As they traveled north, the snow on the ground gradually thinned. They arrived at a snow-covered hill where the snow had visibly decreased, barely reaching their ankles. Zhu Zhuqing suggested walking on her own, and Jun Yi didn't try to stop her. He put her down and then released all his Divine Power to sense his surroundings. Sure enough, he sensed a powerful aura. This must be where the Snow Empress slept.
Guided by the system over the past few days, he avoided the other two slumbering Ferocious Beast and arrived at this place. Then, Jun Yi released the aura of the Ice Dragon King, letting it seep into the ground. At that moment, Jun Yi clearly sensed that the slumbering aura beneath the ground was showing signs of awakening.
" Zhu Zhuqing, hold my hand tightly. No matter what you see later, don't be afraid," Jun Yi said to Zhu Zhuqing.
"Okay." Zhu Zhuqing nodded and tightened her grip on Jun Yi's hand.
Just then, the entire ice field began to shake, the thick ice on the ground began to melt, and a huge crack more than ten meters long opened up in the ground, revealing a vast expanse of white inside. A bone-chilling cold immediately hit her face. Even though Zhu Zhuqing had prepared herself, she still couldn't help but shiver.
Just then, more snowflakes began to fall from the sky, converging towards the cave entrance as if welcoming its master. A pure white light rose from the ground, illuminating the entire snowfield. A tall, slender woman with long, flowing white hair, wearing a white dress, and possessing exquisite beauty, slowly emerged from the depths of the snowfield. Her sky-blue eyes were clear and bright, as if they could see through everything in the world. Her slender, delicate body was flawless. Although her white dress was devoid of any adornment, it made her appear so noble and beautiful. She was meticulous in every detail, like a plum blossom in the cold snow, outstanding and defying the frost and snow.
"What a nice view."
Zhu Zhuqing stared at the beautiful woman before her, momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected such a beautiful woman to exist in this icy, snowy world. Could she be the Heavenly Snow Woman Jun Yi had spoken of? And this stunningly beautiful woman was actually Soul Beast?
The Heavenly Snow Woman slowly walked towards the two of them, her sky-blue eyes fixed on Jun Yi. "Why do you possess the aura of the Ice God?"
" The Ice God?" Jun Yi asked curiously. Could it be that the Ice Dragon King was the previous Ice God?
"Although the Ice God has been dead for tens of thousands of years, I can still clearly sense his aura. Human, how exactly did you manage to merge with the Ice God's soul?" The Snow Empress looked coldly at Jun Yi, a hint of doubt showing in her icy blue eyes.
"That's a long story, I can tell you slowly later. I came here today to make a deal with you." Jun Yi didn't want to explain too much, so he got straight to the point.
"You say."
"I want you to sacrifice yourself for the woman beside me," Jun Yi said, pointing to Zhu Zhuqing beside him.
"You want me to sacrifice myself?" The Snow Empress showed a hint of displeasure. The idea of her sacrificing herself to humans was utterly absurd, but she still managed to hold back her anger.
"If this is the Ice God's decree, I will carry it out immediately. But I want to know where the Ice God's aura on you comes from? Tell me, and I will offer myself as a sacrifice," the Snow Empress said coldly.
Upon hearing this, Jun Yi shrugged and said, "I don't really want to go on and on. How about this, I'll have it come out and tell you itself."
As he spoke, Jun Yi closed his eyes, and then a powerful Divine Power was released from Jun Yi's body, and a figure appeared out of thin air on Jun Yi's shoulder.
This is a small ice dragon, its entire body crystal clear and radiating a captivating luster like crystal. It has horns on its head and wings on its back. Those beautiful, ice-crystal-like wings flutter slightly, as if they can add endless cold air to the entire land, instantly covering the surrounding land with a thin layer of ice. Its eyes are filled with majesty and Haki.
Upon seeing the ice dragon, the Snow Empress immediately knelt on one knee and respectfully said, " The Heavenly Snow Woman greets the Ice God."
"No need for formalities." The small ice dragon spoke in human language, though its voice was somewhat childish, like that of a child.
"Your Highness, Ice God, you haven't perished?" Snow Empress asked, looking at the ice dragon before her with surprise.
The ice dragon shook its little head and said, "I have already perished. My current body is merely a shell created by this child using special methods with Divine Power and Soul Power. And I am now just a remnant soul."
" Snow Woman, this child possesses an aura surpassing that of the Dragon God. He is the one I have chosen, and he has already promised me that he will revive our Soul Beast Clan in the future," the Ice Dragon King said slowly.
Upon hearing this, the Snow Empress nodded and said, "I understand. For the sake of the Soul Beast Clan, I am fearless even if it means sacrifice."
"Good. That girl's talent is among the best in humanity; she has the potential to become a god. If you sacrifice yourself to her, she will surely be able to resurrect you in the future."
"I will obey whatever the Ice God says." After saying this, the Snow Empress prepared to offer herself directly to Zhu Zhuqing, but at this moment, a hint of hesitation appeared on her face.
The Snow Empress voiced her concerns, "Your Highness, the Ice God, this young girl's cultivation is somewhat weak. I fear she cannot withstand my immense Soul Power and will explode and die."
"Don't worry, with me here, nothing will happen. You can just sacrifice yourself in a bit. I will seal a portion of your power and allow you to live as a self-aware Soul Spirit, just like the Ice Dragon King," Jun Yi assured Snow Empress.
"Alright, I'll begin now. Little girl, relax and don't resist at all," Snow Empress said to Zhu Zhuqing.
"Ah, umm." Zhu Zhuqing came back to her senses and nodded quickly.
A dense red light emanated from the Snow Empress, enveloping her and Zhu Zhuqing. Then, Jun Yi raised his hand, and an icy blue ROOM space appeared, encompassing everyone present. Jun Yi then conjured an ice blade and began slicing at the Snow Empress's body from a distance. Jun Yi planned to divide the Ice Empress's Soul Power into four parts, transforming them into four Soul Ring for Zhu Zhuqing, each with a lifespan of approximately tens of thousands of years. This would ensure Zhu Zhuqing could absorb them safely without the risk of exploding and dying. Jun Yi operated the system from the side, while the Ice Dragon King flapped its small wings, flying in mid-air, watching Jun Yi's actions.
It couldn't help but admire Jun Yi's ideas and abilities. A few months ago, after Jun Yi absorbed its remnant soul, he didn't erase its consciousness; instead, he preserved it. This allowed it to receive nourishment from Jun Yi's soul and quickly awaken. Afterward, the young man began using his abilities to research how to make his own consciousness exist independently. He even communicated with it for a long time. Finally, after two months of research and experimentation, the young man succeeded...
(End of this chapter)