Returning to the Far North Ice Plains, Xiao Bai and the Red King?

Inside the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Cave.

The cavern, once glowing with brilliant blue light and overflowing with frigid energy, now appeared somewhat empty.

Most of the Profound Ice Marrow that had grown for countless millennia had vanished, leaving behind only a few scattered, smaller fragments and the ice pedestals that had once held them.

Beside the chubby body of the Sky Dream Ice Worm floated a ring-shaped soul tool with an archaic design, flickering with faint spatial fluctuations.

He was using a gentle stream of mental power to guide the last few clusters of larger Profound Ice Marrow into the ring.

Xue Chen watched from the side, unable to suppress his curiosity as he asked:

"Brother Sky Dream, where did you get that storage soul tool? It doesn't look like the style of the Far North."

Xue Chen was genuinely curious; how would a soul beast possess a soul tool?

Hearing this, the Sky Dream Ice Worm triumphantly lifted a chin he didn't actually possess, his tone tinged with both showing off and impatience:

"Why do you ask so many questions, kid? I've lived for so long—when I was traversing the continent... ahem, traveling the continent—is it really so strange that I picked up a few human trinkets? Let me tell you, I have plenty of treasures!"

After packing away all the Profound Ice Marrow, the Sky Dream Ice Worm looked at the storage ring with a pained expression.

Ultimately, he used his mental power to manipulate the contents, roughly dividing the energy equally, and transferred half of the Profound Ice Marrow into a smaller, bracelet-like storage soul tool.

He tossed the bracelet to Xue Chen, his tone filled with the regret of a man cutting off his own arm, yet he still tried to maintain the bravado of a big brother:

"Here! Take it! This is your half! Look closely, kid—your Brother Sky Dream keeps his word, no cheating the young or the old!!!"

Xue Chen caught the icy bracelet and probed it slightly with his mental power. Feeling the mountain of blue crystals inside, all radiating a majestic, extreme cold energy, his heart was instantly filled with immense joy.

He carefully put the bracelet on his wrist, tucked it away close to his body, and beamed:

"Thanks, Brother Sky Dream! You're a stand-up guy!"

He paused, suppressing his excitement, his tone becoming urgent:

"Let's hurry up and get out of here, then? Aunt Ice Emperor and the others must be waiting anxiously, and you can go see your Bing Bing sooner!"

At the mere thought of seeing the Ice Emperor, whom he had missed day and night, the Sky Dream Ice Worm immediately cast his heartache over the Profound Ice Marrow to the back of his mind, his chubby face glowing with renewed radiance:

"Right, right, right! Let's go! I can't wait to let Bing Bing see my sincerity!"

Inside the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Cave, the Sky Dream Ice Worm was eager to return, wanting nothing more than to bring his "sincerity" to the Ice Emperor as quickly as possible.

The golden patterns on his body flared with brilliant light, forcibly carving out a short, stable passage through the solid ice layers and rock walls.

The edges of the passage shimmered with the radiance of mental power, insulating them from the bitter cold and pressure of the outside world.

"Kid, hold on tight! I'm taking you out!"

Tian Meng let out a low shout, wrapped Xue Chen in a gentle wave of mental power, and dove headfirst into the newly constructed mental tunnel with his chubby body.

Xue Chen felt the light and shadows swirl before his eyes, the extreme cold of the surroundings instantly cut off.

Within a few breaths, his feet touched solid ground, and the biting cold wind and vast white light enveloped him once more—they had returned to the Far North Ice Plains, landing not far from the edge of the Ice Rift Valley.

Almost the exact moment they appeared on the ice plains—"ROAR—!!!"

A thunderous bear roar, filled with anxiety, fury, and immense surprise, exploded from one side like a rolling peal of thunder!

Accompanying this roar, a terrifying, primal aura swept over them like a storm, lifting layers of snow from the plains into surging waves.

At the same time, from another direction, a dark red figure suddenly accelerated like a phantom!

The Red King's three heads stared fixedly at the silver scales on his chest, which had suddenly begun to glow with blinding intensity, his six eyes erupting with a terrifying and excited gleam!

Found it! Target confirmed! It was this direction!

How sharp was the Sky Dream Ice Worm's mental perception?

The very instant he stepped out of the tunnel and his mental sense re-covered the open area, he clearly perceived two incredibly powerful auras rapidly closing in on their position from different directions!

One of the auras felt unfamiliar, yet it was extremely powerful.

The other was an aura he knew all too well—one of the top overlords of the Far North!

Terrified out of his wits, his chubby face instantly drained of color, and his voice turned shrill and distorted:

"Holy crap!!! Kid! Run!!! Two powerful auras have locked onto us! They're closing in!! One of them is... is... it's over, it's over! Run, run, run!!!"

He instinctively wanted to wrap Xue Chen up and dive back into the tunnel, or simply use his mental concealment to slip away.

Facing opponents of this caliber, his first reaction—given his status as the continent's premier mental powerhouse—was always: survival first!

Especially when he sensed that familiar, terrifying aura of Xiao Bai closing in, he felt like he was about to faint!

However, Xue Chen stood his ground, motionless. Far from showing any panic, a look of relief and anticipation appeared on his face.

He grabbed the chubby tail of the Sky Dream Ice Worm, which was attempting to retract, and calmed him with a steady tone:

"Brother Sky Dream, don't rush, stay calm!

One of those auras is very likely 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?!"

The Sky Dream Ice Worm was stunned. Before he could even ponder who this big brother might be...

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The earth trembled with a rhythmic vibration. A massive white figure, resembling a moving mountain, crashed through the swirling snow and appeared in their field of vision.

With fur as translucent as ice crystals, fierce and violent bear eyes, and that iconic, mountain-shaking physique—who else could it be but Xiao Bai, the Titan Snow Demon King, one of the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Far North?

"Holy crap!! The Titan Snow Demon King?!!"

The Sky Dream Ice Worm was so terrified he nearly jumped on the spot. His massive worm body shuddered violently, and his instinct was to immediately cast mental concealment or dig a hole to escape!

He knew this guy all too well! Back when he used to wander around the Far North, he had been chased away by this guardian of the north more than once, and he knew just how terrifying this guy's power was!

His bit of mental power was like paper against Xiao Bai's absolute strength!

"Brother Sky Dream! Don't be afraid! Steady!"

Xue Chen gripped the Sky Dream Ice Worm's tail tightly, his tone urgent but firm:

"Xiao Bai is my big brother! He won't hurt you! I promise!"

Just then, Xiao Bai's massive bear eyes locked precisely onto the conspicuous, white, chubby figure standing beside Xue Chen.

He was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting to see this lazy worm, who had been missing for so long, here.

But his gaze quickly bypassed Tian Meng and fixed firmly on Xue Chen.

In those giant bear eyes, a light of immense excitement and ecstasy erupted instantly!

"Little Chen--!!!!"

Afterward, Xiao Bai looked toward the Sky Dream Ice Worm at the side...