Another Level Up, Northern Matters Concluded

That clear, melodious cry pierced through the thin mist, long and lilting, as though calling out for something.

Snow Empress steadied herself and looked up. Rain Crane slowly flew out of the mist, its jade-green wings cutting a streak of flowing light through the cold haze.

Behind it followed a smaller Emerald Song Rain Crane. One before the other, the two birds resembled twin emerald shadows gliding through blue waves as they gracefully landed before Snow Empress and Yan Hongchen.

Rain Crane folded its wings and lowered its long neck slightly in a respectful posture. Stepping aside to reveal the little Emerald Song Rain Crane behind it, it said respectfully, "Lord Snow Empress, I have brought a member of my clan."

Its voice was steady, carrying a trace of solemnity in its gaze. "This is a twenty-three-thousand-year Emerald Song Rain Crane. It excels most at healing arts, but its control abilities... are not very good."

Snow Empress nodded faintly to show that she understood, then turned to Yan Hongchen and asked indifferently, "Do you think it will do?"

Yan Hongchen did not answer immediately. Lowering his eyes slightly, he asked inwardly, "Little Spirit Toad, what do you think?"

A moment later, Phantom Water Spirit Toad's thoughts reached him, tinged with satisfaction. "This soul beast is not bad. Its attributes can develop my ability to command the wood element, and I can sense that its healing power is indeed very strong. Let it be this one, Master."

Yan Hongchen nodded and bowed slightly toward Snow Empress. "Senior Snow Empress, this one will do."

Snow Empress said nothing more and merely waved her hand lightly. Rain Crane had clearly already explained everything. It retreated several steps and stood quietly to one side, its blue-green eyes fixed upon the little Emerald Song Rain Crane, filled with reluctance and a profound sense of entrustment.

The little Emerald Song Rain Crane slowly stepped forward. Its long neck curved slightly, and its clear eyes glanced at Yan Hongchen. There was no fear or unwillingness in that gaze, only calm submission. Then, it slowly spread its wings.

The sacrificial array began.

Gentle jade light poured from the little Emerald Song Rain Crane's body like a pool of spring water, slowly spreading across the ice plains. The radiance was warm and tranquil, carrying the breath of life and standing in stark contrast to the bitter cold of the Extreme North.

Wherever the light passed, even the howling wind and snow seemed to soften somewhat.

Yan Hongchen sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. Phantom Water Spirit Toad appeared on his shoulder, its Glazed Rainbow Eyes gleaming brilliantly as a faint blue halo spread around it, reflecting against the jade sacrificial light.

At his side, his first black soul ring floated silently, as steady as an abyss. At that moment, the second soul ring was slowly condensing, gradually forming into a deep black circle that steadily revolved around him, shining in tandem with the first soul ring.

Time slowly passed amid the wind and snow.

Snow Empress stood to one side, estimating the time Yan Hongchen would need to absorb the soul ring. Yet when the expected time had passed, the light of the sacrificial array still had not faded.

Jing Hongchen's brows furrowed slightly. He had Yi Hongchen take care of Liu Yueming, then stepped forward a few paces and watched intently.

Behind Yan Hongchen, the light was undergoing some strange transformation. A phantom pair of azure-blue wings was slowly taking shape behind his back.

Though the wings were still condensing, they had already revealed astonishing splendor. Their wing bones were slender yet resilient, gleaming like jade. Their membranes were as thin as cicada wings, shifting from deep azure at the roots to clear sky-blue at the edges.

Feather-like patterns had naturally grown across them in layered rows, as though countless fine feathers truly covered their surface. Every vein was clearly visible, while jade light seemed to drift slowly within, flowing from the wing roots to the tips like the pulsing bloodline of a living creature.

"This is..."

Jing Hongchen's pupils abruptly contracted, and his voice carried irrepressible shock. "An external soul bone!"

An external soul bone—unlike the usual six soul bones, it occupied no part of the body and instead existed independently as a seventh piece. Its most precious quality was that it could continuously evolve along with its owner's growth, possessing limitless potential.

As for what abilities this pair of wings possessed, they could only wait until Yan Hongchen awakened to find out.

After an unknown amount of time, the pair of wings finally condensed completely.

Yan Hongchen slowly opened his eyes. He could feel it—the wings behind him were connected to his flesh and blood, like newly grown limbs. Every faint sensation was transmitted clearly into his consciousness.

Their wingspan stretched a little over two meters. Fine motes of light constantly drifted from their edges, like fragments of starlight or frost formed from morning dew. When he gave them a slight flap, those motes scattered with the wind, leaving fleeting yet beautiful trails in the air.

Most remarkably, he could sense that these wings were not merely tools for flight. They resonated subtly with the soul power and spiritual power within his body, even with the power of Phantom Water Spirit Toad.

He could fly now—not with a soul tool, but through his own power.

Yan Hongchen composed himself and slowly drew the wings back into his body. The luminous wings melted like starlight and silently sank into his back, leaving behind only two faint jade patterns on his skin before they, too, disappeared.

He took a deep breath and felt the surging soul power within him—level twenty-five.

He had advanced another step.

"Good." Snow Empress's voice carried satisfaction. "Everything I could do has been done. You should have obtained a healing-type soul skill. From here on... you will have to try it out yourself."

She raised her right hand. In her palm, a mass of pure ice and snow power condensed out of thin air. The energy churned, solidified, and took shape in her hand, gradually forming a palm-sized token.

The token was the purest icy blue throughout. Its surface was engraved with intricate hexagonal snowflake patterns, each line exquisitely detailed and perfectly interwoven.

At the token's core, an ancient character for "Empress" faintly flowed and shifted, radiating a subtle yet unquestionable pressure.

With a flick of her hand, the token drifted lightly toward Yan Hongchen, hovering before him as it slowly spun.

"Take it." Snow Empress's voice remained cool, though it had gained a note of solemnity. "This is the Snow Empress Token. Should you return to the Extreme North in the future, as long as you enter the range of my senses, I will know."

Yan Hongchen accepted the token with both hands. It felt cool in his grasp, yet did not freeze his hands. He could sense a wisp of Snow Empress's will within it, tranquil and profound, as if she herself stood before him.

Snow Empress then took a handful of snow lotus seeds from the ring on her right hand. Each seed was crystalline and gave off a faint fragrance. She held them out to him.

"Keep these." She paused. "I will save that hundred-thousand-year snow lotus for you. These are some of its seeds. You can try using them."

Yan Hongchen received them with both hands and carefully put them away.

Snow Empress stood where she was in silence for a moment. Her gaze passed over Yan Hongchen and Jing Hongchen's family, then turned toward the vast snowfields in the distance.

"You... should leave."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried an unquestionable finality.

This was an order to leave.

Yan Hongchen knew that the information he had conveyed was too heavy for Snow Empress. Anyone would need time after receiving such news.

He put away his things and gave Snow Empress a deep bow. "Senior Snow Empress, there are still many matters awaiting you in the Extreme North." His voice was calm and sincere. "We will take our leave first. When I come again next time... we can talk then."

Snow Empress did not answer. She merely turned her face slightly aside and stopped looking at them.

Yan Hongchen gave Jing Hongchen a look. Almost instantly, Jing Hongchen activated the flight-type soul tool he had prepared long ago. A golden curtain of light unfolded from behind him, enveloping Yi Hongchen, Liu Yueming, and Yan Hongchen.

Without the slightest hesitation, he unleashed his soul power in full, controlling the light curtain as it shot into the sky and sped southward as fast as possible.

Only after the aura of that streak of light had completely vanished into the wind and snow, and only the howling winds unique to the Extreme North remained upon this ice field, did Snow Empress finally move.

"Rain Crane." Her voice had regained its usual icy aloofness and authority.

Rain Crane stepped forward and lowered his head to await her orders.

"Take your clan and follow me into the mixed zone of the Extreme North." Snow Empress looked north, the distant snowline reflected in her eyes. "There is a lotus pond formed from hundred-thousand-year snow lotuses. It is well suited to your survival."

She paused, and her tone grew more solemn. "Your ferocious beast tribulation must be undergone there. I need you to become the fifth great ferocious beast of the Extreme North as soon as possible."

She raised her gaze, her eyes as deep as an abyss. "After that, I have some matters for you to handle."

Rain Crane bowed deeply, his long neck curving into a solemn arc. His voice was steady and resolute, carrying the gravity of one entrusted with a great responsibility. "Yes, Lord Snow Empress. Rain Crane and his clan will heed your command."

After Rain Crane settled matters here, Snow Empress led the beasts away from the place they had relied on for survival.

The wind and snow continued to howl, burying all traces as though no one had ever come.