Xiao Qi is his biological daughter; he must feel more heartache than us, right?

It was not only the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy that experienced such a situation.

The royal family of the Sun Moon Empire also received the message.

Beyond that.

Within the imperial palace of the Star Luo Empire, the same thing was happening.

Xu Jiawei clutched the intelligence in his hand, his expression shifting between light and shadow.

"What kind of background does this Spirit Transmission Academy have? And the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect... that shrewd woman Ning Qingyun, she actually bet her entire sect on this?"

What exactly did she see that gave her the courage to make such a decision!

However, the Heaven Soul Empire and the Spirit Fighting Empire received the news significantly slower.

Although, in terms of geographical location, these two empires were actually closer to Shrek Academy.

But they could not overcome their lack of hard power, and their intelligence networks were as full of holes as a sieve.

By the time the intelligence reached them, it was already several days later than the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire.

Regardless, almost every influential power on the entire continent focused their gaze on Shrek Academy and the Spirit Transmission Academy of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect at the same time.

Countless eyes stared fixedly at these two locations.

Everyone wanted to know what would happen next.

The landscape of the continent had been stable for too long.

Any slight disturbance could signify a new round of reshuffling.

At this very moment.

Outside the Spirit Transmission Academy, which Gu An had just left, two uninvited guests arrived.

Though it could not exactly be called an "arrival," as these two uninvited guests were very, very, very far away from the Spirit Transmission Academy.

They were so far away that they were merely standing atop a mountain peak that pierced the clouds.

They gazed from afar in the direction of the Spirit Transmission Academy.

These two were none other than the current sect master of the Hao Tian Sect, Niu Tian—Da Ming, and Titan—Er Ming.

Er Ming stood at the edge of the peak, his two thick arms crossed over his chest.

His rugged face was etched with conflict and reluctance.

He looked toward the direction of the Spirit Transmission Academy, finally unable to hold back any longer.

"Da Ming... what exactly is that person trying to do? We watched Xiao Qi grow up from a young age; how could he... how could he split off her other half and send her to a place like this?"

Before he could finish his sentence, Da Ming swept a sharp glance at him, his usually gentle eyes now piercingly cold.

"Watch your tongue! The thoughts of that person are not for the likes of us to fathom!"

Da Ming's tone was stern.

Er Ming's lips moved; he had a belly full of words he wanted to say, but ultimately, out of respect for Da Ming, he did not speak them aloud.

Da Ming withdrew his gaze, his tone softening slightly.

"Xiao Qi is his own daughter; he must be hurting more than we are."

"Since Tang Qi has successfully joined the Spirit Transmission Academy, our mission for this trip is complete."

"Other matters are not for us to inquire about; do not ask more."

Both of them sighed in unison.

Then, they turned their heads simultaneously, looking toward another direction.

"Star Dou Great Forest..."

Er Ming murmured, his voice filled with an indescribable sense of melancholy.

"We... are afraid we can never go back."

In the next second, both figures vanished from the top of the mountain peak.

The mountain wind howled past, leaving not even a single footprint behind.

Several days passed quietly.

Under the northern horizon, the mountains and plains were a vast expanse of white.

Snowflakes fell rustling from the gray sky, and the cold wind scraped by like a knife, carrying with it sharp, whistling sounds.

The outline of a city loomed faintly in the wind and snow.

This was a small city on the very edge of the Far North.

Pedestrians on the street were wrapped in thick animal-hide coats, their footsteps hurried; no one wanted to stay outdoors for a moment longer than necessary.

Gu An stood at the city gate, looking up at this world of ice and snow before him.

Every breath he exhaled turned into a thick cloud of white mist.

A thin layer of frost quickly gathered on his eyelashes.

Zi Ji stood behind him, her long, dark purple hair whipping wildly in the wind.

The temperature of the Far North meant nothing to her, the Hell Demon Dragon King.

Yet, a look of undisguised helplessness and displeasure crossed her face.

She detested this icy, snowy environment.

It was the complete opposite of the Lake of Life, and every cell in her body screamed in protest.

"Master... Xiao An."

Zi Ji lowered her head, looking at the little figure before her, her voice laced with a touch of seriousness.

"The moment we step into the Far North, the Ice Sky Snow Woman will immediately sense my arrival."

"As fellow fierce beasts, the Far North is her territory, and no outsider's aura can escape her perception."

"The Snow Empress's strength... is immense, incredibly so."

"If a fight truly breaks out, I can only do my best to hold back her and the Ice Empress. At that time, you take my Reverse Scale and leave immediately, don't look back."

She opened her palm, revealing a dark purple scale lying in her hand. Dark purple patterns flowed across it, emanating a faint dragon's might.

Honestly, she couldn't understand why Xiao An hadn't brought Leng Yaozhu along.

Within the Spirit Transmission Academy, apart from Mother Gu, there was no one else Zi Ji took seriously.

If those people died, what did it matter to her?

What was more important than Gu An's safety?

If Leng Yaozhu were also here, the two of them working together would at least give them more confidence when facing the Ice Empress and the Snow Empress.

Gu An glanced at the Reverse Scale in Zi Ji's palm and reached out to take it.

"Don't worry, the fact that I dared to come to the Far North means I'm prepared."

Zi Ji's brow furrowed slightly, but seeing the determined expression on Gu An's face, she ultimately didn't press further.

She sighed helplessly.

In terms of raw power, she could at most hold back the Ice Empress.

But the Snow Empress, that Ice Sky Snow Woman with a cultivation of 690,000 years, the true ruler of the Far North, Zi Ji didn't believe she was a match for her.

She wasn't afraid of dying herself, but Xiao An couldn't be in danger, absolutely not.

There were very few beings on the entire Douluo Continent who could defeat the Snow Empress in the Far North.

Gu An had no intention of explaining.

With two summons, one drew Zi Ji, the Hell Demon Dragon King, a fierce beast-level combatant. And the second summon...

That was his true trump card, the reason he dared to come to the Far North with only Zi Ji.

Zi Ji took a deep breath and raised her hand, pulling Gu An into her embrace.

Her arms encircled Gu An's small frame, and her other hand shielded his head, protecting him from the howling wind and snow.

"Let's go."

She tapped her foot, and carrying Gu An, she stepped beyond the city's boundary, officially entering the ice plains of the Far North.

Indeed, it was just as Zi Ji had said.

Not long after the two of them stepped into the Far North.

Deep within the core area of the Far North, two pairs of eyes opened almost simultaneously.

The eyes of the Green-Haired Loli flickered with the cold, sharp glint of a ten-thousand-year fierce beast.

"This aura... it's from the Dragon race!"

Without a word, she stomped her foot hard.

Her entire body transformed into a stream of emerald light, shooting towards the direction of the aura.

As fellow green-haired individuals, she was far stronger than Xiao Xiao.

At the same time.

Deeper within the Far North, in a palace carved entirely from ten-thousand-year-old ice.

The Snow Empress slowly set down the blooming hundred-thousand-year snow lotus in her hand.

She stood up, her white hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall.

Her face was exquisitely beautiful, without a single flaw.

She was like... no, she was a spirit born from the purest ice and snow in the world.

"The Dragon race... what are they doing in my Far North?"

Her voice was clear and ethereal, without a ripple.

But in the next second, her figure vanished from the palace.

The two most powerful auras in the Far North, one after the other.

They were both speeding towards Gu An and Zi Ji.