Far Northern Land.
The wind and snow howled, and the world was a vast expanse of white. Two figures trudged across the boundless snowfield.
Su Mo tightened his beast-hide coat and pushed forward against the blizzard. Behind him, Ah Yin followed silently, her silver hair whipping in the gale, her golden eyes fixed ahead.
"Master," Su Mo called in his mind. "How much farther?"
"Almost there," the old man's voice sounded in his mind. "There's an ice valley ahead. A Millennium Ice Silkworm is hidden inside. It may not be ten thousand years old, but psychic Soul Beasts are scarce to begin with. It'll be enough for you."
Su Mo nodded.
A Millennium Ice Silkworm. A psychic type. It was just right for his current level.
Once he absorbed this soul ring, he would break through level twenty. Then, he could travel farther and seek stronger Soul Beasts.
Snow Empress. Ice Empress. Ice Bear King.
Those legendary beings would all be his someday.
He kept walking.
The blizzard grew fiercer, until he could barely see the path ahead. Ah Yin followed behind him, always keeping a single step's distance, like a silent guardian.
After walking for an unknown length of time, an ice valley finally appeared ahead.
Su Mo stood at the mouth of the valley and looked down.
The ice valley was deep. Its floor was covered in a thick layer of ice that reflected a ghostly blue glow. Something seemed to be wriggling at the bottom—a white mass whose form he could not make out.
"That's it," the old man said. "The Millennium Ice Silkworm."
Su Mo drew a deep breath and started down.
The slope of the ice valley was steep, and the ground beneath his feet was slick ice. He moved slowly, testing every step several