Persuading the Ice Empress

Far North.

The instant Skydream Iceworm's spiritual body took shape, a powerful mental intent spread outward. "Ice Empress, I know you sensed my presence. Skydream has returned for revenge. Do you dare meet me?"

After Skydream Iceworm's spiritual power spread, the low- and mid-level Soul Beasts within dozens of li scattered in panic, fleeing this terrifying region.

Yan Jingzhe concealed all his aura and quietly waited for the arrival of the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, one of the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North.

Time passed second by second. Skydream Iceworm did not seem anxious in the slightest. It merely stood there quietly and waited.

"Master, do you think the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion will come?" Seeing no movement around them, Huo Yuhao spoke up.

"He'll come. He definitely will. If he dares not come, I'll go find him." Yan Jingzhe looked into the distance. He had sensed a terrifying aura rushing toward them.

The pitch-black clouds suddenly churned violently. Immediately afterward, a layer of jade-green light spread over from the distant northern horizon.

"She's here." Skydream Iceworm and Yan Jingzhe spoke at the same time.

"Skydream, you're actually still alive. As expected of the longest-lived creature in our Far North." A crisp voice rang out from all directions. Accompanying it was a terrifying sound wave. The snow on the ground rose nearly three meters high in an instant, like suddenly stirred-up waves.

"Hehe! Ice Empress, you're not dead yet, so why can't I be alive? Do you remember what I said back then? If I didn't die, then one day, I would make you my companion." Skydream Iceworm's voice suddenly became exceedingly gentle, even sweet and cloying. It gave both Yan Jingzhe and Huo Yuhao goosebumps all over.

A streak of jade-green light flew toward the area.

The jade-green light took shape. Beautiful, far too beautiful. Yan Jingzhe could not help but marvel. He had actually associated a scorpion with the word "beautiful." It was truly marvelous.

The Ice Empress stood about one and a half meters tall, not even as large as Skydream Iceworm's original body. Her entire body bore two colors: one was the color of ice, while the other was a crystal-clear jade green. She was a scorpion spirit with a pair of enormous pincers.

Moreover, the front of her body consisted of four overlapping layers, each slightly over half a chi long. Her head was situated on the foremost layer, and her silvery-white mouthparts gleamed with a faint cold light.

Hearing Skydream Iceworm's words, the Ice Empress unleashed overwhelming killing intent. "After all these years, you still haven't changed. You're simply courting death."

"Not at all, dear Bingbing. Every word I said came from my heart." Skydream Iceworm paid no heed to her killing intent and continued, "I've lived for hundreds of thousands of years, but I spent most of that time asleep. Yet from the moment I first saw you, I knew you were my one and only. I came back this time because I want to take you with me toward eternal life."

"Bingbing, do you know why I returned at this time? Because I know you can't survive the four-hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation. That's why I came back, bringing hope for eternal life, hope that will let us stay together forever."

Standing nearby and fully concealing his aura, Yan Jingzhe rolled his eyes speechlessly. This Skydream Iceworm really was a simp. No, that was wrong. He was a simp beast.

However, according to the original story, he really did succeed in the end.

Though he was a simp beast, he got everything he wanted in the end. He was truly a model example among simp beasts, far better than the two simp beasts from the Clear Sky Sect.

Skydream Iceworm's words indeed dealt the Ice Empress a tremendous blow. After all, as long as one could live, no one wished to die.

Whether one was a Soul Master or a Soul Beast, a genius or a top expert, when the end of one's lifespan approached, one would struggle. Everyone wanted to roam the world freely and live forever.

After hearing Skydream Iceworm's words, the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion fell silent. It seemed she had been struck where it hurt and was quietly pondering.

Seeing that the Ice Empress had fallen silent and was somewhat moved, Skydream Iceworm seized the chance to add fuel to the fire. "Do you remember how a human became a god ten thousand years ago? In truth, Soul Beasts also became gods back then. And now, I'm carrying out the God-Making Plan. To tell you the truth, my body has already disappeared. What stands before you is merely a mass of spiritual power. I have already sacrificed myself to a human. Other than coming with me, you have no other choice now."

The Ice Empress was greatly shocked. "You actually sacrificed yourself to a human?"

Skydream Iceworm smiled and called toward Huo Yuhao, "Little Yuhao, Dean Yan, come out."

In the distance, Yan Jingzhe and Huo Yuhao heard him and walked over. Only then did the Ice Empress realize that two people had been hiding nearby. Their concealment methods were extraordinary; she had not noticed them in the slightest.

It could only be said that the methods of a Limit Douluo were far beyond what they could imagine.

Sensing Skydream Iceworm's aura within Huo Yuhao, the Ice Empress said, "This little fellow is the one you sacrificed yourself to?"

"Just as you thought, I became his Soul Ring, and he is now my host!" Skydream Iceworm nodded. "You know about human Soul Rings, right? And I am the first Intelligent Soul Ring in the history of the continent."

"That's not right. How could such a small child withstand the impact of your million-year energy?" the Ice Empress asked in astonishment.

Skydream Iceworm gave a bitter smile. "After I escaped from the Far North, I entered the Great Star Dou Forest and was captured by the ferocious Soul Beasts there. They drained away my origin. Left with no choice, I chose Little Yuhao, sacrificed myself to him, and began the God-Making Plan."

"But I don't want to die. I believe you feel the same way. I can sense that because your next lifespan limit will arrive again in less than a hundred years, your emotions have become extremely anxious."

"Neither you nor I want to die, Bingbing. Only the life force of gods is endless." Skydream Iceworm earnestly tried to persuade her.

The Ice Empress fell silent, because she knew Skydream Iceworm was right. Soul Beasts could not become gods. Only by sacrificing themselves to a human would they have a chance at success.

Skydream Iceworm continued, "Although we won't be gods ourselves, we can follow this god and become accompanying divine beasts, sharing endless life and becoming part of that god. That is why I chose to become a Soul Ring, an Intelligent Soul Ring. I will use my power to help him gradually become a god. Come, Bingbing. Take a gamble with me."

"Although I did not give him a single Soul Bone, I gave him a blank martial soul. As long as you sacrifice yourself to him, he will become a twin martial soul user. He is only twelve years old. With my and your foundation, along with his master's help, he will have a seventy percent chance of becoming a god in the future," Skydream Iceworm said.

The Ice Empress remained silent for a long time. Seventy percent was already very high. Should she seize this opportunity and take a gamble, or quietly await the four-hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation and die in despair...