As he watched Su Yun swallow the Snow Pill without another word, the Snow Empress's face remained expressionless, but inwardly, she relaxed a little.
Generally speaking, hardly anyone could absorb her Soul Ring and Soul Bone, which were nearly seven hundred thousand years old.
But there were exceptions to everything. It was not as though the Snow Empress did not know about the existence of twin martial souls.
Ten thousand years ago, Tang San had filled his final Soul Ring slot with the nearly million-year-old Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's Soul Ring. Thus, her Soul Ring and Soul Bone could also be absorbed. The possibility was small, but that did not mean it was impossible.
Now that Su Yun had swallowed the Snow Pill without hesitation, it showed that no one was coveting her Soul Ring and Soul Bone. Otherwise, Su Yun would not have swallowed the Snow Pill so readily.
"Lead the way."
Having confirmed that this was not a scheme against her, the Snow Empress picked Su Yun up and motioned for him to give directions.
Su Yun did not have a Flying Soul Tool suitable for the Snow Empress, but her cultivation spoke for itself. Even without a Soul Tool, they reached Dragon City in just a few hours.
After arriving in Dragon City, Su Yun did not immediately meet up with the grand elder. Instead, he took the Snow Empress straight to the Earth Dragon Sect and found the well leading to the ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow according to the descriptions in the original story.
Following his memories of the original story, he directed the Snow Empress toward the ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow. Of course, Su Yun stopped accompanying her toward the end.
With Su Yun's current cultivation, staying in a place like that would spell trouble. Thus, after discovering ice extreme divine crystal and confirming that there really was ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow, the Snow Empress took him out of the Earth Dragon Sect at his request so he could meet up with the grand elder.
Afterward, Su Yun and the grand elder settled into a hotel in Dragon City and quietly awaited the Snow Empress's return.
That evening, the Snow Empress arrived at Su Yun's hotel. Upon her return, her presence was even more powerful than before.
"How did it go? You weren't injured during your breakthrough, were you?"
Su Yun's question left the Snow Empress momentarily stunned.
In all her years as the empress of the Far North, she had encountered those who professed their love for her and those who refused to submit to her, but this was the first time anyone had asked whether she was injured. After all, she was the absolute sovereign of the Far North, and no one there could hurt her.
The Soul Beasts under her command also took it for granted that the Snow Empress could not be hurt. Moreover, she had been without parents from an early age, so she had simply made it through her weaker days like that. This was the first time anyone had asked whether she was injured.
An indescribable feeling stirred in her heart, but the Snow Empress was still the Snow Empress. In just a moment, she suppressed that strange feeling, and her expression returned to normal.
"No. As agreed, this empress will protect you and your clan for eighty years."
As the Snow Empress spoke, her gaze turned to the grand elder beside Su Yun. Previously, because the ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow was far too important to her, she had parted with Su Yun in such a hurry that she had not paid much attention to the grand elder beside him.
But now that she looked, not only did the grand elder beside Su Yun possess the cultivation of a Titled Douluo, even his Soul Power was highly condensed.
From that feeling, the Snow Empress was certain that the grand elder was no ordinary Titled Douluo.
"This man beside you is quite strong. He could even be considered powerful among Titled Douluos. It seems the people you've provoked are no weaklings."
After briefly sizing up the grand elder, the Snow Empress released a little pressure upon him, wanting to see just how strong he was.
The next second, the Snow Empress's expression darkened. There was no other reason: under her pressure, the grand elder's nine Soul Rings instantly burst forth.
The Snow Empress paid little attention to the first eight, but when the final Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring appeared, her good mood vanished without a trace in an instant, along with even the little goodwill she had developed toward Su Yun for helping her find the ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow and for his concern just now.
"A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring? Humans really are humans, after all. Heh, for a moment, I actually thought there could be good humans too."
The Snow Empress swept Su Yun a cold glance. "Our previous agreement still stands. This empress will protect you and your clan for eighty years. After those eighty years, you and I will have nothing more to do with each other."
"Thank you, Snow Empress. Also, could you help the grand elder resolve the issue with his Soul Ring? As you know, its color is far too conspicuous. Once revealed, it will bring unnecessary trouble upon the clan."
Su Yun bowed to the Snow Empress. He had already considered this situation, so he was not surprised.
Any Soul Beast over a hundred thousand years old would have to be seeing ghosts to be in a good mood upon seeing a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.
The reason Su Yun had first taken the Snow Empress to find the ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow, rather than meeting up with the grand elder before taking her there, was precisely his fear that she would see the grand elder's Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring early and become angry.
Now, the Snow Empress had already obtained the ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow and had even completed her breakthrough. Su Yun had already delivered what he had promised, so she had no way to shirk what remained.
Sure enough, once Su Yun finished speaking, the Snow Empress raised a hand and pointed, and the grand elder's Soul Ring changed from red to black.
"Thank you, Snow Empress. Also..."
Seeing the Snow Empress's previously pleasant expression suddenly turn cold, bringing the surrounding atmosphere down to the freezing point along with it, the grand elder wanted to explain, but Su Yun shook his head and stopped him.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King's magic core had not come from a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, but in the Snow Empress's eyes, a magical beast capable of speech was probably no different from one.
Besides, would the Su Clan never kill another Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?
How could Su Yun possibly pass up the vast quantity of gold of life inside that Golden Hawksbill Turtle in the Star Dou Great Forest?
Furthermore, Su Yun planned to fuse some external soul bones and Soul Bones a hundred thousand years old or even older in the future. What were those things in the Snow Empress's eyes? How could he possibly give an explanation she would accept for everything?
The conflict between Soul Beasts and humans on the Douluo Continent could not be reconciled. At least, Su Yun currently lacked the ability to reconcile it.
What Su Yun wanted was time to grow, while the Snow Empress needed ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow to overcome her heavenly tribulation. This had been a transaction in which each side got what they needed from the start. As long as the transaction was completed and the Snow Empress properly protected Su Yun's clan, that was enough.
As for having nothing more to do with each other after eighty years, that was hardly an issue for Su Yun. Eighty years-even if that time were halved, or even cut down to just a quarter-would be enough for the clan to grow.
The night passed without a word. Until they left Dragon City for the Su Clan the following day, neither the Snow Empress nor Su Yun and his companion said a single word.
Even after arriving at the Su Clan, the Snow Empress remained silent, with no intention of speaking to anyone.
Su Yun did not mind this, however. After briefly briefing the clan elders, he left a female elder by the Snow Empress's side to attend to her daily needs, while also preventing any clan members with something wrong in their heads from making trouble and leaping in front of the Snow Empress to flaunt their intelligence.
After making arrangements for the Snow Empress, the clan formally set off for the imperial capital.
Thanks to the emergence of a Titled Douluo within the clan, the Su Clan encountered no one kicking up a fuss after reaching the imperial capital. Instead, once they arrived and the grand elder displayed his Titled Douluo cultivation to the others, not only did a crowd come forward to congratulate them, but the emperor even came personally to seek out the grand elder.
"I have long known that you are a pillar of the nation, my esteemed subject. It was just that I was only a prince before and could not grant you higher office or rank. But things are different now. Since I have become emperor, I certainly will not treat you poorly."
"How about this? I intend to elevate you to duke. Would that satisfy you?"
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Your Majesty is wise and mighty, unlike the late emperor. This subject had long thought he did not look like a ruler. What happened to him could be considered heaven's punishment."
At these words, the emperor's eyes lit up, and he desperately suppressed the rising corners of his mouth. "Y-you mustn't say that! My imperial elder brother, he... at least he could eat quite a lot."
The grand elder: "..."