Reuniting with the Snow Empress, Breaking Through Eight Hundred Thousand Years!

After arranging matters for Huo Yuhao, Lei Chen did not linger.

His gaze swept over the still-excited youth and the Ice Empress, whose expression was complicated. His figure quietly faded as though merging with the wind, vanishing completely into the endless snowstorm the next moment.

Deep within the Core Circle of the Far North Land, eternal profound ice formed a palace.

The palace was vast and silent. At its center stood only a bed carved entirely from ten-thousand-year Cold-Ice Jade Marrow, radiating incomparably pure ice-element energy and a chilling cold that refreshed the mind.

The Snow Empress sat upright upon the Cold-Ice Jade Marrow bed, her eyes gently closed. Her peerlessly beautiful face was as cold and pure as snow, while visible icy-blue currents swirled around her body, inhaling and exhaling the ultimate chill between heaven and earth as if breathing.

At that moment, she was in deep meditation, tempering her cultivation. Her aura was profound and vast.

Suddenly, a faint yet exceptionally distinct spatial ripple spread through the utterly silent Ice Palace like a stone cast into a still lake. This fluctuation was not the furtive intrusion of a hidden visitor; it carried the air of an announcement, naturally proclaiming the arrival of its source.

The Snow Empress's long lashes trembled slightly as she instantly awakened from her deep meditation.

She abruptly opened her icy-blue eyes. At first, irritation at being disturbed and vigilance flashed within them, but when her gaze caught the figure that had silently appeared in the center of the palace, surrounded by a faint seven-colored glow, that irritation immediately became astonishment, then irrepressible delight.

She immediately rose from the Cold-Ice Jade Marrow bed and hurried forward with light steps. Bowing respectfully to Lei Chen, she spoke in a clear, ethereal voice carrying a trace of barely restrained excitement. "Senior! What brings you here?"

Lei Chen smiled, his gentle gaze falling upon the Snow Empress as he gave a slight nod.

In his perception, the Snow Empress's aura was far stronger than it had been over half a year ago. Her immense ice-element energy had condensed nearly into substance, flowing endlessly through her body. She had astonishingly reached the terrifying level of seven hundred and ninety thousand years!

"I came here, naturally, to protect you and the Ice Empress as you safely pass the next Heavenly Tribulation that is approaching."

Lei Chen spoke calmly, explaining his purpose.

Upon hearing this, gratitude flashed through the Snow Empress's icy-blue eyes. She bowed again. "Thank you for your concern, Senior! It is truly our great fortune that Bing'er and I may receive your protection."

She paused briefly, sensing the surging power within her body. Her voice was filled with heartfelt gratitude. "If not for Senior's generous gift of such a divine treasure as Myriad-Year Profound Ice Marrow, my cultivation could never have risen to this level in merely a little over half a year."

Lei Chen nodded slightly, unsurprised. The Myriad-Year Profound Ice Marrow was a treasure of heaven and earth, its effects on ice-attribute Soul Beasts nothing short of heaven-defying.

His gaze swept over the Snow Empress, his tone carrying a trace of praise. "An increase of nearly a hundred thousand years of cultivation, yet your pace has not been excessive. It seems you did not chase quick success, but understood the principle of gradual progress."

At Lei Chen's mention of this matter, a serious expression appeared on the Snow Empress's beautiful face as she explained, "Senior is wise. Although the Myriad-Year Profound Ice Marrow contains immense energy, we understand that in cultivation, one's foundation is paramount."

"Therefore, after discussing it, Bing'er and I established a rule. After refining and absorbing one piece of Myriad-Year Profound Ice Marrow and increasing our cultivation by roughly ten thousand years, we must spend at least one month carefully polishing and stabilizing our newly gained power. Only after our foundations are completely solid may we refine the next piece."

"That is why, over the past half year or so, we have each refined ten pieces of Profound Ice Marrow and increased our cultivation by only one hundred thousand years. If we disregarded our foundations and refined great quantities in a short time, we might advance faster, but it would likely bring endless future troubles."

"Good!" Lei Chen's smile deepened after hearing the Snow Empress's words. "Neither arrogant nor impatient, steadfast in your original intent. It is rare for you to possess such insight and understand the importance of solidifying your foundation. Acting this way will keep you from repeating Skydream Iceworm's mistakes."

"That Skydream Iceworm knew only how to devour and not how to refine. He possessed the 'quantity' of a million years of cultivation, but lacked the corresponding 'quality.' As a result, his combat strength was feeble, and he was even inferior to ordinary hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts. He ultimately fell short. It is excellent that you understand this principle."

Receiving the Plane Lord's personal affirmation, warmth and delight welled up in the Snow Empress's heart. Even her cold features seemed to soften as though ice and snow were melting.

She then asked, "Thank you for your approval, Senior. To be honest, it has been nearly a month since I last refined Myriad-Year Profound Ice Marrow, and my newly gained cultivation has already been completely stabilized. I am currently at my peak and can refine the next piece at any time to challenge the eight-hundred-thousand-year threshold. What do you think, Senior? Should I begin now?"

Lei Chen nodded, his tone calm yet carrying unquestionable assurance. "Since you are fully prepared, begin now. With me here to stand guard for you, you need only break through with peace of mind. There is no need to worry about the Heavenly Tribulation."

"Yes! Thank you for the trouble, Senior!" The Snow Empress felt completely reassured and no longer hesitated.

With a flick of her slender hand, a prismatic crystal, translucent throughout and emanating terrifying cold, appeared in her palm. It was precisely the supreme treasure capable of driving countless ice-attribute Soul Beasts mad—the Myriad-Year Profound Ice Marrow.

She sat cross-legged once more upon the Cold-Ice Jade Marrow bed and placed the Profound Ice Marrow before her. Forming hand seals, she sent pure ice-attribute soul power winding around it like threads, guiding the vast, ocean-like energy within into her body like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

As the energy poured in, the Snow Empress's aura began to rise at a visible rate.

The temperature within the Ice Palace plummeted. Even the air seemed about to freeze, while thick frost began forming across the walls and floor, steadily growing denser.

Her snow-white hair moved without wind, glowing with a crystalline radiance. Under the impact of that surging energy, her peerless face appeared even more holy and majestic.

Time passed bit by bit. The Snow Empress's soul power surged like raging tides within her body, repeatedly crashing against that invisible barrier.

Eight hundred thousand years was an exceptionally important threshold for Soul Beasts. It meant drawing closer to the ultimate goal of becoming a god after a million years, and it also meant that the power of the next Heavenly Tribulation would increase geometrically.

Finally, at a certain moment, the Snow Empress's delicate body trembled slightly. A faint cracking sound seemed to echo from within her body. The next instant, an ultimate chill far vaster and more terrifying than before erupted from within her like an ancient icefield beast awakening after countless ages of slumber!

"Boom—!"

The entire Ice Palace shook violently. The eternal ice layer surrounding the palace groaned beneath the strain. The Snow Empress abruptly opened her eyes, icy-blue divine light bursting forth from them and shooting straight toward the ceiling.

At that moment, her aura underwent a qualitative leap, completely breaking through the shackles of seven hundred and ninety thousand years and firmly entering the brand-new realm of eight hundred thousand years!