The deal

Just as Su Miu and his companions made to leave, Snow Empress immediately raised her hand, striking a "Ziwei, don't go" pose to stop him.

"Human, don't go!"

At her shout, a sly, everything-went-according-to-plan grin appeared on Su Miu's face. Di Tian was mortified. Humans really were cunning-he had been playing hard to get all along.

His back was currently turned to Snow Empress and Ice Empress, so neither of them saw his sly grin.

Su Miu promptly wiped the smile off his face and turned toward the two rulers of the Far North, who were staring fixedly at him. He could also hear the heavy breathing of the other ferocious beasts of the Far North as they watched him.

Their eyes burned as though they wanted to devour him alive. After all, the importance of the 10,000-Year Profound Ice Marrow went without saying. It was enough to drive every ice-attribute soul beast mad.

"Senior Snow Empress, was there something else?"

He put on the performance of his life, looking utterly innocent and oblivious. Still, for the sake of his own safety, he pulled Bai Xiuxiu a little closer to Prison Empress.

Ice Empress's eyes blazed with desire. Had Di Tian and Snow Empress not been holding her back, she might already have rushed over to demand the location of the 10,000-Year Profound Ice Marrow.

Snow Empress silently swallowed, equally desperate for it, especially now that her failed attempt at Yin-Yang Complementarity had left cracks in her first soul core.

She would not have lost her composure like this if she had been confident of surviving her seven-hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation. But its threat hung over her constantly. Otherwise, she would never have been driven to use a hundred-thousand-year snow lotus to seal her origin and take human form.

Unable to hold back any longer, Snow Empress immediately pressed him for an answer.

"Human, is what you said about the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow Cavern true?"

"Of course. Why else would I have thought of coming to the Far North? Unfortunately, perhaps I came at the wrong time."

Seeing Ice Empress practically drooling at the mere mention of its name, Su Miu finally revealed his true intentions.

"...Human, why don't we talk..."

Snow Empress was deeply frustrated now. Seriously? If you had a treasure like the 10,000-Year Profound Ice Marrow, why didn't you say so sooner? Now you've left me with no graceful way out.

A little later, at Snow Empress's invitation, the group arrived at the Ice Palace where she lived, a residence she had built herself based on human architecture.

"Human, tell me your terms. What do you want?"

They took their seats, while Bai Xiuxiu stood behind Su Miu. Everyone present was a major figure, after all. A little ninety-thousand-year-old shark like her had better not embarrass herself.

Snow Empress's ice-blue eyes settled on Su Miu. She desperately wanted the ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow. With just ten rods, she could form a yin-yang complementary soul core and wrest another hundred thousand years of life from the heavens.

She was prepared to pay dearly for it. As long as his demands were not excessive, she could agree to them.

There was also her close friend Ice Empress, whose origin had been injured. She needed several rods of ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow to repair it before she could survive her four-hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation.

For both her own sake and Ice Empress's, she adopted a very humble attitude, showing none of her usual majesty.

"It's simple. First, the Far North will owe me a favor. If I need Senior Snow Empress or Senior Ice Empress to take action, please lend me your assistance."

Su Miu raised one finger and began negotiating. Both empresses found the first condition acceptable and nodded. Then he raised a second finger and said:

"Second, I hope you two seniors will protect me for a hundred years. This will require us to form a contract, one that is equal and harmless."

"Since I come from another world, we need a contract before I can summon you both there to help me fight."

As he spoke, he raised his hand. Magic energy gathered before him, eventually forming a Summoning Array. Sensing this power that was not soul power, both women looked startled.

"Power from a different world..."

"Someone from another world..."

Snow Empress and Ice Empress were natives of the Douluo Continent, unlike Di Tian, so they were naturally surprised. At the same time, a golden-haired figure emerged from the Dimensional Summon Teleportation Array. An auspicious aura washed over them, shocking them once again.

"That aura belongs to the Emperor Auspicious Beast!"

As Ice Empress's startled words rang out, Ha Jirui emerged from the Summoning Array. Di Tian nearly blacked out at the sight, his golden eyes immediately sweeping over.

"I'm here!"

Big Golden Retriever bounded out with the Golden Dragon Spear in hand, only to find everyone's eyes on her. Seeing that there apparently was no need to fight, she scratched her head and asked in confusion:

"We're not fighting?"

"Ahem. Seniors, as you can see, the Emperor Auspicious Beast of the Star Dou Great Forest and this fellow are both my summoned beasts."

Su Miu immediately changed the subject to avoid the awkwardness, then stood up and nudged Bai Xiuxiu into the middle of the room, signaling for her to demonstrate.

Little Shark felt rather unnerved with so many powerful figures staring at her, but she still raised her hand to give them a demonstration.

First, a bitterly cold power appeared in her hand. Ice Empress and Snow Empress glanced at it. She possessed the rare ultimate ice attribute-truly an exceptional talent.

But a moment later, the icy-white frost vanished, replaced by a deep-blue water element.

"This water element is also at the ultimate level?"

It was Snow Empress's first time seeing the ultimate water attribute. Two ultimate attributes could already be considered a rarity unmatched in the world, but the demonstration was not over yet.

Bai Xiuxiu also demonstrated ultimate fire, ultimate lightning, and ultimate wind, leaving the powerful figures utterly stunned.

"Five ultimate attributes? Won't they make you explode?"

Ice Empress could only call it impossible. A soul beast with one ultimate attribute already had enough talent to stand at the top of the pyramid. Di Qiu'er was the only one with two, and now this girl had shown up with five fucking ultimate attributes?

"That's right! Seniors, the cultivation system in my world is magic. We don't awaken martial souls, and magic can easily be upgraded to an ultimate attribute through spiritual treasures acquired later."

"Xiu Xiu was originally just an ordinary ice-and-water-attribute Demon Soul Great White Shark. Under my guidance, she has become a Deep Blue Demon Shark possessing five ultimate attributes."

"I promise you, seniors, if you're willing to form contracts with me and grow alongside me, I will spare no effort to help you improve."

Su Miu began enticing them outright. Ice Empress and Snow Empress found it absurd. How could anyone acquire so many ultimate attributes after birth?

But the proof stood right before them, so they had no choice but to believe it. In the end, Su Miu persuaded them.

"Then we will do as you say. If you're still worried, I can swear an oath to the Ice God."

With Snow Empress's agreement, Su Miu finally relaxed. His attempt to whisk away both empresses was now all but guaranteed to succeed. At last, he raised a third finger and said:

"Then, Senior Snow Empress, Senior Ice Empress, one final condition."

"What condition?"

Under everyone's gaze, Su Miu slowly said:

"As for the distribution of the 10,000-Year Profound Ice Marrow, there are forty-five rods in total. We'll split them equally, but since the number is odd, the Far North will take twenty-three rods, and the remaining twenty-two will go to Star Dou."

Seventeen updates, thirty-four thousand characters. I've hit the system's limit.

Wishing everyone peace and good health this Dragon Boat Festival, too.