Looking at the two pitch-black Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings beneath his feet, Yang Xingchen would have been lying if he said he was not excited. These were Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings!
Meanwhile, Cangyuan, who had absorbed most of the power, had not only raised his cultivation to twenty thousand years but also undergone a bloodline transformation.
Now, besides the dragon whiskers growing at the corners of his mouth, Cangyuan had two bumps rising from his head, and the scales on his body had become larger and sturdier.
"The rate at which a life-bound Soul Spirit's cultivation increases is truly terrifying. In just one year, he has completed the transformation from a hundred years to ten thousand years."
Having witnessed Cangyuan steadily grow through his own power, Snow Empress could not help marveling once again at the might and terror of the Soul Master who had created the Soul Spirit System.
In theory, if a Soul Master's body was strong enough and the resources provided to their life-bound Soul Spirit were sufficient, that life-bound Soul Spirit could cultivate to a million years without undergoing heavenly tribulations.
Of course, all of that was theoretical. Even with her providing power to a life-bound Soul Spirit like Cangyuan, reaching three or four hundred thousand years of cultivation would already be his limit.
"Snow Empress, I think we need to set off and find another cultivation treasure land."
Snow Empress came back to her senses at his words and looked where Yang Xingchen was pointing. The Ice Spirit Cold Spring was now almost no different from ordinary spring water.
Snow Empress had thought the Ice Spirit Cold Spring could hold out a few more times. She had not expected that merely undoing the second seal would all but exhaust it.
"This empress overestimated the Ice Spirit Cold Spring here. Once we leave the ice cavern, we'll head north."
"At this point in time, this empress is heading north to seek opportunities for Xiao Bai, while the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion and Titan Snow Demon King mostly remain in their own territories."
The only one whose movements Snow Empress could not predict was Xiao Bai, who had slipped out behind her back to seek opportunities. Back then, she had not asked Xiao Bai where she had gone to look.
However, considering that there were few opportunities south of her palace, Snow Empress guessed Xiao Bai would probably head east.
No Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast had appeared east of the palace for forty or fifty thousand years. Many heavenly treasures should have grown there and reached the ten-thousand-year level.
With Xiao Bai's cultivation approaching two hundred thousand years, she would face little danger as long as there were no Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.
After hearing Snow Empress's explanation, Yang Xingchen felt somewhat reassured.
If they really ran into Ice Bear King Xiaobai, there was no guarantee he would accept two Snow Empresses.
What was more, the Snow Empress with him was plotting to devour the Snow Empress of this timeline.
Rounding things off, that meant Yang Xingchen and Snow Empress were plotting to kill Xiao Bai's own mother.
After climbing out of the ice cavern, Yang Xingchen followed Snow Empress's directions toward the inner reaches of the Far North.
Xiao Bai had run out of the palace and headed south. After traveling for two or three days, she finally reached the place where Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had once found the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow.
But before Xiao Bai could begin searching outward from that spot, an exceptionally familiar presence entered her range of perception.
"Hm? Why is Mom's presence on the outskirts of the Far North? Shouldn't she be in the farthest north right now?"
At first, Xiao Bai was puzzled by Snow Empress's presence appearing here. After thinking for a while, she recalled that Snow Empress did not follow a fixed itinerary.
In the end, Xiao Bai decided to go take a look herself. There was nothing dangerous on the outskirts of the Far North anyway.
"Something's not right. Even if stronger Soul Beasts are more territorial, surely that doesn't mean I wouldn't encounter a single one after walking for so long."
Unwilling to accept this, Yang Xingchen directly unleashed the Frost Nightmare Ice Mask's Soul Skill, Satiated Frost Heart Peering, trying to detect emotional fluctuations nearby.
"Snow Empress, did you deliberately avoid the Soul Beasts' territories?"
"Xingchen, you're probably in trouble. This empress can sense Xiao Bai approaching us."
After giving it some thought just now, Snow Empress immediately understood why Xiao Bai would appear here. Xiao Bai's opportunity was most likely somewhere nearby as well.
What Snow Empress could not understand was that she, the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, and Titan Snow Demon King had practically dug three feet into the ground here back then without discovering any great opportunity.
Yet Xiao Bai had come here to search on a whim and actually found an opportunity suited to her.
"Erm, is it too late for me to run? Or, Snow Empress, are you confident you can keep me alive against the Ice Bear King?"
Yang Xingchen had never expected that he would actually encounter Snow Empress's adopted son.
A Soul Beast on the verge of reaching the Ferocious Beast level could leave Yang Xingchen with more than he could chew through its presence alone.
"For this empress's sake, Xiao Bai should at least leave your corpse intact."
In truth, Snow Empress could not be certain whether Xiao Bai would attack Yang Xingchen. After all, Xiao Bai might not be able to accept this.
But having Yang Xingchen run now was rather unrealistic. Xiao Bai's speed utterly outclassed his.
If all else failed, Snow Empress would have to sacrifice part of her own origin and forcibly mobilize all the Heaven and Earth Yuan Power in the Far North.
After driving Xiao Bai back, she would take Yang Xingchen out of the Far North and seek opportunities in Star Dou Forest or the ocean.
But if she really did that, they would have to wait until Yang Xingchen could withstand the seventh seal and allow her to unleash her full strength before carrying out the plan.
"Then I want to be buried on a hillside planted with flame trees. That way, even if no one visits my grave, I'll still receive money down below."
After thinking for a while, Yang Xingchen decided what kind of tree should be planted over his grave.
Just as he finished speaking, Yang Xingchen suddenly noticed a white dot in the distance steadily rushing toward him.
"Kid, why do you have my mom's presence on you?"
An enormous beast twenty meters tall, covered in long, silvery-white fur, appeared before Yang Xingchen.
Before Yang Xingchen could speak, Snow Empress emerged from his Spiritual Sea and stood in front of him.
"Xiao Bai, long time no see!"
Looking at the face before her, exactly the same as Xiao Bai's face in her memories, Snow Empress could not help being stirred by the sight.
Sensing Snow Empress's emotional fluctuations, Xiao Bai's expression instantly shifted from excitement to wariness, her pale blue eyes fixed on Snow Empress.
Having spent so long with Snow Empress, Xiao Bai had never seen her display such a wealth of emotion. Besides, Snow Empress's presence would never be this weak.
"You're not my mom. Who exactly are you? Why do you have the same presence as Mom?"
"Xiao Bai, I come from ten thousand years in the future. Because of certain accidents, I now coexist with this human child."
After confirming that Xiao Bai had not gone berserk and could listen to her, Snow Empress secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Why should this bear believe what you say? What proof do you have that you're my mom?"
The more Xiao Bai spoke, the more agitated she became. Ferocious Beast-level pressure poured from her body and bore down on Yang Xingchen.
Snow Empress sighed softly, raised her hand, and summoned the surrounding Heaven and Earth Yuan Power to dispel the pressure Xiao Bai had released.
Seeing Snow Empress mobilize the Far North's Heaven and Earth Yuan Power so effortlessly, Xiao Bai began to believe the identity of the Snow Empress before her.
Yet Xiao Bai still could not accept Snow Empress's claim that she came from the Far North ten thousand years in the future.
"How about this? I'll tell you some things only the two of us know. That should prove my identity, shouldn't it?"
Ultimately, Snow Empress still did not want to attack Xiao Bai, especially when Xiao Bai was on the verge of breaking through to two hundred thousand years.
"Fine. If you get them wrong, this bear will show you the consequences of impersonating my mom!"
Faced with Snow Empress's proposal, Xiao Bai agreed at once without the slightest hesitation.
Snow Empress floated beside Xiao Bai's ear. Yang Xingchen did not know what she said, but he actually saw shyness and embarrassment on the bear's face.
That shy expression did not last long, however. Whatever Xiao Bai heard next made her expression change in an instant.
"Discuss it with Mom. As long as Mom agrees, this bear has no objections."
"Very well, but you need to take this empress and this human child to see your mom together."
Snow Empress pointed at Yang Xingchen, who was looking up at them. Restricted by Yang Xingchen's current strength, she still could not stray too far from him.