In truth, Snow Empress knew perfectly well that with Xue Bingchen's current physical condition, absorbing a four-hundred-year Spirit Ring would be an utter waste.
But as a mother, she instinctively refused to let Xue Bingchen take even the slightest risk.
The energy impact of a thousand-year Spirit Ring was no joke. If anything went wrong, it would be an irreversible tragedy.
"No! This concerns Chen'er's life and safety. We absolutely cannot take risks. For his first Spirit Ring, we can only choose from ice-attribute spirit beasts around five hundred years old at most!"
Snow Empress's stance was exceptionally firm. The pressure of a seven-hundred-thousand-year Ruler of the Far North faintly radiated from her, leaving no room for doubt.
"Five hundred years? That's far too low-grade! I refuse! At least eight hundred years!"
Ice Empress refused to back down as well. The aura of a four-hundred-thousand-year ferocious beast erupted from her too, and both little girls' twin ponytails stood on end.
"Five hundred years!"
"Eight hundred years!"
"Bing'er, if you keep fooling around, you won't be allowed to see Chen'er for the next month!"
"Snow Empress, you're using your status to suppress me! If you've got the nerve, let's fight! Whoever wins gets the final say!"
Watching the two Rulers of the Far North argue furiously over the age of his first Spirit Ring, with even a faint tendency to start fighting, Xue Bingchen immediately felt a headache coming on.
He helplessly rubbed his forehead and thought:
This sweet burden really is too much to bear.
Still, seeing Ice Empress argue so fiercely on his behalf, Xue Bingchen actually found himself leaning toward her side.
He clenched his tiny fist, feeling the vast, surging Bloodline Power within him that had awakened alongside his Body Martial Soul. A powerful confidence rose in his heart.
"Mom, Aunt Ice Empress, stop arguing for now."
Xue Bingchen stepped between them, raised his head, and looked seriously into Snow Empress's worried eyes.
"Mom, I think Aunt Ice Empress is right. My body... seems to be truly strong.
"A five-hundred-year Spirit Ring might really not even be enough for me to sink my teeth into."
He paused, and a trace of the ambition and madness of a transmigrator flashed through his eyes.
"My first Spirit Ring... I want to challenge a thousand-year one!"
Hearing Xue Bingchen declare, "I want to challenge a thousand-year one," Snow Empress's exquisite eyes widened slightly, and her red lips parted as if she wanted to say something to dissuade him from such a mad idea.
Yet when she met those strange eyes of his—half brilliant gold, half dark crimson, filled with absolute confidence and an unyielding will—the words of persuasion at her lips simply would not come out.
She could sense that this six-year-old child was not blindly overconfident. Rather, he possessed absolute control and understanding of the Body Martial Soul that had only just awakened within him.
"Ah..."
After a long while, Snow Empress let out a soft sigh.
A rare trace of helplessness and compromise appeared on her cool, noble face.
She extended a slender finger and lightly tapped Xue Bingchen's forehead, her tone holding three parts reproach and seven parts indulgence.
"You little monster, I truly don't know what to do with you.
"Since you are so confident, then Mother will give in to you this once.
"But if there is even the slightest sign that you are struggling, I will immediately forcefully interrupt the absorption. Even if it means damaging your martial soul, I will never allow harm to come to your life. Do you understand?"
"Mhm, mhm! Thank you, Mom! I knew Mom was the best!" Xue Bingchen excitedly hugged Snow Empress's arm and rubbed against it.
Meanwhile, seeing that Snow Empress had actually yielded, Ice Empress happily jumped three feet into the air.
"Hahaha! I won! I finally won against you, Xue'er, for once!"
Ice Empress planted her hands on her hips and lifted her delicate chin high. Her two green twin ponytails swayed smugly, making her look just like a little rooster celebrating a victorious battle.
For the past three years, Snow Empress had kept her firmly suppressed in every matter regarding Xue Bingchen's upbringing. Today, she had finally held her head high for once!
Snow Empress shot Ice Empress an irritated glance, too lazy to pay attention to the proud little thing. Then her expression turned serious as she looked at Xue Bingchen and asked:
"Chen'er, since you have decided to absorb a thousand-year Spirit Ring, what plans do you have for your future? When human Soul Masters attach their first Spirit Ring, they basically determine their future path: Strong Attack, Agility Attack, or Control. Your first martial soul is the Heavenly Snow Woman. What path do you intend to take?"
Hearing this question, Ice Empress perked up her ears and hurriedly leaned closer. Her large emerald eyes sparkled as she stared eagerly at Xue Bingchen and enthusiastically promoted her suggestion.
"Is there even a question? It has to be the Strong Attack System! Little Bingchen, listen to Auntie—you can't go wrong with that. Let's catch a thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion! An Ice Jade Scorpion's Spirit Ring can not only grant you incredibly domineering ice-attribute attacks, but also greatly strengthen your physique. It is simply a perfect match for your Twin Martial Souls!"
Yet in the face of Ice Empress's enthusiastic recommendation, Xue Bingchen fell into deep thought.
He stroked his smooth chin as his mind rapidly turned.
"Aunt Ice Empress, the Ice Jade Scorpion clan is indeed exceptionally powerful."
Xue Bingchen raised his head, looked at Ice Empress, and analyzed the matter seriously.
"But my first martial soul is the Heavenly Snow Woman. Its core power lies in absolute control over the Ultimate Ice attribute.
"Although the Ice Jade Scorpion also possesses Ultimate Ice, its essence still leans toward the physical combat and explosive power of a Beast Martial Soul."
Xue Bingchen paused, wisdom glimmering in his eyes.
"Since heaven has granted me a pure elemental top-tier martial soul like the Heavenly Snow Woman, then I must take that field to its absolute limit!
"What I need is a Spirit Ring that can maximize my affinity with ice elements, my control over them, and even my comprehension of laws.
"So... if we can find a spirit beast of an even purer 'heaven-and-earth ice element' type than the Ice Jade Scorpion, then the Ice Jade Scorpion... will likely have to be passed over."
After hearing Xue Bingchen's well-reasoned and tightly logical analysis, the excitement on Ice Empress's face immediately collapsed.
She opened her mouth, wanting to argue, only to discover that she had nothing to say.
Because she knew perfectly well that Xue Bingchen was entirely right.
The essence of the Heavenly Snow Woman martial soul lay in control over ice and snow. Attaching a beast-type Spirit Ring instead would only lower its potential.
"Ah, fine, fine..."
Ice Empress gloomily tugged at her twin ponytails and let out a regretful sigh.
"Since you little brat know what you're doing, then I won't force you. What a pity about the excellent Spirit Rings of our Ice Jade Scorpion clan..."
Meanwhile, upon hearing Xue Bingchen's insight, Snow Empress's beautiful ice-blue eyes burst with brilliance.
"Good! What a fine resolve to take elemental control to the utmost limit!"
Snow Empress could not help praising him aloud. Her gaze at Xue Bingchen was filled with undisguised admiration.
A six-year-old child could actually possess such profound insight into martial soul cultivation, one that went straight to its essence. Such comprehension was nothing short of monstrous!
Snow Empress's gaze shifted slightly as a map of the vast Far North instantly flashed through her mind. An excellent target surfaced in her heart.
"Chen'er, since you want the purest ice-element spirit beast, Mother knows a place that can absolutely meet your requirements. Come with me."
With that, Snow Empress swept her sleeve. A gentle force of ice and snow instantly enveloped Xue Bingchen and Ice Empress, turning them into a streak of light that shot toward a mysterious region of the Far North.
Before you continue