was a Profound Ice Marrow Core of unknown grade, a level so high that even ten-thousand-year Profound Ice Marrow paled in comparison. If she obtained it, let alone eight hundred thousand years, even nine hundred thousand years would be within her grasp.

"A token of the gods... and Profound Ice Marrow of unknown grade..."

The violent wind and snow around the Snow Empress visibly calmed down. She stared fixedly at Qian Xunji, her beautiful face filled with solemnity and caution.

"Human, who exactly are you? To come to the Forbidden Zone of the Far North carrying a god's token and bringing out such supreme treasures, what is it that you want?"

"Do you want the Far North to submit? Or do you wish to use these things to trade for a hundred-thousand-year soul beast of the Far North to serve as your soul ring?"

Seeing that the Snow Empress was finally willing to speak properly, Qian Xunji breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

"Ahem... allow me to introduce myself. This Seat is Qian Xunji, the current Pope of the Martial Soul Hall."

Qian Xunji retracted the twelve wings of light behind his back and slowly descended onto the ice surface ten meters away from the Snow Empress. He straightened his collar, attempting to make himself look more sincere and filled with the charisma of a superior.

"As for my purpose..."

Qian Xunji opened his mouth, but the speech he had rehearsed countless times in his mind suddenly became like a jammed gear, unable to turn at all when met with the Snow Empress's ethereal, pure eyes that were untainted by a single trace of mortal dust.

How was he supposed to start?

He was accustomed to issuing orders in the Pope Hall, but now, asking a soul beast that had lived for seven hundred thousand years about a blind date? The sense of dissonance was off the charts.

"Th-that..." Qian Xunji rubbed his nose, his gaze flickering with rare hesitation, his tone stammering.

"Actually, the scenery of the Far North is quite nice. I just... felt that as the Ruler of the Far North, you, Snow Empress, supporting this bitter, cold land all by yourself, is... is perhaps a bit lonely at the top..."

The Snow Empress's brows visibly furrowed tightly.

Is this human sick?

When he was hard-tanking her Emperor Palm earlier, his aura was as deep as an abyss and as vast as the sea. How is he now acting like a tongue-tied loser?

"Human, my patience is limited." The Snow Empress's voice was once again coated in a layer of frost. The temperature that had just calmed down plummeted again, and fine ice crystals even condensed in the air.

"If you only came to the Far North to spout this kind of nonsensical gibberish, then you can get lost."

Although she was reluctant to part with that Profound Ice Marrow, this person's cultivation was barely level ninety-three, yet his methods were bizarre and gave off a very strange feeling. The Snow Empress was not confident she could keep him here.

Damn it, screw it! It's one slash if I stick my head out, and one slash if I pull it back!

Qian Xunji steeled his heart and gritted his teeth. He would just go straight to the point.

He took a deep breath, pushing his lung capacity to the limit, and then, with a speed of speech so fast it was outrageous, he blurted it all out in one breath like a torrential storm:

"Simply put, I have been single for many years and need a partner with supreme talent and powerful strength to inherit my bloodline. Looking across the entire Douluo Continent, only you, the Snow Empress of the Far North, are worthy of this Seat. So, I have come today to formally invite you to return to the Martial Soul Hall to become my partner and form a powerful alliance!"

Silence.

Dead silence.

The entire Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Abyss seemed to have been completely drained of air in this instant. Even the ice shards suspended in mid-air seemed to have been frozen in place by the shock of this insane statement.

The Snow Empress was stunned.

She had lived for a full seven hundred thousand years. In these long, drawn-out years, she had seen countless human powerhouses come to their deaths for the sake of soul bones, and had seen fierce beasts fight until they were covered in blood over territory.

But she had never, absolutely never, seen a human who, while wearing a holy angel halo and carrying a god's token, ran to the absolute core of the Far North, tanked her attack, just to say to her: I want you to be my partner?

A full three seconds passed.

On that cold, frost-like, beautiful face of the Snow Empress, a violent ripple of human emotion finally appeared.

It was a monstrous rage, born from being offended, that made her want to freeze this lecher in front of her—along with the entire world—into an ice sculpture!

"You... seek... death!!!"

Rumble--

The Snow Empress was truly enraged!

This Heavenly Snow Woman, who had never been stained by dust, fell directly into a berserk state. Her originally ice-blue eyes instantly turned into a deep, freezing blue, and her white hair danced wildly in the gale, like a god of slaughter wielding extreme cold.

[Emperor Cold Heaven: Snow Dance Shining Sun]

Her strongest domain skill was activated instantly. The entire sky darkened in a flash, and countless terrifying ice and snow tornadoes over ten meters in diameter rose from the ground, covering the sky and earth as they swirled toward Qian Xunji to shred him.

"This tigress has quite the explosive temper."

Qian Xunji felt his scalp tingle as he looked at the formation that seemed intent on destroying the world. He knew very well that he was here to form an alliance and go on a date, not to fight to the death.

If he really fought a berserk seven-hundred-thousand-year fierce beast to the death here, he could probably forget about this partnership for the rest of his life.

"Strategic retreat. I'll plant the seed today."

He waved his hand abruptly, causing the jade box containing the [Douluo Planet Companion Profound Ice Marrow Core] and the gorgeous clothing box containing the [Ice Dream Fairy Feather Divine Dress] to be wrapped in soul power and land steadily on the Profound Ice Platform at the Snow Empress's feet.

At the same time, borrowing the power left behind by Qian Daoliu within the Angel God Token, the twelve wings of light behind him erupted with a blinding radiance. Not only did this block the strangling force of the first wave of the storm, but by utilizing the recoil, he transformed into a streak of golden lightning and turned to retreat rapidly toward the outer perimeter of the Far North.

As he retreated at high speed, the voice of Qian Xunji pierced through the blizzard. Gone was his previous awkwardness, replaced instead by a domineering aura that looked down upon the world:

"Snow Empress, I have left the items behind. This is by no means charity, but a gesture of my sincerity."

"Inside that jade box is the Douluo Planet Companion Profound Ice Marrow Core, which holds infinite wonders for you. Furthermore, the other box contains a top-tier immortal gown; it offers little in the way of defense, but it is worthy of your status as the peerless beauty of the Far North. When you are alone, you might wish to try it on."

"I know that your soul beast clan is strictly suppressed by the laws of the God Realm and can ultimately never escape the crushing weight of the heavenly tribulation. However, as long as you are willing to join forces with me, I guarantee that you will be able to become a god. If you do not believe me, you may send someone to inquire about the name of Qian Xunji."

Qian Xunji pointed his finger backward as he flew away.

A tiny [Fallen Angel Feather], pitch-black yet shimmering with a dark golden luster, transformed into a hidden stream of light and landed precisely atop the ornate clothing box.

The extreme aura of darkness and sin radiating from that feather was the exact opposite extreme to the holy angel image he had displayed earlier, carrying a sense of eeriness and depth that could not be ignored.

"This black feather is my exclusive token. No matter which corner of the continent you are in, if you encounter a life-or-death crisis or have thought through the proposal of This Seat, crush it. Snow Empress, consider it well; I will definitely return."

"Boom—"

Accompanying the final sonic boom, the composed and magnificent figure of Qian Xunji had completely vanished into the snow-filled sky of the Far North.