Return to the Far North

The matter with Yu Xiaogang had come to a close for the time being.

Inside the Spirit Pagoda.

Lin Xiao lounged limply on the bed, toying with the Image Recording Stone.

The Snow Empress sat half-perched on the edge of the bed, supporting herself with one hand.

She turned her eyes slightly to look at Lin Xiao.

"Ah Xiao, it's about time we returned to the Far North. Let's leave in the next couple of days."

Lin Xiao put down the Image Recording Stone, bent his legs to shift his position, and scooted over beside the Snow Empress.

He slipped an arm around her waist as naturally as could be.

"Sure. Then let's leave in a little while."

The Snow Empress rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes half-closing.

Lin Xiao's hand slowly explored upward from her waist, inch by inch.

Something suddenly occurred to him, and he asked curiously.

"Xue'er, you still haven't told me what soul ring we're going to get in the Far North."

The Snow Empress gave a soft hum.

"It's a secret. I'll tell you when we get there."

Lin Xiao shook his head and nuzzled her hair.

He had already asked three times, and the answer was always the same.

There was nothing he could do. No matter how curious he was, he could only behave himself and wait until they reached the Far North to find out.

The Snow Empress nestled in his arms for a little longer.

Only then did she slowly stand up.

She stretched, her lovely figure fully revealed in the sunlight.

"Bing'er won't be coming back with us this time. She's getting lazier and lazier."

The Snow Empress smiled, her expression holding a trace of helplessness and affection for the Ice Empress.

Best sisters shared a blanket for life, after all.

Lin Xiao nodded in agreement.

It was true. The first time he had met the Ice Empress, she had been fast asleep in her secluded chamber.

Now that she had come to human society, its comfort and warmth made that little lazy pig stay in bed every day.

After packing a few things into his Storage Soul Tool, he changed his clothes.

Lin Xiao met up with the Snow Empress at the entrance to the Spirit Pagoda.

The Snow Empress came up to him and, before he could say anything, took his hand and turned into a streak of snowy-white light that flew into the distance.

Deep in the Far North.

Xiao Bai was rolling around and running wild like a husky.

She dashed about with her tongue sticking out a little.

Suddenly, she stopped.

Her eyes turned toward the sky, toward that streak of light.

She instantly grew incredibly excited and stood up.

Her two bear paws slowly rose alongside her enormous body as she waved in greeting.

"Mom, Dad, you're back!"

An honest, guileless voice came from her mouth.

Lin Xiao stared, utterly taken aback.

Aside from his fondness for the goofy Xiao Bai, her movements just now reminded him of the Tibetan brown bears in the snowy regions of his previous life.

They seemed to wave like that too, pretending to be people to lure others over.

The Snow Empress flew down and landed beside Xiao Bai.

The goofy giant ice bear immediately lowered herself, bringing her huge face affectionately close to the two of them.

Lin Xiao reached out and gently patted her nose.

Xiao Bai stood up again and let out an enormous sneeze.

Then she scratched her head sheepishly and leaned close once more.

Looking at the Xiao Bai she had adopted, the Snow Empress followed Lin Xiao's lead and reached out to rub her great bear face.

Beneath that fluffy fur, it was all flesh.

The chilly feel was especially nice.

At that moment, Xiao Bai noticed something was amiss, and her gaze settled on the Snow Empress.

"Mom, where's Auntie Ice Empress?"

Lin Xiao was still kneading her face nonstop.

He stretched it wide, then pulled it long.

"Your Auntie Ice Empress isn't coming today. She's still lazing in bed."

"Oh, got it, Dad."

Having had his fill of fun, Lin Xiao flipped himself up onto Xiao Bai's back.

The Snow Empress climbed on too.

"Xiao Bai, take us home."

"My good girl, go, go, go!"

Hearing her assignment, Xiao Bai nodded, then switched into goofy sled-dog mode.

First, she formed a soul power shield to protect the two of them.

Although it made little difference to either of them, as their daughter, she still had to look after her parents.

Then she picked up speed and charged toward the Snow Empress's home.

Everything along the route shook and swayed under the force of her charge.

Trees toppled in great swaths.

But as an ice bear king at the ferocious beast level, Xiao Bai was very fast indeed.

In just a few minutes, she rushed up to the entrance and slammed on the brakes.

She caught a block of ice with her face.

She set Lin Xiao and the Snow Empress down safely.

Pulling her head free, she shook her entire bear body to shed the ice and snow clinging to her.

Lin Xiao patted her rump.

Mm, even plumper and juicier.

"You're done here. Go play!"

"Woohoo! Dad's the best!"

Watching Xiao Bai run off and vanish in a flash.

The Snow Empress imitated her tone.

"Mmm~ Dad's the best!"

Her affectedly sweet voice sent a tingling sensation through him, nearly making Little Lin Xiao raise his head.

"Xue'er, you..."

The Snow Empress smiled playfully.

"It's not like I've never called you that before. What are you embarrassed about? Look how much Xiao Bai likes you."

Lin Xiao coughed.

"Let's get down to business. Xue'er, what exactly did you bring me to the Far North for this time?"

The Snow Empress grew serious too, but a trace of melancholy and sorrow lay deep in her eyes.

Her voice lost its earlier lightness, carrying a hint of heaviness instead.

"Come with me."

Following the Snow Empress, he soon arrived in the room where she lived.

Lin Xiao was a little puzzled. Was there a soul beast in Xue'er's bedroom?

He soon understood.

The Snow Empress took a book off the bookshelf, and the shelf slowly slid to the left.

A hidden door appeared before them.

"Let's go."

The Snow Empress placed her hand against it. Soul power surged, and the door slowly opened.

The two of them passed through a narrow, pitch-dark corridor.

In an instant, snowy-white light shone into Lin Xiao's eyes.

Why was it this familiar setup again?

Before him lay a vast expanse of ice and snow.

Many Snow Women gathered around a spirit spring shrouded in cold mist.

A Secret Realm?

Lin Xiao froze. He had never known there was such a place in the Far North.

After all, Xue'er had never told him about it.

At the sight of the Snow Empress's arrival, the Snow Women all lit up with joy.

Soon, a large group of Snow Women gathered around the two of them.

"Go about your business. I still have something to do."

The Snow Empress patted one of the Snow Women on the head.

She had them disperse.

Then she explained:

"The Snow Woman Clan could be considered a branch of my own kind? In any case, our origins have something in common. But I am a Heavenly Snow Woman born and nurtured by heaven and earth, the only one in the entire Far North.

"But ordinary Snow Women are also quite rare in the Far North.

"If ice-attribute soul masters obtain their soul rings, they're certain to gain powerful skills.

"As a result, over hundreds and thousands of years, the Snow Woman Clan has been steadily dying out.

"As a Heavenly Snow Woman, I count as a Snow Woman too, so I settled one of their branches here in this Secret Realm.

"Partly to protect them, and partly to have them guard something."

"Guard something?" Lin Xiao asked questioningly.

The Snow Empress gave a hum of assent.

"That something is your Sixth Soul Ring, and also the greatest wager my Far North has made."

"Bing'er and I can be considered yours now, but not the whole Far North. Most of those close to me will acknowledge you, but some races that are proud by nature won't.

"If you want to truly bring the Far North under your command, then go earn her recognition..."