Huo Yuhao's pupils contracted. He had already prepared for the worst, but he never imagined he would actually draw Di Tian here!
"Hmph! He won't get away! Human, I spared you once before. I never thought you'd dare lay a hand on the Auspicious Beast! Scarlet King, what are you doing!? Hurry up and kill this human!"
The moment the voice rang out, it exploded beside Huo Yuhao's ears like thunder. Even the sky seemed to dim.
"Di Tian, he protected the Auspicious Beast..."
Scarlet King opened his mouth, trying to speak up for Huo Yuhao.
"Utterly ridiculous! Have you forgotten how cunning humans are!? Who knows whether this was all an act!"
"Enough. I never thought you'd all be so thoroughly beguiled by this human in just half a day. You'll all be punished when we return. For now, I'll deal with him myself."
As he finished speaking, a black-clad man with golden hair appeared before Huo Yuhao in a flash.
"Die!"
The man stared at Huo Yuhao and softly uttered two words.
Huo Yuhao immediately felt an immense pressure close in around him, crushing him from every side. The premonition of death engulfed him, leaving him not even a moment to catch his breath.
"No! Di Tian, spare him! He's not like the other humans."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion instantly darted in front of Huo Yuhao, blocking Di Tian's view.
Seeing the Three-Eyed Golden Lion like this, Di Tian's face turned even more frigid, the murderous intent in his eyes nearly tangible.
He spoke softly to the Auspicious Beast standing in his way. "You've already been bewitched by him. He must die! Don't worry. Once he's dead, everything will return to normal."
"No... No! Don't kill him! It's not like that!"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion was so frantic that tears welled in her eyes. She pleaded desperately.
When she saw that Di Tian remained unmoved, she slowly stopped, staring fixedly at the black-clad man before her. A hint of madness flickered in her eyes.
"Di Tian! If you kill him, then I'll..."
"You..."
Though she hadn't finished speaking, Di Tian already understood what the Auspicious Beast meant.
If this human died, she would die too!
His expression changed at once, and he was about to urge her to reconsider when the commotion behind the Auspicious Beast interrupted him.
"No!"
A deafening roar burst from Huo Yuhao, who was unable to move.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion trembled and turned to look at the boy, whose face was twisted with agony. His eyes were bloodred, the whites no longer visible, and bloody tears trickled from their corners.
Qiu'er, die again? Had he been reborn just to suffer this pain all over again? No! Never!
Di Tian stared blankly at the crazed human. How could he speak while restrained? Di Tian's power had completely suppressed him, yet this human had simply ignored it.
"Absolutely not!"
The hoarse roar once again conveyed the boy's resolve.
Huo Yuhao struggled frantically, unable to move. His bones creaked, and at last, he managed to turn his head with great difficulty, meeting the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's golden eyes.
So beautiful... Her eyes brimmed with sorrow, just as they had in his previous life.
The scene of their foreheads pressed together in his previous life remained vivid in his mind, and now it had become Huo Yuhao's inner demon.
"Qiu'er... Don't worry. I absolutely... absolutely won't let this happen again."
The boy before her endured the agony of being crushed all over and forced out a strained smile.
"You saw my memories. You know what I'm seeking in this life. Promise me."
When the Three-Eyed Golden Lion remained silent, tears streaming down her face, Huo Yuhao strained to pull the corner of his mouth into a smile again.
"Then I'll take that as a yes. Don't say things like that again..."
Di Tian's gaze shifted slightly. He even hesitated for a moment, but soon his eyes were once more veiled in murderous intent.
"Human, I admit I misjudged the situation. But the Auspicious Beast must not be harmed. Only by killing you can I ensure her safety!"
"Who... who says I'm definitely going to die?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, an icy aura erupted behind the Auspicious Beast. In an instant, the temperature in their surroundings plummeted, and heavy snow began to fall from the sky.
"Snow Empress!?"
Di Tian watched in astonishment as the aura burst from Huo Yuhao. Through the swirling snow, Huo Yuhao's figure emerged.
Snow-white hair fell to her waist, her eyes had turned pure silver, and even her bearing seemed elegant and noble.
"Di Tian, would someone of your stature really attack a child?"
A cool female voice came from 'Huo Yuhao's' throat. Just hearing it sent a bone-deep chill through the air.
Di Tian's thoughts raced, and he quickly understood the situation. "What? Is this boy the puppet you chose?"
"He's our companion."
"Hmph. I don't care what you people from the Far North are planning. It has nothing to do with me. But you dared to meddle with the Auspicious Beast. This human must die. Only when he's dead will the Auspicious Beast come to her senses."
It was easy to imagine how deeply Di Tian had been shaken by seeing the Auspicious Beast stand in front of a human to protect him. He absolutely couldn't let this human go. The boy had to die! Every risk had to be nipped in the bud!
"If you dare kill him, then the Far North and the Star Dou Great Forest will be locked in a fight to the death."
The voice from 'Huo Yuhao's' mouth was utterly calm. "This isn't a threat. It's a warning."
As she finished speaking, an icy-blue light shot from 'Huo Yuhao's' chest and transformed into Ice Empress in the blink of an eye.
"Di Tian, there's no need to doubt it. Both of us are here, so we can speak for the Far North."
Di Tian stared at Ice Empress, stunned. "You're willing to go this far for this human!?"
To him, Ice Empress's state looked just like a sacrifice. Though he had no idea how she had managed to keep her soul intact, he was still shaken by the resolve of the two Far North Heavenly Kings.
His gaze swept between 'Huo Yuhao' and the Auspicious Beast. Di Tian's expression shifted as he silently weighed the pros and cons. A moment later, murderous fury blazed in his eyes. He couldn't let this human go!
"You're completely insane! Don't think I'll just give in. The Auspicious Beast is our bottom line. If that means war, then so be it. This human must die here today!"
"Hmph! Then let's see if you have what it takes!"
'Huo Yuyao' raised her hand and curled it around empty air. An icy-blue sword quickly condensed in her grasp. She casually spun it in a flourish, then charged toward Di Tian.
"You know the difference between us. Even if you came in person, you couldn't beat me! Die!"
The black and white figures collided in an instant. The immense force of their clash left the Soul Beasts on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest trembling. Scarlet King quickly shielded the Auspicious Beast; how could a thousand-year-old Auspicious Beast withstand the shockwaves of an attack like that?
The Titan Giant Ape stared wide-eyed at the battle between the two beings at the pinnacle of the Soul Beasts, anxiety rising in his heart.
He could tell that Huo Yuhao's power still fell far short of Di Tian's. It was only a matter of time before he lost. He wanted to save the boy, or Sister Xiao Wu would surely be heartbroken.
The two locked in fierce combat separated once again. 'Huo Yuhao's' snow-white hair glowed faintly, shimmering with soft light.
The ice sword in her hand slashed down. A deep-blue sword beam swept toward Di Tian like a mirror, and the air along its path fractured with crack-like lines.
Seeing one of Snow Empress's signature techniques, Di Tian gave a cold snort. He shook his arm, gathering dark power until a greatsword appeared in his hand. He swung it as well, sending a streak of purple light racing toward the icy-blue sword beam like a rainbow spanning the heavens.
A massive shock wave erupted alongside a blinding flash. With a bang, the light faded, revealing 'Huo Yuhao' lying on the ground.
That last strike had been evenly matched, but Huo Yuhao's body could no longer withstand Snow Empress's power. The state of his insides was too gruesome to bear.
His meridians were all broken, and his skin had split apart inch by inch, blood pouring from the wounds. He looked like a man drenched in blood.
"Snow Empress, you can't beat me. He must die." Di Tian looked at the battered 'Huo Yuhao' and sneered.
'Huo Yuhao' struggled to her feet. Her snow-white hair flew in the wind as she braced her trembling body with her sword, panting heavily.
"If I want to leave, you can't stop me."