Ning Rongrong did not deny it.
Dai Mubai's expression darkened.
They had just been saying that the Small Tower in Ning Rongrong's hands could not compare to the real Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda.
Now, however, they had learned that both were connected to Ning Xian.
Oscar walked over to Ning Rongrong.
"Why did that person take the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda away?"
"Because it belonged to him in the first place."
Ning Rongrong answered, "He left the old pagoda here hundreds of years ago. Now he has simply taken it back."
Ma Hongjun immediately grew anxious.
"But what about us?"
"Teacher Yu went to so much trouble to secure those places."
"We were supposed to enter the pagoda to cultivate today."
Ning Rongrong turned to look at him.
"It belongs to Ning Xian."
"Does he need to ask you when he wants to take it back?"
Ma Hongjun opened his mouth.
He could find no reason to argue.
Yu Xiaogang stared at the empty valley, his expression growing worse and worse.
He had originally planned to use the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda to help Tang San and the others improve again before the Soul Master Tournament.
Now that plan had gone completely down the drain.
Yu Xiaogang turned toward the depths of the academy.
"Let's see Qin Ming first."
"Although the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda has disappeared, the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy still has Mimicry Training Grounds."
"We'll complete the enrollment procedures today."
Flender nodded.
The Shrek group followed the mountain path into the academy.
Ning Rongrong walked at the rear.
She took the Ancient Bronze Small Tower out from inside her clothes.
The mystic yellow radiance on its body was much brighter than before.
After Ning Xian took the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda away, this Small Tower had also responded.
Ning Rongrong lowered her head to look at her palm.
"Ning Xian, just who are you?"
Outside Sunset Forest.
Ning Xian stood on a mountain peak.
The palm-sized Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda hovered before him.
Its doors had opened.
Traces of martial souls accumulated over hundreds of years circulated endlessly within it.
The Clear Sky Hammer.
The Seven Kill Sword.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor.
Tens of thousands of martial souls appeared in succession.
Every martial soul had several different cultivation paths.
Dugu Bo stood behind him.
Dugu Yan had regained her freedom.
She rubbed her wrists, her green eyes fixed on the Ancient Tower.
"Senior, are these all things the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda recorded over hundreds of years?"
Ning Xian nodded.
"The pagoda has recorded a total of thirty-seven thousand six hundred and twenty-one types of martial souls."
"There are more than two hundred thousand complete soul skills."
"There are even more incomplete soul skills."
Dugu Bo's heart jolted.
Any faction that obtained these things could establish an enormous Soul Master sect.
The Heaven Dou Royal Academy had occupied the Ancient Tower for hundreds of years, yet had only used its most superficial ability to gather spiritual energy.
Ning Xian raised his hand.
The Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda slowly rotated.
All the martial souls and soul skills inside the pagoda broke down simultaneously.
Different powers combined with one another.
The pagoda expelled large amounts of useless information.
The truly complete martial soul origins were analyzed and developed anew by the mystic yellow radiance.
A Seven Kill Sword appeared on the first floor.
Immediately afterward, hundreds of sword-type martial souls emerged at once.
They revolved rapidly around the Seven Kill Sword.
Different sword intents fused with one another.
A new soul skill gradually took shape.
Ning Xian raised two fingers.
A streak of sword light shot from between them.
A distant mountain peak split apart without a sound.
The cut was smooth.
The corner of Dugu Bo's eye twitched as he looked at the severed peak.
"Senior, you can use Seven Kill Sword soul skills without having the Seven Kill Sword martial soul?"
"The Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda can replicate martial souls."
Ning Xian lowered his fingers.
"I can directly use any soul skill the pagoda has recorded."
Dugu Yan looked up and asked, "Then doesn't that mean you can use everyone's martial souls?"
"Not yet."
Ning Xian looked at the Ancient Tower in his palm.
"This is only an old pagoda body."
"It can replicate ordinary martial souls, but it cannot fully replicate god-level martial souls."
Dugu Bo fell silent.
Even god-level martial souls could not be fully replicated.
In other words, Ning Xian did not think anything of ordinary martial souls at all.
The Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda rotated again.
Energy accumulated over hundreds of years flowed along its body into Ning Xian.
A wisp of Xuanhuang divine light rose behind him.
Phantom mountains and rivers unfolded within the divine light.
Stars, the sun, and the moon hovered above the pagoda's summit.
The Ancient Tower's originally incomplete third floor also gradually became whole within the Xuanhuang divine light.
Ning Xian closed his eyes.
Countless martial soul origins merged into his perception.
Hundreds of years of accumulation did not amount to much power.
Yet when these powers gathered together, they produced a genuine change.
A change in quantity brought about a change in quality.
The Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda's ability to analyze and develop advanced once again.
Soul skills that could previously only be replicated could now be fused with one another.
New evolutionary paths could also be worked out between different martial souls.
A moment later.
Ning Xian opened his eyes again.
The Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda settled into his palm.
The pagoda had gone from three floors to four.
The fourth floor was empty.
Xuanhuang patterns were growing on their own.
Ning Xian watched for a moment.
"Not bad."
Dugu Bo looked at the four-story Ancient Tower.
"Senior, has your strength increased again?"
"I merely retrieved some of my old belongings."
Ning Xian drew the Ancient Tower into his body.
"I'm still far from truly recovering."
Dugu Bo did not ask any further questions.
Ning Xian, who could suppress a Titled Douluo, had actually not yet recovered.
He found it hard to imagine what level Ning Xian had reached at his peak.
Dugu Yan walked to the edge of the mountain peak.
She was just about to ask about the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well when the golden Sky Screen overhead suddenly trembled.
The images of the Evil Emperor and the Crystal Divine Crown gradually faded.
Silver divine runes withdrew into the ranking.
The grand voice of the Heavenly Dao resounded across the continent.
[Powerhouse Ranking, eighth place: Evil Emperor.] [Rewards distributed.]
The golden ranking unfurled upward once again.
Everyone's gaze was drawn toward it.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
The Shrek group stopped on the mountain path.
Ma Hongjun raised his head.
"Seventh place is about to be announced!"
Dai Mubai gazed at the spot where the Evil Emperor had disappeared.
"The Evil Emperor evolved into the Spacetime Evil Eye Divine Emperor and received the Crystal Divine Crown."
"The reward for seventh place will only be more powerful than its reward."
Tang San also looked at the Sky Screen.
He was more concerned about the ranked individual who would soon appear.
The Evil Emperor's Light of Time and Space could already threaten a Peerless Douluo.
What kind of existence could rank above the Evil Emperor?
Spirit City.
Bibi Dong held the Rakshasa Demon Halberd.
Inside the Worship Hall, Qian Daoliu and the other worshippers looked up at the same time.
Star Dou Great Forest.
Di Tian stood beside the Lake of Life.
The golden light from the ranking was reflected in Gu Yuena's purple eyes.
Deep within Evil Demon Forest.
The Crystal Divine Crown rested atop the Evil Emperor's head.
Silver divine runes covered its enormous eye.
After its bloodline evolved, it already possessed a God Level foundation.
Its Light of Time and Space was also more powerful than before.
The Evil Emperor looked toward the top of the Powerhouse Ranking.
"I am only eighth."
"Who could seventh place be?"
Across the Douluo Continent, bullet comments rapidly filled the sky.
[After the Evil Emperor, it has to be Di Tian's turn!]
[Di Tian has 890,000 years of cultivation, and he even possesses the Dragon God Claw!]
[Di Tian can defeat the Evil Emperor. His ranking must be higher!]
[It could also be Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi!]
[Qian Daoliu hasn't appeared yet!]
[Soul Beasts have been making the ranking one after another. Could the Far North have powerhouses too?]
The Heavenly Dao's golden light slowly gathered.
A boundless white world appeared at the center of the image.
Frigid winds swept across the snowfields.
Countless ice crystals drifted down.
Unbroken ranges of icy mountains stood at the ends of the world.
All living beings watched this unfamiliar region, their discussions gradually falling silent.
Golden words appeared, stroke by stroke.
[Douluo Continent Powerhouse Ranking.] [Seventh place.] [Snow Empress.] [Race: Heavenly Snow Woman.] [Cultivation: 700,000 years.]
The Far North.
Thick snow blanketed the mountains.
An ice palace stood at the center of the snowfields.
A white-haired woman sat upon an Ice Throne.
She wore a long, snow-white dress.
Its hem fell from the throne and spread across the crystalline floor.
A few strands of long hair rested against her chest.
Her pale blue eyes lifted toward the name in the sky.
Snow Empress.
That was her.
Outside the ice palace.
Countless Soul Beasts of the Far North lay prostrate upon the snowfields.
Ice Bear King Xiaobai looked up at the Sky Screen, delight appearing on his face.
"Seventh!"
"Even the Evil Emperor could only rank below her!"
Farther away.
The Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion emerged from the wind and snow.
Her emerald-green hair hung to her waist.
A scorpion tail covered in ice crystals swayed slowly behind her.
The Ice Empress looked toward the ice palace where the Snow Empress resided.
"Seven hundred thousand years."
The Soul Beasts of the Far North burst into cheers.
[Lady Snow Empress is the Lord of the Far North!]
[The foremost of the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Far North!]
[The Evil Emperor merely relies on his mental attribute. How could he compare to Lady Snow Empress?]
[Seventh place belongs to the Far North!]
Upon seeing these comments, the Soul Masters of the Sun Moon Empire immediately began to argue back.
[Lord Evil Emperor has already completed his bloodline evolution!]
[With 700,000 years of cultivation, what gives her the right to rank above Lord Evil Emperor?]
[Lord Evil Emperor's Light of Time and Space can make all things decay!]
[Even ice and snow will dissipate before the power of time!]
The Evil Demon Forest.
The Evil Emperor watched the Snow Empress's name.
Silver divine runes flickered continuously within his enormous eye.
"A 700,000-year Heavenly Snow Woman."
"Her cultivation is eighty thousand years below mine, yet she ranks above me."
The crystal divine crown released a ring of mental ripples.
Space in the distance twisted in response.
The Evil Emperor did not conceal his doubts.
"I would like to see just what qualifies her to rank seventh."
Beside the Lake of Life.
Di Tian looked toward Gu Yuena.
"My lord, the Snow Empress is a being of heaven and earth nurtured by the Far North."
"Although she has only 700,000 years of cultivation, her strength cannot be measured by the standards of ordinary Soul Beasts."
Gu Yuena nodded lightly.
"The Heavenly Snow Woman was born through the workings of heaven and earth."
"As long as she remains in the Far North, she can draw upon the power of the entire snowfield."
"If the Evil Emperor fought her in the Far North, his chances of victory would be very low."
Xiong Jun gazed at the world of ice and snow in the Sky Screen.
"The Snow Empress's cultivation isn't even as high as the Evil Emperor's."
"Can she really withstand the Light of Time and Space?"
Gu Yuena glanced at Xiong Jun.
"Ultimate snow can freeze the mind."
"The Emperor Sword can sever one's origin."
"The Emperor's Palm can reduce everything to silent annihilation."
"The Snow Empress is no ordinary 700,000-year Soul Beast."
Spirit City.
Qian Daoliu studied the Snow Empress's information.
"Heavenly Snow Woman."
"Seven hundred thousand years of cultivation."
Golden Crocodile Douluo searched through his memories but found few relevant records.
"The Far North's environment is harsh."
"Human Soul Masters rarely venture deep into its core region."
"We know even less about that place than we do about the Star Dou Great Forest."
Demon Subduing Douluo looked toward the Snow Empress's name.
"A 700,000-year Soul Beast has already survived multiple heavenly tribulations."
"If she can rank above the Evil Emperor, she most likely possesses a special bloodline."
Qian Daoliu did not speculate further.
The Sky Screen had already begun to reveal the Snow Empress's origins.
At the center of the snowfields.
A mass of pure white energy hovered between heaven and earth.
The essence of the sun and moon descended from the sky.
The frigid energy of the Far North rose from the earth.
The two powers gathered day after day.
A thousand years.
Ten thousand years.
A hundred thousand years.
The mass of white energy gradually took on a complete form.
Slender legs stepped out of the snowy light.
Bare feet touched the ice.
Snow-white hair cascaded down her waist and back.
A long white dress formed on its own, wrapping around her slender figure.
The woman opened her pale blue eyes.
The snowflakes falling around her stopped in midair.
The next moment.
The entire snowfield conveyed its affection to her.
Golden words appeared in turn.
[The Snow Empress is no ordinary Soul Beast.] [She was nurtured by the purest ice and snow energy of the Far North.] [She took human form at 100,000 years.] [She became the Lord of the Far North at 300,000 years.] [Her cultivation has now reached 700,000 years.] [She is a being of heaven and earth.] [And the favored child of the Far North.]
The Douluo Continent erupted once again.
[A Soul Beast nurtured by heaven and earth?]
[The Snow Empress has no parents?]
[She herself is the embodiment of the Far North's ice and snow energy!]
[No wonder the Snow Empress can rank above the Evil Emperor!]
[As long as she stays in the Far North, she can draw upon the power of the entire snowfield!]
[That's already very similar to Sea God Douluo's command over the sea!]
Sea God Island.
Bo Saixi stood before the Sea God Hall.
She watched the scene of the Snow Empress's birth.
"A being of heaven and earth."
"Such foundations do indeed far surpass those of ordinary Soul Beasts."
The Snow Empress had no divine position.
Nor did she possess a divine artifact.
Yet she had been able to command the power of the Far North from birth.
In terms of bloodline and origin alone, the Snow Empress was already close to god level.
Outside the Sunset Forest.
Dugu Yan gazed at the white-haired woman in the image.
"She's so beautiful."
The Snow Empress stood upon an ice field stretching for ten thousand li.
Her long white dress hugged her waist.
A pair of long legs showed as the hem of her dress parted and closed.
Her skin was whiter than the ice and snow beneath her feet.
Her white hair fell to the bends of her knees.
Her features were exquisite and cool.
Her pale blue eyes held a sense of distance from all things in heaven and earth.
Dugu Yan looked toward Ning Xian again.
"Do you know her?"
Ning Xian did not answer immediately.
He watched the Snow Empress in the Sky Screen, his gaze lingering for a long time.
Several hundred years ago.
Ning Xian had once lived in the Far North for a time.
Back then, the Snow Empress had not yet faced her 700,000-Year Heavenly Tribulation.
She rarely left the snowfields.
Nor did she understand the rules of the human world.
The two had once lived together.
But later, Ning Xian had left the Far North and never returned.
Ning Xian nodded lightly.
"I do."
Curiosity grew in Dugu Yan's eyes.
"What is your relationship?"
"An old acquaintance."
Ning Xian looked up at that figure in a white dress.
"I haven't seen her for many years."
"I don't know how she's doing now, either."
Dugu Yan did not press further.
It was the first time she had seen Ning Xian pay such close attention to someone.
The scene in the Sky Screen changed again.
Above the Far North.
Heavy tribulation clouds covered ten thousand miles of snowy plains.
Purple-black divine lightning darted through the clouds.
The Snow Empress stood atop an icy mountain.
Her long white dress billowed in the fierce wind.
The oppressive aura of a 700,000-year soul beast poured out without restraint.
All the soul beasts on the ice field were fleeing outward.
The Ice Empress stood in the distance.
She wanted to approach, but the Snow Empress raised a hand to stop her.
"Don't come over."
The Ice Empress stopped outside the Snow Mountain.
"Sister Snow, this is your 700,000-year heavenly tribulation."
"In your current condition, you cannot survive it."
The Snow Empress raised her head to look at the tribulation clouds.
She knew her own condition better than anyone.
Being nurtured by heaven and earth had given her a powerful origin.
It also meant that with every breakthrough, she had to endure an even more terrifying heavenly tribulation.
The 700,000-year heavenly tribulation had already exceeded the limits of what she could withstand.
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