The next morning.
No one had slept all night.
Quan Cangtian sat by the fire, staring ahead.
Zixiao stood beside him, one hand resting on her sword hilt.
Wang Dong wrapped her clothes tighter around herself, her face pale.
Xiao Xiao watched Quan Cangtian's back without saying a word.
Quan Batian stood at the very front, resting with his eyes closed.
Suddenly—
A terrifying fluctuation of Soul Power swept over them.
Everyone rose to their feet.
Icy-blue light surged from the distance.
The light condensed.
A figure stepped out.
Ice Empress.
In human form.
Long icy-blue hair, icy-blue pupils.
Cold.
She looked at Huo Yuhao.
"Are you ready?"
Huo Yuhao's face went pale.
But he nodded.
"I'm ready."
Ice Empress looked at Quan Batian.
The two met each other's eyes.
Quan Batian nodded.
Ice Empress nodded.
She raised her hand.
Icy-blue light enveloped Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao felt a force pulling at his body.
He vanished from where he stood.
Quan Cangtian rushed forward.
He reached out to grab him.
But missed.
His fists clenched tight.
Quan Batian walked over.
"Ice Empress's domain. Only the one undergoing the trial can enter."
"All we can do is wait."
Wang Dong's voice trembled.
"Can Yuhao... do it?"
Quan Cangtian did not answer.
He only stared at the place where Huo Yuhao had vanished.
Huo Yuhao opened his eyes.
White.
Nothing but white all around him.
Cold.
A bone-piercing cold.
Ice Empress's voice came from every direction.
"The trial begins."
Ultimate Ice invaded his body.
Huo Yuhao felt as though his bones were shattering.
Every bone was being crushed.
He screamed.
His voice was hoarse.
Ice Empress's voice said, "Is this your limit?"
Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth.
"Not yet..."
He remembered Quan Cangtian's words.
Hold on.
He stood up.
But his legs were trembling.
Ice Empress said, "Somewhat interesting. But not enough."
Ultimate Ice continued to invade.
Frost covered Huo Yuhao's eyelashes.
His breathing grew weaker and weaker.
His consciousness began to blur.
He was about to give out.
His mind was hazy.
He was about to collapse.
Suddenly—
A voice rang out in his mind.
"Kid, hold on."
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.
"I'll help you."
A warm force surged from his Consciousness Sea.
Tian Meng's spiritual power.
Huo Yuhao no longer felt quite so cold.
Tian Meng said, "Ice Empress's trial isn't something you overcome through brute force."
"You need to use your spiritual power, use your Spirit Eye."
"Ice Empress has the Ultimate Ice attribute, and her domain is Ultimate Ice as well."
"Use your Spirit Eye to sense her. Find her."
Huo Yuhao nodded.
He activated his Spirit Eye.
Mental Detection was unleashed at full power.
This time, he sensed it.
Ice Empress's location.
Behind... him?
He turned around.
And saw Ice Empress.
Ice Empress was a little surprised.
"Oh? You sensed me?"
Tian Meng said, "Yes, just like that. Keep going."
Huo Yuhao's spiritual power began to gather.
Deep within the ice plains.
The others were still waiting.
Quan Cangtian suddenly stood up.
He could feel Huo Yuhao's life force weakening.
He walked to the edge of Ice Empress's domain.
He reached out, trying to enter.
But was repelled.
He gritted his teeth.
He summoned the Heavenly Flame Prototype.
Black-red flames burned in his hand.
The Prototype of Heavenly Flame Sacred Judgment.
He pressed the Heavenly Fire against the edge of the domain.
Flames collided with icy-blue light.
A tiny crack appeared in the domain.
Quan Batian frowned.
"Cangtian, what are you doing?"
"Helping him."
"You can't get in."
"I know. But I can let him feel me."
He poured the power of Heavenly Fire into the domain.
Warm power pierced through the icy-blue light.
Inside the domain, Huo Yuhao felt it.
A warm flame.
Quan Cangtian's Heavenly Fire.
Huo Yuhao felt the warmth of the flame.
And smiled.
Tian Meng said, "Kid, did you feel it?"
"Yeah."
"Then use that warmth to endure."
Huo Yuhao activated his Spirit Eye.
His spiritual power began to gather.
Golden light shone from his eyes.
His spiritual power surged forth like a tide.
Ice Empress was somewhat surprised.
"Oh? A spiritual power eruption?"
Tian Meng said, "Yes, just like that. Keep going."
Huo Yuhao's spiritual power grew stronger and stronger.
He began to sense all of Ice Empress.
Ice Empress's location.
Ice Empress's power.
Ice Empress's...
"You sensed it?"
"Yeah."
"Interesting. Your spiritual power is very special."
Tian Meng said, "Of course. He's my host."
Ice Empress smiled.
"Tian Meng, you found yourself a fine host."
Huo Yuhao's spiritual power reached its peak.
Golden light blazed in his eyes.
His physique was transforming.
Ice Empress looked at Huo Yuhao.
Her expression was complicated.
"You passed."
Huo Yuhao froze.
"What?"
"Your spiritual power, your will, your..."
"You are worthy of my power."
"You mean..."
"I am willing to become your Third Martial Soul."
Huo Yuhao's eyes widened.
"Third Martial Soul?"
Tian Meng said, "Yes, a Third Martial Soul."
"Because the position of your Second Martial Soul has already been occupied by the Spirit-Devouring Silver Knife."
"So Ice Empress can only become your Third Martial Soul."
"And Ice Empress will become the first Soul Ring of your Third Martial Soul."
"This..."
"What? You're unwilling?"
"No, I'm willing."
Ice Empress smiled.
"Then let's begin."
She raised her hand.
An icy blue radiance enveloped Huo Yuhao.
A terrifying power surged into his body.
Ice Empress's power.
His body began to change.
A brand-new Martial Soul was condensing.
Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion.
Third Martial Soul, awakened.
Deep within the ice plains.
Everyone was still waiting.
Suddenly—
The icy blue light dissipated.
Huo Yuhao appeared before everyone.
He dropped to his knees.
His face was pale.
Quan Cangtian rushed over.
"Yuhao!"
Huo Yuhao raised his head.
He smiled.
"Young Patriarch, I... made it through."
Quan Cangtian helped him up.
"How are you?"
"I... obtained a Third Martial Soul."
Everyone froze.
Quan Batian walked over.
His expression was complicated.
"Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion?"
Huo Yuhao nodded.
"Mm."
"Ice Empress sacrificed herself?"
"Mm. She became my Third Martial Soul's first Soul Ring."
Quan Batian fell silent for a moment.
"Not bad."
Zixiao walked over.
She handed Huo Yuhao a bottle of medicine.
"Take it."
Huo Yuhao accepted it.
He swallowed it.
Quan Cangtian supported Huo Yuhao.
He could feel Huo Yuhao's body trembling.
"Where is Ice Empress?"
Huo Yuhao fell silent for a moment.
"She... is in my Spiritual Sea."
"Brother Sky Dream said she would become a Wise Soul Ring and retain her consciousness."
Everyone fell silent.
Ice Empress had not dissipated.
Instead, she had become a Wise Soul Ring.
Quan Cangtian patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder.
"Let's go. Home."
Huo Yuhao nodded.
He looked toward the Deep Extreme North.
His expression was complicated.
Ice Empress...
She had sacrificed herself.
But she was still here.
Tian Meng's voice rang out in his mind.
"Little fellow, Ice Empress is still here."
"She will stay in your Spiritual Sea and keep you company."
"I... will keep you company too."
Huo Yuhao smiled.
"Thank you, both of you."
Tian Meng said, "No need to thank me."
Huo Yuhao looked at Quan Cangtian.
"Young Patriarch, thank you."
Quan Cangtian patted him on the shoulder.
"You made it through."
"From now on, you're a Soul Elder."
Huo Yuhao froze.
"A Soul Elder?"
"Mm. Ice Empress is a 400,000-year Soul Ring."
"After absorbing her, your level will rise."
Huo Yuhao nodded.
He sensed his body.
His Soul Power was indeed rising.
Level 20... level 25... level 30!
Soul Elder!
He froze.
"I... I broke through?"
Quan Cangtian smiled.
"Mm."
Huo Yuhao was thrilled.
"Thank you, Brother!"
Quan Cangtian patted him on the shoulder.
"Let's go. Home."
Everyone turned around.
They left the Extreme North.
Quan Batian walked at the front.
Quan Cangtian supported Huo Yuhao.
Zixiao walked beside Quan Cangtian.
Wang Dong walked behind them.
Xiao Xiao walked at the very back.
Tian Meng's voice rang out in Huo Yuhao's mind.
"Little fellow, Ice Empress will help you from now on."
"Her Ultimate Ice is very powerful."
"You must use it well."
Huo Yuhao nodded.
"I understand."
Tian Meng said, "Also, Ice Empress said she wants to see Quan Cangtian."
Huo Yuhao froze.
"See Brother?"
"Yes. She said she has something to tell him."
Huo Yuhao looked at Quan Cangtian.
"Young Patriarch, Ice Empress said she wants to see you."
Quan Cangtian froze.
"See me?"
"Yes. She said she has something to tell you."
Quan Cangtian fell silent for a moment.
"Alright."
He looked at Quan Batian.
"Grandfather, I'll stay behind for a moment."
Quan Batian nodded.
"Go."
"We'll wait for you outside."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
He closed his eyes.
His spiritual power surged forth.
It entered Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Sea.
Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Sea.
A golden ocean.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm floated within the ocean.
Ice Empress was beside him.
In human form.
Icy blue hair, icy blue pupils.
She looked at Quan Cangtian.
"Quan Cangtian."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
"Ice Empress."
Ice Empress looked at him.
Her expression was complicated.
"The Heavenly Fire within your body..."
"I sensed it."
Quan Cangtian froze.
"You sensed it?"
"Yes. That flame... is very special."
"It is not a power from Douluo Continent."
Quan Cangtian fell silent.
Ice Empress said, "I don't know what it is."
"But I can feel that it is very powerful."
"It was dangerous too."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
"I know."
Ice Empress said, "Be careful."
"That power will bring a lot of trouble."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
"Thanks for the warning."
Ice Empress smiled.
"No need to thank me."
"Since I became Huo Yuhao's Soul Ring, we're in the same boat."
"If you run into trouble, you can come to me."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
"Alright."
Ice Empress said, "Go. They're waiting for you."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
He opened his eyes.
He returned to reality.
Deep within the ice plains.
Quan Cangtian opened his eyes.
Huo Yuhao looked at him.
"Big Brother, what did Ice Empress say?"
Quan Cangtian fell silent for a moment.
"She said... to be careful."
Huo Yuhao nodded.
"Then let's go."
Quan Cangtian nodded.
He looked at Quan Batian.
"Grandpa, let's go."
Quan Batian nodded.
"Alright."
Everyone turned around.
They left the Extreme North.
[Joy Envoy Bullet Screen]: Huo Yuhao's Third Martial Soul awakened! Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion! 400,000-year Wise Soul Ring!
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