The Far North

"Healthy Mystic Ancestor really lives up to his name. He always puts you at ease.

"If it had been the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder, Sister Lexuan would probably have been seriously injured again, and I would've ended up in a sorry state too..."

You Jie watched the ashes of the Evil Soul Master drift away on the wind, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Mu En had dealt with a Titled Douluo Evil Soul Master cleanly and efficiently, and still had enough time to show You Jie and Zhang Lexuan his unique technique. His current condition was truly excellent.

Dragon Emperor Evil-Breaking Slash itself had also been somewhat helpful to You Jie.

Of course, that didn't mean You Jie was about to Normal Summon his own two hands in Attack Position, slap on another layer of golden enchantment, and go after someone with Crab Fist.

The state Mu En had entered while using Dragon Emperor Evil-Breaking Slash, where his energy, essence, and spirit were fused to a high degree, was a great help to You Jie as he sought to grasp the Clear Mind and the realm beyond it.

You Jie had tried it himself, too. He Synchro Summoned Stardust Dragon and his bike separately, then tried to perform an Accel Synchro Summon and bring out Meteor Dragon.

Just like Crabhead in the original story, he hadn't succeeded a single time.

It had little to do with Soul Power. Though he couldn't keep it up for long, You Jie had enough Soul Power to bring out a ten-star monster and let it make an appearance.

The difference lay in the Clear Mind.

"Once the tournament a few months from now is over, I'll try to grasp it too..."

You Jie had already planned to pursue the Clear Mind, but the next few months clearly weren't the right time.

He had other important things to do during those months, and none of the opponents in the upcoming tournament would require Accel Synchro to deal with.

Most importantly, You Jie needed time to turn the inspiration sparked by seeing Mu En's Dragon Emperor Evil-Breaking Slash into something he could put into practice.

After dealing with the troublesome Evil Soul Master and finishing the memorial visit, the three of them headed north, straight for the Far North.

Of course, while they traveled, Mu En stayed hidden nearby, watching over and protecting the two of them with a kindly smile. Zhang Lexuan, meanwhile, rode on You Jie's Duel Runner, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind and experiencing this unusual way of getting around.

The road conditions meant that even with You Jie pushing the speed very high, they couldn't match Zhang Lexuan flying at full speed. But the novel experience still gave her a thrill unlike anything she'd felt before.

Of course, it would've been even better if she could drive a more advanced Soul Tool of the same design herself.

At the thought, she unconsciously tightened her arms around You Jie, pressing her upper body even closer against his.

Feeling the pressure against his back, You Jie nearly lost focus. The sensation was new, but it wasn't enough to make him the first Flip-Over King on the Douluo Continent.

Still, You Jie had guessed some of what Zhang Lexuan was thinking.

"Sister Lexuan, you want to try driving one yourself too? Once we get back, I'll do some more research with Old Qian and build a few better ones for you."

"Sounds great! Though, compared to racing side by side with you, this feels pretty nice too."

Zhang Lexuan answered with a smile, almost making You Jie's heart race all over again.

"Excellent, excellent. You're a quick learner. Though you're still nowhere near as good as I was in my day, you should have no trouble keeping Lexuan satisfied."

Mu En, secretly observing them nearby, was even more pleased by the way You Jie and Zhang Lexuan interacted.

Bei Bei might be able to pass down their branch's Martial Soul, but in Mu En's heart, You Jie had long since become his true successor.

Now that You Jie was pleasing him in matters of romance too, the slight misgivings Mu En had felt about secretly arranging that secret-chamber affair had vanished completely.

After all, while secret chambers could be very effective, there was no telling what might happen afterward. The fall of Spirit Hall was a cautionary tale.

They continued north, but at Mu En's reminder, they didn't stop in any of the major cities along the way, such as Dragon City. At most, they stayed in a few remote villages.

Even so, Zhang Lexuan noticed that there seemed to be far more people on the road than usual.

"I didn't expect the area around the Far North to be this lively. So few people can actually reach its central region."

Thinking of the Far North's harsh conditions, a trace of displeasure crept into Zhang Lexuan's gentle expression.

Unlike the dangers of the Star Dou Great Forest's core region, the danger of the Far North lay in the harshness of the environment itself.

The low temperatures and snowstorms were enough to deter most Soul Masters. And although the Far North had fewer Soul Beasts, the brutal environment made them even stronger there. It was said that Snow Empress, the strongest Soul Beast in the Far North, could even drive back Beast God Di Tian by taking advantage of home ground.

Anyone hoping to venture deep into the Far North's core region needed considerable strength, as well as enough luck to avoid attracting the attention of its powerful Soul Beasts.

Yet even in the small village where You Jie and the others were currently resting, there were several Soul Hunting teams that looked weak and seemed to know nothing but how to charge headlong into danger.

That showed just how many people the rumor they'd let loose had drawn here.

"Most people don't understand how dangerous the Far North really is. In a way, its core region is even more perilous than the Land of Great Calamity in the Star Dou Great Forest.

"And if there really is an opportunity there, it probably won't be easy to obtain. Otherwise, whoever spread the news wouldn't have chosen to make it public over in the Star Luo Empire. They'd have kept quiet and made a fortune themselves."

You Jie explained as he modified the Duel Runner in the courtyard.

To prepare for the trip to the Far North, You Jie had come up with several modifications for his Duel Runner, including a backup power unit made from the newly developed Heavy Absorption Milk Bottles from the Soul Tool Department.

He'd also made some cold-weather modifications to the Duel Runner itself. As long as they didn't run into a blizzard, they shouldn't have to worry about it malfunctioning.

"Then we..."

"Don't worry, Sister Lexuan. With Mystic Ancestor here, even if the rumor turns out to be false, we can just treat this as a sightseeing trip to the Far North.

"Besides, I have a feeling we'll come away with plenty this time."

You Jie fitted the final heating module onto the Duel Runner, then gave it a satisfied pat.

With Mu En there, and the Duel Runner equipped to withstand the cold, they wouldn't be in any danger unless they happened upon the scene where Prisoner Huo and Ice Empress fused together through a combination technique.

Snow Empress had already been put in a Poké Ball and locked up in the Star Luo Empire, waiting to be auctioned. Ice Empress was about to merge with Huo Yuhao, while neither the Titan Snow Demon King nor the Ice Bear King could stand against a healthy Mu En.

You Jie was certain their journey would be smooth sailing!