Chapter Fifteen: Choice

"Fine."

When it came to cooking, Huo Yuhao always took it seriously.

Ingredients and a grill were all at hand; despite being on the frozen earth, there wasn't a breath of wind in the surroundings.

Huo Yuhao couldn't help but look at the Snow Empress, meeting her eyes filled with amusement, and sighed helplessly. It seemed she had been prepared for this all along.

By the time the Ice Empress returned to Huo Yuhao, she had already been drawn in by the aroma.

"Is this the food from the memories? It actually smells quite good..."

Watching the meat roasting continuously, the Ice Empress swallowed hard and muttered to herself.

Before long, the two strongest beings in the Far North were eating roasted meat. The Snow Empress ate very elegantly, tasting it in small bites.

As for the Ice Empress... she held a skewer in each of her two large pincers, brought them to her mouth, and with a single pull, only the bamboo sticks remained.

"My Bingbing looks so beautiful even when she eats."

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm popped out of nowhere, his golden male form gazing at the Ice Empress with obsession, even trying to lean in to touch her tail.

Influenced by the memories and still unsure how to treat Tian Meng, the Ice Empress subconsciously unleashed a burst of energy, sending him flying.

Watching this, Huo Yuhao's mouth twitched; he wasn't sure if what Elder Yi had done was right or wrong.

"Enough! If you keep acting up, don't expect to see me again!"

Unable to take it anymore, the Ice Empress shouted at Tian Meng.

"I've seen the memories, and I can give you a chance, but if you dare to push your luck..."

After seeing Tian Meng's actions in their past life, the Ice Empress was deeply moved.

But she couldn't let this big worm off too easily, so she had to resort to this desperate measure.

Tian Meng was overjoyed and agreed repeatedly. The past life was the past life; they hadn't done anything in this life yet, and to have such progress already was truly rare.

Watching the two simpletons, the Snow Empress couldn't help but laugh out loud, her teasing gaze making the Ice Empress wish she could dig a hole and bury herself.

Once they had eaten their fill, the group sat facing one another.

Xiao Bai had arrived as well, his mountain-like body sprawled on the ground, his dark, beady eyes staring curiously at Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao affectionately patted Xiao Bai's nose; there was no helping it, he couldn't reach his head.

Although Xiao Bai hadn't seen the memories, seeing the Snow Empress's attitude toward him, he knew he must be a friend, so he nudged Huo Yuhao with his nose.

"How do you intend to choose?" Tian Meng asked first.

Although Xiao Bai didn't understand what had happened, he still rumbled, "I'll go wherever Mother tells me to go."

The Ice Empress also looked at the Snow Empress, seemingly wanting to follow her lead.

"You still have ten thousand years. Even if you don't choose me, I will bring you to the God Realm after I become a god. This is my promise."

Huo Yuhao spoke first, without the slightest intention of using this as leverage.

"Bing'er, this matter requires your own choice. I cannot give you advice." The Snow Empress shook her head.

This answer did not exceed the Ice Empress's expectations; she had long known the Snow Empress would say this. She turned her gaze to Huo Yuhao.

"Yuhao, were you serious about what you said to that little girl who turned into a human?"

Huo Yuhao didn't speak, only nodded, meeting the Ice Empress's eyes firmly. All guarantees were pale; since they had seen those memories, they would surely understand the firm will Huo Yuhao held at that time.

A moment later, the Ice Empress looked away.

"Then I will help you."

"Bingbing! I knew it!" Tian Meng lunged to hug the Ice Empress, and this time, she did not dodge.

"Since it's decided, then Father, please take care of me from now on."

Snow Girl clapped her hands and stuck her tongue out at Huo Yuhao.

"Thank you all."

Seeing his former companions choose him once again, without reservation, an indescribable emotion erupted in Huo Yuhao's heart, making his voice choke up.

"No time like the present, let's begin."

The Ice Empress was decisive; once a decision was made, she implemented it immediately.

"Wait, wouldn't it be better to have the Snow Empress serve as the martial soul?"

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm offered a different suggestion. In his view, the Snow Empress, with her higher cultivation, was undoubtedly the better choice.

"No, my power is too pure; Yuhao cannot withstand it. Only by first improving Yuhao's physique through Bing'er's soul bone can he barely absorb Bing'er's soul ring. My soul bone does not improve the physique much, so we cannot take that risk."

The Snow Empress was the first to shake her head. She understood her own power—it was purely offensive. Even as a martial soul, such an attribute would not provide as much improvement as the Ice Empress.

Tian Meng scratched his head; he hadn't considered that layer.

"Moreover, during the time before Yuhao grows up, I can serve as his backing." The Snow Empress continued.

Huo Yuhao and Tian Meng's eyes lit up. Indeed, no one knew what kind of changes would occur later. Having a Snow Empress of nearly seven hundred thousand years as a backing would at least deter the other side and make them think twice.

"Everyone, I have an idea." An aged voice rang out.

Huo Yuhao's eyes lit up as a gray mist erupted from his chest, coalescing upon the ground into the form of a gray-clad elder.

"Elder Yi."

Snow Empress and Ice Empress nodded in greeting; they held the utmost respect for this old man who had sacrificed everything in his previous life.

"Old man, what are your thoughts? Speak up."

Tian Meng remained his usual self; after all, he and Electrolux had spent the most time together among those present.

Electrolux did not speak immediately, instead looking toward Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, do you still remember the third Martial Soul I gave you in our previous life?"

Huo Yuhao nodded. Of course he remembered; it was the final legacy left behind after his teacher burned away his divine consciousness fragments, creating an unprecedented third Martial Soul.

"In this life, the moment I entered your spiritual space, I gained the memories of your previous life, and I couldn't help but become interested in the Martial Soul I left behind back then."

"That represented my final analysis of this world's Martial Soul system. It is a pity that by the time I consciously attempted this in my previous life, it was already too late."

"But having gained those memories in this life, I have been intentionally studying your Martial Souls from the very beginning. When Tian Meng merged with your body a year ago, granting you a second, soulless Ice-attribute Martial Soul, my research saw a breakthrough. Therefore, I can now offer you two choices."

Electrolux paused, keeping them in suspense.

"First, obtain the same third Martial Soul as in your previous life."

"Second, I will distribute the third Martial Soul from my previous life into your two existing ones. The portion concerning Necromancy will merge into your Spirit Eye Martial Soul, causing it to evolve in a dark direction. I do not know exactly what it will evolve into, but in my vision, you would be able to cast Necromancy through your Spirit Eye."

"As for the portion that served as the vessel for Necromancy, it will merge into your Ice-attribute Martial Soul, granting it the ability to change and evolve continuously based on the different spirit rings you absorb."

Silence! Everyone was stunned, momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information.

After a long while, Tian Meng's trembling voice finally broke the quiet. "Old man, are you saying that your second plan can help Huo Yuhao evolve both of his Martial Souls??"

"You aren't as slow as you look. Simply put, in my vision, the Spirit Eye could evolve into a Spirit Eye with dark attributes, possessing both darkness and spiritual properties. As for the other Martial Soul, if it absorbs the power of Little Scorpion first, it will take the form of Little Scorpion. If it then absorbs the power of Heavenly Snow Woman... hehe, it would likely become a Snow Empress Martial Soul with claws and a scorpion tail?"

By the end, Electrolux even cracked a joke.

"This..." No one knew what to say. If this were to be realized, it would be truly unprecedented, a feat never seen before or since.

"Very well, Yuhao, make your choice."