"So much, so much, so much Void Mysterious Ice!"
In the Far North, the Ice Empress stared wide-eyed at the ice-blue crystals beside Beiming Lieyang, crystalline drool already spilling from the corner of her mouth.
She was not the only one. Atai and Xiaobai beside her were also staring fixedly at that pile of Void Mysterious Ice, their Adam's apples bobbing as they practically wanted to pounce on it and take a bite.
The immense energy fluctuations made the surrounding air tremble faintly, while every single piece radiated a suffocating chill.
These were all premium products that Beiming Lieyang had condensed one by one, exhausting all his Soul Power and spending an entire hour.
With Beiming Lieyang and five Apollo Puppets, six people had condensed at full force simultaneously, piling up more than a hundred pieces of Void Mysterious Ice.
Beiming Lieyang moved his somewhat stiff shoulder armor. Just as he was about to raise his hand and condense another piece, the Snow Empress's voice came from beside him.
"Xiaoyang, that's enough."
The Snow Empress stepped forward, a trace of heartache in her ice-blue eyes. "You've been doing this without rest for an entire day and night. These hundred-plus pieces are already enough."
The Snow Empress watched his movements beneath the armor slow slightly, then looked at how the puppets' condensation rhythm had also become half a beat slower than before.
This child was powerful enough that going without rest for days and nights would not be a problem, but continuously draining all his Soul Power before concentrating fully on compression and condensation took no small toll on his spiritual power.
Spiritual power was unlike Soul Power; it recovered far more slowly.
"Yes, yes, yes. Get some proper rest."
The Ice Empress hurriedly wiped the drool from her mouth and nodded seriously for once. "There's still plenty of time. There's no need to rush."
Atai and Xiaobai nodded as well. Though their eyes were still glued to the pile of Void Mysterious Ice, the Snow Empress's words brought them back to their senses.
The young lord had already worked himself to the bone for an entire day to condense these things. They could not possibly urge him to continue.
Beiming Lieyang paused beneath his armor, then nodded. "All right."
Amid a series of clanging metallic sounds, the crimson-gold Solar Star God Armor covering his body receded like a tide, revealing his original face.
With a casual wave, he gathered up the Void Mysterious Ice along with the products condensed by the five puppets.
"Mother Xue, I'll leave the distribution to you. With these, the Far North's strength should rise another level."
The Snow Empress nodded slightly. "All right."
She divided the hundred-plus pieces of Void Mysterious Ice into seven portions. "I'll keep two portions here as reserves, in case of emergencies."
She raised her hand and stored two portions in her Storage Soul Tool, then pushed the remaining five portions toward the Ice Empress, Atai, and Xiaobai.
"Bing'er's clan has the largest population, and it also has the most Soul Beasts around eighty to ninety thousand years old and fifty to sixty thousand years old, so you'll take two portions. Atai's clan has fewer, and one portion will be enough for breakthroughs. Xiaobai's clan has a moderate number of high-year Soul Beasts, and one portion will be enough for those stuck at the threshold."
The Ice Empress received the two portions and hugged them to her chest, her golden eyes shining brilliantly.
"Don't worry, Xue'er! With these, my clan will gain more than a dozen hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts!"
Atai dropped to one knee and solemnly accepted his portion. "Thank you, Young Lord and Lord Snow Empress! With this batch, those clan members with insufficient foundations will certainly be able to safely endure the Lightning Tribulation. The fifty- to sixty-thousand-year ones can be pushed further as well."
Xiaobai accepted the final portion, patted his chest with a bear paw, and grinned foolishly.
"Don't worry, Mom! I've waited so long for this day! With my little brother's Void Mysterious Ice, those few clan members of mine will definitely pull through!"
"Additionally,"
The Snow Empress's gaze swept across the three of them.
"The Far North is vast and boundless. Apart from your three great clans, there are also some high-year Soul Beasts living in scattered groups.
"They lack sufficient foundations and do not dare undergo tribulation alone, but if they can receive Void Mysterious Ice, they will likewise have a chance to challenge the hundred-thousand-year threshold.
"Atai, Xiaobai, I'll leave this matter to you. Search the outer regions of the Far North for scattered Soul Beasts that meet the requirements. Distribute Void Mysterious Ice to them so they can safely endure the Heavenly Tribulation as well.
"After they pass their tribulations, they can be stationed in the outer regions of the Far North to prevent human Soul Masters from entering at will."
Atai and Xiaobai exchanged a glance, then bowed together to accept the order. "Yes!"
After hearing the distribution plan, the Ice Empress could barely contain her excitement as she hugged that pile of Void Mysterious Ice and hurriedly turned to leave.
"Then I'll head back to my territory first! Xue'er, Xiaoyang, you two rest up. I'll go make arrangements for those youngsters in my clan!"
With a tap of her foot, she transformed into a streak of emerald light and sped toward the territory of the Ice Jade Scorpion clan.
Atai and Xiaobai also put away their Void Mysterious Ice, respectfully bowed to the Snow Empress and Beiming Lieyang, then turned and departed.
Only the Snow Empress and Beiming Lieyang remained.
The blizzard still filled the sky, but the lingering warmth emitted by that pile of Void Mysterious Ice continued to drift slowly through the air.
The Snow Empress raised a hand and gently smoothed Beiming Lieyang's hair, her ice-blue eyes filled with tenderness.
"You've been tired all day too. Go back, eat something, and get some good rest."
Beiming Lieyang nodded, but did not leave immediately. His gaze swept over the five silently standing Apollo Puppets.
"Two of you will follow the established plan and bury Void Mysterious Ice across the continent. One will patrol the outskirts of the Far North, and two will continue condensing Void Mysterious Ice."
"Yes, Master!"
As soon as the words fell, three black streaks shot into the sky, transforming into planetary forms and streaking beyond the Far North. The final two puppets sat cross-legged on the spot and began another round of condensation.
After arranging everything, Beiming Lieyang turned to the Snow Empress. "Let's go, Mother Xue. We're heading back."
A trace of gratification appeared in the Snow Empress's eyes as she watched him direct the puppets.
This child no longer needed her to look after every little thing. He had his own ideas and his own plans now.
She took Beiming Lieyang's hand. "Mm, let's go back."
The two figures walked side by side toward the Ice Crystal Palace. The blizzard automatically parted around them, as though even this frozen plain was making way for them.
Inside the Ice Crystal Palace, the Snow Empress took out a food box she had prepared long ago from her Storage Soul Tool. The moment she opened it, a rich fragrance spread through the room.
She had carefully prepared a hot meal using ingredients unique to the Far North. The ice plain yak meat had been stewed until tender and flavorful, while the snow lotus soup was delicately sweet and warming.
There were also several ordinary home-style dishes that Beiming Lieyang had previously said he liked, all arranged neatly across the ice table.
"When did you prepare all this, Mother Xue?" Beiming Lieyang raised an eyebrow in surprise as he looked at the steaming dishes spread across the table.
"I made it while you were condensing the Void Mysterious Ice."
"Try it and see how it tastes."
The Snow Empress picked up a piece of beef and supported it with one hand as she brought it to his lips. Beiming Lieyang opened his mouth and ate it.
The perfectly stewed meat spread across his mouth, and warmth slid from his throat into his stomach, making his whole body feel warmer.
"Mother Xue's cooking is still the best."
As the Snow Empress watched him eat, the gentle smile at the corner of her lips could not be suppressed.
"Then try some of the others too."
Just as Beiming Lieyang was enjoying the Snow Empress's tenderness, a black-robed figure was looking around at the outermost edge of the Far North.
"I followed that Ice Crystal Carriage all the way here."
"Did it enter the Far North? Could it be looking for ice-attributed Soul Beasts to obtain Spirit Rings?"
Before you continue