Night fell.
Beiming Yuan returned to the Heaven Dou Grand Hotel. After dispelling the smell of alcohol from his body, he took a cold shower and felt thoroughly refreshed.
Dressed in simple, plain white robes, he sat on the sofa.
The Ice Empress lay with her head on Beiming Yuan's lap and asked curiously, "Xiao Yuan, is that ice-something two-eyed place Dugu Bo guards really that miraculous?"
"Far more miraculous than I said."
Beiming Yuan stroked the Ice Empress's little head and chuckled. "Once we get the Immortal Herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, we can return to the Far North first."
"After you and Xue'er pass your heavenly tribulations ahead of time, we'll decide what to do next."
With the help of the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow and the Immortal Herbs, the Ice and Snow Empresses' strength was sure to advance by leaps and bounds. He, too, could improve enormously.
"Xiao Yuan, can you guarantee Qian Renxue will give you that thing?" the Snow Empress asked softly, leaning against Beiming Yuan.
"No guarantees." Beiming Yuan shook his head, then changed tack. "Still, while I'm not absolutely certain, I'd say there's a seventy to eighty percent chance."
With his "God's-eye view," he knew something of Qian Renxue's character.
A genius of unknown origins had appeared, most likely from a hidden family or sect, and a Peerless Douluo stood behind this genius.
Not just Qian Renxue-even the vast majority of factions would first think to win him over and befriend him.
He had already given them an "opportunity." Anyone hoping to win him over would surely seize it and hold on tight.
"Xiao Yuan, the way you talk, why does it sound like you know Qian Renxue very well?" The Snow Empress narrowed her eyes slightly and gave him a meaningful smile.
"That's right." The Ice Empress immediately opened her eyes and looked at Beiming Yuan suspiciously. "Xiao Yuan, are you interested in this Qian Renxue?"
Beiming Yuan smiled faintly. "I'm interested in everyone. I want to get something I want from each of them."
"What about Bing'er and me?"
The Snow Empress asked.
"The same. I want both the person and her heart." Beiming Yuan kept smiling and admitted it frankly.
The Snow Empress smiled but said nothing.
"Xiao Yuan, you're really greedy." The Ice Empress spoke in mock anger and gave Beiming Yuan a hard headbutt in the lower abdomen.
Beiming Yuan wasn't angry. With one hand stroking the Ice Empress's little head and the other wrapped around the Snow Empress's waist, he was perfectly content.
"It's late. Time for bed." The corners of Beiming Yuan's lips curled into a mischievous grin.
"Xue'er..." The Ice Empress's little face reddened. She propped herself up on Beiming Yuan's thigh and looked at the Snow Empress, her meaning already plain.
"Xiao Yuan is sleeping with me tonight." The Snow Empress's cheeks flushed slightly. She stood up, took Beiming Yuan by the hand, and led him into the bedroom.
"Huh?" The Ice Empress was a little disappointed, but she quickly got up and hurried after them into the bedroom on her two short little legs.
Since she couldn't "sleep" with Beiming Yuan, she would sleep with Beiming Yuan and the Snow Empress.
Beiming Yuan and the Snow Empress slept in each other's arms, while the Ice Empress burrowed between them, enjoying both of their scents.
That night was peaceful.
Although all three possessed Ultimate Ice, they didn't feel the slightest chill. There was only an inexplicable warmth that reached deep into their hearts.
Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and news of Beiming Yuan, the Peerless Douluo, and the rest had reached Spirit Hall, the foremost power on the Douluo Continent.
After returning to Spirit Hall, Snake Lance Douluo went straight to the Worship Hall to report to Qian Daoliu, not daring to conceal the slightest detail.
"Great Enshrined, that is what happened. The young lady sent me back ahead of her to report." Snake Lance Douluo stood respectfully with his head slightly lowered.
On the steps before him stood a man with golden hair and golden eyes, clad in golden robes and armor. His presence was exceptionally powerful, and he radiated a sacred power of light.
This man was the Great Enshrined of the Worship Hall, the Level 99 Angel Douluo, Qian Daoliu.
He was known as "Invincible in the Sky" and, together with Tang Chen and Bo Saixi, was counted among the Three Great Peerless Douluos.
"Beiming Yuan? The compound surname Beiming? And there's an ice-attribute Peerless Douluo behind him..." Qian Daoliu's eyes flickered, his thoughts unknown.
Beside him stood a tall, powerfully built man whose presence was likewise formidable, his Bloodline Power especially vigorous.
This man was the second strongest in the Worship Hall, a Level 98 Peak Douluo with the title "Golden Crocodile."
"The surname Beiming is rare, and he's an ice-attribute cultivator from the north..."
Golden Crocodile Douluo thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Big brother, I don't recall any family or sect called 'Beiming.'"
Below them, Snake Lance Douluo was startled.
Although Qian Daoliu was the Great Enshrined of the Worship Hall, the Second Worship, Golden Crocodile Douluo, was even older and senior to him.
If even Golden Crocodile Douluo had never heard of them, what exactly were the origins of this "Beiming"?
"From the north, a Peerless Douluo, the ice attribute. Could it be..."
Something suddenly occurred to Qian Daoliu, but he quickly returned to normal. Looking at Snake Lance Douluo, he said, "Snake Lance, go to Chrysanthemum Douluo first. Copy the records he's collected on those exotic flowers and herbs and send them to Xiao Xue as quickly as possible."
"Yes, Great Enshrined."
Snake Lance Douluo acknowledged the order and left.
Once Snake Lance Douluo's presence had disappeared, Golden Crocodile Douluo looked at Qian Daoliu and asked, "Big brother, did something occur to you just now?"
"In the northern darkness lies a god."
Qian Daoliu enunciated each word.
"A god!" Golden Crocodile Douluo's pupils contracted, and he could hardly believe it.
"As Lord Angel God's 'representatives in the mortal world,' the Qian Family knows many of the continent's secrets. Years ago, I heard my grandfather speak of the north of the Douluo Continent, the Far North."
"Supposedly, it is where a god fell. A deity whose strength was no less than Lord Angel God's perished there-the Ancient Ice God."
"Grandfather once said, 'In the northern darkness lies a god.' North refers to the Far North, darkness to death and demise, and the god to the Ancient Ice God."
"Beiming Yuan's compound surname is Beiming, he possesses a powerful ice-attribute Martial Soul and an extraordinary Soul Ring Configuration, and he has a Peerless Douluo protecting him, also of the ice attribute."
"I suspect that somewhere near the Far North, or even in the Far North itself, there is an 'Ice God inheritance site,' and Beiming Yuan is the inheritor."
An ice-attribute Peerless Douluo had appeared out of nowhere, and she was protecting a Soul Elder. Qian Daoliu couldn't help but think along those lines.
After all, his granddaughter Qian Renxue was the Angel God's inheritor, though he had never told anyone else about it.
"This..." Golden Crocodile Douluo was utterly shocked and no longer knew what to say.
"Golden Crocodile, this is only my suspicion. Keep it secret for now. You must not let a third person know," Qian Daoliu said solemnly.
"Understood."
Golden Crocodile Douluo nodded, then changed the subject and said worriedly, "Big brother, should we end the young lady's mission for now? After all, that's a Peerless Douluo, and we don't yet know whether she's friend or foe."
"The young lady intends to approach Beiming Yuan and win him over. That's very dangerous. We don't even know whether the young lady's identity has been exposed..."
"It won't be exposed." Qian Daoliu shook his head and said confidently, "The Angel Soul Bone's disguise ability is very powerful. Even a Peerless Douluo can't see through it."