"I have a lightness technique called Treading on Snow Without a Trace. Right now, it works at most for a Soul Elder, which is roughly equivalent to a thousand-year Soul Beast."
"It counts as a way to escape."
Ye Xiao spoke freely, and demonstrated it for the Snow Empress as well.
"I want it!"
Watching Ye Xiao dart and weave around the cave, the Snow Empress couldn't help but brighten.
She didn't look down on Ye Xiao in the slightest for first getting himself a way to escape. Instead, she was full of approval.
After all, for Ye Xiao, only by staying alive could he go the furthest!
"My techniques are all compatible with Sword Qi, but the first layer of the Indestructible Sword Body is a bit troublesome. It wouldn't be quite right to pass it on to Soul Beasts."
"So when the time comes, I can modify Treading on Snow Without a Trace so that this lightness technique can be used with sword-attribute Soul Power."
"That's why I strongly recommend this second technique!"
"The Cold Jade Sword Scripture can give Soul Power the sword attribute, and the Soul Power cultivated with it is also ice-attributed. It's an excellent fit for the Far North!"
"If a Soul Beast had the understanding I have now, breaking through from ten years to a thousand, or from a hundred years to ten thousand, wouldn't be a dream!"
Ye Xiao spoke smugly.
In fact, rather than say this technique was suited to the Far North, it would be more accurate to say that he, Ye Xiao, was suited to the Far North!
After all, this cultivation method had been made especially for himself.
"I want that too!"
The Snow Empress pursed her lips, her heart beating a little faster.
"The last one is the Aura Concealment Technique. Aside from the second one, the Cold Jade Sword Scripture, the other two methods I chose are both techniques!"
"As the name suggests, it locks every trace of your Soul Power and its presence inside your body."
"Without making contact, even a Titled Douluo from Shrek Academy can't see through me."
As Ye Xiao explained, he drew in his presence.
In everyone's eyes, Ye Xiao was now just an ordinary person without any Soul Power!
"Hiss..."
Wu Qingyao sucked in a cold breath, her eyes burning. This was practically made for old schemers!
Aside from the Cold Jade Sword Scripture, she wanted every one of them!
Although Treading on Snow Without a Trace currently worked only for Soul Elders and those below them, a future in which Ye Xiao completed the technique was also clearly in sight!
"Of course, this method is easy to learn but hard to master. Even learning the basics is useful."
"Like Sister Guyi before. Even though she couldn't completely lock away her Soul Power, she could still blur other people's perception a little."
Ye Xiao continued his explanation. After all, Ye Guyi had only been level 25 before, yet she had used her imperfect grasp of the technique to make herself appear level 30 in Yan Shaozhe's eyes.
"Amazing..."
The Snow Empress fell silent for a moment, then looked at Ye Xiao with a sigh.
She could completely lock the presence of her Soul Power inside her body, but that was the result of years of arduous cultivation and tempering.
Even so, she couldn't completely conceal her presence as a Soul Beast. Some experts could still recognize it at a glance.
But when Ye Xiao had used the Aura Concealment Technique just now, he had vanished entirely from her perception!
If her eyes hadn't been fixed firmly on Ye Xiao, she probably would have gotten quite a fright!
"Hehe, at its core, it's still about controlling Sword Qi."
"If you want to learn, Snow Empress, I can teach you Sword Heart too. That way, you'll be able to learn the Permanence Sword Body faster."
Without batting an eye, Ye Xiao gave the Indestructible Sword Body a new name.
He could more or less guess that his other self on the sky screen had given it that name because, in the later stages of cultivating the technique, its Sword Qi could renew itself endlessly.
But Permanence Sword Body was obviously a nicer name~
Besides, the Swarm Disaster had already appeared, so what was wrong with him borrowing Permanence's fame for a bit of clout?
"Sword Heart?"
The Snow Empress came back to her senses and raised an eyebrow, giving Ye Xiao's little body a peculiar look.
"Ahem, I mean teaching Sword Heart properly!"
Ye Xiao's face reddened. Clearly, he too had thought of the resonance power-leveling method mentioned on the sky screen.
"Sorry for the trouble."
The Snow Empress smiled, then her expression grew serious.
She cupped her hands and bowed respectfully to Ye Xiao.
"I will remember the kindness of your teachings. If you have a request of me someday, I will do everything in my power."
The Snow Empress spoke solemnly.
Ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow, the Cold Jade Sword Scripture, the Aura Concealment Technique, the Permanence Sword Body, Sword Heart...
At that moment, the Snow Empress couldn't even glimpse her own future!
"Master Ye, I want them too!"
Wu Qingyao gritted her teeth and forced herself to sit up, cupping her hands to Ye Xiao.
"It's fine, it's fine. We're buddies, after all~"
Ye Xiao waved magnanimously at the Snow Empress.
"And Elder Wu, you heard what I said before. If you learn my techniques, you'll be under my control to some extent."
Ye Xiao then helped Wu Qingyao lie down and gave her a solemn warning.
"Master Ye, I speak only for myself. As for the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's negotiations, the sect master will make the decisions when the time comes."
Wu Qingyao shook her head and explained slowly.
As for Ye Xiao having a hold over her?
She didn't care. She scarcely dared imagine the heights Ye Xiao could reach in the future.
If anything, she'd be the one benefiting from him having a hold over her.
In the future, not just anyone would be qualified to let Ye Xiao have a hold over them!
"All right, but forget calling me master. I'm just someone who took the first step. Let's all make progress together~"
Ye Xiao had no choice but to wave his hand helplessly.
Being called master and all that made him sound old!
"Propriety must be observed."
Wu Qingyao shook her head stubbornly.
As she'd said, not just anyone could call him master!
As long as Ye Xiao got used to it, she'd at least make a name for herself with him.
That way, even if Wu Feng really did offend Ye Xiao again in the future, perhaps he would give Wu Feng one more chance for her sake.
"As you wish, as you wish, but not you!"
"Forget calling me master. Snow Empress, why don't you teach me Emperor Sword too~"
"We can consider it an exchange of ideas."
After placating Wu Qingyao, Ye Xiao turned and stopped the tempted Snow Empress before she could speak.
His little scheme needed no further explanation.
"All right."
The Snow Empress glanced at Ye Xiao and nodded compliantly.
She really wasn't sure how to repay Ye Xiao for his kindness to the Far North, and teaching him Emperor Sword would actually make her feel a little better.
"Lastly, Sister Guyi, come back to your senses~"
With everything settled, Ye Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.
He walked up to the still-steaming Ye Guyi and patted her leg.
After discussing serious matters for a while, he wasn't quite so embarrassed anymore.
But if Ye Guyi kept burning like that, she would probably burn herself silly.
Snap!
Ye Xiao lightly snapped his fingers, while the little hand resting on Ye Guyi's thigh turned ice-cold in an instant!
"Ah!"
Ye Guyi cried out, coming back to her senses from the secret chamber in Ye Xiao's devious mind.
Seeing the strange looks everyone was giving her, she grew furious with embarrassment, scooped Ye Xiao up, and jumped into the lake with him.
"Mmph, mmph~"
Ye Xiao tugged at Ye Guyi's arm, two bubbles escaping his mouth.
Then he was helplessly dragged down by Ye Guyi, who wanted to die together for love.
All he could say was that Ye Guyi was one crafty little rascal!
She'd known to grab Ye Xiao before jumping into the icy lake. Otherwise, she wouldn't have needed to come back up.