Inside the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Cave.
The cave, which had once shimmered with blue light and brimmed with cold, now seemed somewhat empty.
Most of the Profound Ice Marrow that had grown there for countless millennia had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a few scattered, smaller fragments and the ice pedestals that had once supported them.
Beside Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's chubby body floated a ring-shaped Soul Tool of ancient design, its surface flickering with faint spatial fluctuations.
It was using a gentle surge of spiritual power to guide the last few larger clusters of Profound Ice Marrow into the ring.
Watching from the side, Xue Chen couldn't help asking curiously,
"Brother Sky Dream, where did you get that Storage Soul Tool...?
It doesn't look like something from the Far North."
Xue Chen was curious. Where had a Soul Beast gotten a Soul Tool?
At his question, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm proudly lifted its nonexistent chin, its tone carrying a hint of boastfulness and impatience.
"What are you asking so many questions for, kid?
I've lived for ages, roamed the continent... ahem, when I was traveling the continent, I picked up a few human trinkets. Is that so strange?
Let me tell you, I've got plenty of treasures!"
Once all the Profound Ice Marrow had been packed away, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm looked at the Storage Soul Tool with a pained expression.
In the end, it still used its spiritual power to roughly divide the energy evenly, transferring half the Profound Ice Marrow into another, smaller Storage Soul Tool shaped like a bracelet.
It tossed the bracelet Soul Tool to Xue Chen, its tone full of the heartbreak of a hero making a sacrifice, though it tried hard to maintain its big-brotherly generosity.
"Here! Take it! This is your half!
Kid, take a good look! Your Brother Sky Dream keeps his word and never cheats anyone!!!"
Xue Chen caught the cold bracelet and cautiously probed inside with his spiritual power. Feeling the mountain of blue crystals radiating immense frigid energy, he was instantly filled with overwhelming joy.
He carefully put the bracelet on his wrist and tucked it away, his face breaking into a broad grin.
"Thanks, Brother Sky Dream! You're a real one!"
He paused, tamping down his excitement, and his tone grew urgent.
"Then let's hurry out, shall we?
Aunt Ice Empress and the others must be getting worried. You can go see your Bingbing sooner, too!"
At the thought of seeing Ice Empress, the one he had longed for day and night, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm immediately forgot its anguish over the Profound Ice Marrow. Its chubby face lit up again.
"Right, right! Let's hurry! I can't wait to show Bingbing how sincere I am!"
Inside the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Cave, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was desperate to get back, thinking only of taking its proof of sincerity to see Ice Empress as soon as possible.
The golden patterns on its body blazed brightly as it forcibly carved a brief but stable passage through the solid ice and rock walls.
A glow of spiritual power flickered along the passage's edges, warding off the bitter cold and pressure outside.
"Kid, hold on tight! I'll get us out!"
Sky Dream gave a low shout and lifted Xue Chen with a gentle surge of spiritual power. Its chubby body plunged into the spiritual passage it had just created.
Xue Chen saw the light and shadows swirl before his eyes as the extreme cold around them was instantly shut out.
After a few breaths, his feet touched solid ground, and the bone-chilling wind and boundless white light enveloped him once more. They had returned to the Far North Ice Plains, not far from the edge of the Ice Rift Valley.
Almost the instant they appeared on the ice plains—
"ROAR!!!"
A thunderous bear's roar, brimming with anxiety, fury, and overwhelming delight, exploded from one side!
Along with the roar, a terrifying, primeval aura swept over them like a storm, sending waves rolling through the snow on the ice plains.
At the same time, from another direction, a dark-red figure suddenly accelerated like a ghost!
The Scarlet King's three heads fixed their gaze on the silver scale against his chest, which had suddenly begun to shine with dazzling light. A frightening, excited gleam blazed in his six eyes!
Found them! Target confirmed! They're this way!
How keen was Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's spiritual perception?
Almost the instant it stepped out of the passage and its spiritual senses spread across the open area again, it clearly sensed two incredibly powerful auras rushing toward them from different directions!
One of the auras felt unfamiliar, but was immensely powerful.
The other belonged to a familiar presence: one of the Far North's supreme overlords!
It was scared out of its wits. All the color drained from its chubby face, and its voice turned shrill.
"Holy crap!!! Kid! Run!!!
Two powerful auras have locked onto us! They're coming this way!!
One of them is... is... We're doomed, we're doomed! Run!!!"
Instinctively, it wanted to drag Xue Chen back into the passage or simply use spiritual concealment to slip away.
When facing opponents of this caliber, the first instinct of the continent's greatest spiritual powerhouse was always the same: staying alive came first!
Especially once it sensed that Xiao Bai's familiar yet terrifying aura was closing in, it nearly fainted!
Yet Xue Chen stood perfectly still. There was no panic on his face—instead, he looked relieved and expectant.
He grabbed Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's chubby tail as it tried to pull back and calmly reassured it.
"Brother Sky Dream, don't panic. Calm down!
One of those auras is probably my big brother Xiao Bai, looking for me!
Most of the Soul Beasts in the Far North know me. They wouldn't dare do anything to me."
"Your big brother?!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm froze, not yet having time to wonder who this big brother was...
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
The ground trembled in a steady rhythm. A huge white figure, like a moving mountain, burst through the swirling snow and wind and appeared in their sight.
Fur as translucent as ice crystals, fierce and brutal bear eyes, and that unmistakable massive form, powerful enough to shake mountains—who else could it be but Xiao Bai, the Titan Snow Demon King and one of the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Far North?
"Holy crap!! The Titan Snow Demon King?!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was so frightened it nearly jumped on the spot. Its enormous body shuddered violently, and it instinctively tried to use spiritual concealment or dig a tunnel to escape!
It knew this guy all too well! Back when it used to wander around the Far North, this guardian of the region had chased it away more times than it could count. It knew just how terrifying his strength was!
Its spiritual power was practically tissue paper in the face of Xiao Bai's absolute might!
"Brother Sky Dream! Don't be scared! Stay calm!"
Xue Chen held Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's tail tight, his voice urgent but firm.
"Xiao Bai is my big brother! He won't hurt you! I promise!"
Just then, Xiao Bai's enormous bear eyes fixed on the conspicuous white, chubby figure standing beside Xue Chen.
He paused, clearly not expecting to see the lazy worm that had disappeared so long ago.
But his gaze soon passed over Sky Dream and settled firmly on Xue Chen.
An immense, excited joy blazed in those huge bear eyes!
"Xiao Chen—!!!!"
Then Xiao Bai turned to look at Sky Dream Ice Silkworm...
Before you continue