The Two Ice Emperors

"Hall Master, why didn't you notify us sisters when you came out of seclusion? Were you planning to sneak away?"

As the door opened, two breathtakingly beautiful women appeared before Lin Mian and Dugu Bo.

One looked like a girl of seventeen or eighteen. Her snow-white hair cascaded from the back of her head all the way to her feet, while her sky-blue eyes were ethereal and crystal-clear, as though they could see through everything in the world.

Her slender, delicate figure was flawless. Though her white gown bore not a single ornament, it made her seem exceptionally pure and peerlessly beautiful.

She was the Snow Empress of the Far North in human form.

The other had a charming, delicate face. She possessed less of the Snow Empress's haughtiness, but more icy allure.

On either side of her lovely, fair face were four emerald-green demonic markings.

Her dark green hair draped behind her, and her skin was as white as ice and snow, with a translucent sheen. A faint jade light flowed beneath it.

She wore an emerald-green dress. Even though she was merely a spiritual body, the surrounding temperature plummeted the moment she appeared.

She was the Ice Empress in human form.

Decades ago, when Lin Mian had challenged the strongest experts beneath the heavens, he naturally had not overlooked the powerful soul beasts.

However, no one else knew of his battles with soul beasts, so they had never spread throughout the continent.

Besides defeating all the strongest humans in the world, he had also defeated the great beasts one by one.

Among them were, of course, the Ice Empress and Snow Empress from the Far North. They had also been the first ones he challenged.

As for why the Ice Empress and Snow Empress were here, it was because back in the Far North, the man and the two soul beasts had once made a wager.

The wager was simple. If the two of them joined forces and defeated Lin Mian, then after Lin Mian became a god, he would take them both to the God Realm.

At the time, they had not believed him. They had only thought this human was arrogant beyond measure and decided to teach him a lesson.

In the end, they had not even touched the corner of Lin Mian's clothes. Instead, he had repeatedly mocked them, and in a fit of anger, they agreed to his wager, demanding that he defeat them head-on.

Lin Mian's wager was equally simple: they would guard Judgment Hall, allowing him to enter seclusion more freely.

The result was obvious. Even working together, the Ice Empress and Snow Empress had suffered a crushing defeat and could only guard Judgment Hall according to the wager.

However, Lin Mian had not made them work for nothing. He promised to take them to the God Realm or help them become gods.

After witnessing Lin Mian's strength and learning his age, the two soul beasts became utterly convinced that he could become a god.

As for why they developed different feelings toward Lin Mian, that was related to Di Tian.

When Di Tian learned that the Ice Empress and Snow Empress, two soul beasts, were mingling among humans, he flew into a rage and directly unleashed a beast tide to capture them.

Fortunately, Lin Mian intervened and defeated Di Tian, ensuring their safety.

Among all the soul beasts, the only one who had truly given him trouble was Di Tian of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Ordinary methods were naturally no match for him. The only thing Di Tian possessed that could threaten him was his Dragon God Claw.

Di Tian's Dragon God Claw was the only attack so far that had torn through Lin Mian's domain.

That was already power on the godly level, and it came from the Dragon God.

However, Lin Mian had not lost that battle. Tearing through his domain alone was not enough to defeat him.

Though it was merely what Lin Mian should have done, ever since then, the two soul beasts had developed an inexplicable possessiveness toward him.

It made Lin Mian enter seclusion often, and each time he did, he stayed secluded for a long while.

Lin Mian gave an awkward laugh and spoke.

"No, no. I just forgot to notify you two. Why would I be planning to run away?"

"As the Hall Master of Judgment Hall, what would I have to run from?"

"Is that so? I thought you had been bewitched by some vixen outside again, just like decades ago, and had forgotten to return to the hall."

"Poor us sisters, guarding Judgment Hall for you for so long, yet you did not even notify us when you emerged from seclusion."

"I wonder whether our Hall Master has become a god yet. You have been dangling that promise before us for so long. When will you make it happen?"

The Ice Empress snapped, clearly still holding a grudge.

"Soon, soon. Becoming a god is only a matter of time. I definitely will not forget you two."

Lin Mian felt sweat breaking out all over him. The temperature had dropped so much the moment they arrived, so why did he still feel hot?

"Will you truly not forget us? I remember using my spiritual power to inspect where you were in seclusion two days ago. You were not there then."

The one speaking was the Snow Empress. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on Lin Mian as though she wanted to carve flesh from his body.

"What? He came out of seclusion days ago? Then what was he doing these past few days? Don't tell me he was really bewitched by some other fox girl?"

The Ice Empress glared at him suspiciously, as though she wanted to see through him completely.

"Why don't you talk somewhere else? My place is full of medicinal herbs. If they freeze, they will be unusable."

Dugu Bo spoke weakly. He was plainly trying to send them away, deciding to let the Hall Master face them alone.

Lin Mian stared at him in disbelief, his gaze seemingly saying, How can you be so disloyal?

Dugu Bo ignored him. Better a dead fellow daoist than a dead poor daoist.

"Would Hall Master be willing to come with us?" The Snow Empress's voice sounded ethereal and gentle, but Lin Mian felt as though he had fallen into an ice pit.

"L-Let's go..."

The place where the Ice Empress and Snow Empress lived had been specially built by Judgment Hall in imitation of the Far North.

The terrain within could be said to be identical to that of the Far North.

If there was any difference, it was that this place was more suitable for their cultivation than the Far North.

At first, Lin Mian had planted an Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass there, making the environment suitable for the two soul beasts' cultivation.

Later, as every Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass found by Judgment Hall across the continent was planted here, the environment became even more suitable for their cultivation than the Far North.

As for why they had needed Lin Mian to step in over a decade ago, it was because the Ice Empress and Snow Empress had happened to be returning to the Far North to retrieve something.

"May I ask where Hall Master went a few days ago? Did something major happen? Could you explain it to us sisters?"

The Snow Empress looked at Lin Mian with a smiling gaze, her tone exceptionally gentle.

Lin Mian's mind raced as he considered what excuse could possibly convince them.

In the end, he spoke with a face full of confidence.

"The reason I came out of seclusion this time is related to you two. I found a path that can allow you both to move forward together."

The path Lin Mian meant was naturally the system.

Though it was useless now, once he progressed further through the missions, it should be able to help them become gods... right?

"Really?"

"Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you?" Lin Mian looked so confident that he even convinced himself.

"You have lied to us plenty." The Ice Empress looked utterly unconvinced.

"I believe Hall Master." The Snow Empress stated her position.

"Xue'er is still the best." Lin Mian had never been stingy with his praise.

"Do not praise me yet, Hall Master. When are you planning to leave this time? You are not leaving immediately, are you?"

"No, no. We have not seen each other for decades. No matter what, I should catch up with you two and have a drink with Old Poison and the others."

"There is no need to catch up with us. To us, several decades amount to nothing. You should go catch up with them instead."

Hearing the Snow Empress's words, Lin Mian felt as though he had been granted a great pardon. He repeatedly bade them farewell and hurried out.

Watching Lin Mian leave so cautiously, the Ice Empress asked in confusion.

"Xue'er, why did you let him go so easily? I feel like he was clearly lying to us."