Return to Shrek

On the way back to Shrek, they had used flight to leave the Far North, but once they reached the Heaven Dou Empire, they switched to traveling on foot. Since they had agreed to let the Ice Empress enjoy the scenery, they naturally couldn't just fly straight back to Shrek.

The trio headed south. Huo Yuhao followed behind Jiang Che with a much lighter step; the successful fusion of his second martial soul had left him feeling refreshed, and even his soul power circulation had become significantly smoother.

However, he would steal glances at the Ice Empress from time to time. Ever since he learned from the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm that she was a fierce beast of nearly 400,000 years, his gaze had been filled with a mix of curiosity and unconcealable awe.

The Ice Empress noticed his gaze, and her diamond-yellow eyes swept over coldly: "What are you looking at?"

Huo Yuhao shrank his neck, shivering in fright, and quickly averted his eyes, stammering an explanation: "N-nothing, it's nothing..."

Jiang Che walked at the very front, his long silver-blue hair fluttering slightly in the breeze. He didn't look back, yet he could clearly perceive the movements of the two behind him.

Such days aren't bad, he thought. When he read the book in his past life, he felt that this kid Huo Yuhao had a miserable fate: his father was unknown, his mother died young, he suffered abuse from his stepmother and bullying from his brothers. Even after finally getting a million-year soul beast as a golden finger, he was still manipulated as a pawn by the God King.

Now that he had arrived, although he had intercepted the Ice Empress, he had given Huo Yuhao a 200,000-year Silent Frost Ice Phoenix embryo as compensation and had shielded him from quite a bit of trouble.

He felt that Huo Yuhao's path this time would be much easier than in the original story.

The group was silent for a moment before Jiang Che suddenly slowed his pace and tilted his head toward the Ice Empress.

"Ice Empress, once we return to Shrek, I will arrange your identity."

The Ice Empress raised her delicate eyebrows, her tone remaining cold: "What identity? You can't possibly say I'm a 400,000-year soul beast in disguise, can you?"

"Of course not." Jiang Che chuckled. "The fact that you are my Soul Spirit is something only you and I know for now. To the outside world, we'll say you are my younger sister from abroad, gifted with extraordinary talent, having broken through to the Soul Emperor realm at sixteen."

The Ice Empress gave a light huff, not objecting.

She was no longer in her soul beast form; both her aura and appearance were indistinguishable from a human soul master. As long as she didn't say anything, no one would be able to discern her origins.

As for her age, the Ice Empress looked down at her thirteen-or-fourteen-year-old girl appearance, feeling somewhat speechless.

A dignified member of the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North, a 400,000-year Ice Jade Empress Scorpion, actually having to pretend to be a little girl.

But thinking of what Jiang Che said about "having the chance to ascend to the God Realm and gain eternal life in the future," she felt she could endure this bit of grievance.

"Then what about my strength? You can't really expect me to pretend to be a mere Soul Emperor, can you? Can I take action if I encounter danger?"

Jiang Che thought for a moment and said: "Just say you have a mutated martial soul, the Ice Jade Scorpion. As for your strength... don't reveal too much for now. Once we return to Sea God Island, I'll have Mu En arrange your identity. With Shrek's reputation, no one will question it."

The Ice Empress nodded, saying no more.

"Right, you also need to pick a human name for yourself. Otherwise, calling you 'Ice Empress' all the time feels a bit strange." Jiang Che suddenly remembered this.

"Hmm... call me whatever you want, I have no opinion." The Ice Empress was too lazy to think of a name and tossed the problem back to Jiang Che.

"Alright, let me think..." After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Che said: "Then when there are others around, I'll call you Bingbing, and when we're alone, I'll call you Bing'er. How does that sound?"

Upon hearing Jiang Che's words, the Ice Empress seemed to think of something. She looked at Jiang Che with an expression that wanted to refuse, but in the end, she didn't say anything, effectively defaulting to it.

Seeing the Ice Empress accept it, Jiang Che felt satisfied with his naming ability. When he looked at Huo Yuhao again, his expression suddenly turned strange, thinking of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm residing in Huo Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness.

If he remembered correctly, in the original story, after Huo Yuhao gained the Ice Empress's approval, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm also called her "Bingbing" this and "Bingbing" that.

Now that he was calling the Ice Empress the same thing, Jiang Che suddenly felt like he was an NTR, and the cuckold was standing right in front of him, daring to be angry but not daring to speak.

Huo Yuhao, walking in front, didn't think that much. Listening to their conversation, his admiration for Jiang Che grew even more.

To be able to subdue a fierce beast of the Ice Empress's caliber as a Soul Spirit and arrange everything so meticulously—the senior really was incredibly thoughtful.

He quietly asked the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm in his Sea of Consciousness: "Brother Sky Dream, why didn't you seek out a powerhouse like the senior to cooperate with back then? I feel like the senior is much stronger than me."

The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's listless voice rang out: "You think I didn't want to? But the problem is, a powerhouse of Jiang Che's level doesn't need me at all; he's strong enough on his own. If I sought him out, he might not even look twice at me."

"Besides, I couldn't have run into him back then, and even if I had, I wouldn't have had the chance to speak."

As the sky gradually darkened, the trio arrived at a small town on the border of the Heaven Dou Empire.

Calling it a small town was generous; it was actually just a settlement surrounded by a few rows of wooden houses, home to fewer than five hundred families. Two guards in leather armor stood at the gate, holding crude spears. Seeing Jiang Che and his companions approach, they gripped their weapons with slight vigilance.

Jiang Che didn't mind the guards' gazes and walked straight into the town.

Although he wore simple silver-blue robes, the fabric and craftsmanship were clearly not ordinary. Coupled with the aura of natural authority he exuded, the residents of the small town turned to look, whispering to one another.

"Who are these three? They don't look like ordinary people."

"That young man in the silver-blue clothes has such an outstanding temperament. Could he be a disciple from some major sect?"

"The little girl next to him is also very pretty, though her eyes are a bit cold, making one afraid to get close."

"The boy behind them is quite ordinary; he looks like a servant."

Huo Yuhao's face flushed slightly at the word "servant," but he didn't say anything. After all, given his current strength and status, he really could only be considered the senior's attendant.

Jiang Che found the only decent inn in the town, requested three premium rooms, and had the innkeeper prepare some hot food to be sent up.

Huo Yuhao returned to his room, washed up briefly, changed into clean clothes, and sat at the table, wolfing down his food.

During his days in the Far North, he had mostly eaten the dry rations he carried with him—cold and hard. Being able to eat a hot meal now made him feel so happy he could cry.

In the room next door, Jiang Che and the Ice Empress sat opposite each other, with hot tea and snacks laid out on the table.

"Are you being a bit too accommodating to that Huo Yuhao?" The Ice Empress picked up a teacup, took a light sip, and finding it not to her liking, set it back down. Her diamond-yellow eyes watched Jiang Che through the swirling tea mist.

"How so?" Jiang Che also picked up his cup, taking a slow, unhurried sip.

"You gave him the Silent Frost Ice Phoenix embryo, promised to help him obtain a mental-type soul ring, and even personally escorted him back to Shrek." The Ice Empress set her cup down and tapped her slender fingers on the edge of the table. "This kind of treatment isn't something an ordinary person should be able to enjoy."

Jiang Che smiled, not answering directly.

He certainly couldn't say that it was because he knew Huo Yuhao was the Child of Destiny who would eventually become a god, and by being good to him now, he could have him as a lackey once he ascended.

Although he now possessed the World Shielder and no longer needed to worry about Tang San's secret surveillance, Huo Yuhao's inherent potential was beyond doubt; rather than becoming enemies in the future, it was better to forge a bond of goodwill early on.

Furthermore, he understood Huo Yuhao's character; even though he had endured countless hardships in the original story, he had always maintained his kind and upright nature. Such a person was worth befriending.

"I just find him agreeable," Jiang Che said simply.

Ice Empress seemed dissatisfied with this answer, letting out a soft huff without pressing further.

The two remained silent for a moment before Jiang Che suddenly spoke: "Bingbing, have you ever thought about what path you want to take in the future?"

Ice Empress was slightly taken aback, a flicker of confusion flashing through her amber eyes.

She truly hadn't considered this question; back in the Far North, her goal had been clear: to resist the Heavenly Tribulation and survive.

Now that the threat of the tribulation had vanished and she had become Jiang Che's Soul Spirit, she no longer needed to worry about survival, yet she found herself at a loss for what to do.

"I don't know. I suppose I should strive to help you become a god," Ice Empress said slowly after a long silence.