Ice Empress Arrives, Heading to the Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Cave

Snow Empress silently watched Yan Hongchen. After pondering for a moment, she knew that if possible, mutual destruction was not her choice. Seeking benefit and avoiding harm was common to both humans and soul beasts—how could she be any different?

Snow Empress gently raised a hand, and the pressure enveloping heaven and earth abruptly vanished. The ice beneath Jing Hongchen's feet turned to flowing water, sending him rapidly downward. Yi Hongchen and Liu Yueming both felt their bodies lighten at once, but they had no time to rejoice, for Yan Hongchen was still held in Snow Empress's grasp, suspended in midair.

"You do have some courage. But do you think I will accept all of your conditions?" Snow Empress's voice rang out.

Yan Hongchen maintained an outward calm as he looked at Snow Empress, her peerlessly beautiful yet indifferent face reflected in his eyes. "I believe Senior will agree. The effects of a single snow lotus are quite limited. You need a more reliable solution."

Snow Empress said nothing. She merely raised her other hand, her slender jade finger pointing upward into the void. A streak of icy-blue light shot from her fingertip, piercing through the blizzard and soaring straight into the heavens!

The light exploded against the gray-white sky, transforming into a massive, dazzling ice flower. Even amid the year-round snowy mist of the Extreme North, it was clearly visible.

"This is..." Jing Hongchen's pupils contracted slightly. It looked more like some sort of signal flare. Whom was she calling?

Snow Empress's voice drifted down from above, cold and merciless. "I can agree to your request and swear an oath, but I cannot simply let you leave so easily right now. I need to confirm whether it is true."

"If it is true, whatever you want, as long as it is within my power, I can agree to it. If it is false, then you will sleep forever in the Extreme North!"

Before her words had faded, the distant wind and snow suddenly turned violent. Another terrifying presence was approaching at an astonishing speed!

That aura was bone-chillingly cold, yet unlike Snow Empress's pure indifference, it carried a sharper, fiercer edge.

It was another form of ultimate ice—the killing intent and savagery hidden within ice and snow!

"Snow Empress—!"

A clear female voice pierced through the wind and snow. Immediately afterward, a jade-green figure descended from the sky!

She was a twin-tailed little girl, her long jade-green hair like the finest emeralds as it whipped wildly in the blizzard.

Her features were equally exquisite, but she possessed more sharpness and edge than Snow Empress. Her jade-green eyes were like two pure gemstones, currently sweeping over the four people below with a trace of confusion and curiosity.

She wore a jade-green long dress, with visible frigid mist swirling around her body. Yet unlike Snow Empress's mist, it contained countless tiny ice crystals, each as sharp as a blade, circling and dancing around her.

The second-ranked of the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North—Ice Empress!

"Xue'er, it has been a long time since you called for me..." Ice Empress spoke with a hint of longing. Her gaze fell on Yan Hongchen, whom Snow Empress held in her hand, and surprise flashed through her jade-green eyes. "A child? You summoned me here for him?"

Snow Empress shook her head slightly, her voice remaining cool and detached. "Bing'er, I need you to watch these three humans for me."

She pointed at Jing Hongchen and the other two below, then continued, "I am taking this child to explore a Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Cave. Guard this place. If they behave themselves, there is no need to bother with them. But if they dare resist by force..."

She paused, and a cold glint flashed through her icy-blue eyes. "Subdue them first. Whether they live or die will be dealt with after I return."

Ice Empress raised a brow and swept her gaze across the three of them. She was somewhat surprised, but then an amused smile appeared on her lips. "Just these three? Xue'er, you think too highly of them."

"One must never be careless." Snow Empress cautioned. "Bing'er, you must help me protect that snow lotus. I'm counting on you."

Ice Empress had not expected Snow Empress to entrust her with this so earnestly. She naturally assured her that she could do it, but she was more concerned with something else. "You just mentioned a Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Cave? Is there news of Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Marrow?"

Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Marrow was an even rarer and more precious heavenly treasure than ten-thousand-year ice marrow. It was an essence formed from the purest source of ice and snow in the world, condensed with a terrifying chill that could be called absolute zero!

If they could obtain it, not only might it help them survive their tribulations, but it might even allow them to advance further!

"I'm not sure." Snow Empress admitted frankly. "But we must go and take a look. This human child seems to know something."

Yan Hongchen showed no fear. At worst, he would die. Though he himself had not lived enough yet, he no longer had many options available to him. He could only say, "Senior Snow Empress, swear the Ice God Oath first, and then I will tell you. Although Senior Ice Empress is here, the outcome of her tribulation is no different from yours. You can still save yourself, but what can she do?"

Snow Empress glanced at Ice Empress. Ice Empress's expression was plain for her to see; it seemed to be true. Thus, she directly swore the Ice God Oath, and Yan Hongchen finally relaxed.

Yan Hongchen knew that Tianmeng Ice Silkworm had sworn this oath in the original work, but he did not know whether the oath truly had any effect. He could only place his hopes on Snow Empress's character and faith.

To Snow Empress, betraying this oath would be equivalent to betraying her own faith. If she did so, she would not be worthy of being the ruler of the Extreme North.

"Bing'er, I'll leave this place to you." Carrying Yan Hongchen in her hand, Snow Empress flashed away and vanished into the endless wind and snow.

Ice Empress watched her leave before turning around, looking down at the three below with great interest.

Jing Hongchen, Yi Hongchen, and Liu Yueming had already gathered together, staring warily at this newly appeared Heavenly King of the Far North.

"Don't be so nervous." Ice Empress spoke with a sweet smile, though that smile carried not the slightest warmth.

"Xue'er said that as long as you behave yourselves, I won't do anything to you. Of course..." She paused, and a teasing glint flashed through her jade-green eyes. "If you want to find out what my Ice Emperor's Wrath feels like, I don't mind stretching my limbs a little."

Jing Hongchen took a deep breath, suppressing the anger and helplessness in his heart. "Ice Empress, we will not act rashly."

"But if anything truly happens to my grandson, Snow Empress can forget about using that hundred-thousand-year snow lotus to survive her tribulation. At worst, we will simply die one after another."

He had no chance to resist Snow Empress, but he was more confident against Ice Empress. For now, he could only believe that a miracle would happen to Yan Hongchen.

Ice Empress raised a brow but did not answer. She merely waved a hand lightly, and jade-green light surged from her palm, forming a massive crystalline ice barrier that enclosed the three of them.

Jing Hongchen and the other two had no intention of forcefully breaking through it. They might as well sit down and regulate their soul power, so they could still make one last attempt when the time came!

"Stay put." Ice Empress yawned and casually sat down. "Once Xue'er returns, whether you live or die will become clear."

The wind and snow of the Extreme North howled past his ears. Held in Snow Empress's grasp, Yan Hongchen felt the scenery around him turn into countless blurry streaks of light, racing backward at incredible speed.