Ling Bai flew from the distant sea toward the center of the battlefield. He found Ling Qiuxi wearing a proud expression, with the Death Prison Bone Dragon beside her, presenting its prize as if seeking praise.
Golden Crown Mermaid Li Ya, Silver Crown Mermaid Li Jing, the Vast Sea Blue Whale, and the Swordtail Sea Serpent King—the four Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts wore despondent expressions, as though they had already foreseen their miserable fates.
This battle had broken the backbone of the Die-hard Sea God Faction. The remaining sea soul beasts either lacked steadfast faith or refused to obey the Sea God's commands.
Ling Bai opened the Gate of the Dead, and all the undead creatures surged into the Undead Demiplane like a tide. He took the frozen Vast Sea Blue Whale and Swordtail Sea Serpent King with him, but did not lay a hand on the two mermaid princesses. The Death Prison Bone Dragon followed closely beside Ling Bai, clutching them tightly in its palms.
On the other side, the Snow Empress had finally reunited with the soul beasts of the Far North. A faint smile appeared on her pretty face, which was perpetually covered in frost. She tossed the Sea Princess, immobilized by Great Cold Without Snow, to the Death Prison Bone Dragon and said:
"Let's go. We're heading to the Far North."
The group returned to the Far North Ice Field in grand procession. Ling Bai and Ling Qiuxi stood atop the dragon's head. Ling Qiuxi gazed at the Snow Empress's aloof back in the distance, then shot Ling Bai a questioning look.
"The third-ranked ferocious beast of the continent, the Snow Empress, ruler of the Far North... she was inside your body?"
"We've traveled together for six years. The Snow Empress helped me immensely along the way.