Somewhere in the Extreme North.
A few hours had passed, and after confirming the area was safe, Skydream finally stopped. Huo Yuhao, sensing that the moment had come, spoke calmly.
"Release the Ice Emperor and let's have a proper conversation. I believe she is wise enough to understand the situation."
A golden orb of light materialized between Huo Yuhao's brows and floated into the air. As the light expanded, it grew to about a meter in diameter. With a flash, the Ice Emperor appeared from within the golden disc.
She struggled fiercely, but it was in vain. Eventually, she spoke with defiance. "Hmph! Skydream, what are you trying to do by trapping me? Once I get out, I will kill you!"
Skydream's voice was filled with sorrow as she replied, "I came here for only one reason—to be with you forever."
Upon hearing this, both Huo Yuhao and the Ice Emperor were stunned.
Huo Yuhao couldn't help but think, 'What is going on? The plot is still chasing me! '
Ice Emperor was also confused, 'She ruined everything between me and Snow Emperor, and now she wants to take advantage of me? If I had known, I would have eaten that damn Skydream in one bite.'
The Ice Emperor's voice turned cold. "Then let me devour you and help me restore my origin, instead of refusing to reveal your true identity to me until now!"
Skydream sighed deeply. "Bingbing, it's not what you think. Today, I can only exist as a spiritual body. If not for luck, I would have been wiped out during the earlier catastrophe."
"What? You've only retained your spiritual origin?" The Ice Emperor was taken aback, clearly in disbelief. 'Even a million-year cultivation like Skydream can't escape death? Could this be the fate of all soul beasts?'
Thinking about the 400,000-year tribulation she was about to face, the Ice Emperor couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow.
Sensing the Ice Emperor's wavering, Skydream pressed on, determined to seize the opportunity. "Fortunately, the gods favored me. At the last moment, I met Yuhao, now symbiotically bound to me."
Skydreams voice turned proud. "Now, I've shed my mortal body and become a dragon! Hum, I am the first ever wisdom Soul ring on the mainland. Aren't you envious?"
"Host? Soul ring? Skydream, you became a soul ring for a human?" The Ice Emperor was furious.
Skydream, looking innocent, bitterly smiled. "It's a long story... It all started because you insisted on swallowing my origin."
Skydream then began recounting her tragic experiences over the years, especially the reasons and consequences of her decision to bet everything on Huo Yuhao.
"You know how terrifying the deadline is for us. I know your tribulation is coming again, Ice Emperor. Do you think you can survive it?"
The Ice Emperor fell silent. She knew Skydream was speaking the truth.
Skydream pressed on. "I'm not willing to die like this, and I believe you're the same. We've lived so long—how could we be willing to turn into dust? So, I have a plan!"
The Ice Emperor, her curiosity piqued, asked, "What plan?"
Skydream spoke with conviction. "Creating a god."
"Creating a god?" The Ice Emperor was stunned.
Skydream explained her vision, introducing Huo Yuhao to the Ice Emperor. "Bingbing, look at this. This is the most talented genius in the entire continent. If anyone is destined to become a god in this era, it's Huo Yuhao!"
Skydream's words were like a beacon of hope to the Ice Emperor. For someone facing the end of their life, this glimmer of light shone brighter than anything.
Skydream had hit the Ice Emperor's weak point. They had been companions for so long, and Skydream knew how to strike at just the right moment.
"Don't you want to see the Snow Emperor again?" Skydream added with a sly grin.
The Ice Emperor's pride had been deeply wounded. She was about to speak when Huo Yuhao interrupted. "Let's get to the point. I'll talk to the Ice Emperor now."
Huo Yuhao stepped forward, his tone turning serious. "Ice Emperor, you need to understand this. I'm doing this for Skydream's sake. This is just the icing on the cake."
He took a breath and continued, "Without your help, I would still be crushing the entire Douluo Continent. Give me some time, and I can surpass the limit and become a god!"
With those words, Huo Yuhao's black hair began to whip wildly in the wind, his words dripping with confidence.
"Buzz—"
The air around him trembled, and in an instant, the Northern Dark Ice Soul Domain erupted.
A chilling aura swept over the area as if the wind and snow themselves were welcoming the arrival of the Extreme North's Lord. The snow and ice cheered as if celebrating the future ruler.
"What?! It's a domain?" Both Skydream Iceworm and the Ice Emperor exclaimed in disbelief. Even in a restrained state, the Ice Emperor had to admit—this boy she had once underestimated was now worthy of her respect, perhaps even more than that.
The chilling energy emanating from Huo Yuhao's martial soul was even stronger than hers. After all, she was the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, the supreme ice creature of the Extreme North.
But the suppression of this martial soul was like nothing she had ever felt. Her respect for him grew, but so did her anger. How could this brat show such disrespect? She was one of the three Arctic kings of the Extreme North, an entity beyond any soul beast!
"It's all your fault, Skydream!" The Ice Emperor glared at Skydream and snarled.
Skydream, feeling a little embarrassed, responded, "I didn't know either. I thought it was just an Ultimate ice martial soul, but it turned out to be comparable to a god-level martial soul. It's worthy of direct inheritance from the gods!"
Skydream didn't immediately share all the details with the Ice Emperor. She kept her mouth shut about the deeper secrets of Huo Yuhao's abilities.
"Don't worry about it. This opportunity is rare, and it will never come again. What I need to know is whether you're willing to sacrifice yourself for the greater good."
She paused for a moment before adding, "On one side is eternal life, and on the other is death. What will you choose? Bingbing, think carefully."
This was Skydream's final push. "I'll give you three more minutes to decide."
The Ice Emperor was silent once more. Her golden eyes flickered as she glanced between Huo Yuhao and Skydream. Was there no other way out?
Finally, she spoke. "Do I have any other choice?"
Skydreams excitement was palpable. "Okay, Bingbing, we've rekindled our bond!"
Huo Yuhao nodded.
The Ice Emperor glared at Skydream. "Don't think I agreed because of you. If you provoke me again, I'll explode and we'll both die!"
Skydream quickly backed off. "Fine, I won't say anything else. You can start now."
The Ice Emperor looked at Huo Yuhao one last time and muttered, "I hope you do become a god."
Huo Yuhao smiled confidently. "You will never regret your choice."
The Ice Emperor had become one of the three Arctic kings of the Extreme North for a reason—she was decisive. After a brief hesitation, she made up her mind.
Her once golden eyes gradually shifted to a deep emerald green, and the long, emerald green tail of the Ice Emperor Scorpion rose once more.
The soft green halo emanated from the base of her tail, growing brighter as it reached the tip. With a flash of light, the spiritual essence of the Ice Emperor detached and slowly floated upward.
Though this process appeared simple, it was far from ordinary. Only soul beasts that had surpassed the limit and reached over 100,000 years of cultivation could achieve this.
The golden light from Skydream floated forward and absorbed the green essence. The two spiritual essences quickly merged into Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea.
"Yuhao," the Ice Emperor said again, "with my help, if you want to maximize the benefits, you need to adopt the method of bone first, then fire."
She paused, looking concerned. "I can give you a soul bone from any part of my body. I suggest the trunk bone—the spine, sternum, and ribs. This would give you two more external soul bones."
"But be warned. Though your body is stronger than most soul masters, the power of my soul bone is immense. The transformation will be both long and painful."
"You need to decide if you can endure the extreme pain. Our power can't protect your spirit, and if you break mentally, all your efforts will be for nothing."
"Yuhao, can you bear it?"
Huo Yuhao smiled calmly. "Don't worry, Ice Emperor. It's just the pain of changing bones. I can handle it."
...
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