Absorbing an ice-attribute External Soul Bone, with the Ice Empress herself standing guard, naturally posed no problems.
After absorbing the Soul Bone, Xue Chen stayed in the Ice Jade Scorpions' territory to keep the Ice Empress company for a while longer.
Though the Ice Empress said nothing, she was inwardly very pleased.
At the boundary between the depths and the outskirts of the Far North, an Ice Jade Scorpion several meters long was rapidly approaching the outer region.
Most astonishing of all, a boy who looked only ten or so years old was sitting on this Ice Jade Scorpion's back.
"Sister Ice, this is far enough!"
Xue Chen patted the Ice Empress's back and reminded her softly.
This was already the boundary between the depths and the outskirts of the Far North. A little farther south, there would be a very high chance of encountering Soul Masters who had come to the Far North.
The Ice Empress abruptly stopped, but still said:
"Here is enough?"
"Why don't I just take you all the way out of the Far North?"
Xue Chen swung himself off the Ice Empress's back, landed in the thick snow, and turned to look into her ice-blue scorpion eyes.
"Sister Ice, you're the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, one of the overlords of the Far North."
"If you personally escorted me out of the Far North and human Soul Masters happened to see us, who knows how much of a commotion it would cause!"
"Besides, you haven't concealed your presence along the way. I'm afraid you've driven quite a few Soul Beasts from the depths of the Far North into the outskirts."
The Far North was a true forbidden zone for human Soul Masters, and the Ice Jade Scorpion Clan rarely left its depths.
There was no telling how much chaos the Ice Empress's visit to the outer region would cause in the outskirts of the Far North.
The Ice Empress's pincers tightened slightly, then suddenly slammed together, actually making the surrounding ground tremble a little.
"So what?"
"I'm the second of the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Far North. You can't expect me to skulk around concealing my presence, can you?"
"I know you're seeing me off for my own good, Sister Ice."
Xue Chen stepped forward and hurriedly reached out to pat the Ice Empress's icy shell.
"But, Sister Ice, I have to walk on my own eventually."
The Ice Empress immediately fell silent.
She stared at Xue Chen for a long while, complicated emotions surging in her ice-blue scorpion eyes before finally turning into a barely audible huff.
"Suit yourself."
Her body rapidly shrank amid a burst of ice-blue light. Her shell receded and her limbs stretched out as she took on the form of that girl whose beauty could topple cities and kingdoms.
Her long jade-green braid fell behind her. A trace of reluctance seemed to linger on her usually cold, beautiful, and proud face, and a rarely seen hint of gentleness filled her gaze as she met Xue Chen's eyes.
[Congratulations to the host for successfully recording and activating the SS-rank goddess: Ice Empress!] [Congratulations to the host for obtaining the activation reward: Saint Craftsman-level forging talent!]
Before Xue Chen could examine the reward closely, the Ice Empress had pulled him into a full embrace.
The Ice Empress's embrace caught him completely off guard.
(Beautiful picture of the Ice Empress)
Xue Chen felt a crisp chill, mingled with a girl's unique softness, envelop his entire body. Her palm cupped the back of his head, and his cheek pressed against her cold yet faintly trembling chest.
"Sister Ice..."
"Shut up."
The Ice Empress's voice was muffled against his shoulder, carrying an almost imperceptible nasal note.
Only because Xue Chen had spent more than a decade with the Ice Empress could he tell that her emotions were clearly different from usual.
She held him tightly, so tightly that Xue Chen could distinctly feel the heart in her chest quickening despite herself.
Only after a long while did she abruptly release him and push him away.
"All right, hurry up and go."
She turned her head aside, her long jade-green braid swinging in front of her and hiding most of her face.
But Xue Chen still caught a glimpse of the blush that had yet to fully fade from the tips of her ears.
Looking at her, Xue Chen's lips curled slightly, but he said nothing more sentimental and simply gave the Ice Empress a long, deep look.
"Sister Ice, I'm leaving."
"Mm."
The Ice Empress never turned back.
Xue Chen turned around and stepped southward.
Yet he had only taken a dozen or so steps when the Ice Empress's somewhat awkward voice came from behind him again.
"Um... Chen'er!"
Xue Chen's steps faltered slightly. This was the first time the Ice Empress had ever called him that.
Before, she had always called him "brat."
He looked back and saw the Ice Empress with her head lowered. Though he could not make out her expression, her voice trembled a little.
"Remember... remember to come back and visit when you have time!"
"All right, I'll remember."
Xue Chen froze for a moment, then waved to the Ice Empress.
"Sister Ice, remember to miss me!"
With that, he strode south without waiting for the Ice Empress's reply.
Only when Xue Chen's figure had completely disappeared into the boundless wind and snow did the Ice Empress finally raise her head.
Looking at the footprints Xue Chen had left behind, already almost covered over by the wind and snow, the Ice Empress suddenly felt as though a piece of her heart had emptied too.
The Snow Empress had sacrificed herself, and Xue Chen had also left the Far North.
She no longer had anyone in the Far North to confide in.
"Brat... make sure you stay alive!"
After murmuring those few words, the Ice Empress suddenly let out a long sigh.
As Xue Chen traveled south, the screen of light invisible to others appeared in his mind once again.
The Ice Empress's album entry was now fully lit up, listed beside the Snow Empress's.
[Character: Ice Empress] [Rating: SS-rank] [Affection: 82] [Notes: A tsundere who says one thing and means another, but actually cares deeply about you. Her affection fluctuates considerably. Host, please proceed with caution.]
"An affection score of 82..."
Looking at that number, Xue Chen could not help smiling.
"Sister Ice sounds so fierce, but the number is pretty honest."
"Is this the legendary 'her mouth says no, but her body tells the truth'?"
His gaze shifted downward to the new line of text beneath the album entry.
[Activation reward delivered: Saint Craftsman-level forging talent] [Saint Craftsman-level forging talent: The host's hands will possess forging perception and precision far beyond those of ordinary people. Comprehension speed when learning forging techniques will increase a hundredfold, and affinity with metals and Soul Tool materials will reach its peak. However, please note that talent is only talent. Becoming a true Saint Craftsman will still require extensive practice and accumulated experience.]
"The SS-rank reward is only a talent?"
Xue Chen frowned.
Though forging had declined severely during the Peerless Tang Sect era, in the Legend of the Dragon King era ten thousand years later, it would be a prized morsel in the eyes of every faction.
Whether building mechas or Battle Armor, both required the participation of blacksmiths.
"I remember Saint Craftsman-level blacksmiths can already perform Soul Forging, bestowing attributes and even life upon metal."
Rubbing his chin, Xue Chen muttered to himself:
"Could it want me to create Battle Armor and mechas in this era?"
"But compared with groundbreaking creations like Battle Armor and mechas, aren't Soul Tools the top dogs of this era?"