"Xue Di, go stop him."
"What?"
A flash of surprise appeared on Xue Di's usually cold face. Although she had little experience interacting with people, her centuries of life had not been in vain; her mind was far more perceptive and delicate than Ah Yin's.
The expression on Qian Renxue's face just now clearly hadn't conveyed this intention.
"Don't let that person reach the island."
"But…"
"Don't make me angry."
Qian Renxue's voice turned colder, and faint traces of white-hot flames flickered in her eyes, making Xue Di feel a chill deep inside. This state of Qian Renxue was something she had never seen before, and she didn't dare say anything further.
The powerful force hidden deep within Qian Renxue's body seemed to be stirring.
As Su Cheng gazed at the familiar Seagod Island in front of him, he took a deep breath. The salty, humid sea breeze filled his chest, bringing a sense of familiarity.
It had been almost two months since he left the Blue Silver Grass Forest. Since he hadn't known Qian Renxue's exact whereabouts, he'd been searching blindly, like a headless fly.
He had traveled through the two great empires, numerous duchies, and even ventured deep into the Star Dou Forest a few times, but he never sensed her presence.
Fortunately, his efforts hadn't been entirely fruitless. Not only had he broken through the last barrier with Ah Yin, but he had also gained significant benefits along the way.
Ah Yin's unique attributes, which had strong nurturing and accommodating abilities, greatly enhanced Su Cheng's physique and true power while accelerating the complete integration of his soul and body.
After they truly merged physically, the deep energy feedback benefited him far more than using soul power had before. Su Cheng estimated that at this pace, he would be able to break through the final barrier within one or two months.
When that time came, he would enter a brand-new realm, and his power would advance to another level. Once his body reached the maximum amount of power it could bear, he could begin preparing to shatter his seventh soul ring and attempt the next breakthrough.
He had come to Seagod Island with little hope, but he hadn't expected to actually find traces of Qian Renxue here. The discovery surprised him.
This place seemed to have nothing to do with Qian Renxue.
"Can you handle this? Do you need me to do anything?"
At that moment, a ghostly figure appeared beside Su Cheng. The speaker was Ah Yin. Her physical form was currently housed in the Eternal Sword, and this was just a soul power avatar created using her domain powers.
"No need. I'll explain everything to her."
"But…"
Ah Yin hesitated, wanting to say more.
"What's wrong?" Su Cheng glanced at her.
"It's nothing," Ah Yin shook her head. "Maybe it's better if we keep what happened between us a secret from her. Let's not upset her further. Sigh, perhaps…"
As she spoke, her voice grew lower.
Saying something like "what we did was wrong" or "I'm sorry to Qian Renxue" now would be insincere and hypocritical.
Although she sometimes wondered if their relationship had progressed too quickly, thinking that they should have waited until Su Cheng's situation with Qian Renxue stabilized, it had been hard to refuse him when he pushed forward.
Moreover…
Ah Yin couldn't suppress the memories of the things he did in bed. Initially, they made her feel embarrassed, even a little angry and dissatisfied. But once she actually tried them and started enjoying them, she gradually lost herself in the pleasure.
Now, there was no way she'd be willing to let go.
"Keep our relationship a secret? What, you want to be my secret lover?" Su Cheng chuckled.
"Secret lover? That sounds terrible," Ah Yin pouted. "I just mean that you should apologize to Qian Renxue properly without mentioning irrelevant details. You don't need to worry about me. I don't really care about these things."
"Don't worry, I won't hide your existence. But first, I need to calm her down," Su Cheng said seriously, his smile fading. "And you shouldn't feel any guilt. This is something I have to face sooner or later. I've delayed it long enough."
As he spoke, his expression suddenly changed, and he turned his head. "Someone's coming. You should go back."
"…"
Not long after Ah Yin's figure disappeared, a figure emerged from the dense forest of Seagod Island.
It wasn't one of the Seagod warriors who patrolled the island.
It was a young woman in a plain white dress, with long white hair that reached her ankles and an expression as cold as ice. With her appearance, the warm, humid air seemed to turn cold and dry, and the wind suddenly became much harsher.
"Please stop."
Xue Di's red lips parted slightly, and she spoke in a cold tone, her gaze fixed on Su Cheng.
As she observed the man standing not far away, a surge of curiosity rose in her heart.
She couldn't see through him.
His cultivation and age seemed shrouded in mist, even more mysterious than Qian Renxue.
She had never encountered someone like this before.
Having followed Qian Renxue from the extreme north into the human world for more than half a year now, Xue Di believed she had gained a decent understanding of human society.
Her learning and comprehension abilities were strong, and she quickly grasped many concepts after only seeing them a few times.
Previously, she had despised humans, thinking of them as selfish and greedy, treating other species as food and constantly invading other territories.
But after observing closely, she realized the world was far different from what she had known.
Humans possessed extraordinary creativity, constantly altering the natural environment. Perhaps because of this, they had grown so quickly, dominating most of the world's land.
Though she didn't say it aloud, Xue Di found herself increasingly drawn to this new world. Compared to the monotonous and unchanging extreme north, the outside world was full of unknowns—both terrifying and enticing.
"A spirit beast?"
Su Cheng immediately recognized Xue Di's nature, his mind puzzled as to how she got involved with Qian Renxue.
Unconcerned, he bluntly asked, "Why aren't you staying in your own territory? What are you doing in the human world, and what's your relationship with Qian Renxue?"
Her connection to Qian Renxue would determine how Su Cheng proceeded.
If it was just a coincidence, he could let it go. But if they were friends, he wouldn't harm her too much out of respect for Qian Renxue.
Inwardly, he was somewhat pleased—he hadn't expected someone as solitary as Qian Renxue to make a friend, even if it was a spirit beast.
Xue Di's eyes flashed with anger.
His words clearly showed that he didn't take her seriously.
She could accept Qian Renxue's power, but what gave this man the confidence to remain so calm in the face of her overwhelming aura?
Still, she didn't act immediately. Her voice remained flat as she said, "You're here to find her? You should leave. She doesn't want to see you."
"…"
Su Cheng glanced at her without saying a word and continued walking toward the island. When he got closer, he veered slightly to the side, but he made no effort to avoid her.
Xue Di could no longer suppress her emotions.
As the absolute ruler of the extreme north, how many dared to ignore her authority?
In the next moment, a terrifying cold wave spread out from her body, rapidly expanding in all directions.
The humid air condensed into snowflakes that covered her, forming a sacred and magnificent white gown. Her deep blue eyes, like eternal ice, became even clearer and more profound, as if they could reflect the entire world.
Her ankle-length white hair turned into an icy blue, fluttering behind her in the wind.
A powerful aura, comparable to that of an Ultimate Douluo, surged out, covering the entire island without restraint.
At the top of Seagod Mountain, Bo Saixi's eyes trembled slightly as she watched the scene unfolding on the island's edge. She also saw the two figures facing each other—Qian Renxue's powerful spirit beast and… Su Cheng.
Her body instinctively moved, but then she stopped, her expression changing as she hesitated, uncertain of what to do.
The Seven Sacred Pillars of Sea God Island also sensed the overwhelming aura, their expressions turning helpless.
Here we go again.
The once peaceful and serene Sea God Island had faced an unending series of unexpected incidents in recent years.
Powerful beings, comparable to the Great Priest in strength, were appearing one after another.
First, there was the young man brought back by the Great Priest a few years ago. After causing a ruckus on the island, he managed to escape unscathed. Even the Great Priest couldn't do anything to him and might have even suffered a small setback.
Then, just over half a year ago, a powerful soul master with a Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul arrived. Her strength was terrifying, and the titled Sacred Pillar Douluo couldn't withstand a single blow from her.
The woman who accompanied her didn't make a move, but she also gave off an extremely dangerous aura.
And today? What was going on now?
It seemed like another fight was about to break out.
Moreover, it appeared that the one who initiated the fight was that cold, white-haired woman.
Unfortunately, the area where the fight was happening was completely enveloped in ice and snow. With their level of spiritual power, it was impossible to see the details of what was happening.
Still, these people could only sigh in their hearts. They no longer had any interest in intervening or watching the commotion.
No matter what the situation was over there, it was clearly beyond their strength to handle.
If Bo Saixi chose to intervene, they naturally wouldn't stand by idly.
But since the Great Priest hadn't said anything, it was probably nothing serious, so there was no need to humiliate themselves further.
On the outer edge of the ring-shaped island beneath Sea God Mountain, Qian Renxue also unconsciously clenched her fists, her eyes flickering with emotion as she silently watched the scene in the distance.
She was looking at Su Cheng, the man who occupied her thoughts day and night.
On the shore of the island.
Facing the direct attack from Xue Di, Su Cheng narrowed his eyes, and the Eternal Sword appeared in his hand.
As his Martial Soul and soul rings emerged, his corresponding "Soul Saint" level cultivation was also revealed.
"A Soul Saint with only one soul ring? And this soul ring…"
A hint of surprise flashed in Xue Di's eyes as she found Su Cheng's current cultivation state somewhat baffling.
She was familiar with the human soul master cultivation system.
From one ring to nine rings, each step was clearly defined, with no exceptions that she knew of.
Even someone as powerful as Qian Renxue merely had strength far surpassing others at her level. But on the surface, she still appeared to be an eight-ring Soul Douluo, preparing to absorb her ninth soul ring to advance to Titled Douluo.
But what was the situation with this man in front of her? Where were his previous soul rings?
Moreover, this soul ring looked special, with a pure aura and a light pink color, different from the soul rings formed by soul beasts after death in her understanding.
However, no matter how peculiar the soul ring, it was ultimately just a small Soul Saint.
As for the previously hidden aura, it was probably due to this special soul ring.
Even so, Xue Di didn't let her guard down. After witnessing Qian Renxue's extraordinary abilities, she had become somewhat cautious.
She slowly raised her delicate, white hand.
The endless snowstorm in the air suddenly began to rotate in a controlled manner with her motion, forming whirlwinds, and the temperature within a short range plummeted.
In this environment, even boiling water would instantly freeze.
This palm strike wasn't Xue Di's ultimate move; it was just a simple probing attack.
Although she didn't know the relationship between this man and Qian Renxue, they clearly knew each other, so she didn't intend to strike a fatal blow.
On the other side, Su Cheng's pupils reflected the swirling snow and frost, capturing the breathtaking beauty of the scene.
But within this beautiful scene, the slender fingers of this stunning woman harbored a terrifying and deadly killing intent!
This casual palm strike was unparalleled in its momentum, and although it was a mere probing attack, its power was comparable to a full-strength attack from a peak Douluo. A soul master as powerful as Tang Hao would undoubtedly be killed instantly by such an attack with no chance of survival.
But without a doubt, this move was nothing in Su Cheng's current eyes.
He frowned and raised his sword, ready to dispel the storm and immediately go in search of Qian Renxue.
However, as he was about to strike, he suddenly had a change of heart. He retracted most of his true power, only using the strength of a Soul Saint to defend, without any intention of counterattacking.
His true power and physical body were perfectly integrated, so retracting his strength was as natural as breathing, making it impossible for others to perceive his depth.
Xue Di naturally didn't notice the shift in Su Cheng's aura. She couldn't believe that someone facing such a powerful attack would voluntarily weaken their defense.
In the next moment, as the sword blade met her palm, Su Cheng's face instantly turned pale.
Blood trickled from his nose and mouth, but it quickly froze, hanging on his face in a somewhat comical way.
His entire body was sent flying and crashed to the ground, and only by leaning on the Eternal Sword did he manage to stay upright without looking too pathetic.
However, his face was ashen, and his breath was weak—he was clearly severely injured.
Seeing how easily she had injured Su Cheng, Xue Di frowned.
This strike had merely been a test, using only a portion of her strength. She had no difficulty holding back, and the raging snowstorm quickly dissipated.
She looked at the weak Su Cheng, and a trace of contempt inadvertently flashed in her cold eyes. "I thought you were more capable, daring to act so boldly. Turns out you're just a mere Soul Saint. In the end, you're just relying on—"
"Who gave you the right to harm him?!"
Before Xue Di could finish her sentence, a sword light suddenly slashed towards her from the distance, aiming directly at her vital spots without hesitation.
The intense killing intent contained in the strike made Xue Di break out in a cold sweat, and she quickly dodged.
At the same time, a deep, bottomless crack appeared on the ground, mere inches from where Xue Di had been standing.
This sword strike was aimed at taking her life!
Even someone as composed as Xue Di couldn't help but feel a surge of grievance.
You were the one who asked me to stop this man, but he insisted on coming. His strength was lacking, so what could I do?
Was I supposed to coax him into leaving the island?
With this thought, she shot Su Cheng an angry glare, feeling a wave of fury.
No wonder!
No wonder this guy dared to act so recklessly despite his lack of strength. It turns out he was relying on Qian Renxue as his backer!
But Qian Renxue, who had just emerged from the forest, clearly had no intention of paying attention to Xue Di's feelings.
In the next moment, she split into two figures, rushing to Su Cheng's side, supporting him from both sides and continuously infusing him with soul power.
"Are your injuries still not healed?"
"Are you an idiot? Why didn't you defend yourself?!"
"Xiaoxue," Su Cheng looked at them, smiling weakly as he gasped for breath. "Since she's your friend, I can't attack her no matter what. Besides, it wasn't her fault; it was my mistake. She was only doing it for your sake."
"You…"
Hearing these words, both the cold, composed, black-clad Qian Renxue and the white-clad Qian Renxue, who couldn't hide her emotions, had their eyes turn red simultaneously.
Xue Di: "..."
This man is such a scoundrel.