Jiang Chen Grew Even More Heartless

Jiang Chen felt nothing of the sort. Coming here felt like coming home.

He already possessed Ultimate Ice. Not only did the Far North cause him no discomfort, he even had the faint sense that it made him stronger.

This must have been what the Snow Empress meant by the advantage of fighting on home ground.

The Snow Empress could fight Beast God Di Tian here. Jiang Chen figured that, with thirty levels of Soul Power, he could take on a Soul Douluo in the Far North.

Of course, a lot of that was bullshit.

"Jiang Chen, do you need a padded coat? I brought one for you too."

The young lady of the clan, Ning Tian, offered Jiang Chen a padded coat, looking gentle and adorable.

Wu Feng was green with envy.

My lady is far too thoughtful.

But Jiang Chen did not take it. Instead, he pulled a padded coat from his Storage Soul Tool and handed it to Ling Luochen. "Senior, it's cold here. Don't let yourself freeze."

Ling Luochen was an ice-attribute Soul Master too. Though she had not reached the level of Ultimate Ice, she was not afraid of the cold.

She had no need for warm clothing, but since Jiang Chen had given it to her, she promptly draped it over herself.

Embarrassment flashed across Ning Tian's face.

I gave my heart to the wrong person!

Jiang Chen actually liked girls with Ling Luochen's icy temperament.

Looks like I'll have to change my approach.

Wu Feng snatched the coat and said haughtily, "If Jiang Chen won't wear it, I will. I have the Red Dragon Martial Soul. I'm terrified of the cold."

Up ahead, Ma Xiaotao had a sudden idea. She walked backward until she was in front of Jiang Chen and said haughtily, "I'm a fire-attribute Soul Master, and I'm cold too. You prepared one for me as well, right?"

Jiang Chen ignored Ma Xiaotao and kept walking.

The smile froze on Ma Xiaotao's face.

Ling Luochen said coolly from the side, "Some people really do have thick skin. She has the Evil Fire Phoenix, yet she insists she's cold. What an act. If you can't suppress your Evil Fire in the future, come cultivate in the Far North."

Ma Xiaotao gritted her teeth. "Ling Luochen, what's that supposed to mean? I was here first."

"You were here first?" Ling Luochen lifted her chin proudly. "Jiang Chen and I have known each other for ages. Do you think you're closer to him than I am? Some people aren't cold at all. Aren't you afraid you'll give yourself a heat rash in that coat?"

At that, even Ning Tian and the others could not keep straight faces.

Senior Ling's insults are vicious. She didn't use a single dirty word, yet she left Ma Xiaotao wanting to crawl into a hole.

Ma Xiaotao stood rooted to the spot, her chest heaving with anger. She clenched her fists, wanting nothing more than to punch Ling Luochen to death.

Her former best friend had a vicious tongue.

And Jiang Chen seemed to have grown so heartless...

After that little episode, the group set off again.

Jiang Chen paid no mind to Ma Xiaotao making a nuisance of herself. He was focused entirely on obtaining a Soul Ring.

Why settle for an Ice Jade Scorpion as a Soul Ring when he could have the Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor?

If he could claim the Ice Empress before Huo Yuhao did, he would be laying the groundwork for his future. Otherwise, how could he compete with Huo Yuhao?

He could win in the early stages, but by the middle and late stages, that guy would have advantages piled all over him. Even the original Tang San would get slapped around.

Two more days later, Shrek's Soul Hunting party reached the Core Circle of the Far North.

Everything around them was still a vast expanse of white. Ice mountains rose on all sides, and several meters of snow lay beneath their feet, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Along the way, however, Jiang Chen and the others had already encountered several Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, and even Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

Because of the harsh environment, humans had never settled and multiplied here, even after tens of thousands of years. Soul Beasts had flourished instead. There were more Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts than in the Star Dou Great Forest, though the Far North could not match Star Dou in its strongest fighters.

"All right, we've reached the Core Circle. Now we need to find an Ice Jade Scorpion."

"You must all be tired from traveling. Eat something and restore your energy."

Elder Song quickly built an ice shelter and motioned for everyone to rest and eat before working together to hunt an Ice Jade Scorpion.

Ning Tian and the others took out the rations they had prepared.

But the moment the food came out, it froze rock-hard. A bite would have cracked between their teeth—and nearly cracked their teeth with it.

Jiang Chen laughed at the sight.

The cold in the Far North's Core Circle was close to its absolute extreme. Naturally, they could not eat ordinary rations here.

Elder Song sighed. "I should have thought of that."

Xie Huanyue patted his belly. "Elder, I'm getting hungry."

"Me too," Wu Feng chimed in.

Ning Tian, Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, and Zhang Lexuan were all hungry as well.

After such a long journey, their stomachs were bound to start growling.

Then Ma Xiaotao stepped forward. "I'm a fire-attribute Soul Master. I should be able to thaw the rations."

But as soon as she brought out her Evil Fire, it flickered into existence and shrank right back.

Everyone stared.

Even Evil Fire could not withstand the Far North's temperature?

Ma Xiaotao sighed. "I don't have Ultimate Fire. My Soul Power and flames work in a fight, but when I release them outward, they aren't hot enough."

Just then, Jiang Chen spoke. "I have a way."

Ning Tian and the others turned to him at once, their eyes full of curiosity. They seemed to be asking how an Ultimate Ice Soul Master could possibly help.

A smile tugged at Jiang Chen's lips. He pulled several frozen fish from his Storage Soul Tool and opened his palm.

In an instant, blue phoenix ice flames appeared.

Elder Song's eyes widened.

Disbelief filled Ma Xiaotao's face.

Ning Tian and the others were stunned.

Was that... Ice flame?

Jiang Chen smiled. "I forgot to tell everyone. I discovered it by chance. Ever since my Martial Soul Second Awakening, I've had not only Ultimate Ice, but also this mysterious ice flame. Somehow, I gained a second Ultimate Attribute: Ultimate Fire."

Elder Song and the others were shocked.

Blue phoenix ice flames? How was this possible? Someone possessed both Ultimate Ice and Ultimate Fire. It was almost beyond belief.

Jiang Chen had overturned the principle that water and fire could not coexist.

A warm smile spread across Elder Song's face. "Good. Wonderful! With you at the academy in the future, these old bones of ours can rest easy."

Ma Xiaotao gaped at him. "Two Ultimate Attributes in one person? That's just unfair."

Jiang Chen smiled faintly.

Then he released the ice flames and lit the special firewood. As the frozen fish thawed, the aroma of cooking meat drifted out, making everyone's mouths water.

Jiang Chen was not finished. He took out cumin and chili and sprinkled them over the fish, filling the air with the mouthwatering scent of grilled fish.

Ning Tian swallowed. "You're a wonderful cook. How many senior girls would fall for you over this?"

"My lady's right," Wu Feng said.

"Brother Jiang Chen, your cooking is incredible," Xie Huanyue said.

Zhang Lexuan gave Jiang Chen a thumbs-up in approval.

Even Elder Song, who had seen plenty in her time, had never smelled grilled fish this good.

Ma Xiaotao was practically drooling.

Once the fish was ready, Ma Xiaotao shamelessly held out her hand. "The first one was grilled especially for me, right? If it was, I'll forgive you. Hand it over and I'll taste it for you."