First Expedition to the Far North, Returning Laden

"Brother Sky Dream, how much further is the Far North?"

On the other side, Huo Yuhao, who had been walking until he lost all sense of time and space, asked the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, who was sleeping inside his head.

Fortunately, he had the molted skin of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm. Even though he was only wearing a thin school uniform in this Icebound Forest where temperatures dropped below fifty degrees Celsius, he didn't feel cold at all. However, after walking for so long, he was starting to lose the sensation in his legs.

"Still a long way to go. You're giving up after walking just this little bit? All the source power Brother spent to improve your physique has gone to waste. Sigh, but at your speed, the flowers will have withered by the time we reach the Far North. Let Brother give you a hand."

Originally, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm didn't want to expend too much power to help Huo Yuhao travel, but the massive lightning tribulation from a few days ago had left him deeply worried. He had been anxious that it was the Ice Empress undergoing the tribulation; if she succeeded, his hopes of recruiting her would naturally vanish. If she failed, this trip would be for nothing. But if it wasn't the Ice Empress, then this whole situation could still be salvaged.

It was precisely because of this urgency that he chose to expend his power to help Huo Yuhao travel. Yet, he could never have dreamed that by helping Huo Yuhao teleport to the core zone of the Far North thousands of miles away, he would cause him to miss the Ice Empress entirely. It was fortunate that he did, otherwise, Huo Yuhao would surely have been captured by the Ice Empress to serve as nourishment for Su Qing. After all, with the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm inside him, eating him would at least replenish some spiritual power...

"Wow! Brother Sky Dream, where is this!"

Huo Yuhao only felt the scenery flash before his eyes, and he arrived in this vast, white expanse. He couldn't help but marvel at the heaven-defying abilities of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.

"Tch, ignorant. This is the core zone of the Far North. You go dig a snow pit and hide in it first, then watch Brother's performance!"

"Alright."

Hearing the confident words of the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, Huo Yuhao nodded blankly and began to dig a snow pit. Before long, a pit large enough for him to lie in was finished. Seeing this, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm condensed a golden figure from his spiritual origin and hovered in mid-air.

He then began to shout:

"Ice Empress! I, Tian Meng, have returned for revenge! Do you dare to show yourself!"

"..."

Aside from the echoes returning from the horizon, the surroundings were deathly silent. The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm paused. If this was the case, there was only one possibility: the Ice Empress was already dead. Otherwise, there was no reason for her to pass up such a delicious, nourishing treat.

"Sigh, Yuhao, let's head back out. Brother will find you another soul beast for your second martial soul..."

The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm returned to Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea in disappointment and said in a low voice. Since the Ice Empress was dead, it meant they were not destined to be together in this life; he would have to find someone else to help him create a god.

"Alright. But, Brother Sky Dream, what kind of second martial soul are you going to find for me?"

The naive Huo Yuhao didn't understand why the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had suddenly become so dejected, but hearing him mention a second martial soul, he couldn't help but be curious.

"Ice Jade Scorpion."

Yes, he still wanted to find an Ice Jade Scorpion to serve as Huo Yuhao's second martial soul. Although its age certainly wouldn't compare to the Ice Empress, the Ultimate Ice attribute was truly desirable, and the Ice Jade Scorpion clan was undeniably beautiful.

"Eh? Ice Empress, you look quite good when you're small, like a piece of art."

Meanwhile, in the Icebound Forest, Su Qing, who was holding the shrunken Ice Empress in his hand, stroked her jade-like shell with interest. Although she was a scorpion, her texture felt like mutton-fat jade, making it hard to put her down.

"That goes without saying! My clan is the most beautiful in the entire Far North, and I am the most beautiful of the entire Ice Jade Scorpion clan!"

The Ice Empress crossed her two pincers, striking an incredibly proud pose.

"Ah, yes, yes, you are the most beautiful. But once we return to Shrek Academy, you must not run out. Just stay inside the Ring Jade. It has plenty of spiritual energy, and you'll get twice the result with half the effort cultivating there."

Su Qing nodded, then instructed her with a serious expression. There was a Limit Douluo sitting outside the Shrek Academy freshman dormitory building; if he discovered the Ice Empress's existence, it wouldn't be easy to handle.

"I know, I know! Hey, you human, don't touch my tail!"

The Ice Empress's voice became noticeably sharper after Su Qing accidentally brushed her tail.

"I know. Also, didn't I tell you my name is Su Qing? Why do you still call me 'human'?"

Su Qing felt a bit helpless. This creature had been calling him "human" since they first met, which sounded quite awkward.

"I forgot, is that not allowed? Do you have a problem with me? It's just a name, and you're going to bicker with me over it? You're not nice at all!"

As she spoke, the Ice Empress turned her body away, pointing her tail at Su Qing.

"Sigh, never mind. Call me whatever you like."

Su Qing felt helpless. Why did this Ice Empress have such a tsundere brat vibe?

"Why does it sound like you're dissatisfied with me?"

The Ice Empress scratched her back shell with her pincers, her scorpion tail twitching incessantly.

"You must be imagining things. Alright, let's not dwell on this. We need to get moving. You've never been to the human world, right? How about I take you for a stroll?"

Su Qing suddenly remembered that he still had the 300,000 Gold Soul Coins Ma Xiaotao had obtained to suppress her Evil Fire. He had wanted to share some with Tang Ya, but she had refused, claiming she wasn't short on money. But if she really wasn't short on money, why would she work as a waitress at a teahouse? She was just too embarrassed to spend her younger brother's money.

Thinking of this, Su Qing couldn't help but sigh. Compared to himself, Tang Ya was the one who worried him the most. But with him, Su Qing, around this time, no one would be able to hurt her. Of course, this applied to everyone he cared about.

"Hey, why are you ignoring me!"

Lost in thought, Su Qing hadn't heard a word the Ice Empress had said in his ear. Pulled back to reality by her, he looked completely bewildered.

"Huh? What did you say just now?"

"! I'm angry! I don't want to talk to you!"

With that, the Ice Empress dove into the Ring Jade. Su Qing was left standing there, scratching his head. However, he didn't take her words to heart; girls, after all, just needed a little coaxing.

"Since that's the case, let's go visit Xueling Province first!"

Recalling the novelties he had seen on the streets back then, Su Qing immediately activated his Wind-Gathering Wing-Weaving and flew in the direction he had come from...

"Ah!!! Finally out of the Far North!!!"

Huo Yuhao, who had been walking through the vast white expanse until he felt like vomiting, felt a sense of relief upon seeing the city walls in the distance and couldn't help but shout at the sky.

"Keep it down, you woke Brother up."

The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm covered his ears in the spiritual sea. Beside him, Electrolux was painstakingly helping a silly-looking Ice Jade Scorpion gain intelligence—or rather, teaching it how to speak.

Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy.

"Sister Le Xuan, when will Little Qing be back?"