Su Tong, the Snow Empress Token, and the Trial

Yan Hongchen quietly studied the girl. Her features were cold and elegant, her blue-gray hair braided into a single side plait that hung over her shoulder.

She wore plain white robes without a trace of makeup. Tall and well-proportioned, she sat cross-legged in the snow, soul power flowing around her like a tide.

He had already guessed her identity. Other than Su Tong, whom he had mentioned before, who else could be a girl Snow Empress valued so highly?

Before leaving the Extreme North, he had conveyed quite a bit of information to Snow Empress through Spiritual Sharing, including matters concerning Su Tong. He had not expected to meet her in person so soon.

He also wondered whether Snow Empress had found that unknown ninth-rank soul engineer. He was immensely curious about that ninth-rank soul tool called the "Sealing God Altar."

The girl's process of absorbing the soul ring went smoothly. The black halo around her gradually solidified, eventually settling firmly into her sequence of soul rings.

The instant she opened her eyes, the soul power around her surged. Rank forty-three. She rose to her feet with crisp, decisive movements, then turned to Snow Empress and gave a slight bow. "Thank you, Senior, for protecting me. May I ask why you sought me out to travel together?"

Not long after Su Tong arrived at Frost Forest, she encountered Snow Empress. Snow Empress had followed her ever since, and even her third soul skill had failed to shake her off. She could only hope Snow Empress bore no ill intentions.

Snow Empress did not beat around the bush. "Your name is Su Tong, and your martial soul is the Ice Sky Snow Maiden, correct? I knew from the very beginning. I simply did not wish to alert you."

Su Tong was inwardly startled. She had always kept a low profile and excelled at concealment. She believed this ultimate martial soul of hers would be extremely difficult to see through. Yet this woman dared call herself "this Empress" within the Extreme North... A thought abruptly surfaced in her mind.

"Senior is truly knowledgeable, even knowing this junior's name." She steadied herself, speaking at an unhurried pace. "This junior's martial soul is unusual. Unless there are special circumstances, it is difficult to sense or see through. Could it be that Senior seeks this junior's ultimate martial soul? Could you be... Lord Snow Empress?"

Her family had lived along the far reaches of the Extreme North for generations, worshipping the Ice Sky Snow Maiden. The name Snow Empress was renowned far and wide.

Snow Empress did not deny it. She released a wisp of her aura—cold and vast, as though the will of the entire Extreme North Icefield had condensed into a single thread. It produced a subtle resonance with Su Tong's martial soul.

When Snow Empress first learned of Su Tong from Yan Hongchen, she had indeed been surprised, but she had not doubted it.

Within the Extreme North, she was the sovereign. She had indeed sensed some power that belonged to her scattered beyond her reach. It was the origin power that had dispersed during her six-hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation.

Now, upon sensing herself, she found a special power of faith gathering into form. She had not expected that origin power to multiply over the years into an entire family, and that the object of that family's worship was herself.

That was why she had come to the outskirts of Frost Forest during this period.

On Su Tong, she sensed an aura from the same source, but that power could no longer be reclaimed. It had already merged into one with this family.

However, in return, the faith of Su Tong's family through the generations had also transformed into a force that gathered upon Snow Empress. She was already satisfied.

Besides, if she were to carry out the "god-making plan," Su Tong before her was the most suitable candidate.

"Correct. It is this Empress." Snow Empress's voice was cold and calm. "Your family has worshipped this Empress for generations, and this Empress has likewise received a special power from your family. Thus, encountering you here is hardly strange."

Having received a definite answer, Su Tong immediately bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Lord Snow Empress, for protecting me. My family has only done what little it could. Being granted Lord Snow Empress's martial soul was already a blessing. May I ask why Lord Snow Empress has sought out this junior? This junior is willing to offer what little strength she has."

She was only a Soul Ancestor now, but since Snow Empress had personally sought her out, there must be something she could do.

Snow Empress did not answer directly. Instead, she raised a hand and pointed at the lingering soul ring light around Su Tong. "First, tell this Empress about your soul skills. This Empress has certain plans and wishes to see whether you are suited to inherit this Empress's ultimate arts. You understand?"

Listening from the side, Yan Hongchen's heart stirred. Snow Empress's ultimate arts—the Snow Empress Three Absolutes! Sword, palm, and decree froze heaven and earth: Emperor Sword, Emperor Palm, Emperor's Chill Heaven.

In the original story, after Huo Yuhao obtained the Snow Empress Three Absolutes, he combined them with his own power to create the "Haodong Three Absolutes." That name... Every time Yan Hongchen thought of it, goosebumps rose all over him.

Winterlonging Fist, Winterlonging Sword, Haodong Palm... Snow Empress had already become a soul spirit by then and lost parts of her memory. If she knew that the ultimate arts she took such pride in had evolved into that form, she would probably want to die.

Naturally, Su Tong had also heard of the famed Snow Empress Three Absolutes. She activated her martial soul, and four soul rings rose around her—yellow, purple, purple, black.

Her fourth soul ring lit up, and a deep blue longsword condensed out of thin air in her hand. The blade seemed formed from crystallized ice, its edge glimmering with an eerie, frigid light.

"Fourth soul skill, Deep Blue Emperor Sword."

This sword came from a ten-thousand-year Mystic Ice Sword Bamboo—a special plant-type soul beast capable of producing weapon-type soul skills based on compatibility with her family's martial soul.

"Is this what Lord Snow Empress means?" Su Tong asked. Although this sword bore some resemblance to the legendary Emperor Sword, she knew perfectly well that it only had the appearance.

Still, its offensive power was indeed formidable. Combined with its icy aura, anyone struck by it would find their soul power circulation sluggish.

Snow Empress examined it for a moment and gave a slight nod. "Not bad. Though it lacks the essence of this Empress's Emperor Sword, humanity's advantage lies in resemblance. If this Empress were to pass the Three Absolutes down to you and your family—the Ice Clan—it would not disgrace this Empress."

Yan Hongchen secretly rejoiced that he had not told Snow Empress about the Haodong Three Absolutes. Otherwise, Snow Empress might truly pick up her Emperor Sword right now and go kill Huo Yuhao.

At the words "Ice Clan," Su Tong's heart stirred slightly. Perhaps, after returning, she should suggest that the clan leader change the family name.

As for inheriting Snow Empress's ultimate arts, she had always been proud and confident, believing herself no inferior to her peers. But how could Snow Empress's ultimate arts be inherited so easily? Could she truly do it?

Yan Hongchen quietly sensed her emotions. He seemed to catch that faint trace of hesitation within Su Tong—not cowardice, but an instinctive self-doubt when facing expectations that were simply too immense.

And his heartbeat really was a little fast—strangely so. After calming himself and confirming that nothing was wrong, he decided to speak. "Miss Su Tong, is this lack of confidence an unconscious denial of your own talent, or a denial of Senior Snow Empress's judgment?"

He stepped out from the illusion. He had been concealing himself with his Simulation soul bone skill, and while that illusion could not fool Snow Empress, it was more than enough to hide him from Su Tong's senses. It seemed his illusion techniques were already sufficient among his peers.

Su Tong instantly became alert. She held the Deep Blue Emperor Sword horizontally, its point aimed directly at Yan Hongchen. "Who are you?!"

Yan Hongchen remained unruffled. He gave a slight bow, his tone gentle. "Hello. I am Senior Snow Empress's friend, Yan Hongchen. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Su Tong."

The sword point remained aimed at him, cold light flickering from its tip.

Yan Hongchen glanced at the ice-blue sword, his tone still even. "Miss Su Tong, please put away your sword. I am a support-type soul master—I cannot withstand a strike from that sword of yours."

It was not as though Snow Empress had failed to notice Yan Hongchen's presence. She glanced sideways. This little fellow's Simulation soul bone skill had already reached the point of invisibility; even Su Tong could not detect him.

With a light tap of her fingertip, the Deep Blue Emperor Sword abruptly vanished, and Su Tong's martial soul was forced back into her body by an irresistible power.

Su Tong's heart tightened. Knowing that her offense had displeased Snow Empress, she hurriedly turned to Yan Hongchen and said sincerely, "I'm sorry, little friend Yan Hongchen. That was my mistake."

Then she turned to Snow Empress and bowed even deeper. "I'm sorry, Lord Snow Empress. I should not have pointed my sword at your friend."

Yan Hongchen lowered his head to look at himself, then looked at Su Tong.

Little friend?

He was nearly 1.6 meters tall, but Su Tong was indeed much taller than him. Standing before her, he really did look like a child.

Having a gentle face really made people mistake you for a good kid.

The Snow Empress did not blame Su Tong. She merely said calmly, "I do not blame you. His illusion abilities are indeed impressive; it is normal that your current cultivation cannot see through them. However, he did point out your problem—you believe you cannot master my ultimate techniques, and that your family will fail my expectations."

She paused, and her tone softened somewhat. "I am not in a hurry. You are only fifteen. To cultivate to your current level despite the limitations of an ultimate martial soul, and even absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring beyond your level—you are already quite capable."

Su Tong was not carried away by the praise. Before an existence like the Snow Empress, any sense of superiority was laughable.

She simply answered truthfully, "You overpraise me, Snow Empress. My family has passed down its legacy for generations and has worked out a few methods. My second soul ring came from a thousand-year Snow Lotus. This kind of soul beast has a gentle temperament, and its soul skill helps speed up soul power recovery, making up somewhat for the slower cultivation speed of an ultimate martial soul."

"As for absorbing the ten-thousand-year Mysterious Ice Sword Bamboo this time, before setting out, I absorbed my family's inherited head soul bone to enhance my spiritual power. With the assistance of ultimate ice and whale gelatin as well, my body was barely able to endure it."

Yan Hongchen finally understood. No wonder her soul ring configuration was as unusually exceptional as his: a thousand-year second ring and a ten-thousand-year fourth ring, both leaning toward ice-element plant-type soul beasts. That truly could lower the threshold for absorption.

He remembered that he still had several Snow Lotus seeds that had not been cultivated. Once he returned, he needed to hurry and ask Jing Hongchen for some bottles.

The Snow Empress nodded, her tone becoming more solemn. "It is normal that you lack confidence. My ultimate techniques are not so easily mastered. However, I can set two trials for you. If you pass them, you may become my disciple. In the future, even if you need all six soul bones, I am willing to arrange them for you."

She paused, her gaze growing more distant. "I ask for little. If that day truly comes, when I return to nature's embrace, I hope you will pass down my ultimate techniques and not allow them to gather dust."

She condensed another Snow Empress Token, sealing the method of cultivating the Emperor Sword within it as a spiritual imprint, then handed it to Su Tong.

"Take it. This is my token. It contains the cultivation method for the Emperor Sword. I hope you can comprehend seventy percent of it. This is the first trial."

"When you reach Soul King, come to Frost Forest again. I will personally examine you. If you meet the standard, I will find your fifth soul ring for you, and the second trial will begin then."

Her tone suddenly turned sharp. "And regarding this boy, you had best pretend you saw nothing and bury it in your heart. If you tell your family and bring harm upon him... even if I die, I will drag all of you down to be buried with me."

Su Tong accepted the Snow Empress Token with both hands, her heart shaken. She had never expected the Snow Empress to so solemnly entrust the Emperor Sword's cultivation method to her. She bowed deeply. "I will not fail Snow Empress's trust."

"Go," the Snow Empress said. "I hope that when we next meet, you can give me a satisfactory answer. I intend to take you as my disciple, so do not disappoint me. Until we meet again."

Before her words had even faded, she grabbed Yan Hongchen by the collar. With a flicker of her figure, she had already swept several zhang away.

Su Tong remained where she was and respectfully saw them off. "Thank you, Snow Empress. Until we meet again."

The Snow Empress and Yan Hongchen vanished into the wind and snow, so quickly that it seemed like an illusion. Su Tong stood where she was, gripping the icy token, still feeling as though she were in a dream. What had happened today was destined to be known only by the few of them.

Why was that boy named Yan Hongchen so cherished by the Snow Empress? The way he spoke before her was neither servile nor overbearing. He did not seem like a junior at all—rather, it was more like... they were equals.

Su Tong shook her head and stopped dwelling on it. She activated her martial soul, and her third soul ring lit up. Her speed suddenly surged as she shot toward her family.

Only a white afterimage remained in the wind.