Seven days later, deep within the Extreme North.
A vast forest lay here, its trees covered in ice crystals, clear and glittering. From afar, it looked like a palace of ice and snow.
Frozen Forest.
"I told you it was this way!"
Tian Meng stood atop a snowdrift, one small hand holding her hood as the wind lifted her golden hair. Her gaze fell on the forest ahead.
This was the territory of the Ice Jade Scorpions. Deep within the Frozen Forest lay Ice Empress's cave.
"..."
Jiang Yi glanced at her and no longer wanted to say anything.
She did not know the way at all. During the first three days, she had led him north to the Ice Sea, where the two of them had nearly been eaten by fish.
If they had not happened to run into a passing Ice Jade Scorpion on the way, they might not even have found this place.
"Hehe, that was an accident."
Seeing Jiang Yi's expression, Tian Meng stuck out her tongue and scratched her head sheepishly.
It could not be helped.
Her home was in the northeastern part of the Far North, and she only knew the roads there.
"Are we going straight in?"
Jiang Yi turned to look at the distant forest. Through the shadows of the trees, he could make out several emerald-green figures as large as hills moving slowly.
They were clearly Ice Jade Scorpions that had lived for over ten thousand years.
Tian Meng might have been a little weak, but she should still have the combat power of a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast. Besides, she had not learned the Tang Sect's secret arts for nothing.
Even if she could not use Blue Silver Entanglement, with Purple Demon Eye and a million years of spiritual power, could she not kill one with a glare?
"Cough, cough..."
Meeting Jiang Yi's gaze, Tian Meng gave a light cough before speaking to him with a solemn expression.
"I'm Bingbing's good sister. Of course I can't harm her clansmen. I have another way..."
Jiang Yi gave her a suspicious look.
A few minutes later.
Inside the Frozen Forest, a white little worm only a few centimeters long wriggled through the snow, squirming like a maggot.
Jiang Yi:...
He lay prone on the ground, his entire body buried in the snow as he expressionlessly crawled forward.
This was Tian Meng's "other way."
"Are you sure this will work?"
He silently asked in his heart, his voice carrying a trace of utter despair.
"Relax! I'm covering us with a layer of simulated spiritual power. No matter who looks at you, they'll only see an ordinary little Ice Silkworm."
Tian Meng curled up in his arms, her small hands clutching his collar as the spiritual barrier clung tightly to their bodies.
"Then why can't I stand up and walk? Ice Silkworms can be big too, right?"
"The big ones are too conspicuous. Wouldn't that just make us food? And if we make too much noise, we might alert them..."
"Fine."
Jiang Yi shrugged helplessly.
If he had to wriggle, then he would wriggle.
Fortunately, after passing through the tight defenses on the outskirts, Ice Jade Scorpions were not as densely distributed inside the Frozen Forest.
The two of them proceeded without obstruction.
At the deepest part of the forest stood an iceberg a thousand meters tall.
The entire iceberg was made of ten-thousand-year mystical ice. It glittered beneath the aurora like a Crown of Ice.
Halfway up the iceberg was a deep cave, its entrance hung with clear, crystalline icicles like the fangs of a giant beast.
"This is Bingbing's little hole."
The two revealed themselves, and Tian Meng pointed at the cave ahead, her tone gradually growing cheerful.
"Let's go in!"
Jiang Yi blinked. Why did that sound so strange?
Tian Meng did not seem to find anything wrong with it. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him into the deep cave.
The interior of the cave was not a straight passage, but an interconnected network of ice caverns, like an intricately carved underground palace.
Natural crystalline patterns had formed on the ice walls, glimmering with splendid radiance in the faint light that seemed to come from nowhere.
Compared to outside, though, Tian Meng truly seemed to have returned home here. She walked with exceptional swagger.
"Don't worry! This is Bingbing's sleeping chamber. No Ice Jade Scorpion would dare enter... and Bingbing is probably still hibernating."
Seeing Jiang Yi's confusion, Tian Meng softly explained.
The life of a Soul Beast was this simple and unpretentious. Other than cultivating, they slept—and of course, slept some more.
"I see."
Jiang Yi understood, and his taut nerves relaxed considerably.
Led by Tian Meng, the two passed through several cave entrances and finally saw an emerald-green scorpion at the very deepest point.
It was an incomparably beautiful scorpion.
Yes, beautiful! Jiang Yi found it hard to imagine that he would use such an appraisal on a scorpion.
Ice Empress was only about one and a half meters long, even smaller than Tian Meng's true body.
Her body was a semi-transparent icy jade green. At the front were a pair of silver-white pincers, while behind her rose a high-curved emerald tail hook.
However, the instant the two entered the cave, those tightly shut beast eyes abruptly opened.
"It's you!"
A crisp voice exploded through the cavern, carrying undisguised fury. The entire iceberg began to tremble, and countless tiny chips of ice fell from the ceiling.
"Tian Meng, you still dared to come back?"
Ice Empress had fully awakened from her slumber. Cold fury burned in her emerald eyes.
She slowly rose, the tail hook behind her swaying lightly and leaving afterimages in the air with a low hum.
Rumble!
There was no unnecessary talk.
That gorgeous emerald tail suddenly went taut, stabbing fiercely toward Tian Meng like a streak of green lightning!
Where the tail tip passed, countless tiny ice crystals condensed in the air, leaving behind a long icy-blue trail that was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Careful."
Tian Meng stepped forward and shielded Jiang Yi behind her. Facing the incoming hooked tail, she extended a slender finger.
Countless strands of spiritual power compressed wildly, gathering the surrounding power of ice and snow into an icy-blue beam of light.
Tian Meng Finger!!!
Bang—!
A deafening explosion erupted in the cavern. Cracks spread across the surrounding ice walls, and countless ice spikes fell from above.
The icy-blue beam gradually dissipated, but Ice Empress also withdrew her tail.
"Huh?"
Ice Empress cried out in surprise.
That worthless Tian Meng had actually blocked one of her casual attacks?
"Hahaha! Bingbing! I've broken through to a million years!"
Seeing Ice Empress's expression change, Tian Meng planted her hands on her hips and laughed smugly.
"Didn't expect that, did you? Today, big sis is here to collect you! Don't resist, and big sis can even give you preferential treatment~"
"Ridiculous."
Ice Empress sneered, and the anger in her eyes only grew stronger.
A layer of dark-green fluorescence emerged around her body. The temperature plummeted, and Jiang Yi felt a chill seep out from deep within his bones.
"So what if you've reached a million years? You trash, how much power can you even wield?"
"Just obediently let me eat you."
Before her words had faded, Ice Empress swung her scorpion tail again and stabbed at Tian Meng. As for Jiang Yi beside them, no beast paid him any attention.
Whoosh!
The long scorpion tail lashed out, the cold gleam on its hook tip tearing through the air like a sharp sword light descending.
"Tian Meng Finger!"
Tian Meng let out a delicate shout and gathered her spiritual power again to meet the attack.
However, this time, the icy-blue beam only held back the scorpion tail for a single breath before being ruthlessly shattered.
"Not good."
Tian Meng cried out and turned to flee, but Ice Empress was faster. A streak of green light flashed.
The next moment, Tian Meng was struck by the scorpion tail and slammed into a distant ice wall, carving out a deep human-shaped crater.
"Hehe..."
Ice Empress gave a contemptuous laugh. Green light flowed over her body as it gradually shrank, transforming into a petite green figure.
She was a little girl with green hair.
Her twin ponytails were emerald green, and her jade eyes were like the purest emeralds, without the slightest impurity, yet they radiated a bone-chilling indifference.
She wore a short green skirt, her smooth pale calves bare as she stepped barefoot across the ice toward Tian Meng.
Every step carried the calm composure of someone looking down from above.
"You're still so useless."
Her voice was crisp, yet it carried a contempt that sent chills down one's spine.
When she reached Tian Meng, she raised her hand. An emerald scorpion tail extended from beneath her skirt and pried Tian Meng out of the ice wall.
The long tail hook coiled around Tian Meng and delivered her before Ice Empress. The two little girls faced each other.
"But if I eat you, I can become a god."
Ice Empress reached out, her fingertips lightly brushing Tian Meng's cheek. A flash of heat and greed passed through her eyes.
This little worm might be weak, but her origin was abundant enough. Eating her would at least be enough to help Ice Empress survive several more lightning tribulations.
Yet at that moment, Tian Meng, who had just been struggling, suddenly stopped.
She raised her head and calmly looked at Ice Empress, who was right before her. A smile slowly curled across her lips.
"Bingbing, you fell for it."
Before her words had faded, Tian Meng's eyes abruptly turned purple, and two beams of purple divine light shot from them.
Purple Demon Eye!
A powerful spiritual shockwave erupted.
"Despicable!"
Ice Empress was shocked and furious, but at such close range, even she had no time to react.
The next instant, her petite body shuddered violently and froze in place. The scorpion tail that had bound Tian Meng slowly loosened as well.
"Hahaha! It worked!"
Tian Meng broke free and landed on the ground laughing.
Then she pointed at the dazed Ice Empress with one hand and raised the other high, shouting theatrically.
"Go, Jiang Yi Beast! Use Master Ball!"
Before her words had faded, a Master Ball flew out from beside them as if on cue and struck Ice Empress squarely on the forehead.
A silver vortex appeared in midair and sucked Ice Empress inside.
Plop!
The Master Ball fell, flashing with emerald-green light as it bounced several times across the ground before finally becoming still.
Ice Empress, successfully captured!
Before you continue